Chapter 132: Mark Of The Exiled
Chapter 132: Mark Of The Exiled
Bernard
When I got to the Packhouse, Jasper was already waiting for me.
"Alpha," he bowed his head.
"Gabriel is waiting for you in the office."
"Who allowed him into my office?"
"He forced his way through, he was already there when I arrived and he refused to leave until he saw you. He said that you need to listen to his cries." I scoffed.
"His cries for what? To release his treasonous son? Nicholas will rot in the cell for all I care, he tried to kill me." He nodded his head in agreement.
We continued walking to my office, my blood was already boiling. He had chosen the wrong day to approach me, I was in no mood to deal with any of this. He is taking my time to be with my mate, all to plead his case for his traitor son. I got to my office and found him sitting on one of the leather armchairs and he stood up as soon as he saw me.
"Alpha Bernard," he bowed in greeting.
"Thank you for meeting with me."
"You left me with no other choice, Gabriel. You practically barged your way through."
"Forgive me but what I need to talk to you about is very important to me. I only ask for five minutes of your time then I will never speak of this issue again."
"I am not releasing your son, he committed a crime and now he has to face the consequences of his actions. It would be pointless for me to allow you to speak about these issues when I already knew the answer I would give to you."
"Alpha please, I know Nicholas made a mistake but…." I growled, cutting him off.
I looked over my shoulder and nodded to Jasper so he would leave the office. I needed to talk to this man privately. I walked to my desk and sat down, I gestured for him to have a seat as well. He obliged and made himself comfortable. After a few minutes of silence and scrutiny under my gaze, he decided to speak again.
"Alpha, I know what he has done can be viewed as unforgivable in the eyes of many but I am sure that after all his years of service to you, you can look past his foolishness." I scoffed.
"Your son plotted to kill me, the same Alpha he swore to protect and honor. How can any logical man look past something like that, Gabriel?"
"I am not asking for him to be accepted back in the Pack, my son did wrong and maybe that is partly my fault. I filled him with this never ending ambition and hunger, it was all my fault."
"So, are you saying that you should be the one in that cell, not him? You really aren't helping your case here, Gabriel." He ran a frustrated hand over his face.
"No, that is not what I meant, Alpha."
"Then, what is it that you want?"
"I ask for his banishment, my son doesn't deserve to spend the rest of his life behind bars. Not after all he has done for this Pack and for your family. He may have taken a wrong turn but you cannot deny that Nicholas made this Pack run more efficiently and effectively."
"All of that was wiped away when he decided to have me killed. Your son committed treason, he is lucky I didn't sentence him to death which is what he rightfully deserved."
"But banishment is a far better option than punishment. This way, he will be forced to live as a rogue and forced into a life that would be less than what he is accustomed to. He will not be permitted to return and this way, you will not have to deal with his presence in your lands."
I leaned back into my chair and gazed at him. There is no way I could let his son roam free. If I let him go, even under the pretense of banishment, it would be viewed as weak. I am not a weak man, there's no way I could go about this while still maintaining my image.
"Since you don't want your son behind bars, I will remove him from the cell." A look of relief washed over his face.
"I will schedule his execution for tomorrow."
The shock on his face was clear, I could see the brokenness coming to the forefront of his eyes.
"Bernard….." his voice trailed off at a loss of words, I stood up from my seat.
"Now that the discussion is over, you may leave my office." He shook his head.
"But you can't, you can't do this to my son. He made a mistake and it was a mistake that I was at fault for creating. I was the one who planted that seed of greed within him, I was the one who nurtured that toxic ambition. He was only a boy and I fed him poison."
I stared at him blankly, he was trying to move me with his words but I could not forget everything that had happened.
"Please, Alpha, don't let a boy suffer for the sins of his father. I was to blame for who he became and I am sorry for that. Please forgive me and have mercy on my son."
"So, should it be you I am executing tomorrow rather than Nicholas since you say you are the one who created this monster of a son?"
"What I am asking is for you to banish him, Bernard. I know he hurt you and betrayed you, I am not justified in what he did. I only ask that you show mercy on my boy, and let him be banished, you can even give him the mark of the exiled."
The mark of the exiled was essentially a do-not-touch sign that was branded on those wolves that were banished from their Packs. This sign prevented any other Alpha from taking in a wolf with the brand, it was sentenced to complete and utter isolation. A true nightmare for any wolf.
Wolves fared well in large numbers, that was why we lived in Packs. If I were to brand Nicholas, it would not only leave him vulnerable but it would ensure he is turned away from every door he knocks on. He would not be allowed to seek asylum because Alpha could face consequences for not observing the law.
"Fine, I will brand him but just know that, if he ever steps foot in the Pack again, I will kill him."
"I understand, Bernard. Thank you for your kindness, my family truly appreciates this."
I grunted and left the office, I heard him following closely behind me, I stopped and turned to him
"Where do you think you are going?"
"I am coming to say goodbye to my son." I shook my head.
"Nicholas will see no one, he will get his brand and he will leave the Pack. I don't want him out roaming these lands for longer than he needs to be."
"But can't I have the opportunity to say goodbye, Alpha?"
"No, now go home and tell your wife and daughter what will happen to Nicholas."
I didn't wait for him to respond, I turned away from him and made my way out of the Packhouse, Jasper was waiting outside.
"Jasper, prepare the iron brand and meet me in the cell in five minutes. I have decided to banish Nicholas for his treason but not before I brand him first." He nodded and ran back into the Packhouse.
I made my way to the cell, it was a little way into the woods to keep the criminals away from the main Pack areas. I was greeted by guards at the entrance. I walked towards the concrete floors heading downstairs where they kept Nicholas. With each step I drew closer, the more hatred brewed and I could smell his scent, pungent in my nose. I walked down the stairs with two guards following closely behind me.
Nicholas was chained to the wall, we had a silver collar around his neck that I was sure was burning his skin. His hair was unruly and damp from sweet. His face was smeared with dirt or whatever, I had a feeling he was sitting in his own urine. He lifted his head when he heard the door shut.
"Well, well," he sneered.
"To what do I owe this pleasure, Bernard? Have you come here to execute me?"
"No, I have come to do far worse than that."
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