Twisting Her Fate
Chapter 76

Maggie looks at Gabriel, she feels so self-assured, so very fearless. Even looking at the whip in Gabriel's hand, she struggles to hide the smirk, like she is holding the biggest secret. Gabriel just stares at the whip in his hand with his own smirk, all his anger can be directed into this thing. Instead of being worried about doing this to the woman he is about to marry, he feels a sick sense of pleasure.

Gabriel's large hand reaches down, ripping out the back of Maggie's shirt, exposing her flawless and soft skin. Maggie smiles as she feels the cool breeze on her back, her forehead pressed against the pole so no one can see her expression, she is feeling so smug, feels so invincible.

Gabriel takes two steps back. Usually in this situation he would list the crimes that the persecuted had committed, but there is just too many to list. He also doesn't want the pack to think any less of him, because how could he explain her crimes without coming off as incompetent himself? He just wants to inflict as much damage on her as quickly as possible, his rage is toxic, it is poisoning his whole system and he wants it out.

Gabriel raises his arm without a single bit of hesitation, bringing down the whip that has five leather tails. He would usually use one with silver barbs attached like what he used on Leilani back then. That was the first time he ever got to punish anyone in front of the pack, the memory actually filling him with more rage.

The whip cracks through the air, landing heavily on Maggie's bare back, the smug smile is wiped off Maggie's face straight away as pain so violent that she instantly vomits, ripping through her entire system.

She thought the serum was going to save her but it merely is to heal damage, it has no pain relief at all, so for a woman that has never been wronged, never trained and never felt more than pain of a few minor cuts and grazes.

Vomit hits the punishment pole and rebounds back into her face as she can't take anymore and instantly passes out.

Gabriel watches Maggie slump into a pile of her own mess, he just watches her back intently, scratching his chin as he watches the skin heal before his eyes. Was he wrong? He was so sure?

Gabriel looks at the whip in his hand. They don't usually punish past unconsciousness, but she only took one hit. It did nothing to quell his anger. If anything, it made him worse. Back then Leilani was eleven, without her wolf, without instant healing, he hit her until his arm was sore and she didn't make a peep, she just stared straight ahead the whole time.

The tears only fell later when she thought no one was watching. Gabriel had come back around because he couldn't sleep because he was so disappointed in himself that he hadn't broken her, feeling like he failed, he saw her tears that night and was able to go back to bed and have a good night's sleep.

Gabriel screams in frustration as he lifts the whip once more, hitting the back of the senseless woman once more before throwing the whip to the ground in frustration as he stalks toward Simon.

"What a good f*cking daughter you have raised. Where is her pain threshold? WHAT THE F*CK EVEN IS THIS SH*T?"

Gabriel gestures wildly at the mess of a woman. She has no wounds but even the lowliest omega could hold on longer than Maggie did. Simon was so worried about the healing he forgot that Maggie has so many downfalls that could be noticed. Simon pinches Astrid once again.

Astrid turns and looks at Maggie lying on the ground, tears instantly springing to her eyes. She fights to get out of Simon's arms and rushes forward, holding Maggie and sobbing violently. Simon hides his smile, Astrid's natural response is exactly what he was looking for. He plays on her insecurity all the time, but the truth is that, through all the adversity and the loss of her own daughter, the fact that she hardly sees her son, Astrid is still a good mother to Maggie.

"You have to understand Gabriel, Maggie is our precious daughter. Astrid has coddled her so much that her pain tolerance is nearly non-existent"

Simon looks at Maggie.

"May I ask what you were hoping to see?"

Gabriel looks at Maggie's healed back. The blood is obvious, but the open wounds that he thought he would see are obviously missing. Gabriel frowns tightly, rambling absentmindedly.

"I didn't think she would heal, I was questioning her blood value"

"I can assure you that Maggie is our daughter. I don't know what you were expecting to see, but she has alpha blood"

Gabriel just walks away, he has no idea what to think. His mind keeps going back to the determined little girl, he only saw weakness back then, but was it really weakness or was it something else? Was there strength and he was just too blind to see it? Everything is not going as Gabriel had planned. Back then, when he sent Leilani away, he believed that his only problem was behind him and his life would be smooth after the little bump.

Gabriel storms back to his study, opening the door with a loud crash, a couple of omegas are still scurrying around trying to clean up the room. Gabriel glares at them like they did something wrong when he is the one that requested them to clean it. "Where is that stunning redhead?"

"Karina?"

Gabriel frowns as he sits down on his seat. How is he meant to know her name?

"The one that cleans, I don't know her goddess f*cking damn name"

The omega in front of him shakes, slicing her hand on a piece of broken glass bottle.

"Alpha, Karina is still in the cells for stealing Maggie's necklace"

Gabriel nods, vaguely recalling something about that.

"Ohh yeah, serves the b*tch right"

The omega holds her bleeding hand as she and her friend move out of the room without answering. He isn't waiting for an answer nor do they have one to give. They are Karina's roommates and they have been too scared to ask about her. Gabriel has been all over the place, but the fact that he actually bought her up without knowing that Karina was still locked up gives Anna confidence.

Anna bows slightly and presses herself against the wall as Ex-alpha Lance passes by in a rush. He doesn't even glance sideways at her, but that is normal, in the seven years she has worked in the pack house, that one sentence was the most words Gabriel has ever said to her. It was mostly only one word commands like "Study" as was this morning.

Anna moves cautiously along the corridor until she comes to another door, lifting her hand and knocking.

"Come in"

Anna cautiously opens the door. Inside the office, Jameson is still grinding his teeth, unsure what to do. He has always been a goal-driven man, but since returning to the half-moon pack he can't seem to focus and that was before, now it is even worse. Jameson looks at the girl who enters. He knows her straight away as one of the omegas that cleans the pack house. He says hi to her when he sees her, but even that is rare, the girls are mostly out of sight. "Beta"

Anna speaks cautiously and Jameson motions to the seat across from him.

"What can I do for you Anna?"

"You know my name?"

"Of course"

A small smile plays on Anna's lips as her fingers twist in her lap, not forgetting her original purpose.

"Beta, I was just wondering if I could get any information on Karina"

Karina? Jameson pictures a pretty red head in his mind, only now realizing that he hasn't seen her around for weeks. He frowns, scratching his two-day old stubble that is coming through dark, thick and strong. He has been trying to decide whether to keep it. "What about her?"

"She was accused of stealing a necklace from Maggie and was locked up"

Jameson shifts in his seat, his frown only deepening, he hasn't heard about this at all.

"When did this happen?"

"A little over three weeks ago"

Jameson jumps out of his seat making his desk chair roll back and hit the wall heavily.

"THREE WEEKS?"

Jameson may only be a beta, but his aura isn't small. Anna cowers in her seat.

"A...A...Ahh yes sir, but she wouldn't do it at all, she is incredibly honest"

Jameson is shocked, he was off pack three weeks ago for pack buisness, but the fact of the matter is that even if Karina did steal a necklace, three weeks in the cells that are built to house rogues and hardened criminals is overboard. This is the first he has heard about it.

"Was there a trial?"

"No sir"

Jameson is fuming. What type of pack is this? Are they just planning on locking her up indefinitely? Jameson is angry at himself for not knowing what was happening. All his indecision fades and suddenly he has motivation again. "Thank you for letting me know Anna. I will look into it and let you know as soon as possible"

Anna thanks him and walks out of the room. Jameson tidies himself up and heads toward the dungeons.

Outside, near the punishment pole, Simon walks up behind Astrid, patting her on the head slightly, barely looking at Maggie at all. He shrugs off his jacket and throws it to Astrid.

"Just in-case it gets cold baby, don't worry Gabriel will come around soon and then you can come home"

Astrid grabs the material tightly in one hand, the other arm wrapped securely around Maggie, the scent on the jacket surrounds her and she can feel the lingering heat. Astrid's eyes are full of tears as she looks up at Simon, who has a gentle look on his face. He leans down kissing the side of each eye, tasting her tears before licking his lips.

"Don't forget twice daily"

Astrid merely nods as she watches him walk away without looking back. Simon gets in his car and drives away without a single look in her direction. Astrid's gaze once again moves down at Maggie, gently covering her with the jacket. "You are going to be fine sweetheart"

Lance walks into Gabriel's office and walks in without knocking, his eyes widen as Gabriel grunts, his load releasing all over himself. He only just touched it. He is unsure what pisses him off more, the fact that he can't possibly have s*x or the fact his dad just caught him messing himself up like a child, he didn't even have a chance to grab a tissue, he just has it all over the front of his shirt.

Gabriel is faster to compose himself as his anger takes over from his embarrassment easily. He stands putting away his already flaccid d*ck into his pants and taking off his soiled shirt in one swift motion, throwing it aside as he glares at his father.