**Zora's POV**
My heart sank to my stomach the minute she uttered those words. I exchanged shocked looks with Lucien and faced Elora.
“You want us to walk out with you naked?” I asked.
“Was something in my mouth when I said it the first time?” She rolled her eyes.
I can't do something like this. Walking out naked is the worst form of punishment, and something I won't do. What about people that have looked at me with respect? What of those I'm higher than? Is this how they would watch us walk around… naked?
“I can't walk around naked, Elora. This is inhuman treatment!” I snapped and she chuckled.
“You can't walk around naked, you say? But you can fuck naked, right?” She asked.
“That one is different, Elora. You can't punish us this way. Besides, we did nothing wrong. We were only exploring our wildest fantasies.” I said and she took slow strides to where I sat. Before I could open my mouth to speak, she slapped me… hard! I instinctively placed my palm on my cheek as it stung from the impact of the slap.
I was so shocked that Elora slapped me.
“How dare you call a waste of precious time “exploring your wildest fantasies”? Are you insane or you lost a nut? You are supposed to be at the coal mine, going through pain for betraying me!“ She snapped. “And you,” She turned to face Lucien. “I thought you said you loved me and would do anything for me? I thought you said I was the only woman in your heart? Why the heck were you burying your dick in someone else's hole?” She snapped.
“I can explain, Elora.” He said and she slapped him again.
“It's Luna Elora to you, imp! So, if I had given in to your advances, this is what you would have been doing behind my back?” She asked and Lucien shook his head.
“No, Luna. We're really sorry.” He apologized.
“I'm tired of listening to your apologies. Now, stand up!” She ordered, averting her gaze to where I was seated on the bed. I got down from the bed, but still held the sheets to myself. “Take the sheet off,” She ordered but I was hesitant. “What's the problem? Are you suddenly embarrassed to go naked before me? Need I remind you that a few moments ago, you were under a man… naked and begging him to fuck you harder. I'm a girl just like you and you're scared to show me what a dude has already seen and touched?” She asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
“It's not like that—” I tried to say but she cut me off.
“I won't repeat myself anymore. For the last time, do what I asked you to do,” She ordered. I was still hesitant but I didn't know why my body trembled under her hot gaze. I could feel the wall of resistance I built crashing to the ground, and as if my hands worked on their own accord, I slid the sheets away from my body and she gestured for us to follow her.
I and Lucien followed her naked and the maids and guards would look at us and shake their heads. This was the worst kind of embarrassment for me. It felt like the ground should open up and swallow me whole. I covered my face, my eyes fixed to the ground and followed her.
I wondered how Lucien felt about all these. He had a cool and calm look on since all these happened and it makes me wonder if he wasn't affected by it all.
When I opened my eyes and lifted up my face, we found ourselves in the pack ground — the place where most of the meetings with the pack members take place. At that moment, my heartbeat accelerated as I didn't know what fate awaited me and Lucien.
When we got to the front of the podium, she stopped walking and faced us. “Guards!” She called and they ran to meet her immediately. “Go around the pack and pass this announcement to the people. Tell them to come to this pack ground at sundown, when the moon is out, so they can witness two abominable people get punished.” She instructed.
“Yes, Luna.” They bowed and rushed to do as she said.
I couldn't believe my ears. How could she say I and Lucien committed an abomination?
“Is there anything you have to say for yourself before I give the next order?” She asked.
“Why are you being this ruthless?” Lucien asked.
She smiled. “Look at the kettle calling pot black? Didn't you think about the repercussions when you chose to make me look like a fool?” She snapped.
“We did nothing wrong to you, okay?” Lucien snapped at her and I gasped. “Why are you acting so full of yourself? Do you think you have the liberty to do whatever you want because you are the Luna of this pack?” He snapped.
“Yes.” She answered lazily and I felt like digging her eyes out. Oh, when all this is over, I won't hesitate to make her go through hell.
“We have images to protect. You can't defame us like this. Have you no conscience?” I yelled at her and she turned to look into my eyes.
As her eyes bore into mine, all I could see was anger, hate, resentment and revenge, which took me back to what Sage had told me the other day.
“You have no right to preach about conscience to me, you imbecile! How dare you talk about conscience when you lack a single drop of it? Do you know I hate you so much?” She asked.
“We are best friends!” I snapped.
“Best friends you say?” She scoffed. “Zora, if we were best friends, you wouldn't have betrayed me the way you did. If we were best friends, you wouldn't have connived with this bastard to drug me. You claim to be my best friend, yet you were sleeping with the man that confessed love to me… the man you told me multiple times that he loved me and that I should accept him… the man you always supported and even introduced me to,” She paused. “Look at all these things you've done and tell me if you deserve that best friend title?” She asked and I sighed.
“Come on, Elle,”
“Don't you dare call my name. You know what, I want to derive joy in seeing you both suffer. And you know what my wildest fantasy is?” She asked, looking at me with a sly smile tugging at her lips. “My wildest fantasy is gloating over your misery,”
I arched my brows after she said that. She moved back and snapped her fingers. The guards rushed to meet her.
“Tie them to that tree. Make them face the trees because I don't want to look at their disgusting faces.” She ordered and the guards grabbed us.
“Elora, what are you doing?” I yelled as they dragged me and Lucien to where the trees were.
“Elora!” Lucien called but she didn't answer.
She stood there and waited for us to get tied. The guards made sure our bodies pressed against the trees in a way that some of the tiny branches pierced into my skin. I groaned in pain as they tied our hands forward, leaving our backs bare.
“Zora,” Lucien called but I couldn't answer him for the fear that I might burst into tears if I open my mouth. This shame and embarrassment was too much for me to bear and I swear, I won't spare Elora for this.
“Whoa, what happened here?” I heard someone's voice and when I tilted my head, I saw Damon approaching us.
Damn it! He's going to see me naked!
Another pang of shame hit me hard, and I knew this one would extend to Lucien because he didn't look happy as well.
“Some people decided to be naughty, and so I want to punish them a bit.” Elora answered, making my blood boil.
I heard Damon chuckle and then he laughed out loud and they continued talking. I couldn't hear what they were talking about and it hurt me deeply.
Soon, the moon was out and the pack ground was filled to the brim with the pack members. When she mentioned abomination, I knew people were going to turn up, but I had no idea they were going to turn up this much! I was beyond embarrassed and hurt as people kept looking at me and Lucien hatefully even when they haven't heard what we've done.
Suddenly, the noises died down, and I heard Elora's voice boom around the place.
“My wonderful subjects, I apologize for catching y'all off guard, but something happened today and I didn't want to overlook it because if I did, it might repeat itself and I'll be the one who'd later be at the receiving end,” She began and they hummed in approval. “So, today two of my slave workers at the coal mine locked themselves up in a room and were banging instead of working,” She announced and everyone screamed. “That wasn't what annoyed me, though. What annoyed me was that they were disturbing the whole place with screams and moans, and the worst part is that they aren't even mates!” She announced and they started murmuring while throwing disdainful looks our way.
My eyes roamed around the crowd and it settled on my father, who stood at a corner with his head hung low. I didn't know when the tears I had piled up within me came rushing down. I broke out in tears and cried my heart out.
“Stop crying, Zora. She won't go Scot free.” Lucien assured me.
I looked into his eyes and could see that he was also trying to hide his pain. “You don't understand the emotional trauma I'm going through right now, Lucien. How do I show my face to the world now? What do you think people would think? I'm the heiress to my father's company, Lucien!” I wailed.
“We're on the same boat here.” He said.
“No, we aren't. At least your father isn't here to see you being tied to a tree naked and awaiting judgment with different eyes on you.” I blurted and he sighed.
“And for that reason, I'm going to punish them,” Elora continued. “And their punishment is to receive 70 strokes each on their bare backs and after that, they will dance around the fire naked.” She concluded and I gasped.
This was too much!
To my utmost disbelief, the people clapped and cheered when she said that. I looked at Lucien and burst into tears again.
“Are the guards ready?” She asked and that was when I realized that there were hefty guards at our backs, each holding a whip.
I saw Elora wink at me. “Whip them!” She gave the order and before I could say anything, the whip landed on my back. I yelled in pain as it tore my skin.
I could hear Lucien grunting as the guards whipped me. Each stroke felt like it was taking me closer to unconsciousness. I looked at Elora, but she stood, unfazed by what was happening. She only smiled as we got whipped.
I glanced at the direction my father stood but couldn't find him any longer. Did he leave without doing anything to save me from this hell hole?
I yelped as another lash landed on my back. I could feel blood and sweat trickling down my body and the people cheered as we got punished.
I vowed to make them all pay. They dared to laugh and cheer when I'm going through pain? I'll show them! I'll deal with all of them!
When the brutal assault came to an end, the guards untied us and we fell to the ground.
“Now, come dance around the fire. We want to see you!” Elora mocked.
The guards dragged us up and threw us in front of the fire set in the middle of the pack ground. They dragged us up and forced us to walk around. As we walked around, they kept hurling different insults at us. All I did was cry as they led us around the fire. I was even more hurt that my father left without saying anything. He left me here!
My legs were slowly giving out and I tried my best to keep my eyes open. When I couldn't take it anymore, I fell to the floor.
The last thing I remember was Lucien falling as well before I passed out.