Juliana's Pov:
Holding the tree behind the house, I struggled to control the power but I couldn't. I felt my whole body shaking and I knew what was going to happen next. My eyes started tearing up as I pleaded to the moon goddess to help me out. I can't blow my cover now, the last time it happened, it never settled well. The image of Ariana being whacked kept popping into my head, and the moment that she was slapped across the face kept flooding my mind. The face of Carter instructing them to whack her at the back popped into my head and boils my anger. I caused that I was the reason that the old woman was being treated like trash and humiliated in front of me yet I couldn't do anything.
I have never bought anything good from the people I do come closer to, she warned me about these people and fought never to break the rules yet I hurled her into it. She seemed sad and vulnerable yet she sought never for me to get hurt, she showed me that she cared but still I couldn't do anything. Her cry wounds my heart, her pain breaks me into tiny pieces still I couldn't save her. Her disheartening tears bleed my heart yet I left her behind.
She has done nothing to deserve that, she is too old to withstand that kind of torture. I felt this zeal to protect her but yet here I am doing nothing, her pain howls in my heart and vibrates in my head. My lips trembled as tears dripped down my face, wetting my cheeks. She has been through a lot and still, I am allowing her to wallow in pain all because of me. I am a misfortune and today I believed that I was one, I have this plague that anyone that associates themselves with me always ends up with one or two problems. Why me! Why didn't I die under the sword of Lucien? Why did the moon goddess have to save me?
My body is furiously shaking, with my hands wiggling. I know the thing and if I continue wallowing in pain here I will transform before I know it. So the only solution is to find a way to conceive them to set Ariana free. Forcefully pushing myself towards the place where she was been held for the torture, I indirectly glared at them. I moved with confidence and anger as I kept battling to keep my emotions in check.
"Why are you still here?" The same man that reported us, asked.
"It's none of your business," I snarled. I noticed that continuous pleading with them to set Ariana free won't work and so the only solution is to go the hard way.
"Juliana…" Ariana scarily muttered.
"How dare you!!" The man yelled, I can sense the amount of anger radiating from his body. I could have trembled but right now I need to risk everything to save the old innocent woman. For the first time in my life, I want to appreciate myself for doing the right thing.
"Like I said……. She is innocent, so behave and let her go," I warned.
"Who are you to tell us what to do?" One of the men uttered.
"I am just a girl but let her go right now!" exclaimed loudly, startling them.
"Juliana……. Please stop," Ariana clamored.
"A girl…… interesting," nodding his head with a deadly smile lingering across his lips. He mumbled.
"I still maintain, let her go," I growled inwardly as I fought my emotions. Continuous fighting with the powers weighed me down and weakened me but I am not going to let them notice it. I have to keep pushing forward together with this pain, they aren't seeing anything. I curled my fists as I fought the pain of fighting back the powers and my transformation. I can't feel my wolf but something else, it feels like something was awoken within me. Which scares the shit out of me, I know this feeling and I am not allowing anything funny to happen here, currently not now.
"And what if I refused?" He snarled.
"I will be left with no option but to crush you," I snarled as I dangerously bore out my fang unknowingly causing them to flinch back. I noticed the man stilled and I knew he was mind-linking their boss. I look all tough but within I am losing my strength, I feel tired and a little dizzy, and before I knew it I heard a voice behind me.
"What is going on here?" Carter asked with an authorized tone but I ignored him.
"She is threatening us, boss," they said in unison. I stood there not saying a word or even backing down.
"No! She didn't do anything," Ariana tearfully defends.
"Why are you here?" Carter asked me.
"I am here because I deserve the punishment, not Ariana," I muttered with confidence.
"Interesting! I love your confidence but the thing is that she will be receiving, and not you," he snarled.
"I caused the whole thing and besides this woman is old enough to be your mother," I taunted with a knitted brow as I stared at him dead in the eye causing his anger to boil furiously. He looked pissed and angry, that he was ready to slash anybody's throat.
"No living soul has ever challenged me!" He brags.
"Just let the woman go, I caused the whole thing" I muttered with narrowed eyes.
"You think that you have a sharp mouth," he glared, causing me to smile at him.
"Fine, release Ariana and tie this rascal to the tree," he blurted as his eyes glared coldly at me.
His men suddenly untied Ariana and forcefully grabbed my hand, they yanked down my clothes leaving me completely naked as they tied me to the tree with my back facing them.
"Juliana….." Ariana cries. I gave her the **I will be fine *** that kind of look. I caused the trouble so let me face it wholeheartedly, I felt insecure standing in front of them naked without wearing any clothes especially when my back is facing them.
"Give her forty strokes of cane instead of thirty," Carter instructed as he signaled for them to get him a chair.
Sitting graciously at his chair, he ordered "Let the torture begins………