Chapter 138 - Is The Prince Kind After All? Pt. 2

Kai had messed up terribly. The moment he heard the punishment his eyes had widened as if he had been punched in the stomach, his lips parted in a way that showed he wanted to speak but he was hesitant. He looked at the queen and she stared right back at him, finding his attitude very peculiar.

"What is the problem Kai?" She asked him, her expression showing the slightest hints of suspicion. The youngest prince sat down again, the chair now seeming very uncomfortable and he wriggled in his seat, feeling his mother's eyes glued on him, waiting for an answer.

"I...I just think that two hundred times is a bit too much for something so insignificant? Don't you think it will make you seem like a tyrant?" Kai proposed and heard his older brother scoff.

Every time he tried to get away with something, every time he was trying to keep himself intact his brother would step in, messing up everything. Kai could sense this was one of those times.

"Don't be ridiculous" Xan told him, pushing back his glasses. "That idiot brought in whores in the palace. They are werewolves above all, mother could never let it slide. Quite the opposite she would seem weak and the negotiations that are about to follow would turn out harder." 

Kai bit his bottom lip, his right hand forming a fist on the armrest of the chair as he looked at his family. They were right, of course they were right. His brother and mother were experts in politics, they knew how they were supposed to act on all situations and Kai's stupid proposals would never affect them. 

He felt Lun kick his leg, his heavy shoe landing right on his toes as he tried to stop him. He knew that the younger prince felt guilty but he couldn't have them being punished instead. The brown haired vampire was staring at his half emptied plate, his eyes filled with worry, hidden from everyone as he hoped deep inside that Kai wouldn't do anything else stupid. 

"Are you hiding something from us that we should know?" His sister asked him, fluttering her white eyelashes right next to him and Kai swallowed once more a lump that was making it hard for him to breathe. 

He smiled, his face charming and innocent. He looked at his mother, the woman smiling back at her son. He couldn't do it, he couldn't let that werewolf get whipped without a reason. He had been an absolute idiot, he just wanted to have some fun but as it seemed he had created a mess. The younger prince was not as self centered as everyone thought and he definitely did not want to go to sleep at night thinking he doomed a man with no reason at all.

"Mother…" he began talking, clearing out his throat with a short cough. "It was me." He said, trying to keep his playful smile.

"What do you mean it was you?" The woman asked back, her tone strict. Her eyes narrowing as she looked at her son.

"I was the one who brought in the whores and told them to blame him. You see that guy is annoying and I really want him to go to hell but the truth is I am the one responsible for this mess so could we like….swipe it under the rag or something? I promise I won't cause any more trouble." He said. 

If he relaxed his whole body would start to tremble. He did not dare to joke nor smile anymore. His mother, the queen, was obviously furious as she tilted her head to the side, her eyes cold rays that froze him in his place.

Cecilia raised her arm, slapping her pale palm on the table, hard and the whole room began to shake, a powerful earthquake restricted the walls that sheltered the royal family. 

"Are you insane?" She screamed at him and Kai fell back in his chair, his heart fluttering with fear.

"It was supposed to be a harmless joke." The prince said.

"I don't care about that, you foolish idiot. What I care about is you admitting you did it. Do you think I will go out there after this whole uproar and apologize to these dogs?" She asked her son, leaving her stunned. She wasn't mad about what he did, she was mad that he revealed it was him. Somehow that made him feel even more horrible. Was this his family? A very fragile front he could snap at any minute now. He looked at the woman, her body tense, her eyes glued on her son as she was at the brim of screaming again.

"Mother, I can't let that guy get whipped. He did nothing. It is not his fault." Kai said.

"Then what?" The queen asked him. "Will you get punished in his place? Their Alpha obviously will ask for someone to get punished in that boy's place. Will you do it? Apologize and then get whipped? Do you believe I will let you tarnish the family name like that?" The queen asked her son.

"Why would you even do such a thing?" Xan asked him, simply curious.

"I...well I met him before he arrived here. He was insulting our family and…"

"Lun, were you involved in this too?" The queen interrupted Kai's explanation and the man stood up. 

"No he wasn't." Kai answered for him.

"I am not talking to you right now." 

"Yes my queen. I helped him." Lun said and the woman sighed, rubbing her temples.

"Sit down. Both of you, you will not utter a word. You hear me?"

"But mother!"

"I will have Lun whipped with you if you don't shut your mouth" she told him between gritted teeth, her eyes changing and turning into a vicious crimson. Kai smacked his fist on the armrest, annoyed and the woman laughed. "Learn to not be such an idiot next time." She told him. "Bring the werewolves in." She ordered the guard and he disappeared behind the half opened door, leading the three men inside. They bowed again.

"Your highness." Octavius said and she nodded.

"I've talked with my family. We have decided that a punishment would only be fair for your man. He could even be executed, that's how disgraceful his acts were so I hope you understand we will be merciful. Philip, you will be whipped, two hundred times." She announced, her voice echoing in the silent room and reaching Philip's ears like a bullet wound.

He took a step back, dumbfounded and afraid. Two hundred times. That was not a punishment, that was pure torture and he knew it. Kai was aware of it too. 

The Alpha stepped forward, his expression a mix of worry and distress.

"Your highness, two hundred times is a bit too much isn't it? They are children. Could you be more…"

"More what? I am already sparing his life. Or do you take the royal family as a joke?" She asked, her eyes showing she did not expect any answer from him. 

Kai was looking at Philip. The poor werewolf had turned pale, his face distorted with worry as he processed his cruel punishment. Kai felt pain. It was rooting on his chest and then slowly spreading all over his body. He frowned, being possessed by the after effects of his guilt and averted his eyes, he looked everywhere else but him. It hurt too much to do so.

"I will take it. The whipping" Philip said and his voice caused the hairs in Kai's body to rise. He would take it? The vampire wondered in shock And his head snapped, without wanting to he focused on the scene again. 

Why are you such an idiot? Kai asked himself as he looked at Philip, it's obvious you're terrified and you still say you want to accept the punishment? He spoke to himself.

"I will take any punishment so please your highness do not stop the negotiations and think of us as fondly as before. I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience I caused and I…"

"Enough!" Kai's voice surprised everyone. The young vampire stood up, pushing back his chair and leaving his mother behind as he walked towards the werewolves. He could feel her eyes on his back, the anger being as powerful as beatings but still it didn't hurt as much as the guilt of letting someone get punished in his place.

"Kai, don't be dramatic, come back here." The queen said, trying to sound calm. 

Kai stood in front of their Alpha. The man stared at him with curiosity.

"I am very sorry." The younger prince said. "It was all me, I was the one who did it. It was a prank, I did not imagine it would get this far. I just wanted to play a joke on your man." He revealed he was the one at fault and instantly the pain in his chest succumbed. It was alright, no matter how they decided to deal with him he would accept it. He wasn't really scared of the werewolves nor their Alpha, what terrified him was his mother, that's why he had chosen to walk away from her and announce his mistake because if he stood right next to her the younger prince knew he wouldn't be able to speak, frozen from fear.

"What?" Octavius asked, confused.

"See!" Mika exclaimed, victoriously. "I told you he had been set up. It was all him. The prince is at fault and not Philip sir. He shouldn't get punished." 

"He won't." Kai said. "He won't get punished, he didn't do it after all. My mother is not unfair." The prince announced. "Again, please accept my apologies. I was immature." He said, his face facing the floor. He didn't look at Philip, not the Alpha or anyone else. He felt too embarrassed to do so and the relief he had felt, he realized it had been brief since now he had to step up and face his actions.

"No I am not unfair." The queen said. "I am so disappointed in you." Cecilia said. "And I do apologize, young werewolf. My son will be punished. Look at me boy" she told him and Kai turned around unwillingly. He met his mother, distance between them but her voice reached him as if they were standing side by side. "Kai Avger you will get whipped three hundred times and your friend, Lun, he will get a hundred times for assisting you. Tomorrow at dawn. Now go. Looking at you disgusts me" she said and Kai bowed. 

"I am very sorry." He repeated to the Alpha as he waited for Lun. In a few seconds his friend was right next to him and together, their heads hanging in shame they left the room unaware of his mother's next steps. He had displeased her, that's why she had added the hundred slashes, it was because he hadn't lied. Because he went against her wishes.

"Sometimes really" Lun said as they walked back to his room. "I wish you would be as selfish as you seemed. We're screwed" he mumbled. 

"Well, think of them as war scars." Kai tried to joke but his best friend elbowed him in the ribs. "Sorry, sorry." He said. 

Tomorrow was going to be a hard day.. If he managed to stay conscious through it.

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