Booki Chapter43
KENNEDY is etched across his upper back, shoulder to shoulder. Big black ink dug deep into the skin for it to stay. His mark that can’t be removed, until
now.
The sight cuts into my oxygen supply. Looking upward, I don’t know how much I can take of their love that only bringspain.
He doesn’t move at first. He’s just gripping the pole tight, not making a sound, cheek pressed to the wood that will taste his blood. Eyes closed, a twitch of his face with every descent of the leather handle.
With the next series of lashes, his head bangs against the pole. A grunt is heard, hands clasping together as he tries to breathe. His father doesn’t stop. A full–grown wolf should know better. His offense has him getting the maximum. The silver will eat him today, will feast on flesh.
Kimberly makes it to the group, hysterical, screaming for her father to stop. Luna Catherine nods her head to someone as she’s carried away,
kicking, clawing. Her brother just looks at her. “Iloveyou,” he mouths to her.
“No, no!” Her voice is a mournful cry, her arms outstretched as her body is pulled away. She’s trying to touch him one last time.
The kiss of the whip’s tongue ever so slowly fillets the words off his back. The love they share has ruined flesh. With each taste of the whip on skin, patches are starting to be removed, stripping flesh from bone.
The first cries are heard from his mouth. He drops on one knee, only to stand again. This time the rain of lashes do not stop; they keep coming and coming, until he can’t stand any longer. His body is slowly giving out. He’s crying now, full blown male cries of pain.
Bound hands try to break free of the chains, and the pole groans and creaks with the effort of him trying to get free. Fingertips raise to the sky. Is the moon kissing them?
“You know why this is happening?” the Alpha finally speaks.
“Yes,” a quivering voice responds. The wind brings words from the past to the present, full circle justice for love.
Breathe.
I can’t look anymore. This is too much.
“Watch.” It’s Dallas who is beside me. My hand grips his in mine. Does Clayton see how the tips of my fingers are turning white from lack of blood flow? Clayton tries to hold my eyes. He sees us standing there side by side. His head bows down. He understands.
she has to bear. His body is withering against the lashes. His father’s face is grim, and his mother is on her knees now, mimicking her’s
Now that the screaming starts, he can’t control it. The whip will always make you sing to the moon–it’s not the song she wants to hear, but the song
The song of the whip is not music to my ears. Clayton’s screams are getting quieter and quieter. Just grunts are coming out now as his body barren earth. Nothing grows around the poisoned pole.
The ground is sucking in every drop, none to be wasted. His body sways now slightly, muscles exhausted with the effort of holding himself. He starts slouch slowly to the ground. The punishment never stops. No more ink is left, nothing but red meat. No skin, it’s been stripped bare.
to
sinks to
the
“You will eat last,” the Alpha’s voice rings out for all to hear. Clayton can’t answer back.
Eyes half closed, half open, as if the eyelids are stuck in that position…I don’t think he can blink any longer. He looks the way his moon looks, half dead. He’s lying in a pool of his own blood. If the father doesn’t stop now, he will die.
“Stop.” I say it quietly to the night, to the pack, to the moon. He has taken enough. I can’t help the word coming from
my mouth.
Another pack member voices, “Enough.”
Grumbling from the lower ranks, voices getting louder with the need for this to stop.
Dallas takes a step forward. “Stop.” He echoes my plea.
D
The Alpha drops the whip and walks away, different than when he came. Broken, smaller.
“Bring him.” Dallas is already turning, walking toward the clinic. He’s going to try and save his competition.
Book Chapter43
