CHAPTER 9: FIGHT

"I love you," Marinette whispered to her mate before climbing on the make-shift stage. Damain stared at her wide-eyed, forgetting what lay ahead.

Alexander's deep voice snapped him out of his shock, "I am sure most of you know the rules, but for our competitors, I will go over them once again. First and foremost, this fight will end in death- the fight must continue till one of the participants dies. Secondly, the fight will be in human form. Lastly, the one who is alive wins the position of the Luna and the position of the King's mate."

At this moment, Marinette knew, it was either now or never.

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Marinette looked at the lifeless body beneath her, regret filling her body.

"The winner of the challenge is Marinette Dupain-Cheng Wayne, the rightful Luna," Alexander announced as Damain rushed to hug his mate's body, almost tripping over the corpse. Damain embraced her as if she would disappear, not caring about the blood smearing his body.

"I killed her," a sob crackled from Marinette's throat, "I-I killed her, I'm an m-monster."

Damain ran his fingers across her hair, knowing the action calmed her down, "You did what you had to, okay? Don't stress yourself too much, she had it coming since she challenged you."

That night nothing could calm her down, not the cuddles her soulmate gave her, not the words of reassurance he gave her, not even the reruns of her favorite show.

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She refused to eat. She could not bear to eat the juicy, crispy fried chicken with sriracha knowing she killed someone.

She refused to talk. She could not bear to crack jokes with her best friends, knowing she killed someone.

Marinette felt the shell of the person she once was- the cheerful, happy girl slowly turned into the depressed girl who refused to talk to anyone. The person who wanted to be around someone every second of the day, now silently begged everyone to leave her alone.

Knock, knock.

"Come in," she spoke barely above a whisper. No one would've even heard if it was not for the silence in the room.

"Your Majesty," Elder Alexander entered looking anything but gloomy.

"Elder, I apologize gravely for the pain I have put you and your family through, I hope one day you all can forgive me for the sin I have committed," Marinette apologized, her head hung low.

"My sweet, sweet child, you have nothing to apologize for. It was Ariel's fault, I had warned her not the go against the King and Queen numerous times, and just like always she never listened to me. I knew I had spoiled her too much, but never knew she was that spoilt to snatch someone's mate from them for the sense of victory," The Elder let a couple of stray tears fall down his face.

Marinette reacted instantly and wiped the tears on his face, "Even though, that might be true, it still doesn't give me a free pass for killing your daughter."