Being Punished.

Seraphina's POV 

The front bodice of my dress dropped but I pulled it back up immediately, struggling to cover up the last shred of my dignity. Excited murmurs rang around me and I could smell the lust of the men as they drank me in.

“I want her stripped naked!” Kristen yelled. “Strip her naked. It’s what the rule book says. Traitors are to be showed no mercy!”

I shivered but it wasn’t from the cold. Was she really going to have me stripped naked in front of half the pack? Surely, she didn’t hate me that much?

A small voice inside told me that was exactly how much she hated me.

When no one moved to strip me naked, Kristen grumbled and marched forward. She slapped me first then began tearing the clothes off me until I was left in nothing but my undergarments. When her hand reached up to tear those as well, I stopped her.

Please,” I screamed tears flowing down my gall. “Please, don’t do this.”

“Let go!” she screeched, dragging away the small fabric that I still fiercely held to my chest. “I said let go, you pig!”

She pulled one more time ad everything came apart. Biting my lip, I wrapped my arms around myself to hide my nudity but what use was it? I could see the gimmer in their eyes and their mocking laughs.

The first lash landed on my back and my entire body shook. The whip tore into my skin, reopening old wounds. I screamed.

More lashes rained down on me and more screams tore from my throat. I felt my body burning up. Everywhere stung, even my voice was gone.

After the thirty-fifth stroke, I fell to the ground and that was when Vivian – the pack healer – rushed to me, scooping me in her hands.

Had she been here all along? Did she see everything? More tears poured from my eyes as I understood why she hadn’t oved in to stop my punishment. It was a pack law to never interfere in any punishment on any account.

“Sshh…” she muttered. “No need to worry, I’m here now. It’s okay , Without delay I sensed something soft and warm drape over my body, shielding my bare self.

“Get up and serve me, you lazy pig!” Kristen ordered.

I couldn’t open my eyes to see the look on Vivian’s face but I could feel her trembling with undiluted rage.

“Are you blind?” Vivian snapped. “She just received thirty-five lashes. Why don’t you go there and receive it as well and let’s see how strong you are?”

Kristen gasped. “What – what did you say? Are you defending the pig? Richie will be here soon and I need her to start getting things ready.”

For some reason, Vivian was the only one who could stand up to Kristen and her mother and ever get punished for it. I had asked her why it was several times but she never said anything. Vivian was the Pack healer and according to the rumors even my father respected her.

Turning around with me settled in her arms, she said. “I will bring Seraphina to my house and treat her till she is fine.”

“I said she has work to do!” Kristen hissed maliciously.

“If you have any problem with my decision, the you can come and drag her out of my home yourself.”

After that, I heard nothing again. My body was too tired to continue staying awake. Blubbering, I nestled profound into Vivian’s comfy embrace as the dusk finally swallowed me whole.

Promptly, I swirled awake, it was late in the night and Vivian was still by my side. She smiled sadly when she saw that I was awake.

“You’re awake. Try not to move too much.”

I was lying on my stomach so that only meant that my back was now designed with injuries. I sucked a deep breath in as I thought about how different my life would have been if I had been born to different parents.

“How bad is it?”

Vivian smoothened down my hair. “Don’t worry. The pain will be gone soon.”

Since she was evading my question, that meant it was really bad. For eighteen years, this was all I knew. Pin and suffering and nothing in between.

“That good for nothing brat.” Vivian spat. “Periodically I wish I can give her a good beating.”

“You shouldn’t say things like that.” I hissed. “What if they hear you?” I couldn’t afford to lose her or put her in trouble for helping me and being on my side. Vivian was the only person who took care of me and treated me decently as long as I could remember.

Since everyone who showed me any form of kindness was brutally punished, everyone steered clear of me like a plague and Vivian was the only one who remained.

“Well, I’m in my house, aren’t i?” Vivian joked. “Its not like they can come in here and harass me.”

I sighed. “The walls have ears. Someone could be listening.”

Vivian only snorted. “Well, someone has to call them out. How long will they keep treating you like this?”

Truth was that I had asked myself the same question countless times. How long was I going to continue like this? Will they finally stop after they killed me?

Saying nothing, Vivian picked up an ointment bottle and rubbed it over my injuries. I flinched, gritting my teeth as pain seared through me. If I could shift, I would have healed all my injuries by now but that was another problem.

I had no wolf, so I couldn’t shift.

How much more could fate be cruel to me?

Vivan picked up a small dagger and cut her palm. My eyes grew wide as I observedt her.

“What are you up to?” I couldn’t keep the disbelief from my tone. “Are you okay?”

She circled her hand over my back, allowing the blood to drop into my injuries. I screamed as the injuries burned where the blood touched them.

Vivian held me close, softly comforting me while wiping away my tear . “Sorry… sorry…” she chirped ,Promptly, the pain began to ease and all that was left was a persistent ache.

“I had to use my blood to heal you or you might not have healed on time. The scars on your back are a lot.”

I nodded as my eyes began to become heavy. Just then, the ringing of bells from the distance filled the room. Vivian straightened up and walked to her window.

“The Alpha is back.”

That was the last thing I heard as I slowly slipped into oblivion.

The man who never openly acknowledged me as his daughter was back. The times where I doubted if I was his daughter, Vivian had confirmed it for me. I was really his child.

Did Richie return as well? Did we win the fight?

My thoughts slowly slipped away and soon I thought of nothing. I slept soundly for more than two hours and I could say that this was the first time in a very long time that I slept so peacefully and felt at ease.