Punishment
269 Punishment
Her eyes brimmed with tears. “I was trying to protect you-”
Louis’s face twisted in rage.
I wasn’t even surprised when he confessed. Deep down, I think part of me always knew. We all did. It made too much sense.
Kelvin nodded, full of shame. “I wanted her gone so you can stay with Anita.”
Damien didn’t respond. Didn’t flinch. He just nodded once, quietly. But that wasn’t enough.
“You,” I said, voice cold. “You two… from today on, you are nothing to us.”
She looked at each of us, broken. “I never meant for all of this to happen,” she cried. “Please… I’m sorry. Forgive me.” 1
I folded my arms, my jaw clenched tightly. He shook his head, fear in his eyes. “After your father asked the guards to deliver the letters, I was curious. I told them I’d do it myself… and when I opened them, I saw what your parents wrote…” His shoulders sagged with guilt.
“Tonight. Pack your things. You are banished from this pack–never set foot here again.” (3
Before
anyone else could speak, there was a knock at the door. One of the maids poked her head in timidly.
“You–need to leave,” Levi added, his voice devoid of emotion. “You should have been punished for kidnapping Olivia and selling her, but you have already been punished enough.” And in a way, he was right. She looked like a shadow of who she used to be. (5)
We didn’t say more but just turned and walked out.
1
“I’m sorry,” he pleaded, his voice trembling. “I just wanted my daughter to be happy. It was never supposed to go this far.” 7
“You what?” Levi thundered.
Father took a step forward. “Sons… I know you’re angry, and you have every right to be
15:54
269 Punishment
But I’m sorry. For everything.”
Suddenly a maid hurried towards us. “Alphas… Anita is screaming in pain,” she said, looking terrified. I frowned, and my mother yelled at the guards to get the healer while she ran up the stairs to Anita.
“What else have you done?” he demanded angrily. “You better start talking. Because if we call the Seer–and she tells us anything you failed to confess–we will kill this time, no spell will save you.”
you.
And
Tears slipped from his eyes as he raised his hand in surrender. “I’m sorry,” he gasped. “I just wanted Anita to be happy. She’s all I have–she didn’t even know what I did. Please… don’t punish her for my sins”
“We’re not the ones you should ask for forgiveness,” Louis said flatly.
Levi stared at them, his face unreadable. “We don’t need protection from the people we love,” he said. “We need the truth. We needed trust. And you gave us none.”
I didn’t care anymore. Truth or not, he was dead to me.
“You are never allowed to set foot in this pack again,” I said coldly. “You’ve got one hour to leave. After that, I’ll consider you trespassing–and you know what happens to trespassers.”
I turned now–slowly, deliberately–to the people I never imagined I’d be looking at this way. My parents.
Anita gasped but didn’t argue. Not even a whisper of protest. Only tears.
“You put a spell on us!” I snarled. “You made us hate her. You made us want to kill her!”
“Alphas… Miss Anita is requesting to see you.”
“We hate you,” Levi said, stepping beside me, his voice raw with fury. “You lied. You used Olivia. You broke her. You broke us. You better be telling the truth about Rebecca’s death–because if we find out you had a hand in it…” He trailed off, his voice
shaking, “you pay.”
The guards moved forward and dragged him away, and he didn’t struggle with them. After they had left with him, I turned to Damien, who had been silent, and glared at him. “You will pay for your crime… I’m reporting you to the council of elders.” He didn’t say anything. 1-
3
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“I saw an opportunity, he said quietly. “I met with my sister–the one who specializes In enchantments. I told her what I needed. She did it. She cast the spell. I made it so you three would feel hatred… disgust… anything that would push Olivia away
I stiffened. Louis looked away. Levi grunted. “We’re not going” But… something in me said go. Not for her. But for the answers.
None of us spoke. We didn’t move. We didn’t feel sorry for her. Because the damage was done. And she wasn’t the one who paid for it. Olivia was.
Mother gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “Lennox, please-”
I stared down at him. This man had destroyed lives. I didn’t know what was more painful—his betrayal… or the fact that it all could’ve been avoided.
“You will pay for this,” Louis said and turned to the guards. “Lock him in the dungeon,”
he ordered.
Tears streaked her cheeks. “This is the gods‘ will,” she whispered. “Their punishment… for my sins. For what I did…” 2
Louis growled beside me. Levi’s expression twisted in disgust. Levi took a step forward
and crossed his arms.
A cold chill rolled down my spine. I didn’t know what to feel. Nothing came. Just
numbness.
“I was the one who… who set Mr. Parker up. I planted the missing heirloom in his belongings so it would look like he stole it. I made sure he got arrested.”
Damien finally looked up, eyes heavy with regret. “I didn’t kill Rebecca,” he said. “That’s the one truth I swear on.” 2
“You ruined us,” Louis cut in, voice trembling. “You broke your own children. And for what? Fear? Lies? Control?”
“And after Olivia married you…” He continued, his voice cracking, “I… I poisoned her.”
Mother took a shaky step forward. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “Please… sons, we’re so
sorry-”
My vision blurred with red. With a roar, I lunged forward and slammed my fist into his jaw, sending him crashing to the floor. He coughed, blood dripping from the corner of
269 Punishment
his mouth.
“I’m sorry, he whispered again, his body trembling from head to toe. “Please… please forgive me. Anita had no idea–she didn’t even know I tampered with the letters. She’s innocent in this. Please don’t blame her. I did everything. She just… she just wanted to be loved.”
I exchanged glances with my brothers and then at Uncle Damien, then father. It hurt so much that our entire family hurt and betrayed us. Damien spoke. “I’m sorry… I hope one day you forgive me.” He didn’t wait for us to respond before walking away.
I shook my head. “No. From today you both are dead to us and get prepared–you two are leaving for a long–time vacation. I don’t want to see your faces for at least two years.” I thought father would argue but I was surprised he didn’t.
Lennox’s POV
“No,” I snapped. “Don’t. Don’t even try.”
Time stopped. I felt my knees weaken–but I stood still.
3
None of us responded. Not a word. Not a nod. Nothing. We just walked past him like he didn’t exist. Because to us–he didn’t anymore.
We made our way to the study, closing the door behind us. The silence was thick, heavy. Levi ran a hand through his hair, then slumped down in one of the leather chairs.
My wolf howled angrily inside me.
A
“So… what do we do now?” he asked quietly, his voice hollow. “Olivia… despite being related to us… she’s still our mate. But now with everything–the feud… the bloodlines…” He trailed off, shaking his head. I didn’t have an answer. None of us did.
We finally stood and followed the maid upstairs. The room smelled faintly of herbs and blood. A healer stood by the bed, whispering something to Anita.
He nodded quickly, trembling where he sat on the floor. “I’ll talk. I’ll talk.” He took a shaky breath.
Anita looked pale and drained, lying on the bed, her fingers tangled in the sheets. She tried to sit up, but the healer gently pushed her back down.
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When she saw us, her face turned solemn. “I’m sorry, Alphas…” the healer said quietly “The last child… didn’t make it. The pregnancy is lost.”
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