Copywrite to VedaPettigrew

The kitchen was cleared with ... I looked up at the clock; it read 8:27... three minutes to spare. A sudden rush of adrenaline swept through me making me feel sick. I had successfully managed to stop my mind from thinking about the next stage.

The collaring ceremony.

But now anxiety crashed through me like a tidal wave. What was going to happen?

My body started trembling as I followed Grandmother out the door. We headed towards a large bricked up area at the side of the house. It was heaving with what looked like hundreds of men, obviously I hadn't met everyone at breakfast.

My mouth started watering as I tried to suppress an increasing nausea that had me gripped in panic. My wolf was desperately trying to send me calming waves but they were too easy to ignore with all the apprehension I was feeling.

The men ceased to talk and everyone turned their heads to the women walking in, but every eye was upon only me.

Suddenly, the stress was too much and coupled with the disgusting gloop I had eaten, I could hold back no more. I turned and threw up in the bushes to the side of the path.

Being sick is horrible, especially when you haven't got much to bring up. Being sick with the eyes of hundreds of people watching you, is one of the most stressful, humiliating things I had ever experienced.

There was no way to hold back the tears as I wiped my mouth and stood up. I kept my head bowed, the shame forcing my vision to stay on the ground. Unfortunately my excellent wolf hearing meant that despite not seeing the disgust on their faces, I could hear it in their voices and in the words they spoke.

Weak

Ridiculous

Pathetic

No sympathy was apparent.

I felt a cup being pressed into my hand and looked back to see an omega running back to her place in the line. I gratefully lifted the cup to my mouth and swirled a small part of the water before hiding my mouth with my hand and spitting it in the bushes. I then drank the rest of the cool water.

"Come on Greta, stop embarrassing me," Grandmother snarled quietly.

"Perhaps I wouldn't be as nervous if you'd let me ask some questions," I muttered under my breath. But not quietly enough.

"Worthless girl, who would ever believe you had alpha blood? I blame your pathetic omega father," she spat and my heart actually stopped for a moment.

I closed my eyes overwhelmed by grief before answering back, "My father was not pathetic. At the moment, that title belongs to you."

The whole crowd gasped and I realised our little spat had got louder and everyone had heard me insult their Luna. I looked to Grandfather who had narrowed his eyes in my direction. He would not be happy I had hurt his wife's feelings. Whenever I had a spat with mum or dad, the other always got cross when they felt pain through their mating bond.

"You dare disrespect your Luna?" he shouted. The noise level dropped to nothing, everyone stopping to hear their alpha shout at the new wolf. His next words came in a low but deadly tone.

"You will serve a punishment for that and your little rebellion at breakfast. You will learn to be obedient to our rules here. I will consider a suitable punishment and give it out after the ceremony."

My heart sank, I was already getting punished. I should have held back my words but my dad was amazing and I didn't care that he was an omega. The only thing I hated about it was that it meant he wasn't strong enough to stay alive after mum died. Not even for me. He tried to fight but he was weak.

I knew Ori would forgive him, he was so disappointed in himself and begged forgiveness in his note for this flaw. I forgave him too... most of the time anyway.

"Come here Greta," Grandfather said coldly. When I reached him he said quietly so only I could hear, "You have ruined this beautiful moment. This ceremony is an honour and you have besmirched it with your impulsive, rude tongue."

"But Grandfather..."

"But nothing, hold your tongue."

"I just want to..."

"Silence." It was an explicit Alpha Order and I could no longer speak. I looked at him, desperately wanting to be able to defend my side, but it seemed I wasn't allowed one.

He turned to the crowd, the women had sat behind the men in a separate area. My parents would have hated it, they always chose to be near each other whenever they could.

"Stone Mountain Pack, it is good to see you all here. We have gathered for what was a joyous occasion that unfortunately has now been sullied by the recipient."

I bowed my head even lower as I stood next to my grandfather. Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry.

"My daughter's daughter has returned to us."

As soon as he said the words, the crowd started whispering and a low level rumble growled out at us. It stopped when my Grandfather cleared his throat.

"Although her paternal heritage is a disgrace to our good name, we welcome her back and look forward to setting her upon the right path again."

My face heated up, I was desperate to say something in defence of my father. Anger flowed through me at the casual way he was insulted. Not only him, but all omega families. I tried in vain to speak but the Alpha Order still stood and would do until Grandfather removed it.

I gritted my teeth and tried to calm myself with deep breaths. My wolf paced inside me, she also loved my father and had received a lot of love from him. She was angry too.

"I Alpha Amos Anderson claim this female Greta Anderson as mine. I take responsibility for her until her mate comes to claim her."

My name was not Anderson, our family name was Thorne. My name was Greta Thorne.

I was so busy trying to say this aloud that I almost missed the brown dog collar that Grandfather held up to the crowd.

"With this collar I put my ownership upon her."

What?

There was no way I was letting him put a collar on me. It was barbaric and humiliating. I was not property.

"I will be her master and she will follow me and my ways."

My heart was beating hard and fast. He was my master? I followed his ways? What about my own ways? I had plenty of my own thoughts. I was my own person.

If I could speak I would be shouting from the stage and refuting all his words. But the cursed order had me sweating in silence.

"My rules for her are these; She will be allowed no further than Area One unsupervised, she will be allowed no unsupervised male contact, she will not be allowed to shift without the supervision of myself, Luna Elgatha or Beta's Wife Eldra, she will follow the Luna for lessons in how to run a pack, she is above all females except the Luna, this is because she has my blood and my blood is above all, she is to obey all pack laws, she is to follow The Origins, she will be unable to attend any and all activities without a letter of permission, she will wear clothes that we approve, all of these will be marked with AAA, she will not be permitted to wear perfume or make up, she is not allowed any contact with the outside world – pack only, no phones, no internet."

I felt like I was going to throw up again. This was not a beautiful ceremony, it was beyond awful. I had lived with freedom my whole life and now it was being ripped from me. I could not be this person.

Panic started rising up inside. I couldn't live like this. My breathing came hard and fast and I had to put all my effort into standing upright, not fainting or running away. I felt worse than a dog, lower than a pet. It was subjugation. It was torture.

I am not subject to male control, I have my own control. I am capable of making my own decisions. I am capable...

I started hyperventilating as Grandfather took a step towards me with the collar, unconsciously stepping back from the horrible thing. I started shaking my head slowly side to side, refusing to accept what was happening.

"Greta Anderson, you are now my property. You do not need to consent or agree," my grandfather's voice boomed out. "It will not make it any less so." He lifted the collar towards me and I turned to run.

I made it only a few steps before the Beta caught me, fiercely wrapping his arms around me, capturing my arms to my side. I had no hope of escape, no words to argue.

He lifted me and brought me towards my grandfather who brought the heinous thing towards my neck. I kicked out, managing to catch his stomach. It only made him pause slightly before another male came and clasped my legs together.

I started shaking my head frantically. No way was I agreeing to this humiliation. I desperately wanted my voice, I wanted to scream and shout. I wanted the panic to have a way out. It was stuck in my stomach, churning my insides.

Suddenly I wanted to vomit again, just so I could spew forth all over my grandfather, but it wouldn't come. Typical!

I thrashed around, not making it easy for the men who held me and forced me to bend to their decisions. I would not go down without a fight. I would not stand idly by and accept this disgrace.

I was so desperate to release some sound. Anything. Somehow this torment was worse because I wasn't allowed to utter a single noise. I desperately tried to think of a way around the Alpha Order.

Ori please help me. I prayed desperately to The Original.

Miraculously I felt the releasing of the bonds and without my conscious decision, I screamed out at the top of my lungs, I could hear my beautiful wolf howling with me.

"NO. NO. NO. I don't want to be collared, I don't want it," I shrieked.

My grandfather looked astounded. I imagine he had not ever seen someone able to break his Alpha Order. It was one victory in this horrible ordeal.

As he came closer with the dreaded object I feared it would be my only one. I thanked Ori silently for at least that before shouting again.

"Leave me alone Grandfather. This is not honourable, it is not beautiful. You are a liar. NO, NO, NO!" I was screeching and tears were furiously making their way from my eyes as I continued fighting.

My grandfather had managed to get the leather to my skin just as I accused him and the very second I said the words the entire pack took a collective gasp in shock and started grumbling their anger at my "disgraceful" self.

Grandfather's face tightened in fury and suddenly the collar was tightly around my neck and fastened.

"What I have put on, let no other remove," he thundered.

As soon as the Beta released me, my hands went straight to the buckle and clawing at it so I would be released.

The Beta grabbed my hands.

"No other." Grandfather roared at me.

My wolf pressed against it with her snout, trying to chew it off, but of course it was useless. She nuzzled me as hot tears of mortification streamed down my cheeks. My whole body was aflame with humiliation at the inhuman way I had been treated.

"Get a lock."

The third man on the stage ran out of the courtyard while the Beta held fast to my hands. I was out of words but I could not stop sobbing. There was no other noise at all. The entire pack was in shock judging by their expressions.

I guess no-one ever rebelled against this 'beautiful honour'?

The acid in my stomach was burning my insides. I could barely breathe with the tightness of the collar mixed with my sobbing. I had bruises all over my body from being forced into submission. And the way the Beta was holding my wrists I suspected more to follow. I couldn't stop shaking from the shock.

I felt claustrophobic, desperate to be free. But this was it! I was not free, nor would I ever be free again. The thought alone made breathing even harder.

The man came back with a small but strong-looking padlock. Grandfather placed it in the buckle and my hands were released.

I immediately tried to release myself again, only to find the padlock was making it impossible. I tried relentlessly, tugging as hard as I could but it held fast. I could not stop trying though and refused to accept this mini prison.

"Enough Greta, you have embarrassed not only us but also yourself." Grandfather snarled at me.

"I am not embarrassed that I fought this," I said boldly. I don't know where I was getting the strength. "I'm embarrassed by you and these antiquated rituals you put so much emphasis upon."

My grandfather's face turned purple with a righteous fury.

"Get the cane," he bit out to the Beta, who looked positively gleeful at the idea.

"Now for the punishment," he boomed to the crowd. "Greta will receive one strike of the cane for each indiscretion."

I looked out to the crowd and saw plenty of satisfied smirks and smug nodding of heads. I almost broke down at the thought of public corporal punishment.

How can I bear this? I asked my wolf who nuzzled and licked me, sending out as much love as I had ever felt from her. I was so grateful to have such a wonderful wolf. She rubbed against me continually, her muzzle scenting me as hers, her soft silver fur warming my insides.

The cane was handed to my grandfather who nodded to Grandmother to join him on stage. I was numb as she came up and didn't fight when she opened the back of my shirt with a knife. I didn't struggle as I was tied to a pole, facing the crowd.

Nobody could see my bare skin, but they would see everything on my face. The pain, the anguish, the degradation.

"For the crime of dishonouring the Luna." My grandfather's voice was strong.

There was a swish and suddenly my back was on fire with a thousand needles piercing my skin. I cried out, there was no way I could do this in silence. I sent up another small thank you to Ori for having my voice back.

"For the crime or dishonouring this tradition based upon the Origins."

Swish. Another scream as my back was once again subjected to burning fire. I looked out to the crowd, desperate for at least one friendly face, but there was nothing.

"For the crime of physically attacking the Alpha." My grandfather spoke with a calm voice, but one would be a fool to miss the fury underneath.

Swish. I cried out against the agony, he was not being light-handed in any way. No love or sympathy for his lost and grieving grand-daughter.

"For the crime of fighting against the Beta's hold."

Swish. Burst of agony. Screams.

"For the crime of fighting against the Gamma's hold." Oh, that's who the third man was.

Swish. PAIN. Shrieking. Every face was stoic, nobody cared that my skin was being flayed, or that I could hardly breathe from the pain, let alone the stupid collar.

"For the crime of falsely accusing the Alpha."

Swish. Fire. Desperate panting, trying to breathe as everything started to go faint.

"For the crime of breaking an Alpha Command." Finally the crowd reacted with something other than smug glee. A shockwave of surprise and discomfort flowed through the pack.

Swish. Frolicking lambs on a shelf. That was the most painful of all. I screeched out louder than before.

"For the crime of attempting to remove the collar of someone else's property." I gasped, still hating that more than anything.

Swish. A billion needles piercing my skin. A raw yelp. Things started going fuzzy round the edges from lack of oxygen.

"For the crime of arguing against the Alpha."

Swish. Pain. A haze descended. I couldn't get enough air. Slowly I sunk down the pole as everything started going black.

...

...

...

Cold water splashed up my nose and in my face. I choked and awoke abruptly. I was still chained to the pole, still in front of the pack, my back was still in agony, my heart was still beating too fast. My clothes had been crudely fastened together at the back causing more pain to the skin where they touched. But I could breathe.

The collar had been loosened while I was unconscious. Thank goodness.

"You will find I do not take enjoyment in taking things too far." My grandfather was looking me in the eye, holding an empty bucket. "I had not realised your collar was so tight, I am not an unfair or mean man."

I had no energy to respond but I heard my wolf snort indignantly. Even so, I felt her gratitude that I was no longer struggling to breathe.

"Thank you grandfather." I rasped out. I didn't know whether it was the right thing or not, I felt weak for saying the words as if I was accepting this horror, but at that moment I was incredibly thankful for the air freely filling my lungs.

He nodded sharply then stood to face the crowd. I had no energy to do the same.

"The cane has been administered as part one of the punishment."

What? No, no more.

"I know you are horrified at the display of rebellion and ingratitude shown by my grand-daughter, but I believe she is able to learn our ways. It is not her fault that she was stolen from Stone Mountain, her rightful place. We cannot expect her to know all our ways. So the second part of the punishment shall be silence."

I looked up at him, not understanding his meaning. Before I had to ask he continued, "Greta, you are not permitted to speak for one month. You can spend this time observing the pack. Your opinions do not matter, ours do. You will learn them by witnessing pack life."

He turned to the pack, "Stone Mountain, nobody is permitted to speak to Greta. Do not initiate conversation, verbally instruct her or tell her off. Do not answer any questions she might ask. Anybody who breaks these rules will receive one strike of the cane for each time." He turned back to me. "That includes you Greta. I do not know how you broke the command, but know this, if you choose to speak you will receive this punishment again."

He turned back to the pack. "If anyone sees Greta breaking any of the rules or punishments, inform me. If you see a fellow pack-member break these rules, inform me. If I discover anyone has lied, they will receive the punishment in double. This is in effect from now."

To be honest the whole silence thing sounded quite nice at the moment. I could take time to recuperate and grieve.

"Greta, you will be expected to continue contributing to pack life, you will observe to know what is expected of you. Luna and I will be able to give you commands if absolutely necessary, but you must not respond verbally. I will expect a report of what you have learnt at the end of the month. You will come to my office at 10am in exactly 31 days and tell me of your progress. If I feel you have not learnt enough, I will extend the punishment. Understood?"

I nodded.

"Good. Stone Mountain Pack, you are dismissed."

Everyone filed out, first Alpha, then the men. Followed by Luna and the women. No one looked my way. No one unchained me.

I laid my head to the wooden planks and closed my eyes. I was too tired to care, too tired to do anything beyond lay still and absorb the pain in my back. My wolf stood over me protectively and licked at the wounds on my back.

She would help me heal faster. She leant me her strength all the time and I would heal twice as fast. I felt despair closing in and she whined at me. I stopped all thoughts and focussed on her movements as she tended to me.

My breathing slowed as I relaxed under her care. Just before I fell asleep, I could have sworn I heard her voice in my head, but it might have been Ori's.

"Rest for now Little Love. I'm afraid your battle has only just begun. But I will be with you, every step of the way."