Chapter 96
It was already a loaded question even without the many eyes of the ranked council watching, expecting this marking to be happening. Where would I even begin to start answering that?
But before I could reply, I felt him exhale.
“I suppose it doesn’t matter,” he whispered. “You’re probably going to resent me either way.”
He then pulled away from me and I caught sight of how dark his eyes were, proof of how close he’d been to marking me. Nervously, I swallowed, unsure what he was planning next.
“I’m not marking her,” Benjamin declared. “She’s not even of age yet. You’re asking me to mark someone who can’t even shift.”
Leo narrowed his eyes. “Alec, this-.”
“No,” Benjamin said coldly, interrupting Leo this time. “I’m not doing it.”
With how close his wolf was to the surface, mixed in with his absolute determination to disobey our Alpha’s orders, it was a dangerous sight. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought Benjamin was planning to take this as far as challenging him. Was this his alternative? To create civil war instead?
The sound of someone clearing their throat then sounded out; what felt almost like an intrusion to the display occurring in front of us. Immediately, everyone’s eyes turned to the
direction it came from.
It was Elder Tom.
“Alpha… with all due respect,” he started, “I’m inclined to agree with the young Alpha heir here. Putting aside the more morally questionable arguments to be made about marking someone underage by force, I would also like to point out that we don’t hold much information in regards to the
ramifications that biologically it would hold. By nature, the marking process is laying claim to the other’s wolf, an instinct derived from our beast side. I feel as though we would be ignoring the obvious here if we went ahead with this, noting that Winona having no wolf yet is a possible risk. I don’t intend to tell you the best course of action here, of course, but it would be wise to keep in mind that this would be unknown territory, even potentially fatal. Because… well… I’m no doctor, but I imagine the girl’s healing ability isn’t yet equivalent to someone of age… and we’re planning to rip into her neck.”
I’d never been so relieved in my life to hear that I might have just died moments earlier. It was enough to almost make my legs give out from under me. I knew this man was far too good for this pack. How many times had Elder Tom tried to rescue me now?
The room was quiet, everyone realising that there was truth to his words. And this was probably what worried them as they held their breath, waiting for our Alpha to speak.
Leo didn’t seem pleased with this reasoning, his mind probably focused on ensuring I was contained. In his head, it was probably still worth the risk or he’d kill me anyway to guarantee no one else got their hands on me.
“This is the way it must be to ensure the prosperity of this pack,” Leo concluded. “If we need to call for a doctor then so be it, but I don’t see any other way apart from completely chaining her up… and we all know her status will make that difficult to maintain.”
He was referring to those who would see my obvious imprisonment within a jail cell as a direct insult to the Goddess. I wasn’t sure if hearing his concern about it made me hopeful or scared.
“Then we think of something else,” Benjamin said. “Even if it means keeping her in silver handcuffs, I’m sure there is a compromise to be made here.”
His words had been said in over-exaggeration, not to be taken literally, but some hadn’t picked up on the undertone.
“…What if we did something similar…,” a different Elder spoke up. I recognised them as Elder Nathaniel who typically was a voice of opposition for me. “What if we applied the same principle as silver cuffs, but adapted it to a more mobile and practical form? Say… a collar, for instance? Something to ensure that area of the neck remains untouched.”
“…That could work,” Leo replied in thought.
I took a step forward. “Wait… hold on a second-”
Benjamin’s hand grabbed mine to get me to stop speaking and I looked up at him in outrage.
“They want to collar me like a pet dog,” I hissed.
He leaned over, his body towering over me as he moved
towards my ear. “Do you prefer the alternative, Winona?” he
asked in a low voice.
…Was this really worse than being marked?
Instantly, I bit my tongue and turned away, pulling my hand out of his grip forcefully.
In front, I could feel Leo’ eyes watching me but I refused to look at him. Was he gloating inside knowing I hated this idea?
“Alpha, prolonged exposure to silver may also have unknown results,” Elder Tom chimed in.
“I’d hardly see the mild sensation that silver causes to the surface of our skin as anything of dire consequence,” Elder Nathaniel argued back. “So long as she doesn’t keep any open wounds near it, I would think the whole thing is harmless enough. No one here can deny that it would be the most effective way of containing all her abilities, all the while allowing her to still move freely. Within reason, of course.”
The continued silence in the room was only more proof that everyone was actually considering this, that they were all in agreement that this would be the best way to proceed.
I turned to Elder Tom, desperately hoping he had some other argument to counter Elder Nathaniel, but he looked as though he was holding his tongue. Perhaps he did know of how best to argue back but considered this to actually be the only viable alternative to the marking. Was this mercy or a slow torture in his mind?
“Fine, then it’s settled,” Leo said. “Elder Nathaniel please work on having a collar fashioned for Winona immediately.” His eyes then narrowed towards me. “Not too loose though. I
don’t want there to be room for any… stray Alpha heir teeth to
He was referring to Bash. It looked as though he was refusing to let his hunch about us go.
“Oh… and one more thing,” he added. “I’ve shown leniency today, noting the advice from the council, but that will not be the case in the future. Upon Winona’s eighteenth birthday, she will be marked by Benjamin. That is not up for discussion. The collar is merely a means to ensure we get to that point without issue.”
Less than a year. I had less than a year before my real punishment would be carried out. What could I possibly do in such a short amount of time and with all my freedoms stripped from me?
But there were still more important matters yet to be taken care of.
“Does this ensure the release of Bash safely back to The Black Alder pack?” I asked. “That we won’t be participating in a war- with them?”
Leo sighed in annoyance, as if already tired of my existence in his presence.
“Yes, yes, fine,” he conceded, waving me off. “War is far too expensive anyway.”
He then gave the order for Bash to be let go and escorted to the border immediately, giving me at least some comfort that all of this sacrifice had merit.
I exhaled, the fatigue finally hitting me as the weight of all those lives came off my shoulders. Things could be set right
now, even if it still left many more challenges ahead.
