Ruby
“Wait. I thought my punishment was scheduled for tomorrow.” I asked in confusion.
“Well, our Luna got impatient and wanted to deliver justice as soon as possible. You should be happy you aren’t getting stoned to death, which is what you deserved, and only getting flogged while naked.” He spat, pulling me roughly by the hair, and I struggled to my feet, my weakened legs barely supporting me.
Lilith wouldn’t be that cruel to strip me of the remaining dignity I had left, right?
“Take it easy with her.” Liam glared at Ben, who ignored him. He was really trying so hard to be a superhero in my life-at the wrong time.
“Stop being a weak bitch and move,” Ben sneered, enjoying my evident suffering, and led me through the dimly lit corridor. The stench of decay and despair clung to the air, making each step feel heavier than the last.
As we walked, I couldn’t help but wonder what awaited me. The dread settled deep within my chest, but I refused to show any weakness. I had endured enough, and whatever came next, I would face it with the strength I had left.
The corridor led to a larger opening, where the flickering light of torches revealed a crude whipping post. My heart sank at the sight, realising that Lilith’s cruel punishment was about to unfold.
“Any last words?” Ben taunted, his face twisted into a malicious grin. I remained silent, determined not to give him the satisfaction of a response.
“You aren’t going to say anything pretty, face? I don’t mind betraying my boss just this once just to see what that mouth of yours can do and how tight your pussycat is,” he grinned nastily, and at that moment I swore to myself that I was going to make him pay, and this time I would make him beg for death desperately.
The air was thick with anticipation as Ben secured me to the whipping post. My hands trembled involuntarily, the cold metal biting into my skin. I braced myself for the pain that awaited, knowing that enduring this torment would only fuel my resolve for revenge.
As Ben forced me to kneel on the punishing stone, a collective gasp echoed through the crowd. The cold, unforgiving surface pressed against my bruised skin, sending sharp stabs of pain through my weakened body. I bit my lip, refusing to show any sign of weakness in front of the merciless onlookers. The atmosphere was thick with tension, and the cruel anticipation of the impending punishment hung in the air.
The crowd, a sea of judgmental eyes, watched with morbid curiosity as I kneeled in the midst of their collective condemnation. I scanned the faces in the crowd, searching for any hint of mercy, but their expressions remained cold and indifferent. The weight of their judgement bore down on me, and I steeled myself for whatever came next, determined to endure this public humiliation with the strength I had left.
As I knelt on the punishing stone, my eyes were drawn to Lilith, seated on a raised chair golden like a queen overseeing the spectacle. Her smirk conveyed a sadistic satisfaction, revelling in the torment she had orchestrated.
It fueled my resolve to endure the physical pain and humiliation-a small act of defiance against the one who had caused so much misery in my life. Lilith’s eyes met mine, a cold gaze filled with disdain. In that moment, I vowed not to let her break me, to rise above the agony and face whatever cruel fate awaited me with resilience.
The determination to protect my son and seek justice burned fiercely within, giving me strength in the face of public scorn.
The crowd hushed as Lilith was brought down to the ground. A heavy silence hung in the air, and everyone in the pack eagerly awaited the verdict that would be pronounced on me.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s the moment you’ve been waiting for-the time to decide what happens to this unworthy omega,” Lilith declared with a cruel satisfaction. Her laughter echoed around the room, making the atmosphere even more tense. The tapping of her fake nails on the chair added an unsettling beat to the impending judgement.
“Benjamin, call in your witness and tell us your reason for accusing this omega.”
I was going to be having a trial? How merciful of her! I had thought I was going to be punished without being able to defend myself, as my fate had already been decided by her.
Lilith raised her hand, gesturing for Benjamin to step forward and present his case. The atmosphere was tense as the crowd awaited the unfolding events.
Benjamin swaggered confidently to the front, a malicious grin etched on his face. The crowd hushed, eagerly awaiting his accusations.
“Ladies and gentlemen, pack members of Diamond Moon, I present to you Ruby-the accused. This woman, who claims to be innocent, was caught practicing dark magic on Luna Lilith herself. We have witnesses and evidence to prove her guilt,” Benjamin declared, pointing an accusing finger at me with a huge smirk plastered on his ugly face.
Gasps rippled through the crowd, and the tension grew thicker. Lilith nodded with satisfaction, her eyes fixed on me as if relishing the unfolding drama.
I was on my knees, and I felt a surge of anger and frustration. The false accusations gnawed at me, and the weight of the impending punishment bore down on my shoulders.
“Luna Lilith, in addition to practicing dark magic, this omega also attempted to harm the daughter of the alpha of the Pearl Moon Pack. She deserves nothing less than the stone. However, our merciful Luna has granted her a trial to prove her innocence,” Benjamin proclaimed, his words echoing through the sombre atmosphere.
I gritted my teeth as Benjamin accused me of attempting to harm the daughter of the Pearl Moon Pack, a crime I didn’t commit. The eyes of the pack bore into me, judgement evident in their glares. Lilith’s sinister smile only fueled my anger.
The accusation threatened any chance of a normal life I had planned on having with my son, and I felt a surge of resentment. The trial became a battlefield for my fate, with Lilith manipulating the strings. I braced myself for the challenge ahead, knowing that whatever I said would never be heard and my innocence would never be proven. It would take a miracle for me to break free from the web of lies woven around me.
Lilith leaned back in her chair, a sinister smile playing on her lips, revelling in the chaos she had planned, and a hateful smile graced her lips, knowing this trial would be a battleground for my fate, and she knew how to manipulate the strings.
“Any witnesses to back up your accusations?” Liam’s inquiry hung in the tense air, surprising everyone, including himself, as he shifted uncomfortably on his feet, and I caught the subtle side glare Lilith shot in his direction.
“Yes, Alpha, I have witnesses. Come forward.” Ben muttered in a dry tone.
The room seemed to close in on me as Benjamin’s witnesses stepped forward, their eyes filled with a sinister determination. The woman in black wore a twisted smile, and the man’s cold gaze bore into mine, making my skin crawl.
“Alpha Liam, my witnesses are here to attest to the crimes this omega committed against the pack,” Benjamin declared with a smug tone.
Liam’s eyes narrowed, but he motioned for them to proceed. The woman, her dark attire blending with the shadows, spoke with rehearsed confidence.
“I saw her attempting to harm Alpha Damian’s daughter. She had a sinister look in her eyes, and it sent chills down my spine. She is a killer and should not be spared.”
The man followed suit, his voice laced with malice. “I can confirm her dark magic. She tried to use it against Luna Lilith. It’s a threat to the pack, and she deserves the punishment.”
The crowd murmured in agreement, and Lilith’s satisfied grin widened. The weight of the false accusations and the deceitful testimonies pressed on me, and I felt like I was drowning in a sea of lies.
Lilith’s sinister smile widened as she proclaimed, “Then it is decided. She must be whipped a hundred times, and this will be done by Alpha Liam himself. No other person is fit enough to deliver justice than our respectable alpha himself.” The blood drained from my face, and a wave of dread swept over me at the impending punishment, but a part of me was happy that I wouldn’t be whipped naked.
Liam wouldn’t hurt me again, right? Not after begging me for a second chance?
“And before I forget, she will be stripped naked to receive this punishment,” she smirked, looking at me. My heart stopped beating upon hearing this.
Dread washed over me as I processed the announcement of the humiliating part of the punishment. Stripped naked in front of everyone? The mere thought sent shivers down my spine, and my eyes sought refuge in Liam’s gaze, desperately seeking a spark of mercy.
His steel grey eyes betrayed a conflict of emotions-regret and reluctance mingled on his face. As he approached with the whip in hand, handed to him by the guards, my heart sank. The anticipation of the impending public humiliation and the potential betrayal from the one person I once trusted tore at my resolve.
He wouldn’t allow me to be disgraced and stripped publicly, right?
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, avoiding eye contact as he gently tugged at my clothes, revealing a part of my shoulder but stopping before exposing too much.
My heart pounded with a mixture of embarrassment, anger, and a lingering hope for mercy. Liam’s face betrayed a complex array of emotions, mirroring the inner turmoil that raged within me. The air around us grew heavy as the crowd observed, their whispers adding to the discomfort that hung in the pack’s atmosphere.
The crowd watched in hushed anticipation, the weight of their judgement pressing down on me.
The first hit was like fire cutting through my skin, causing me to gasp in pain. The crowd cheered loudly as I braced myself for the next strike. With each lash, the agony intensified, turning into a pulsating rhythm that echoed through my body. The numbers of hits blurred in my mind, but I held onto my determination to endure, fueled by the burning desire for revenge against those who were responsible for my pain.
Just as I thought everything was over and I was left to face this humiliation alone, dust filled the air, and a tense silence followed, causing Liam to pause. I looked up wearily, witnessing a figure moving with breathtaking speed, like a phantom slicing through the air.
I think it was half man and wolf to be about to move that fast, and the crowd collectively gasped as the whip was snatched from Alpha Liam’s hand, creating a surreal moment frozen in time. Swift as a shadow, the mysterious figure confronted Liam, delivering a powerful punch that echoed through the space, sending Liam flying through a distance and crashing painfully to the ground. Gasps turned into whispers, spreading the shock across the assembly.
In the midst of the chaotic scene, the dust settled, revealing the mysterious figure who had intervened.
A surge of relief flooded through me as I recognised the beautiful blue eyes of the unexpected saviour, someone I had glimpsed in the hallway earlier.
He came back. Why?
My wolf howled in happiness, a rare moment of joy amidst the turmoil.
Mate?
He surprisingly smiled at me before turning his fierce gaze towards the crowd, growling menacingly.
“How dare you all?” he sneered in that raspy, sexy voice of his that made me lose my mind.
In a good way.