ELIJAH'S POV:-

　　After leaving Artemis in my study room along with lots of books, I went towards the living room where everyone was waiting for me. The whole pack was present in front of me. For now, I didn't want to scare Artemis. So I decided the introduction could wait. Emma, Kevin and Nichole were kneeling down on the ground. While the rest of the pack members were sitting on the couches. As my pack members saw me entering the living room, they all stood up. Nodding my head at them, I walked straight towards the three members I was supposed to question. As I saw their faces, I felt a new wave of rage inside my body. Even Dean was growling out of anger.

　　The last thing we wanted was to scare Artemis. She might have turned 18, but I could see through her. She was as innocent as a child. I was not sure how much she didn't tell me. The bruises on her body screamed more about what my pack did to her than what she told me. Not to mention what she went through in Queens. She was able to ditch her own death because her wolf took her chances. "Three of you. You have disappointed me. I could never believe it. I never thought anyone would be harmed under my roof without my permission." I spoke in a low tone. Although I wanted to scream at them, I kept my voice low. I did it so Artemis wouldn't hear us.

　　They didn't dare to look up. They knew how badly they messed up this time. "I thought I was supposed to be the Alpha of this pack. I thought I was the Alpha. I thought I was the one to control you. Yet a girl who I promised to protect was harmed right here, under my roof. Just because I was not here, you beat her so badly. That poor thing didn't tell me all you did to her. But did you think of me as a fool? That I wouldn't see the marks on her body." My voice went a little higher as I questioned them. I was fuming in anger. I just wanted them to answer me why they did that.

　　What shocked me more was when I saw my own younger sister punching Artemis harshly as if she was not a living being. As if she was nothing but a punching bag. "Answer me! Why did you do that? Why did you even think about hurting the person who was under my protection? Did you not smell my scent on her? Did you not sense my presence on her skin? Just answer me already. Who gave you the right to poke through my personal life?" I roared at them and they shivered in fear. Their shivers, their fears, their obedience, I didn't want any of that. I wanted them to answer the questions I was asking them. I couldn't wait to hear their side of the story.

　　"I had no idea. I just heard Kevin and Nichole that she was supposed to be just a prostitute they brought home. So you can relax. It's natural to sense your scent on the woman you screwed at night. How were we supposed to know that she was under your protection? You weren't here to tell us. She didn't say anything." Emma stood up and replied to me. Half of the time, she just stepped on Kevin's and Nichole's heads to save her own ass. She was afraid of the punishment she was going to be receiving from me. That's why she decided to save herself from me instead of accepting the fact that she was in this together with Kevin and Nichole.

　　After hearing her selfish answers to my questions, I was barely able to hold myself from punching her the same way she raised her hand at Artemis. I turned around only to find all the other pack members on the ground as well. Even my childhood friend, the Beta of my pack, Daniel, was on the ground out of fear. "What about you, Uncle Grey? You were here when it all happened. What did you do to stop them? Did you even try to stop them? Was it not your responsibility to drill some sense into their empty heads?" I asked my Uncle in an angry tone. Even he was on his knees while I was screaming at them all. All four of them who were torturing Artemis.

　　Hearing my questions, Uncle Grey raised his head. The guilt was visible in his eyes. He knew what he had done was nowhere near to what he was supposed to do when things like that happened. He was the counsellor of the pack. He was supposed to stop the members when they were doing something wrong. "It was all because of the misunderstanding. It didn't occur to me that she had your faint scent on her because she was under your protection. It was my fault that I didn't stop them." Uncle Grey replied to me in a low tone. Of course he was guilty for not doing his job properly. Aside from the beta of the pack, I trusted him to keep the pack straight behind my back.

　　I ran my fingers through my hair out of frustration. I just didn't understand how they were able to act on their own. Without my permission, they were not even allowed to hunt a rabbit. Let alone beating an innocent girl wildly behind my back. "That's not what I want to hear. I want to hear how any of you was able to act on your own. I made it clear to all of you from day one that I am your alpha and until I am your Alpha, none of you can even harm a fly without my permission. Then how could you think I would reward you for beating someone so harshly without my permission?" I growled at them angrily.

　　At that point, I was hardly able to control my anger. I was trying to keep Dean under control who was ready to tear all three of them apart. He didn't even care that one of the culprits was my own sister. "Alpha Elijah! I take full responsibility for this mistake. I know you are angry. And it is your right to be angry at them. None of us were supposed to act without your permission. I admit they crossed a line. I take their responsibility. Instead of them, I ask you to punish me. So I will never forget my responsibilities again." It was Daniel who jumped in between the pack members and me.

　　Of course, as being the Beta of the pack, it was his responsibility as well to keep a sharp eye on each of the members. But I was not blind to force it all on his head. He was not even present when it all happened. "No, Daniel! Not this time. You are not supposed to take their mistakes upon your head. They are not children. They are grown ups. You were not even here when it happened. I am not stupid. I can't punish you for something you didn't even know." I replied to Daniel in a low tone. He narrowed his head with a disappointed look on his face. He nodded his head and stepped away.