Page 77 of Harley & Her Ferals

It also should be sweet and submissive.

But it’s not.

It’s one of the best power moves that I’ve witnessed.

River is frozen in place. He’s staring at Laurent like he’s a god.

I know how he feels.

Laurent appears to have that affect on everyone.

But he’sourgod.

Feral reaches to pick up the fork on the metal plate and raises it to my lips.

I happily accept my Alpha handfeeding me. It somehow makes even the cold, congealing eggs taste good.

I push Feral’s hand, forcing him to take a bite of eggs for each one that he feeds me.

The quiet in the attic is comfortable, as if we’ve all been a family for years, rather than only met together for the first time this morning.

This pack is meant to be.

It feels right.

“La mia rosa,” River strokes Laurent’s hair like he’s daring to pet a caged lion, while Laurent takes another bite of brioche (to be fair, he warned that he did bite), “since you’re the brilliant chess player here, what do you think our next move should be?”

Laurent sits back, thinking for a moment. “You’re all hiding your identities, as much as I did as Rook.”

The rest of us glance at each other.

Huh, Laurent is observant.

We nod.

“I played at being sweet, taking the beatings from my psycho Mom, while scheming since I was a kid to rescue the Betas who were imprisoned in her cruel dance academy,” Laurent says. “I had to be patient. She was an abuser.A murderer.She conditioned me since I was young to use my body and Omega nature to manipulate and trap. I wasn’t worth anything, apart from how I looked. But at last, I made my move. I beat her.With the help of my brother and friends, I took down one brutal empire. And I can do it again.We can.”

My heart aches at the thought of a young Laurent being whipped or trapped in such a terrifying pack.

No wonder he has such courage in the face of Dad and being kidnapped to the Underworld.

He’s inspiring.

He’s already faced his demons.

But now, he’s facing mine.

It’s not fair. Yet he’s already adapted to it. Instead of dwelling on how much it sucks that he’s not able to enjoy his earned freedom and is caught up in another battle, he’s helping me.

I respect the fucking hell out of him.

“But we don’t have years to plan this,” I reply. “We only have a couple of days, before Dad makes the decision on the heir. Everything hangs on that.”

Laurent taps the chessboard. “Like in chess, you need to see the bigger picture, rather than focusing on a single move. You also have to remember that players and not the pieces control the board. Play the player and not the board.”

“I don’t understand.” I pass the plate to Feral, before I edge closer to Laurent.

“You will. Don’t worry, I’ll work out a strategy that plays the player.”

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