Fair Punishments For Everyone

Fair Punishments For Everyone
Amelia’s scream echoed through the hall, bouncing off the marble walls like a wounded animal’s cry.

“E-ELINA?! YOU—YOU’RE ALIVE?!”

Her entire body shook so violently she nearly collapsed.

Elina crossed her arms, unbothered. “Surprise,” she said coldly.

Murmurs rippled through the hall.

“She’s the runaway child?”

“Is this the same girl?”

“But she’s so different now…”

“What is going on?”

Theo stared—no, gaped—at Elina, his face turning pale, then red, then pale again. His lips parted, but no sound came out.

Damian finally straightened in his throne-like seat. “Now that Amelia recognizes her,” he said calmly, “things are clearer.”

Theo jerked his head toward Damian, breath shaking.

“Alpha Damian… what… what are you implying?”

Damian’s smile was soft, dangerous “Isn’t it obvious?”

He rose to his feet, the room falling into a deathly silence as his power filled the hall.

“Elina,” he announced, “is the child Amelia adopted… the child that was sold.”

Theo staggered backward as if the ground had vanished beneath him.

His voice came out strangled. “Elina… is the child… the child that was s-stolen… from Rina…? My child…?” His entire body trembled. “My… daughter?”

A wave of gasps crashed across the hall.

Menar let out a choked whimper. Amelia dropped to her knees instantly, screaming,

“No! No, Alpha! I—I didn’t know she was Luna Rina’s child! I swear! I swear I didn’t know—!”

She crawled toward Damian, sobbing uncontrollably. “She was just a baby! They told me she needed a home! I didn’t know she came from—” Her voice cracked, “from a royal bloodline…”

Elina scoffed, the sound sharp enough to cut stone. “You knew enough to treat me like trash,” she spat. “You locked me out in the cold. You starved me. You beat me, and you threw me away.”

Amelia froze, tears streaming down her face. “I—I didn’t mean—”

“Save it,” Elina said. “I’m not the same helpless child you used to torment.”

Theo dropped to his knees in devastation.

His hands shook violently as he looked at Elina with eyes full of horror… and hope.

“My child…” he whispered. “My daughter… all this time… you were alive…” His voice cracked, “And suffering… right under my nose…”

Elina stiffened. Her heart twisted painfully—not because she wanted to cry, but because something deep inside her responded to his pain.

Damian watched all this with a grim satisfaction. He spoke again, voice booming “MENAR SOLD RINA’S CHILD.
AMELIA RAISED HER UNKNOWINGLY.
THE CHILD RAN AWAY. AND THAT CHILD—”

He pointed at Elina,“—is MY daughter, and the rightful princess of the Dam-Nighade Legacy.”

Chaos erupted. Some dropped to their knees. Some covered their mouths.
Some just stared at Elina like they couldn’t believe their eyes.

Mina, who had been watching silently until now, went pale… then green… then ghost-white.

This revelation destroyed has her entire plan. Lambert was supposed to be the only rightful heir.

Theo looked up at Elina again—slowly, like he was terrified she would disappear if he blinked. “Elina…” His voice came out broken. “Please… forgive me… I swear… I never stopped searching… I never stopped looking for you…” He reached out to touch her.

But Damian stepped forward, blocking Theo with one hand. “Do not touch her,” Damian warned.

Theo swallowed hard and lowered his gaze.
“Alpha…” he whispered, “I just want… to hold my daughter…”

“Not yet,” Damian said. Then he turned back to the hall.

“There is still judgment to deliver.” His gaze sharpened like a blade as it landed on Menar, who trembled violently, then on Amelia, who could barely breathe.

The room went silent. Dead silent.

Damian’s gaze swept across the hall like a cold wind. Finally, he straightened, shoulders broad, presence overwhelming.

“Let us begin the judgment.” Everyone swallowed hard.

Damian’s voice dropped, low and merciless.
“Menar of Dam-Nighade Pack,” he said, “you stole the child of your Luna. You sold her and worked with Samantha who is already dead though to destroy the Alpha’s family. And you murdered a merchant to hide your crime.”

Menar collapsed onto her knees. “S-Spare me, Alpha… please… I—I was used—!”

“Enough.” The word cut through her like a blade.

Damian continued, “I kept you alive in the dungeon for one reason only… to hear the truth from your mouth.” Menar sobbed, head bowed.

“I have heard it.” A deadly pause.

Every heart in the hall started beating fast.

Then— Damian lifted his hand. “You will not beheaded.”

Gasps erupted. Even Liam’s brows shot up.

Menar blinked, confused, shaking. “I… I won’t… die?”

Damian nodded once. “No. You will live.”

For a moment, Menar looked relieved. But that relief lasted exactly one second.

Damian’s eyes turned hard. “You will live,” he repeated, “because beheading is too light a sentence for someone who destroyed a family.”

Menar’s relief turned into horror. “You will spend the next minutes of your life watching how your skin is being carefully peeled from your body,” Damian declared.

“And if you weren’t still breathing by the end of it, then you will be served to my pet for his dinner. After all, my jaguar hasn't eaten since morning, and he particularly loves scheming female warriors" Damian grinned at her, while cold sweat broke out from their faces.

Menar’s scream tore through the hall. “No—NO! ALPHA PLEASE—!!” But the warriors dragged her away. Her cries faded down the corridors.

Theo stared at the floor, trembling."Will I be spared from such fate?"

Elina swallowed hard, feeling a strange mixture of justice… and sorrow.

Now Damian turned to smile at Amelia. She froze instantly.

Her face was suddenly broke out in sweat.
Her eyes darted between Elina and Damian helplessly.

“Amelia.” Her name alone made her flinch.

“You unknowingly raised my daughter.”

She nodded rapidly, bowing low. “Yes—yes, Alpha. I swear, I never knew—!”

“And yet,” Damian continued coldly, “you abused her.Starved her. Beaten her. And drove her into the streets where she almost died.” The hall went silent again.

Amelia collapsed fully to the floor, forehead touching the marble. “I—I regret it! Alpha, I regret everything—! I lost my own child later! I suffered! I—”

Damian didn’t blink. “You suffered,” he said flatly, “but not for the right reasons.”

Amelia sobbed harder, fingers curling weakly on the floor.

“However,” Damian added quietly, “your sins are not equal to Menar’s.”

Elina frowned, confused—and slightly angry she felt confused.

“You did not steal her,” Damian continued. "Or sell her. You did not know her lineage.
And you are not intelligent enough to orchestrate a crime of that magnitude.”

A few warriors coughed awkwardly.

Amelia lifted her head slowly. “So… I won’t… die…?”

Damian studied her. “No.”

She burst into shaking, relieved sobs.

“But,” Damian added sharply, “you are still guilty of abusing a child—not just any child, my child.” Everyone stiffened.

“Your punishment,” Damian declared, “is servitude.”

Amelia looked up weakly. “You will serve the pack as a servant for the rest of your life. Work under supervision of Elina.
No freedom beyond assigned duties.
Until Elina herself decides you are forgiven.”

All eyes shot to Elina.

Amelia choked on her breath, falling into a deeper bow. “Elina… please… please… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”

Elina stared at her, expression unreadable.
“Stand,” she said quietly.

Amelia lifted her head just enough to meet her eyes.

She simply said—“Your punishment is fair.”

Amelia bowed deeply again, shaking with gratitude.

Theo covered his face with both hands.

Damian sat back slowly, his voice climbing again. “The truth has been revealed. The guilty have spoken. Their punishments are set.”

He turned to Theo—calmly, but with a sharp glint.

“And now… there remains one final matter.”

Theo lifted his head. Tears streaked his cheeks.

Damian continued, “The father of the stolen child.”

Theo’s heart stopped. Even Elina looked at Damian, startled.

The entire hall held its breath. Damian’s lips curved slightly.

“Rise, Theo of Dam-NighadePack,” he commanded. Theo stood on trembling legs.