Page 129 of The Beta's Heart

It’s not your fault, Sunshine,Ty whispered in the link as he pulled my hands away from my face so he could lean down and kiss my lips gently.I didn’t know it was this bad, either.

It’s not right,I protested.He shouldn’t be treated this way!

I agree,Ash said with a scowl.

“You’re always hanging out with that Ramirez girl!” Mrs. Merriweather continued to shriek. “Get her lard ass to sit down and teach you the language if you can’t learn it from the teacher!”

“Don’t talk about her like that!” Bram said fiercely.

“You’re always with her and defending her. What is it, Bram? Do you have some kind of crush on that girl? No, of course not! Not only is my son an omega, he has to be gay, too!”

Even from outside, we could hear his wolf whimper. Poor Smoke was probably on the edge of a panic attack by now, and I for one had had enough.

Before I could reach for the door, though, Ash beat me to it. Without even knocking, he kicked it open and strode inside. He even remembered to duck so he didn’t smack his head on the lintel, which surprised me considering how angry he was.

No wonder he has no peace or calm to share!Ash snarled, a dark look coming onto his face, one I rarely saw.

Very few people had ever been on the receiving end of Ash Mitchell’s anger, and most of those who had weren’t alive anymore.

I’m glad we brought him along,Dove murmured, her eyes bright as her little blood-thirsty self settled in to watch the show.

I’m glad River’s asleep. He would have gone wild with wanting to protect Bram, which would have made it harder for Ty to get his answers,I told her.

Oh, don’t worry. I’ll tell my sweet mate every detail later,Dove promised, and I rolled my eyes as Mrs. Merriweather spun to face us.

In her late forties, she was well dressed with perfectly styled graying hair, although not even her makeup could hide the lines of bitterness etched into her face around the sides of her mouth.

“Alpha Ash,” she greeted tersely, her eyes flicking to Tyler and me and clearly dismissing us. “What brings you here? And without so much as knocking.”

Tyler and I stood slightly behind Ash, which gave me a chance to study Bram, who looked as though he wanted to disappear into the floor. Tyler, on the other hand, had a clenched jaw and his fists balled at his sides. I felt the storm brewing within him, but he was holding back, waiting for Ash to take the lead.

And take the lead he did.

“We came here to discuss another matter, but this—” Ash gestured towards Bram, who was huddled in the corner, “—this cannot continue.”

Her defiance flickered in her eyes for a moment before something darker clouded her features.

“He’s anomega,” she spat, as if that explained everything. “He needs to learn his place!”

That was the wrong thing to say to me, Ty, oranyof my alpha brothers, but especially Ash.

“We don’t tolerate abuse within our pack, Brenda,” he growled, anger rolling off him in waves. “Not from anyone, and especially not from a mother to her own child. The king’s law says an omega is afforded the same rights and respect as any member of the pack, and we would enforce that rule even if it wasn’t a royal decree. An omega is to be treasured and cherished for the peace and calm he brings us, not tormented or exploited for his submissive nature.”

“Yes, alpha,” she muttered through clenched teeth.

“Bram, please come here,” Ash called in a gentler tone.

Walking out into the hallway, Bram bowed his head and hunched his shoulders and, when his mother turned her glare on him, he flinched.

My friendflinchedfrom his own mother. That both broke my heart and set me on fire with fury.

“Here.” Ash tossed his set of keys to Bram. “Take my SUV and go where you please. Somewhere that makes you happy. Over to Yolanda’s, maybe, hmm?”

Bram’s eyes widened in shock as he caught the keys. He hesitated for a moment, glancing between his mother and alpha, before nodding and mumbling a thank you and grabbing his ball hat.

What’s going on?he linked us as his eyes met mine, then Ty’s.

We think she knows something about my parents,Ty answered,but now we’re all more concerned about you. Are you okay?

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