Chapter 4

I was tied to a pole in the main ground of the pack, Luna Glenda took a wicked stance, staring at me. One of the pack members brought forth a whip. It was thick and rough with thorny-like stuff littered all over it. I was hugging the pole tightly. I closed my eyes. I know my skin will suffer. Niamh dropped down. We are both going to suffer the torture. She was possibly weeping alongside me. Luna Glenda took the whip. My heart thumbs up to my throat. Harley stood a few distance away. She will never intervene, the same blood flows through their veins. Cruel souls.

“Ouch…!” I screamed when the first lash tore through my tender skin. My tears flowed down more like a waterfall.

“Do you know what you did?” Luna Glenda grunted, she tugged at my hair, pinning my face against the pole. I nodded. She freed my hair and lashed me once again. “You dare lie against my son!” she yelled, tearing my skin apart. I felt my blood dripping down under my dress. My body was on fire. I have never received such lashings before. “Say after me!” she ordered. I nodded my head against the pole.

“Mmm!” I breathe out. She lashed me once more.

“I will never lie against Lucian.”

“I…I…will…never lie against Lucian,” I stuttered in tears with a broken voice. My bones were cracking, my skin was bleeding, my heart was pounding. Each breath I took choked me, moving my back up and down, causing me more pain.

“I will obey his every word,” she continued ordering.

“I…w…will…o…obey his every word,” I cried. She lashed me again, the hottest of all the lashes. It felt like bleach coursed through my skin.

“Aaaaaaa!” I screamed out my lungs. She stopped whipping me. She dumped the whip on the floor and dashed off. Harley moved closer to me. She yanks at my hair, bending my head backward, making me face up. My breathing hitched, and it became more difficult. She was contrasting my breathing and my lungs. That was how I felt the pain.

“Next time,” she groaned, “choose wisely before lying.” She freed my hair and walked away.

I stood there, hugging the pole, no one was going to release me. I continued crying, hoping for someone to come to my aid. I was weak, my arms loosened from the pole, and my head dropped backward, I managed to raise it and place it against the pole. My breathing crashed with the pole. I felt frail. No food, no water. I was thirsty. My lips cracked. Everything went blank. I drifted into darkness.

I woke up, blinking severally to clear my vision. I was laid down on my belly. My brain was banging like a drum, blaring out in my head. The bed was comfortable. It was large and spacious. I fully opened my eyes and rolled them in disbelief. I forced myself to sit up. The pain of the lashings shot across my back like a hot rocket.

“Ow…!” I winced at the pain. I tried to touch it, but I couldn’t, it’s going to hurt even more. I stared across the room. Whose room was it? I held my head, trying to soothe the pain as my eyes darted around the room. Then I saw Alpha Desmond’s paintings across the room walls. No. I can’t be in the Alpha’s room. No one except Luna Glenda, and other higher rank wolves enter his room. My stomach growled. Niamh was silent. Why wasn’t she talking? Did she leave me alone now? The door creaked open and my heart took a successful flight away from my chest then shot back in like an arrow. The person came along. Alpha Desmond. He was smiling at me. I looked down immediately. No one dares to look him in the eyes. Though he was loving and generous, we got to respect him for who he was. He moved closer and sat down on the edge of the bed beside me. I clung my hands to each other. I was shuddering. He placed his hand on my shoulder.

“How do you feel now, dear?” he asked tenderly. His voice soothed my pain just like my father would have. A tear dropped from my eye and fell onto my hand. “It’s okay, dear. I should have stopped her, but then I couldn’t. Everyone knows how she is. She is still the Luna and can make decisions on her own. I’m sorry. Your wound will heal soon, one of the pack nurses applied ointment to it,” the Alpha said with his hand still on my shoulder. I looked at him quickly and threw my eyes back to my hands. I sighed. He had done more for me, and I love him. He is my second father now.

“Thank you, Alpha,” I mumbled to myself than him.

“You need to eat,” he said, standing up. He went to bring a served dish on the table. He came back to me. He put the tray of food on the bed. “Let me feed you,” he offered.

I looked at him abruptly. I have never heard that before. The Alpha feeding an Omega. That would be a dream. He cut the omelet with his hand and raised his hand to my mouth. I stared at his hand as my heart kept on pit-a-patting.

“Come on,” he urged, staring deeply into my eyes. I found the courage to look back into his eyes. Tears built up in my eyes as they began glowing. I was going to cry. I took a bite of the omelet and my tears fell onto his hand.

“I’m sorry,” I quickly uttered.

“It’s okay, dear, you will be fine,” he placated tenderly while cutting another piece of the omelet. He continued feeding me. I enjoyed every part of it. The pain the lashes caused me was subdued with the care of the Alpha.

A few minutes on, a knock came at the door. Both our eyes turned to the door. The knock came up again. My heart banged my ribcage with each knock hit on the door. What if it was the Luna coming? She will simply bury me alive.

“Come on in,” the Alpha’s voice sounded husky and the door creaked open. My heart flew out of me as a figure appeared at the door. A shadow led in before the person appeared fully. It’s Gamma Graves. He was the commander of the pack army. Every day, the pack army will line up in a vigilante stance in the middle of their training ground which was a large field next to the pack yard. He walked elegantly toward us with his royal-like robe trailing behind him. He had his arms crossed to his back as he walked with his shoulders high. His gold leaf, smooth, short wavy hair was left to cascade over his shoulders. He kept a straight face with a little to no warm smile as he walked to us.

“Hello, Alpha,” he saluted, still standing straight like a soldier on guarding duty.

“Hello, Graves,” the Alpha responded with as much of a straight face as the Gamma. “Has the arrangement been made for my journey?”

“Yes, Alpha,” Gamma Graves said, taking a step back as the Alpha stood up. “The horses alongside the armies are all ready for your journey, Alpha.”

My stomach twisted at the announcement. The Alpha will be traveling, leaving the Luna to rule. My life will take a worse turn before he returns. My eyes began glowing to tear up again. I looked down on my hands.

“Okay,” the Alpha said and turned to me. “Muriel?” he called. I lifted my gaze to his. “I will be traveling to Crimson Moon Pack now. I will see you when I get back.”

I nodded. “Um, o…okay, Alpha,” my voice broke down and I threw my face to a side as tears came rushing down my cheeks. He shifted my eyes back on him by holding my chin. He pecked me on the forehead and went away with the Gamma.

“Huuuhhh…!” I puffed. I stood up, taking the tray of food from the bed.

I headed to the door. I opened it, looked to my left, and looked to the right before sneaking out. If anyone sees me coming out of the Alpha’s room, I will be in more trouble. I walked down the left hallway that led to the kitchen. As I was focused taking a striding step to reach the kitchen fast, I stumbled upon my dress, falling back on my back. The tray flew off my hands, breaking into pieces on the floor. The shard of the plate strewed on the floor. A piece cut through my arm.

“Ouch!” I exclaimed, trying to sit up as I held my bleeding arm. I saw a shadow of someone.