Book 1: Chapter 49

My old man wanted it to be a public display but Nate wouldn’t have been able to keep his position, let alone keep my name out of it since I was his mate. The whole pack knew Nate and I were mates and that he was still searching for me. That complicated matters but I used it to my advantage. We would have a collection of people to witness.

Silas and Sam would have to be there as leadership. Meredith requested to be there, citing she would be Shep’s assistant as he was going to be there as the medical team. No one else knew who I was so it worked out better. Charles had to be there per the court order and I hoped he would be okay. It was going to be hard to swallow as just a wolf but for a human this wouldn’t be allowed. Noah, Finn, the two Kings Guards and I were all that would be present. I preferred it this way and honestly, I knew part of me may have to use my power to get through this.

“Sol.”

I looked up and Noah had parked in front of the pack house. Sighing, I got out and slammed the door shut. The two guards truck pulled up on the side of the road and parked. They were still scrambling to catch up with us. Pulling their uniforms down, they tried to look far more professional than I felt either of them were. Meredith opened the front door for us and I nodded to her. She allowed all five of us in before closing the door and leading us out to the back. The guys were gathered near the tree line. Silas was talking with Shep while Nate was standing with Sam and Charles.

“Why the hell isn’t the perpetrator not chained up?”

Mark opened his big mouth and I expertly swung my hand holding the case at him, hitting him in the side of the head. He stumbled and fell back, his knee hitting the ground. I stood over him, my eyes glowing and my Alpha power slipping more than I probably needed.

“Guard, I don’t do multiple warnings. That mouth of yours opens again, I’ll send your colleague back with a failed mission and a dead body for disrespecting me.”

I looked up at Noah who had a smirk on his face but it was wiped off when I glared at him. “Watch him.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

Turning back to the group, we had grabbed everyone’s attention. Nate was staring at me, fear and agony written all over his face. I wished I could reach out to him, soothe him, tell him everything was going to be okay. Tearing my eyes away from him, I motioned to Shep and Silas to come forward.

“I am First Alpha Prince Solaris Ulrich. I am here on behalf of his majesty Alpha King Jackson Ulrich. As within my right as a member of royalty, I am to serve the punishment to Beta Nathaniel Rivers, for crimes against his mate.”

“Yes, First Alpha Prince.” Silas stood to attention, partly I knew because of how much Alpha aura I was emitting, but also this had to be official and he knew that.

Motioning Finn forward, he held out his hands and I placed the case in his arms. Unlocking it, Silas inhaled sharply but said nothing. Taking out the jar of silvery liquid, I held it out for Shep.

“This liquid was made in the halls of the Alpha King. It weakens a wolf to that of a human but also provides special blood clotting properties. By law, you are allowed to check it for any poisons or wolfsbane if you wish.”

Shep nodded and looked at Silas who nodded back. Taking the jar from me, Shep opened it and took out two test strips. He dipped them in and pulled them out, staring at them for a moment.

“Both are clear, Alpha.”

Silas sighed. “How long will this incapacitate him?”

“From what I understand, it’s about a week, depending on the wolfs strength.”

Shep coughed, his eyes going wide. “A week? That’s…”

Silas placed a hand on his arm. “Understood.” He motioned to Nate, who came forward, followed by Sam and Charles.

Swallowing, I let my eyes fall to Nate, his jeans and blue shirt didn’t quite fit right now. The last couple weeks he’d obviously not been taking care of himself. The weaker he was, the worse off this would be but it was too late now.

“Beta Nathaniel Rivers, you understand the reason as to why, under our laws, you are being punished.”

“Yes, First Alpha Prince. I am wholly responsible for my actions and I understand the severity of them.”

I nodded. “The Alpha King has required you to receive two hundred lashes after drinking the weakening potion.”

Silas, Shep, Sam, Charles, and even Finn all made random sounds of surprise from a cough to a squeak. Nate’s eyes were wide but he kept his mouth shut.

“Once you drink the potion, you will be tied up against the tree and I will be the one to deliver the two hundred lashes with this whip.” I motioned Finn to show the contents of the case. “You may inspect the weapon if you wish.”

He shook his head, unable to even look at the case. “I trust you’ve inspected it already.”

“Understood. Then we shall get started. Shep, if you would provide him the drink. All of it needs to be drank and I warn you, it doesn’t taste very good.”

Silas snorted. “How would you know?”

Finn growled but I put up my hand. “I’ve been in his position three times. So I know what it’s like to be weakened, to be whipped and to walk away from it.”

Silas looked even more shocked and so did Nate. I nodded to Noah though, ignoring both of them. “Beta White, please ensure that Beta Rivers is tied up correctly.”

Noah nodded and came over, leaving the two Kings Guards to stand in the background. Nate took the jar from Shep and after a grimace, he downed the entire jar. A shiver went through his body as he finished it, handing the empty jar back to Shep. Noah pulled out the leather straps that were in the case and put his hand on Nate’s shoulder.

“Come on, Beta. Let’s go.” Noah was gentle as he lead Nate to a tree that seemed good enough to wrap him too. “Shirt off, it’s just going to get shredded. It would also be better to be on your knees. So you don’t fall or scrape down the tree if you pass out.”

Nate nodded, pulling off his shirt. He started to turn but lost his balance. Noah managed to catch him.

“The potion…” I could hear the weakness in his voice. I turned from the two of them, my eyes meeting Finn’s.

Finn looked ghostly white. “Two hundred? Sol…can you make it through that? I know he will but can you? I thought this was a reduced sentence.”

I looked down at the whip, running my fingers over the wrapped leather. “It is reduced. You don’t want to know the number that he was adamant on. It would have taken four guards on rotation to complete the punishment. Not to mention all else that he wanted to do. He would have absolutely made an example out of Nate.” My eyes met Finn’s. “I couldn’t let that happen. Negotiating it down to two hundred for him was the lowest I could. But he was forcing me the whole time, that I had to do it…knowing…”

“He wanted you to hand him over. Thinking two hundred would be too much for you. And it is, it’s just…”

Swallowing, I looked back at Noah helping Nate get as comfortable as anyone could possibly be in his position. “I can’t bare him being hurt worse. I can’t when I still feel responsible for it.”

“Sol…”

Smiling, I looked up at Finn. “Don’t tell Noah, but I’m having Keri come out for a day or so.”

Finn’s eyes narrowed. “Why? She’s been working in Russia for you right? After not being able to make the last meeting.”

I nodded. “Because Nate’s punishment was never two hundred.”

“What did you do?”

Smiling, I let my hand fall out of the case and by my side. “I took one hundred.”

“Fuck!” Our eyes glanced around as his raised voice caught the attention of Silas, Charles and Sam but they went back to their hushed conversation after a second. Finn leaned forward, rage in the reflection of his eyes. “Solaris Ulrich, you almost died. You are dying. You are thinking you can’t even handle giving two hundred but you want to receive one hundred as well? Why didn’t you fucking tell us this?”

“Because I knew you would be mad.”

He growled. “Damn right I’m mad!”

“He originally asked for the two of you to do it.”

Finn leaned back, shaking his head. “We could never. We would never. Noah is barely holding it together as it is.”

“I know. That’s why I said Keri would do it. Neither of you, even if you said yes at the time, would be able to do it on the day. So Keri will come and it will be taken care of.”

“Was he originally supposed to take the three hundred and you said no?”

I shook my head. “It was a tactic of trying to get me to hand him over. That I wouldn’t also punish you two. Or work myself up more. Obviously though, it didn’t work and he couldn’t go back on his word once it was agreed upon.”

“He’s probably shooting himself in the foot right now.”

Chuckling, I nodded. “I’m sure. I can’t imagine if Mother found out. She would bury him twenty feet in the ground, alive.”

We were quiet for a moment, Finn looking at Noah doing the final checks on the ties. “I can’t…”

“I’ll tell him. Don’t worry. Just most-likely be after the punishment has been given. He needs to know that I’ll be okay.” Looking up at Finn, I flashed him a smile. “The both of you do.”

“I wish you would have never told me.”

Shrugging, I watched Noah walk over to us. “Someone needed to know in case it does kill me. You would have never believed Keri.”

Finn growled loudly. This time, all heads turned and Noah narrowed his eyes. Coming up to us and standing with me.

“You’ll be okay, Sol. You can do this. ” Noah gave me a small, sad smile.

I nodded. “Please stand by the King’s Guards. I want them gone as soon as the final crack happens. I don’t want them to know my relationship with Nate. I also don’t want either or their mouths open again. If they do, kill them. Is that understood?”

Noah stood to attention. “Yes Alpha.”

Watching Noah walk behind us and stand next to the Kings’ Guards, I think they realized why he was there. They stood a little straighter, their mouths closed even tighter.

“Where would you like me?”

“Just…stand out of the way of the whip. I don’t want to accidentally hit anyone else. Have the salve ready as well. We can’t delay on putting that on.”

Finn nodded. “Yes, Alpha.”