Chapter 68 Make them pay

Make them pay

Nikolai

I grabbed her arm tightly as I pulled her struggling form to our room with me. I kicked the door shut and then pulled her across the room and forced her to bend over the small dining table. I grabbed both her wrists and held her arms behind her back so she couldn't move.

"I told you I will punish you if you use your powers to hurt someone again and I'm going to do just that. You put six people in danger today. Two strikes for each which totals twelve. And thirteen to twenty because I'm fucking pissed that you disobeyed me, again. Count." I brought my palm down on her ass hard, reddening it instantly.

"No," she growled and started squirming under my grip. "I did nothing wrong."

I brought my hand down harder on her other ass cheek. "Count."

She gritted her teeth but I smelled her arousal in the air. And then I felt her anger for being wet. Good. I growled. She should not be enjoying this.

"Count Avalyn." I snarled, hitting her harder than before. "I'm mad enough to want to belt you." I brought my palm down on her ass again.

"Four." She gritted.

I spanked both her cheeks. "Start over," I spanked again.

"One." She grunted. I rained down spanks on her ass, going harder with each one. She stubbornly only grunted in the starting but progressively screamed when I hit her harder. The sound of skin slapping against skin echoed in the otherwise silent room that followed with her counts.

I spanked her again on an already sore spot and she screamed, "eight." But then gritted her teeth, as if she was angry that she was even reacting at all.

That's when it set in. "You're still not sorry, are you?"

She shook her as much as she could with her cheek pressed against the table.

I released her and took a couple of steps back. There is no point in punishing her if she isn't sorry.

"Don't you realize what you have done?" I hissed at my silver-haired mate as I paced around in my bedroom.

"I realize that I have done nothing wrong," she smarted, pissing me off further. "I would do it again if I have to. No one should suffer like that." She pushed herself off of the table. "Go on and finish off the punishment. I will take it, but I will not take Natalia being treated like that."

"It's not suffering if it's her choice. You can't help someone who doesn't need your help. Because nothing is wrong." I said in a strained voice, trying hard to control my anger.

"But they are doing it for me!" She sounded pissed too.

Why the fuck does she not understand me? We never had this problem before. And the worst part was that I couldn't feel her wolf. I could hardly ever feel her wolf when her hair was silver—when her magic was potent.

I'm done arguing with her.

"Kneel," I gritted. Her eyes flashed at me in anger and I flashed her my canines in return. Slowly and reluctantly, she lowered herself to the ground, wincing when her sore ass touched her heels.

"You will stay here, like this, without moving until you are ready to apologize. I don't care if it takes an hour or the entire fucking day. I want you to think about what you did and tell me about it after you apologize. Do you understand?" I growled.

"I understand," she echoed, her voice petulant.

"Understand, what?" I demanded, my voice hard and cold.

"Master. I understand Master," she replied, her voice blank now.

Grinding my teeth, I left her there and went for a shower to get rid of the black smudges of smoke that covered my skin. I thought of calling Ava to get a shower too but then decided against it.

The quicker she wants to move, the quicker she will apologize.

After a quick but thorough rinse, I came out to see Ava still kneeling, her eyes looking straight ahead in stubbornness and her hair still silver.

A growl left my throat as I stomped to the closet and got dressed. When I came out, Ava was still the same. Pressing my lips together in anger, I left her there and locked the room from outside. She was naked inside and I didn't want anyone entering. Nor did I want her to leave.

'Conference room. Everyone. Now.' I barked at Dimitri and strode there.

I walked into the room and stood at the head of the table, placed my hands on the table, and waited for everyone to come in.

In a minute, Dimitri, Andrei, and Mikhail piled in, followed by Natalia and Max. My fists clenched.

"I would like to apologize to both of you on behalf of my mate." I looked at Max and Natalia.

"Did she not know?" Max demanded silently.

"She doesn't know the extent of your lifestyle. It is difficult for her to digest it. But you will receive an apology from her. Soon." I promised.

"I want to talk to her," Natalia said.

"Not right now," I told her.

"But I need to make her understand—," she shut her mouth after receiving a look from Max before nodding at me, "yes, Alpha."

I was impressed to see the change in her. She needed some discipline if she wanted to take part in the main operations of the pack. I had been trying to do that for the last ten years or so with no luck at all. And now she was learning it the hard way. But it's for her good. She needs to grow up. She needs to realize that this isn't fun and games and that we gamble our lives every day. She isn't untouchable just because she can fight.

"Are you both still ready to go ahead with this plan?" I forced my mouth to ask this question.

"I am," Natalia answered, her voice quiet and firm. "Avalon's thoughts are prejudiced because of her past. She doesn't understand it yet but she will come around, I know it. But we can't wait for that and let this opportunity pass by."

Regardless of her behavior, she has always been one of the best assets of the pack.

"I agree with Talia," Max spoke, "but you both didn't burn in the fire. And we kneeled before you." Max placed his hands on the large desk, his figure hunching over as he deliberated over it. "I don't kneel, Nikolai," he looked at me intently. "But every cell in my body believed in submitting to you. Both of you." He seemed confused and annoyed by that. "What kind of sorcery is that?"

"It's no sorcery," I growled. "I don't know what it was. The not burning in fire must be Ava. And I don't know anything about all of you kneeling," I told him and then looked at everyone else.

Dimitri rubbed the stubble along his jaw. "The submission I felt was more towards Luna. I felt your dominance as my Alpha but as Max said, every cell in my body believed in submitting to Luna."

"That's because you gave her a blood oath," I told him. That had to be it.

"I felt the same way," Andrei muttered and Mikhail murmured in agreement. Natalia nodded too. What? How is that possible?

How much ever we try to say that and Alpha and Luna are equal, we were not built like that. That's just our way of thinking because of modern times and forward-thinking. The Alpha was genetically built to rule a pack and protect it and the Luna was built to support him, nurture the pack and give heirs. That was what biology came down to at the end of the day. During olden times, the Alpha and Luna weren't equaled. Alpha was considered the single strongest leader of the pack. This is still true, when push comes to shove, Luna bows down and submits to his raw power. Whether it be by her own will or her wolf's inability to match his mental and physical strength.

This is exactly why it does not make sense for them to bow down to Ava and not me.

"I felt that towards you," Max's jaw clenched. Why? He isn't a part of my pack.

This whole shit is confusing as fuck.

I trailed my hand through my hair. "I don't know," I gritted. I hated not knowing. Especially when it concerned me, Ava, and my pack.

"Whatever it is, it's not important right now," I said firmly. "We need to focus on the upcoming fight. I need updates. Andrei?"

"We have about a hundred wolves that can fight, Alpha. Their training is going good and they are excited about getting some action," a smirk formed on his face.

My lips lifted too. It's true. It's been way too long since we have had some action. And at the end of the day, we were rogues and our animal instincts were stronger than our human instincts. And we craved the blood of our enemies. We loved a good fight.

"Tell Vladimir to send the best fifty warriors he has by tomorrow. He will train with us till its time for war." I told him.

"Yes, Alpha." He nodded.

"Mikhail." I looked at him.

"I have sent all the orders for the weapons and most of the shipments are arriving today and tomorrow. The cellar has been cleaned and checked so it can act as a safe house for people who aren't fighting. The food warehouses were not enough either so I ordered that too. It will be coming in in a week." He replied.

"Arrange for a different house for Max and Natalia by tonight. After that, you will be helping Andrei train everyone," I told him.

"Yes, Alpha."

"Dimitri." I arched my brow at him.

"I'm still working on it. I am almost finished but there are a couple of things I needed to discuss with Max first." He replied.

"I want it done by tonight." I gritted. This is not the answer I need.

"Yes, Alpha." He lowered his head.

"Max and Natalia?" I asked.

"It's going good," Max replied. "For the most part." He added. "But I will be done in a couple of days."

I looked at Natalia who was standing a step behind Max.

"I'm still learning but just as Master said, I'll be perfect after he is done with me." She replied, her lips tugging upwards a bit.

I nodded.

"Day after tomorrow, come over for dinner. We will have a meeting immediately after that. We will discuss the war strategy." I cracked my knuckles. I know exactly what we are going to do. I just need to do a couple of things before that. "The fuckers won't know what hit them."

Sinister smirked grew on everyone's faces and I smiled. We will give them hell.

I went to my office to work on strategy after that. It was evening when I needed a break and decided to check up on Ava. I went to our bedroom and saw that Ava was in her position, her slumped back straightened when I entered.

"Any development in your thoughts?" I arched my brow as I took long strides to reach her.

"Fortunately, no." She mouthed off.

My lips twitched. My mate was finally growing a backbone to talk back to me. And while it annoyed me to no end, I saw personal growth. She is more confident now. She isn't scared of me. And I have always wanted that.

But I don't appreciate her attitude. And in times like these, I needed her to listen to me. We were mates. The Alpha and Luna. And we need a united front. Especially regarding important matters like these. We have a war on our hands and have too much to do to fight amongst ourselves.

"Make yourself comfortable then, you're going to be here for a long time," I said, annoyance slipping in my voice.

"I'm very comfortable, thank you for the concern, Master." She smiled at me.

"Very well." I gritted in anger. "You can stay here and be comfortable all night. I'm off." I scowled as I strode out of the room but her voice stopped me at the door, "Nikolai."

I paused, stubbornly not turning around to look at her.

"You won't come back tonight?" Her voice was a tad bit softer.

"I don't have a reason to," I said after a beat and I walked out, locking the door behind me.

"Nikolai." She called me softly and my fists clenched. Do I want to hear her talk back to me any more than she already has?

"I'm sorry. Please come back." She murmured.

I don't even need to question myself. I unlocked the door and slipped in. Her eyes were lowered and her hands were clenched into little fists.

"I'm sorry." She told me. "Ish—"

"Look at me." I needed her eyes on me. I want to see what she was feeling.

Her ice-blue eyes slipped on me and a sliver of coldness enveloped the room.

"I'm sorry." She swallowed noisily, her hair flickering between silver and brown but it stayed silver in the end. "I —I..." she closed her mouth. I could see her struggling.

The silver-haired Ava with ice-cold eyes was struggling with my brown-haired, chocolate brown-eyed Ava. Feisty versus sweet. Strong versus submissive. Head versus heart.

There was a very thin line I need to tread on. I don't want to lose either side of hers. I love both sides equally because they both are a part of her. And if there is one thing I love the most in the entire world then it's her.

I need to find a balance.

I sat on the edge of the bed. "Come here, Love."

She crawled and then kneeled between my legs. I grasped her chin and made her look at me. "I know what I'm doing isn't entirely right. You are right in saying that we shouldn't do this. I hate making Natalia suffer too. I've known her since she was thirteen. She's family. I love her like my sister. So do Dimitri, Andrei, Mikhail, and Vladimir. Max is her mate and he loves her too. And all of us agree that this is the best option. Natalia agrees too. We have an amazing opportunity in front of us and if we don't grab it right now, I will never be able to forgive myself."

"I want revenge on those who violated my mate and my mother. I need to fight for their honor. If I don't do it this way, I will have to attack the Montana Pack later. And I'll be honest with you and tell you that we will lose. We have about a hundred wolves that can fight and they have about five hundred. Also, we will be on lower ground than them since the pack is in the mountains. It's a huge disadvantage. And while I prefer not dying at such a young age, I'll still attack the pack and die trying to kill Emilio and Emmanuel. It's just something I need to do."

"The choice is your's Luna," I told her softly yet firmly. "You will be answerable to the entire pack for the choice you make."

She rested her head on my thigh and cried. I let her get it all out and only caressed her soft, long hair. I didn't murmur any soothing words or say that it will be okay. Nothing was soothing about war. And this wasn't okay. But it has to be. We have to make it okay and go through with it.

"Make them pay, Nikolai, make them pay. I want his head."