Talons

Chapter 28: The Newt

Rhea’s POV

My parents and siblings have been behaving strangely, but I am hoping it's because my sixteenth birthday is just days away. I will officially be ranked as a fighter within my age group, and I will have to be listed as an Omega. 

I’m not worried about where I rank in terms of fighting, because all the training I’ve done with Robin and Luke has me confident I’ll place in the middle. Being a full wolf doesn’t always mean you are the strongest or fastest. Wolves have genetics too, and sometimes, suppressed genes can reveal themselves generations later.

My biggest fear is being listed as an omega; it is the lowest ranking of wolves, and while I would still be an alpha’s daughter, I would be expected to submit to all pack members who are ranked above me. Since I am already generally disliked, I see that as coming to bite me hard. 

However, now that Raven and I have moved, I will likely only see the pack on rare occasions, or when I have official pack business to attend. Even then, I will mostly work on the farm, where there are a few other omegas who sought out our pack for relief from their own.

“Baby girl, your mother and I have something to tell you.” I had been so absorbed in my thoughts that I had not noticed my parents staring at me. I travelled home without Raven to prevent our parents from randomly visiting and catching Tucker, who practically lives with us.

“Is it bad?” I ask, a slight quiver in my voice because my parents seem downcast. 

“It’s just… We think that you should limit your pack visits to just once a month. You will always be welcome here, but with your condition-” I jump up and hug my father tightly. I’ve never realized how perfect my parents are until that moment, and I start pouring out my confession of why I wanted to move in the first place. “So, all of that was because you wanted to leave the pack grounds? Why didn’t you just tell us? We would have supported you.” 

“I don’t know,” I sob. “I just felt like I couldn’t, but I should have.” At that point I was seconds away from telling my parents about Colton as well, but our small moment was interrupted by Lark, who looked so uncomfortable that my tears dried up in worry.

“We have a problem. There is a council representative here.” My father stands, but my brother shakes his head. “He is here for B.” I flinch, but I follow my brother out of the cabin.

I am a minor, and I have committed no crimes. The only thing I can think of is that Mandy said something and it reached the council's ears, or worst-case scenario, I have been prematurely outed as an omega and the council member is at the pack to formally strip me of my title and rank.

When we are standing in front of the man, he is holding a folder in his hands, flipping through the documents as if he is doing something, but as a person who is actually a folder flipper, I know it is all for show. He is just glancing at the words written, but he is not reading them.

“The young Miss Talons,” the man says in a mocking tone. “I’m sure you don’t recognize me, so I will reintroduce myself. I am high alpha Newt.” I hold back my laughter, because the man looks about as slimy as a newt and it's funny to me.

“High Alpha Newt,” I say with a slight bow. “You have requested my presence. May I ask why?” At this point, a few pack members have gathered around. Council members don’t usually show up, and I now have some clue as to why my family has been behaving oddly. They were hiding something from me. 

“You are quite the impressive girl; no longer as r*tarted I see...” I hate everything about that word. Even if it does describe me; it's crude, vulgar and offensive, but I ignore it.

“Sir?”

“Your family tells me that the scent blocker is solely produced by you. The council needs a copy of the formula.”

“The council cannot have it,” I respond. I may not be in luna training, but I know a bit about pack law, and the man in front of me is overstepping. “With all due respect sir; asking me to turn over the formula is the equivalent of asking my family to relinquish their farmlands.”

“Would you prefer if I do that instead?”

“You cannot,” I reply. “According to pack trade rules; I am operating within the limits of the law.”

“Do you think you know more about pack law than me?” My whole body begins to shake, and I can feel the weight of the command in the high alpha’s tone. I force myself to submit, even though I know I can ignore his question.

“I know that the most you can do is force me to stop selling the blocker, beyond that-” The high alpha’s hand grips my neck as he lifts me off the ground.

“You are clearly a very challenged girl if you think you can talk to those in authority over you in any tone you see fit.” I am struggling to breathe, but I do not break eye contact with the man. If he is going to kill me, I at least want to go down with a bit of dignity.

“High alpha,” my brother interjects. “B is mentally challenged. She means no disrespect; she simply speaks what is on her mind.” The high alpha releases my neck and I crumple to the ground before forcing myself to stand again.

“I want the entire pack gathered at this spot now.” My heart sinks because I hate how my brother has unintentionally humiliated me and I know Alpha Newt will use that. He clearly was not expecting me to refuse, and since he has no legal leg to stand on, he wants to force my hand. 

While the pack gathers, some of the men who have come with high alpha Newt start on constructing some sort of structure. Horror consumes me when I realize that it is a scourging pole. My family has been ordered not to speak to me, so I cannot turn to them for moral support, and I know this is going to be bad. 

I turn to face my mother, who is crying so bitterly that I feel guilty for not just giving up the formula, but any chemist should be able to produce it. It doesn’t make sense why people have been harping over something that literally anyone can do. 

There is something more going on, and while I have no proof, I refuse to have my family drawn into whatever high alpha Newt is trying to do. I know manipulation when I see it, and everything the man has been doing since he arrived is all part of a show. I am unwilling, but I resolve to play along with his game.

With nearly all the pack gathered, the high alpha blurts out a grand introduction for himself. He informs the pack that I have ‘forgotten my place’ and have questioned his authority. While true, he is leaving out vital details; like the fact that he is acting outside of his authority. 

I listen to his speech and cannot believe the sentence he has handed down to me. I am starting to cry, not for me, but for my family members who are either crying or holding one another. I am not afraid though; Alpha Newt is finished.

“Let it be consecrated by the authority given to me by Our Luna, that the last child born to Alpha Jay and Luna Mavis is hereby sentenced to pack lashing for disrespecting a council member.” Lark solemnly nods in consent and I am so happy he didn’t raise any objection, which he could have.

My hands are bound in chains, and I am hung from the scourging pole in such a way that my knees can bend, but they can never touch the ground. I can either tear my shoulders apart with my body weight if I faint or stand tall. That sounds like a good thing, but I know it's an added level of humiliation that forces me to appear as though I still have strength until the last pack member present has lashed me.

The beating starts and while it hurts, I refuse to cry out. Some of the more decent pack members have held back in their swings, but Alpha Newt has made each of them strike me again without reservation. 

By the one hundredth person, my shirt has torn, my glasses have fallen off my face, and I am sweating despite the mild weather. My knees have begun to shake, but they have not given out, which I can tell is pissing the lizard off. I am usually very non-confrontational, but for my family, I will do anything.

Two hundred and seven lashes later, not including the restrikes, my family has been called. They know that if they hold back, they will be forced to hit me twice, so they do not. I can hear my mother crying as she takes the flog into her hands, but she does what she must and I have to admit, the woman is a good actress; that or my nerve endings are dead because I didn’t feel a thing.

As Alpha, Lark is the last to strike me, and I let out the loudest sound yet. Not really from pain, but because I know my punishment is done. My eyes burn, my back is throbbing, and based on the trickle I feel, it is bleeding as well. I try fainting, but the lizard's voice pierces my ears.

“I am highly disappointed in this pack. Sixty of you have attempted to go easy on your alpha’s daughter, and for that, she will be punished further.” I hear, rather than see my mother faint with the man's words.