The Eclipsed Life of Luna Mischa (by Jennifer Francis) novel Chapter 24

CH 24

Mischa saw pain in Anthony’s expression as he realized she, his mate of 22 years, didn’t want him to touch her, or to even be near him right now. That she didn’t want to try and comfort him in his moment of pain upon seeing just what he’d done and that he wanted forgiveness. Seeing just how cold she was to him right that very minute, but what more could he expect when he’d been the one that had accused her of this heinous crime that could have gotten her killed.

At least now she understood exactly what it was Christy wanted, not only to cause her pain and see her and Anthony reject each other. That she–wolf wanted her dead. There could only be one reason for that. She didn’t believe Anthony would actually let her go if she left him. Or she didn’t think he’d be able to live with it, and so would be out there hunting for her within a few days or weeks of them being rejected.

She watched as Christy reached out and grabbed on to his arm the way she always did when trying to get him to side with her, or implying she was sorry, or didn’t mean it, only to have him slash her hand off his

arm.

“Don’t you touch me; you nearly had Mischa killed by your stupid words,” he grated out at her.

Mischa watched as Christy’s face filled with complete shock, at his response to her just touching him, she hadn’t even gotten the chance to get any words out. As she came to the understanding very quickly that he was no longer wrapped up in her every word.

Then her face fell and tears welled up and spilled down her face, and she turned and ran from the room, her sobs could be heard by all. Though she wasn’t running at full wolfen speed, and Mischa realized she was likely just trying to draw Anthony’s attention to her like she always did.

By crying, acting pitiful and running away, playing the victim that he was used to seeing her as, when here,

and now she was certainly not the victim at all. When she was in fact the one to orchestrate this whole

thing and set it off into motion.

She saw Anthony’s head turn ever so slightly, and she knew he was actually listening to the sound of his

other Mate running away. It appeared even now, knowing what Christy had done, he wanted to go after her.

(* ‘What else is new, she thought absently to herself.

“The punishment please,” Mischa stated. “I have a right to hear what it will be, to have it served in full, as well,” she stated coldly as she stared right at her own Mate while his attention was elsewhere when it

should in fact be on her.

His eyes met hers, and she tilted her head ever so slightly, as if she too was listening to Christy on her flight from this room. She saw more pain on his face as he realized she understood he was focused on Christy when he really shouldn’t be. That she’d not missed the ever so slight tilt of his head which

indicated where his focus was.

“I’ll see she doesn’t leave the pack,” Elder Simone stated, and her eyes glazed over for a brief moment before coming back to the room.

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Anthony turned away from her as he realized she was not going to back down. Christy had started this war, and she was going to have her punished for it, regardless that she was his second Mate. Anthony faced the Elders of the pack, took in a breath and released it slowly, “State the punishment. I will accept it to keep Mischa as my Luna; I do not want to lose her. I love her, my wolf loves her, we are Goddess–Gifted to each other, and we have been bound by the Mate Bond for 22 years. I will mend my ways and save our Mate Bond.”

There was a solid 10 minutes of the elders holding a private mind–link with each other before they all stood. Elder Debbie was the first to speak, “Full acknowledgment to the entire pack that Luna Christy wrongly had you, Alpha Anthony, accuse Luna Mischa of bringing her to harm.

“Luna Christy will be present for this announcement, she will be made to kneel in front of the entire pack, at Luna Mischa’s feet, wearing silver cuffs the entire time, and she will go on the shaming post afterwards for three days.

“For the days she took you away on purpose, from Luna Mischa’s heat. This is so she can be shamed fully, before all here in the pack and learn the error of her ways in full, and see that no one is above punishment.

“Once on that shaming post, Luna Christy will then receive the 5 lashes for the first instance of disrespect to Luna Mischa, claiming she lied about her heat. Then 5 more lashes for the disrespect to yourself as was previously stated by us.

“Then she is to receive 5 lashes for each time she told you not to go to Misha, when she wasn’t in a bout of heat herself, but Mischa was. How many was that, Anthony?” she asked him.

“Four of the nine she suffered alone.” He murmured, and she heard the guilt in him now, but she had no sympathy for him, he’d made that choice of his own free will. That will be 20 more lashes. A total of 30,

with the cat of three tails to be dished out,” Debbie stated and sat down.

Elder May stood, “The lie that Luna Christy stated in the pack hospital to you knowingly. That could have

seen Mischa’s death. Something we are lucky, you are even lucky, that Mischa is intelligent and knew how to go about proving her innocence correct?”

“Correct.” He nodded.

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“The verdict is that you should reject Christy and banish her to the wilderness of rogue territory, mark her

as a traitor… Only Mischa can rescind it or change this punishment verdict. Seeing as she is the Luna that

nearly lost her life, at you and your other Luna’s hands. I suggest you plead with her on that one. Luna’s can be merciful, and it’s not to be enacted until after the full shaming and lashings to be given.”

“If Luna Mischa can be swayed otherwise, what would your recommendation be as punishment? I also love Christy, and don’t want to lose either of my Mates, not to death or rejection. I’m certain I can bring

about a harmonious pack once more if given the chance,” Anthony asked.

She shook her head, of course he was going to plead for Christy’s life. Even after what she had done, he couldn’t bare to be without her.

“Hmm, into the pack cells she will go, after the full shaming, her time on the shaming post and the full

CH 24

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lashing, of course, for a period of time that is again going to be at Luna Mischa’s discretion.” Elder May stated and sat back down.

Elder Allen stood and stared at Anthony, “As for your punishment, you will also be publicly shamed here inside this pack alongside Christy, then you will get 10 lashes for the disrespect you showed to Mischa in opening the door to her suite without clearing the packhouse first, while she was in heat,

“Then a further 20 lashes for the disrespect of allowing… no, of you pulling Christy right into Mischa’s suite yourself. Something we are aware Mischa does not ever want; Christy in her suite. Something that you promised her you’d never do, and in fact saw Mischa moved out of your Alpha Suite already for that very thing.

“Because you already broke your word to her on this matter. What 10 months ago? And took Christy in there to your and Mischa’s suite and had sex with Chrisy in your and Mischa’s bed.” Allen shook his head at Anthony as if dismayed by this.

“It’s not just disrespectful but disgusting. I don’t like knowing you did this, so ! can only imagine how much more Mischa feels disgusted by it… Then you left Luna Misha to suffer her heat alone. I believe you told her you’d get there when you could to mate her. Which you never intended to do,”

“I did intend to go back, tried to for her second bout only…” he sighed and closed his mouth.

“Christy begged you, and you chose not to go.” Allen nodded. “Four times, you abandoned Misha to her heat, willingly showed not just disrespect, but utter disregard for your first Mate and Luna’s wellbeing. If you and Mischa had an heir, I’d unseat you and seat them, but seeing as you don’t.

“It will be a day on the shaming post for every heat she suffered alone, and 10 lashes three times a day, because I believe she had three bouts a day, and Brent stated her pain was unending and by the end of those three days, she couldn’t eat, drink or sleep due to the agony she was in.

“So, ten lashes every eight hours for a period of nine days while out there on that shaming post, and you’l

be cuffed with silver so you can’t heal, which will see you suffer increasing agony like she did, then the

cuff will be changed, and your wolf can heal you.

“These lashing you’ll take while Christy is right there on the shaming post next to you, so she can see the

punishment you are taking, and know it is because of what she willingly did. Now I also think both of you.

should take your initial lashings; 30 for Christy and 30 for yourself on day one,

“Then the rest of your lashings will come the following nine days. So, I grant Christy one more day on that shaming post, just so she can see the consequences of her actions.” He stepped back and sat down.

Elder Ray stood, “I see Luna Christy is not here to hear her own punishment. Run off in the hope, I can only presume that you’ll plead her case for her Anthony, and take all her punishment for yourself. Do you want

to do that? I’d think carefully about that before you answer it.”

She moved her eyes to Anthony, and she knew he was mulling it over. “I can decline to take offense to her insult to her calling me a liar.” he stated.

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“Hmm, you could, that would see five lashes not be given. Do you want to do this knowing how Luna Mischa might see or take this?” Ray asked right back.

Anthony moved his eyes to her, and she stared at him, gave nothing away at all, she knew he was going to absorb them, otherwise he’d not have mentioned it at all. He sighed at her cold unfeeling look and then just nodded. “I will,” he stated.

“Five lashes are now gone from Christy’s punishment, they will be transferred to you, Alpha Anthony and… Luna Mischa will deal those lashes out to you herself, with a cat that has silver barbs.”

“What no.” Anthony gasped. “Mates should not lash Mates, it’s harmful to their bond even if deserved. We don’t do that.”

“I did warn you to think about it carefully,” Ray stated and looked right at her even as Anthony turned to her, shaking his head ‘no‘ at her.

“It will harm you, Mischa, as much as it will myself. Please don’t agree to that I’ll do anything you want.”

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