Chapter 133: Banished

Chapter 133: Banished

Bernard

Nicholas threw his head back and laughed like a deranged man. He snapped his eyes at me, they glowed a deep amber. His wolf was close to the surface but I knew he wouldn't do anything. The chains were coated in silver, if he shifted, they would only burn him more.

"What more can you do to me that you haven't done already? You took everything from me, Bernard."

"You brought all of this on yourself, Nicholas. You were the one who chose this path, you chose greed over duty."

"Wrong!" He spat.

"I chose my Pack over the pretentious tradition so many of you want to hold near and dear to your heart. You were unfit to be Alpha and if you ask me, you still are."

I balled my fist at my side, he was trying to goad at me. He wanted a reaction and giving him one would only satisfy his sick craving.

"Last I checked, you were the one in chains. How the mighty have fallen, how does it feel to have your power stripped away from you, Nicholas?"

"Release me from this chain and we will see who still has the power here, Bernard."

He fought against his neck collar, I could smell his flesh burning the more he struggled.

"What do you want, Bernard?" he relented.

"Have you finally come here to kill me? I was wondering when you would grow the balls to finally do it."

"Death is an easy escape for you, Nicholas. I want you to suffer and I know exactly how I am going to do that"

"And what is that? Are you going to talk me to death? If that is the case, then I already feel myself slipping into the darkness."

"No, I shall brand you with the mark of the exiled. You can have your father to thank for that, he came to me this morning, pleading your case."

"My father would never condemn me to such a hell, you are lying?"

"Believe what you want but your fate is sealed, Nicholas. You will live in banishment with my mark branded on your skin. Every door will be close to you and no one will speak with you. You will live in eternal exile."

"No, you are not that cruel. You know what true isolation can do to a wolf, Bernard. I will go mad and turn feral."

"Does it look like I care? As far as I am concerned, you are an outsider to this Pack now and this brand will only ensure that you remain an outsider to all."

The door opened behind me, I didn't need to turn around to know that it was Jasper. I could hear the quiet sizzling of the iron he had brought in. Nicholas' eyes widened and looked at Jasper and me then the hot iron.

"As you requested, Alpha, the mark of the exiled. Should I brand him?"

Jasper narrowed his eyes at Nicholas, he also felt the betrayal of him. He had not only hurt me but had hurt many in the Pack.

"No, I would much rather have that honor." I stepped forward and reached my hand backwards.

"Give it to me." Jasper handed the hot iron to me.

I walked closer and closer to Nicholas, he backed himself into the corner. His back hitting the concrete wall behind him, in my entire time of knowing Nicholas, I had never once seen him scared but now he was practically trembling with fear.

"Please, Bernard, have mercy." I came to a stop in front of him.

"What was it you once said to me, Nicholas? 'Mercy is for the weak'." I held out the hot iron near his skin, he cowered away from the flaming metal.

"If you squirm, I will miss and I will have to do it all over again. So my suggestion is, be very still."

I hovered the metal over his hand, and his trembling lessened. I looked dead into his eyes, my own hatred for this man simmering at the surface. Never in my years of being Alpha had I banished anyone let alone placed a mark of exile on their body. The last time this had been done was the time of my great great great-grandfather. The punishments were not handed out lightly, this was a sentence far worse than death.

"I, Bernard Gorge Joseph, Alpha of the Crescent Wolf Pack do hereby banish you, Nicholas Mark. I brand you with the mark of the exiled so you may forever live in shame and isolation for the crimes you have committed against your people."

I pressed the hot iron against his flesh, I heard the sizzle of his skin burning and then the nauseating scent filled the room. He screamed in agony trying his best not to move away from the iron.

Once I was satisfied and it had fully marked him, I removed it from his flesh. He let out a sigh of relief, his body slumped against the concrete, his sweat drenching his entire body. I turned to face Jasper.

"Remove the chain and escort him to the borders, I never want to see him on this land ever again." I turned to face Nicholas again.

"If I ever see you within my lands again, I will not hesitate to kill you, Nicholas. All my men will be instructed to kill you on site. You turned your back on this Pack the day you decided to choose greed over your own people."

"Wrong…. again…. Alpha," he panted

"All I ever did.. was for…my people, I was going to….to lead them into greatness." I narrowed my eyes on him.

"And that greatness involved Richard? You were stupid to have thought that he was on your side. He would have taken this very same Pack that you claim to love. Enjoy your banishments, Nicholas."

I backed the very man I had once viewed as a friend and most trusted adviser. I didn't know where it had all gone wrong for us, he had lost his way along the way and I wondered if someone like Gabriel had a hand in it. I left the cell and made my way back to the Packhouse. It was over.

All the people who wished us harm were finally out of our lives. We are finally free and it is now time to celebrate.

'Where are you, my love?" I mind linked my mate.

'I am at home.'

'Am coming.'

By the time I got home, it was already midday and I knew we still had to meet my parents for lunch. I walked into the front door and found my mate in the kitchen preparing food. She looked up and smiled when she heard me enter the kitchen. Her sapphire eyes gleamed as she stared at me, the cloud that had been hovering over me instantly vanished. I walked up to her and circled my arms around her, her arms came around my neck and I nuzzled my nose into the crock of her neck.

She felt at home every time she was close to me, there was a wave of peace that washed over me and all the negative emotions that had been in me washed away.

"Hey," she laughed slightly.

"Everything okay?" I nodded into her neck, I kissed the sensitive part of her skin which earned me a small gasp from her.

"Everything is fine now," I pulled away from her neck.

"I just needed you."

"How was the meeting with Gabriel? Did he ask for Nicholas's release?" I nodded.

"He asked for his banishment but I had suggested his execution."

"You are executing him?"

From the look on her face, I couldn't tell if she was happy or upset at the fact that I wanted to kill the man.

"No, I did something far worse."

Her eyes were confused for a moment but then realization crossed her features, her eyes widened in shock.

"You gave him the mark?" I nodded.

"I had to, it was the only way I could ensure that he would be punished and have no way of coming back. Death was too kind of a punishment for him."

"And how do you feel?" I shrugged.

"At first, I felt this incredible hatred and then once it was done, I felt hollow inside. I couldn't feel anything, I was numb. I had trusted him, I had let him have access to so much of my life and he had betrayed that faith I had in him."

Her hands unhooked themselves from the back of my neck, she cupped my face.

"I am sorry he hurt you, Bern." She reached up on her toes and captured my lips in a quick kiss.

"But now you have a new Bata whom you can trust. You have a mate who loves you and we are getting married in the next two weeks."

"What?"

My mother's voice came from the archway that led into the kitchen. Elena abs and I snapped our necks in her direction. Both my parents stood in the archway, my father had a giant grin on his face and my mother looked like she was ready to faint.

"You are getting married in two weeks?"

I looked at my mate who was staring at me with joy written all over her face, I turned back to my mother.

"Yes, we are."

Then, she fainted in my father's arms, my mother is always such a dramatic queen.