Chapter 27

KNOT

I awoketo the smell of pancakes cooking on the stove. I crawled out of bed and got dressed quickly, my heart heavy. Natalee had not only disobeyed me yesterday, but she had risked her life in the process. If I hadn’t arrived when I did, the wildcat would’ve likely mauled her. The thought of finding her remains on the mountainside was too painful to bear. She was my wife and I loved her, and I couldn’t fathom losing her. I couldn’t endure that kind of heartbreak again.

I needed to make her understand that such behavior wasn’t acceptable, and I planned to take a switch to her bottom in the woodshed. Though I had spanked her with my hand before, and I’d taken a belt to her as well, I knew the searing pain of a switch impacting on her bare behind would probably be a shock to her system. I decided not to tell her about the switching until after she was already in the woodshed.

Husbands were supposed to lead, and wives were supposed to obey. That was how the gods intended it, and I took my duties as her husband seriously. I would love, honor, and cherish her, but I would also guide her when she had gone astray and did something to harm herself or our marriage. Her actions yesterday warranted severe consequences.

We ate breakfast in silence. Natalee didn’t appear to have much of an appetite, and she kept pushing her food around on her plate, only taking a small bite whenever I gave her a concerned look. Truth be told, though, I didn’t have much of an appetite either, but I forced my breakfast down anyway, since she had gone to the trouble to cook it despite knowing what awaited her in the woodshed.

She rose up to gather the dishes from the table, and my heart ached when I saw her bottom lip quivering. She blinked hard and was obviously trying to hold back tears.

“Natalee, let’s worry about the kitchen later. I think we need to get your punishment out of the way.”

With shaking hands, she set the plates back on the table and stared at me pensively. “Why must we go to the woodshed? Why can’t you just spank me here? I-I know I deserve it, Knot, and I won’t fight it. I will submit to my punishment, I promise.”

“Because your offense was a serious one, Natalee, and serious punishments will always be carried out in the woodshed. Now go and wait for me. I won’t be long.”

After she left the cabin and headed for the woodshed, I walked to the nearest patch of trees and selected three thin branches. Using a small knife, I removed the leaves and smoothed the wood down on each switch.

I found Natalee waiting in the middle of the small woodshed, her head bowed submissively. She peeked up as I entered the woodshed, and her eyes filled with dread as she stared at the switches. But she didn’t try to talk her way out of a switching, nor did she plead for me to be lenient in any way. There was a look of acceptance on her face, and I appreciated that she wasn’t making this more difficult than it already was. Hurting her—punishing her this severely—was not something I would enjoy.

I placed the switches on a stool and leveled my hands on Natalee’s shoulders. I waited for her to meet my gaze. “You know what you did wrong yesterday, Natalee, so I am not going to spend a long time scolding you for it. But I want you to know that I love you. Your happiness and your safety mean everything to me. Do you understand?”

“Y-yes, s-sir.”

“I would never deny you the opportunity to visit Logan’s grave, and I would have gladly taken you there. And I will take you there, soon. Did you worry I wouldn’t want you thinking about him or paying your respects to him now that we are married?”

She nodded. “Yes, sir. I worried you might not want me dwelling on my late husband. I thought I could quickly visit Logan’s claim and be back long before you returned. I know I did wrong.” Her face crumpled. “I-I know I deserve a switching.”

I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her against my chest, stroking her hair and giving her comfort before I had to cause her pain. I wouldn’t go easy on her. By the time I broke the last switch across her bottom, she would probably be weeping and struggling to hold still. Yet I had to do it. If I let her off with a warning, she wouldn’t learn her lesson and it would set a bad precedent. The thought of her running into a forest beast or the wendigo firmed my resolve to administer the harsh punishment she’d earned.

“Very well, Natalee,” I said, pulling back. I started working open the buttons on the front of her dress. “It will be easier with this off. Besides, it’s not very cool this morning.”

Once I had her dress off, I placed it atop a table I had tools scattered across. I allowed her to keep her chemise, stockings, and boots on, but I did not allow her the protection of her drawers. I unfastened the tie holding them up and let the white fabric fall to her ankles.

I moved the switches from the stool and placed them on the table with her dress, then dragged the stool in front of her. I patted the seat of it. “Bend over and place your hands here for support. I expect you to remain in position during your switching, Natalee. If you move your hands from the stool, I will start all over again. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.” Sorrow gleamed in her eyes, but she obediently bent over and placed her hands where I’d indicated.

I moved behind her and looked at her bare bottom. Her legs were shaking and her pale cheeks were quivering. Goosebumps rose on her exposed skin, but I suspected it was more from her fear of the punishment than from the temperature in the woodshed. I moved to her side and cupped her bottom. After giving each cheek a few preliminary rubs, I started spanking her with my hand. I smacked her cheeks, alternating from right to left, until her bottom was a dark shade of pink.

She whimpered now and then, but she didn’t start crying until I reached for the first switch. “If you ever put yourself in danger, Natalee, you can expect a switching. Are we clear on that?”

“Yes, sir.” Her answer came out as a sob, and her shoulders heaved.

I gripped the switch tightly in my hand, stepped back, then swung it against the center of her bottom cheeks. She rose up on her toes and struggled for her next breath, but she didn’t try to stand up, nor did she remove her hands from the stool. A thin welt appeared where I’d just struck her, and I worked my way down her bottom, landing the switch in lines that reached her upper thighs, when it finally snapped.

Her shoulders heaved harder, and she kept apologizing over and over, though she didn’t beg me to stop. The second switch, to my relief, wasn’t as sturdy as the first one and broke during the fifth blow. I picked up the third switch and decided to start on her thighs, still trying to avoid the welts that had already risen. I gave her two final strokes to her sit spot, and then I threw the switch down. She’d had enough. And by the gods, so had I.

I picked her up and carried her into the cabin, not bothering to dress her first. No one would see her, and I wanted to get her comfortable in our bed as soon as possible. Her tears broke my heart, but I didn’t regret punishing her. It had been necessary, but I thanked the gods it was finally over, and we could put this ordeal behind us. Hopefully she would never do anything to endanger herself again.

I laid her on her stomach and sat beside her on the bed. I stroked the tear matted hair from her face and rubbed her back as her sobbing faded to soft sniffles. I pressed a kerchief to her eyes and nose, and my heart contracted when she met my gaze and offered me the smallest smile.

Gods, I loved her. It tore me up that I’d had to punish her so severely, and here she was giving me a comforting smile in the midst of her own tears and sorrow.

I glanced at her poor, punished bottom. Most of the thin welts that had risen were already starting to fade. I cupped her backside and rubbed gently for several minutes, before I reached for the quilt to cover her.

“It’s over now, Natalee.” My words were meant to reassure her, but also myself. “I still love you, my sweet wife.”

She gave me another reassuring smile, and it was all I could do to keep from lifting her and holding her in my embrace, but I left her resting in bed, knowing she needed to recover from the switching. “I love you too, Knot.”

“Close those pretty blue eyes of yours and try to sleep. You got up very early today, and I imagine you’re still exhausted from yesterday’s adventure.”

“Thank you, Knot.” She yawned and nestled further into her pillow. “I just hope I don’t dream about woodsheds.” A little laugh floated up from her, and then she closed her eyes and appeared peaceful for the first time that morning.

I stayed and watched her sleep. After spending hours searching for her yesterday and fearing the worst, I wasn’t ready to let my precious mate out of sight.