bra’s /bPOV

A btense /bsilence had settled over the room when I saw her stand. It was a shock, like a cold wind cutting through the room. There was no mistaking who it was–Prisca, Mi’s mest vocal victim. Her eyes were filled with something deeper than rage as she addressed Alpha Thorns.

“Are byou /bobjecting Prisca?” Thorne’s voice cut through the quiet, a frown pulling at his face,

“Yes,” she answered firmly, her voice strong despite the tension, “I do object to the penalties”

The elder on her right couldn’t hide his disbelief, his voice rising. “But… Mi caused all your suffering. An eye for an eye–don’t you want to see her suffer as you did?”

Prisca’s gaze shitted sharply to Mi, but when she spoke, her words were cool, controlled. “Of course I want to see her pay. But not like this. I don’t want her expelled,No.”

The room held its breath. The audacity.

A murmur of confusion rippled across the council, but Prisca pressed on. She crossed the room to stand before Thorne and the elders. “I ask you all, have byou /bever truly lived in the brogue’s /bworld? Not just fought them–lived among them?”

Thorne’s gace darkened as he answered sharply, “I’ve fought them. Killed them. But I’ve never lived like them. Now, tell me what this has to do with our bdiscussion/b.

Prisca’s gaze flickered to Mi for a moment before she continuedb. /b“Expelling Mi would only free her. It’d give her a way out, not punishment.” Her voice turned hard as she spoke of Mi, her wordsced with venom. “She belongs with them. The rogues are bcold/b, ruthless…just like her. She’d fit right

The elders exchanged looks, murmuring among themselves. It was clear Prisca’s word’s hit a nerve. One elder finally spoke, his voice thick with curiosity. “Then what do you suggest, Prisca? You have the right to bspeak /bon this, considering all that you’ve endured.”

Prisca lifted her chin, her stance unwavering “Instead of expelling her, let’s keep her here. Assign her to hardbor. Make her a ve, Let her ear redemption through sweat.”

“But isn’t that too lenient?” an older objected, furrowing his brow. “How do we ensure she suffers enough for what she’s done?”

Prisca smiled–a quiet, knowing smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “That’s why I want her assigned to me. As my personal maid.”

A stunned silence nketed the room. The very suggestion seemed impossible. No one had ever seen a bdy /breduced to serving as a bmaid /bbefore—not in

Direstone bPack /b

“What?” Drik stammered, his voice shaky with disbelief. “bMi /bcan’t even clean! She’s never had to do a single thing in here. How would she know how to serve as a maid?”

bPrisca’s /bugh was cold, cutting through the tension. “She’ll learn, won’t she? Do you think I was born to serve as a maid, Orik?” Her voice sharpened, and the room seemed to tighten around us. “She’ll leam. And I’ll make sure of it.”

Orik opened his mouth to protest, but Owen, ever the peacemaker, tugged at his shirt, urging him to hold his tongue.

Thorne, who had been silent throughout, turned toward ra. “What do you think, Gamma ra! Does this seem biri /b

The attention shifted to me, band /bfor a moment, was still, I couldn’t let the opportunity bpass/b. Not with Mi, not now.

I stood up from my seat, my gaze fixed on Prisca’s determined face. “I think it’s perfect. Let Mi pay for her crimes in the way she deserves.” I bpaused/b, giving the council a knowing smile. “And insist on the tattoo, too. Let it serve bas /ba constant reminder of what she’s done.”

The words hung in the bair/b, and before I could even brace for the response, Mi started to thrash, muffled screams pouring from her sealed mouth. She

struggled violently, but it only made the crowd buzz with excitement. They were waiting. And I knew they were bhungry /bfor this spectac

I smiled sweetly at the chaos unfolding before me. “Why don’t we do it right here? In front of all these people? We wouldn’t want them to bleave /bdisappointed, would bwe/b?”

The crowd cheered, pping with enthusiasm. The tattoo was going to happen, and they were eager for it.

With Thome’s nod, guards rushed in, returning with the tatton needle. The sharp, metallic scent of the equipment filled the air, ingling with the crackling tension.

Mi’s eyes went wide with horror as they forced her to kneel in front of the crowd. Her body trembled, eyes darting from side to side, but all she could do was grit her teeth against the gaE

“Wait a second,” Prisca’s voice broke through the mounting anticipation,

She stepped forward, taking the needle from the guard’s hand. “I do it.” Her words were simple, yet they carried an intensity that silenced the room,

Mi’s panicked gaze flickered between the needle and Prisca’s cruel smile bas /bshe took her chin in her hand. “You thought you’d never see me again. bdidn’t /byou, Mi?”

The needle hovered above her forehead, glinting in the light The tension in the air thickened.

“I’m here now,” Prisca continued, her voice almost a whisper as she giggled darkly. “And we’re going to have so much fan forever”

The first prick of the needle into Mi’s skin made her body jerk in pain, her muffled scream a mix of agony and fury. She clenched her teeth so hard thought she might break them.

“Does it hurt, bMi/b?” Prisca taunted, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. “You should remember this. Remember how you made me suffer”

I could see the crowd, the Diaz family watching, waiting. This was more than just punishment. It was a statement. One that would echo through every single person present today.

Mi’s body trembled as the needle continued its work, but she couldn’t escape. No one could escape the consequences of their choices here.

Co, standing nearby, let out ba /bsmall cry, fainting in Ruvan’s arms. Drik looked like he might lose his lunch. But I couldn’t bring myself to care.

I watched, the sweet taste of victory in my chest, as the tattoo bfinally /bfinished, it was done. “SLAVE,” written across Mi’s forehead.

I could feel the weight of the moment, it wasn’t just Mi who was being punished; it was a warning to anyone else who dared to dely us

Prisca stepped back, releasing Mi, who crumpled to the ground. “My work here is finished. May I take Mi home now!”

!

“Allowed,” Thome’s voice bwas /blow, and he stood, casting a final nced at the crowd

“Let this be a lesson to you all,” he said. “The Direstone Pack will not tolerate betrayal or criminal acts. Anyone who challenges us will bface /bthe same fate.”

The crowd erupted into apuse, a deafening roar that filled the ball.

But bas /bthe trial bended/b, and the buzz died down, I couldn’t ignore the feeling in my gut. The rogues wereing, and we needed to be ready

bI /bturned to leave, my focus on the next phase of training. As I passed through the crowd, a voice cut through my thou

“ra–wait!”

I stopped, turning to face the familiar voices–Ruvan, Co, Orik, band /bOwen.

“What do you bwant/bb?/bb” /bb” /bI asked, Invitation thick in my tone I had no time for them now.

Owen’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Not so fast, Blood Moon Pack’s little princess. We need to talk about what you owe us

TIGUb, /bbJU /bJU

I raised an eyebrow, unfared, “What are you talking about?”

Co’s swollen eyes locked on mine as she stormed forward, “You’re afraid! We raised you, fed you, and you’re posting to walk away? How are you going to pay us back for all we’ve done for you?”

I couldn’t help butugh. “You want me to pay you back? For what? Raising a monster?” I took a step forward, not backing down. “You made your choice. when you brought me into your life. Now, you’ll live with the consequences”