Every morning brings in new hope and dreams. It's a testament to the fact that no matter how dark the night is, there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
But not today.
Not for her.
The day progressed and before anyone knew it, it was already dark. The rattling of chains echoes around her, as her body is pulled forward through the Martin chain attached to her waist.
Her naked feet stagger, struggling to move forward when suddenly they get caught on something and she finds herself falling forward.
With hands tied and a heavy round neck chain pulling her down.
She couldn't even break her fall and a shattering pain hit her jaw. She could taste blood in her lips and a crease appeared on her forehead.
" Get up bastard. We don't have the entire day for this. "
She tried. But she couldn't. When she didn't move the man holding her chains, sighed in exasperation.
" I guess you still want what they call the last-minute motivation. "
Before she knows it, a searing pain hits her back. Cracking open the cuts on her back that haven't even healed overnight.
She clenches her fist with every whip.
She has to get up. Till her last breath, she will not let her head fall in defeat.
She will walk down with her head held high...even if she was walking towards her own execution.
She was the Phoenix.
The person who never accepts defeat. Letting out a ragged breath.
She folds her legs to her chest and then coils to lift herself. As soon as her knee scrapes the floor another whip hits her back and she slouches forward.
" Aghh"
" Get up fuc*er!"
A deep exhale leaves her lips and she straightens her back. Using all the strength in her.
Getting back up, despite the whips hitting her thighs, she stands straight, proud, and tall. Unafraid.
Phoenix has never bowed in front of anyone. And she won't. Until she dies.
With heavy footsteps, she follows the guards to her doom while hundreds of other prisoners stare at her through the bars of their cells. She was just near the threshold when she heard loud hails from behind.
" Phoenix!"
" Phoenix!"
Her footsteps halt. The criminals were cheering for her. She didn't know what to feel about this. But somewhere in her heart, she knew what these cheers were.
Penitentiary prison is known to be the most deadly place in the world. People shiver on barely hearing its name.
It has a track record that no criminal has ever left this place on their feet before.
Those who enter this place die of torture within a month. It's their dead body that leaves this place to be buried.
And here she was, the first person to walk out on her own feet with her head held high and no trace of fear.
A symbol of strength, endurance, and valor. Walking towards her death on her own feet. The Phoenix has become a hero for those criminals unknowingly.
A ray of hope that nothing was impossible in this world.
. . . .
A large crowd has gathered around the scaffold. A hullabaloo surrounded the place. It was beyond everyone's scheduled sleeping time but sleep was not evident in anyone's eyes. They were desperate for justice.
Waiting for it to be delivered.
The death penalty has been rarely used as a punishment by even the council. It was considered too brutal and against werehuman rights.
No one has been hanged in the last 7 years. Until now.
A car comes to a halt and the guards rush forward to move people back. The door opens and in walk the members of the council.
8 oldest and most powerful Alphas of all time. An aura of dominance and power surrounded them in waves and the countrymen immediately bowed in their honor.
Walking up the stairs, they settle on the eight chairs, overlooking the gallow. Giving a clear view of the execution.
A huge centre chair stays vacant and that's when another car comes to a halt. The chauffeur opens the door and a pristine immaculate shoe rests on the ground.
A calloused strong hand rests on the door handle, a trap of blue veins highlights their pale color, and out steps the great King of all.
The propelling crowd mums to silence. All the chaos comes to an end. As his cold emotionless eyes sweeped through the crowd. All heads dropped down and few even touched their forehead on the ground.
He was nothing less than a God for these people.
Their harbinger of justice, equality, and peace. The man they all looked up to. Closing the door shut softly in complete contrast to the chaos inside, he reaches the council in barely 15 long strides.
A mere bow was sent to the elders to acknowledge their presence. Settling on the head chair, his fingers grip around the armrest, and his knuckles almost turn white.
From a distance, he still looked like that undefeatable striking man, with adonis-like features and unmatchable strength. But when you look closer?
Those dark bangs under his eyes, disheveled hair and stone-cold face told a deeper story. Behind that calm emotionless face were tsunamis and storms kept in reins.
His eyes stayed fixated on the rope which was going to tie around a certain neck and seize her breath.
Unknowingly his grip on the armrest turns deadly, wood splinters are ready to c***k when soft gentle fingers rest on his hand.
" Relax Zach. I am here. "
" It's going to be alright. "
A sweet voice whispers in his ear and he looks up to his mate's striking blue eyes. Sparks light up his arms, and his wolf exclaims in delight but his human side? It revulsed. He wasn't ready for anyone else's touch yet. It felt wrong. When this was right from the beginning.
Emerald was his mate, he shouldn't feel like this with her touch. But he did. And the reason stood right in front of him.
The Phoenix was here.