I bit my lip, the weight of his rejection settling like stones in my heart. We had been mates for years, yet he never loved me. It was always her. And now, I was paying the price.
The sound of footsteps brought me back to the present. I stood in the pack courtyard, feeling the cold autumn breeze on my skin. Ronan, Kaidon’s younger brother and the pack Beta, approached me, holding a thick, leather whip in his hand. His eyes didn’t meet mine as he prepared to carry out his brother’s orders.
From the other side of the courtyard, Kaidon’s voice echoed with authority, "Begin."
I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the pain. The first strike of the whip cut through the air with a sharp crack, followed by the searing pain across my back. I gasped, my knees almost buckling from the force of it. Tears stung my eyes, but I forced myself to remain silent. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of hearing me scream.
The pack watched in silence, their eyes heavy with judgment. To them, I was a disgrace. I had broken one of the most sacred rules—wearing the Goddess Pearl was an honor that only the Alpha’s chosen one could bear. And to them, that was Elara, not me.