The Ruthless Alpha and His Slave Mate

Chapter 7: Roman's Punishment

Damien was seated on his throne as Roman walked in, accompanied by a guard. He was silently boiling with fury inside because from his balcony, he had seen Roman talking kindly to the slave girl. It annoyed him that even though Roman knew how much he detested the slave girl, he still went ahead to try to befriend the girl and even offer his one of his useless good-for-nothing books. He had immediately ordered his guard to go fetch Roman and now that his younger brother is standing face to face with him, his anger only increased.

"Where were you?" He asked, aiming to catch Roman lies and then double the punishment he had in mind for him.

"In the garden."

Damien eyed him deadly, his eyes hard and cold and bearing no emotions. "In the garden." He repeated Roman's words. "What were you doing in the garden?"

Roman scoffed a ridiculous laugh at Damien's ceaseless questions. It wasn't enough that his older brother was a dickhead, and now, he was trying to interfere in his life?

"Why all these questions, brother?"

"Answer me!" Damien's voice echoed within the walls of the room and thundered with authority. Roman frowned, a little surprised by Damien's behavior. Even though he knew his brother was an asshole sometimes, he wouldn't use such aggression on him unnecessarily.

Taking a deep breath, in a bid to calm his nerves, Roman replied.

"Reading."

"With the slave girl?"

Roman's heart missed a skip instantly and he stared at Damien. How did he know that he was with Tessa?

"What were you doing with that dirty stinking thing against my orders?" Damien questioned again. His face was almost reddened with rage and he had his fist curled in a tight ball.

Roman took another deep breath in and tried to get a hold of his emotions. Something told him he was in for trouble. How was he supposed to know that going close to the slave girl was a sin in his brother's eyes?

"Nothing. I only tried to be nice." He said simply and looked downcast. He knew that no matter what he said now, nothing would save him from his brother's wrath. Damien's anger was as hot as the fire that brewed from a dragon's mouth and whenever he was angry, there was nothing anyone could do to appease him.

"You only tried to be nice." Damien scoffed sarcastically. "When you should be learning how to weld the sword and protect the pack from its enemies."

"That is your duty, brother." Roman retorted this time, his eyes still downcast. It was after the words left his mouth that he understood how much of a bigger trouble he had put himself in now.

There was silence for what seemed like a minute before Damien's voice came again, commanding and powerful.

"Seize him."

Before he could raise his head and comprehend what Damien had just ordered, Roman was already rushed by the guards who held him roughly by the hands, preventing him from moving an inch.

"Kneel."

Roman tried to keep his foot rooted to the ground but it was unsuccessful as the guards forced his knees to kiss the ground. His chest hitched in a rise and fall rhythm as he sent Damien a hateful glare. But there was nothing he could do. Damien was literally the strongest man in the whole of the pack and challenging him would be a suicide mission.

"Flog him a hundred strokes."

"Brother…" Roman tried to protest but Damien had already made up his mind and he signaled to the guards to go on with their task. Soon, Roman was drenched in sweat, his clothes ruffled and torn and his body shaky from the floggings he had received from the guards. When they were done with the last stroke, he raised his gaze and stared at Damien who watched him with no ounce of emotion in him.

"You are a dead man, Damien. A devil. Little wonder she left you for someone better."

"Take him to the dungeon." Damien ordered without a flinch.

………….

After Damien had finished with Roman, he moved on to the next person who was Tessa herself. As the guards escorted him to the slave quarters, Connor walked beside him, trying to convince him that this was foolish and he was acting too rational.

"I think we should head back to the palace, Alpha. We better leave the innocent girl alone."

But Damien was as stubborn as ever and refused to listen to him. Instead, he turned to face Connor, his face as hard as a stone. "If you are going to keep talking, then you should leave and go back to the palace yourself. I don't walk with weak men."

This time, Connor kept his mouth sealed and followed Damien while the slaves parted the way for them as they walked into the slaves quarter.

"Where is she?" Damien barked at the Head slave as soon as she rushed out to greet them.

"W—who is it, A—lpha?" The middle aged woman shook with fright.

"The slave, the moon goddess, supposedly chose to be my Luna." He sounded impatient and ready to lynch on the poor woman if she didn't reply him on time.

"T—hat would be b–e Te—ssa sir."

"Where is she?" He hissed demandingly.

"At t–he str—stream, s—ir. Sh—she went f—or a ba—bathe."

Immediately, Damien turned on his heels to head for the stream but stopped as soon as he noticed that none of the guards were following him. Even Connor remained rooted to his spot. It was he recalled that the laws of the pack prohibited men from visiting the streams where women bathed. But then again, he was the Alpha and he alone was allowed to carry on such an act without a repercussion.

"I will go to her alone."

The woman tried to open her mouth in a protest but Damien sent her another glare, shutting her up before walking away again.