Punishment

Matilda was forcefully taken away, her heart racing as judgmental glares pierced through her.

With every step, shame and uncertainty weighed heavier on her shoulders.

Along the way, hushed voices trailed behind her, sharp enough to sting. Some pack members watched with pity, their gazes filled with sympathy. Others, however, sneered in satisfaction, their smirks barely concealed.

But none were as pleased as those who had despised her since the snitching incident. They relished in her downfall, their eyes gleaming with cruel delight as they murmured among themselves.

As soon as they heard the news, they rushed ahead to witness her being dragged to the punishment room firsthand.

Tina's voice cut through the air, dripping with sarcasm. "Karma is a bitch," she sneered. "Serves you right. Oh, Matilda, you deserve much more than this!"

"Look at her now," another girl laughed. "All that attitude, and for what?"

"Matilda, you brought this upon yourself. I hope you enjoy it!"

Still just a child of fifteen, Matilda was too overwhelmed to respond. Her mind raced, struggling to grasp how a simple task had morphed into this nightmare.

The weight of their words pressed down on her, suffocating. And then, the nickname; Hurricane Amelia, echoed in her thoughts.

She hadn't understood before. She had even thought they were exaggerating. But now, she did.

They called Amelia that for a reason. She had been too naïve to think it was all made up. It was no longer a cruel joke but a painful truth.

"She's an odd one," someone in the crowd muttered behind her. "You never know when she'll strike."

"And this young lady's luck this morning?" Another chuckled darkly. "Was terrible."

Matilda shuddered. What was she thinking? But how could she have known?

Moments later, Matilda stood before a wooden door reinforced with iron studs; it bore deep scratches and marks, evidence of past punishments endured within. This building stood at the farthest end of the pack house, separated from the main living quarters. Constructed from aged dark stone, its presence was unmistakably dark and gloomy.

The door slammed shut behind her as she was dragged inside.

A suffocating air greeted her, thick with the stench of damp wood, dried blood, sweat, and fear, carrying the weight of past torments. A single rusted bulb dangled feebly from the ceiling, its dim light barely illuminating the dark room.

A wooden chair made with leather restraints sat in the center, its surface stained and worn from years of use. Against one wall, a wooden rack held an assortment of canes, whips, and iron restraints, each carefully arranged. Chains dangled from the walls and ceiling, rusted but still strong enough to hold their victims.

The floor, made of uneven stone, was cold beneath her feet, and dark stains could be seen where past punishments had been carried out. A palm-sized drain sat near the center, discreet yet haunting, a silent witness to the suffering that took place within these walls.

This punishment room was exclusive to Amelia Hillson's offenders.

And then… her eyes locked onto Joel, a familiar face. It had been a long time since they met eye to eye.

Joel leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed, his thick, straight brows twitched upward, and his dark blonde curls did little to conceal the amusement glinting in his small, sugar-grey eyes. His smirk was infuriating.

"You sure are unlucky," he mused, shaking his head. "Chaos follows you everywhere. I thought you had finally learned your place in this pack, but I guess I was wrong. You never seem to learn."

Matilda's heart sank, "Joel, please… I didn't mean to…"

"Save it," he cut her off, his voice cold. "You better be ready for your punishment."

The warrior in charge, a tall, heavily broad-shouldered man with slightly narrowed close-set eyes brimming with an unwavering focus, his drawn-in cheeks and sharply defined jawline underscored his serious demeanor, wasted no time. Her wrists were yanked forward, cold metal clamping around them. It was too familiar to Matilda. The chains were attached to the walls forcing her into a standing position.

As the chains ominously bound Matilda, her limbs stretched painfully in the dimly lit room.

The air was thick with the stench of fear. She felt the chains digging into her skin, and silent tears began to fall down her cheeks.

Joel gestured to the warrior. "Show no mercy. She deserves every bit of this."

Matilda's breathing turned shallow.

The warrior held up a long whip, its edges embedded with sharp thorns. The thorns glistened ominously as they were dipped into a bucket of salty water. Matilda's heart raced as she realized the extent of her punishment.

The warrior lifted the whip, letting it slice through the air before landing.

When the first stroke tore into her back, Matilda screamed.

A searing, burning pain ripped through her as the thorns embedded deep into her flesh before tearing away.

Her knees buckled, but the chains held her up. "No! Please, stop!" she sobbed, her body writhing in agony. But there was no escape.

Another strike came. She gasped, her body jerking violently. The salt from the whip seeped into the fresh wounds, intensifying the agony.

Matilda had known pain before now but… this was different.

With each subsequent stroke, her pleas grew more desperate.

"I promise I'll be careful! Stop, please! I won't do it again!" Her voice cracked as the reality of her situation crashed down on her.

As the punishment continued, Joel's voice cut through her cries. "You didn't know not to provoke the Alpha's daughter? Of all the people you could have crossed, why her?"

"I've learned my place!" she wailed, her frantic eyes wide and dilated with desperate hope, her quivering lips stretched open as she shrieked. "I swear, I'll be careful! Please… no more! Joel, please, I'm begging you!"

Tears mingled with mucus on Matilda's flushed cheeks, her eyes swollen and bloodshot from a torrent of anguish. She pleaded for mercy with a wild intensity that bordered on madness.

"I won't ever do it again! Just let me go this once!" She weakly gestured with a trembling finger, her spirit breaking with each lash.

"I won't ever do it again," she whimpered. Her body trembled violently.

Her long, sweaty hair clung to her face, hiding the girl she once was. She was losing herself. The pain was driving her to the brink of madness.

The murmurs in the room and outside had quieted. The spectators who had mocked her earlier now looked uneasy. Even they hadn't expected this.

Matilda's voice was hoarse. "Please… just let me go this once." She barely muttered before she fainted.

The cold salt water was splashed over her, dragging her back to consciousness. She screamed as she jolted awake, only to feel the whip slice her skin again.

And again. She fainted. She was awoken, and the cycle of torment began anew.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the punishment came to an end.

Matilda was no longer aware of her surroundings. Even when they unchained her, she crumbled onto the cold floor.

Rocking slightly, broken and traumatized, still murmuring apologies, lost in her own world of despair, her body battered beyond recognition.

"I won't do it again… I won't do it again… I won't do it again…"

Madam Tera entered the room, her heart heavy with sorrow as she took in the sight of the once vibrant, hardworking girl now reduced to this state.

She crouched beside Matilda, her voice trembling. "Oh, Matilda… I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. If I hadn't sent you on that task, you wouldn't be here. This wouldn't have happened."

Matilda, barely aware of her surroundings, looked up with glassy eyes. "Madam Tera… I didn't mean to… I just wanted to help…"

Tera's heart ached. "I thought you could handle it. I never wanted this for you. Please... forgive me."

Matilda's voice was barely a whisper, "I just want it to be over… I promise I'll be better… I'll do anything…"

Madam Tera gently ran a hand through Matilda's damp hair, tears streaming down her own face.

"You don't deserve this, Matilda. I wish I could take it all back."

As Matilda continued to murmur desperate pleas, the weight of her punishment hung heavily in the air, a haunting reminder of the cost of survival in a world that showed no mercy.

And for the first time, Madam Tera felt truly powerless.