Page 115 of The Packaged Deal

She turns away, so sad, so broken.

“You’re going to just accept what your mummy says? Give in, give up? Then you don’t deserve alphas.”

Her eyes lift and freeze with chilling rage. The defeat is gone, and all that’s left is feral omega, and she wants to kill.

“Hit me!” Sven shouts.

She lunges, slapping his chest. He pushes her back; she attacks again, slapping harder, then her hands fist, and she hits him with a heavy, dull thud.

My heart pounds watching them. I want to rush in, intervene, stop this. But he’s bringing her back to life.

“Good, now do it again!”

She punches him harder, screaming a little as she does. I make a move to intervene, unable to resist the sound of her pain, but Kandi holds me back.

“Just watch.”

The fight intensifies. None of her blows are causing Sven any pain, but he keeps goading her, teasing her into responding. She finally collapses to her knees and screams.

Sven crouches in front of her and takes her hand in his.

“Your mother’s words are going to be a voice inside you for a long time. They will try to undermine your journey, try to take the strength out of you. Her words will poison your purpose. You don't have to let her. Choose not to listen, Jade.”

Jade pants and suddenly throws herself into Sven’s arms. She sobs, but this time, her sobs feel different. They don’t feel helpless. They feel healing.

Sven is so gentle with her now. He holds her like he’s her anchor. I want to tell him to give in. I want to tell him he’s already a part of this pack. It’s one little bite. Just do it.

Can’t he see she makes us perfect?

I turn away, leaving the room. Now that the panic has eased, I need to do something about the fury that is rushing through my veins.

“Where are you going?”

I raise an eyebrow at Kandi. “I’m going to do something about her mother.”

Kandi sucks in a breath and pauses. “Can I help?”

“Of course,” I say, ignoring the slightly nervous tone in her voice. “If you want something, Candice, you should just demand it. Take what is yours. This pack isn’t just us and her. It’s all of us. I know that’s why you stepped back, because you didn’t want to embarrass her in front of those people, and her mothers words got to you. I understand, but Jade won’t see it, you need to learn not to care.”

Kandi smiles slightly. “Just demand it?”

“Yes, Kandi, demand. Sven and I don’t read minds.” I pause and look up at her, determined to say this. “You settled for him.”

“No, I love him-”

“Yes, but you settled. You accepted his scraps and all that he could give. Hell, you were fine with what he was doing with me. You just accepted. I’m telling you that you need to demand. Take a leaf out of Jade’s book. We pushed her too far. She is telling us, she is demanding. I want that for you, too. I don’t want you to settle for the scraps we remember to offer. You are an equal part of what we are building, so take what’s yours. In the home, in the street, in our pack, in this family.”

Kandi considers that, and then puts a hand out and stops me from moving past her. “I want a bond from you.”

I turn and really look her in the eyes, seeing the determination. “Okay.”

She holds out her wrist. I frown at her, but take her wrist to my mouth. My teeth sink in deep. The bite is hard and painful, but she doesn’t flinch. I wait, leaving it long enough to feel the bond to flare up. Once I’m sure it’s there, I hand her my wrist. She bites.

The bond differs from Sven’s. With Kandi, it feels like looking at someone through a reflection. With Sven, I can feel him inside me like he’s walking right next to me.

She draws back and closes her eyes. “I can feel your anger and concern.”

“It will take some getting used to, but when you focus on something, you can ease the constant feel of us in there.”

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