Page 4 of Broken Wolf

Yeah, no. They were getting their asses handed to them.

Big time.

But now it was going to be done publicly because while we could push the press back, I knew the law and couldn’t prevent them from being on the street which was public property. One of the Betas reminded me that they were just kids when the SUVs pulled up, and I tried to check my temper.

Except the first got out with an annoyed sigh like he couldn’t believe he had to deal with this shit.

Bad move. Bad move, idiot.

I nodded to their parents who had come with them before backhanding the first one. “You dared to not only drink underage but then get behind the fucking wheel of a vehicle and risk the lives of people? Risk the safety of your family and pack? And you still are out of your fucking mind that you don’t immediately arrive here and kneel, begging for mercy with apologies!”

“I’m sorry, Alpha,” he whispered, holding his cheek as he dropped to his knee. The other five did as well… While giving me shocked looks.

“You are all just as guilty to me,” I told them firmly. “It wasn’t just for the media or PR that Hestia and I fucking said that, and we told you that. You all drank underage, and it could have been any of you idiots who had such a lack of intelligence to get behind the wheel. None of you stopped him!”

I had to turn away when I felt my teeth changing.

“Each one of us who have lost loved ones to assholes who got behind the wheel when they shouldn’t are ready to skin you,” Freddie—one of my oldest Betas—said firmly. “You could have killed someone. You would have survived as born wolves, but others could have died. This isn’t a joke and it’s not bullshit or hoops. This is so you understand how serious this is.”

“It’s so you see how many are pissed at you,” Hagan added. “How many you have disappointed. I lost friends serving their country, giving their lives for a purpose. And you assholes could have taken lives for your selfish stupidity! Hell, any of us who lost people we love in car accidents are salty with you. Life is hard enough. Don’t risk people by being stupid!”

I thanked them both before I let my teeth change this time and gave each of them an Alpha bite on the neck to show how much trouble they were in. “You will wear that bite all summer as punishment. Your wolves will wear that bite and be punished for the bad choices and stupidity of their humans. Do better by your wolves going forward as well.”

“Yes, Alpha,” they replied, several whimpering and all with tears on their cheeks.

Good. It should hurt.

“Your fun summers are revoked,” I continued. “I know you guys need money though for school and had jobs lined up. Hestia and I worked it all out. You won’t have good-paying jobs with the pack and be treated well. On no, that was when you treated your pack well. Now you’re going to earn that respect and love back.

“You are going to do penance more than the court will appoint. And this will not be used for leniency. This is so I don’t kick you out of my fucking pack.” I nodded when they couldn’t hide their shock. “You’re legal adults, idiots. You’re not kids anymore. Time to act like it! Everything you do affects all of us.

“People hate us, and no one in my packs will give them more reason! Not for something completely avoidable like underage drinking and definitely driving drunk.” I let out a slow breath and even stared at the sky for a moment to chill out. One more breath and I focused back on them. “Luckily, there are different laws for your stupid asses than for humans.

“So you’re going to be getting a salary for the money you need for school, but you are now the pack bitches for the rest of summer. Noah’s vampires are moving out of their dorms, and you will clean that dorm perfectly top to bottom. Even painting because that is where we’re housing refugees who had their homes burned and worse.

“While you lived your easy lives and were stupid enough to drink and drive, there are supes who are shot on sight! So you’re going to help the pack save them and give them a place to live. You’re going to help mow the pack lands so the Betas don’t have to. You’re going to clean houses of pregnant pack who need help. Everything to help the pack you hurt!”

“And as much as I wanted you to do it like the military where you’d do it with a fucking toothbrush, we have too much that needs to be done to be that inefficient,” Hagan added. “But let us be clear that this is your one chance to make amends with the packs and this family. You don’t take this seriously and slack off and you’re out.”

“Of our families as well,” one of the parents said, her voice cracking. Tears filled her eyes when her son shot her a hurt look, but she quickly wiped them. “We have other children. You—do you have any idea what they have dealt with as well because of you? You messed up. You made a mistake—poor judgment. Time to show you are a better man and wolf and deserve this pack.”

“Well said,” I praised, glad the parents were on board.

Mostly. A few thought this was a bit much, but they weren’t willing to go against me or risk their standing. They also knew other Alphas would physically break wolves as punishment and I wouldn’t behave that way, so I was still the best choice even if I took things to this extreme for a DUI.

Or underage drinking. Five of them hadn’t even gotten in trouble with the police. We only knew about it because we were wolves. To the parents, they were just college kids who drank. So what?

Like… So what? Others did it all the time.

They weren’t wolves with deadly weapons of claws and a hair trigger at their age. That was the big deal.

And they were lucky the cops had pulled them over to get caught instead of crashing or hurting someone. I would have lost my mind and gone nuclear then.

“Unfortunately, you are not the only idiots we have to reprimand,” I told them, pointing to the one who had been driving and received the DUI. “Though you are the worst. As such, you will have help. You are all on the work detail and your asses are mine. But I am too busy to babysit you fools.”

Ashley stepped forward when I waved her over.

I snorted when all of the guys gave her appreciative looks and like the situation just improved.

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