"Your mother will be among them too," Khaos said as he helped Zuri get down from the carriage.
A lot of people gathered around the gallows to watch the traitors get their punishnt. A few important figures were sitting on their respective seats. All of their eyes narrowed when they saw Khaos get off the carriage with the luna from the Blackthorne pack.
They heard that the luna was innocent and that the punishnt wouldn't require the entire family to be annihilated, since Xaden's status made things complicated.
So of them disagreed and it was understandable, but the king's decision was final.
"She chose to be there," Zuri said. She could see her mother standing beside her father. She looked unfazed, thinking she was dying for sothing that she believed was right. She was dying for her mate to show her loyalty. "She chose to die with him."
But deep down, she knew it was because Roland was Karina's entire world. Her life revolved around him and if it were not for him, she wouldn't know what to do. She didn't even have a place to go or anyone to rely on.
Zuri wouldn't sit in the front row like Khaos and the king, since she was not officially Khaos' mate, her status was questionable at best at this point. With the death of Xaden, she wouldn't be the luna of Blackthorne pack and her pack would be reverted back to the River Creek pack as per the law in this kingdom, unless soone mated her.
However, from her sitting position, she could clearly see the gallows and those people that had been lined up for their demise would also be able to see her once they went up the platform.
Around a hundred people would be hanged today, which ant it would take a few days to complete the executions of people who were on death row.
There were only important figures there, since those rogues or warriors had been beheaded the mont they were caught. The king wasn't holding any hostages.
Beside the king, his new, shiny, young mate was sitting with a deep frown. From the looks of it, she really wished she was anywhere else but here and kept fiddling with her fingers. She was only seventeen after all and this must be the first ti for her to watch such cruelty.
King Amidas and the rest of the people from the Wolfdale kingdom had returned three days ago based on what Khaos told her.
And now, Zuri was sitting in the back row with a few elders, who looked at her weirdly. Thankfully, Caiden was there to accompany her.
"Do you want to?" Caiden offered her his snacks, as if he was watching sothing entertaining, instead of countless n going to et their demise.
Zuri frowned. "You can still eat?"
"Food is life," Caiden replied. He gave so at to Shadow, which the little wolf munched on happily. "More so, everyone should put on more weight for winter."
"You are not an animal."
"We are shifters. Half human and half wolf." He shrugged. "I think that counts."
Zuri said nothing else and watched her mother step onto the gallows with a brave face, beside her was her father and beside her father was Xaden.
This was the first ti she saw them again after almost a month, after they staged the coup. They looked so different. Haggard and powerless. The past few weeks in the dungeon must have humbled them and extinguished all the fire within them.
It felt so weird to see them without any power and authority. Zuri couldn't believe it. Those people, who looked so weak right now, were the ones that had made her life miserable.
And before they lost their footing as the rope tightened ending their lives, their eyes found her among the crowd. Their gazes t hers, but suddenly everything went black when Caiden -covered her eyes.
"You don't want to see this," he said, his voice deep and serious. This was the first ti for Zuri to hear him speaking in this tone. The gamma usually loved to joke around or make stupid stories.
"I am fine."
Yet, despite what she said, Zuri didn't swat the hand covering her eyes away. She let him shield her from the grueso sight, thinking she wouldn't be able to handle it, probably she couldn't and she was grateful that Caiden was being thoughtful.
"You know what?"
"What?" Caiden asked. "Are you going to say that I am very thoughtful?"
Zuri scoffed. "The sauce from your food stained my cheek."
"Oh."
After that, Caiden led Zuri away to help her clean the stain, which apparently did not only stain her cheek, but also her dress.
Currently, the two of them and Shadow were near the fountain. Caiden gave her a handkerchief to dab at the stains on her dress and cheek, while he tried to stop the little wolf from jumping into the water, since he was too curious.
"Do you have a mate?"
"Huh? No." Caiden pulled Shadow by its tail and the little wolf bit him. "Never t with my destined mate, she is probably dead or has been mated with soone else."
Zuri assud Caiden was around Xaden's age. Usually, n around his age would start thinking of starting a family or having soone to be with.
"Chosen mate?" Zuri asked again. She frowned because the stain wouldn't co out.
"Nah. I have a delicate taste."
Hearing that, Zuri raised her brows, she was not sure what that ant. "I have a childhood
friend back in the River Creek pack, maybe I can introduce you to her." She didn't know why she said this. It seed she just liked talking about random things with the gamma.
However, Caiden smirked as he asked. "Do you think we will be compatible?"
"Probably, she is lovely and beautiful."
"So, you an, I am also lovely and gorgeous?"
"No, I ant, her beauty could counter your shortcomings," Zuri replied lightly and the
gamma looked like he was going to explode in anger.
"I am very attractive too, you know!"
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