THE ALPHA'S VIRGIN SLAVE: Submit Alpha Ian's curse - Chapter 413: Chapter 413

Mariana's POV
I stood still, tears running down my face and a beating heart in my hand.
"I'm sorry," my wolf whispered, then pulled back as I slowly looked down at my brother's dead body.
I dropped the heart with a trembling hand and screamed as I fell to my knees in a panic, moving my hand to cover the hole in his chest.
"No, Diaz, no," I cried as I moved my other bloody hand to his face.
"You can't die, please, you can't die! Why, oh goddess, why?" I sobbed.
"Wake up and look at me! Please, look at me! I swear I will never get angry again," I cried at the top of my voice.
I was very upset over his words, and for a second, I wished him dead. But how was I to know that my wolf would act upon this wish of mine, as cruel as it was?
Every time I wished for something within her reach and power, she did exactly that. Then I felt so happy because she protected me, even when it was against my will!
But how could she hurt our only brother like he was nothing?
"Mariana," Amelia called as she moved closer and placed her hand on my shoulder.
"I believe him dying was for the best," she whispered, then went down on her knees next to me.
I quickly hugged her while I cried on her shoulder for what felt like forever.
When I felt much better, I pulled back and looked at her sadly.
"I have nothing left," I whispered.
I really had nowhere to go and no one on my side.
Our territory showed respect to both me and Diaz, but that didn't mean they saw me as they did my brother.
To them, I was a joke who they only showed respect to for my brother's sake.
Now that he was killed by my hand, how was I to face them?
If I went back alone, they would find a way to mock and torment me because they worshiped my brother. And if news of what had happened here ever reached them, it would be hell for me, or they would kill me.
"Everyone," I said in a husky voice as I looked at them.
They were all looking back at me with pity in their eyes.
I moved back and leaned forward, resting my head on the ground.
"I apologize for what we were about to do and how we approached you. If I had talked my brother out of it, things would have turned out differently," I said, then looked up and frowned when Ian smiled.
"He would have hit or killed you if you got in his way. Your brother kind of reminded me of myself before I met Amelia—a true solid, fucked-up asshole," he said, then looked at the young ancient witch.
"You are scared of returning to your territory, aren't you?" the young ancient witch asked me.
"No," I lied, and then laughed nervously.
"We don't need to use magic to know that you are, because your face betrays you," the fairy said seriously.
I kept quiet for a few seconds and then nodded.
"They worshiped my brother so much. To them, I was nothing but a sorry excuse for an Alpha queen," I said sadly.
"If they were to find out about everything, I would be killed not by Kombat or a fight, but by poison or something else," I answered honestly.
"Then it's settled; you need our help," the purebred said as I widened my eyes.
"Why?" I asked in a whisper.
"You mean why do we want to help you? Because we don't see you as a threat, and we can tell when someone is telling the truth most of the time," she answered.
"We can always go to your territory and dominate them all. Then, after we ensure total submission, we can come back," Roxanne said as her mate smirked.
"That's a good idea, but then we both know how hard it is to change someone's mind and feelings. They would submit only for the time that we are there, but if we leave, they could do something shady," he answered.
"Then what's the best way out?" she asked.
"Mariana, you can always join my territory," Roxanne's mate said as everyone looked at him in surprise.
"Garren, what are you saying?" Amelia's son asked.
"All of my family members know this, but you don't. I was used too, before I met my mate. Most of my choices were driven by anger, but mostly by the council," he said seriously.
"They gave me orders and usually manipulated me into thinking and doing the wrong things," he said sadly and then looked at Roxanne.
"If not for her, I don't know where I would have been or if I could have been free," he said and then smiled.
"She helped me learn the truth and cut off the invisible shackles they had on me. It took time, but I learned that being completely free and happy is possible; you just need to be surrounded by positive people," he said as Ian smiled at him.
"You think you have no one, but you do. Amelia is still your family, and because you are hers, that makes you ours as well," he said as I looked at Amelia, who was smiling at me.
"If you choose to come to my territory, you have to make sure you start anew and give up anything that attaches you to the past," he said and continued.
"I won't demand loyalty from you, but I will demand respect from you. We will make sure you are respected in return and live freely," he said as I smiled.
In all my life, I have never found or seen such kindness before. I was astonished and very happy.
"I want to accept your offer, but I worry for my brother's mate. She was badly mistreated and taken advantage of by him. I can't leave her behind just like that for my own freedom and peace," I answered honestly.
"We've got that covered," Alpha Damon answered.
"When she came to our pack, we fully welcomed her, but we didn't know she was mated to an Alpha king," he said.
"My mate, Sherry, has been talking to her and helping her in any way she can. To me, she seems happy," he said seriously.
"But we will give you a chance to talk to her and decide whether you want to leave with Garen or go back with her," he said as I smiled.
"Thank you," I whispered and bared my neck.
I wanted to show my appreciation, yet I couldn't do much. That's why I was bearing my neck to them all to show how much respect I had for them and to thank them.