The Alpha and The Vigilante novel Chapter 48

Alpha Cain snarled. "Do not tell me how to deal with my mate. She voluntarily took your position. You know the Laws. Kneel and watch her punishment firsthand."

Gamma Axel cringed, and looked at me with guilt. Do not worry about me, I mindlinked him privately and he looked surprised when I spoke directly into his mind. I am stronger than I look, and have taken much worse than a few lashings.

His eyes widened. Luna, these are no ordinarily lashes- but his mindlink to me was abruptly cut off by Alpha Cain's voice.

"Let us begin the punishment. Seth, bring me the whip." He commanded, and a shaking male handed him the long wiry whip.

I smirked at the measly weapon, positive that this punishment would not be quite as effective as he may have hoped.

I was wrong.

He flicked the whip once, not at me but in the air, when suddenly the whip was engulfed in flame. Ah. So this is what they meant when they said these are no ordinary lashes. They are whippings with his fire.

Even if I had known that ahead of time, I still would have volunteered to take the Gamma's position. It was my punishment to take, and I'll be damned if someone else pays for my indiscretions. I was just surprised that the Alpha was going through with the punishment for me. Perhaps he was worthy of submitting to after all, if he held the inner strength necessary to hurt his own mate.

I widened my stance as Alpha Cain walked behind me. My bound wrists hung in front of me, and I looked blankly into the crowd, and was surprised to see how many of them looked at me in both fear and pity. I didn't understand why they would care so much about a wolf they had barely met.

The sooner you submit and let yourself pass out, the less painful this will feel tomorrow. Alpha Cain's voice penetrated my mind, and I could sense an underlying plead within his words. He wanted me to pass out quicker so he didn't have to whip me as many times. I knew he was too weak to follow through on his own punishment.

I scoffed at him. Just begin already. However scared you want me to be, it won't happen.

His eyes hardened. You will be scared of me after this.

I inwardly smirked. He would never stop underestimating me, would he.

I received the 19th whip, shaking on my feet. I had received many punishments, but not to this extreme. I cringed thinking of how painful the healing process would be. It took weeks when he burnt my hands, and now my entire back was not only bloody and missing flesh, but burnt to hell as well.

I took the last whipping, still on my feet, though barely. I could feel my blood dripping down my back, into my pants. I dully noted the pool of blood at my feet and the charred smell. All I could feel was the pain in my back that threatened to overtake me at any minute. I felt close to death.

Despite my watering eyes, I could see the shocked expressions of the crowd. It was silent as Cain called out the last number, signaling the end of the punishment.

Suddenly, a pack member dropped to his knees. He extended his neck, a sign of submission and respect. To my surprise, he extended it towards me, not the Alpha.

Other wolves joined him, slowly, and then all of them were on their knees in respect, barring their necks in submission.

My vision went hazy as my body swayed side to side.