Chapter 2: Punishment

**LUCIEN**

-The Next Day-

I am burning up. I feel like I am sweating to death. What is wrong with me? I flutter my eyes open. Feeling this heat, I almost thought I had died and finally made it to hell. Just kidding hell is what I have been living in. 

‘Where the fu.ck am I, Ragnar? This isn’t my bed.’ I sat up, dusting what felt like dirt off of me. I can’t open my eyes, it’s way too bright here. My senses are coming back and I have this overwhelming and pounding headache.

‘We are in the woods. You went unconscious last night.’ He retorted. Like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

‘Why are you acting like I know what is going on?’ I asked him, starting to get pissed off. I run my hands through my shoulder length dirty blonde hair. Trying to remember last night.

Did I bring a woman here for a night cap, and she just left after it was over and I passed out?

Did I stumble into the woods after drinking too much?

‘Do you want me to replay last night's events?’ Ragnar asked solemnly.

‘Yeah, but why do you sound so sad and somewhat pissed at me?’ He was quiet. Not another word. 

Suddenly, last night’s events flooded my mind. Oh FU.CK!!

‘LEON! How is she????’ I mind linked him, frantic to see how she is. If she… Oh goddess no. I can’t think like that…

‘Meet me in my office. Now.’ That was all he linked back. I let Ragnar shift into his gunmetal grey form. Feeling the sunshine on his fur, the wind slapping his back as fall is approaching. I am physically getting sick just thinking about the worst that has happened to my mom. 

I get to our four story pack house. It looks like a rustic mansion you would see on an old plantation farm. But bigger. It really is beautiful. I quickly shift and grab some shorts that are hanging from a tree near the front door. We keep clothes like this around so when we shift back into our human forms, we aren’t naked for long. 

I run up the stairs to the fourth floor for the Alpha and his family, former Alpha and Luna, and all the offices. I pass by several crying pack members. Oh no. Please don’t let it be….

I stop right in front of Leon's door. I inhale deeply. Once I exhale, I knock quickly.

I hear Leon on the other side of the door telling me to come in. I scurry through the door. And desperately look around the room, searching for my mothers face. 

“Lucien. Sit down.” His voice echoes through the silence of his office..

“Where is she, Leon? Is she okay?” I demand, tears stinging my eyes. 

“SIT DOWN LUCIEN!!!” He said with his Alpha tone. He has never used his Alpha tone on me. Not in the last 3 years. Not since he became Alpha. I immediately sit down. Staring at him, enraged that he just did that to me. It’s bad enough he has everything that I worked for, but now he is taking my freewill too.

“Mom… She’s.. She’s in a coma… Whoever attacked her. They left no trace. But her injuries are extensive… They don’t know if she will ever wake up…” He said sniffling. I don’t think I have ever seen my brother cry. He has always been so calm and collected. Unless it was in battle, then all hell broke loose.

He takes a deep breath, and continues. “ You are being sent to Pocatello… It’s about an hour away if you take a car. We have set up a job, housing, and transportation for you. You are on a two year suspended banishment.” He finished. Looking me in the eyes, I want to break down but I can't do that.

So, I have become second best in everything all my life. And now, after one terrible lapse in judgement, I am being kicked out of my home? My pack?

I'm beyond shocked. I can't leave. It's my mom too. Now I'm just even more pissed off.

"Our mother. Yeah, in case you forgot, she's my mother too. She's in a coma with extensive injuries with a slim chance of waking up and you want to banish me for two years?  What good is that going to do, Leon?? For fu.cks sake, I expected this from dad… Not from you." I said trying to fight back my rage and my hurt. 

"Did you forget that you are the reason she is in a coma to begin with? Or did you purposefully leave that tad bit out to make me the bad guy and make yourself feel better. " He growled out.

No. I didn't forget that part. "There's got to be something else, something different I can do. I can't leave her now, nor when she should've been protected with me. " I sighed, rubbing my hands over my face in frustration. 

"You should have been, Lucc. But you are too busy wallowing in self pity and what could have beens that you are neglecting your pack, your family and yourself. I don't want to send you away. I want you to lead next to me as my Beta. But I can't have an alcoholic that throws a temper tantrum every time he doesn't get his way. " I can't even say anything, becuase in all honesty, he's absolutely right... 

And before he can continue, in walks the wicked bi.tch of the west right into Leon's office like she owns the place. 

"Darling, you said we would go and have lunch by the lake." Now that she rejected me last year and I accepted, her voice makes me cringe. 

"Carrie, first of all quit walking in here like you're my Luna. You are not my Luna. I am waiting for my fated mate. Secondly, as you can see, but clearly don't care, I am having a talk with my brother. So please, excuse yourself. Thank you. " He snarled. Wow he really isn't in the mood today. She looks between us and rolls her eyes and walks from the room.

"Can I at least visit her? I don't want to be away that long without at least coming to see her… and be updated on her condition." I asked with my head hanging. 

"You can come once a week when you aren't working. Spend the whole day with her. But Lucien, the big condition of your return is you have to quit drinking. It's poisoning everything about you." He said, this time with sincerity. 

"Fine… I'll leave today. But even if I do magically change my life around that doesn't mean I'll be your Beta. " I finished as I got up and walked out of the room. 

I made my way down the hall to my room and started packing. I think I'm still in shock that I'm being kicked out of the pack. He should've just killed me. But no, Leon has to do the Alpha thing and teach me a lesson. 

I look at the stuff I have packed. It really isn't much, I think in my mind after not being chosen for Alpha I started to minimize. Not caring about decorations, or anything that could make me feel like this way my home. 

Maybe I accepted one day I'd leave this pack for good. 

Still searching for the one thing that could only be mine. Not Leon's, not the packs, just for me. Just for Lucien… 

That would be a Goddess send...

I’ve gotten everything I own in a duffle bag. Some books that I like to read about our kind. Most of my clothes, my charger and a picture of my brother, my mom and me. 

I throw it all in my 4Runner and head to the pack hospital. I at least want to say goodbye to my mother. As I am trekking to the pack hospital, I hear someone calling my name. Fu.cking Carrie.

“Lucc! Wait.” She yells but I pay her no mind. I don’t want to see her face, let alone hear her voice. 

She runs in front of me so I stop and try to go around her, she grabs my arm by the elbow. How is it possible that she rejected me, I accepted but I can still feel slight tingles. I don’t want her anymore. Not like I first did when I found out she was my mate. Then she rejected me and told me she would choose Leon over me anyday. And that’s exactly what she did. No one knows except my best friend Ezekial. I needed to be able to confide in someone. I would have ended myself had I kept that secret to myself. 

“Hey, I am trying to talk to you. Why are you ignoring me?” She asks almost in a pout. Is she fu.cking serious right now?? Does she really believe that will work?

“What the fu.ck do you want from me, Carrie? I am trying to leave... You know? From my own stupidity. What more do you want from me? Go back to my BROTHER, the Alpha… “ I sneered at her. She looked like she could cry. A small pang hit my heart and I took a deep breath.  

“Well, what do you want?” I asked again. She dropped her head and huffed. I don’t have time for this.

“I am going to visit my mother. And then I am leaving to begin my two year suspended banishment. This will be the last time any words are exchanged between us.” I said, while straightening myself. 

“Don’t forget about me..“ She whispered. Is she fu.cking kidding me? Ragnar is fuming, shaking in my head wanting to shift. 

“Don’t forget you? That is ALL I have been trying to do.. You don’t get to SUDDENLY act like you give a sh.it about me or my fu.cking feelings. What I THOUGHT we had, that's gone. You got what you wanted. It's time to let me move on..” I sneered. I can’t even believe she would have the audacity to say that to me. 

She was silent, not making eye contact. I think she was having a conversation with her wolf. But I don’t fu.cking care. 

I left her standing there. And honestly, it felt better than I thought it would. I don’t care what she was gonna say, I didn’t want to hear it. All I want to do is check on my mom. 

I reach the hospital and walk into this building. It looks like a huge warehouse but it is filled to the brim with the state of the art hospital equipment . When I get inside, I hear a ruckus coming from upstairs. Stopping a nurse from coming out of a room.

“What is going on up there?” I asked her. Not paying attention to the way she was gawking at me. Looking at my tattoos, my shoulder length dirty blonde hair, bearded scruff in the right formation on my face. Even if I smelled like alcohol she didn’t make any faces other than a drooling one.

I snapped my fingers at her. “Oh, I am so sorry Mr. Dubois. It is your father. He is losing his mind with his mate hurt. I don’t know if you should go up there.” She said sadly. But she is right. Facing my dad right now would mean that either he would kill me for what happened to my mother, his mate. Or I would kill him from all this pent up hatred I feel towards him.

“Give me your phone please.” I said to her as sweetly as I could. She quickly hands me her phone. “I am putting my number in here, and I will need you to text me updates on her condition and how she is doing since I will be going away.” I finished putting my number in her phone and she quickly texted me. ‘It’s Carla.’ That was it. 

“Just so you know who is texting you about your mom. I don’t think you knew what my name was before.” She said with a blush. 

“I will be honest with you, I have drank too much in the last few years to hardly remember my name. But thank you for your help. I have to go now.” I said waving as I exited the hospital.

I caused my mother enough grief. And as much as I don’t want to have that prick around her, having her mate near will help her heal. 

I jump into my 4 Runner at the front of the packhouse. And take a deep breath. A few minutes pass and I put my truck in drive and take off with the windows down. I have a bottle of Jack and Crown in my front seat. A gps address to where I will be living, a second gps address to where I will be working. And duties for the pack I will have to do to show that I am changing my ways. This is stupid. I could have done all of this here. 

‘No you couldn’t have. Although we aren’t the Alpha. We are from Alpha blood and the second you would want a drink, all you would have to do is command a wolf here to get it for you.’ Ragnar reminded me. 

‘That is true. But wherever I am going to work will have werewolves too. So, what’s the difference?’ I questioned. My wolf is an old viking type of wolf, battle ready but he is very wise. I just don’t listen. 

‘I honestly think your brother Alpha commanded them. And don’t be surprised when you get to your house that you find an itinerary that you will have to follow. Hahaha.’ 

‘Ha. Ha. Ha. You are just the funniest damn wolf.’ I said sarcastically and cut the link. 

I won’t drink and drive, but I am itching to get this trip over with to have a shot or two. 

I made it all the way to the town and I really enjoyed the scenery. The fresh air. But when I see the town. It’s a small human town. I can sense other wolves, but mostly humans. Just great, now I am going to have to sneak off at night time to let Ragnar out. But it does feel cozy.

I pull into the address Leon gave me for where I will be living. It’s a cute little cottage on the edge of town. Close to the woods. It’s a medium sized house and white and it’s ship lapped all the way around it. It is big enough to have a small family in. I don’t know why he gave this to me. Why did he think it would be a good idea for me to live in a house this big? But whatever. I grab my bottles and my bag and head for the door. When I get closer to it, it is actually a really beautifully charming house. 

It has a half wrap around porch that is screened in. There is a front door within the screened in porch and then a side porch that isn’t a part of the screened in piece. The side door has a beautiful wooden overhang with vines growing all throughout it.  

I don't know why but I want to add some more plants to this porch. 

'It's like the plants, they call to you.' Ragnar whispered, then laughed. I can't contain the eyeroll.

I turn the key and walk inside, and this is as cozy as it gets. 

There is a fireplace in the corner of the room, with a big mantle above it and a huge tv hanging on the wall. There is a nice rug in front of it. To the right of the fireplace there are two sliding glass doors with dark forest green curtains. Everything in this living room just makes me miss my mom and brother more. I walk into the kitchen, and it's beautiful. I used to love to cook. It was one of my favorite things when I wasn’t training for the Alpha title. And gardening. I liked to watch things grow. 

This is a full service kitchen, it’s a nice grey color. Deep double sided sink with a big window overlooking a nice backyard and the woods in the distance. 

'Me: Why did you give me such a big house if this is a punishment?' I texted my brother. I immediately get a ping back.

‘Leon: Just because I am mad at you, and you are on punishment doesn't mean I am going to make you live in a sh.ithole. You’re still my brother. Always my brother.’ Well if I didn’t already feel like complete sh.it, that’ll do it. 

‘Me: I appreciate it. I’ll try not to mess it up too bad. ‘ I sent him back. I have to be honest with myself or none of this will ever stop. I throw my bag against the back of the couch. And plop down and look out the sliding glass doors. It’s a nice cool day. The sun is shining, I should let Ragnar out for a run. But I kind of just want to finish these two bottles beforehand. 

I grabbed my Jack Daniels and just started drinking from the neck. It’s warm so it is burning as it goes down. But for some reason it is making me feel sick. Why?

‘Oh I don’t know maybe because it is the reason your mother is in a coma?’ Ragnar sounded through the mindlink. He’s right. I don’t know if I will be able to drink anymore. Or maybe I’ll have to try a different alcoholic beverage. Who knows? I might be a new wine connoisseur. 

 I set the bottle on the table next to the couch and just lay back. 

'You know withdrawals are ten times stronger for werewolves right. So we are both fu.cked.' I sighed, rubbing my forehead. 

I think about everything that has happened over the last few years. And then today with Carrie. I can’t believe the nerve of her. ‘Don’t forget about me.’ What a crock of sh.it. I am glad she doesn’t have my number. 

I decide maybe I need sleep. I need to sleep the next two days and rest because in a couple of days it will be time for me to start my new job. 

I close my eyes and drift into a deep sleep. A sleep I didn’t know I needed.

**UNKNOWN WOMAN**

“C’mon sweetheart we have to go. We are leaving now.” I said to my daughter Angelina, as I was throwing things into a diaper bag for my toddler, Lincoln. I am nervous if we don’t hurry, he will catch us leaving and then things could get uglier than I want them to get. 

“Mommy, where are we going? Are we leaving daddy because he is mean to all of us?” She is seven years old. She shouldn’t know that her daddy is mean to us. He shouldn’t be mean to her or her brother. He is only four. And all he wants is to play. I try to take it all from them. Every hit, kick and punch. But even when I am not in the same area as them for a few moments he still ends up catching them. Saying mean things to them, hitting them before I can get to them and taking the brunt of it all.

I have contemplated killing him several times. I have watched enough serial killer documentaries to know what not to do to get away with it. But that would turn me into a monster. I am just not capable. No matter how terrible he is, I don’t want to be the one to take my kids' father out. Either way, I have documented every single word of abuse, pictures of bruises, cuts and broken bones. Anything that has happened to us, I have documented. 

“We are going somewhere far far away so no one will ever be mean to us again, my love. Mommy promises okay. Now, take Linc and you guys go get in the car. Mommy only has a few more things to grab and we are leaving, okay?"

“You’re the best momma. Thank you.” She said as she took Lincoln to the car. Such a strong baby. Always a helper. I don’t deserve to be their mother. And I wish we didn’t have to leave. But who would believe me? He has powerful and rich parents here. He is a CEO of his company. Who would believe the lowly housewife from a poor background even with evidence? He could have my kids taken from me because of his money. Or even have me killed.

And even if someone did believe me, who is going to throw him in jail? Who would protect us when he got out? I already have a lawyer writing up papers to divorce him and for him to sign his rights over. And once I am somewhere safe and secure, I’ll have them served. By then we will be long gone, and he will never know where to look for us or find us. 

I grabbed the last bit of things from the house and hurriedly jumped into my car. My boy is sound asleep in his carseat and my girl is strapped in her booster seat watching Moana on her tablet. 

I may have not been the best protector before. But these beautiful little babies are my whole world. And I’ll be damned if I EVER let anyone hurt them again. Over my dead body next time. 

Goodbye Pingree, Hello Pocatello…