Chapter 2- Roslyn's POV

Alice dabbed at her eyes, her grip on Dane’s arm tightened. She assumed the face of a devastated victim well, and accusing words poured out of her mouth.

The pack’s attention was at the forefront of the scene as they complained amongst themselves about me.

I had been forcefully dragged in front of the pack outside to face my punishment.

Dane’s hard stare was on me as I sat bottom flat on the cold marble floor shivering from head to toe.

All his golden eyes held for me was unrestrained fury, and it felt as if an electric current of power was flowing through him.

It was obvious that he was filled with rage and was losing it at the same time.

"You poisoned Alice," he uttered unemotionally over the noise. "You are responsible for the death of my innocent baby."

I raised my eyes which were filled with tears, looking for at least a hint of compassion in his eyes but there was nothing. Only contempt.

"I didn’t do it," I articulated, my voice cracking. "I could never do such a thing to anyone…let alone to a child."

"Liar!" Alice yelled, shouting in the hallway. 

Moving in, she theatrically held her stomach. 

"I have never told anyone this but she threatened to kill me once. I passed it off as a joke because we know she is a weak Luna, who is harmless but I never imagined she would go as far as poisoning my food, to make me lose my baby. She has always been jealous of me!”

“She is a crazy woman and has to be punished severely. Not being able to get pregnant for Alpha Dane must have riled you up, so you ruined my happiness and took my baby away!"

Alice knew that she was Dane's favourite so it wasn't really hard to convince him that I was behind everything. She had somehow seen me as a threat. This was her way of getting rid of her.

Inside me, my wolf whined helplessly, the link that tied them together weakening by the minute.

A long mocking smile appeared on Dane’s face. "You were always envious of Alice. You always hated her because she possessed what you would never possess. My affection.

You could see the way I treated her differently and you also wanted to be treated the same way.”

Those stings were more fatal than any sword.

I knew that, in a way, it was true. I had once craved his attention. Maybe I wanted to be treated differently but taking a life was never an option for me.

I felt my chest ache painfully as if a sharpened object was slowly penetrating my heart and going into every part of my body.

“You know that’s not the case,” I replied in a weak voice. "I only have ever wished for happiness Dane. You must believe me."

I tried convincing him from a different approach, but nothing seemed to change his mind about me. Nobody cares. No one listened to my cries.

“My child has to rest in peace and that will only be possible if this evil woman is given a befitting punishment. I want her punished!” Alice suddenly said.

Dane looked at her and asked. “My lady, how do you prefer her punishment? I could kill her if you want.” 

Knowing Dane, I knew that he was capable of doing such. She held her breath hoping it wouldn't have to come to her death.

“No, death would be too quick. I want her disgraced and embarrassed. Flogged several times, then placed in our dungeon for people to see how traitors end up being treated.”

“If this is what you want then so be it,” he said as he turned to the guards, “Get the whip!”

And then suddenly there was silence, as if the atmosphere itself took note of his order. 

Two guards came out, their faces straight as iron, and seized me by her elbows.

“Alpha, please!" I shouted even as they held me back. "I didn’t do this!"

"Shut her up," Alice instructed, her tone purposely harsh. 

“We would not want her to add more to our shame. My poor baby is gone all because of you and you still stand begging like you did nothing. Have you… have you no fear?” She asked, wiping each tear falling from her eyes.

“I told you already, I didn't do it. Why are you accusing me wrongly?” I asked, raising her voice this time. I had already taken enough of their insults.

I wanted to fight for herself but then a heavy slap from one of the guards dashed across her face, which turned my head sideways with the impact.

I touched my mouth and there was blood at the edge of my mouth but I couldn't scream out. 

Even if I did, no one would come to my aid. So it was practically useless.

“You deserve more. How dare you raise your voice at me?” Alice asked.

All the while, Dane stood there waiting for Alice to finish what she had to say.

They pulled me this way and that, before fastening my hands on a post that was situated within the yard.

The ropes dug into my wrists while the coarse wood scraped my skin. The onlookers remained still for a moment, their faces filled with delight.

Dane took the whip from one of the guards.

 “Someone like you deserves to suffer this. More than this but it is of the kindness of my wife that you're still alive.” Dane stated emotionlessly.

Without any hesitation, he stroked the whip against my back, causing me to yell out loud. It tore my heart out to see that it had gotten to this point.

The first sound that resonated within the room was the whip cracking.

Immediately afterwards, heat stung, and tore inside my back. I tried to stifle my screams, while tears fell from my eyes.

Subconsciously, my teeth gritted to her inner cheek, to hold back any noise from escaping. There was no way he was going to get me to scream out for him.

Striking me again with the whip, the pain posed more threats to my body in comparison to the previous one.

My body twitched causing my knees to buckle, but I managed to stay on my feet. 

Restraints attached to my body forced a standing position to remain rigid, feeling each and every burning stroke.

"Count," Dane said in a challenging manner.

I bit her lip wanting to refuse the unspoken order. He wanted me to count as I was being flogged.

On the next strike, I felt a piece of my skin on the lower back get cut off.

“Count,” he insisted.

“Uh, One,” was the quietest voice that I could muster at that instant.

One more, and I swear to the goddess that would be it.

“Two.”

“Mmm…” Tears blurred my vision as the pain came to me.

I shut my eyes tightly and clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my soft palms, fighting to remain awake.

By the time they reached the tenth lash, my tone was shaky, and my body was shaking terribly. 

Blood dropped out from underneath my tattered dress and began to stick to the ground.

"That should do it," Alice said, taking a step forward with a grin on my face that was triumphant. "She has had enough punishment."

But Dane wasn’t done. The guards let go of the bonds, and I dropped down onto the ground

My physique was in shambles, my spine filled with stains of red, thrashed stripes.

I stared up with an immersive effort, my cheeks wet with droplets of water. I was starting profusely along with the tears.

“Dane,” I started with a tone so low that he could barely hear me. “I’m begging you…I…

His golden eyes were merciless as he leaned in front of me.

 “Roslyn, you are of no importance to me. You never were. It upsets me to see that you went through all these troubles just to get my attention. I only saw you as a slave, nothing else.”

For a moment, I felt as if I was dreaming because his words had no impact on me.

I wanted his attention once but I gave up a long time ago.

"I don't want you," he replied, looking at me in anger "For the second time."

In an instant, the bond that had once held them together was torn and ripped off by his rejection. This time it was real. I felt it.

It wasn't like all the other rejections where he would mark me again. My wolf screamed in pain as I felt them cut off. 

"You’re weak," he continued, standing over her. "And weak wolves have no place in my pack."

"Throw her into the dungeon," Alice said, her voice filled with malice. "Let her rot there."

The guards grabbed me, dragging my limp body toward the dungeon. The moment I stepped in, the iron gate was banged closed behind me and the noise echoed in the wet and gloomy area she found myself in. 

I inhaled and caught sight of fungus and the rotting things around me. They tossed m

e to the ground, an impact that crashed my body down to the stone floor in disgust.

“Have fun in your new home, traitor,” Alice said before walking out. 

I remained down, shaking as I endured the pain. A pool of tears flowed down my cheeks instantly.