women like it that way.”
Naomi felt the bridge of her nose crinkle in irritation. She couldn’t help herself. “I’m an Elite,” she declared. “I’m far better than some of your women.”
“I want you as Enola.” He mouthed the words into her ear.
Enola. A woman who served a mate-less Alpha’s carnal needs. Sexual needs. Enolas had no ranking at all, but in comparison to his servants and even some of his E1s and E2s, they were held highly.
“No. I vowed to serve you, not service you. We had a deal. A trade-off, don’t you remember?”
“There will be no more offers like this afforded to you.”
“Good.”
Tristan frowned.
Nearly every crew member stiffened. In Arnou culture many women would welcome the opportunity never to have to work a day in their life. There were families in their communities who offered their daughters as potential Enolas. He had three of them. What would he want with a fourth? His sexual appetite couldn’t have been that great. As history had proven gluttony could be the downfall of any wolf or man.
A tinge of dread ran up her spine, but she didn’t want the Alpha to think that she was vulnerable. “I know there is a punishment for rejecting. I accept what I deserve, but I cannot assent to your offer.”
“I’ll remember that, daughter of Valentine.” He backed up, assessing her slowly from head-to-toe before his focus fell on her Belt. “I can see you’ve earned two badges since I last saw you.”
Maybe he planned to strip her for refusing. “Both of them were from scoring the highest rank in a tournament category,” she replied.
“Which category?”
“Direct combat.”
“Of course. You were the female who bested a grown man for the title. Never knew you had that kind of talent in you.”
“Most of the time one’s eyes fail to see beyond the surface, and seeing things only at face value won’t allow anyone to measure true worth or capability.”
Tristan’s left eyebrow lifted. “Then you are more than capable of accepting punishment as it is given? Because there will be no trade-off this time.”
“Yes.”
Nathan’s brows furrowed and his eyes narrowed. “Naomi, stand down. Assume your position in the line and shut up!”
Nathan’s expression told Naomi she better stop while she was ahead. Challenging him and taking the punishment for the crew would make him look like a punk in front of his followers and his Alpha. She didn’t want her brother to have that reputation.
Tristan chuckled darkly. “A little sibling rivalry.” He slid the badges off Nathan’s Belt and let them fall to the floor, and then he tugged each end of the Belt sharply. The leather snapped loudly in the air.
Nathan removed his shirt and threw it next to his badges.
“Eleven lashes for your crew, plus six more for your sister,” Tristan declared.
“No!” The protest rushed from Naomi’s mouth.
“Zip it shut, Sister.”
“I’m capable of taking my own punishment!” she cried.
“Assume your position like your leader says, or he’ll receive more lashes for not being able to control his crew members,” Tristan ordered and held the Belt high in the air above Nathan’s back.
Naomi turned, refusing to witness her brother being punished. She couldn’t prevent the sound of thick leather connecting with the skin and muscle. She bit into her lip, drawing blood as Tristan struck her brother again. And again.
It seemed an eternity passed before the punishment ceased. Still, she couldn’t bear to look.
“You have a disobedient but courageous leader.” Tristan’s voice sent chilly jolts up her spine. “For one month you are all under suspension and strict watch. Don’t leave the Compound under any circumstances. That is an order. Should you disobey, it will be the last order you receive as an E2.”
Someone shuffled their feet and another gave a muted growl.
Tristan’s eyes widened and his lips tightened. “Did I hear an objection?”
Complete silence fell
Naomi felt the bridge of her nose crinkle in irritation. She couldn’t help herself. “I’m an Elite,” she declared. “I’m far better than some of your women.”
“I want you as Enola.” He mouthed the words into her ear.
Enola. A woman who served a mate-less Alpha’s carnal needs. Sexual needs. Enolas had no ranking at all, but in comparison to his servants and even some of his E1s and E2s, they were held highly.
“No. I vowed to serve you, not service you. We had a deal. A trade-off, don’t you remember?”
“There will be no more offers like this afforded to you.”
“Good.”
Tristan frowned.
Nearly every crew member stiffened. In Arnou culture many women would welcome the opportunity never to have to work a day in their life. There were families in their communities who offered their daughters as potential Enolas. He had three of them. What would he want with a fourth? His sexual appetite couldn’t have been that great. As history had proven gluttony could be the downfall of any wolf or man.
A tinge of dread ran up her spine, but she didn’t want the Alpha to think that she was vulnerable. “I know there is a punishment for rejecting. I accept what I deserve, but I cannot assent to your offer.”
“I’ll remember that, daughter of Valentine.” He backed up, assessing her slowly from head-to-toe before his focus fell on her Belt. “I can see you’ve earned two badges since I last saw you.”
Maybe he planned to strip her for refusing. “Both of them were from scoring the highest rank in a tournament category,” she replied.
“Which category?”
“Direct combat.”
“Of course. You were the female who bested a grown man for the title. Never knew you had that kind of talent in you.”
“Most of the time one’s eyes fail to see beyond the surface, and seeing things only at face value won’t allow anyone to measure true worth or capability.”
Tristan’s left eyebrow lifted. “Then you are more than capable of accepting punishment as it is given? Because there will be no trade-off this time.”
“Yes.”
Nathan’s brows furrowed and his eyes narrowed. “Naomi, stand down. Assume your position in the line and shut up!”
Nathan’s expression told Naomi she better stop while she was ahead. Challenging him and taking the punishment for the crew would make him look like a punk in front of his followers and his Alpha. She didn’t want her brother to have that reputation.
Tristan chuckled darkly. “A little sibling rivalry.” He slid the badges off Nathan’s Belt and let them fall to the floor, and then he tugged each end of the Belt sharply. The leather snapped loudly in the air.
Nathan removed his shirt and threw it next to his badges.
“Eleven lashes for your crew, plus six more for your sister,” Tristan declared.
“No!” The protest rushed from Naomi’s mouth.
“Zip it shut, Sister.”
“I’m capable of taking my own punishment!” she cried.
“Assume your position like your leader says, or he’ll receive more lashes for not being able to control his crew members,” Tristan ordered and held the Belt high in the air above Nathan’s back.
Naomi turned, refusing to witness her brother being punished. She couldn’t prevent the sound of thick leather connecting with the skin and muscle. She bit into her lip, drawing blood as Tristan struck her brother again. And again.
It seemed an eternity passed before the punishment ceased. Still, she couldn’t bear to look.
“You have a disobedient but courageous leader.” Tristan’s voice sent chilly jolts up her spine. “For one month you are all under suspension and strict watch. Don’t leave the Compound under any circumstances. That is an order. Should you disobey, it will be the last order you receive as an E2.”
Someone shuffled their feet and another gave a muted growl.
Tristan’s eyes widened and his lips tightened. “Did I hear an objection?”
Complete silence fell
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