Page 74 of Harley & Her Ferals

“Shit, sorry.” I stroll into the room, flooding the room with soothing pheromones for both men. I hardly dared dream that I’d meet a male Omega who would need them. “So, who’s winning?”

Laurent relaxes back into a lazy sprawl, adjusting the rose clips in his hair. “I am, of course. I am the World Online Chess Champion.”

River, who was following after me eagerly, almost drops his tray. He wouldn’t have had fun cleaning up that sticky mess.

“World…?” River gasps. “But only Alphas are allowed to enter that contest, la mia rosa.”

“Are they? I had no idea.” Laurent coolly studies River. “Who are you? Apart from someone who states the obvious and calls me yourroselike you already possess me?”

I wince. “He’s actually a thorn.”

“I am,” Laurent agrees. “If you touch me without permission, I won’t simply prick you, I’llbite.”

I expect River to be upset, but in fact, his smile widens.

“I love flowers, la mia rosa.” River places down the tray in front of the cages. Then he brightly kneels in front of Laurent’s cage. “Roses are beautiful but also have thorns to defend themselves. Everyone has that right, no?”

Laurent warily nods, before his gaze zeros in on theCthat’s stitched on River’s top.

Immediately, his expression gentles. “You’re a Companion.”

River’s smile becomes brittle. “Ah, I see. I am. I shouldn’t be talking to you. I’m only a Companion, the tutor to Harley’s brother. She told me so many good things about you, however, that I wanted to meet you.”

Laurent looks shocked. “I didn’t mean it that way. If you’re a Companion in this pack, then you’re not my enemy. We can be friends. I’m Laurent.”

“Friends,” River agrees, bouncing on his knees. “I’m River.”

“Pretty name.”

River’s cheeks tint pink.

He’s fucking smitten.

I don’t blame him.

“Riv is our Beta,” I point out, determined that Laurent understands this.

Laurent glances between Feral and River for confirmation.

Feral nods, while River scrambles to lean over to his cage.

Feral yanks River by his curls, until their lips touch through the bars.

Feral kisses River, hard and claiming.

He’s making it clear just how much River is his.

When River whines, Feral deepens the kiss.

Feral rarely needs words to make his point.

When he finally lets go of his hold on River, our Beta falls back, breathlessly.

River’s cheeks are flushed. His chest is rising and falling.

“Fer is my King: mio re.” River struggles back to his knees in front of Laurent’s cage. “And I’m simply his, mind, body, and soul.”

Laurent smiles in a genuine way that I’m not certain I’ve seen before. I’m not surprised that my sunny Beta has brought this out of him.

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