Sharkbait Ch. 21-25

"Over? Did you say OVER? Nothing is over until WE say it's over," Leo said as he stood and gestured wildly. "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" The others in the room all started laughing.

"Unky Leo, the Germans didn't bomb Pearl Harbor!"

He looked at me like I was the idiot. "It's a movie quote, Sharkbait. From 'Animal House' in 1979."

I just shook my head. "The movie is more than fifty years old! You can't expect me to know that!"

He just shook his head. "No appreciation for classic movies or classic rock with these kids," he said with a shake of his head. "As for the charity, I agree that you need to wrap it up with your project. You're still doing the show for Shark Week with tagging off Cape Cod this summer, and Bodyglove's campaign will pick up come summer."

"Yeah, but Bodyglove pays more than expenses," I said. I closed my eyes, thinking of all I needed to do. "I also have to figure out where I'm going to school. I thought I was going to Oregon with Amy, but I don't know if she's going to follow Kai around for his training. He's going to move like five times in two years until he gets assigned to a SEAL team."

"What does your heart say," Mom asked.

"I want to help Amy, but I don't know if Kai and Amy want me along for the ride," I said. "If she doesn't regain her sight, she's going to need live-in help that Kai can't provide."

"Oregon has online options, especially for the first year," Alpha Steve said. "Many lectures are online, with exams in person or proctored. That's what Kai went back to arrange. I was going to suggest that for Amy so she can study at his bases. When Kai deploys overseas, she can return to the Pack and attend classes in person." It was a lot to think about, but I liked it. "How can I stay with her on a military base?"

"I don't know," Steve said. "We will figure it out. You're welcome at our Pack and to stay at the condo in Eugene to go to school."

I thought about things as I went through more messages, then it was time. We were all in our places when the Council filed in, looking grim as they stared at the three men chained in silver. The Chairman got right down to business. "Doctor Peter Pendleton, you have been sentenced to twenty lashes." His knees gave way as the guards grabbed him to hold him up; as a Doctor, he would have seen the results of the punishment. He knew what pain and recovery was in store.

"Alpha Heir Timothy Lords, you are sentenced to castration, then forty lashes. The lashes will occur in groups of twenty with one month between each part of the punishment. Your family will pay restitution to Monique Robinson of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, plus two thousand dollars a month in child support until Tyler reaches the age of eighteen."

Timothy looked like he was about to throw up. He should have expected it; rape was punishable by castration, and with her being underage, the lashings were the only punishment short of death.

"Alpha Theodore Lords, you are sentenced to death. Your estate will pay two hundred thousand dollars in restitution to Vicki Lawrence, and one million dollars to Amy Steele. Guards, take them to the Punishment Pole."

The three men were half-dragged out of the room to their fates. The guards forced Timothy and Theodore to their knees to watch Peter's punishment. A big guard cut off his shirt and shackled his wrists to a chain coming from the top of the post, leaving him stretched tall. The lashings were brutal, and his screams echoed in the mountain valley.

I stopped watching after ten, watching Timothy instead. He would do this twice, and his face showed his fear. No one would pity a man who would use his strength and position to rape another.

When it was over, his back was raw and bleeding, and he was barely conscious. The guards loaded him on a stretcher, and bearers took him to the infirmary.

A crying and struggling Timothy was dragged to the pole next. He'd pissed his pants in fear, but that didn't matter as the guards cut his pants off. Luna Adrienne claimed rights in the name of Monique and pulled out a silver-coated knife from the holder on her calf. Doctor Martinsen set up her equipment next to a gurney, ready to stitch the wound closed so he wouldn't bleed out.

I forced myself to watch. The Doctor washed his groin with Betadyne to help prevent infection, then taped his cock up out of the way. She poured alcohol over Adrienne's blade, then stepped aside. "For raping my charge, I remove your manhood," Adrienne said as she gripped his balls and tugged them down. A swift slice, a scream, and he passed out. Guards quickly took him down as Doc held a pad over the wound, then she stitched it up as his mate and parents watched in horror. Traci threw up on the ground as the pain hit her through the bond.

Finally, it was Alpha Theodore's turn. He said his goodbye to his mate and walked tall to the pole. His hands were secured behind his back so his neck would be open. Alpha Steven claimed the right and pulled out a vicious-looking Bowie knife coated in silver. "Last words?"

"I love you, honey."

Alpha Steven grabbed his hair and sliced his neck from side to side. Blood sprayed out as he let go; Alpha Steven stepped back and watched as the life drained from his eyes. His mate screamed in agony, first from the injury, then from the loss of her mate. All of the Killington Pack felt the loss of their Alpha's link, and command of the Pack shifted to his Luna.

"Timothy will be returned to the cells to recover. One month from today, he will be brought out to receive the first twenty lashes. Anyone who interferes in his punishment will share the same punishment." The Chairman looked around the crowd, his dominance making them all look away. "We are done here."