Sentencing

Tyranni

My shower was peaceful heaven. All around me, young adults were chattering, but, like always, none of them talked to me. And why would they?

I was the weird girl, the outcast. I didn’t know a single person over the age of eighteen who had yet to shift. I didn’t blame them for not accepting me, but it still hurt.

I was mid-rinse when the curtain was yanked open and a hulking body backed into me, pulling it shut. “What the—”

Norrix turned and clamped his hand over my mouth. “Be quiet. I just need a place to hide,” he growled, the water soaking into his shirt.

“From who?” I whispered, staring at him with wide eyes.

“My fucking ex. She won’t leave me alone.”

“Evangeline?” I asked in bewilderment. Hadn’t they just been flirting in the training yard?

“Mina.” Norrix growled. I almost laughed. Almost. Mina Andrews hadn’t dated Norrix in almost two years.

“Nor?” a soft, melodic voice called out. He sank into the corner of the shower stall, and I peeked out of the curtain, watching her shiny blonde ponytail bounce as she passed.

“May I finish my shower now?” I ground out, crossing my arms over my chest and turning to glare at him. He waited almost ten seconds before nodding and slipping past me.

“Don’t forget, my father’s office,” he growled as he passed me. I turned to rinse before the curtain was yanked open. “And Woodrow?”

“What?” I snapped.

His eyes met mine for a moment before traveling down my nude form, making my cheeks burn. “Not bad…” he breathed, laughing as I threw my washcloth at him in anger.

“Fucking asshole…” I muttered, shaking my head.

An hour later, I found myself standing in the hall outside of Alpha Sebastian’s office, listening to his deep, authoritative voice on the phone. “What do you mean next month?” he demanded. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help but listen. “We were set to meet in Octember! I know, but—”

The office went silent for the next few minutes, and then I heard the clatter of the phone being thrown across the room.

“Dad!”

“They think they can fucking talk to me like that?!” Sebastian roared.

“Let’s just see what they want before overreacting!” Norrix suggested. The corners of my mouth twitched. Norrix may have been an asshole, but at least he was levelheaded. Something our pack needed.

Rogues had been becoming a problem. Soon, the packs would have to find allies to keep the violence from spreading.

If only we still had magick…

I didn’t know where the thought came from; I’d only heard stories about the old days, when the wolves with incredible abilities used their gifts to ward entire regions.

“Woodrow! Get your ass in here!” I was startled from my thoughts, realizing the door was being held open for me.

Fuck, the last thing I wanted to do was get yelled at again, and Alpha Sebastian sounded pissed after whatever phone call he’d just taken.

I dragged my feet as I entered his office for what was probably the fifth or sixth time in the last year. “What’s this I hear about you causing trouble?” Alpha demanded the moment I entered the room.

“I wasn’t causing trouble, sir,” I replied meekly. Alpha Sebastian was the only one in the pack I was actually afraid of. Even without a wolf, I could feel the power radiating off him.

“See, I would like to believe that, girl,” Alpha growled, leaning over his desk, glaring at me, “but it’s becoming a regular occurrence to have you in here. It seems like verbal warnings aren’t getting through to you… Perhaps three lashes might.”

I paled, the blood draining from my body. Lashes? For a training dispute?

“Dad, isn’t that a bit excessive?” Norrix asked, his eyes darting between me and his father.

“Perhaps, but this is the fifth time in less than a year that we’ve had to scold Tyranni about conduct,” Alpha replied, clearly unaffected by his son’s concern. “Maybe the message will sink in with a bit of silver.

“B-but… that’s not fair…” I croaked. “I’m just supposed to let Riley Haven threaten me?” I asked.

“And what, exactly, was the nature of this threat?” Alpha asked.

My mind went fucking blank. I’d been so pissed, I couldn’t even remember what Riley had said. “Something along the lines of ‘I’m lucky I don’t have a wolf, or he would shove me to my knees and use my mouth for the only thing it was good for.’ I don’t remember his wording.” I explained honestly, my cheeks flaming with humiliation.

Alpha Sebastian’s eyes softened. “I will speak with Haven, but the punishment stands…”

“Dad—”

‘No, Norrix. This is my decision!” Alpha growled, glaring at his son. “You will be in my position someday. You must learn to rule with your head. Since you’re so concerned with Tyranni’s punishment, you can be the one to dole it out.”

Norrix blinked in surprise before his expression hardened. “Fine. Come on, Woodrow. Let’s get this over with…” he sighed, rising from his chair.

I turned to leave the office. “And Tyrrani?” Alpha called. I stopped, turning to face him, my stomach churning with unease. “If I see you in this office for another incident, the punishment will double.”

“Yes, Alpha.” I whispered, bowing my head.

Neither Norrix nor I said a word as we left the Silverstone House. I dragged my feet, somehow hoping to delay the inevitable as Viktor, one of the guards, fell into step with us. “Do we have to do this publicly?” I asked as we approached the square.

“You know the rules,” Norrix replied solemnly. “It’s to prevent favoritism. I’m not allowed to go easy on you.” A chewed on the inside of my cheek, falling silent once more.

In the center of town, we had a pole, tall, thick, and wooden, like the ones used for telephone wires. It was a rare occasion that it was used for pack punishments. Most of the time, it was used to torture enemies.

With a sober expression, Viktor took my wrists, tying them around the pole as a small crowd began to gather, curious about what I had done to earn a lashing. “Sorry,” he stated gruffly, stepping around me and tearing the back of my shirt, the material splitting with ease.

“Tyranni Woodrow, you have been sentenced to three lashes, due to repeated training misconduct,” Norrix announced, his voice echoing around the square as whispers broke out. I kept my gaze on my feet, unwilling to face anyone’s judgement but my own. I hadn’t done anything wrong.

Then a flash of dirty blonde hair caught my eye, and I met Riley’s gaze, glaring at him. The corners of his mouth twitched like he was fighting back a smile. Someday, I was going to fucking kill him…