A New Wolf Life (Completed)

Ch 43 - Brogan's Expectations

Copyright to VedaPettigrew

The sun was low in the sky and lines of oranges, purples and reds splashed across the horizon. I would never get used to the beauty of sunset in the mountains. It had been too built-up to see it clearly where I used to live, so unless we made a special trip this stunning beauty was hidden.

It was still warm despite the hour. The heat caressed my skin, wrapping me up, and giving me a sense of comfort that I needed at this moment. I wanted to close my eyes and bathe in its last rays.

Instead I kept my face blank as I stared out into the crowd of nearly two thousand. The whole adult pack. If I looked to the right I would see Max chained to the pole ready to receive lashes as part of his punishment. I determinedly kept my eyes in front. Apparently, even when the man on the receiving end was nothing but a nasty piece of work, I still didn't have the stomach to see him waiting to be flayed by his son. When I did brave a glimpse at him, he looked so broken that I had to force myself to remember why he was there, that he deserved punishment.

I knew the whip had been treated with the same spices he'd used on me and there was a pot of the hogweed powder he'd thrown on me as well. I couldn't look at that either, because when I did, it caused my stomach to roil with disturbing sorrow.

For some reason, it was the thing that triggered me the most. It wasn't a mistake, Max had full well known it wasn't his lavender healing powder when he threw it on me, deliberately causing the most immense pain I'd ever felt in my life. The idea troubled me, deep to the core of my mind and heart. It was a cruel act, one I couldn't understand, to add more agony to my already visible suffering.

Alarick was in his usual place, standing guard behind me, and I was looking forward to the part where I could turn around and bury my face in his fur. I wanted Max to be punished. I was glad he was going to be locked away and that Hestia would be free. But I didn't want to watch. It just wasn't in my nature.

Well, she would be free-ish, Dominic had set a punishment for her involvement in the crime. A forced separation from Max, they were no longer mates. Dominic had ignored his brother's disgusting wish to be 'the one who controlled her' and claimed her back himself, giving her new rules and his own collar. Unlike my feelings towards the collar, she looked ecstatic to belong to her younger son and I knew she longed to have more of a relationship with him. I wanted that for her and would encourage him to reciprocate. They both deserved to nourish what Max had refused to allow to grow.

Dominic had already given her far more independence and leniency in her rules than Max. She was allowed to shift without prior permission, visit anywhere in the packlands, decide who she wanted to see, and best of all, nobody was allowed to order her about or strike her. I had managed to persuade him that being controlled so tightly by her abusive ex-mate meant she deserved some freedom.

"Luna Greta," Dominic caught my attention. I looked his way, his face was stone but when I met his eyes I could see the love he felt for me. "Turn around. You may not watch this."

I sent him a small, thankful smile and turned to face Alarick, Silver doing the same underneath his gigantic body. He crouched down as he wrapped his head around me, blocking our ears as best he could. I heard Dominic order the other females to turn just before his fur encased my ears. I brought my hands up as well, tucking them in the tight space for maximum effectiveness.

It helped but I could still hear too much. The sounds were awful, the swish and crack of the whip was terrifying, bringing back my own horrors of being chained to the post and caned for refusing to apologise to the despicable man who was also my attacker. The cries of inhuman pain from Max dug into my brain, sending ricochets of panic through me. My breathing became heavy and fast and I found myself pressing further into Alarick's soft fur.