Love or War

Punishment-Ryujin

Yeji pulls away and I'm in a daze. I keep my eyes closed to try to calm down and recollect myself. That's my first real kiss. Not a stolen kiss but a real one.

Someone fakes a cough and I see Beomgyu awkwardly looking at us. I give him an apologetic look and I face the crowd again.

"Ryujin is willing to be punished but I'm not going to do that" Beomgyu comments causing everyone to be angry again while I'm surprised.

"It's okay" I tell him, "I can handle it."

"Why should you be punished when you didn't do anything wrong? Ryujin, you blame yourself and take responsibility for everything when you shouldn't. Your life could have turned out differently if it weren't for my father" I see the guilt in his eyes.

I leave Yeji's side to go closer to him, "You're telling me not to take responsibility so why are you taking responsibility for your father's action?"

"I know he's your dad but you have nothing to do with anything bad he did. Just like me, he was used as well. They knew his weakness and used it against him. I didn't want to kill him once I found out everything. I'm sorry" I apologize for killing his dad even though it was against my will.

"To put everyone's heart at ease, I will accept any punishment you give me" I smile at him and he shakes his head.

"I refuse. You've suffered enough and I'm not gonna make you suffer more."

"I can also just leave the pack if that's what everyone wants" I suggest.

The crowd sounds like they're approving the idea.

"No" Yeji speaks up.

"All of you can act like this because Ryujin isn't someone you're close to. What if this was your son or daughter or your friend that's being treated like this? What if they went through the same thing as she did then can you easily punish them?" My mate has a scary aura while confronting everyone.

"Alpha Gunil" she calls someone out, "If your mate or family member was taken at a young age and was lied to so they can convince them to do things then would you punish them? Would you be able to easily get rid of them or kick them out of your pack?"

"How about you Alpha Mark? Do you think Ryujin should suffer more if she was in your pack? All of you have witnessed it yourself how she was taken advantage of! All of you have seen how she wasn't in control and all of you saw how she never stopped fighting to protect us! She hurt a lot of you but she's also the reason why the werewolves still exist right now."

The crowd becomes quiet and my heart flutters with how Yeji just stood up for me.

"She should still leave. We're not comfortable having her be part of a pack, especially a strong one. She was able to be controlled before so who's to say it won't happen again?" someone in the crowd states and the rest starts agreeing with them.

"Her wolf mentality has already been compromised by the vampires" another comment.

"I don't think that will happen" a familiar woman shows out of nowhere to speak up. She was the one I was talking to before I went to go after San.

"Mom, why do you say that?" My eyes widen when I hear my mate call her mom.

"Ryujin, if you don't mind, can you shift to your wolf?" She makes a request and I get confused.

"Why?" I ask first.

"I'm sure you've noticed there was a change in your wolf's look" she smiles at me and she's right. I remember how she didn't recognize me at first considering I'm one of the two black wolves that exist.