"Papa!" Elora screamed watching as her father flew halfway across the room, breaking the table in the living room as he landed on it with a crash.
Bernard Belany, propped himself up on one arm bleeding profusely through his nose, shattered by their Alpha Rasmus’ punch, and sent comforting looks their way even though he was obviously in pain.
He coughed. "Stay back, Baby. Stay with Mama."
"Ah! You have no idea how much I've wanted to do this, Bernard." Alpha Rasmus smiled, uttering his words slowly as if to inflict more pain with them.
"You can't do this. He's your Beta. Res…respect. Respect him." Elora's Mother stuttered, her face shining in dawn's moonlight as its rays hit the tears that were streaming down her cheeks.
"Beta?” He asked incredulously, “He lost that the moment he chose slaves over his own pack!"
With the last word, he kicked her father's belly, sending him sprawling further across the room's floor.
"What is my crime, Rasmus?" Bernard groaned, guarding his belly from another attack from his Alpha's boots. "What did I do to deserve your hate?"
Rasmus replied with the boots. Again and again and again, kicking and kicking, until his Beta began to gag and choke on his own blood, as it flooded his mouth and nostrils.
Elora and her siblings held tightly to their mother as they watched their father get beaten to a pulp in their living room crowded with people that had come to execute their Beta.
Among the crowd were many werewolves they knew, who had come to this house, at some time or the other, to visit them. They had come again tonight— but this wasn't a visit for pleasure or a courtesy call. They'd walked in with torches, asking for her dad's death. The scene filled Elora with so much pain that it felt as though the ground under her was caving in.
Some of those in the room were in chains, bleeding and badly beaten. They had supported her Father and now they would pay for it.
Elora's mother ran towards her mate, in order to shield him from getting anymore bloodied up— but Rasmus stopped her with a vicious kick that had Elora cringing. His boots caught her in the jaw, knocking her away from her mate and she fell, face down, meters away with her hair in a mangled mess coated with tears and the pool of her mate's blood that had covered the floor.
"Please, leave my family out of this," Bernard growled. His eyes flashed a golden yellow and his teeth elongated for a second.
"You'll fight me now? Huh?" Their Alpha mocked. "You fucking traitor! I'll touch your children, if I….."
His words were cut short by the sudden force that had hit him. For a second, her father had shifted into his wolf and run head on into Alpha Rasmus, knocking him down in the process. It was a daring act that had the pack members on their feet and snarling in outrage.
Her father crashed to the ground beside Rasmus breathing heavily. It had taken his last strength to do that but Elora knew he didn’t regret it. Her father wouldn't let anyone hurt his family.
He had tried to fight them off when they had arrived but surrendered when he realized that would put his family in trouble. They had held his children and threatened to kill them as he watched if he didn't.
He had fallen to his knees and had been injected with the Wolf's bane serum so he couldn't shift to his wolf for long or heal from his wounds. That's when their Alpha began to hit him.
Alpha Rasmus got up from his fall, his hand hanging limply from his side. He got up and roared glaring hotly at her father, "Restrain this man in the name of Darwin Pack!"
They grabbed him up, lifting him on to his feet. His facial features were barely recognizable after the pummeling he had received. His face was contorted in pain with bleeding cuts and was rapidly swelling. His jaw hung loosely like it was broken.
Alpha Rasmus approached him and landed a firm blow into his stomach with his other hand causing him to cough up more blood.
The Alpha leaned forward into his Beta's ear and whispered; "Your family will suffer for this, I promise you. I'll make sure you're labeled a traitor, your girls will spend their days in whorehouses, and you won't be there to save them!"
Bernard Belony shook violently, trying to move towards Rasmus with the last of his strength yet unable to break free. The mention of his children had enraged him beyond measure but he hadn't enough strength to make another attack. He relaxed, the pain in his joints worsening by the moment.
"Lead him outside with the others. Bring the children too. Let them see." Rasmus laughed, still staring deeply into his face.
The crowd marched out of the mansion belonging to the Belany's and into the courtyard, heading for the gate, excited whispers carrying into the night air. Public executions hadn’t happened for a long time at the Darwin Pack so this was a rather memorable occasion.
Just outside the gate, Alpha Rasmus orders the crowd to stop looking more menacing in the waning light of the setting sun.
He pointed at the stakes that had already been set up and ordered her father and the other five werewolves be tied up.
They were going to be burnt as a warning to any other who might dare support her Father’s cause.
"You're going to…kill him? Rasmus. R.rr.rasmus! He's your friend!" Elora's Mother's voice rang into the night, a blood curdling chill settling over the air.
Her heart was broken already from the barrage of betrayal they had experienced. The public execution was too much for her already frayed senses.
The people standing here were supposed to be friends. They had eaten many times together and laughed together. But the thought of watching her mate die was the most excruciating. Yet she knew she had to protect her children. Bernard had asked her to stay still.
As the prisoners were being attached to their execution stake, Rasmus walked up to Bernard and punched him in the gut one more time.
"Beg for your life, Beta." He smiled mockingly, then lashed out his fist again at Bernard's face.
Bernard groaned and said nothing.
His eyes moved to his family; his wife kneeling trying not to run to him, and his children cowering under her embrace finally landing on her. Suddenly, he managed a smile as if he’d accepted his fate.
"Light 'em up!!!" Rasmus roared.
The guards walked forward with the torches, dressed in the typical guard uniform of the Darwin pack, with a wide brimmed hat and sword strapped to their side. The flames glistened against the buckles of their scabbard, as they set the stand on fire.
"Papa!!!" Elora and her siblings screamed.
Their mother held tightly to her struggling children with surprising strength, mouth ajar in silent shock as tears streamed down her face.
The glow of the fire seemed to grow, by the second, against the back drop of the darkening sky until it eclipsed the setting sun and brightened everything around it.
Even as the fire reached Bernard Belany, his eyes never left his family, smilling in the beautiful way he always had for them still.
And in that moment, as the flames engulfed him and the others, Elora could almost hear him whisper something in her own mind as they locked eyes for a moment but before she could decipher it, he was gone. Swallowed up in the flames only to remain in her heart.
The words she must have heard echoed in her mind. But how had he spoken to her?
ROMERumours spread fast in Bale and most times, these rumours had the truth hidden deeply in them, although, it would take careful dissection to uncover these truths. This was no news to citizens of Bale, especially not to the King of the Bale, so when he heard from the footmen that there was an uproar at the southern borders, he wasted no time rushing there. The trouble on the southern borders had taken days to deal with but unlike the rumours, it was hardly an uproar. The Blackfoot’s seemed to have honour for the King of Bale but really, this king was one who abolished the slave rule so they had no choice but to. If not for him, they would still be fighting a lost battle with the slave masters. They thought it important to inform the king of others rumours which they swore were true; that slaves were still being kept and sold illegally.Who dared go against the king's decree?All these issues could be sorted out some other day. This one was special to the King. He smiled as he ta
ELORAThe entire length and breadth of the manor was full of young werewolves. I had known about the house party days ago. I had also known it would be the worst experience I've had in days.Now standing in the middle of the Manor grounds, I knew it would be worse than I had envisaged and my belly twisted with disgust.Each female that arrived looked at me with scorn. Their eyes didn't hide the fact that they despised me. And for what? Many of them didn't even know why they were to hate me. But they did all the same.Alpha Rasmus had spread lies about my father, so that even people who weren't part of the plot thought my Father was really a traitor.Someday, I would show them.Someday, they would know they all made a terrible mistake. "Her Father's daughter!" One of them mocked as she passed me. She shuffled past me. Her corset must be really tight cutting off the air that was supposed to go to her brain. I smiled. That would have been a good come back, but I stayed mute. I knew too
ELORAMy face stung as I staggered even more. I blamed myself for not expecting the slap. Ethan lashed out again, and again.Left cheek, right cheek, left again. I fell backwards, my vision went blank for a moment.He didn't stop. He picked me up from the floor and threw me across the room, causing my ribcage to collide with the table that was at the center of the room. I yelped unable to help myself. It hurt that I was weak. How was I supposed to protect my family I was terrible at protecting myself form a mere idiot? My hands began to tremble from the pain as blood rushed to my head. I placed a hand on my side and struggled to stand up. "You fucking bitch!" Ethan said walking over to me. By now all the attention in the room was on us. He walked to me and picked me by the hair, examining my bleeding face. Then he pouted like he cared."Oh, no! Did I hurt my mate?" he said with mock concern, his right thumb running across my bleeding lips. I closed my eyes, this time expecting the
Alma walked into the room. Elegant, bright. I wondered how she could fake her radiant smile. She couldn't hide her fear. It shone through her eyes. I knew how to smell fear after living with it for weeks.If circumstances had been different, Alma could easily pass for a noble. She didn't look like most of their women did. She had seen many moons and revolutions, no doubt. She must have been fifty years of age— but she looked nothing like it. Her face didn't sag, her legs were straight and firm, and her boobs, and butt didn't need any adjusting to gain attention. Alma was sweet and kind, and so beautiful for her age. I knew that this was a problem. They would pick on her soon.She walked into the room in her kitchen whites, holding a tray of lamb. She moved to set it on the table, and clear the clothes that had covered the table.With precise and deliberate motion, Alma set the tray to a side of the table. Next she packed all the clothes on it and set it aside, dropping them on one of
ELORAI opened my eyes in the carriage and sat up. My hands and feet were in chains. My sister, Olivia and our twin siblings were sitting by my side. My heart ached for them. I was deeply sorry that they had to go through this. Thankfully, they were not in chains. I pulled them in for a quick hug. "Are you okay?""Yes, Ellie," they chorused. "Is Mama going to be okay?" Olivia asked, speaking for all of them.My heart sank as I couldn't meet their gaze. What was I to say? I reached out to wipe the tear sliding down Olivia's face but it was a futile attempt as I was chained to the carriage. She wiped it off herself. I could see the fear in the eyes of my siblings and the marks of dried tears. They had wept until they couldn't weep anymore. That had been our life since our Father had been labelled a traitor. I couldn't cry anymore, my rear glands had been blocked with numbness. I knew I had to be strong for them, I had to feel something for their sake but there was something being a s
"Rasmus sent you?" The Lycan asked. He was now among other Lycan-sized men in black. They seemed to be his guards.As the slave masters pushed me towards the Lycan, I stumbled and fell, landing on my side. "Mr Kain. This one will suit your demand. She used to be a noble but she's a bit feisty."Mr Kain walked forward and picked me up from the ground with one hand, setting me on my feet. He examined my face and smiled slyly."Is she untouched?" He asked."She is, Sir." Everything in me hated this, hated being talked about like a piece of bread or clothing for sale. My heart burned with the desire to just take a knife and stab them.The slave master continued, "I can check, and show you." I remembered hearing about slaves being fingered, prodded and penetrated randomly to prove their virginity. I knew I had to do something quickly. I stiffened. I turned to my left and saw Olivia, Brian and Bennett."No. There'll be no need. I want her intact." He smiled, his eyes twinkled yet they se
ROME"Slavers?" Teriel asked. It was no news to that some Alphas were slavers but he didn't expect to see victims. "From Alkarod, you say?" The king stood steady watching the older female shield the others behind her in fear or caution. Her hair was shiny and long and the cool night breeze blew the silky strands over her face. She seemed almost mystic, like one of the goddesses painted on the castle. Rome couldn't help but feel drawn to her in that moment. Her eyes were amber and they stood out even in the night as the lamps cast a glow on them. "Yes, Sir. From Alkarod," she replied.Her eyes seemed to glow and the king blinked.Had he imagined it?From behind her, the younger female spoke up."There were some Lyca…"And the older one hushed her by turning back and glaring at her. He could see them breathing raggedly and they had some leaves from the bushes sticking out of their hair.Rome walked towards her with his arms outstretched, hoping that would prove that I had no ill inten
ROMEThe convoy of carriages finally arrived the palace in Hanaerum and there was only one thing occupying the king's mind, the meeting which he had set to depose Erika. The pain he felt at her betrayal worsened as he stared at the stone walls that had housed the woman he had once thought loved him and was loyal to him. He had asked everyone to be present at the meeting with severe consequences for any defaulters. He’d also be deposing Chester from his position as 'King's Hand.' Skye could comfortably hold the office. As it should have always been.Rome sat in the carriage a bit longer even after the doors had been opened for him. He was hesitant and didn't want to face the people. It was a feeling deeper than shame. He was disappointed in himself.How could the Lycan King be a victim of infidelity?How could anyone trust him to hold a country together when he couldn’t even hold his home together."Your Majesty?" Teriel called, holding the door.He stepped down from the carriage steel