The Ruthless Punishment

Even though I was the Alpha's daughter, they didn't hold back on saying cruel judgments in front of my face, slapping me with the reality that I had always endured for the past twenty years.

On the other hand, my father was only looking at me like he could strike me any minute because of dissatisfaction. He never even defended me to his subordinates before, why would I expect him to defend me now?

For the umpteenth time, I feel so small... and useless. I felt like I became even tinier than before and that I could be stomped and forever forgotten. I would never meet their expectations. I would never excel in their eyes because I was born with a stutter and a person like me should always be criticized.

“Now that the news about our Alpha’s daughter has been rejected and will spread in Canidae. That was such a disgrace to our pack, Alpha Antonio,” one of the first-ranked betas said calmly, the right hand of my father before darting me a deadpan look. “What are you planning to do now?”

“What else? Punish her and lock her in her room, of course! Any punishment ideas for the object of my ire?” my father asked irritatingly at his subordinates, making everyone tongue-tied. “None? Then drag that useless child of mine and she must be punished for being rejected. What a shame!”

“F-Father, no... p-please!”

I pleaded to my father but it was too late when he turned his back on me, leaving me with his belligerent subordinate as he fumingly slammed his wooden crane on the floor as he walked away.

The betas who were waiting for their chance to hurt me wrapped their hands on me so tightly that their fingers dug into my delicate skin, making me yelp and request aid in silence from the moon goddess. I couldn't complain knowing how it would irritate my father. I must endure the pain until we arrived at the packhouse. I can already tell that people in the pack already know that I was rejected by my mate. Almost everybody was chanting “Punishment” and “Rejected” as the throwing of objects started. Even struck me with a pebble that hurt my cheeks and hit my eyes, which I was certain would cause to bruise and blacken my eye.

I couldn't even help myself for aid since I was tightly held by two betas who were strong and surely enjoying the pain I’m going through at the moment. I was holding back my tears as I walked with constant pushing, nails digging even deeper into my delicate skin. Worse was I can't even do anything about it no matter how much I complained. There was nothing I could do about it because I was a disappointment. I have always been and will probably die one.

The betas pushed me inside my father’s office and I stumbled on the floor. They pushed me so hard that I wounded my palm because of the sharp tile. My dress was now ruined and my hair was disheveled.

“You know what to do,” my father said in his deep voice without looking at me.

My knees trembled as I walked toward the table and cuffed myself. I knelt, turned my back on my father, and whimpered when a whip with rose thorns grazed on my skin.

“Count!” he bellowed out of rage as he whipped my back even firmer and more violent this time.

“O-One!” I obliged and endured the pain.

My father kept whipping my back until I started to whimper in pain, apologizing and begging him to stop.

“F-Father...” I muttered after whipping me twenty times. My back was excruciating and the back of my dress was tattered. “P-please, s-s-stop... I’m b-begging you.”

But instead of heeding my plea, my father kept on whipping my back until I felt blood dripping on my back, prickling together with my cold sweat. I was panting heavily, all I could do was cry as I curled up the pang that had only grown worse.

“I wish you were the one who died and not your mother! You’re such a disgrace to our pack! I wish you had never been born!”

I bit my lower lip to stifle a loud sob. If killing one's daughter was not a sin, I was sure that my father wouldn't have spared me and left me to rot in a rusty cell long ago. He hated me so much that he blamed me for my mother’s death even though we both knew that I had nothing to do with it. When the memory of my mother played in my mind, I weep even more. Her tenderness towards me was pure and rare, a kind of affection that I wouldn't get from my father even if I begged.

“I’m sorry, f-f-father...”

My voice was full of repentance as I trailed off, scrambling for words to continue my remark, but halted on expressing my thoughts because I knew he would cut me off immediately. My opinion didn't matter. It never was for him. And maybe my father was right about what he said. It would be better if I were the one who died and not my mother. In that way, the Alvarez family would have been better. Courageous father. Loving mother. Beautiful daughter. I could picture them living happily without me.

Even without looking at my father, I knew exactly what kind of scathing reaction he was giving me. I can imagine him picking up his crane and then hitting me on my side, which he did as a sign that my punishment had ended.

Panting and sniffling, my persistent tears kept coming out of my eyes as I curled up in pain.

My father's voice boomed all over the office when he summoned one of his betas to drag me towards my room. The Beta uncuffed me and pushed me inside my room, which made me stumble and fall.

“Weakling!” the beta hissed through his teeth before slamming the door.

He locked the door from the outside and I bent down and idled out for a while, not minding the wound in my back where I was supposed to aid. Although, as a werewolf, it will heal eventually. Mine, on the other hand, heals slower than everyone because I was weak. I can't even shift into a werewolf without dodging the pain, especially when my bones start to extend. My pain tolerance was not good, unlike others who somehow tolerate it without a problem.

I sat in my bed and sobbed when I remembered what happened at the mating ceremony. Alexei never thought twice as he said those words to me and announced my rejection to everyone. Am I really that unreliable?

Sobbing, I took off my gloves and went to my vanity mirror with my back still aching. I rummaged the knife into one of the cabinets and located it after a few seconds. I placed the sheathed knife on my wrist, ready to slash it when a knock disrupts me from self-destructing. Because of that, I hastily hid my knife in one of the cabinets before I fixed myself.

“C-Come in,” I said in a hoarse voice due to constant screaming. I never knew that my throat was aching after I spoke.

“Aera, here's your dinner,” said Miya, one of the omegas of the pack who was also a maid in our house.

“D-Did m-my father s-send me f-f-food t-tonight?” I asked, still unable to utter my words without stuttering even though I am comfortable with Miya because we are friends.

“No, I only sneak in, Aera. Your father wants to starve you for three days. I can't let that happen.”

With that information, I looked down and started to feel punished again. The last time my father starved me, I almost die. I was already thin and days without food would easily kill me. Now that my father wants to do it again, Miya defied his rules by sneaking me food and water which makes me worried. If my father finds out about it, Miya will be exiled for sure and become a rogue at the Land of the Banished. I don't want it to happen. She was the only one who appreciated me in this town.

“Don't worry about it, I found a passage in your room when I was cleaning this afternoon, Aera. I can sneak in and out to give you food and aid from now on.”

Somehow, Anya’s assurance relieves me. I wouldn't wish her to get exiled and be a rogue in the Land of the Banished. My father won't hesitate about doing what must be done, especially when it has to do with me.

“Y-you shouldn't b-be helping me,” I said after a long silence. I keep staring at the foods Anya snuck in for me. “You could be harmed for doing this.”

“See? You didn't stutter, Aera!”

Miya's gleeful voice echoed all over the room, and when she realized how much she spoke loudly, she pursed her lips and mouthed an apology to me.

“That's what I noticed about you, Aera. When you are comfortable with someone, you don't stutter. It’s okay to rely on me sometimes, you know. I could use a friend as much as you do,” Miya said softly.

I looked at Miya for seconds and she pulled me into a tight hug, making sure she would not touch the wounds on my back because they still sting. She turned me around and cure my back using an ointment as I ate meekly like I always do. She tended me gentler than before since she was aware that what happened to me was excruciating. Not just scratches this time but deep wounds since it was badly bleeding. And even though she knew about the rejection, she never even bothered asking me about it as a sign of her consideration of my situation.

“You know what? Why don't you join me to train in the woods? My brother is a good trainer. He can teach us.”

It was heartwarming to know that Miya wants me to be in her notion, however, I am more than a locked daughter in our huge house, a prisoner even. If my father heard about such deeds, he would surely punish me more than he did in his office.

“We won't be caught, I promise. I am sorry but I must let you know this, Aera. I am tired of seeing you get ostracized and abused here in the packhouse almost every hour,” Miya said begrudgingly and tilted my head to get my attention, giving me a persuasive and pitying look, which was the first time she ever did to me.

“I am your friend and I care for you. I don't want to see you suffer like this any longer,” Miya said solicitously. “Don’t you want to prove to them that you are more than what they think? For once, didn't you ever think of being brave?”

I looked away and remained silent, purposely keeping my thoughts to myself. Just saying the word strong I am unable to say straight. How much more on becoming that word's embodiment? There was no way I could do that. In my next life perhaps if I will get lucky.

But then, my frail yet stubborn wolf tells me otherwise.