Chapter 4 - Punishment

Endrée’s POV

I woke up early this morning. I suddenly had a thought yesterday and it did not make me feel alright. I feel like something is wrong. I stared outside the window and eased my troubled mind.

Someone talked to me through telepathy and asked me to go and check the cell where my mate was imprisoned. My mind raced as different scenarios entered my mind.

I stood up and left the bed. I quickly went to the bathroom. After a few minutes, I was ready. I exited the room after taking one last look at myself in the mirror. I shook my head. Why am I suddenly concerned about my looks?

I quicky ran towards the building. I entered the dungeon and the thought I had yesterday reentered my mind. I clenched my fists. That's not happening! 

But I was wrong because it already happened. She wasn’t inside the cell. I don’t know how I should react. Are my subordinates incompetent? Of course not.

Someone must have helped her escape and that someone knows about the palaces’ secret for them to escape so without attracting the guards attention. They took advantage of what happened yesterday. I need to find out who helped her and punish them severely when I catch them.

Despite knowing this, I can't stop myself from venting out all my frustrations to my men. I can't help myself, they were being careless!

“Where the f*ck is my mate?! How could you let her escape?! Can you even call yourself guards if you can't even guard someone like her?!” I furiously shouted at them as I slammed my fists against the table while glaring daggers at them.

My subordinates just continued to stare at me. No one dared to talk. I could hear their heartbeat getting faster and faster because of my outburst. My blood boiled all the more. Staring at their dumbfounded faces makes me realize that I've been so careless and naive. I turned around and looked elsewhere. I tried to compose myself.

Even if she promised that she will never escape, she is still a witch and witches are conniving. I shouldn't expect her to be different than the rest of them. She's not gonna be an escapee for long.

Even if I have to search every nook and cranny of the entire damned forest, I'll find her and the culprit that helped her. It might've been someone from the guards or maybe some spy from the witches.

I turned around to face them when I realized something. My eyes turned to look outside the window. I peered at my Beta's room. Where is he? 

“Where is Derrick? Why can’t I talk to him?!” I roared again but they just flinched and did not say anything. Someone tried to speak but I stormed away before he could say anything. I changed my mind and finally gave up. I stormed away. I composed myself and talked to my men through telepathy. 

“What is the news?” I asked them. I'm trying so hard to control my anger.

My Beta was supposed to be the one to answer me. I suddenly realized that he was the one I appointed to guard my mate.

I stopped in my tracks when I finally realized something. Yeah, he was supposed to be the one to guard her and make sure that she'll never escape her cell! I appointed him myself.

Don’t tell me that she and the person who helped her was able to get away from Derrick? Whoever helped her must be really skillful and knowledgeable. My Beta is a strong and a skillful werewolf. There is just no way that someone will be able escape him that easily. There is just no way.

Unless...

Realization hit me like a boulder. What if Derrick is the f*cking culprit? What if he was the one who helped her escape? They escaped together! Just the thought of that made my wolf furious. Dante wanted to kill him. I clenched my fist until I felt my nails digging into my palms.

“Men, listen to me carefully. We’re about to hunt two individuals. Be alert at all times. We will not stop until we find them. The moment we find them, don’t hesitate to knock them unconscious. I need them alive,” I commanded them. My voice is gruff as I tried to stop my wolf from completely taking over.

Dante is furious. He wants to hunt him. If Derrick is the true culprit then I won't just let this go. I have to punish him severely. This betrayal will forever be etched into my heart. Derrick will have to face my wrath one way or another.

“It seems like Derrick took a liking to her,” I said to Dante as I shifted to my wolf. He snarled at me as he paced back and forth. I exhaled.

‘I knew it! Remember the moment he talked to you yesterday? He said that she piqued his interest!’ he said and growled at me. He was blaming me. Yeah, I was naive and I let him trick me. Derrick was indeed interested with her. He told me that yesterday. I should’ve done something sooner to prevent this things from happening. I swore that I won't repeat the same mistake twice. Never again.

I growled and my men flinched but I ignored them. The thought of Derrick liking my mate made me angrier. He betrayed me for a woman! He betrayed me for a witch! He severed the bond that we had just because of a woman. What he did to me was unforgivable. He knew the consequences of making me angry, he knew but he still helped her!

I continued to search for them for days. The wait fueled my anger and I was slowly losing control over Dante.

Two weeks passed by in a blur before we finally found a clue. We snuff out a trail of blood. Someone was bleeding and that someone was a male. They helped another werewolf? I snuff the air and smirked as I turned to look at my pack members.

“They’re close. We need to run as fast as we can. Keep up with me,” I stated and shifted back to my wolf again. 

No matter what I do, I could not eat or drink or do anything at all when I think about my mate and Derrick wandering the forest, just the two of them, including another male. We did not stop searching for them.

After a few days, we finally reached our destination. I could smell the three of them in this territory.

The place looked like this it was deserted just recently. I continued to sniff around and I snuff out another familiar scent. This smells like her. Why do I smell her scent here?

‘I told you that she was two-faced!’ Dante growled out and was furious at me.

I quickly stood up and went closer to a building. I could hear three people whispering. It must be them.

“My King, me and the rest of the men are just gonna stay outside and wait for you to finish talking to them,” one of my men said and I nodded my head. They knew what I was about to do.

My heart beat faster and faster but I composed myself and sauntered inside the building.

“…so it was her…I never knew she’d do anything like this…she planned this behind his back…” Derrick’s voice whispered and my wolf growled in anger when we heard my Beta’s voice.

I stopped in front of the door and forcefully kicked it. The big mahogany door flew a few feet away and smashed against the wall in front of me due to the force of my kick. I stepped inside with a brooding manner. The temperature change in an instant.

“Endrée…?” my mates feminine voice suddenly spoke. It sliced through the deafening silence and I tried so hard to not lose control over Dante.

‘Mine! Mine!’ he was getting more and more aggressive and it was so hard to fight him for control.

Dante successfully took over me and all I could remember is that I was nuzzling against a soft body.

Derrick’s POV

“Endrée stop!” Rynari yelled and tried to stop us but I still shifted to my wolf. I won’t let him kill her. This war needs to end and I’m not going to let him get away with this. Rynari stood in front of me. I tried to walk pass her but she glared at me and did not let me pass.

I shifted back to my human form.

“Step away, Rynari. This is our fight!” I yelled at her so she would back off. She shook her head in defiance and took a step closer to him. She is determined to try and talk to him.

She reached her hand out to touch his fur and tried to calm him down. As her hands brushed against his fur, Endrée slowly calmed down.

“Mine…” he whipped his head my way but he did not attack me. He nuzzled his head against her hand.

Dante must’ve taken control of him because Endrée’s loyalty belongs to no one but Zenalie. That two faced b*tch. I never liked her. She always did something behind his back and Endrée would just turn a blind eye to it. I have to stop her before she has gained complete control in his life. If I have to make Rynari fall in love with me for him to realize his true feelings then I will, even if that means destroying our bond. I would not let that woman destroy everything that Endrée worked so hard to build. She’s not the only threat though. Her father poses a bigger threat than her. If she was an earthquake then her father is the end of the world.

The pack members that came with Endrée came in and was shocked to see the scene that they are witnessing. I grinned. Endrée shifted back to his human form. He was burying his nose on her hair, whispering ‘mine’ over an over again.

He finally regained control of his consciousness after a few minutes. He harshly pulled Rynari away when I tried to reach for her. He glared daggers at me. My wolf, Sean, was enjoying teasing him and Dante. Why won’t he just admit it? If he would just admit his true feelings then everything would be easier.

“Let’s go back. You better keep your hands to yourself or I’ll cut them off,” he threatened and I frowned. I was not concerned about this. I knew that I deserved to be punished because I betrayed the Lycan King. I was worried about his punishment for Rynari.

We arrived to the palace in a span of two days. He immediately imprisoned us but he did not punish Kairo. That was very kind of him. Kairo was innocent and he was also injured. The shocking news about his pack members perishing brought him sorrow.

“Rynari, are you okay? Is the punishment that extreme?” I asked her. She was imprisoned in the cell in front of mine but I never knew her punishment because I was lashed all day and I would collapse before it was over. I did not know how he would punish her. I hope it isn't extreme.

Even if I can’t see her clearly, I could feel her. We would talk occasionally and I became more worried about her health. Being punished by her own mate must've beought a strain to her, emotionally.

“Yes, I’m okay. My body hurts and it's uncomfortable to move but it’s bearable. How about you? Are you okay? Are the wounds on your back healed?” she asked and I nodded. I realized that she cannot see me clearly too so I spoke.

“My body hurts from all the lashes but it was bearable. What did he do to you?” I asked her and she suddenly became silent.

I waited for her to say anything but there was no response from her. I suddenly heard footsteps and Sean became alert. Goosebumps ran up and down my skin. It stopped and right in front of me. I looked up and my eyes met with the cold and menacing blood-red eyes of Endrée and I almost cowered in fear but I did not let it swallow me. I will never back down.

"How brave of you to look at me like I was the one who betrayed you. Kneel on the ground and put your face on the floor. Don't look at me until I say so," he said and opened the cell door. I did as he said. He was about to lash me when I heard the rattling of chains. It's Rynari.

"Don't! Please! He can't take this anymore. Won't you just forgive him and punish me instead?!" Rynari suddenly yelled at him to stop him and I looked at her to stop her from interfering. 

I shook my head as an indication to stop her from talking any further and she clamped her mouth. If she interferes then my punishment could get worse.