Chapter 5

Lysera

The pack gasped and I saw my father stiffened where he was standing. Instead of listening to me, my words only seemed to fuel their hatred and fury.

“She’s lying!”

“She’s trying to save herself!”

“Kill her!”

I shook my head wildly, tears pouring down my face.

“I overheard them!” I screamed. “I overheard my parents and Isyra! They were planning it. She was going to fake a miscarriage after the party. Isyra did this on purpose. She pinned it on me because she knew I overheard them.”

My throat burned as the words rushed out, raw and desperate.

“They were going to lie to the pack!” I cried. Then I looked at my mate. Maybe he would feel pity. The mate bond might help.

“Alpha Henry, please, listen to me! You have to save me. I’m your mate. Isyra is not pregnant with your child.”

Henry looked away like he could not even stand the sight of me.

The elder’s eyes narrowed, his face turning hard as he shoved me back and prevented me from rushing forward to Alpha Henry.

“Shut up,” he snapped.

But I couldn’t. I couldn’t stop because the truth was all I had.

“Isyra wasn’t pregnant!” I repeated, sobbing. “I heard them say it! She hurt herself and screamed on purpose. She injured herself and—”

“Enough!” the elder roared.

A guard stepped forward.

And before I could even blink—

WHACK!

A heavy blow landed across my back and pain exploded through me.

I screamed, stumbling forward, but another strike came.

WHACK!

I cried out again, body shaking violently as the guard hit me like.

“Stop!” I begged. “Please stop! I’m telling the truth!”

I tried to speak again but a cloth was shoved into my mouth.

My eyes widened in horror as they tied it tight, gagging me until my breath came sharp and forced through my nose.

The cane was brought out. A long, thick rod. The crowd leaned forward eagerly, eyes shining with glee as I was forced down.

Hands grabbed my shoulders, my arms and my waist.

They pushed me until I was bent forward, my body held in place, chains digging into my wrists.

I shook violently, trying to fight, but I was too weak.

The first strike came.

WHACK!

Agony tore through me. My scream was muffled by the gag, but it still ripped out of my chest like a wounded animal.

“One!” the crowd shouted happily.

The second strike came before I could breathe.

WHACK!

“Two!”

Again.

WHACK!

“Three!”

The blows blurred into one endless wave of pain.

My back burned, my legs shook, my eyes flooded with tears until I could barely see.

But they kept counting. They counted like it was celebration and like my suffering was their entertainment.

“Fifty!”

“One hundred!”

“Two hundred!”

I lost track of time.

Lost track of breath.

Lost track of myself.

All I knew was pain—hot, sharp, unbearable pain tearing into my flesh until my body felt like it was splitting apart. When they reached three hundred, my head spun violently.

The world tilted and my stomach clenched. A wave of dizziness washed through me, making everything go blurry. I couldn’t hold myself up anymore.

But they didn’t stop, neither did they slow down.

“Four hundred!”

My knees gave out completely.

“Five hundred!”

The next strike hit—

And the world went black.

⸻

When I woke, pain greeted me before light did. My entire body felt heavy and broken. Even breathing was a punishment. My skin burned and my back throbbed in deep, pulsing waves that made my vision swim.

I was still on the pack ground. I could smell the crowd, hear their voices and feel their eyes on me. Hands grabbed me roughly, forcing me upright. My head lolled weakly, my breath coming out in broken gasps.

I couldn’t even lift my arms. I couldn’t even cry.

My body was dragged back into position.

The crowd began cheering the moment they saw I had opened my eyes.

“Continue!”

“Finish her!”

“One thousand!”

My stomach twisted violently. Bile rose in my throat, but I couldn’t even gag with the cloth still tied over my mouth.

I shook my head weakly.

No.

Please—

But the elder didn’t care. He raised his hand again and the cane was lifted. The crowd roared with delight.

“Stop!”

A loud voice cut through everything like a blade. The cheering died instantly. The elder turned sharply, irritated. The pack healer pushed forward, face pale, eyes wide. He dropped to his knees beside me, pressing fingers to my wrist, then my stomach.

His expression changed. Horror flashed across his face.

Then he looked up at the elders, at Alpha Henry, and his voice came out shaking.

“I needed to confirm it again when she opened her eyes.”

“What’s the matter?” The elder snapped in irritation at the healer.

“Lysera is pregnant.”

Silence crashed over the pack grounds.