Page 165 of Candy & Her Saints

“No,” Gia’s voice is commanding. A leader’s voice. It startles me out of my red haze. She sits down with me still wrapped in her arms and snatches up the blue blanket, which is in the center of Ghost’s abandoned nest. “You’re feral right now. And you may hate me, but I don’t hate you, little snake.”

With efficient motions, she wraps me in the blanket.

Swaddled like this and held against Gia’s strong chest, I can’t even scratch at her.

Ghost’s sweet scent surrounds me from the blanket.

Has she done this on purpose?

It soothes me, bringing me back from the edge of turning feral.

I snuffle at the blanket, taking a few more deep breaths.

Dad is watching me with interest. “I always thought that it was shame you weren’t born an Alpha. You have a lot of Snake spirit in you, and I respect that. But I still have to discipline you.”

“I’ll take her punishment.” Thomas is making rumbling growls like he can’t control his own feral side. The skin is inflamed around the clawed marks down his chest. “I’m her Alpha now. If she deserves discipline, then I should take it for her.”

“Should you now?” Dad’s blue eyes gleam, before he slaps Thomas as casually as if he’s swatting a fly. “Are you trying to prove that you truly are fated mates? That you really do love my daughter? But would a cold-hearted man like you take an Omega’s punishment for them?”

Dad slaps Thomas again.

The crack rings through the shadowy room.

It reopens the cut on Thomas’ cheekbone.

Thomas’ blood stains Dad’s palm. Dad wipes the blood off on Thomas’ copper hair.

Somehow, his messing up Thomas’ perfect hair is the thing that makes me snap.

I scream, struggling to escape from Gia’s hold again. She tightens her arms around me, swaddling me tighter.

To my shock, she soothes me with her pheromones.

It’s the first time that she’s done that.

I don’t stop struggling, however, kicking with my feet. “Fucking asshole. Don’t touch him, just don’t. Stop, stop…”

“My sweet venom,” Thomas’ voice is gentle, but he has the sense not to take his gaze away from Dad’s, one predator sizing up another, “let me do this for you. Let me show him how much I love you.”

Dad backhands Thomas.

Thomas steadies himself, making no more than a low grunt of pain.

I whine in distress.

Vito snarls, unable to remain watching this on his knees any longer. He tries to launch himself forward, but my sisters grab him by the shoulders and press him back down.

Vito’s anguished gaze swings to meet mine. “Stop this. He’s not our enemy anymore. We’re family.”

“He’s her Alpha,” Dad replies. “He swears that’s why he’s taking this beating for her, unless this is a trick. Isn’t it romantic, son?”

“I can pay,” Vito bargains. “Money’s what you want from us. Isn’t money more important to you?”

Bianca snorts. “You’re a broke ass good for nothing. Dad cleared you out this month already.”

When Dad casually raises his hand again, Gia holds me closer to her chest.

Vito bares his teeth. “How does a quarter of a million sound, bitch?”

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