Page 92 of The Alpha's Seer

He nods and grins. “I do. I wish they’d let me take your life right now, but they have uses for you.”

I swallow hard, and he shoves my chin away.

“This isn’t you, Leon.” I try to appeal to his humanity, not knowing what he is anymore. “You and me…we are all we have.”

But you have Calix,I hear Azra tell me in my mind.

Leon’s eyes glitter with rage. “You are a hindrance. A pain in my ass. I hoped you’d leave this town and me behind, but no. You had to stay. Didn’t you?”

“I—”

“You let me become an alcoholic.”

I gasp. “Leon!”

“You blamed me for our parents’ death.Youletmeblame myself.”

I’m sobbing now. “That’s not true! Ineverblamed you! I couldn’t stop your drinking.”

“You didn’t eventry.” Leon sneers at me. “Our parents were killed, and we did nothing.”

“We were kids!” I scream, tears blinding my vision. My chest aches beneath the weight of his accusations, and I yank against my restraints. “None of it was our fault!”

“We hid like cowards while they were butchered.”

I close my eyes and try to ignore him, but he continues.

“Our mother was a whore.”

Don’t listen to him.

Azra!

He’s trying to make you weak. Be strong.

“Our father didn’t even try to protect her. Useless coward.”

Leon wouldneverspeak about our father this way. He worshipped him—we both did.

Tears sting my raw skin, my breathing ragged as I attempt to take deep breaths.

“They died because ofus.”

“No!”

Stay strong, Blair.

I cling to Azra’s words, but they’re nothing compared to his. He continues to throw them at me, each one sinking into my skin like poisoned fangs, sucking my life from me.

“And now look at you.” Leon sighs. “A prisoner.”

I lift my head and stare at him through blurry eyes, my chest heaving.

“You’re not my brother. My brother would never say those things.”

Leon’s eyes flicker with something that gives me a spark of hope; panic, maybe?

Guilt?