Page 88 of The Alpha's Seer

It’s nothing, but at least I know I’m not alone. I need to think, but I can’t—all I can think about is those poor women, Calix, my brother—what the hellwasthat earlier?!

Leon wasn’t nasty—and never to Calix. I shudder at the memory of him coming for me, his teeth bared like some kind of animal.

But before I can think further about my brother, the door opens, and the man is there again, his twisted, burnt flesh making me recoil. He looms in the doorway, the hole where his mouth should be moving into what must be his best attempt at a smile.

Nausea sweeps through me.

“Have you thought about it?” He tips his head to the side, and I grimace. “Because I’m happy to fill in the gaps if you need me to.”

He moves closer, and I lift my head to his.

“Why am I here?”

He crouches, and his boots creak, but I refuse to look away from his one eye as it scrutinizes me.

“Why indeed?”

“You said…” I swallow and try to remain calm, but my senses scream at me to run or hide. I can’t—it won’t get me or the women anywhere if I do. “You said it’s because of my family. Why? What has my family done?”

His eye glints, and I think he says, ‘Aha!’ but I can’t be sure, not when he is hard to understand without lips.

“That’s the right question, Blair. What did your familydo?Any guesses?”His voice is raspy, like his lungs are covered in sticky black tar…

I stare at him and shake my head, even though I know he expects me to know.

How can I possibly know?

I didn’t even know my mother and aunt were werewolves until yesterday!

“I don’t know. Did you know my mother?”

Ihateasking him this. I hate talking to someone so vile and hideous about my dead mother. I hate this piece of shit. But he stiffens when I say it, and my heart leaps.

My mother. What could she have possibly done to him? How would he know her?

“Yes, although I can’t say I knew her well.” His voice has changed somewhat, and I wish I knew why. My mother would have hated this misogynistic pig. “What I do know of her, I hate.” Spit flies from his mouth, and I flinch when it lands on me.

“I’m sure the feeling would’ve been mutual,” I hiss, unable to control my anger.

His hand strikes my cheek before I can brace myself, and my head slams into the wall, more dizziness taking over. I taste copper, the telltale taste of blood—a split lip, in my case. It stings like hell, but I’m glad I made him feel my hatred.

“Stupid girl,” he grits out. “You foolish bitch! Maybe I should send you to be with the other bitches after all. Let my men have their way with you.”

I say nothing.

“Or…you can start thinking rationally. Maybe you’ll survive.”

“What do you want?” I snap, surprised I still have the energy to do so. My body aches from being in restraints for so long, but I know that compared to the other women here, I’m lucky.

Lucky.

“You.” He shrugs like it’s obvious. “I need you.”

I stare at him. “Because I’m a Seer?”

He coughs, and his whole body trembles with the force of it, pain etched across his face as he spits into the corner.

Gross.