Chapter 19

Punishment Brinley I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t seem to remember how to force air in and out of my lungs. I’d been the unfortunate recipient of many physical altercations with members of the pack and had received less severe punishments, but I’d never been whipped before. Coal faced his father, his expression a cross between absolute fury and guilt, the deep timbre of his voice much closer to wolf than man, “You can’t do this! I’m not going to let her be punished when I antagonized her. This was my fault, not hers. She was just defending herself!” I was surprised Coal interjected on my behalf. Maybe he thought it would help, but I had no hope Alpha would change his mind. I knew better. Exactly as expected, Alpha spat, “You know her status in the pack-she doesn’t have any status! The circumstances are irrelevant. She doesn’t get to speak out, causing disruption. She was well aware of that rule and chose to break it.” A small crowd had gathered around us. Several Onyx Moon warri