Bitter Soul

Aakifahlynn recoiled away from Jairus, but it took strength she did not have because her heart still fluttered at his closeness after all his betrayal.

She felt disgusted.

Weak electricity flowed through her body, betraying her. This bond was betraying her just like her husband and mate were. She turned her face away, and Jairus reached and grabbed her face, turning it back to him roughly.

Aakifahlynn made a sound of protest at her pain.

"I fed you a poison that weakened your wolf..." He squeezed her jaw, ensuring she stayed still and listened, "And when you continue to strain your body using magic, it did the rest of the work for me..." He kissed her cheek again, so tender and sweet.

"I must thank you for that," With a smug look on his face, he gave her another gentle kiss, this time on her nose.

After he whispered those horrid words letting her know he was responsible for her current condition, weakening her in front of the people so he could declare her unfit to rule.

She looked at him, and suddenly, rage and hatred consumed her. He had the people looking at him as if he was just humbly doing what was best for the Kingdom. He had them right where he wanted them.

He is such a strong leader and King, as he caresses and kisses his love tenderly as he does what must be done for the people.

She wanted to bite that smug look off his face with her canines.

'My wolf,' she whimpered, too late to do anything about it now. However, knowing she was not directly at fault brought a pinch of reprieve to her soul.

All of this was so that he and his mistress could live happily ever after in the castle.

The betrayal was bitter in Aakifahlynn's soul. Her head throbbed, and her body numbed from the beating yet sensitive to his touch.

She flinched when Jairus grabbed her neck and pulled her towards him, causing her to stretch with the apparatus they hung her on while she ensured her feet stayed on the drum.

"You can never be her." He all but moaned in her ear, tilting his head towards Taisiya, standing off to the side and looking like the ever-so-graceful Queen, ready to take HER place.

"Every time I gaze upon you, I WILLED myself to see HER." He growled erotically.

Jairus then kissed her nose once more, showing the people he was so strong enough to do what he was doing, as it was clear he loved her.

Psshhh, what a joke. Her body shook with anger, which just caused her more pain in her bones.

And there it was; the moment he turned again to look at Taisiya, he decided to drive the rusty, jagged knife into her heart for one final blow.

Alpha King Jairus used his free hand to slightly tug his collar just enough for Queen Luna's Aakifahlynn's eyes and there on his neck. Her mate bore Taisiya's mark.

It had to be Taisiya because it sure as hell was not hers, and as long as she was alive or not rejected, that mark was useless.

However, that is not why her husband ensured she saw a currently useless mark. One, she would die soon; as such, he would be free to mark Taisiya, and her mark would activate.

Secondly, it was because he had marked Queen Luna, claimed her like a pet, and refused her mark.

She severely wanted him to bear her mark like she took his. It was one thing she never understood. However, his actions never gave her reason to think anything of it.

So she compromised her decision and backed off.

Only for her to now see he was flaunting Taisiya's mark, her claim on him.

Aakifahlynn's tears flowed nonstop down her cheeks as she resigned herself to her faith again, to this new faith. While inside her, she raged about the injustice being done to her.

She raged at the depths of Jairus's betrayal.

All the while, she hoped for her end so that this torment, suffering, and horrible night could come to an end.

Jairus had spent months planning and weakening his wife's wolf while she continuously used and drained her magic to fortify the Kingdom so he could declare her weak and unfit for the throne so his mistress could take her place.

Too much, it was too much.

At least out of the hundreds, maybe thousands of citizens gathered here, someone stood up for her. She wished she could have seen his face.

Aakifahlynn had an idea who it was, though. She was unsure.

Naturally, she did not want to believe her enemy was rushing to aid her in this injustice. Why was he pleading for her release, and more importantly, why did he declare his love for her?

And why did he declare his love to the King, no less? Is there something she was missing?

Did he truly love her? Never! Those were more lies and schemes. Who knows what those Ayacqueans were up to?

Aakifahlynn tried to recall their history of fighting on opposite sides. However, she was jerked from her recollections when the drum was suddenly kicked from under her.

Aakifahlynn's body dropped, and there was a sickening crack. However, that was not the end. Hands tied behind her, she struggled, her body fighting for survival while she tried to slip away peacefully.

Even in death, she had no control. While she forced herself to relax and accept her faith, her body bucked and convulsed, struggling to get air into her lungs to no avail. Her mouth was open with her tongue sticking out.

She desperately sucked in air and would choke, then start coughing but couldn't really, then heaving but couldn't.

It felt like an endless torture. However, after what felt like forever for the crowd and Aakifahlynn, red-veined eyes soon bulged out of her eye socket, staring blankly.

Her neck snapped to one side, and her body gave the last three twitches, and it was over for Queen Luna Aakifahlynn Mathiasen.

Alpha King Jairus had succeeded. He smiled as he stepped up beside his mistress, the Council members gathering around them.

While for Aakifahlynn, it was a never-ending freefall into only darkness for what felt like forever...

"Your Highness?" Aakifahlynn felt someone gently touch her shoulders as if trying to wake her. She jumped in response, her eyes fluttering open.

Her head was resting on the large table.

"Your Highness, you look tired. Please, you should rest." Aakifahlynn's eyes narrowed at her surroundings. The confusion was evident in her gaze as she frantically scanned the room.

She was in the meeting room. Her blue eyes dimmed, her eyebrows pinched.

It was a large room, alight with candles, a large round table, and seating for over thirty people.

Aakifahlyn sat at the head. She shook her head and shut her eyes tight.

"Your Highness?" Aakifahlynn suddenly wanted to snap at him. She felt a rage bubbling to the surface and glanced at the face. It was Duke Mark Chapman.

She wanted to snap and say, "Don't you call me that."

Nevertheless, her mind was racing. What was happening? Why was she here?

She looked around and saw the faces of the entire council, some of the same men that had stood off to the side while she was betrayed in the worst ways and was made a spectacle of.

Aakifahlynn gasped. She grasped her chest as if just realizing something; this must be a dream.

She died! Yes, her husband betrayed her for his mistress to take the throne.

She looked at her surroundings again; a meeting was in session, and she needed to excuse herself to gather her wits to figure out what was happening to her.

What the hell was going on?

She glanced at the parchments before her and browsed with narrowed eyes.

It was about the Ayacques. On further inspection and looking around the room, Aakifahlynn remembered this! However, why was she dreaming of something that happened in the past?

And how could she be dreaming if she was dead? Or was her death a dream, and was this the reality?

No, that can't be it either, because this was a strategy meeting that they had to reinforce the Kingdom's borders three years ago.

They got word from their spies that the Ayacques were gearing up to attack the Kingdom, secretly planning to take over the throne.

AGAIN!