KAIDEN
I never wanted to interfere in the judgment. I was too pissed at everything that had happened in the last few hours until I heard it. Execution.
My body had instantly gone rigid, and the only thing I could think of and see was Aria's head chopped off and placed beside her body.
For a brief second, the thought haunted me. Her silver-grey eyes stared deep inside my soul, and the agony in them was palpable. The same eyes that had looked at me, pleading for me to reason with her, telling me she wasn't a liar, reminding me she was my mate.
I cancelled the judgment and ordered her to be whipped instead. My fucking emotions got the best of me, and that made me even angrier with myself.
Aria was a manipulative bitch like her mother. She had taken advantage of my soft heart, causing me to say what I didn't want to. Now the stupid council felt like I was too weak to be an alpha. Even though they all agreed with me and said nothing, I could guess what was running through their mind.
I had saved a traitor. If it were my father, he wouldn't even blink and have her executed immediately.
"I know you'd be here," Lyra murmured as she stepped inside. She stood by the door, folding her arms across her chest, her eyes darting around the room.
"What do you want?" I grunted, gulping down the whiskey, pouring myself another glass.
I glared at her as she continued to stand there with a tilted head and curious gaze.
Her gaze dropped to the floor. She sighed, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "I'm your mate, Kaiden. Do I need to give a notice before coming here?"
"I don't want to be disturbed, Lyra," I grumbled, rubbing my forehead. I didn't want to be reminded she was my mate either.
Lyra shrugged. The dismissal in my voice didn't reach her; she moved further, stopping in front of the sofa in the room's centre. "It's all over the pack house. You know, the future alpha saving the mate he rejected. The one who caused the death of some members during the mate-bond ceremony, a day meant to be joyful."
I grunted without making a word. Of course, I was aware the gossip would be flying around now. After all, some council members wouldn't keep shut even if their lives depended on it. Besides, I would disagree that it was a day meant to be joyful.
It wasn't the first time rogues would attack the pack house during an important event, but it would be the second time someone within the pack house would disclose information that would compromise the pack and allow the intruders in.
"She'll be punished." I simply said.
My eyes flicked to the open window, staring at the rustling curtains. It was the best punishment for her, I reminded myself. As much as I detested her, I couldn't watch her die.
No, that wasn't because I felt something for her. She needed to suffer as much as my mother did. Killing Aria right away would make her have the easiest way out. Her mother had died easily, too. There was no one to take out my anger on until now. She needed to feel my pain, and when I was done, she could freely die.
"You know," Lyra began.
My attention returned to her. She pursed her lips, snorted, then rolled her big blue eyes. "They called you weak for letting her live. I had to fight off everyone saying you have a reason to do so."
I sneered. "They called me weak?"
Lyra nodded. "They believed a woman who tried to poison your Luna and endanger pack house members shouldn't live. The alpha heir should know better and learn from previous alphas who—"
"I'm not my father!" I seethed, slamming the cup hard on the counter, my hand clenched around it until my knuckles turned white.
Lyra flinched, her eyes went wide with fear. She stammered, "O–of course…you're not. But some of the members are affected, and they want better justice."
My stomach flipped. They wanted better justice, and killing Aria was the best?
Lyra continued, the fear on her face. Her eyes were narrowed. "I know I am not allowed to give an opinion, but Aria doesn't feel remorse. I went to her to try to comfort her, but she almost killed me!"
She extended her arms to me. They had scratches on them. It looked self-inflicted. Aria didn't have long, sharp nails to cause this degree of injury on Lyra. I didn't believe her.
"You should ask my father. At least he was there and the one who saved me from her." Lyra sniffled. She closed the distance between us, looking up at me with tears swimming in her eyes. "As your Luna, I say you rethink the judgment and do what's best for the pack members and not based on your emotions."
My gaze hardened. I bared my teeth at her. "I am the alpha, Lyra. Anyone who has something to say should do so right in front of me."
I stalked away from her towards the door.
"I almost died because of her, Kaiden!"
I ignored her, turning to the two guards at the door. A weak alpha, huh?
"Gather every member in the arena and bring out the traitor. Her punishment starts now."
I'd make sure to show them I wasn't a weak alpha but the cruelest.
—
I looked at Aria's sickly and small figure as she stood between the two guards, water dripping down her soaked clothes, clinging to her body. I learnt she was unconscious and she had been doused with liquid to wake her.
I didn't ask why she went unconscious because I didn't care. However, seeing her right now, looking so helpless and broken, made my heart ache. My soul reached out to her. I desired to drape my jacket around her, pulling her into my warmth, assuring her she'd be fine.
I wanted to shield her, kissing her cheeks, her lips, like she had done. I shut my eyes briefly, inhaling. I exhaled slowly, opening my eyes. I regretted not returning the kiss. But that would have been weird.
You can still do that now. It's not too late to shield your mate!
She's not my mate, red.
For fuck sake, Kaiden, get off your fucking high horse and go to her. I swear, you'll regret all these decisions you're making.
I am already. I retorted.
For instance, calling my wolf Red. I got my wolf on my eleventh birthday and shifted as well. Pure-blood werewolves tend to get their wolves faster than others, but the earliest age to get one's wolf was eleven, and the latest was eighteen. Others would be considered late bloomers.
I had instantly called mine Red. Red thought the name was cheesy and had refused to be called that until one day he asked me why I gave him such a ridiculous name. I told him it was simply because he reminded me of a stouthearted fine young lady whose dig was sharper than anyone I knew.
Red had teased me that she'd be my mate, that I sounded like I was in love. And of course, I had thought that until today.
A loud bang got my attention. Elder Morris had finished reading out her crime and punishment. I watched with bated breath as Aria was laid on the wooden bench with her back exposed.
I flinched with each strike that landed on her back, breaking her skin. She didn't make a sound. She didn't move or even beg. She just stayed there like a fucking broken dummy.
But I couldn't watch it. Fuck. I couldn't stand it.
My stomach twisted; I stood, loosening my tie to allow me to breathe more easily. I wiped sweat from my forehead, stumbling away from my seat, my vision suddenly blurred.
"Alpha, what do we do next?"
"Fuck you, Elder Morris!" I growled lowly. Why did he have to put me on the spot?!
Dragging a hand through my hair, I winced, staring at Aria's bloodied back. "Let her stay outside the whole night."
It was 6 pm. She'd stay out for twelve hours. That should please the members. But for me? My opinion didn't matter. It never mattered.
You're a weak Alpha, Kaiden. No one will ever treat their mate this way!
It didn't matter if I was weak or not. It pleased the members. That was all that mattered.