"You have no idea what I've been through Eric!"
I suddenly went from sounding like a woofer to mewing like a kitten. I'm surprised when my eyes start to well up with tears again after I thought I was already dried out from crying so much.
I slowly sink to the floor to sit on my heels. I am physically, mentally, and emotionally tired. I am grief-stricken about Martha's death. I don't know if I would ever be consoled. I don't know how I would ever find peace to continue living without her in my life.
And despite all, Thor did to me. Despite all this, I think about him and said to Eric. I don't think I can ever stop myself from loving the bastard. I'm not sure if I'll ever heal from losing him. So, so pathetic!
"She killed Martha..." I softly say to Eric who is standing helpless before me like a statue.
"Miranda killed my mother and I couldn't do anything about it. I couldn't save her. I could only watch, helpless and pathetic as she bled out on the carpet. God, I'm so useless!" I say, sobbing with my head bowed.
I am ashamed of myself. I am defeated and feel like a loser as I sob my heart out. Eric still stands where he is with a strange expression on his face but the she-wolf that came with him moves closer to kneel beside me...
"There, there..." She softly says while patting me on the back. "Everything is going to be okay."
I shake my head
"No!... No, it's not going to be okay." I reply weakly. Her words do nothing to comfort me. They're just mere words that I don't believe in.
"I'm heartbroken. I'm tired. So tired I don't wanna do this anymore! I don't want to continue living. I just want to sleep and not wake up..." I cry as I pour out my grief.
"Don't say that, Luna. Please don't say that..." She says with a catch in her voice, making me wonder if she's also crying.
"But it's the truth! I can't go on. I just don't have the energy... I'm sorry Martha. I know I promised I would be strong... Right now I'm not sure if I can. I just want to curl up somewhere and die. I'm far from being strong..."
"No, you're not! Stop speaking so lowly about yourself!" She says firmly. She pulls away from me and I'm able to properly look at her up close.
She's a very beautiful woman even with her dark makeup and crazy hairstyle. And she indeed has tears in her her eyes for me. Who is she to Thor and Eric I wonder?
She brings out a handkerchief from inside her leather jacket and wipes at my tear before refolding the piece of cloth to dab her own mascara-stained tears.
"You're the strongest she-wolf that I've ever met in my life, no other come close." She says while looking into my eyes. "I want you to know that even strong people have their low days. You're currently going through your low days. It's a phase in all our lives and it will pass. We know you're strong and you're doing great even if you can't tell by yourself...
Now don't ever let me hear you use words like 'tired', 'not', 'far from being strong', and other words that connote negativity because we are strong only if you're strong..." She says, fiercely gripping my hand.
"We?..." I ask. I want to know how she's related to Thor.
"We, Thor's family. The closest shifters to him on earth... You're not alone in this and we can only be strong when we know our Luna is strong. We're in this together and we're going to be fighting that evil bitch together."
I find myself nodding to her words with a smile. I feel a little bit better actually. Eric also moved nearer and go on one knee beside me.
"Ash, meet Ella. She's mated to Ivar, one of Thor's warriors. She's like our unofficial mother in Thor's team... Ella of course needs no introduction. She knows who you are. The whole team knows all about you before the usurper barged in."
Ella slightly bows her head after Eric finished the introduction.
"Luna..." She says with a smile and I smile back with a nod
"Thank you, Ella, for your soothing words of encouragement. You have no idea how much that means to me. Thank you!"
"No, Luna, thank you. Thank you for staying strong and not giving up." She replies.
I nod before turning to Eric. This is the second time he's in the line of fire between me and Thor. I'm ashamed of myself since I'm the one who always drags him in and not by choice.
"Eric, I'm sorry about the way I spoke to you earlier. I..."
"It's okay, I understand. You have nothing to be sorry about. Anybody in your shoes would probably do more than you did, so don't worry yourself about that." He says with a smile
"You need help getting up?" He says again as he stands from his crouching position.
"No, no, no, I'm good," I reply and also get up
"I'm sorry. I would have offered you both a chair but I'm not given any, even for myself as you can see..." I joke and we all laugh
"About the chairs..." Eric says and calls for the guards.
"Guards!..."
Four huge men wearing different uniforms from those that arrested me came rushing inside. I was brought in unconscious so I don't recognize their faces.
"Unlock the chain, I'm changing her cell..." Eric commands
The guards hesitate looking at each other before one of them eventually speaks up...
"We are sorry, Beta. The Luna... "
He didn't get to finish his words. Ella move so fast that I can't explain how she did it. I mean, one moment the guard was standing tall and proud in his uniform and the next, Ella is laying on the floor with his neck clutched tightly in between her knees.
"Careful now– you don't want to end up dead or do you?..." She ask coldly to the guard gasping for breath between her legs while trying to free himself from her death grip but her keen eyes are trained on the rest of the three who had taken many steps back.
"Wow!..." My eyes widen with respect for her. She's a woman and she's able to take down a man twice as big as her. What would have happened if it was Eric that made the move on the guard? Wouldn't they all be lying dead by now?
"How did you move so fast?" I squat beside her to whisper in awe and she laughs.
"Wait till we get you out of here. We're going to have so much fun doing stuff together... You'll have to show me how you can wear those silver bracelets and anklets and still manage to look so cool... It was torture every time the Alpha made us wear one during training" She says, her eyes twinkling with excitement
"Oh, really? It was painful at first when they put it on me but not anymore. It's as if my body kinda get used to it." I reply, looking at the heavy silver chains that bound me to the dungeon stone walls. She calls them bracelets and anklets. Crazy girl.
"Okay, girls. This is neither the time nor place to invite each other for tea..." Eric says. "Ella, be nice. Let the poor man go."
"Alright Beta"
As soon as Ella eased her grip on his neck, he scrambles to a sitting position, spluttering and gasp ing for breath.
Eric squatted beside him then.
"This place is hardly suitable for animals so please open the chains I need to put her in a more conducive environment."