Page 211 of Harley & Her Ferals

At last, Feral draws back but only enough to rest his forehead against Lionzio’s. “Brother.”

Lionzio’s breath hitches.

“Brother,” he replies, as if the word is the most precious that he has spoken in his entire life.

He looks like he’s moments from falling apart, until Feral rests his hand on the back of his neck and squeezes. “S-s-stop crying. I am here. We’re t-together. You’re pack.”

Lionzio looks heartbreakingly happy.

I cross my arms. “How did you come to be adopted? Mom died because she didn’t give Dad the Alpha heir that he wanted. He adopted you to become his Alpha son. Why have you never spoken about…?”

“The pack who gave me away?” Lionzio clenches his jaw. “It was one of the first rules from Dad: Not to speak about my past. It was dead to me. I was now only to be the loyal son of Don Battle.”

“Did that mean forgetting your brother as well?” Laurent’s eyes narrow.

Lionzio carefully disentangles himself from Feral but remains on his knees, holding tightly onto Feral’s hand like he’s frightened of losing him as well. “Easy for you to say. It’s not like I didn’t try to break the rule once and tell Feral. I was punished severely for it.”

Feral growls, yanking Lionzio closer again.

My eyes widen. “Was that why you were sent to the Discipline Cells?”

Lionzio shudders, before nodding. “After that, I was…wasn’t the same kid. I was told that if I broke the rule again, then it would be my brother who was sent there. I couldn’t take that risk. Wait, what if Dad…?”

“He isn’t going to do anything,” I say, firmly. “He’s never going to hurt any of us again.”

“Just like he hasn’t every fucking day that we’ve been forced to eat or work with him? Like he hasn’t almost every night before bed?” Lionzio tightens his silk tie with a shaky hand. “This man…”

“Is a total Alphahole? One who deserves to be locked in one of his own octagon cages with a dozen fighters, while the rest of his pack watch him being beaten to a bloody pulp?” Harbinger snarls. “Look, I’m a man with secrets. But yours are even more impressive than mine. Don’t you think that Feral deserves to know where he comes from?”

Lionzio reaches out to touch Feral’s face like he’s always wanted to and is in awe now that he can. “Brother, I… Our pack were poor. A minor mafia pack, who Vinnie sometimes hired for jobs Above. As a kid, of course, I didn’t know that. We both have the same Alpha. I barely saw him because he was always away, working. My mom was the First Omega. I was treated well because of that. I thought that I was loved. Actually, I was just valued property.” He breaks off, nervously licking his lips. “Hierarchy in some Traditional packs is strict about Second Omegas. Your dad was a male Omega. He was seen as a breeder. I cried, hating how he was beaten, locked up, and…”

Feral’s expression has been steadily darkening with rage.

I reach to rest my hand on his shoulder. “We’re all here.”

Feral relaxes.

“Your dad was a good man,” Lionzio continues. “But his status was as the lowest member of the pack. When he gave birth to you, I was excited to have a baby brother to play with. But then, when you were still too young to talk, this strange man turned up and took you away. I was told that it was an honor to sell one of our Alphas to a strong mafia pack. I cried for weeks, and your dad was fucking broken.”

I stare at Lionzio in shock.

When Feral whines in distress, Lionzio wraps his arms around his shoulders. “I would have done anything to get you back.”

“The strange man,” I feel sick, “was Dad, right?”

Lionzio simply nods.

I take a step back. “How can you bear to look at me?”

Lionzio blinks the tears out of my eyes. “Because in the hell of my lonely existence, you were the one person who made my life worth living.” He shoots a watery smile at River. “And you were the light in my darkness.”

“My Sunshine.” Harbinger winks at River.

River throws himself to the floor behind Lionzio, looping his arms around him. “Lion…”

Lionzio finally smiles. “See? Aren’t I lucky?”

“Not that lucky,” Laurent touches the top of the queen on the chessboard, “since you must have lost your golden child status in your pack, if they ended up selling you to the Battles as well.”

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