Chapter 144 - 144- Is Kindness A Weakness?

"Do you wish for money? Maybe gold or jewelry?" Allias asked her, ready to offer her whatever she asked but she just laughed.

"Your highness. I have that too but let me tell you. I am a very simple woman. The thing is that I get bored easily and now I am in search of some entertainment. A game or maybe better a test of devotion? And I want you to be the single player" she said with a sneaky smile as she pointed one of the men. 

He was not the main character nor he ever wished to be. All he hoped for was a simple life where he wouldn't get beaten up every day. It had become a second nature for him to just hide in the background and observe as life passed him by so when everyone's eyes focused suddenly on him, as if they were acknowledging his existence for the first time, he felt like passing out. 

"No. I can do whatever you want. It doesn't have to be him" Luke intervened and stood in front of him, hiding him with his broad back. His vision was completely blocked but he could still feel everyone's attention on him. 

"No, no it doesn't work like that." She said as she stood up and ran behind Luke, reaching the small and scared wolf. "You have been chosen. Will you really burden everyone, and that oh, so handsome wolf who has been trying to protect you by shying away? What a burdensome member of your little team" She told him and moved a few strands of hair away from his face, her scary eyes scanning him eagerly. 

He took a deep breath. He knew he should calm down. He hadn't begged to be here just so he could ruin everything. No matter how sadistic and twisted she was she was completely right. A team member that brought everyone down because of their cowardice was unneeded. He didn't want Luke to have that idea about him and he also didn't want to be that. He had come here for him but at the same time he hoped he could manage to become something better. All of them were so brave, they walked with their heads high and joked even with the scariest occasions. Allias was sitting in between unconscious bodies, looking down on that freaky woman and he didn't even flinch as she laughed hysterically. Alexander knew that if he was in his place he would probably want to disappear. 

"Don't listen to her. She just wants to lure you to do it." Luke told him, hoping that he would back down. He was just a kid; he couldn't understand why Allias asked him to come with them but now he was here. He was looking up to them but there was nothing to look up to. That innocence, that was something to look up and by doing something like this, whatever her stupid task was, Luke was sure he would never be himself again. 

"It's fine." Alexander stated trying so hard for his voice not to shake. His hands were in fists, his knuckles getting white as his heart was beating like a drum. "If I do it will you tell them all they need to know?" he asked her.

"Yes. I do promise. Scout's honor." She joked and placed her palm on top of her dead heart. "So should I tell you now little wolf? Is everyone okay with it?" she asked them and enjoyed the discomfort in their face. Ares even scoffed while Luke stared at Alexander with a worried expression. 

"Say it" Allias told her, seeming not to care about the trial at all. His face was a stoned wall, derived of every expression. 

"Alright then. There is an identical room next to this one. There are three little humans that pissed me off and I need you to take care of them. One after the other. But before you do it you have to look them in the eyes for a whole minute. Then stab them in the heart. You will have to repeat this process three times. After you do it I will tell you everything." She explained. 

"No! There is no way you will make him do something like this." Luke told her and she shrugged. 

"He accepted. We will be watching from this nice big screen here." She said and clapped her hands twice for the door to open. The yellow light from the corridor invaded the red lit room and a man appeared. It was another worker of the hotel, probably someone who worked for her, as he didn't seem to care about the people on the floor or the blood stains. Alexander followed her and Eleonora grabbed a remote control from the table and turned on the screen, revealing a room, with three people. Two girls and one boy, shaking trying to escape but they had been tied to three chairs. 

"What are you waiting for? Sit." Allias told the rest of his people and unwillingly everyone took a seat on the couch. 

"Oh, I quite like you, your highness." She told him with a charming smile and he smiled back. 

"Unfortunately, I do not" he told her and she laughed. 

Alexander walked slowly as he entered the room. He didn't know what to do, or more like he knew but he wasn't able to. It was indeed similar to the room they were in, only the big table was missing, clearing up space so the people, tied with harsh rope could be placed. All of them were crying and screaming. Shaking, trying to get away from their shackles and Alexander again was so close to just puking his guts. 

"Please save us." One of the girls screamed. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. Her voice rough and her expression a show of pure terror. 

"Please, please save us" The other man pleaded and Alexander bit his lip, sitting numb in front of them. On the shiny ground was laid a huge silver knife. He took a few steps and grabbed it, seeing his reflection on the blade. 

"I…I…" he mumbled as he felt his stomach turn. 

"I don't want to die!" A girl shouted, making him flinch. The knife falling from his hands and landing onto the ground. He stared at her and suddenly ran at a corner of the room, finally throwing up. It was impossible. He would never be able to do it. He had to though. From the moment he had accept this ridiculous test he had created some kind of agreement and everyone was waiting for him to pull it off. Just walk there, grab the knife and end it. It will be easy, quick. He tried to comfort himself with lies. He wiped his mouth with the edge of his sleeve and headed back to the knife picking it up. His hands were shaking so he gripped it tighter, wanting to hold on to the cold object more. 

"I am sorry" he mumbled as he approached the first girl. Her wide eyes were as if they were staring into his perplexed soul and her tears ran on her pretty face. He stared into them, counting the seconds as he slowly raised his arm. The one that held the deadly object. 

"Please, please. I am supposed to get married soon. Please save me. You can use that knife to kill me or either free me. Please" she said, trying to reason with him but Alexander did not reply. He didn't want to kill her. He didn't want to kill anyone. He was weak, he could never do this. "Please!" She screamed and once again the young wolf terrified dropped the knife. This time it landed on her thigh, piercing her skin. She screamed as the object opened up a deep wound and blood began oozing. "No, No, no" she repeated frantically. "Please" she chanted again and again. 

He had to pull that knife out. He told himself as he stared at the wound. He had done that. He had hurt her so many times, the same way others hurt him. He didn't want to be that kind of person. He hated it. He was causing so much suffering. Nonetheless he tried to push all these thoughts aside, his shaking hands headed towards the knife and the blood made him sick again. There was nothing left to throw up. No more tears left to shed. 

His knees buckled as he slowly lost all of his strength and fell to the floor. He hid his face with his palms and began wailing, drowning in his guilty tears. He hit the ground creating a small hole in it. His strength still a lot more than an actual human's. he cried and cried as he screamed. 

"I can't do it! I can't do it! I am sorry! I can't kill a person!" He shouted in agony. 

Back in the other room, everyone observed with their hearts racing. Eleonora turned the screen off and turned her eyes towards the Elf King who seemed unfazed. 

"Oh, that's unfortunate but your little wolf failed."