Chapter 26 The Most Merciful Punishment

[Stephanie's POV]

"Hey, babe," Carl wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and he nudged my cheek with his hand, "I wouldn't have recognized you if Freya hadn't called your name."

My whole body, including Rose, resisted Carl's approach to me. I pretended to smile and turned to Freya, "I was standing here earlier, and Allen and the others hadn't recognized me. Freya, your eyesight is really excellent."

Panic flashed in Freya's eyes, but she quickly calmed down. She smiled and grabbed my arm, "We've known each other for three years. How could I not recognize your back."

Patrick deliberately poked Carl's shoulder with his elbow, "This guy and my sister have known each other for 10 years, and he didn't recognize Steph's back."

Freya seemed to realize she had said something wrong as she chose to step back and stand behind Carl.

"It's my fault. I thought Steph was going to wear the long pink dress I gave her, and I've been looking for a girl in a long pink dress." Carl sighed on purpose, his fingers hooking out the necklace he'd given me this morning around my neck. He showed his loving doggy eyes as if he was an abandoned puppy." So, after I admit my mistake, can I see the princess change back into her long dress?"

I knew this look on Carl's face all too well. I had known him for 10 years, and every time he showed such an expression, I would always agree to his request. But now, after seeing him at his real and most vicious side, I wouldn't be fooled by him anymore.

"Sorry." I smiled at Carl and told him, "That dress fell on the floor this morning and got dirty. I changed into something I like today. How do I look?"

Carl gave me a smile I knew best as he took my hand and kissed the back of it, "No matter what you wear, you're the most beautiful in my heart, my princess."

"It's too late to sugarcoat me now. You didn't recognize my back. Ready for my punishment Carl," I said with a wicked smile and raised my voice, which had attracted some of the students.

Carl scanned the students who had gathered and surrounded us in the center. He held out his hands in surrender to me, his face showing no sign of unhappiness, "Fine, I'll accept the punishment as long as it pleases you."

I knew that some of the students were interested in my punishment of Carl. But, I glanced at the tallest alpha king in the crowd. I assumed that more students, including Allen, Kane, and Javed, had interests in the towering Arthur. The latter had been standing expressionlessly next to Patrick since I spotted them.

However, I didn't have the time to guess what Arthur was thinking. The audience had arrived, and I could begin the play.

I took out the breakfast I brought for Freya and put it into Carl's hand, "This is the breakfast I brought for you. Now, to punish you, this delicious egg sandwich already belongs to Freya. And, I want you to feed it to her with your hands and watch her eat it."

"What? Stephanie, are you serious about the punishment? That's a reward." I could see the envy in Javed's expression.

Several pack members had begun to whisper about it.

"Seriously?"

"This is definitely the most merciful punishment I've ever seen."

"Honey, could we also do that next time when you punish me?"

"Shut up."

"Steph, I'm on a diet. How about you pick someone else? It would be fun to get Patrick to accept Carl's feedings." Freya said.

If I had known she had shifted before I came to school, then I would not have chosen to tease her with a little trick like peanut butter. Now, her reaction was sufficient proof that Freya had smelled the peanut butter in the sandwich. In other words, she had acquired a wolf-like sense of smell after her shape-shifting, just like other werewolves.

Patrick shrugged his shoulders and said he didn't mind. However, I did mind Patrick being close to those two demons.

"If you don't like it, just drop it. I thought we were friends, and you'd be on my side." I withdrew the smile on my face and sighed deliberately. I glanced at Carl, hoping my ex-boyfriend was still willing to act like he loved me in front of the two packs' members.

"Well, well, well! It's my princess's 17th birthday, and no one is allowed to upset my princess. I will gladly accept this punishment." I was right. Carl wouldn't refuse the opportunity to show that he was a good boyfriend in front of so many classmates.

"Too bad I don't have the luck to eat this delicious sandwich." Carl placed the sandwich in his hand to Freya's mouth and said to her, "Here you go. Freya, never let my princess down, right?"

The red on Freya's cheeks turned white, and tears wet her olive-green eyes. She shook her head and looked over at me, "Steph, you already knew I was allergic to peanuts, didn't you?"

"Steph, you knew it?" Carl's eyes widened as the sandwich was squeezed to distortion in his hands. "Then why did you let her eat a sandwich with peanut butter on it? That's pretty harsh. I can't believe it!"

"Yes, I knew it." I listened to Carl's questioning without expression, nodding my head as folding my arms. I heard my classmates around me suck in their breath in surprise.

"Steph, what's wrong with you? What's going on?" Patrick asked me in a whisper as he gently tugged on my sleeve, wondering why.

I ignored his questions and just locked my eyes on Carl and Freya.

"Steph, I know I'm just a lowly omega. But we're friends, aren't we? If I've done something to piss you off, you tell me. I'll apologize, I swear. But, please don't punish me in such a way, okay? I'll probably die if I eat peanuts." Freya's pink lips trembled a few times, and tears like pearls fell from her eyes.

"It sounds like you're implying I'm a mean girl with a bad temper and a vicious nature. Do you want to know why you're pissing me off? Did you have a sweet dream last night while lying in Carl's rosewood bed?"

Freya and Carl opened their eyes wide at the same time. From the panicked look in Carl's eyes, I could tell that he was not a good performer as Freya. He said, "Babe, what are you talking about? How could you misunderstand Freya and me to betray you? "

"Misunderstand?" I held out my arms to remove Freya's long hair from the sides of her neck, intending to reveal the hickeys Carl had left on her neck for the audience to see.

That bastard loved to leave his hickeys on girls' necks and boobs. Just the thought of him once leaving hickeys on my body made me feel sick.

But before my hand could touch her, Freya hid behind Carl's back with tears in her eyes. Her false eyelashes were draped with tears as if she were a scared little white rabbit. She pleaded with me, "I haven't been to Carl's house. Steph, please don't hit me."

"Steph, stop this madness!" Carl suddenly grabbed my left wrist and continued to accuse me, "I don't know what's wrong with you today. I can totally explain that ridiculous suspicion of yours to you! But you're the daughter of the White Star Lake alpha, Freya is my pack's omega, and you are not qualified to hit her."

"Demon Forest bastard! Let go of Stephanie!" I heard Kane yell at Carl from behind me.

I was seized with a sudden urge to slap Carl. I did it, with my free right hand. And at the same time, I pulled my wrist out of his grip.

"Go, go, Steph, kick that damn jerk's ass." Rose was cheering for me.

No one expected me to give Carl a hard slap, including Carl himself.

My slap seemed to break the perfect smile mask on Carl's face. "You slapped my face?" He uttered a few words through gritted teeth and raised his right palm, ready to hit me.

Carl's strength wasn't as strong as mine now after I shifted, and I could have grabbed his wrist to stop him.

To my surprise, Arthur had already grabbed Carl's wrist when I just raised my hand, only drew a half arc in the air.

"Don't touch her with your dirty hands!"