Page 24 of The Wolf’s Bullied Mate (Moondust Hollow Wolves #2)

Pauline and I gave Ryder our report about the attack on our house. We stood in Ryder’s office while delivering the information. Caden was here as well.

Pauline stayed beside me, visibly anxious, stepping from foot to foot. I wanted to ask her what was wrong but now was not the time. Aria had taken Ray away to look after him while we discussed matters with Ryder.

When we finished giving our accounts, Ryder pondered what to say momentarily.

“I doubt Lone Bite’s attack on our pack was because of Pauline—she’s not that important in the grand scheme of things,” Ryder nodded at Pauline. “Pardon, Pauline.”

She smiled softly. “It’s okay, I agree. I also don’t think Lone Bite actually wanted me back that badly.”

“They used your transfer to Moondust Hollow as an excuse to break peace and attack us,” Ryder said. “Regardless of whether they really wanted you back or not, they claimed your marriage as the official reason to start a conflict.”

“What happened on the battlefield?” I asked.

“Caden defeated their beta and delta, and I—their alpha,” Ryder smiled.

“Is… Alpha Gordon dead?” Pauline asked, her voice uncertain.

“Yes, he is,” Ryder nodded. “It’s not customary to leave the alpha of another pack alive in the case of a large-scale attack. I would even call what they were trying to do war.”

“War…” Pauline repeated, growing paler.

I squeezed her hand in mine, trying to reassure her. Pauline gave me a grateful look.

She then looked back at Ryder. “What will happen to Lone Bite then? They have no alpha.”

“I will take the pack under my jurisdiction. Moondust Hollow will consist of two towns from now on and the land in between will be used by both of our communities,” Ryder said.

Pauline gasped, putting a hand to her lips. “So Lone Bite… will be no more?”

“Does that fact upset you? I understand it’s a huge change, considering you lived there for thirteen years, but…” Ryder gave Pauline a concerned look.

She shook her head. “N-No, I’m happy the pack will be under your rule, Alpha.

Abuse and bullying was rampant in Lone Bite.

Strength was of the utmost value. The weak had a terrible life there.

I’m glad the pack will be no more. I’m sure under your rule, that town will become as wonderful as Moondust Hollow. ”

Ryder’s smile returned. “I’m glad you enjoy your life at Moondust Hollow so much.”

“I really am,” a warm smile graced Pauline’s lips.

It disappeared a moment later, though, and her brow furrowed.

“What will happen to my parents and Jeffrey and the enforcer who lived through the attack?” She asked carefully.

“What do you want to happen to them?” Ryder asked her.

Pauline blinked, and her eyes widened. “You want me to decide?”

“Yes,” Ryder nodded. “They attacked you, so you get to decide their fate.”

“I…” She mumbled. “I don’t want them dead. Please don’t kill them.”

So that was what had been worrying her. She was still attached enough to her parents that she wanted them to live. That fact also explained why she had asked me not to kill anybody during the fight.

“I don’t have to kill them,” Ryder thought out loud. “But I do have to punish them accordingly.”

“Maybe… they should become rogues?” Pauline said after a moment of silence.

“You want me to exile them?” Ryder said. He gave Pauline an approving look. “A good punishment. They will lose two packs at once—Moondust Hollow and the now-dissolved Lone Bite.”

Pauline nodded. “I would like that.”

“Alright,” Ryder said. “So be it. They will be put on trial and found guilty of instigating war. Then they will be exiled.”

As Ryder had decided, so he did. A few days later, the Andersons, Jeffrey, and their enforcer friend were put on trial in the main square.

The Lone Bite’s beta and delta, whom Ryder asked Caden not to kill, were put on trial there as well.

It felt like most of Fairlake showed up to the square that day; even the adjacent streets were filled with people.

Many shouted angrily about how they wanted the attackers punished for their crimes.

Peace was very important to the people of Moondust Hollow, and so was justice.

After a short trial, Ryder announced the verdict: all of the tried were found guilty of instigating war, as well as bullying and abuse. For all those crimes, he decided they would be exiled and forever wander without the support of a pack.

Being part of a community was very important to wolf shifters.

We were pack animals, both in wolf and human form.

We lived in tight-knit groups supporting each other—or at least, that was how our communities were supposed to be, though things in the former Lone Bite had deteriorated severely from that ideal long ago.

Eventually, Pauline opened up to me more about life at Lone Bite.

She told me about the many abusive practices in the pack, about how the strong exploited the weaker wolf shifters.

She talked about her friend, Cherry, and soon asked her to move to Moondust Hollow.

For now, Cherry was staying at the community boarding house with many other former Lone Bite wolf shifters eager to escape their old town.

Ryder had plans to introduce many positive changes to Lone Bite, but even still many of its residents had suffered too much abuse and too many terrible memories to want to stay in the town. Those who wanted a fresh start decided to abandon their homes and seek a new and brighter future in Fairlake.

Introducing fresh wolves into the pack here resulted in many of our wolf shifters suddenly meeting their mates, and Aria became busier than ever with organizing weddings.

As for Pauline, she said goodbye to her parents when they left for their exile—they were a part of Lone Bite that wouldn’t haunt her any longer.

“I hope you’re not sad you’ll never see them again. They abused you. You were too kind to them to let them live,” I said. We differed in our opinion about what should have been done with the Andersons and their followers.

“I didn’t want you to have their blood on your hands,” she said. “Besides, I want them to live with their mistakes. That’s harder than just dying, you know.”

“Do you think they will learn from what they did?” I gave her a doubtful look.

Pauline pondered my question for a minute, then sighed. “Probably not. But at least their life will hopefully be more difficult for a while as punishment until another pack takes them in.”

“If another pack takes them in,” I corrected.

“As for your question, no, I’m not sad I’ll never see my parents again,” she said. “I’m relieved. Does that make me a bad daughter?”

“No,” I shook my head. “It makes them bad parents for being so horrible that you’re glad they aren’t around.”

She nodded, and we watched the group walk away into the woods.

I hoped we would never see the Andersons and Jeffrey again. They deserved not to have a place to call home after everything they had done to Pauline.

I took Pauline into my arms. She hid her head in my chest and silently cried. “I can finally let go,” she said.

“Yes,” I kissed the top of her head. “You’re free of the pain now.”

She sobbed quietly, and I hugged her tightly, giving her all of my strength and support.