Page 83 of Harley & Her Ferals

“Apart from you,” Laurent points out. “Fer spoke about you. He worships you, along with that adorable, Italian golden retriever of a Beta. Does River always bounce around like that? I didn’t know that smiles could be infectious. Does he stay still long enough to fuck? I’d like to try that.”

I choke on my tongue. “Ehm, I haven’t… We haven’t…”

Laurent’s eyes light up. “We can try it together.”

“Yeah, I’d enjoy that.”

Laurent wraps his arm closer around me, kissing my forehead. “Fer also told me that it was River who took beatings from your sociopath of a sister in order to teach Fer to read and write. He didn’t call Allegra a sociopath. That’s me insulting her, to be clear. I’m not sorry. But should I apologize, since the bitch is sort of my sister-in-law now?”

I wrinkle my nose. “You don’t need to apologize about Allegra. She’s chased my dad’s approval by being harsh on everyone in the pack, including Riv, Fer, and even my adopted brother, Lion.”

“Is your brother an Alpha?” Laurent’s eyes become sharper.

I nod.

“You said before that he was in charge of the books and the business. Is he an ally or an enemy?”

“I don’t know. But he’s also Riv’s Guardian.”

Laurent’s eyes flash with fury. “An enemy then.”

My guts churn. “You don’t understand. Lion is a rival for the succession. He’s desperate for the position. It’s the only way that he’ll besafe. Lion is in many ways the same as Riv and you. I don’t know the truth of how, but he was torn away from his own pack as a kid and forcibly adopted by Dad. He has to perform perfectly or he’s beaten. Dad is hard on him. Despite that, Lion has spent his life protecting me. He’s worked so hard that he doesn’t have friends. He isn’t allowed his own pack. He’s convinced himself that he’s in love with Riv. But I think that Lion is only clinging to his best friend because Riv is the only person he’s been allowed to become close to.”

Laurent looks thoughtful. “Are you going to be able to sacrifice your brother in order to win the game?”

My chest tightens. Anguish sweeps through me.

This is the question that I’ve been avoiding.

“Do I have to answer?”

Laurent strokes up my back softly, but his words are hard. “Not to me, but you must work it out inside yourself.”

In the uncomfortable silence, I seek out the reassuring line of Feral’s strong shoulders and back.

I wish that we were all lying together in this nest.

Can I convince my brother to side with me, when I make the final move? Can I find a way through this where I don’t need to sacrifice him?

Laurent follows the direction of my gaze and smiles. “Fer has an incredible mind. He picked up chess theories in a couple of hours, which take most people months or years to get their heads around. I may mentor him. We’d be unstoppable in the online chess world together.”

“You’re still planning to keep your secret Alpha identity then.”

“I’m good at pulling it off, aren’t I?”

“How many masks are you wearing?”

“Do you really want to know?” Laurent brushes his lips against mine on each word.

He’s a seductive assassin.

Yet if I’m under his spell, I never want to escape.

Since he’s on our side, I feel sorry for our enemies.

Excitement rushes through me.

I thought that I alone was battling to break the mold as an Omega and go against the expectations of my dynamic.

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