The Punishment of Proximity

Rebecca’s POV

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

Why did I have to go in there ? I could feel my entire body shaking, I tried to calm myself down by fisting my palms tightly by my side. Get it together Rebecca, I screamed in my mind but it did not help. 

The fear was no longer a chill; it was a burning fever. I hadn’t just witnessed Kael’s fury at the training grounds. The savage, blinding speed with which he had shielded me, the terrifying sound of his growl had shaken me to my core.

He had protected me, But surely not because of kindness, I would have to be dense to think like that, but because I was his property, and the incident had clearly infuriated him by exposing an involuntary instinct.

I knew the night would bring the retribution he had promised. 

I looked up to the Moon Goddess  wondering how many whippings I would get as the punishment. It had to be at least fifty, the faint healed lines on back burned again, a remembrance from the last whipping I got from a higher rank for not watering the flowers correctly. 

This time I had humiliated the Alpha in his own castle. This had to warrant something much much more painful. 

But I couldn’t understand why he did that. Why his wolf wanted to protect me ? He could get a hundred Omegas like me, that is what happened to the girls and boys that the high ranks would take in, either to make them tirelessly work or keep them as sex slaves.

I spent the evening in a meticulous haze, preparing his wing for his return while trying to not think of how much it would hurt at the end of the night. I polished the dark granite surfaces until they gleamed, smoothed the silk bedding, and scrubbed every trace of mud from the training yard off the heavy boots he had discarded near the door.

My hands were raw, but the pain was a grounding distraction.

When he finally entered his quarters, the air changed. The energy he carried was heavier than usual, laced with the sharp, possessive scent of frustration. He didn't speak. He simply stood, stripping off his tunic, his muscles flexing like steel cables under his dark skin.

“The bath,” he commanded, his voice devoid of warmth. “And tonight, you will remain until I dismiss you.”

The implication hung heavy in the air. The bathing ritual was already a violation of my boundaries, but tonight, it would be a prolonged, exquisite form of torment. 

I approached the tub with careful steps. As he stepped into the water, he settled back, closing his eyes, his breathing slow and even. I began to lather the expensive soap, forcing my mind to focus only on the white foam and the task of cleansing. Trying to dismiss how warm his skin felt. 

“Tell me, Omega,” Kael’s voice broke the silence, cutting through my forced numbness. “Why do you think I stopped the Gamma from touching you?”

My heart pounded against my ribs. He wasn't asking for a truthful answer; he was testing my obedience. He turned around to look me in the eye when I did not answer as fast as he wanted, it scared me, his eyes turning red with rage, daring me if I didn’t open my mouth.

“Because I am your property, Alpha,” I whispered,stammering a little, keeping my gaze firmly fixed on his collarbone. “And he was attempting to damage something that belongs to you.”

“Precise,” he confirmed, though his tone held no approval. “And what did you do, as my property, to cause such a disruption?”

“I allowed myself to be in the line of fire,” I mumbled, scrubbing his broad shoulder with agonizing care.

He opened his eyes, dark as the deepest trench, pinning me instantly. “Loud enough, Rebecca. Look at me when you accept your fault.”

I lifted my eyes, meeting his terrifying gaze. “I allowed myself to be in the line of fire, Alpha. I failed to be silent and invisible.”

His hand shot out of the water, not to strike, but to cup the back of my neck. His fingers were powerful, sending jolts of panic and something hotter through my spine.

“That is the truth,” he murmured, leaning forward, bringing his face dangerously close to mine. Water dripped from his dark hair onto my cheek. “Your continued existence here relies entirely on your perfect silence. Yet you still radiate that clean, sweet fear. It’s a constant challenge to my control.”

He released my neck, only to trail his wet fingers down my collarbone, stopping just where my modest tunic began. The touch was agonizingly light, yet it stole my breath.

He lifted his hand, tilting his head. “Now, wash my hair. And this time, don’t tremble.”

The task of washing his hair was torturous. I had to lean over the tub, my body pressed close to his arm. The texture of his dark hair was coarse and thick, and I massaged his scalp, trying to make my hands steady, focusing on the scent of the soap. With my hands buried in his wet hair, the raw intimacy of the task felt unbearable.

When I finished, Kael rose from the tub, stepping onto the stone floor. He was naked, magnificent, and utterly indifferent to my presence. He reached for a towel.

“The scent of the forest is gone,” he stated, his voice flat. “Now, bring me the oil.”

I fetched the small vial of conditioning oil he used for his skin. The sheer brazenness of his command to have me touch his naked body for a prolonged period. This was humiliating, having to watch him in this way but it was much much better than the whipping that I was expecting. 

I wanted to hate how his skin felt, warm and smooth but I couldn’t, I did have a better life than other Omega girls right now but I still hated it. He could any day decide he was done with me or worse wanted me in more ways. 

I started with his shoulders, my palms gliding over the warm, dry muscle. The heat of him radiated into my fingertips. The oil smelled of sandalwood and power. I moved down his arms, feeling the hard ridges of muscle, acutely aware of the dangerous stillness in his body.

“Look at what you’re doing, Rebecca,” he suddenly ordered.

I lifted my eyes to his chest, then back down to my hands as I ran them down his sides, tracing the strong lines of his ribs. My fingers brushed dangerously close to the waistband of the towel.

“Is this pleasing to you, Rebecca?” he said again with a smirk,  the words held humiliation in them. I nodded my head just to not anger him further. 

He caught my chin, forcing my eyes up. “You know the only thing pleasing to me is absolute obedience. And right now, your fear is still too loud. I can hear it in the stutter of your breath. If you wish to survive this position, you need to silence that fear.”

He released my face. “Continue.”

I continued the agonizing task, forced to use my hands to cover his large chest, his abdomen, and his powerful legs. Every glide of my palm felt like a line being drawn across my soul, carving away my fragile composure. This wasn't just a punishment; it was a deliberate, sensual violation of my spirit, designed to make me acutely aware of his ownership.

When the oiling was finally complete, I stumbled backward, pulling my hands away as if they were scorched.

“Dress me,” he commanded, moving to the wardrobe.

I helped him into his dark silk sleepwear, my hands brushing his body one last time. When the barrier of the fabric was finally in place, I felt a desperate sense of relief.

“Now for the next part,” he said, his words low and devilish making that fear come back once more. I am definitely getting whipped, I could feel the trembling come back. Alpha faced me which made me immediately drop my gaze to his feet.

“Why are you trembling and smelling of intense fear again ?” He asked, his voice actually sounding a little worried unless I thought wrong. I couldn’t speak, I could hardly even think straight due to the tremble.

He took a step towards me, towering me, one of his hands held my arm while he used his other hand to make me look up at him, his touch a steady contrast to my trembling form. 

“Tell me.”

I found myself staring into his eyes, trying to find the words and getting them out without stammering.

“Wh..ip..” I managed to get out with stammers.

He let go of my face immediately, taking a step away from me while still looking at me. “I wasn’t even thinking of whipping you Rebecca. I don’t feel strong by beating the already weak. If anything I need you to get stronger and train you,” his voice carried the tone of it being a fact, calming me down a lot. 

“And anyways your humiliation was enough for me,” he added, a smirk back on his face. 

“Now coming to what I was saying, my parents have a surprise for me tonight, Rebecca,” he explained,pulling me out of my thoughts,  pulling a dark jacket over his shirt. 

“They believe they have found the ideal Luna. We are going to remind them precisely what I think of their choices so clean yourself off this awful scent of fear that you have right now and let’s give them a show.”

I hated having to make the Alpha’s family feel disgraced with my presence during their supper time. I had noticed that Alpha spent very less time with them, I missed my parents and how much I would love to spend any little time I get with them. 

We entered the hall. The atmosphere was tight, rigid with expectation. Alpha Darius and Luna Lyra sat at the head of the long table, their expressions hardening instantly at the sight of me. Across from them sat a beautiful, composed female in emerald velvet,the promised daughter of some high-ranking Alpha. She was poised and radiating a confident, expensive scent, clearly convinced she was about to be acknowledged as the next Luna.

The sight of her, so regal and secure, made my "dust-wolf" shame burn. I hated being here. A constant reminder of how low I am.

I took my position behind Kael’s chair, ready to serve. As I placed his plate before him, Kael spoke, his voice carrying clearly across the table.

“Ah, Beta Rhys. Glad you could make it. And your pet is here too” Rhys slid into his seat, acknowledging the high-ranking guest with a polite nod, but his eyes were on me, filled with a sharp curiosity. I did look up a little to see what he meant by “pet” which is when I noticed a meek looking girl standing right behind him. She had her head bowed down, her face hidden behind her brown hair. 

“Thanks for both of our welcomes. You’re looking positively restrained tonight, Kael,” Rhys drawled, I could hear the sarcasm in his voice,  deliberately ignoring the rigid tension from Lyra. 

Beta Rhys was probably the only person who could speak to Alpha like this and he would let it be. 

“I find the current company requires an example of true obedience,” Kael replied, his tone conversational, but his eyes dangerous. He took a bite of food, then pushed his plate away slightly. “Rebecca, sit.”

I froze. Sit? I looked frantically at the chair next to him, but he wasn’t looking there.

He looked up at me, his gaze scorching. “Not there, Omega. Here. You are serving me; therefore, you remain close.”

Before I could process the command, his hand shot out, wrapping around my waist like a steel vise. He yanked me forward, effortlessly pulling my small body across the space and forcing me down onto his lap.

The shock was paralyzing. I landed with a soft, desperate gasp, perched awkwardly on his muscled thigh. The heat of him was overwhelming. His arm remained a punishing band around my waist, keeping me firmly in place. My terror was a tidal wave, a clean, sharp scent that must have been flooding his senses.

The silence around the table was absolute, broken only by Lyra’s sharp, inhaled breath. The Alpha’s guest’s polished composure fractured instantly, her eyes wide with shock and offense.

Kael didn’t even look at his family. He casually reached up, his face dropping into the curve of my neck, his hot breath ruffling the delicate hairs there. His lips brushed my skin, and the small, subtle action was a thousand times more intimate than any command.

“Rhys was complaining that I don’t show enough appreciation for my possessions,” Kael rumbled into my neck, his lips barely moving. “Do you appreciate your Alpha’s attention, Rebecca?”

His beard, slightly abrasive, rubbed my skin, a deliberate, sensual taunt. His scent the heavy, masculine command of the Alpha enveloped me, pushing the air from my lungs. I could feel the powerful beat of his heart against my lower back.

“Yes, Alpha,” I managed, my voice a pathetic, reedy sound of submission.

Lyra’s voice cracked with icy fury. “Kael! This is an intolerable insult to our guest! Remove that Omega immediately.”

Kael ignored her completely. He tightened his hold on my waist, the movement forcing me to shift further into his lap, pressing my backside against his intimate heat. He dipped his head again, his breath warm and moist against my neck.

“They’re angry, aren’t they, little Shadow?” he muttered, his voice playful and cruel, meant only for me.

“Good. Tell me you taste the salt of their outrage. Tell me you understand that your only value is the offense you cause them.”

He took a bite of food with his free hand, completely unfazed by the seismic chaos he had created. I sat paralyzed, a silent prisoner on the Alpha’s lap, my shame and terror magnified a hundred times by the proximity and the cold-blooded manipulation.

I was simply a tool of rebellion, my fear his greatest amusement. 

I hate Alpha Kael.