Chapter 179
(Demetri’s POV)
It doesn’t take long for the X-rays to be completed and to get Cole comfortably dressed again. Although he’s still quite nervous, it seems like the after effects of the protective shock he went into have worn off and he’s functioning relatively close to an adult.
I’ve invited him to my office. I want him to see himself in action and I’m curious as well. With Cole being the last patient in the wing and still an hour before dinner is ready, I encouraged Jessa to come along to my office and to have dinner with us tonight. My hope is that the more I have them together the more Cole will want this different life, one that is filled with love, understanding and support.
I turn into my office, turning on the lights as I step out of my shoes. Jessa follows after me with Cole close behind.
“Jessa?” His voice is calm but quiet as he calls her attention to my shoes by the door.
“Sorry, alpha.” She apologizes meekly.
“Not a big deal really. I only instruct those coming in here to take them off when I’m implementing physical punishment. It makes it easier for them to remove their pants.”
I say it jokingly but one look at Cole’s face tells me instantly that I’ve said too much.
“I’m sorry. I know that’s not much of a joking matter to you but I don’t want to hide from you that I implement it either.”
“Have you really spanked Lucas over me?”
He sounds hesitant to ask yet at the same time it sounds like he doesn’t believe that it happened.
“He was spanked as a result of his own actions. I can show you the footage if you wish to see the difference in the way I operate. I save the footage of every spanking that way if I’m ever questioned on my technique I can prove that I’m within the council’s standards.”
He walks forward slowly. His eyes are fixated on the wide but very worn belt hanging on the wall. Even Jessa seems hesitant to come much farther into my office.
“I’m sorry. I should have remembered that it was out and put it away before the two of you got in here.”
I watch Cole carefully as he slowly shakes his head. He reaches out and slowly removes it from the nail it hangs on. He runs his hand slowly from one end of the belt to the other. He’s very calm, nearly in a sedated state as he examines the only object I have ever used during my fifteen years as alpha. While I do and have used it multiple times for the worst offenses I also feel that I have done so sparingly.
“There’s no buckle.” He whispers his observation.
“That’s why I chose it. It’s well worn making it soft and pliable. Without the buckle there’s little chance at accidental injuries.”
“Have you ever cut someone with it?” His voice trembles with his question.
“I don’t remember a specific incident but I do adjust my strength according to age and rank. I can remember early on as an alpha I didn’t want to participate in physical punishment and you have five years after taking the alpha role to decide on such punishment.
Even though I’m the fourth generation to help others escape the cruelty of abuse that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist in my own pack and I’m not naïve enough to believe that it couldn’t happen. It’s what changed my mind about physical punishment. I walked in on a delta male and his mate who were striking their pup so hard with their belt that he was actively bleeding when I stopped them. I called Kathy to come get the pup and take him back to the medical wing. I also called my beta, who at the time was a gentleman named Conner, to help me bring the parents back to my office. That was the first time I implemented physical punishment. They both received ten full strength hits to their bare backside before I sent them to my jail.”
“What about children?”
“I don’t like telling parents how to raise their children but I also heavily discourage parents from engaging in physical punishment on their pups as raw emotions is when abuse tends to occur. It’s rare but the youngest I’ll supervise a spanking by the pup’s parent is eight and it’s only as a last resort. I often refer parents who want me to do the spanking to Julie for several months before I will agree to spank any pup under twelve. Thirteen and above is usually when I step in and take over discipline.
The higher ranks usually start warrior training around that age, sometimes even before that. Occasionally, I have run into issues with new trainees engaging in fighting and they are swiftly introduced to the penalty given to those who assault others. Newly shifted males tend to fight the most and I have made it very well known that anything outside of a sanctioned sparring match is assault and is punished accordingly. I am a strict and unforgiving alpha after all. I do not physically punish gammas or omegas as well as anyone who has a history of abuse.”
“Why the special treatment?”
“I don’t feel it’s special treatment at all. Gammas and omegas are naturally submissive so harsh treatment is rarely the solution. I’ve had far more success in sending them to counseling than I ever had with spankings and the same logic applies to those who have a history of abuse.
I need you to understand, Cole, that spankings don’t happen every day. I try everything I can to avoid them. I will admit that I’ve had to do some growing with it.
After I found that first pup being abused and I was often frustrated with my beta, I took my frustration out on those parents before turning them over to the council. I made several mistakes in its use with Damian and my relationship with him has suffered from me having a heavy hand. I never did thank you for intervening with Madisyn.”
He looks up from the belt, briefly making eye contact with me before looking back. He swallows hard before speaking again.
“Dad is right handed. I can’t remember how many times he broke my left wrist with the buckle in order to make me right-handed like him.”
His voice is distant and without emotion as he continues to examine the belt. I step towards him as he folds it in half, rubbing it against his wrist. He lifts the belt and brings it down hard across his right wrist, the slap echoing through the room. He is completely unfazed by the pain as he raises the belt to do it again. I grab his wrist gently, bringing him quickly out of his trance. He looks into my eyes, appearing lost and confused by my actions.
“Not here, Cole.” I remark quietly as I gently take the belt from his hand.
“Take a seat at the computer, there’s something I’d like to show you.”
He nods his head with a quiet ‘yes sir’ before stepping away from me. I look over at Jessa to see a look of hurt and confusion.
“It’s okay Jessa. Grab a seat and sit with him while I put this away.”
She nods silently as I open the top drawer of the file cabinet and drop the belt inside.
“Alpha?”
“Yes sir.”
For a moment he appears stunned by my response reminding me of his comments when Damian remarked on the same thing. He truly hasn’t seen much respect.
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