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Chapter 2: Punishment

I whimpered in utter disappointment and confusion. My stomach was in knots. I couldn't budge.

"I told you she'd run away," said Margaret in a snarky tone. "And look at what happened. You drove her right to me." She held her hand out in a haughty manner.

"Just as we planned," replied David with a teasing tone.

I began to tremble. I couldn't believe it. David had told our secret to Margaret.

"Give it to me. I won," Margaret insisted.

"Fine," he conceded, handing over a $20 bill. Watching his emotionless face, my heart sank. He had no guilt or remorse for deceiving me.

Behind my back, the two of them had conspired to do this. I felt hopeless as I stared at the gravel pebbles on the pavement.

I was worth nothing more than $20 to them.

But they could not break my spirit. With renewed resolve, I picked my head up and glared at them. I narrowed my eyes, squinting as rage overcame me. Marching toward them I stood squarely.

"So that's all I am to you, a form of entertainment in your dull and dreary lives?" I asked, curling my lip.

The two conspirators chortled in response, waving their hands at me in dismissal.

"You're too weak and insignificant to ever be with someone like me," David sneered. "I mean, come on. I'm the future Alpha. You are the lowest of lows in our pack. I'd never touch you, much less love you."

Margaret chimed in, "Did you really think someone as superior and attractive as David would fall for you?"

David and Margaret snickered together as they stood side by side. They were enjoying their ability to put me on edge, to betray me.

My chest tightened as I swallowed down the lump in my throat. They were monsters, plain and simple. My stomach churned.

Locking onto David's evil eyes I asked, "How could you?"

David relentlessly stared with unblinking wrath. "You think you can talk back to me?" David asked, taking a step closer to me. "You don't know who you're messing with."

"That's right," Margaret gloated. "You made a huge mistake, Ophelia. And now everyone in our pack knows about your attempted escape." Margaret smiled as she rubbed her hands together in glee. "Dad's going to break your other leg for attempting to leave, you know."

Fury rose up like bile in my throat.

"You bitch!" I shouted in exasperation, my cheeks flushing. "One day you will get what you deserve!" I promised as I pointed to her. My breathing picked up as I gnashed my teeth.

She stepped closely to me so she was mere inches from my face and said coldly, "You're nothing… a nobody. And everyone knows it, even you."

I held my tongue, refusing to validate her.

"Now, get on your knees, you traitor. Maybe I'll go easy on you if you beg for mercy," Margaret said.

My mouth dropped open in surprise and insolence. "You have the wrong idea about me, Margaret. I am through with your games. I will NEVER kneel to you!" I exclaimed.

"I can't believe you still choose to oppose me!" Margaret growled, her eyes ablaze. "What a moron you are!"

"I'm a moron? What about you, Margaret?" I hissed.

I could see she was incensed as she glowered at me, her eyes widened, her jaw set. My emotional floodgates were opened. I couldn't stop myself from declaring what I felt.

"You are a useless, sadistic, weak follower who has no mind of her own!" I yelled, my hands shaking from adrenaline.

"You just crossed a line you’ll wish you hadn’t!" Margaret said through clenched teeth.

Then, she lunged toward me. I could see she intended to bring this to a physical, violent level… and so did my wolf.

Nina forcefully emerged, snapping and nipping Margaret's legs and torso, but it was two against one. David and Margaret overpowered Nina and then forced me back into the car, each taking turns hitting me.

They didn't stop beating me all the way home, with David at the wheel, punching me with his right hand while Margaret held me down and joined in.

Similarly, Nina didn't stop outwardly protecting me, fighting and thrashing against my abusers. She sank her teeth into Margaret's forearm, causing a deep wound, and gouged a chunk out of David's neck.

But it was to no avail. They were much stronger than her.

Once we were pulling into the driveway of the house, I could see a line of men who had been outside training. They craned their necks to see what was going on.

I watched their curious expressions turn into narrowed eyes and smirking grins. They all knew the entire story of my escape, the clandestine plans of Margaret and David, and that I would be punished.

I heard several of them cheering at my captors in triumph. Others remained silent. I had a sick feeling in my stomach knowing they were enjoying what was happening to me. David pulled in and shut off the engine.

"So, what now?" I asked through swollen eyes and a fat lip.

"I'm going to give you the payback you deserve," Margaret said with an aggressive yank to my arm, pulling me out of the car.

I knew that partially, Margaret was posturing. We had grown up together as pups. She didn't have the experience or the confidence she so often outwardly projected.

But that didn't mean she didn't have power over me. She had another plan, and soon it became clear as she forced me down into the basement.

“You will be locked in the dungeon for the coming days,” Margaret told me.

I widened my eyes in horror. This couldn't be happening

"Best get used to it," she said with venom in her words. "This is your new home, caged like the sad excuse for a wolf you are."

I stood staring at her, waiting for her next move. I was bewildered and horrified.

"Make sure she is whipped once a day." She tipped her head up once to her guards.

Two men grabbed my shoulders and shoved me inside, slamming the door shut.

Then I blacked out.

When I awoke, it was to someone jostling my body. I snapped my eyes open in surprise. Once I adjusted to the dim light, I realized who was there. His aroma was unforgettable, and it made me sick.

Mike was attempting to rape me, again! Terror flooded my chest as he gripped my shoulders.

He thought I was passed out, so he wasn’t holding me as tightly as he would have if I was fighting. Using that to my advantage, I wriggled away and dashed to the east wall, my back to it, trembling with fear.

He cornered me, his eyes seeing through me. I was petrified by the vacant expression on his face. He had no qualms about forcing me to have sex with him—no regret, no conscience. Only what he wanted mattered.

My heart was slamming against my chest as I grimaced in fear. I could see and smell his primal desire.

"Please, Mike. Don't do this!" I begged, whimpering as I clawed my nails against the wall. My hands were shaking as I braced myself for his impact. I shut my eyes. I didn't want to see his evil smile as he violated me.

Just as I had given up hope, Nina's protective instincts took over. She leaped at Mike just like the last time it had happened, biting him and then shoving him to the floor, towering over him. Nina growled and snarled as he lay there, her face inches from his.

"What’s going on here?" we heard.

Mike turned his head to see who was speaking. David was standing outside the dungeon peering in.

"Nothing!" Mike lied. "She began attacking me for no reason."

"Are you out of your mind, Mike?" David asked, unlocking the door and swiftly stepping in.

Nina retreated, knowing that even though David had hurt me before, he was here to protect me from his deranged brother.

"What's your problem?" Mike asked, feigning innocence.

David gritted his teeth. "Alpha Arthur needs her to remain chaste. Leave her alone." His tone was authoritative. "She'll be worth less to him if she's violated. Get that through your thick skull."

Mike stared at his brother for a moment in challenge, but when David glared dominantly, leaning into Mike's space, Mike backed off.

“Next time I’ll succeed in fucking you, sweetie,” Mike threatened as he left the room.

I shuddered at the thought of his touch, then turned to David.

His eyes were glittering in the lights from the hallway as he tossed me a broken plate of spoiled food.

"Look at you, all covered in filth and stink. What a disgrace you are," he remarked. “As if I would ever be with you.”

I could feel my chin tremble as tears threatened to surface, but I held back my sobs.

"You really have no idea, do you?” he asked.

“No idea about what?” I asked.

“You are my mate.”

I gasped, covering my mouth.

“It’s a moot point though,” he said. “I’m officially rejecting you now.”

My heart was breaking. Everyone in the Moon Pack, including David, was intent on crushing my spirit. My chest felt like it was caving.

Even though I was prepared to be rejected, it was still tough to bear when I found out that David's reason for rejecting me was that I was too weak.

“I accept your rejection.”

I felt so heartbroken. He’d turned out to be no different from all the others who had bullied me.

I scoffed and said, “I must have been blind. I've misjudged you all these years.”

“You overestimate yourself. Just wait for your disabled groom." David sneered at me, laughed under his breath, and then left, slamming the door.

Alone again, I pondered my circumstances. So much had happened in a few hours. I thought I was finally going to be rid of the Moon Pack, to be cared for, loved, and held at night by my mate, but that was never going to happen.

Slowly I slid down the wall, the bricks scraping my wounded back along the way. I winced then dropped to the floor on my butt. I could feel that Nina was imprisoned in a dark part of my mind, far away.

Apparently, we shared the same fate. A mournful howl escaped my lips as I felt myself slipping away.

I was giving up.

Time began to pass as I sat motionless, catatonic from sadness until my need for food overrode my heartbreak. Seeing the rotten bread and water, I snatched them up. I managed to get a few bites in before I noticed just how moldy it was.

Defiantly, I threw the bread against the wall, cringing. I gulped several times, forcing the rotten food down my throat. I nearly gagged.

While I was taking my last swallow, I heard something outside the dungeon. Even if I wanted to look out the door, I couldn’t. I was in too much pain to move.

Feet began to tromp down the stairs. I knew what was coming next—Margaret’s orders. I listened to the sound of the key as it slipped into the lock. Once the door was open, I could see two muscular guards standing before me.

There was nowhere I could go. I’d have to endure their lashings. One jerked me to my feet, yanking me like I was a ragdoll. The other took out the whip and cracked it against my already injured back. I didn’t resist as they followed their orders.

As I was continually beaten, I could imagine how disgusting I looked—wounds upon older wounds, beatings, and burns.

After each lash snapped against my skin, my ears began to ring, louder and louder. Then began the tunnel vision. I had no strength to fight anymore.

This was it. This was how I was going to die.

I was too far gone to cry.

Though my hearing was fuzzy, I heard someone talking. It was a commanding man’s voice ordering the guards to stop.

“Cease this action immediately!” I heard him say while he rushed down the stairs into the room.

The guards let me go and I fell to the floor. As I was lying there, the new man wrapped his coat around me to cover the wounds, then gently helped me up.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

I wanted to open my eyes, but they were swollen shut. I had no idea who my savior was.

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