THE AFTERMATH ✔

~𝔻𝔸𝕄𝕆ℕ~

I watched as she drank something. Similar to the liquid that she drank at the Luna's ceremony. 

As soon as she finished it, her hands clasped over her mouth and her eyes shifted through colours before resting on a bright orange. I knew that her favourite element was fire and it was the one element that comforted her.

The witches surrounding her and the ones seated in the grass in front of the dais that we sat on, started to hit and stamp on the ground, until an almost thunderous sound echoed through the woods.

This time there wouldn't be a glasshouse, but she would be in intense pain for five minutes, apparently worse than what her normal witch heat. The current Zalta sugar coated it according to Ray.

Lightning leaped out of the sky and struck her squarely, electricity pulsing through her body and her scream sounding tinny amongst the thunder. 

My hands fisted angrily and possessively, thinking of my child who could seriously be facing major trauma right now. 

"Easy Damon." Ray's hand remained clamped on my leg, giving me no freedom to go and yank Jade away from there and into my safe arms

"Easy for you to say." I gritted out and I turned to look at him to see his jaw clenched and Cam's hand resting on his chest, rubbing it soothingly although she looked sick to her stomach. 

"Four!" Zalta Kirstie clapped her hands, which was echoed by the entire witch population who clapped their hands after her. 

Branches from trees surrounded Jade and then snapped around her wrists, legs, waist and neck. Her screams turned to choking and her face went red as she struggled to breathe. She stood as if she was on a cross, her arms out and her legs together. 

"I'm going to kill that Zalta, when she steps down." I growled and I felt Tristan's hand grip my shoulder tightly, Azrail clamped his hand down on my other shoulder and I struggled against both of them. 

"If you stop her now, she'll have to go through extra pain and so will you." Alx reminded me and I growled again

We watched together as ghosts of witches flickered with their arms outstretched as they proceeded to take Jade's pain from her, which wasn't working. 

She looked desperately at me and I clenched my jaw in anger but beyond the pain in her eyes, I could see the pride and strength stabilising her. Sticks and stones were whipped up in the dust, striking her hard, but she stood tall. That was my Queen.

"Three!" Zalta Kirstie clapped her hands again and it was echoed by the witch population

The branches that were wound tightly around Jade loosened and I saw as she took a breath, closing her eyes while touching her stomach tentatively. She looked up again in shock, as the branches fell away from her body. She looked around, her eyes wide and finally resting on Kirstie who smiled sadly at her. 

"What the hell is going on?" Tristan asked and I heard Alx rustling his notes around, as he tried to find a solution.

"Jade has to face her worst fear." he read off some paper, "Apparently it's the worst bit and she has to go through that for the reaming three minutes while still going through the witch heat."

"Let me go!" Jade suddenly screamed and the look of terror on her face was enough for me to break free of my men and stride towards her

"Alpha King." Zalta Kirstie warned with her hand up, "She has to face this. Alone." 

"Get your hands off me!" I growled, as I felt my men's hands latch onto me and pull me back to the dais. Alice clasped my hand in her's and I felt my men's mates each lay a hand on me, trying to calm me down.