Chapter 4 - The Punishment
1039 Words
Jace – POV
The clink of silverware against fine china echoed through the grand dining room. My mother, Luna Kenzy, had gone all out tonight—roast lamb, glazed vegetables, herbed potatoes, and freshly baked rolls. It looked perfect. I barely touched it. I couldn’t touch it.
My father, Alpha Zeke, was deep in conversation with Zoe about the upcoming mixer. Zoe wanted to meet her mate, she kept going on and on about how he had to be rich and handsome, and an Alpha. Across from me, Janelle leaned forward, wine glass in her manicured hand, laughing too loudly at a joke no one had made. She was wearing a tight dress that left nothing to the imagination. Her hair straightened flat and her accessories loud and flashy.
I pushed vegetables into neat piles on my plate. My appetite had vanished hours ago.
Janelle’s hand rested on my thigh.
I flinched.
Not on purpose. It just happened. She felt it. Her eyes narrowed for a split second, but her fake smile never faltered.
“You okay, babe?” she purred, leaning in close. Her breath brushed against my jaw. “You seem... distracted.”
Olive.
That scent still lingered in my mind—mint and wild earth, something ancient and raw. It clung to me like a memory I couldn’t shake.
“I’m fine,” I muttered, pulling away.
Zoe arched a brow. “Someone’s grumpy.”
“Just tired,” I said, forcing a smile.
The truth was, I couldn’t stop thinking about her.
The omega… Olive
The one they all pretended didn’t exist… The one I had barely noticed for years.
Her face haunted me—the way she trembled in her sleep; how fragile she’d felt in my arms. She wasn’t just thin; she was breakable. Like glass wrapped in skin.
“You haven’t told Mom what happened, Janelle,” Zoe said suddenly, her voice sugary sweet.
Janelle tilted her head, pretending to think. “Oh, that? Just a little mishap. One of the omegas was caught stealing food from the kitchen.”
Luna Kenzy’s fork stopped mid-air. “Stealing?... Why wasn’t I informed”
Janelle turned to her, lips pursed in mock concern. “Yes. Sneaking around like a starving rat. Jace found her and—well, he brought her to the hospital. I suppose he felt sorry for her. Sweet of him, isn’t it?”
My fork froze.
“You what?” my mother asked, her voice like ice.
“She fainted,” I said, too fast. “She was hurt.”
Luna Kenzy’s lips pressed into a line. “A thieving, injured, pathetic excuse for an omega. And you carried her to the medical wing?”
“She was barely conscious,” I said, quieter this time.
“She should have been thrown in the dungeon.”
Janelle leaned in, smiling sweetly. “It’s okay. Jace handled it. He was... merciful.”
“The pack might see your mercy as weakness Jace…You don’t want that do you. We are months away from your Alpha ceremony, you can’t afford to make silly mistakes.”
Her words made my skin crawl.
My jaw clenched. But I stayed silent.
Olive – POV
Click. Click. Click.
The sound of heels echoed across the hospital floor, sharp and merciless. My body ached—head throbbing, ribs burning—but the worst pain came from something deeper.
Fear.
And then I saw her.
Luna Kenzy.
Zoe trailed beside her like a poisonous shadow.
“You miserable piece of trash,” Luna hissed, her voice cutting through the sterile air. “You dare steal from me? After all I’ve done for you?!”
My lips parted, but before I could speak—
CRACK.
Her hand collided with my face. I hit the floor hard, stars bursting behind my eyes.
“Luna, please... I was just—hungry—”
Another blow. Her boot slammed into my ribs. A sickening crunch echoed through my body.
Pain. Blinding, choking pain.
“You ungrateful little b***h! You’ll sleep in the dungeon from now on!” she screamed.
Zoe giggled. “Poor thing looks like a broken doll.”
“Luna, please,” I sobbed, curling around the agony.
But she didn’t care.
She grabbed me by the arm, dragging me across the floor. My hospital gown twisted, exposing skin to cold tile and colder stares.
“Luna Kenzy, please! The girl is seriously ill!” Nurse Jennifer tried to intervene.
Luna growled. The sound was deep and terrible—enough to make the nurse and doctor bow their heads. Nobody moved. Nobody dared.
Outside, the wind cut through the gown like knives. My bare legs trembled.
Then another strike—this time shoving me into a pillar.
And then I saw them.
Wolves. Watching. Walking past.
BJ Waters. Ryan Ferreira. And... Tobi Tipping.
BJ and Ryan snickered. Their eyes glittered with cruel amusement. “Get her Luna! Clear out the trash!” One of them yelled gleefully.
But Tobi—Tobi stopped. His expression shifted. Shock. Horror. Maybe even... sympathy.
Luna Kenzy's voice snapped through the air like a whip. “You will rot in the dungeon, you disgusting waste of space.”
Zoe smiled sweetly. “Guards! Lock her up, please. You probably need to burn your clothes afterwards”
Two guards grabbed me like I weighed nothing. My body hung limp between them.
No fight left.
No hope.
And as they carried me into the dark, I whispered a thought that tasted like blood and betrayal. How stupid could I have been to believe that Alpha Jace wanted to help me? People like him did not help people like me. If I survived this, I would work, day and night to repay my debt to Luna Kenzy and to get the hell out of this pack. I would go settle in a human town a few states from here, when no one would know me, and I could live a peaceful life.
Warm tears trickled down my face, I missed my mom and my dad. I also resented them for leaving me in this pack, in this situation.
I guess Alpha Jace made sure I got my punishment after all.
- Writer
