Page 137 of Caged Between the Beta & Alpha
“Call my sexy man…” He nodded. I smiled, mind-linking him, hoping we were still in range…
Twenty minutes later, we were in Taylor’s car, with Zack and Taylor in the front, and I was staring up at the dark sky from the back, my mind pondering over Nina. I always saw her there. Surely there must be a reason… by any chance, did she have a child that passed away? She was an omega — getting pregnant by a pack member wasn’t unheard of. My stomach twisted. Was it maybe a mated werewolf, or was there something more to it?
I knew I was just coming out with assumptions, but I promised myself that the next time I saw her, I’d ask her. Maybe she was hurting in silence…
From the Heart
Raven
Dad’s trial.
The meeting hall in the packhouse was full. The Alphas, the Beta, and the Delta were there, along with many other adult pack members who wanted to sit in.
Uncle El was seated at the table on the dais alongside Aunty Red, Damon, and Zack. As for Haru Jacobs… well, he was cuffed as he was placed in a seat, two guards flanking him. He was a lot thinner and looked like an empty shell. Losing Mom had indeed taken its toll on him. He didn’t even bother looking at me, staring blankly at the ground as if he had already given up on life.
I was seated in the front row with Taylor next to me. Uncle El had just told everyone why we were there and listed Dad’s crimes, from physical abuse, neglect, emotional abuse, manipulative behaviour, lying, and breaking every law that the pack stood for. I knew for many, it was hard to believe that the respectable Haru Jacobs could have committed such crimes.
“I have already heard evidence from a few others who have seen his behaviour and have seen him lose his temper with her. He also confessed this in the presence of the previous Alpha and Beta Damon. Without wasting further time, I will run a few questions past his daughter, the victim of his abuse, to affirm the facts. Both will be under Alpha command to attest the truth and only the truth.” No one could argue with that as I stood up, and Uncle El looked down at me.
“Under my command, I expect you to speak nothing but the truth and not abstain or hold back anything.” His command rolled over me, but unlike before, the power of his Alpha command wasn’t as strong… was it because I held Liam’s mark?
“I understand,” I said. This was the start of my resolution to be whom I wanted to be, for me and no one else. “From as far back as I can remember, I was always told that I was useless, stupid, worthless, unwanted, and that I was the worst thing that could have happened to my parents. No matter what I did, I was put down, told that I was not good enough and that maybe it would be for the best that I died somehow. Growing up, I became so used to him getting abusive that I began to just deal with it… trying not to upset anyone. I just wanted to ride it out, and I became… numb to it. So familiar that it had become normal.”
I was still doing that with everything, and I wanted that to change.
“I always did things wanting to make them proud, but I was never enough. Even when I became the Head Warrior, and I returned, I was told that I’m trash…” I took a shuddering breath and continued,
“Aside from the mental abuse, he’d hit me sometimes. Never enough to cause permanent damage, but a push or a thump. One time, he grabbed my hair and pushed me into the wall when I was thirteen. I broke my nose, but Mom just snapped it into place and told me to clean it up…” I felt a flare of anger, and I didn’t need to look up to know whose anger it was. Aunty Red. “It was more emotional abuse than physical. Mom, she’d let it happen and just watch it.”
“How can you talk ill of Kimberly when she’s in her grave?” A woman behind me muttered.
“Silence!” Uncle El growled.
“She’s stating facts, and it’s mindsets like yours that make people think that behaviour is normal! Kim let this happen when she shouldn’t have!” Aunty Red growled, glaring at the woman who had dared to speak. “I will deal with you afterwards.”
“Yes… Luna…”
Uncle El nodded at me, and I slowly sat down before Dad was placed under Alpha command.
Do you want to wait outside whilst we question him?He mind-linked me.
No, I’m okay,I said. I would face this. I needed closure. He nodded curtly before asking Dad to attest to his sins.
“She’s the reason my son isn’t here... she shouldn’t have been here…”
His voice was flat, as if he had no will to live. His eyes stared blankly at the ground. He carried on, repeating everything I had said. Each sentence that left his lips became more and more hateful. I could sense the anger, shock, and irritation from those in the room at his words, and I realised that if I had spoken out when I was younger, there would have been far more people on my side than I ever could have imagined. Taylor gave my shoulders a squeeze, and I felt a little comfort in him.
“Now that we have heard from both and we can all agree that he is guilty… it is time to hand out his punishment,” Uncle El said.
“He should be thrown out of the pack!”
“Lash him and keep him locked up.”
“Silence,” Uncle El said loudly, and the room went quiet. “For his crimes, Haru Jacobs will get one hundred and fifty lashes with a silver whip… I would have him banished, however, that would only result in him turningferal due to the loss of his mate, and he may harm others. He will remain in this pack, stripped of his rank and, due to his deteriorating health… he will be placed under house arrest at his home rather than kept at the prison, but I will ultimately let Raven decide. If you want him in the cells, we can do that too.”
“It’s befitting. He can stay in his house,” I said quietly. I never wanted to see that man again, to the end of his life... He can be alone… “I have one request,” I said suddenly, swallowing hard as I stared at the man before me.
“Of course,” Uncle El said.
