Chapter 139

Punishment.

(Zoe

With my hands flat on the wall I spread my legs so they are as far apart as I can get while still standing.

I hold my breath as I feel my beige dress cut from my b*dy, n*ked and cold I shiver as I wait for my

punishment.

“You failed.” I hear him say from behind me a split second before the lash swooshes down on my back.

I bite my tongue to stop myself from crying out, I learned long ago that crying out or showing any

weakness. just results in more punishments. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will

forgive us our sins and purify us from all

unrighteousness.” Another lash blows down on my back as he recites. his scripture. I lose count of how

many blows he bestows upon me. I feel blood trickle down my back and drip to the floor as he splits the

skin open on my back.

“It wasn’t my fault.” I cry out as a particularly hard whip slices through my skin.

“Not your fault? All you had to do was use the form that was given to you to provide us with a new mind

to mould. A new b*dy for our cause.” He’s angry with me, his voice is getting lower the more whips he

lashes upon my back. “Beautiful,” I feel his fingers work through the wounds on my back, I can’t stop

the hiss of pain that leaves my mouth. “The only place for a wolf such as you is on your knees painted

in wounds of man.”

“I got you the child, I did what you asked. No one ever mentioned having to mate with another for a

child.” He must put his hand flat on my back because suddenly the stinging is unbearable, it takes

everything I have to keep myself up right.

“Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.” He whispers in my ears,

“children will be our greatest weapon. They will help us multiple and take over the shifters plaguing this

earth.”

“How is making more shifters going to plague the world of shifters?” Before Swiftmane Pack I wouldn’t

have dared as the question but so much doesn’t make sense now.

“We will fight fire with fire and when the war is done we will dispose of our warriors, we will live in a

world of peace once the great battle ist won.” I bow my head down. it’s no use questioning him, he will

always answer in riddles I don’t understand. As a woman I’m meant to be obedient and never have

questions but I have so many questions, they tumble around my head in a mix of words so jumbled

together I can barely form them.

“You will go now, pray for forgiveness. Tomorrow you will try again.” I listen to his retreating feet and the

wait a few minutes to make sure I’ m alone. I listen as the blood slowly stops dripping to the floor from

my back.

Once I’m sure I’m alone I carefully bend myself to pick up the torn garment. I try to wrap it around my

b*dy to hide my nudity but it’s no use. I’ll have to find a sewing needle to fix this mess, I won’t be given

another just because I’ve been punished. The walk back to the communal bedroom is an

uncomfortable one, as a shifter I’m casily recognised by my beige outfit, the humans wear red, the

colour of the victorious. I’m even more recognisable because of my flayed back on display for them all

to see, as I walk across the fields I can see people stopping and staring, some are even openly

pointing and whispering. It’s nothing new to see a shifter punished but it’s not common for us to walk

around n*ked.

“I take it that cherry didnt get popped then?” Dean asks me as soon as I walk into the bedroom. I look

over and see the middle aged man sitting on a bed, wrapping his feet in bandages, His hazel eyes are

laser focused on his task and he doesn’t even look at me, I see his nose

twitch though as he picks up the scent of my blood. Of all the people who share this room Dean is

probably one of the only ones I can talk

10.

“Apparently he’s g ay, none of it went like I was told.” I tell him as I try to sit on my own bed, the

bending seems to stretch my wounds though so I quickly stand back up. “I need to fix my dress.”

“Give it to me. I’ll get it fixed up once I’ve sorted these.” I slowly walk over to his bed and lay the

tattered dress down carefully.

“What happened?” I ask him as I look at the feet he’s wrapping, het looks like he’s walked across a bed

of nails.

“Told one of the human kids off, apparently his parents didn’t take too kindly to that.” Dean is smiling

even though I know he must be in a lot of pain.

“You know better than that Dean.” I sigh as I pass him another bandage. “Why did you do it?”

“You know why.” Dean looks at me and twirls his finger, I spin around to show him my back. “He didn’t

go easy this time, I’ll try to steal you some antibiotics.

“You know while I was at the Pack their Luna got shot and within a day she was up and around. I think

our wolves do more than they tell us.” Dean smirks at me as I turn back around to look at him.

“Yeah they do, I’ve told you this. If it wasn’t for this,” he runs his finger across the small bump in his

shoulder. “We could do so much more. We aren’t meant to be locked up like this. You should have

done as I

told you and ran once they let you go’

“They would have found me.” I run a finger over my own bump. I can feel it just under my skin. “You

know there is no hiding from them.”

“And now you won’t ever get the chance again, they won’t let you back. out into the world now you’re a

woman. They will keep you here like a broodmare to fill their righteous army.” Dean’s tone is harsh but I

know hes right.

“I could take the kid back to them, maybe then the Pack would take me in? Protect me?” Dean laughs

as he finishes with his feet and pulls at needle and some thread out from under his bed..

“Why would an Alpha and Luna whose baby you stole give you protection? You’d be lucky to be able to

cross their border without dying.” I know he’s right but I can help that little flicker of hope in my chest.

“You didn’t see them, I’ve never seen anything like it. They were a family Dean, an actual family of

shifters, it was everything we have ever dreamed of. Did you know there is such a thing as a fated

mate?” Dean shakes his head as he focuses on my dress. “I just can’t help but wonder if this is all there

is?”

“Those are some dangerous questions kid.” Dean tells me as he hands me back my now fixed dress.

“Get a shower and I’ll go find you something for your back.”

I watch him leave the bedroom leaving me alone, I walk back to my bed and drop the dress before

picking up my towel and walking over to the shower. Until a week ago I thought my life was all mapped

out before me, do my chores, turn sixteen and then help the community in birthing children. After Anna,

I can’t help but wonder if there is maybe more to life than being on my back with some random male

prisoner

rutting away on top of me.