Page 28 of Harley & Her Ferals

“Go away,” I yelled. I didn’t want anyone else in my pack. My sister’s birth had led to Mom’s bond being broken and her death. I couldn’t bear any more bewildering change and strange Alphas. “You’re not my brother.”

A sob.

Then the boy raised his head, and I saw the bruise on his tear stained cheek.

Instantly, I regretted my words.

When I climbed onto the bed, he flinched.

I began to instinctively purr.

I clasped my arms around the boy, hugging him and allowing him to silently cry against my neck.

“I’m Harley,” I whispered, clasping him tighter in case he was taken away from me as well. “I’m sorry. Will you be my brother?”

“Lionzio,” the boy replied, quietly. “If you’ll be my sister and don’t abandon me.”

And I haven’t.

Yet Dad has used Lionzio all these years for cruel games.

If I escape here, I’m taking my brother with me.

My eyes are wet with tears.

“Lion,” I murmur.

But Lionzio isn’t looking at me. You can only push an Alpha so far.

“Youdidpromise,” Lionzio says, icily. “If you take it back now, you’ll be publicly humiliating me. I won’t be respectedagain. I guess you enjoy jerking me around like this. You can’t bear for anyone to challenge your position. I guess that I’ve become a little bittooefficient in my role. A little bit too loved by this pack, huh? Are you feeling threatened, Dad?”

Shit.

“Dearest brother, shut up,” Allegra hisses.

I throw myself forward, trying to reach for the gun, but Dad is faster. He scoops it up but doesn’t use it.

Instead, he leaps out of his seat and with his years of fighting experience, grabs Lionzio by the wrist and twists it behind his back. In the same move, he slams Lionzio face first into the table with a clatter of plates.

Lionzio howls, as Dad twists his wrist hard enough that I worry it’ll fracture.

Lionzio’s wrist is already weakened by all the times that Dad has done this move on Lionzio over the years. Lionzio has to wrap it occasionally because of the pain that it gives him.

I jump up as well.

I’m trained now. I’m not going to watch this happen.

“Stay where you are,” Dad threatens, grinding Lionzio’s injured wrist, “or I’ll break it.”

Taking a deep breath, I stand still.

I’m trembling with my desperation to stop Dad.

Omegas are meant to stay out ofAlpha businesslike Allegra pretends to.

But I’m not most Omegas.

When Lionzio gasps in pain, biting back a shuddering sob as Dad puts on pressure, Dad looks even more enraged, leaning more closely over his back.

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