Page 26 of The Safest Place She Knows

Tonlyachuckled. “We ate them.”

Tamara gasped.“Why didn’t you tell me? I have been bitching about having to quitsoccer.”

“You are mysister. I was trying to keep us going along as best I could.”

Tamara got mad.“Why didn’t you tell me!”

Venka gaspedand grabbed Tamara by the back of her neck. “That would be thereason why. You are growing fast, and she is starving herself tokeep you fed and clothed.”

Tonlya tried toget up, but she couldn’t lift on her broken arm. “Venka, stop.”

Tamara’s eyeswere rolling with panic.

Venka growledat the girl and set her down. “Do not raise your voice to yourhousehold omega. Ever.”

Tamarastaggered. “Why not? She was stupid.”

Denel andBennet gasped.

Tonlya sighed.“If you wonder why she thinks like that... she doesn’t see me. Shehas the same image of me as the one I project in the pictures. Shedoesn’t even know that my clothes don’t fit.” She scooted to theedge of her chair and pushed herself to her feet. Nohehl wrapped anarm around her, and there was a soft, disapproving hiss.

He asked, “Whycan’t she see you?”

“I dunno. It’sa thing I can do.”

“Stop doing itnow.”

Tonlya nodded,leaned against him, focused on how her body felt from the insideout, and then projected it. The projection and her body soon linedup.

Tamara lookedgreen. “Lya?”

“Yup. I haveseen better days. I don’t know when, but pretty sure I have lookedbetter.” She glanced up at the alpha holding her. “Keep a runningtally of any funds expended for my upkeep. I don’t owe anyone.”

He chuckled.“You will work it off.”

Tonlya lookedup at him. “Hope you’ve got lube.”

He blinked andlaughed. “Venka, are you ready to go?”

“Yeah.”

The otheralphas lifted the other packs, and Tamara was standing with tearscoursing down her cheeks.

Tonlya tried tospeak, but Nohehl lifted her in his arms, and her younger sisterwas escorted out by her friends, turning to lock the door behindthem.

They werealmost to the cars when large SUVs pulled up. Women with clipboardsand buff betas in Omega Centre uniforms headed toward them.

The woman incharge had the nerve to block Nohehl’s path. “Where are you takingTonlya?”

“I am taking myomega for medical care and beginning treatment to recover her bodycondition. She’s thirty pounds underweight and has a broken arm andskin infections. Malnutrition is setting in. If she is under thecare of the Omega Centre, she has grounds for a lawsuit if shelives that long.”

“She’s a lateregister.”

“Did sheregister?”

“Um, an alphapointed out that she was exhibiting signs of being a non-typicalomega. She refused registry at that time.”

Tonlyamuttered, “No fucking kidding. You were going to send Tamara to aboarding school and restrict all contact. You locked my bankaccounts and bugged my house.”

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