Matthew smiled to himself as he felt himself and his wolf getting stronger after the mate mark on Lily's shoulder had been removed. He did feel a little regret for her pain, but she would get over it. A little pain and sacrifice are normal for a budding relationship to flourish.
'Do you realize how crazy you sound? I can't believe you did this to our mate,' Baldur growled within him.
'Isn't this what you wanted? You wanted our mate back. This is how we do it,' Matthew responded.
'No, this is wrong. You have caused her harm and humiliation. She will never want us,' Baldur said. His tone was defeated as he went silent again.
Matthew ignored him. He wanted to jump in between the argument between Kenneth and Elad, but things got out of hand, and Elders requested a recess. Matthew smiled, hopeful. He was going to see Lily and discuss plans for their future.
Matthew could smell Garrett's pain and sorrow in the air and grinned. He would speak with Lily, but first with Garrett. It didn't take him long to find him. Their father was holding Garrett back from attacking him, but Matthew knew that Garrett could do nothing but be beat right now. The removal of the mate bond takes a toll on the body.
Matthew walked up, smirking. "Matthew," Jack growled. "You need to step away."
Ignoring his father, Matthew gloated, "Look at you, Garrett. You look so pathetic. I told you Lily belonged to me. Look at where your pettiness got you. She is back with me where she belongs."
Garrett snarled at Matthew. "I am going to kill you for hurting her." His voice was so resolute that it gave Matthew pause. His brother had never threatened his life before. In the past, Garrett closed himself off, but there was a fire in his eyes. Garrett wasn't hiding from his pain this time.
Matthew brushed off his insult and cocked his head to the side in amusement. "You can't do that. I'm your brother. You'll just have to get over it. You're good at that. Put on your mask and go back to being that weirdo hermit," Matthew taunted. "Now, excuse me as I go speak to my mate."
As Matthew turned around, he was met with a hard slap across the face, causing him to stumble back and his lip to bleed. His mother, Kelly, stood in front of him angrily.
"Mom? Why did you?"
Kelly slapped him even harder this time. "How could you do this? I can smell Brandy all over you. You marked her, so why are you doing this?"
"I didn't give her a mate mark. She doesn't deserve a mate mark, but she does deserve a slave mark," Matthew responded, and Kelly covered her mouth in horror.
A slave mark was one of the worst things you could do to another werewolf. It bound them to that person forever with an incomplete bond that would cause them to slowly go insane, craving the love and affection of their mate that they would never have.
"No, you wouldn't. I didn't raise you to be this way!" Kelly exclaimed.
"Well, I did, and she deserved to be branded as the slut she is," Matthew answered.
"How could you do that to her? She didn't deserve that. No one deserves that," Kelly said in horror.
"You don't get a say in anything that I do now, Mom! You wouldn't help me, so I had to take matters into my own hands," Matthew explained.
"Do you know what Kenneth has done? Do you have any idea who you're supporting?" Kelly questioned.
"It doesn't matter. He supported me when you failed to do so," Matthew snapped.
Kelly frowned and took a step back. "I see now that I was wrong in the way I raised you. Jack was right. I coddled you too much and spoiled you into thinking that you could have whatever you wanted, no matter what. I plan to rectify that today."
"What are you talking about, Mom?" Matthew asked. "There's nothing you can do now. The Elders have already decided that Lily should be with me. Just accept it and move on. If you're so heartbroken about it, Garrett can have Brandy."
Jack, who had been silently observing the exchange, finally spoke up. "Matthew, what you've done is unforgivable. You've betrayed not only our pack but also the values we hold dear. Your actions have consequences, and you will face them."
Matthew's face contorted with anger and disbelief. "You too, Dad? You're going to side with them?"
Jack's gaze remained firm. "I'm siding with what's right. Your actions have put our pack in jeopardy, and I won't stand by and allow it to continue."
Kelly looked at her son in disgust. She didn't know who this man was. Whoever this was, it was not her son.
"Matthew Hunter, the son of Alpha Jack and I You have committed multiple crimes against your pack and your blood kin. Because of that, as your Luna, I condemn you for your crimes."
"Mom, what are you doing? You can't be serious," Matthew said in alarm.
Tears welled up in Kelly's eyes. "Mom, you don't have to do this. It's okay," Garrett chimed in. Jack finally released him. Garrett watched in disbelief at what his mother was about to do.
"This has to be done. I allowed this foolishness to go on for too long," Kelly said.
"Dad, are you going to allow her to do this?" Matthew pleaded. "I'm sorry, ok? I'll reverse the slave mark."
"You only feel regret because there are consequences now. I will allow this. I will not interfere. She is my Luna, and this is her duty to protect the pack," Jack said in support of Kelly. He would be lying if he didn't feel pain for what was coming next, but he agreed. Matthew was now a traitor.
"Mom, you can't do this to me. I'm your son!" Matthew exclaimed. His shame was building, as they were now building a crowd.
Jack grabbed Kelly's hand to provide her support. "I can and I will. You have no remorse for your actions, and you never did," Kelly continued. "I, Luna Kelly Hunter of the Grey Blood pack, banish you from the pack to live your life as a rogue. Let all other packs know of your treachery and tread carefully, accepting you."