赤裸裸的滑稽故事

Two hours after the moon had already risen, the door to his cell was opened.

Granger swallowed and stood up from his place on the bed. Saul and another guard stepped into the cell. After placing new restraints on him, Saul led him from the room.

“So…” Granger started to speak.

“I have been given permission to remove your tongue, if necessary,” Saul replied.

Granger swallowed and closed his mouth.

He was led through the streets of what used to be his home. Men and women he recognized stared at him with a mixture of anger and horror.

Granger clenched his jaw as he searched the faces. None of them mattered. The only one that mattered was Ashleigh.

He looked away from their faces with boredom.

A sharp pain hit the back of his head. He let out a grunt.

“Guards!” Saul shouted.

Granger reached his bound hands up to his head. Pulling away, he saw the red liquid on his fingertips. He looked up to see a woman being restrained by guards.

“My son lived in Whiteridge! You monster!” she shouted as she was pulled away.

Several more shouts for Whiteridge, a few for Shadowcrest.

Granger sighed with irritation and continued walking. He felt Saul’s gaze on him.

“What?” Granger asked as he glanced over at the older man._.

“You truly feel nothing for the crimes you have committed,” Saul said.

Granger looked at Saul as though he were honestly thinking about it.

“No,” he stated simply, the slight curve of his lips making it clear that he meant what he said.

Saul took a deep breath and pushed Granger ahead of him.

Arriving at the arena, Granger looked around. He had only been here on his patrol rotations, never actually going inside.

It was a large open space, surrounded by tiered seating. Fitting at least three hundred at maximum capacity. The walls and seating were made of stone. Stairs led down to the event space, a large circle of cracked and broken stone. At the center were gallows made from the strongest oak.

Granger took it all in, seeing the people gathered, watching him.

‘Not since the former Alpha’s funeral pyre has this place been used,’ he smiled, feeling his importance at this moment.

Saul pushed him forward, and they descended the stairs.

When they reached the event space. Granger once more glanced back up into the rows and rows of spectators. Again, there were shouts, curses, growls, and howls. But none of it concerned him.

Where was she?

Granger was led before the gallows. Saul turned him around. Here he saw a group of people standing in the event space.

He looked at each of their faces.

Axel and Corrine stared at him with cold eyes. Alongside them was a woman he didn’t know. He recognized her as the same woman that hugged Ashleigh in the cave.

‘A Summer wolf…’ he thought, letting out a low growl. ‘Caleb’s mother….’

Saul pulled aggressively on his bindings.

Granger clenched his jaw, looking at the rest that stood before him.

Wyatt, Galen, and Bell looked at him in judgment.

‘Self-righteous bastards,’ he thought.

The last group of people, one man that he knew to be Bennett, Renee’s father. Behind him was a group of five men that Granger had known quite well. His former scouts.

‘Traitors,’ he snarled in his thoughts.

He moved his head, trying to look past them, but there was no one. He looked back to where Bell stood, but she wasn’t there either.

He swallowed.

‘Where is she?’ he thought, looking back up into the crowd again.

The audience cried out, again the shouts of all his crimes, the growls, and howls demanding justice. Once more, they shouted over each other, growing louder and more agitated.

Axel stepped forward. He turned to his pack members, raising his hands in the air. Most of the rabble died down. But there were a few that did not follow the rest.

“Silence!” Axel roared.

His voice sent out a vibration that every wolf in attendance felt. Those that had not understood before, now did.

Axel was the Alpha of Winter.

Corrine and Wyatt each glanced toward the other, an unspoken dialogue passing between them. Fiona grinned, aware of the significance of this moment.

Galen moved his arm around Bell’s shoulder. She curled into him, embracing his protective shielding.

As the calm settled over the wolves of Winter, Axel looked out among them, his eyes glowing ever so slightly. Then, he turned back to the gallows.

Granger swallowed. Telling himself that it was nothing more than Axel, the puppet alpha.

“Granger, former wolf of Winter,” Axel began. “You have committed many crimes for which you should be punished. But the greatest among them, treason.”

Shouts and howls echoed into the night. Granger looked up in the crowd, looking for her face hidden among them.

She had to be there, somewhere.

Axel raised his hand, silencing the crowd once more.

“You knowingly allowed an attack on Winter. Furthermore, you held and continue to hold information about the resurgence of our ancient enemy, the Fae,” Axel stated. “Will you tell us where they came from as your final act in this world?”

Granger smiled, shaking his head.

Axel returned his smile. Letting it fall before turning back to the crowd.

“Even at the end, he remains a traitor!” Axel shouted to the crowd.

Howls went up. Axel raised his hand.

“His judgment has already been decreed. He will face the same punishment as any traitor would!” Axel shouted.

Two men came forward, each carrying a large box. They set the boxes down between Axel and Granger.

The first was opened.

Axel stepped forward and reached into the box. He pulled out a thick-handled whip. It was roughly four feet long with a silver ball at the end of the lash.

The box was removed as Axel took a step back. Once the men were clear, he raised the whip and brought it down at full force. The sound of the lash snapping cracked in the air.

Those that watched felt a chill at the sound. The arena was silent.

Granger took short, shallow breaths through his nose. Then, he took a step back, stopped by Saul.

“The traitor,” Axel said, pointing the whip at Granger, “will give his pound of flesh, through fifty lashes. Distributed to him by the representatives of his victims.”

Axel turned back to the people Granger had already noted. All of them stepped forward, except for Wyatt and Bell.

“I stand witness for his father,” Wyatt announced.

Axel nodded.

“I stand witness for the orphans of Whiteridge and Shadowcrest,” Bell stated.

Axel nodded.

“I stand in representation of my Alpha,” Galen stated, clenching his jaw as he looked at Granger.

‘He’s not here? Good,’ Granger thought.

“I stand for Whiteridge,” Fiona said casually.

“I stand for Shadowcrest,” Saul announced.

“I stand for my daughter, Renee.”

“We stand of the southern wolves of Winter.”

Granger felt more and more irritated by the voices speaking,

‘None of this matters…’ he thought. ‘All that matters is–’

“I stand for Ashleigh,” Corrine smiled, locking eyes with Granger.

Granger’s eyes widened, and his heart pounded heavily in his chest. Then, clenching his jaw, he looked at her with fury.

“Where is she?!” he demanded with a snarl.

Axel turned with a speed that none could see, raising the whip and bringing it down again.

Crack!

Granger fell to the ground and howled in pain as a red gash appeared on his face.

“And I stand for Winter,” Axel growled.