THE SILENT REBELLION

Chapter 4

I thrashed wildly, resisting the men who held me, forcing me into submission. I wouldn’t go down without a fight. I wouldn’t just stand by and accept this shame.

I needed to scream, to release any sound—anything to break the silence that enveloped me. The torment was unbearable, made worse by the fact that I wasn’t allowed to utter a single word. I fought against the Alpha Order, searching for a way around it.

Ori, please, help me. I prayed desperately to The Original.

And then, as if by miracle, I felt the bonds loosen. Without thinking, I screamed at the top of my lungs. My wolf joined me, howling in unison.

“NO. NO. NO. I don’t want to be collared! I don’t want it!” I shrieked.

My grandfather stared at me, astounded. He had probably never seen anyone break the Alpha Order. It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.

He stepped forward with the dreaded collar in hand, and I knew this moment would decide everything. I silently thanked Ori for this brief respite, then shouted again.

“Leave me alone, Grandfather! This is not honourable. It’s not beautiful. You are a liar. NO, NO, NO!” Tears streamed down my face as I fought with everything I had left.

The moment I said those words, a collective gasp rippled through the pack. Murmurs of anger and disgust echoed as they called me “disgraceful.”

My grandfather’s face hardened with fury, and in that instant, the collar snapped tightly around my neck.

“What I have put on, let no one remove,” he thundered.

As soon as the Beta released me, my hands flew to the collar, clawing at it desperately, hoping to free myself.

The Beta grabbed my hands, holding them tightly.

“No other,” Grandfather growled at me.

My wolf pressed against the collar with her snout, trying to bite it off, but it was futile. She nuzzled me as hot tears of humiliation continued to pour down my cheeks. My entire body burned with shame, as if the collar itself was searing my skin.

“Get a lock,” Grandfather ordered.

The third man ran out of the courtyard, while the Beta kept a firm grip on my hands. I had no words left, but I couldn’t stop sobbing. The pack watched in stunned silence, their expressions a mix of disbelief and judgment.

Had no one ever dared to rebel against this “honor”?

The acid in my stomach burned, and the tightness of the collar made it hard to breathe. My whole body was bruised from being forced into submission, and I could feel more pain coming. My wrists throbbed from the Beta’s grip, and I was shaking uncontrollably from the shock.

I felt trapped, suffocated by the collar, as if I would never be free again. The thought alone made it harder to breathe.

The man returned with a small padlock. Grandfather attached it to the buckle, securing it in place, and my hands were released.

I immediately tried to remove it again, but the padlock kept it firmly in place. I tugged and pulled as hard as I could, but it didn’t budge. I refused to accept this as my reality, even if my efforts were in vain.

“Enough, Greta. You have embarrassed us all, and yourself,” Grandfather snarled.

“I’m not embarrassed for fighting this,” I shot back, finding strength I didn’t know I had. “I’m embarrassed by you and these outdated rituals you cling to.”

My grandfather’s face turned purple with rage.

“Get the cane,” he ordered the Beta, who looked almost pleased by the idea.

“Now, for the punishment,” Grandfather boomed to the crowd. “Greta will receive one strike for each crime.”

I glanced at the pack, their faces filled with smug satisfaction. I almost broke down at the thought of public corporal punishment.

How could I bear this? I asked my wolf, who responded with gentle licks and nuzzles, offering her love and comfort. Her presence filled me with gratitude and warmth, and I focused on her to keep myself grounded.

The cane was handed to Grandfather, who nodded at Grandmother to join him on stage.

I was numb as she approached. She didn’t even need to use the knife to cut my shirt. I didn’t resist as they tied me to the pole, facing the crowd. I wasn’t worried about my bare skin—no one would see that. But they would see my face: the pain, the humiliation, the agony.

“For the crime of dishonoring the Luna,” Grandfather announced, his voice booming across the courtyard.

The cane struck, and a fire erupted across my back. It felt like a thousand needles tearing into my flesh. I screamed, the pain far too intense to bear. I was grateful to have my voice back, even if it was for this.

“For the crime of dishonoring tradition,” he continued.

Another swish, another scream. My back burned with agony, my skin raw and tender. I looked out to the crowd, searching for even one familiar face, but all I saw were cold, judgmental eyes.

“For the crime of attacking the Alpha,” Grandfather said calmly, but with a fury simmering beneath his words.

Swish. The pain was unbearable. He didn’t hold back, showing no mercy for his granddaughter.

“For the crime of fighting against the Beta’s hold.”

Swish. More pain. My body shook with each lash, my breath coming in ragged gasps.

“For the crime of fighting against the Gamma’s hold.”

Swish. Pain. The man I had barely noticed before—the Gamma—was part of this. I cried out, each lash taking everything from me.

“For the crime of falsely accusing the Alpha.”

Swish. A scream ripped from my throat as I struggled to stay conscious.

“For the crime of breaking an Alpha Command.”

The entire pack reacted—surprise, discomfort, a ripple of shock ran through them. This was unexpected. And yet, it didn’t matter. The pain was relentless.

Swish. The hardest strike yet. I screeched louder than before, the agony overwhelming. My body started to go numb from the pain, my vision darkening around the edges.

“For the crime of attempting to remove the collar of someone else’s property.”

Swish. Pain. I gasped in horror. That accusation—more than anything—hurt me to the core.

Swish. A thousand needles tore into me again, my skin raw and burning.

“For the crime of arguing against the Alpha.”

Swish. The final blow. My body gave out, and I began to sink to the ground, darkness overtaking me.

Cold water splashed against my face, forcing me to gasp for air. I choked, coughing, and blinked as I came to. I was still chained to the pole, still in front of the crowd, still in agony. My back was on fire, and my clothes were haphazardly tied together, digging into my raw skin.

But I could breathe. The collar had been loosened while I was unconscious. Thank Ori for that.

“You will find I do not take pleasure in going too far,” Grandfather said, his eyes cold as he held an empty bucket. “I hadn’t realized your collar was so tight. I am not an unfair man.”

I couldn’t summon the strength to respond. But my wolf snorted indignantly. Still, I felt a sense of gratitude that I could breathe freely again.

“Thank you, Grandfather,” I whispered, my voice weak. I hated myself for saying it, but at that moment, I was simply thankful for air in my lungs.

He nodded, then turned to address the crowd. I didn’t have the energy to do the same.

“The cane has been administered as part one of the punishment.”

What? No, no more.