We stare at each other, standing on top of the training mat. My hands shake, I am nervous, a new feeling. Not nervous to fight him, but to feel the sparks when our skin touch. Desperate to finally feel him, I run towards him in full force only for him to move to the side with ease walking to my previous side of the mat. His eyes never leaving mine. The supposed to be fight soon becomes a game, me trying to touch him and him trying not to touch me. Every time I reach him, he moves his body and I miss the warmth of his skin by an inch.
Trying to catch my breath chest heaving up and down, sweat dripping down my forehead. Irritation boils within me. What is wrong with this male? How can he move that fast like he already predicts my move minutes before my attack? I look up at him grinding my teeth. His lips curve slightly at the edges showing a hint of a smile. He finds this funny!
"What's wrong mate? Tired already?" He asks knowing he is the cause of this. I scoff. I will catch him this time. With a newfound determination, I run towards him my hands in front of me trying to push him to the ground. Grabbing my hands, locking them tightly across my chest with his strong forearms, pushing my back to his front. I gasp from the force and speed of the movement.
Thrusting his hips into me, his breath skimming the shell of my ears making my body shover from the feel of his length and the warmth of his breath.
One of his hands on my hip, the other locking my arms in front of my chest, he whispers to me. "You put on quite the show before, mate."
"Did you prefer the old ways mate? Did you want me to take you on your knees in front of everyone?" His question taking me off-guard.
"I j-just wanted to…" I begin to stutter not knowing what to answer him, my thoughts are jumbled I can't find what to say to him.
"Do not do that again, I won't think twice next time. I"ll just prove to my wolves whom you belong to, the way I see fit perhaps with you screaming my name." he stops. I look over my shoulder to see him scanning down my body and licking his lips.
With that, he walks back to the packhouse leaving me a panting mess on the ground. He has the power to leave me breathless with just a few words, when will I ever have that effect on him.
Walking to the lounge area outside the packhouse spend time with my females talking about our new experiences in the pack. The chatter turns to laughter and my mind slowly drifts away from Deimos consumed by the stories and jokes my females tell. It feels peaceful, I like it. But my peace lasts only for a while and is interrupted by a loud cry of desperation.
Our ears perk up, wolves begin gathering around to see what's going on. My legs take me to the source only to find a female on the ground protecting a blooded male behind her. Tears streaming down her cheeks, face flushed while the male behind her struggles to breathe. She huddles closer to him protecting him holding his face to her chest.
"You dare rescue him from questioning without my permission? Do you dare disobey your Alpha? Do you not know who he is, what he has done to this pack? Move or you will be punished."
Deimos voice is calm but I know he is trying to control his anger.
"Please Alpha, he is my male." She looks up at Deimos, her voice brimming with fear but her eyes hold strength. She will protect her male with her life.
"You have dishonoured your Alpha. Ragon, give her the punishment that is fit for her crime." He looks towards Ragon, while the male on the groundtries to reach his female with his blooded hands shaking his head trying to tell her to let him go. I understand them, their pain is my life. I live it every day.
My feet take me in front of them. I don't think twice. "I will take the punishment in her place and she and her mate will be left alone" My chin raised, back at me. I gasp, my eyes widening. He knew. He knew I would do this, take her punishment.
An eerie silence overtakes the field not a single sound is made. Ragon is the first to break it. He bows on one knee. "Luna, I cannot."
"Ragon, you are the Beta of this pack. Now act like it. You must take the lead. Guide them as if you're the very powerful." My tone hard, my voice unwavering. He gets up standing straight to my command.
"Yes, Luna." He replies, his hand clenches. He will do this against his will.
Deimos still hasn't said a word, he only looks at me with those calculating eyes of his. He is observing me. Can he see my hands shaking? Can he hear the pound of my heart? Can he see the anxiety behind my eyes that portray strength?
"Then so be it. I don't want to interfere to your opinion anymore." Deimos voice booms across the field. His word is final. I can't back out now. I am stripped of my shirt and my wrists are tied to a wooden pole. I shiver, this is going to be hard. I plead with my wolf for her strength through this.
"You will receive 20 strikes for the crime committed by Rosewood who went against her Alpha," Ragon speaks taking the whip in his hands fisted, doing his best to reign in his wolf trying to lash out and protect his mate.
"Forgive me, Luna," Ragon whispers before I feel the first strike of the whip on my back e first strike of the whip on my back . I feel my flesh tearing to the strength of the whip against my skin and weeping blood all over my back. I keep my eyes on Deimos, my source of strength. His body swaying, flinching to every strike, every scream coming from my mouth.
I stopped counting at eight, my throat is soring from screaming, tears are gushing down, blood all over me. I feel dizzy. My body sways back and forth, I fall to the ground. Everything is hazy, I struggle to breathe. Someone is touching me, the touch soothes my pain. I open my eyes one last time with all the energy I have left. Deimos kneels above me holding me to his chest fangs elongating, he's snarling and growling his anger stopping anyone from touching me.
I feel my body being lifted off the ground. I know it's Deimos from the sparks. Feeling the front of my body being placed on the soft bed. "Sleep." Deimos whispers and I heed to him closing my eyes sleep consuming me.
I don't know what time it is but my eyes flutter open. Looking around the room, I see Deimos sitting on a chair across my bed, legs crossed, elbows on his thighs chin resting on his steepled hands. He keeps looking at me, not saying a word. I stare back at him, it's a comfortable silence. He slowly strides towards me, sitting at the edge of my bed, we still look at each other. I start the conversation, wanting to hear his voice.
"How did you know I would take her place?" I question him, trying my best to sit up. My back is slowly healing, the wound is medicated and bandaged.