Grey's Tribute

Mother

He's seething, snarling mad. I think he's trying to restrain himself from actually severely harming me.

The pack looks to us in disbelief, their eyes wide... fearful. I just hit their Alpha in front of the entire pack and visiting pack members. Shivering, knowing I went too far. He has no choice but to deliver the Alpha's justice on me.

The wind picking up blowing my hair around my head, creating a chill in my bones.

"Meela, I've told you never to embarrass me again. But you don't listen, you don't take me seriously." His voice is unsteady with suppressed rage. "Thomas, get the whip."

Hearing gasps, my own heartbeat speeding up. He can't do that. I've seen my mother whip a female before, so I understand its deadly intent. The great disrespect I've shown him has to be answered. All packs have a whip just for these serious kinds of infractions if the Alpha doesn't just tear out your throat of life.

"Brother." Thomas is beside the northerner, whispering to him.

"I said, get the whip!" It was an order, a yelled out demand. "You need to be taught respect, Meela. Your behavior is not tolerated here. Your insolence is like cancer, it'll start spreading until everyone no longer respects me. It has to be stopped. This will be a reminder to you and everyone else not to defy me." Grabbing my arm, he drags me back to the pole which I was chained to for so many months.

I try pulling myself away, digging my heels into the ground. "Don't do this, Northerner."

"Don't tell me what to do!" His breath hits my face in a rush of hot fury.

"Kneel, Meela!" Yanking on my arm hard, bringing me to my knees.

Taking the chain that's attached to the pole, he wraps my wrists tight around the wood, so my arms are hugging the thick old wood that has been pounded into the ground.

The silver binding my wrists is hot against my skin, preventing me from changing into my fighting form.

A deep fear has set in, shaking my body. He can smell it on me.

The Northerner crouches to reach my ear and whispers, "You should be scared."

As I look around at the pack members, I see sympathy and disbelief in their eyes. Staring at the whip that Thomas thrusts into the northerner's hand. Its silver thread contrasts with the old worn blood stained leather. He shakes his head in disgust, and after throwing me a pitying look, he walks away from us, holding Sophie tight by his side.

Looking to Sophie as tears stream down her cheek, and she clutches Thomas tight to her. He's trying to protect her from the sight she will see.

Feeling the material of my shirt rip open, the tearing of the fabric mimics my heart.

"Meela, this is to teach you to think before you act. Let this be a hard lesson to everyone here, mate or not. No one defies me!"

He's looking everyone in the eyes, challenging anyone to speak up. No one does. The silence is eerie. Only the wind rustling the now dead brown leaves on the ground can be heard.

I hear the sharp crack of the whip before it hits my bare skin, the feel of it sends a shocking pain to down to my toes, that holds my breath in lungs that refuse to breathe for a moment.

"You will learn to listen."

The cracking sound hits my ears before the biting sting of the silver burns my flesh. I shake with the force of the blow. Clenching my jaw tight, refusing to make a sound. It's the stubbornness in me that makes me defiant to the very end.