One Bite

Chapter 3-2

Blackness dotted my vision as my entire face throbbed. "He mm-made a p-p-promise," I rasped through gritted teeth. "He won't attack you."

My father's fists stilled, dotted with red spots and clenched at his sides. "Perhaps you did learn something, that your lack of judgment is useless in political interactions. He won't attack you or your pack."

His thin lips peeled back, his canines glistening in the late morning sun. "But you are not in my pack."

Through my swollen eyelids, I stared at him with unblinking eyes as the impact of my mistake sunk in. Deep down, a small part of me knew that I wasn't wrong though and I sank down from my knees onto my bottom.

His large frame shadowed over me as his venomous voice filled my ears, "And he is not alpha yet. Your arrangement means nothing except angering and insulting the true alpha, Faelen. You have turned a delicate situation into a tactical disaster embarrassing yourself, embarrassing me."

He cursed, shaking his head. "Foolish, insolent child. You're entirely ignorant of your actions' ramifications."

"Who's fault is that?" My eyes glared up at him from under my damp lashes. "If you would've had the pack ceremony, taught me about making political influences, then I could better protect your pack."

The challenge, even in the weak voice I released it with, earned me his hand clasped around my throat. Tipping my chin up, he forced his eyes into his, swirling black and blue as his wolf surfaced.

"Stupid daughter," he spewed through clenched teeth.

His fingers pinching into my throat column, he gripped my throat like a vice. Gargled sounds erupted out my mouth as he compressed the cords. The air left my lungs when his nails scraped into the flesh.

"I should kill you myself," he muttered.

"Lucus was wuh-weak," I sputtered as my fingers raked over his grasp. "He made muh-me d-d-do..."

Throbs of restrained blood pulsed below his fingers, inflicting as much pain as his gouging fingers. The blackness dotting my vision increased as a dizzying sensation filled my skull. My scraping fingers stilled, dropped, and hung limp at my sides. My lips moved, gaping and twitching. He squeezed tighter, releasing me with a grunt and shove.

My palms hitting the ground, I gasped for breath. Tears dripped out the corners of my eyes and saliva pooled under my tongue as I coughed and sputtered for air. Rounding my back, I sucked in a deep breath.

"You disobeyed my orders to not make a decision after visiting the last territory. Zara, you must be punished."

My dry, cracked lips parted in a silent gasp.

"Ten lashes." He shifted his eyes coldly and nodded at Baron, who clutched a silver whip in his hands.

"No," I whispered as my eyes pulled wide.

The silver glinted in the sunlight, almost as much as the gleam in Baron's eyes.

My swollen cheeks chilled, like the blood drained out. Goosebumps raised on my forearms and lifted the hairs on the back of my neck. I recoiled under the weight of the eyes on us, drawing my knees up to my chest.

"That's right, no." My father's eyes glared at me. "No more rejections, no acceptances until you're done with each territory. Carry this reminder of your insolence."

He nodded at Gamma Erik, who stepped forward with another security team member. With rough hands coiled around my wrists, they yanked me up to standing.

"No!!" I screeched until my throat burned. "Don't do this!"

My father's spine straightened and arms crossed over his chest.