When Life Gives You Lemons

14. Blood and Ink

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Dez looked between us, puzzled. “What's starting?”

“It's too much to explain.” Burnum said.

I ignored my pain and got up. I pulled Dez off the couch and put my hands on his shoulders, holding him in front of me. “Dez, if you want to live, you will haul Dezaray's ass out of bed, and take her home, where you will convince your dad to move you back to Kenora. Do you understand?”

“Why? Why does this have anything to do with life or death?” He asked.

I hugged him tight. “I wish I could tell you, I really do, Dez, but until you're a member of the pack, I can't say anything.”

He pushed me back so he could see my face. “I'm not leaving. Not until you tell me what the hell is going on.”

“Just go back to Kenora, you'll be safe there. I promise.”

“No.”

Burnum stepped in then. “She's right, Desmond, take your sister and self back there.”

“But –”

“Go.”

Within the hour, the twins were gone. Burnum was still in shock, which lead me to assume that him and Colin had been good friends. I had to admit, though, I was scared for my life now.

The Bay pack was the pack with land closest to Paramount, and after they'd picked off each of those wolves, we'd be next. They were choosing wolves at random, too, if they were picking which ones to kill, they would've killed the Alpha male first, then the Alpha female, not the Beta male first. It seemed like they were sending attack wolves out on surveillance, giving them to order to kill the first stray they saw, which coincidentally was Colin.

Jack, Miah and Will were still asleep, and I didn't want to wake them up.

Burn sighed and lifted his head from his hands. “Sarah, if there is a fight, would you want to fight with us?”

What a stupid question.... “Of course,”

“Then I guess I'll have to call Mark and book an appointment.” He said.

My heart pounded. “What?”

He laughed briefly. “Well, if a wolf wants to participate in fights, or assume full responsibility of their position, then they have to get branded first.”

Oh shit. “Isn't there an easier way? I mean, tattoos are so... painful.”

He laughed. “I'm not that mean, Sarah, you'll have local anesthesia to make it as comfortable as possible.”

I sigh angrily. “Fine, I'll take your word for it.”

A scream rang out from a small house on Great Northern road. A scream that one could only describe as bloodcurdling, and hair-raising. But I could describe it as the noise that rang from my vocal cords.

No amount of painkillers was going to dull this agony, and no one in the world could look me in the eyes and tell me that having an electric needle drill ink into my skin was delightful. It was the worst pain I'd ever experienced in my life.

Burnum endured my screaming, crying and swearing, but a few times, Mark had paused to let his assistant pump more morphine into my other arm.

Jack was at home with Miah and Will, as Burn didn't want him to have to see me in this much pain. It was the right thing to do; the fewer people watched me go through this, the fewer there would be to ridicule me about it later on in life.