Hollie bit down a cry when she stumbled over a tree root and crashed into a thorny shrub. Instinctively, she put out her hands to break her fall and felt the thorns biting viciously into her palms.
Scrambling back, Hollie yanked a thorn out of her hand and pressed her bleeding hand to her side. Behind her, she heard Jasper and his two lieutenants laughing.
“Clumsy oaf,” Jasper scoffed.
Hollie balled her fists and tamped down her anger. “Why have you brought me out here?” she demanded, glancing around the forest. “If you’re going to accuse me of a crime, do it out in the open in front of everybody. The pack deserves to hear all the evidence that you have against me.” She looked Jasper straight in the eye and said, “You have nothing. I am innocent. I have nothing to do with any money that is missing from your accounts.”
Instead of replying, Jasper kicked her and Hollie went down hard. When she pushed herself up, Jasper and his two lieutenants were standing over her.
“You don’t know when to shut up, do you?” Jasper snapped.
Hollie refused to back away or show any fear. She would not give Jasper what he wanted. Her submission and her silence.
She saw right through his bullshit. Jasper used violence, lies and bullying tactics to keep the pack in line. Any member of the pack who didn’t toe the line and believe his version of events would be taught a lesson. The whole pack would be made to witness the horrific, harrowing punishment so that anyone who was thinking of questioning their Alpha and Beta would discard the notion and fall back into mindless obedience.
Hollie might not be able to shift, but her dad had taught her some basic combat moves. If Jasper kicked her again, she would make him scream like a girl.
“Why have you never come up to my office, Hollie?” Jasper asked suddenly.
“What?” Hollie feigned ignorance even though she knew exactly what he was talking about.
Jasper walked around her in a slow circle. His two unthinkingly loyal lieutenants were standing back, keeping watch to make sure no one interrupted this little torture session.
“I gave the directive that every member of the pack should report to me the names of any comrade whom they suspect were guilty of any unlawful or undesirable activities,” Jasper said slowly.
Hollie stared straight ahead, her eyes hardening with anger and scorn. She hated backbiters and cowards, and she had steadfastly refused to participate in this vile practice.
“I repeat this directive to the pack every week. And almost every day, at least one member would come to my office and give me a couple of names. I need to know what’s going on among the pack members. Those who report to me are rewarded handsomely.” Jasper leaned in and put his mouth close to her ear. “You are the only one who has never, ever given me a name.”
Hollie clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles gleamed bone white in the dark forest.
She knew that every wolf in the pack had snitched on, gossiped about and backstabbed their fellow pack members. Instead of fostering unity within the pack, Jake and Jasper sowed dissension, discord and distrust among the wolves. They wanted the wolves to be loyal to them, and not to one another. It was another ploy to ensure that they stayed in power. Divide and conquer. Keep everyone apart and plant seeds of fear and suspicion in everyone’s mind.
Tyrants used this tactic to keep themselves in power. They encouraged and rewarded snitches and tattletales, so the people would never unite and rise up against them.
But Hollie refused to participate in this manipulative and destructive practice. This was mental slavery. She might be slaving away for the pack as an overworked cook and laborer, but at least her thoughts were her own. She was paid pittance and she knew it would take her a long time to save up enough money to pay the “severance fee”.
“Why, Hollie?” Jasper hissed, grabbing her chin. “Why have you never come to me with a report?”
“I have nothing to report,” she answered.
“Liar!”
Hollie could feel claws digging into her skin but she refused to cry out.
“Does a mongrel bitch like you think she is too good for us?” Jasper snarled. “For me?”
Hollie jerked away when she saw his eyes darken with rage and lust. But she wasn’t fast enough.
With a growl, Jasper grabbed her and slammed her against a tree.