Embers of Agony

The Next Day

Asher's face twisted in rage as he slammed his fist onto the table, shattering a glass on the floor. "What do you mean half of our warriors were killed in battle?" he thundered.

Darwin recoiled, avoiding the shattered glass. "I'm sorry, Alpha," he apologized, his head bowed in submission.

Asher's anger boiled over. "Sorry? How can you be sorry? We've lost valuable warriors. How do we recover from this?"

Darwin remained silent, his head still bowed.

Asher's eyes narrowed. "Which pack was responsible for this carnage?"

Darwin hesitated before answering, "The Dark Moon Pack, sir."

Asher's eyes widened in shock. "The Dark Moon Pack? How did we incur their wrath? We're rivals, but I thought we were advised to keep a low profile."

His voice rose in indignation. "What sparked this conflict?"

Darwin's words dropped like a bombshell: "One of our pack members abused a member of the Dark Moon Pack."

Asher's face turned pale, his eyes blazing with fury. "Summon Dahlia," he commanded, his voice icy.

Darwin nodded and hastily exited the room to carry out Asher's orders.

Dahlia's POV

I slowly emerged from a restless slumber, my body still reeling from the pain. Ella had already left for her morning exercise, leaving me alone.

Just as I lay there, trying to gather my strength, two guards and the chief guard burst into my room, their sudden presence jolting me upright.

As I summoned the courage to ask, "What's the problem?" the two guards seized me with brutal force, their grip like a vice.

I felt a surge of fear as the chief guard's detached voice responded, "Asher has requested your presence."

My mind racing, I demanded, "What? Why?" but my pleas fell on deaf ears.

The guards' silence was deafening, and I felt a chill run down my spine.

Before I could process what was happening, we arrived at Asher's location. I was violently thrown to the ground, and a searing pain shot through my body. I winced, struggling to catch my breath.

Asher's icy command sent shivers down my spine: "Get me a whip."

The guards hesitated, their eyes darting nervously, before one of them reluctantly fetched the whip.

I stared at Asher, horrified by his cruelty. My heart pounded in my chest as I thought, What have I done to deserve this? I had barely recovered from the previous day's ordeal, and now this.

A wave of despair washed over me. I felt powerless, a mere object for Asher to unleash his aggression upon.

My voice caught in my throat as I wondered, Which is worse, the suffering I endured at my pack or the torture I face at Asher's hands?

I caught a glimpse of a questioning look in Asher's eyes, as if he were wondering why I hadn't dared to question him. However, his expression quickly reverted to its usual emotionless mask.

The guard returned with the whip, handing it over to Asher.

He adjusted his sleeves, his movements deliberate and calculated, before accepting the whip.

"Hold her down," Asher commanded, his voice devoid of emotion.

My thoughts drifted to Nyx, who had remained unconscious and weak since yesterday's brutal whipping.

The sound of the whip cracking through the air jolted me back to reality.

The first lash struck my back, sending a searing pain coursing through my body. I winced, gritting my teeth to suppress a cry.

The whipping continued relentlessly, each strike precise and merciless. I'd lost count, but I knew it had exceeded fifty strokes.

My body screamed in agony, my mind reeling with the question: How much more can I endure?

As I glanced around, I noticed a crowd of pack members gathered, their hushed murmurs and worried glances a stark contrast to Asher's cruelty. Their presence only added to my distress.

Just then, a searing pain shot through my body as a hot object pierced my skin.

I let out a blood-curdling scream, my gaze snapping back to Asher.

Horror gripped me as I saw him holding a scorching wooden stick, his expression twisted in a cruel smile.

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, blurring my vision as I struggled to comprehend the depths of Asher's brutality.

Asher's smirk grew wicked as he savored the mortified expression on my face.

My gaze drifted to the guards, who were methodically heating objects in the fire. The scene was surreal, and I felt my horror intensify.

I turned back to Asher, my eyes wide with disbelief.

What had I done to deserve this? The suffering I endured at my own pack was brutal, but Asher's cruelty was on a different level.

A fresh wave of agony washed over me as the next scorching object pierced my skin.

Asher's smirk deepened, his eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure.

This torment seemed endless.

I glanced toward the guards, who continued to prepare more objects, their numbers seemingly inexhaustible. My heart sank, and I realized that my suffering was far from over.

The next object descended, and the agonizing process repeated itself. Just then, I faintly heard Nyx's weak voice calling out to me, "Dahlia..." But her words trailed off, and an unsettling silence followed.

I felt a pang of guilt and regret, knowing that Nyx, my loyal wolf, suffered alongside me. Her pain was a direct result of my circumstances, and that realization was crushing.

As the torture continued, I began to lose consciousness. My body screamed in agony, and my mind recoiled from the brutality. Just when I thought I couldn't endure anymore, I heard the sickening sound of the next object striking its target.

But to my shock, it wasn't me who received the blow. I forced my heavy eyelids open, and through a haze of pain, I saw who had taken the fall for me...