Damien
Arielle's screams had stopped coming, yet my wolf still burned with her pain. But I couldn't stop. I continued whipping her, much to the crowd's excitement and to convince myself that her pain meant nothing to me.
"Yes! Flog her! Flog the Witch!"
But the more I did as they wished, I noticed that Arielle was no longer moving. I looked down at her face and realized that she was passed out in her shackles.
'Damien…' My wolf whispered in a warning tone as a strange feeling developed at the bottom of my stomach.
"Shut up. Now is not the time." I grunted. Once more, I ignored the pain it was causing my insides and continued flogging her.
'Damien... how long will you continue?' The whispering in my head growled.
I understood my wolf's fears. My eyes had long taken the black wet patch on her clothes. She was losing blood, and I had to stop. But I couldn't stop, not in front of the people.
"Just kill her already! Save us from her! End the witch, Alpha Damien!" They chorused with my name on their lips.
They enjoyed the show I gave them, but did I feel the same way?
'She's going to die. She's getting cold... You need to stop!' The urgency in my wolf's tone made the whip instantly drop from my hands as if I had been burned.
The people around me became dark shadows that meant nothing as my heart began to fear for the cursed woman that was my mate.
What if I had overdone it? What if I was too hard on her?
An eery boo echoed along the crowd and I was lauded with whistling and booing that snapped me out of my head.
"Why are you stopping? Flog her!" A man yelled at the front row. "She's a witch!"
"Burn her!"
"Kill her!"
A part of me wanted to give in to their demands but once again, I found a larger portion of my soul merging with my wolf to do its bidding.
"She's unconscious! The show is over, you may all return to your business now!" I roared.
Another set of angry murmuring started before they slowly turned away in disappointment.
I knew that this was going to cause some trouble— especially with my father but I had to protect Arielle— at least until I figured out what to do with her.
"Yes! That's more like it." Raymond exclaimed as he joined me on the podium, oblivious to my internal struggle.
"That girl's punishment was overdue. You gave us a spectacle! Don't worry about the crowd, they are too impatient."
My teeth tightened in irritation, and I knew that if I were to open my mouth, I would curse the day he was born. If only he had minded his business, none of this would have happened.
"Damn! That was so good— I swear I was getting a hard-on just by watching you hit her so hard. And those screams! Fuck! We should do this again…"
I completely tuned him out and called the guards. "Take her away."
"Yes, my lord." They scooped her up carelessly, and red blood splattered the floor.
A stretcher was brought, and Arielle was rolled onto it roughly.
"Now that they are gone, Damien! We should plan the next punishment—" Raymond's excitement suddenly stopped as our eyes met. "Damien, is something wrong?"
"It's nothing. Excuse me." I walked past him and continued to the end of the corridor.
"O—kay, I will be… doing my duty then." Raymond sounded confused but I didn't care. I was more concerned about this bond the goddess has placed between me and Arielle.
Rather than go to my room, I went after the guards. I caught up with them as they dumped her in her room.
The guards wiped off their hands like they had just touched dirt as they slowly turned to me.
"Call the healer," I muttered between clenched teeth.
The guard looked down at her with a frown before turning to me. "My Lord, she's insignificant, she doesn't need— Why should she—"
"That's not for you to decide!" My tone went to the roof but as their wide eyes stared back at me, I quickly calmed myself again.
This was not the time to get emotion.
The guard bowed and went off. Leaving only Arielle and I, so I quickly removed the shackles on her arm and tapped her face gently.
"Hey, wake up!" I growled.
'Look what you have caused...' My wolf hissed and, in that moment, all I wanted was to tear into it.
"Not now—"
I heard footsteps in the corridor and jumped away from her.
"I have brought the healer, my lord." The guard entered with an old woman. I recognized her as the healer.
I wiped my hand behind my back and glared at her. "Attend to this cursed female." I pointed at Arielle.
The old woman let out a gasp as she stared at me like I had two heads. "My lord, you know I can't do that right?"
My eyes darted at her. I ignored her words and asked again.
"Attend to her, now."
The guards stared at themselves uncomfortably and then the healer sighed.
"My young lord, I can't do what you have asked for me. I can't," she refused again.
I took a quick step toward her, which startled them.
"Why?" I trembled. There was just enough venom in that single word to poison everyone in the building.
She blinked uncontrollably. "My lord, she has the curse. I— I am forbidden to touch her, I can't help her, s—she is a witch." She stuttered.
"How dare you—" I stopped mid-sentence, and a forced smile formed on my face. "You have passed the test. I was just testing you, healer." I changed my words; I couldn't set my emotions loose.
The healer sighed in relief. "My lord, you scared me. Pity me, I'm already old!" She bowed her head.
I turned back to Arielle, and I was screaming inside. The carpentry on the floor was already stained in blood. She needed treatment, and I would do it myself.
"You can leave," I said to the healer. I placed a foot on her leg for the show.
The guard stared at my leg and grinned. He led the woman outside and shut the door behind him.
I sprang to the toilet immediately and my eyes flew over the place. I grabbed the bucket with some water. Luckily, a little first aid kit I found on the wall.
'...Damien...'
"Shit, I know. I fucking know— just let me do my thing!"
I rolled her so that her tummy faced downwards and tore her clothes, revealing her exposed back. It didn't look as bad as I expected, but the blood was too much for her.
"Shit, shit, shit!" I wiped the blood away with some wet clothes and dumped it in the bucket.
I was relieved when I poured spirit on her back and there was a small response. Her fingers jerked, but that was just it. I applied a long strip of bandages generously and stood up.
"That does it." I lifted her and placed her on the bed then turned to leave.
My composure went down the drain as I came face to face with Riley— an acquaintance of Arielle in the room. I hadn't even noticed her when she turned the knob.
"Alpha Damien" She was surprised to see me, and I quickly pulled back my emotional mask.
I squinted my nose and hissed. "This is disgusting, see to it yourself that this pest is clean!" I spat and pointed at Arielle.
Riley's eyes fell on her friend, and she rushed to her side "Oh Arielle! What happened to you!"
I took this as my cue to leave and opened the door.
That was when a blood-curdling scream nearly shut my eardrums as it exploded in the manor.