I sat on the bench in the small cell. I wasn't sure how long I had sat there for. The Council had come with the paperwork on the custody agreement for Maeve and I hadn't questioned it, hadn't even really read it over before I signed. It was such a relief that I had finally been able to get her away from Stenton, to get her out of the pack. I could only imagine how excited and happy she would have been to see Menza and how happy Menza would have been to see her.

That was where Maeve belonged, with the female who had helped me care for her for most of her short life. She had taken care of Maeve, loved her, saved her. I was glad Maeve was going with her so I didn't care about any stipulations or clauses the Council had given me for it. I would have been happy to chop off my own feet if it meant that my girls would be taken where it was safe.

"Let me see her!" William's voice was pitched with panic and heavy growls echoed in the halls. "Just let me see her!" He had been going on that for what felt like hours. Stenton had dissolved into snapping and snarling before he shifted and I was aware that his wolf was more than likely chewing on the bars of his cell to try and get out. I found a sick sort of satisfaction with that, with how they were all reacting.

Reagan was screaming that he was innocent, that he didn't do anything wrong, that Stenton ordered him to do it and it took all I had not to snarl in response and yell at him to shut up. He was still lying, still believing his own fucking delusions. The shame reached its way up from my stomach, squeezing my throat. I had been too weak to stop it. I had been beholden to what Stenton Commanded but I should have been stronger, figured out a way to get out of it before it happened. It didn’t matter that I had been Commanded at all. I still let him do that to Menza. Sweet, kind, innocent Menza.

"Hey." At the word I looked up and Mike was standing in front of the small cell and I nodded at him, my throat tight with the shame as he looked around. "Just checking to make sure you haven't offed yourself. They take your bootlaces?" He made a point of looking at my boots and even the half hearted attempt at humour couldn't pull me away from the feelings that were swirling inside me.

"I wouldn't do that." I wouldn't kill myself, not now. I needed to be punished, needed to take what was ordered, and what I had requested, from the Hunters. I would carry those marks on me for what I allowed to happen. I wouldn't take the easy way out. "I still haven't been punished." I glanced at him and Mike gave a small shrug.

"I figured it was because those Hunters check on you too much." He gave a small smile at that, chuckling lightly before he put his hands in his pockets. "Menza came over, Maeve was ecstatic to see her. Dana was too. Ariel threw a fit when she realized Maeve was being taken away. The Hunters had to corral her away from them both. Freaked them out a bit.”

“I’m not surprised.” I had a feeling Ariel had been using Maeve as a pseudo pup because she hadn’t had any of her own. “Not that I care either.” I didn’t care that Ariel was upset, she didn’t matter to me. I wanted Maeve to be happy, I wanted her taken care of and I knew Menza loved her, so fucking much. I was honest when I said she was the only person I would trust her with. Maeve was my whole world and I knew that she had become Menza's too.

"They both left with Duffy and the hunters. Didn't say where they were going but Duffy said they would be okay. I'm super fucking relieved they are both gone " At Mike's words I just nodded, rubbing at my face and closing my eyes as a faint sound of shifting echoed through the cinder block building.

“You and me both.” The weight that had been hanging off my shoulders since I had brought Menza back, the one that had been trying to grind me into the dirt, was gone. I felt so fucking relieved at that. So fucking relieved. They would be far away from where Stenton could get to them, where he could hurt them. They would be safe. That was all I cared about.

There was the cracking sound of shifting, "What do you mean gone?" Stenton's voice was vicious and I slowly opened my eyes, my teeth clenching tightly. "Where did they go?" The viciousness increased in his tone and I narrowed my eyes. "That female will be ushering in a new era for the pack once she reaches age of maturity-"

"You’re not touching my fucking daughter!" The words bellowed out of me as I got to my feet. "You will never touch her! It'll be a cold day in fucking hell before I let you make her into a fucking broodmare!" I snarled the words out, unable to withhold my anger nor my wolf's. After all he had fucking done, I wasn't going to let him anywhere near my daughter. There was no way I was going to allow Maeve back on the territory, not while he was still fucking breathing. He had used her as blackmail, as a tool to control me. Like hell I would allow her to be anywhere he could reach.

"It's that little bitch's fault! And you let her run off with your daughter again!" His voice pitched upwards and the rage inside me ratcheted up that much more.

"You keep your mouth shut!" I bellowed it out. I would hear nothing more about Menza from his fucking mouth. I wouldn't hear another goddamn thing. I had been forced to listen to him, Commanded to parrot him, no more. I was done listening to the bullshit that dripped from his mouth.

"It's her fault! It's all her fault!" Stenton's voice rose upwards, growls threading them and my mind went blank with rage but Mike holding up his hand, a slow smile crossing his face gave me pause.

"The only reason you're where you are, Stenton, is because you don't know when to stop fucking lying. That you couldn’t stop abusing your Commands or breaking our law over our females. Brochan especially." The words came out of Mike clipped, his eyes flinty and cold. "This could have been avoided if you brought them home when you got that call but you didn't. It could have been avoided if you had listened to Brochan’s words over Menza, but you didn’t. You Commanded and you lied. So the blame is on you. This is all your fault." The words were delivered coldly and I didn't think there was a thing Mike could say that I didn't agree with more. It was all Stenton's fault I could have been at home with them, with Maeve and Menza. Everything that had happened was his fucking fault and my wolf and I were so viciously angry that I knew that if I saw him out around the territory, I would try killing him.

"Watch yourself!" Getts nearly barked it out and Mike laughed loudly.

"You guys are the ones who lied, you're the ones who broke our laws, the Hunter's law, a lot of laws it seems, you brought this down on your own heads. Stop being pussies and own up to it." He looked disgusted and I couldn't blame him as I worked my jaw back and forth, my throat tight. Whatever magic the witch had done I was grateful for but I still got that feeling of choking every so often. Like the Commands were trying so hard to choke me still.

"You need to shut the fuck up!" It was clear Stenton was trying to use his Command but it was gone from his voice. I liked that, that he wasn’t able to throw it around and abuse it anymore.

Mike gave a laugh, "I heard enough at the trial and I found out from Brochan what you did. So I’m no longer in your pack, Stenton. Not that it matters because you got your Command taken away from you." The words were slightly mocking. "There is no way I will be letting my family be under your rule because you're a massive piece of shit." The words surprised me and I looked at him carefully.

"You're leaving?" At my words he glanced at me and gave a short nod. "Like gone gone?" It would be weird, to not see him around. He was the closest thing I had to a friend, outside of Jason that was. I should have expected him to want to leave but I didn’t expect it to be so soon.

"Yah, with Duffy going with Menza, her house is empty and she requested we head over to Vis to hold down the fort. I agreed." Mike gave a small shrug. "It's better for the entire family to be there rather than here. I don't want them here any longer than they need to be." I could understand that. I wouldn't be letting Maeve or Menza come back into the pack, even if Stenton was gone, I doubted I would be able to do that.

"Good luck then." I nodded slowly and Mike gave a small snort.

"I'm not leaving until I can see Regan die. The fucking piece of shit that he is." He said it casually and Regan snarled from his cell, my own wolf snapping in my head in return.

"I don't deserve it! It's unfair!" He was nearly howling and the anger I got from listening to it was enough to make me want to break out of my cell and beat his ass. "I did what I was told! I did what I was told!"

"Oh shut the fuck up! You loved doing that to her! Don't fucking lie. You liked it the first time, the second time, and the third time and if the Hunters weren’t involved you would have enjoyed every other time you tried." Mike's words were sneering and I found a matching sneer on my own face. He did, I knew he did and I hated myself for not being strong enough to stop him, for not being strong enough to take my justice. The Commands were gone and my only regret over him being sentenced to death was the fact that  I wouldn’t be able to beat the shit out of him before he was dead.

"Alright. It is time for punishment." One of the Council members spoke and Mike glanced down the hall. "Please remove yourself from the building." The words were clearly directed at him and Mike nodded. He nodded at me before turning on his heel and walking away. He was quickly replaced by a rather smaller group of Councillors. I was aware two were missing and I wondered, for a moment, if they were with Menza and Maeve, helping them get out of the pack territory, to take them were it was safe.

"You are going to be escorted to the punishing grounds. You will be held there until your punishment is called and then, based on the charges that have been levied against you, you will be returned here until your other sentences will be applied." The blond haired Councillor sounded bored as he spoke but when I dropped my hands from my face and looked at him, his jaw was tight. "You cannot escape your punishment and remember, your punishment can and will be added onto, so do not resist." He turned and the group of them walked away only to be replaced with the Enforcers.

They stood, stoic and severe in their nearly military gear and rifles as they moved slowly down the hallway. One stopped in front of my cell and I wasn't sure if he was looking at me or not but he stepped forward, opening my cell. "Please exit the cell and remember I am authorized to use any force necessary to make you comply with the Council's directive." The words were said in an almost bored tone and I nodded. There would be no fighting from me. This was a deserved punishment and I would take it as a male should. Menza took this punishment and I would not dishonour myself more by balking at it now.

I stepped out of the cell, hanging my head slightly, unable to stop the heaviness that rested like a mantle on my shoulders. The reminder of how I said nothing, just watched her punishment was a heavy yoke around my neck, a weight that was brutally deserved. I had been a weak male, spineless. A better male would have been able to throw off the Commands, not stand there and internally beg for it to stop.

The Enforcer pointed down the hall, towards the exit and I nodded, silently following the unsaid direction. He fell into step behind me and I was aware of what sounded like Regan and William struggling and arguing. I was also aware of Stenton snapping and snarling from further down the pack jail hallway.

I didn't say anything, moving forward with the Enforcer walking three steps behind me. I knew why he was following, why I was being shadowed by him, but I also knew he didn't really need to be there. I was walking into this punishment with both eyes open. I accepted it. It was a punishment that I deserved. I knew it could never, ever, make up for what had happened to Menza, but it had to be a start, it had to count for something. I would carry the punishment for what I did to her.

I walked through the trees, trying hard to drown out the sounds of the others behind me. Getts was cursing low but clearly not fighting, Regan was damn near blubbering as he pleaded with the Enforcers. My wolf was satisfied that the male was that terrified, he deserved to be that scared. He tormented Menza continually and I knew we shared blame with that but he deserved the end he was walking towards. William was speaking so fast I could barely understand him, not that I wanted to. The male deserved what he got as well. And Stenton brought up the rear, he was snapping, snarling and clearly fighting the entire way.

We came to the punishing grounds and I swallowed convulsively against the bile that rose up in my throat as I looked at the stage. The Council was standing there and they had set up more posts but all I could see was Menza up there. How they drug her from the SUV to that stage. She hadn't said a word, had looked so terrified, and then she had called my name, scared and uncertain. She had called for me and I had stood there, watching in a body that refused to obey my own mind. I couldn’t open my mouth. I couldn’t call for it to stop. I grabbed my forearm, pressing a thumb claw into my skin so that sloshing feeling of me not feeling tethered in my body stopped.

I was aware of eyes on me and when I glanced around, a lot of the pack males were there. Quite a few held judgment as they looked at me and I didn't blame them for it, I understood why they judged me now. I would have judged harder if I had been in their position. To allow that to happen to an innocent female? It wasn't right. I deserved their derision and judgment. It didn’t matter that I had been Commanded, they didn’t know that. So they deserved to judge me.

Stenton gave a heavy snarl, "All you fucks need to-"

"Gag him." The tall, Ukrainian Councillor drawled it out, cutting Stenton off mid attempt to Command. I glanced over my shoulder and spotted Stenton sandwiched between two Enforcers as a third one tied a gag around his head. He looked murderous and struggled but the two Enforcers held him tightly and he wasn't able to move much.

"Those you see before you have been sentenced for the crime of brutalizing a hemi-lykos female beyond the point of death. They will be punished and, if they require it, returned to the pack jail until their other charges can be sentenced." One of the female Councillor's spoke as she pulled her hands behind her back and widened her stance, her head held high. "You can remain to watch but this is not mandatory. Please remember that interfering with the punishment will be considered obstruction of justice and you can and will be charged as such." The words rang out over the slowly growing crowd and I looked down once more as more pack members turned their eyes towards me.

"Brochan O'Neill, you have been sentenced to forty-two lashes, healer intervention to get the bleeding to stop." The clearly said words had me giving a small nod. "Please step forward to receive your punishment." At that I stopped and glanced at the Council.

"Can I go last?" I knew I had no bearing or standing to ask for anything but I hoped they would at least let me go last. I wanted to watch the others being punished, I needed to watch it. Their gazes were judgmental and harsh on me and I knew they would deny my request, more than likely thinking I was stalling so I swallowed hard. "I want to see the others punished before I go. Can I watch them first?" I glanced up at them again and there was a tenseness to how they held themselves before they seemed to lean towards each other, murmuring low.

After what felt like a lifetime the blond one stood straighter. "Fine. We will grant you that. Beta AJ Getts, for the crime of viciously brutalizing a hemi-lykos female you have been sentenced to sixty lashes, regular whip, no healer intervention. Please step forward." He called it out and I watched as one of the Enforcers shoved Getts towards the stage, following close behind him. He was nearly forced up the stairs and towards one of the first posts. He struggled slightly, audibly growling as the Enforcer, who forced him up there, helped the second Enforcer already on stage, chain him to the post.

"Alpha Lane Stenton, for the crime of viciously brutalizing a hemi-lykos female you have been sentenced to be whipped with silver until you fall unconscious, no healer intervention. Please step forward." At the words from one of the female Councillors I glanced over my shoulder as Stenton was frog walked towards the stage. The two Enforcers were nearly carrying him as he fought back against him, muffled protests moving around the gag in his mouth. "Delta Howard Regan, for the crime of viciously brutalizing a hemi-lykos female, you have been sentenced to death by whipping, no silver. Please step forward." He started blubbering harder but I ignored it, I didn't care about his reaction or how he felt. He deserved the death sentence.

He was nearly dragged to the stage, struggling against the Enforcer pulling him there, letting his legs go limp and falling to the ground. He was making a rather disgusting display. I glanced around, wondering if anyone else felt the same was and was surprised to see the amount of females who had joined the crowd. Their arms were crossed over their chests and their expression pinched with disgust and derision as they looked at the Delta and those on the stage.

The Council was silent as they watched Regan being physically dragged up the stairs and to the last post. Once he was strung up and the Enforcers were standing by the posts the pale, terrifying witch snapped her fingers. There was a crackle of magic in the air and three whips appeared before the Enforcers. Each one was taken and shook out as the ranks had their shirts stripped from their backs. They all struggled, fighting against the chains and the posts but they were stuck. I felt a savage sort of glee fill me as I waited for the punishments to fall.

"William Etter, as part of your punishment, you are to watch what happens. Perhaps this sight will remind you of the duties as a father that you failed so miserably at." One of the Councillors stated it and William made a sharp and strange noise in his throat.

"Just let me speak to her! Minnie will explain it. She will! It's okay. She will tell you it's okay." The words had a bitter sort of anger rise up inside me.

"I hope she never has to look at your sorry fucking face ever again." I spat the words out at him and his eyes were wide and nearly wild. He didn't even seem to hear me.

"Just get her. Just bring her here. I'll talk to her. You'll see, it will all be okay. She will tell you it's okay and that it's fine." He devolved into more rapid words about seeing Menza and her fixing everything but I looked away, grinding my teeth together in anger. Even my wolf thought he was acting pathetic. The Council didn't so much as twitch and I could see they were tuning him out as well.

"Sublatus. This is a lawful punishment brought upon your ranks for their brutalization of the hemi-lykos female, Menza Aristotle. Do not interfere." The darker haired male called it out before he turned to the Enforcers. "Begin." The word was said calmly and there was an edge of expectation to the air and with a sharp sound the first whip cracked through the air and Regan's back split open. He let out a loud wail, screaming as the whip cracked across his back again and then again.

Getts was not far behind, he yelped at the first lash and then the second and Stenton was snarling, deep and angry sounds were clearly trying to escape through the gag. His face was red and his knuckles white as he clutched at his chains. The crack of the whips fell into a rhythm and I watched each and every one, watching them open up lashes on the males' backs. They were bleeding freely and even through the satisfaction I felt, I could remember Menza, up there all alone, begging for it to end, for someone to stop. My stomach churned but I set my jaw, dug my claw in deeper and continued.

Regan was wailing loudly, trying to twist out of the way of the lashes and I watched as Getts did the same. As much as Stenton was a fucking coward, he flinched at each strike but didn't move out of the way of them, as if he believed that the stiffer he held himself, the easier it would be to bear. I glanced around and there was an air of celebration around the pack. The females were intent on Regan, most of them giving small smiles as they watched the punishment. I didn't blame them Regan was a horrible male who had tormented them constantly and made them feel unsafe without their males to protect them. That never should have happened in their own packs, yet Regan had done that and Stenton had all but allowed it.

"If I watch, will you get Minnie?" William's voice was nearly hysterical and caught my attention. When I glanced at him he was cuffed and the Enforcer beside him was holding the back of his neck. William was holding his cuffed hands up towards him. "If I watch, will you get her? Will you bring her here to see me? Her father? She will come see me, right?" He was nearly whimpering, flinching under the sounds of the cracking whips and I sneered, looking away, doing my best to tune him out.

Getts finally gave a heavy shout to stop, to let him breathe and the Enforcer did pause, shaking out his arm with what looked to be a wince. Getts babbled out his thanks but I could see it was too soon as the Enforcer extended the whip to another Enforcer who took his place and Getts' punishment once again started. He howled loudly, struggling hard against the chain, more blood pouring down his back as more lashes opened up on his back.

All three of them looked ruined, they looked like how I knew Menza's back would probably feel under my hand if I rubbed her back. The thought of it made me want to gag but I fought it down right as Stenton's legs folded and he was out.

"How many?" The female Ukrainian asked it and the Enforcer shook out his arm.

"Twenty even, think he was holding his breath." The words had a disgusted ripple through the crowd. I got the impression they weren't impressed by Stenton's quick pass out, at the fact he could only last for such a tiny amount of lashes. I wasn't. He had folded so pathetically easily. It was disgusting.

The Council leaned towards one another before they nodded as a group and one of the female Councillors stepped forward. "Punishment is not sufficient. Revised punishment is needed and has been agreed upon. Alpha Lane Stenton shall receive five times the amount of lashes as the hemi-lykos female, Menza Aristotle, minus the ones already given." I liked that, it was well over a hundred lashes for him. He deserved it. "Pull him down and take him to the pack jail. Once he has fully healed, he will be returned to the post to continue his punishment." The words moved over the crowd and I joined in their feeling of acceptance and satisfaction with the new punishment.

I watched as they pulled him down and as the Enforcer whipping Regan stopped and handed the whip off to another Enforcer. Getts was the next to fall and someone muttered close to me that he only made it thirty lashes before he passed out. There was a heavy amount of disgust to his tone and I agreed with it.

"Brochan O'Neill, for the crime of viciously brutalizing a hemi-lykos female you have been sentenced to forty-two lashes with silver, healer intervention to get the bleeding to stop. Please step forward." At the words from the blond Councillor I took a heavy inhale before nodding. The Enforcer who followed me from the pack jail grabbed my arm but I didn't give him a chance to pull me as I started to walk for the stage. The eyes on the pack were like brand of shame and I swallowed hard underneath the judgment they held but I took pride into the fact I was walking into the punishment freely, that I wasn't screaming or crying or begging, that I wasn't fighting it.

I would take the punishment I was due, I would take the punishment I deserved. I started up the stairs and the scent of blood was so thick it nearly coated the back of my throat, choking me but I just gave a small cough to clear it out before I walked to the post Stenton had been chained to. The floorboards were slick with blood and I made each step carefully and once I was in front of the post I attempted to shrug off the Enforcer's grip but it tightened.

I glanced at him. "I'd like to take off my jacket and shirt." I muttered it out and he narrowed his eyes before nodding and letting me go. I pulled off my jacket and then my shirt. I glanced around, wondering where I could drop them before the Enforcer took them.

"Step up." He pointed to the post and I nodded. The air was nearly icy and my skin broke out in goosebumps but I stepped up to the post and lifted my hands, resting my chest against the wooden pole. It didn't take long before the heavy manacles were snapped into place around my wrists. I leaned my head against the wood and closed my eyes, doing my best to relax. This wasn’t the first time I had been lashed. It was for the amount and with silver but I would live with it. I focused on my breathing. I wouldn't pass out. I would be aware for every single lash and I knew I needed to keep breathing, even and steady.

My wolf whined, the wait for the first lash seemed unbearable and I mentally soothed him as I breathed in and out. The crack came and I was barely aware of the first lash before the entire thing caught up and I hissed as the silver singed my flesh and the blood from the now open wound flowed freely down my back. The second one had me grunting, baring my teeth as the pain exploded through me.

I set my feet, inhaled and exhaled, the air whistling slightly as it came through my nose as the third lash struck. I knew I needed to keep breathing, I needed to stay conscious for the punishment. The pain was brutal and I couldn't believe I stood in that crowd and watched Menza take twenty-one lashes and said nothing. That bolstered me. The guilt and shame rising up inside me so thick that it gave me strength to breathe through the pain, to accept each lash as it came.

The silence from the crowd and the sound of the whips cracking was all I heard. I knew no one would speak up. Everyone in Sublatus knew what this was, they knew that it was deserved. This was the justice I had deprived Menza from. This was the justice I wanted to give her. This was the righteous punishment I had brought onto my own head when I had failed her so much, when I didn’t realize what Stenton was doing sooner.

I had been Commanded but Menza suffered, begging for it to stop and I said nothing.

The whip cracked across my back again and the pain bloomed worse.

I said nothing and I deserved every fucking lash they said I needed and now that I was feeling what she must have. They should have given me forty-two more.