Chapter 68
Felicity POV.
My heart pounded as I watched his face contort with rage and despair. "No, please," I begged. "Don't make him choose. Don't do this to us!"
But Melezo was unfazed, his eyes cold and unfeeling. "It's either one or the other, Maximus. Time's running out."
Tears streamed down my face as I realized the gravity of the situation. This was it. Our entire lives hung in the balance, and it was Maximus's decision to make.
"Maximus, please," I whimpered. "I can't lose you or our child."
He turned to me, his eyes softening momentarily before hardening once again. "I won't let anything happen to you two," he growled. "I'll choose the throne and find a way to get you both out of here." Melezo stood there with a wicked grin on his face as Maximus seethed with anger. "You dare harm a child and a mother?" Maximus growled.
Melezo shrugged. "I'll do whatever it takes to get what I want. And I want Felicity and the throne," he said, eyeing me hungrily.
Maximus glared at him. "You're insane, Melezo. I'll never let you have her or my throne."
The guard holding me and my baby tightened his grip, making me wince in pain. "Choose, Maximus. Your love or your child?" he taunted. My baby's cries echoed and it broke my heart.
Maximus took a step forward, but another guard blocked his path. "You'll have to go through us first," he said, brandishing his weapon.
I looked up at Melezo, tears streaming down my face. "Please, don't hurt my baby," I begged.
Melezo chuckled. "Oh, I won't hurt him...yet. But you need to understand the gravity of the situation. You are mine now, Felicity. And your child is just a means to an end."
I sobbed as Maximus struggled against the guards, his eyes never leaving me and our baby. "I won't let you have her," he said, his voice filled with determination.
Melezo shook his head. "Then I guess we have a stalemate. But don't worry, Maximus. I have other ways to get what I want."
With that, the guard holding me dragged me and my baby towards the edge of the ravine, a cruel grin etched across his face.
"No! Please, don't!" I screamed, trying to wrench myself and my baby out of the guard's grasp.
Melezo just laughed and gestured towards the edge. "Do it."
"No! Don't do this," I screamed, trying to cling onto my baby with all my strength.
Melezo chuckled. "You should have thought about that before you crossed me," he taunted.
My heart was pounding in my chest as the guard moved closer to the edge of the ravine, hus grip on me and my baby tightening with every step.
"Please, alpha Melezo. I'll do anything. Just don't hurt my baby," I begged, my voice cracking.
Melezo shook his head. "It's too late for that. Maximus defied me. Now it's time to face the consequences."
Maximus was still struggling against the guards, his fists clenched in anger. "Let her go! You coward!" he shouted.
Melezo just laughed. "I'm not the coward here, Maximus. That would be you, hiding behind your guards," he retorted.
I felt a mix of fear and anger well up inside of me. How could he be so heartless?
The guards had reached the edge of the ravine now, and I could feel the wind rushing past me. My baby's cries grew louder, and I could feel my heart skip a beat. "Do it!" Melezo ordered.
The guard holding my baby hesitated for a moment, looking down at the tiny, screaming bundle in his arms. But then he smirked and shook his head, as if he was enjoying this. "Sorry, little one," he muttered before opening his arms and dropping my baby towards the ravine.
But then, suddenly, the guard holding my baby lost his grip, and he tumbled towards the edge of the ravine.
"NO0000000!" I screamed, my body wracked with sobs.
My baby's crying echoed in my ears, it was like i was in a nightmare, i wanted someone to get me out of this damn nightmare, not my baby. Not him. Please moon goddess help me.
But just as I thought all was lost, the guard managed to grab him and pull him back up, his face etched with horror. Melezo just laughed cruelly.
"See? That's what happens when you cross me," he sneered.
I try to help my baby, but he prevented me, tears was streaming down my face as Maximus continued to struggle against the guards.
But through my tears, I could see something else - a glimmer of hope. We may be trapped for now, but we were fighters. And we would find a way out of this, no matter what. Maximus stared in horror, his heart pounding in his chest. "You monster," he snarled at Melezo.
"Choose," repeated the guard, his grip tightening on me and my baby.
Maximus' eyes flickered from me to my baby, his hands twitching with the urge to break free from the guards' hold. "Fine," he growled. "I choose my family."
Melezo smiled victoriously and viciously, he had won.
"Free them!" He ordered the guard holding my baby and me.
The guard released me and let go of my baby, I grabbed him quickly before he fell.
I cried tears of relief and joy as I was reunited with my baby, holding him close to me and kissing him on his forehead, tears streaming down my face. Melezo looked at us with disgust. "You make me sick," he sneered. "All of you."
I glared at him through my tears. "Go to hell," I spat back.
He chuckled. "Such fire in you, Felicity. I almost admire it."
"Let us go," I pleaded. "Please, Melezo. We don't want any trouble."
He shook his head. "You both belong to me now. And I won't let you go until I get what I want."
Maximus growled at him. "You'll never get what you want, Melezo. Felicity and our child are not possessions."
Melezo just laughed and gestured towards the guards. "Take them away," he said.
The guards grabbed me and my baby, holding us tightly as we struggled to break free.
He took us away from Melezo.
Maximus struggled against the guards, his eyes burning with anger. "Let her go, you coward!" he shouted.
But just as it looked like all was lost, Maximus managed to get rid of the guards and pull a knife from his left boot. He aimed it above the heart of Melezo, who collapsed to the ground, losing blood. Everything happened so fast that I didn't have time to fully understand.
Melezo's guards rushed towards Maximus, but he fought them all off with skill and determination. I took advantage of the chaos to flee with my baby, running as fast as I could through the forest. But then I stepped on something hard and metallic, there was a loud click,
and I knew instantly that it was a mine.
Everything went downhill from there. The baby's cries grew louder, and I was unable to move without risking the mine exploding.
I was so desperate and hopeless, I thought I was going to die.
I screamed, unable to control my emotions as I held my crying baby close.
"Please," I cried out. "Someone help me!"
But then I heard Maximus calling my name and my heart lifted. He sounded so far away, but I knew he was coming to save us.
"Felicity! Felicity, where are you? Just hold on. I'm coming to get you." his voice echoed through the forest.
I shouted back, "I'm here! I'm stuck on a mine!" Panic began to gnaw at my insides, but I tried to keep it together.
"NO0000000!" I screamed, my body wracked with sobs.
Maximus appeared, his broad frame filling up the space as he ran towards me. My heart leapt as I saw him. "Are you hurt?" he asked urgently.
I shook my head. "No, no, just stuck. I don't know how to get off." Tears were streaming down my face now, and I could feel my resolve crumbling.
His eyes was scanning the ground. "I need something to disarm it," he muttered to himself.
"Can you do it?" I asked, my voice shaking.
He looked up at me, his eyes fierce. "I have to try."
Maximus didn't miss a beat. He stooped on my feet and got to work, muttering to himself as he tried to figure out how to disarm the mine. I watched, trying to stay calm, but I couldn't help thinking about how we might die down here.
I watched him as he worked, his hands moving quickly and confidently. My heart was in my throat as he finally stood up, sweat beading on his forehead.
He took my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Listen," he said. "I need you to be brave. I'm only going to be able to remove one of us from this mine, and it needs to be you."
I shook my head frantically. "No! I can't leave you here alone!"
Maximus put a hand on my shoulder. "You have to," he said gently. "I promise you, I will find a way out of here. But you need to go first."
Tears flowed even harder down my face as I looked at him. I knew he was telling the truth - he would never leave me down here alone.
But then I looked into Maximus's eyes, and I felt a sudden surge of courage, I had to tell him. " Maximus," I said my voice shaking. "I love you," I blurted out, unable to hold back my feelings any longer. "And... the baby is yours, his name is Phoenix Hunter." He stared at me, shock clearly written across his face. But then he wiped away my tears, and said "it'll be okay!"
I hesitated for a moment longer, then slowly lifted my left foot as he instructed. He replaced it with his own foot, my whole body trembling with fear, and did the same with my right. And just like that, I was free.
"Go," he said to me, his eyes pleading. "Take the baby and run. Don't look back."
I shook my head, feeling like I couldn't leave him there alone. "I won't leave you behind," I said, my voice choked with tears.
I knew I had to listen to him, no matter how much I wanted to stay with him. But leaving him behind, alone, was the hardest thing I have ever done.
Maximus's expression grew solemn. "You have to," he said. "I'll catch up with you. I promise. But you have to leave now."
I nodded, feeling tears streaming down my face. "I'll wait for you," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
As I turned to go, my heart aching, I heard Maximus said, "I love you too Feli, and I'll always love you!"
My moon goddess, the only sentence I've wanted to hear for a year and a half had just been said and left me with a bitter blow. It shouldn't have happened like that, no!
I didn't look back - I couldn't bear to - but I knew he had a plan. I hoped it would work.
I left with a broken heart, tears streaming down my face as I heard the explosion that signaled his death.
As I ran away, my heart shattered into a million pieces. I loved him, and it would be the last time I would ever see him again.
All the moments we shared came flooding back to me - all the times we spent together, all the unspoken words. But now, it was all over. My heart was broken, and I could do nothing to fix it.
I collapsed and cried all the tears in my body, screaming in anger and frustration. My baby cried with me, and I held him close, knowing that we were alone in the world.