Warmth ✔

Chapter 16

Lucy run towards him and engulfs him in her arms. "It's not your fault," she says with teary eyes. She can feel the pain that he's feeling. She runs her hand on his back in a consoling manner. After he's somewhat stable, she pulls back and says, "I want your help to kill Kate's assaulters."

Everyone present in the basement has heard her. Matt and I exchange looks.

"An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind," Alpha Dan says in a calm tone.

Lucy sharply turns around. "Four of your pack members hurt my friend! I want justice for her!" She exclaims in protest.

"And you think that killing Kate's molesters would serve her justice?" He questions.

"Yes!"

"No!" Jeremy immediately shouts after Lucy. We all turn to look at him.

"What do you mean?" Lucy asks.

"Killing is a very small punishment for them," Jeremy says. "I want them to regret what they did to Kate for the rest of their lives."

Kate comprehends his words and asks, "How are we going to do that?"

Everyone is impatiently waiting for his answer.

"It's simple. We castrate them."

"Castration as a punishment is immoral," Alpha Dan steps forward while expressing his disapproval. By the look on his face, I can tell that he would never give permission to execute Jeremy's plan.

"And what they did to Kate wasn't immoral?" Jeremy challenges with an angry tone.

"What they did to Kate was immoral but that doesn't mean that we should also commit an immoral act. Why should we stoop down to their level? I know you want to avenge your mate but castration is not the solution." Alpha Dan tries to reason with him.

"Then what is the solution, Alpha Dan?" Lucy demands as she crosses her arms. "And don't you dare say life imprisonment," she warns.

He purses his lips which is a clear indication that he was thinking about that. "We can all think about the solution when our minds are not clouded by anger and vengeance. A decision taken in anger is never a right decision."

"Answer my question with complete honesty; what would you do if it was your sister in Kate's place?"

I can see anger in Alpha Dan's eyes. He's trying his best to be composed but everyone can see his blood boiling as he imagines his sister in place of Kate.

"Why aren't you answering?" Kate pesters.

"I would tear their limbs apart, crack their skulls open and crush their hearts under my feet," Alpha Dan responds.

Jeremy smirks as he asks, "Now, isn't that immoral?"

Lucy has her eyebrows raised as she says, "I was expecting such response from you but I never imagined you to give such a detailed reply. I really like your version of punishment."

Alpha Dan remains silent. He let his anger get to head.

Lucy walks towards him and stands in front of him. She crosses her arms and questions, "I asked you my question because I wanted you to step into my shoes for a minute. I wanted you to get a feel of what Jeremy and I are going through at the moment." She uncrosses her arms as she continues, "Have you looked at Kate? Have you really looked at her? Didn't you see the terrible condition that she is in? Didn't you see the wounds and bruises on her body?" She pauses. Silence fills the basement. "If her molesters are given a punishment which is less than an execution then it won't be fair to Kate. It won't be fair to all those girls and women who have been victims of sexual assaults and had to see their assaulters easily walk away from their crime. Life imprisonment is such a small punishment for what they have done, don't you think so?"

After comprehending her words, Alpha Dan questions her in a serious tone, "What do you want?"

"I want them dead," Lucy replies.

"It would be such a small punishment for the brutal act that they did," Jeremy speaks up.

"Jeremy, I'm not completely against the idea of castrating them but if we go ahead with castration then that would mean that they get to live and they don't deserve to live. I don't want them to walk on this Earth ever again. I don't want them to repeat their crimes. It will be best if they are dead." She says without facing him.

Jeremy remains quiet for a moment before he opens his mouth to say, "But I don't want to give them an easy death."

"Trust me, they won't have an easy death."