A hand caught his extended fingers in the air, just inches before he could land it on Danika's face. Halting the slap mid air.
"What are you doing?" He asked as he saw the face of the man who held him mid air, his gaze burning into him.
"You are in my land, Alpha Lucian" he said as he brought his hand down and tucked it into his pocket.
"And under my pack laws, visitors have no right to punish my workers. What has she done? I will have her punished according to the gravity of her crimes"
Danika raised her head as she saw Damien. She couldn't tell whether he was defending her or trying to show his power by stopping Lucian from punishing one of his "workers", just like he had termed it.
She looked away from him, just the way he had done when he saw her mopping at the entrance of the throne room floor before.
Damien noticed her looking away but couldn't do anything. His mind was almost a jungle of thoughts.
It wasn't until few minutes ago he had discovered Lucian missing and from the reports he had gotten, he had been amongst the Alpha heirs who were invited for Danika's claiming ritual. Just tbag he came late.
But everyone knew him and how awful of a womanizer he was. He collected women who were easy and willing and even those who weren't as long as they were under him and where his authority could reach. He took them in as if they were his conquests.
It wouldn't come as a surprise to him if he wanted to take Danika in too. Afterall she had become a nobody like the women he collected, and he wasn't going to let that happen. Under no condition would he allow anyone take her from him. She was his prized possession.
"She disrespected me! An Alpha heir! I have to punish her to reclaim my dignity, whether or not she is under your pack!" Lucian demanded, removing his hand from his pocket, where Damien had put it in, few seconds ago.
He didn't bother explaining what has transpired between them or what had led to the disrespect. As a future Alpha, whatever he did never matters. And whoever goes against him and his wishes is meant to be punished for disobedience and disrespect.
Damien brought out a handkerchief from his own pocket and gave to him, filling his hand which he had just removed from his pocket with it.
"I understand your concerns, alpha, but like I said, pack rules need to be followed. You are an alpha yourself, how would you feel if I were to come to your land and refuse to respect your pack's regulations?" He asked aloud, making sure his voice could be heard by the others who stood behind him and were overseeing the situation unfold.
Many of them nodded in agreement to what Damien had said and Lucian could tell that he was tied. There was no way to get what he wanted as Damien had clocked him with pack rules.
"Then allow me to decide what punishment I want her to be given!" His nonchalant shrug came as he began to dab at the spit from his face with the handkerchief he had been given.
"Pack laws allow that everywhere, don't you agree?"
Damien looked at Danika who did not even bother to return the gaze or stare in his direction.
Nandi had arrived, haven been called as one of her workers had encountered trouble disrespecting a future Alpha.
She rushed forwanrd, so did two of her ladies who held Danika down and made her kneel before Lucian.
"I'm so sorry, Alpha. I will have her punished according to whatever you choose"
Lucian caught Danika's gaze and stared at her intently as if telling her she still had a chance.
Only if she would apologize and accept his proposal, then he would forgive her and inform her alpha about his decision not to punish her. But she was being so adamant and hot headed.
"Have her whipped 100 lashes of the whip!"
Damien stared at him. So did the ladies. He was asking for something that hadn't ever happened.
Ladies weren't whipped 100 lashes. Even some men were not. For her punishment to disrespect an alpha, sh was supposed to be whipped thirty lashes, ten strokes higher than the normal punishment metted out to workers who went against authority. But hundred? Even some men wouldn't be able to withstand such.
Damien wanted to say something but his voice hitched in his throat. He had already done enough for Danika and if he were to press further, he would be incuring the wrath of several people on himself.
"Take her away and do as he has demanded" he managed to mutter to Nandi before he turned to walk away.
A smirk appeared on Lucian's face. Perhaps this would teach Danika where she currently belonged and why she needed to bow before him. Why she needed him.
Because if he were being honest, she needed him more than he did. There are several women who would want him to look in their direction. Several he had already rejected. And she? Lowly? Was proving hard to get when she was a nobody? How pathetic of her.
Nandi walked forward as the ladies followed her.
Danika stepped towards the platform on her own and stood without needing any of them to force her.
She was going to be whipped a hundred times on her legs as that was her punishment.
She didn't mind.Nothing would shake her resolve nor make her plead with Lucian, upon her last breath would she give him what he wanted. She was not here to grovel and neither was she here to beg to be owned.
"Proceed with the punishment!" Nandi shouted at the two guards with whips standing opposite each other.
The first whip came and Danika chested it, not moving an inch. She did not even wince when the second did.
But when she saw Urmaa crying amongst the crowd that had gathered, with Mordred holding her back from running towards the podium, something creaked in her.
"Stepmother, Damon,...."
"Lucian" she added.