ALLURE OF THE NIGHT (C)

Chapters 251-260

Many years ago...

In Woodlock, the Duke's young boy walked in the corridors of the Sullivan mansion. Though he had a few more years before becoming an adult, his attire was no less than the adults of the high society members. A white liner shirt with a navy blue vest and diamond-shaped bow pin to hold the navy tie around his collar.

Noah Sullivan's black hair was combed to the side, and the beauty mark under his eye was something that a person's gaze fell upon.

On meeting his father, who stood in one of the corridors with his mother, he heard his father say, "How are your lessons going, Noah?"

The young boy offered his bow to his parents before politely replying, "Very well, father. Mr. Wheeler has started explaining the subjects that concern the Council and the other regular subjects."

His father nodded in satisfaction and said, "One day you will be the Duke of Woodlock Noah, but you have to earn it. Work hard for the position and make our kind proud. You have been doing well with your studies, but what about other things? It has come to my attention that you have been stepping out of the mansion in the middle of the night. Is it true?"

Noah's mother, Hilda Sullivan, looked taken aback by her husband's words, and she looked at her son with disbelief. Not because her son had left the mansion alone but because he had defied the rules her husband had set.

The young boy answered, "I wasn't able to sleep, and took a walk," his voice holding the same politeness as before, even though what was going to happen was already known to him.

"You seem to have trouble following the rules that I set for you and the others, don't you?" The boy could tell his father was displeased with him. He turned to look at one of the servants and ordered, "Bring me bludgeon."

Lady Hilda got worried and quickly requested her husband by saying, "He's young, Jeffry. All he did was take a walk. He will take time to follow it."

Noah's father shook his head, "If he doesn't learn it now, it will be harder to control him later. If as a Duke's son he cannot follow what I say, how can I expect others to follow and listen to me? He will one day learn to appreciate that all these things were done for his own good."

The servant, who the Duke of Woodlock had ordered, returned with a wooden stick where one end of it was bulged. He handed the stick to the Duke before stepping away from there and moving towards the wall with his head bowed.

"Hands forward, palms facing down," the Duke ordered, ready to discipline his son.

The young boy raised his hands, and when his father raised the wooden stick, his mother pursed her lips, and her eyebrows furrowed.

WHACK!

The boy barely flinched as if used to the punishments given for the slightest disobedience.

WHACK! WHACK!

The wooden stick was hard and continuously hit the back of his fingers and knuckles. His skin started to peel, turning red and traces of blood appeared with the continued smacks. And all that time, his mother felt his pain while the boy stood with his hands raised and not once moving it away. Even the servant flinched at the sound, who stood near the wall.

Because they were a family of werewolves from high society, the punishments were severe and there was no room for mistakes. When the Duke was done handing down the punishment to his son, he said,

"Let us hope you don't do it again, because the next time it won't be just your hands."

Noah bowed and said, "Forgive me for disappointing you, father. I won't repeat it again."