Emerald's breath hitched. "Wolfsbane?" she croaked the word with a ragged gasp. Her voice was rough and scruffy, escaping in a choked whisper, "Rick? You wouldn't dare."
He twirled the whip once more, and before she could look at him, a cruel amusement flickered in his eyes, different from the look of worry on Jake's face.
"Rick," she called out frantically, eager to try one last time to spare herself. "B-but you l-love me." Even she found it hard to believe she said those words. These weren't the actions of someone in love.
"Do I now?" Never had anyone seen such an emotionless expression on Rick's face when it came to Emerald. He leaned in, his face coming closer to hers as he whispered, "Love is overrated. Just because you are my mate doesn't mean I must tie myself to you. You were just an opportunity to secure my Alpha title."
Her brain buzzed. Viola screamed! What did he just say?
"Let him burn, Em!" Viola snarled.
"Rick. Stop it. You can't. You…" Emerald grasped at the last straw she could since emotions couldn't save her this time. Wolfsbane would weaken Viola further. She couldn't put her through that. But it was hopeless.
A humourless scoff escaped Rick as he straightened his spine. "Can't I?" he countered indifferently.
Suddenly, a dark glint flashed in his eyes, and before she knew it…
Snap!
Emerald flinched at the sound of the whip lashing out, but the movement was too slow. The barb tore through her clothes, sinking deep into her flesh with a searing pain.
The world blurred around her, the wolfsbane burning like a mix of acid and a thousand suns at the point of impact.
But Rick didn't relent.
Two!
Three!
Four!
Emerald gritted her teeth, trying so hard to contain her scream.
At the next strike, Rick yanked the whip back, ripping the barb free and taking a chunk of her flesh with it.
He continued to lash out with the whip at her, each snap ringing in her ears like a thunderstorm had been unleashed. Pain, like a white-hot inferno, engulfed her and erased the edges of her world.
"Arrrgggghhh!!!"
A primal scream ripped from her throat, echoing around the podium. It hurt like hell, muscles tearing, and the sickening wetness of blood mixed with the burning wolfsbane.
But her scream didn't make him stop; instead, it served as an energy boost for him as he continued to whip her, landing lash after lash on her.
Emerald tried to let Viola free. This time, she didn't care if they knew her true identity, but the wolfsbane was too much for even her.
She lost track of time and count after fifty, but finally, the torment ceased.
Rick stood looming over her, his chest heaving and his eyes glittering with a cold, hard light. Through the haze of agony, Emerald tried to lift her head in an attempt to plead, to explain. But all that came out was a pathetic rasp that died in her throat.
"Now, Emerald. Apologise to Alia for the loss of her baby."
With whatever strength was left in her, Emerald raised her eyes to meet his. "N.E.V.E.R."
"Apologize now, or I'll divorce you."
"Fina…lly." That was all Viola could muster before fading completely. If divorce was a way out of this hell, then yes. Gladly, she would accept rather than humiliate herself further before Alia.
"Apologize, Emerald, or I'll reject you as my mate."
A hush fell over her. Even the warriors and everyone around them shifted uncomfortably at the threat.
Emerald stared at him through lashes caked in blood and sweat. Her voice came out soft, but clear enough for all to hear.
"Then do it. Reject me."
Rick flinched.
Perhaps he hadn't expected her to surrender so easily. Perhaps part of him wanted to see her beg, just one last time. But she didn't.
She lifted her chin, even as blood streamed from her back, even as her knees trembled beneath her.
"Go on. You're not man enough to love a real mate. So at least be man enough to reject her properly."
Rick's jaw clenched. Then, his voice rang out, cold and absolute:
"I, Alpha Rick Blackwell of the Blood Moon Pack, reject you, Emerald Kaius, as my mate."
A pulse of sharp pain surged through her chest as the bond frayed.
But instead of breaking her, it felt like being unshackled. The weight pressing down on her heart was gone, and so was the fog in her head. What remained was clarity.
Emerald's lips curled, her body trembling from pain, yet her voice remained steady.
"I, Emerald… accept your rejection."
A sharp ripple of energy burst from her chest, the mate bond, fully severed.
For a heartbeat, there was only silence.
Then Rick turned, fury building behind his eyes. One last time, she succeeded in undermining him. Her defiance was too much for his ego to handle.
He roared, turning to the crowd like a deranged king, voice booming.
"Let this be a lesson to all who dare to challenge me or try to lay hands on Alia," he thundered in the stunned silence. "And for you, Emerald, since you've decided to be an unrepentant scapegoat, from this day forward, Emerald Kaius is no longer Luna of this pack."
He stepped back, drawing a deep breath.
"I hereby banish her from the Blood Moon Pack. Effective immediately."
Gasps echoed across the square. Even Elder Francis and Alpha Jake turned away, shame on their faces.
"Take her away!" Rick barked.
The world around Emerald transformed into an array of hazy forms and muted voices, her mind focusing on just one word.
Banished.
Banished by the very person who was supposed to be her mate, her protector. The injustice, the unfairness, the sheer thought of it threatened to overwhelm her completely. The world tilted on its axis as rough hands dug into her raw flesh.
Every touch sent a million waves of agony coursing through her. They dragged her like a broken doll away from the family she had called her own.
With her last breath, her last shred of pride, Emerald tilted her head back and let out a loud howl… the Alpha's cry. It ripped through the air like a storm, shaking the trees, the earth, and the bones of every wolf who heard it.
The pain was so much that unconsciousness felt like a welcome escape… one she gladly took.
—
When Emerald awoke, it was to the damp kiss of leaves beneath her cheek and the cool embrace of the forest floor. She tried to move, but her whole body felt numb.
The wolfsbane in her system seemed to mock every attempt at healing, and soon, her consciousness slipped away like sand through her fingers, the darkness swallowing her once more.
—
The next time Emerald regained consciousness, it was to muffled voices filtering through the haze of pain.
"She's still breathing... thank the Moon Goddess."
She felt both relief and confusion. She tried to fight off the heavy eyelids, hoping to catch a glimpse of who they might be, but her eyes refused to cooperate.
Another voice called out softly, "Alpha Emerald, it's time to come back home."