Bound to You

Chapter Twenty-One: Gisela Garcia's Execution

Warning: This isn't going to be a pleasant chapter, will likely cause great upset.

Blinking confused as the door to her cell was opened, Gisela stared at the two figures that had come to collect her for her execution; she had refused a last meal and had spent her last hours praying softly to herself. 

The two guards stepped forward and looked at each other grimly, it slowly dawned on those who spent any time around Gisela that she couldn't hurt a fly and that there was a very large chance that she was an innocent who was about to face death. 

Gisela shakily got to her feet, she had spent a week in this dark spell and the mouldy bread and stale water hadn't been enough to sustain her; she was starving but there was no point in eating food when it was wasted on her. 

"Good luck little mouse," one of the guards whispered softly to Gisela as they prepared to take her to the execution block; a couple of the guards had come fond of the blonde and they hated the fate that the council had decided for her. 

If there had been a proper trial for Gisela then it would be known that she was nothing like the other wives, she had bruises that littered her body and injuries that were weeks old from her marriage to Carlos; it didn't take an idiot to work out what had happened. 

Leaving the cell behind, Gisela noted how quiet the prison was after so many executions and it made her wonder how they would execute her; she'd heard that there had been beheadings, hangings, lethal injections and even one were the person had been ripped limp from limp. 

Gisela could only hope that things went fast, she didn't want her death to drag out and she prayed for a quick and easy death; she doubted that the wolves would wish to drag it out since she was one of many about to meet their deaths today. 

Reaching the exit, Gisela was blinded by the sunlight and the roars of the crowd as she was lead out; she felt herself start to shake as she realised this was it.

***

Fernando's breath caught in his throat as he stared at Gisela and it broke his heart, she was nearly unrecognisable after spending seven days in a prison cell; her skin was covered completely in dirt and her long hair had been hacked away. 

He felt Sergio stiffen next to him and Fernando didn't have to look at him to know that he wasn't happy about the state of their mate; they had tried everything but there was nothing that could be done to change the council's mind. 

The crowd around them cheered at the sight of the shaken and terrified Gisela, it disgusted Fernando and Sergio that these were the same people that wanted equality yet wouldn't allow Gisela to stand a fair trial to prove her innocence in all of this. 

"Gisela Garcia, wife of Carlos Garcia, you are hereby sentenced to death at the hangman's noose," the announcer said making tears start to roll down her cheeks and Gisela closed her eyes, she didn't want to look at the jeering crowd knowing that it was almost over. 

Instead Gisela tried to picture how her future would have been if this hadn't happened, she imagined having children with her mates and them living out in the country without having any problems. 

The robe was placed around Gisela's neck and a bag stuffed over her head, she took deep breathes to try and calm herself; she guessed that the bag was to stop whoever had ordered her execution feeling guilty for what they were doing. 

It hadn't escaped Gisela's notice that the atmosphere had changed since she had entered the arena, her stomach turned as it slowly started to get quieter and the crowd became uneasy. 

Iker stood at the platform watching the crowd, his hands shaking knowing that there was no turning back now; there had been a massive campaign to free Gisela after her arrest had been announced.

There was a large amount of people who were upset about the fact that the human hadn't been made to stand trial, they didn't believe that justice was being done by just executing Gisela for being married to Carlos. 

Leaks had happened that revealed that it was highly likely that Gisela had been forced to marry Carlos and the fact that she was being punished for his actions by the minority of people didn't seem right. 

"Nando," Sergio murmured taking his hand, he wasn't sure how bad this was going to be and he wouldn't be upset if Fernando wanted to leave; he wanted to stay since there was nothing else he could do to help. 

Fernando shook his head, his eyes locked on Gisela and he couldn't walk away from here, he would never forgive himself if he left when she was so frightened; he wanted to remember what his own kind were capable of. 

Gisela felt the board under her feet move and suddenly the only thing that was holding her up was the rope around her neck; her hands struggling in their chains behind her back as she gasped for breath. 

The crowd were completely silent as Gisela strangled to death, she hadn't begged for her life, she hadn't struggled; she had gone quietly and that fact alone unsettled them all and made them wonder if maybe she was innocent. 

Iker stepped forward and cut Gisela down when she'd stopped moving, he checked her pulse and shook his head signalling that there was none; he peeked over at Fernando and Sergio hoping that one day they would forgive him for what he had just done.

***

Fernando's hand shook as he brushed his fingers around against Gisela's cheek, he sniffled wiping away the dirt as he slowly cleaned off her body; he didn't want anyone else touching her body after what had happened. 

Sergio just watched him, they planned to bury her somewhere close to them and he doubted they would ever get over what happened; he looked back as the door opened and Iker stepped inside. 

"I'm sorry," Iker mumbled knowing that his apology was worthless to them, they were mourning and he hoped that he would be able to make this right. 

Scoffing at Iker's words, Sergio moved to throw him out when Fernando gasped in surprise; his fingers brushed against Gisela's neck finding something that shouldn't be there. 

"She's alive," Fernando whispered looking at Iker confused about this, he had been the one to confirm that Gisela had died in front of all those people and yet it was clear that she wasn't. 

Sergio walked over to him to see what he was talking about, he couldn't believe that Gisela was actually alive and he hoped that she would be okay; she was unconscious and he doubted that the hanging hadn't caused any damage. 

"As far as the world is concerned Gisela Garcia is dead," Iker explained knowing that it had taken him days to plan all of this out, if the council found out what he had done then there would be trouble and he didn't want that at all. 

Sergio nodded his head, he would take them from Madrid and travel back to Seville knowing that no one would know them there; he would protect his family from all harm this time. 

"Iker thank you," Sergio said knowing just what Iker was risking by helping them and doing all of this, he nodded at the other alpha before Iker left them alone knowing that this would be the last time that he would see them. 

Gisela Garcia was dead but Gisela Torres Ramos would live on.