SWNOVELS Chapter The Challenge
Getting back to the pack at five the next morning, Louise has a quick shower to remove any blood and is straight into her training, she’d got four hours of sleep in her wolf form, Toni refusing to let her shift, so she can learn that sleeping as a wolf is far more regenerative.
At the end of the two hour training session, the pack is required to attend the town square for the punishment of Pete and Delta Cole.
Chris so far, has been the perfect inmate, it may only be eighteen hours, but it’s a good indication he’s taking it seriously, so won’t be out today.
People know what happened, it’s that gossip element again, and Toni can hear the whispers of confusion as to how he got off lightly; the answer is simple, occasional clemency keeps people guessing, but it also sends a message, be honest and you may get leniency
Not that level two cells are in any way pleasant, but on minimum rations, he’ll come out a changed person mentally and physically.
However, the Alpha had approved all her punishments, he does, after all, have the right to over-ride them, she had been expecting him to override Cole’s punishment as he had a clear soft spot for him, she already knew he’d been given full rations which is unheard of in level three cells.
Toni showered and changed, putting on one of her cloaks, she knows Cole is going to challenge her for the Gamma position, it was the only way out of his punishment since the Alpha didn’t waive the sentence.
Treason, plotting against any ranked wolf, is punishable by death, so if you are going to die, then you may as well challenge that person for their position since that’s usually a fight to the death anyway.
If you win, effectively the reason for your treason wasn’t worthy of the position, so your life is no longer forfeit, it’s a wolf eat wolf world out there!
Cole had been in level three cells, but he’d only been collared for a few hours, once the sentence was passed, Toni had ensured it was taken off, it was going to be a fair fight on her side, the only question she had inside was, did she want to win, dying was, after all, a way out of her life.
In her head she hears Tyra growling, she doesn’t like the suggestion that she should just let Cole win, she’s not ready to give up, Toni sighs pacifying her wolf that she won’t let her down, but she’s still pacing, it’s that wolf pride she’s got.
You can’t protect Louise if we die
Tyra is growling her words at Toni
I know, we have to stick around until she’s seventeen, she can leave then, I know it’s not just about us, but we could die before then anyway Tyra, just remember that.
We are too strong to die
Toni shakes her head, Tyra is a strong-headed wolf, and she sometimes wonders if she got given someone else’s wolf, she’s stronger than she should be for a Gamma’s wolf and when they work together, she can hide her true power, to the extent that if they cross a border it feels like an ordinary wolf, not a werewolf.
It’s how they breach pack borders unnoticed, clearly if they see her in wolf form, there is no hiding that she is a werewolf, but that pull on the leadership is almost non-existent, and time it with another wolf that’s being allowed to cross legally, no one notices at all.
Heading over to the town square she has to check the setup for when Pete and Cole are brought up from the cells, whips in place, iron rings secure, and the manacles for taking the whipping tied if that’s Pete’s request.
Robert and Michael walk over
“Everything set?” Michael asks
“Seems so”
“You know why my Father wanted Louise here don’t you?” Robert asks
“He’s never talked to me about it”
That’s her honest answer, but she knows why it’s important to him she can hunt and fight because that’s part of what a Luna has to be able to do for the Luna trials, and as much as she wants to think it’s for Robert, her instincts tell her it’s for the Alpha, he’s been single for fourteen years after his last mate died in childbirth along with his second son.
'But you know right?'
Robert’s voice is in her head
She takes a sharp breath, she should be shutting them down, this conversation shouldn’t be happening.
'I have a good idea and it makes me sick.'
She acknowledges
'Why do you stay Antonia?
You can drop the pack now, legally'
'For the moment, I can protect Louise, her wardship ends at eighteen, becoming of age at seventeen, albeit she hates me for how I have to treat her.
But where would I even go, what pack would take me in, I’m a known killer thanks to the Alpha?
What pack wants to risk me being part of their pack knowing Alpha Vincent would attack anyone that took me in?
Plus, I can’t leave, not while your dad is Alpha, just trust me on that.′
Robert looks at Toni with concern in his eyes feeling the truth of her words, there’s a sad smile on his face, she looks at him and Michael, they were all screwed by the fate of their birth, neither of their power-hungry fathers will pass over the reins to their sons.
Robert won’t challenge his father and Toni can’t work out why.
Michael, well his father is still stronger than him, he favours his mother’s looks and build, but while he isn’t as physically strong, he would be a good Beta, the pack likes him, probably because his father doesn’t.
As she’s about to mind link to Robert, to find out why he doesn’t challenge his father, Alpha Vincent walks up.
“Alpha,” they all say in unison
“Robert, I’d like you to complete the whipping today
Michael, you will take Pete’s left hand.
Antonia will take the life of Delta Cole.
Make sure you complete your tasks without mistakes.”
“Yes Alpha,” they say in unison
Lining up with the Alpha and Beta, they wait for the square to fill up, pack punishments are now thankfully few and far between, Toni’s hard-ass image when she was first appointed, picking up the smallest infringements that had the lowest possible punishments meant people kept to the rules, so the larger punishments like whipping were rare.
Although no one liked her for it, she knew that it had protected them from more serious punishments, she was happy, she didn’t need to be liked, to do her job.
The loss of a hand was going to be a huge deterrent no one could remember the last time that was given out.
It had been given to Michael to complete because he was too well-liked and deemed the softest by the Alpha, Toni knew that the only reason killing Cole was given to her, was because of the likely challenge, plus as the ranked wolf he tried to kill, the ‘honour’ is hers to take his life.
Toni also felt it was a test from the Alpha, there was no command in his voice, for any of the assignments he gave out, in fairness, Toni had expected to be given all the punishments to execute, but she isn’t sure if she was given the punishment to see if she can kill without the Alpha command, or because he assumed she wouldn’t kill Cole, thereby leaving his favourite alive.
The biggest problem was for Robert, to administer twenty lashes is a gruelling thing, seeing the damage he will inflict on another wolf won’t be to his liking, something Toni is sorry for, she’d assumed she would be the one giving them.
Not that she liked them, but what Pete had tried to do, was sickening to her, so she could justify it in her head.
“Quiet”
Alpha Vincent’s voice booms around the square
“Bring forward the first prisoner”
Pete is brought forward, he’s at least no longer begging and crying, she’s not sure that he’s resigned to his fate, more that he is a broken man.
“This wolf has been found guilty of lying to a ranked wolf.
And trying to force mark a minor who is also a ward of the Royal Pack with intent to then claim them."
There are gasps from the pack and Toni can see Louise looking pale at being reminded of her ordeal.
“Do you take your lashes tied or untied?” Alpha Vincent asks Pete
“Tied Alpha” he answers quietly.
Chief Rupert leads him to the post, locking the manacles in place around his wrists, before chaining them to the post.
The first crack of the whip sounds and his pain-filled scream fills the area, Toni can see Louise’s face paling and Pete’s mother starts openly weeping.
’Louise, dig your nails into your hands, you cannot pass out, or you will be made to take part, move to stand with your friends.
Use your wolf to help you get through it, whatever it takes, show no weakness.’
Toni puts command into her words as she pushes words to Louise, her eyes meet Toni’s briefly, she can see the conflict, having to relive the trauma on one side and knowing the punishment is linked to her on the other.
However, she nods before she moves slowly to stand with her friends and their parents, seeking and receiving the support she desperately needs, she can see the parents, taking her into their protective arms, their mouths moving as they whisper quietly.
People passing out is frowned upon, a sign of weakness, and that’s exploited in this pack, or, if the Alpha notices, you are made to come up and complete the punishment to his standards.
As the last lash hits, Pete had already passed out, his initial screams had become cries, then whimpers but the silence on the nineth lash was the worst, Robert’s eyes look haunted.
He’s rarely had to dish out punishments of this scale if ever, usually the Alpha takes anything that requires more than five lashes, relishing in others pain and twenty lashes is a harsh punishment, even for a wolf.
Chief Rupert directs his guards to untie him from the post and drag him to the wooden block that’s been set out.
Up close his back has been flayed, there isn’t much of the original skin visible, it’s red, raw, and bloody, between that and the loss of his hand, there’s a good chance his body will go into shock and not recover, he isn’t a strong wolf.
Stretching his left arm and hand onto the block, one of the guards is holding his shoulder, the other his fingers to keep the tension on his arm.
Michael steps up looking pale but picks up the Axe, bringing it down quickly and firmly, he makes it a clean amputation, nothing but quiet moans coming from Pete, there’s an anguished blood-curdling cry from his mum, muffled as her husband pulls her into his chest to stop any unwanted attention from the Alpha.
The Chief Delta follows up the amputation with a cauterising iron to the stump to stop the blood flow, banished, not banished, he is marked for life, and a stump that has been cauterised and not stitched is a limb lost as a punishment, she’d marked her third cousin as a pariah, he’d chosen his actions, she’d decided his fate.
“Take him back to the cells and let the doctor treat his wounds.” the Alpha’s voice almost sounds happy, he’s a sick man.
“Bring forward the second prisoner”
Cole has at least the guts to walk head-high, between two guards and not be dragged forward, however much Toni dislikes him, she has to acknowledge an element of respect for his dignity to face up to his actions with some kind of pride.
“Delta Cole you are accused of treason for attempting to poison a ranked wolf with Wolfsbane and Strychnine.
The council of Elders looked at the evidence and you were found guilty, for that, you are sentenced to death.
Before it is carried out, do you have anything to say?”
“I challenge the Gamma for her position, if I win, I will spare her life but she has to become my mate”
“Not even over my dead body would I accept you as a mate.”
The words spew out of her with venom without thinking, it’s the first time she’d done that and the emotional outburst shocks the pack, her normal calm exterior has been broken.
“Agreed Delta Cole”
Alpha Vincent’s words are clear
Toni’s only thought is he has to be fucking joking, she turns to Alpha Vincent and holds his stare, Tyra isn’t backing down, her anger increasing, and she forces it down so she can speak with relative calmness.
“I will not now, nor will I ever, take him as my mate.”
Her voice is forceful but respectful but she hasn’t dropped his gaze
“If you lose, you will, my decision is final.”
She looks into his eyes some more and can see he had something planned in there, along with the smirk on Cole’s face, he and the asshole she calls her Alpha must have agreed on this yesterday after she was dismissed from the cells.
Her mind is suddenly clear, the dosage of drugs she’d be taking in her coffee wouldn’t kill, just weaken, Cole planned it, or at least the challenge part.
The Alpha is probably just taking the opportunity to get his match made in hell.
The good news is she hadn’t been home to do anything more than shower if anything had been planted in her house to weaken her last night, she hasn’t been there to use it.
“Lower your eyes Gamma” he growls at her lowly so only she can hear it
Dropping her head and eyes
“Yes Alpha”
She doesn’t mean it, but she really can’t believe that he’d still accept Cole’s terms after all she had said in the past, but more than that, she can’t afford to anger the Alpha, so that she is punished before the challenge.
“Take your spots on the field, no point in delaying this.”
The Alpha’s voice is tinged with both amusement and authority
Toni is livid, Tyra even more so, but she’s talking her down, she’d like to think she can’t be marked for another month, but since she’s over the age, it probably would be accepted without consequence by the royals.
The Alpha has just given her a reason to not lose, so the need to be calm is high.
The pack is buzzing, Cole is no more liked than she is, it’s a curious thing, she garners more fear because of the role, and he is more despised and creepier, but if the pack had a choice, she wonders who it would be in the Gamma role, the scary bitch or the evil creep.
As they reach the field, she unclips her cloak laying it to one side, crossing her arms, she stands with legs hip-width apart, calming herself, just another assassination, this time with less preparation time and planning.
“I’m going to enjoy forcing you into submission on the field and in our house”
His loud mocking words carry across the field
There are many ways she could answer him, but talking to him gives credence to his words, she prefers showing him via actions, and the silence, being unable to provoke her, will be a bigger annoyance to him.
“Scared into silence?” He laughs at his own words
“Trust me, once I’ve pinned you, I’ll mark you and you’ll be crying out for my touch”
She says nothing, showing nothing but the contempt she has for him but the reality is, she will kill herself before she lets him touch her that way.