Page 93 of The Alpha's Seer

I continue. “My brother would have died fighting these bastards; he never would’ve hurt Calix. He would never hurt me. You’re not my brother. You’re weak. Leon was strong.”

“Leon was a useless drunk!” he roars, slamming me against the wall, his hands around my throat. “He was dying every day, drinking himself into oblivion!”

His fingers tighten around my throat, but I feel no fear. Maybe it’s blind stupidity, but I’m convinced he won’t hurt me. He glares at me, spittle flying from his mouth as he continues. “He hated you. I hate you!”

I manage to laugh, because this much I know isn’t true. “My brother loves me, and I love him, and nothing you can do or say will change that. So kill me if you want to, but you’renotmy brother.” I reach up to pry his fingers from my throat, both of us glaring at one another in desperation.

“I could kill you right now,” Leon rasps, tightening his grip on me.

I manage to pull his fingers away, gasping at the air streaming into my lungs.

“Butheneeds you.” Leon spits into the darkness before he throws me against the wall.

I wince as pain splinters through my back. I cough and hold my throat, wincing when he leans down once more.

“Your brother is dead, Seer. Now all you’ve got is me.”

Then he draws his leg back, kicking me hard in the stomach. I lift my knees and try to protect myself, but it’s no use; he manages to hurt me no matter where his boot lands.

I try to take myself away, to remember the good times with Calix, but it only makes me sob harder. The thought of what Calix’s arms feel like around me, his words mumbled into my ear like a caress, the way his body heated mine. A part of me wishes he were here now, but I wouldn’t wish that on him or anyone else. If he were here, though, he’d rip Leon apart limb from limb, and he’s still my brother, even if only in physical form.

“Please,” I beg as his boot slams against my bruised ribs. “Please!”

“Beg all you want, Seer.” Leon pants as he leans down, grabbing a handful of my hair. “But all he needs is your sight. Your visions. You don’t need to be in perfect physical condition to do that. You don’t even need to see. Maybe I should blind you.”

Bile rises in my throat as his boot moves to my face, and even Azra’s silent screams can do nothing to save me from the darkness surrounding me. I try to fight, but when his foot hits my cheekbone, I hear a crack, and a burst of white-hot pain explodes across my face and eye, making me scream so loud it burns. I have no option but to give in to the pain. I stop fighting and allow the darkness to take me.

I’ve lost track of time.

The room I’m in has no windows, so I’ve no idea if it’s night or day. My ‘meals’ arrive randomly, and there’s no differentiating between them. They’re always the same disgusting shit: lukewarm soup and moldy bread I force myself to eat so I have strength in case I get a chance to escape.

I laugh bitterly. That’s not likely considering the fact I’m chained up. I’m their prisoner, just as they want me.

My ribs are in agony, and I can barely move. My left eye has swollen shut thanks to my brother, and I think my cheekbone is shattered. The pain is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, and I’d kill for some painkillers.

Fat chance of that here.

Thankfully, I haven’t had any visions. The woman, Azra, keeps talking to me, passing messages on from Calix’s mother, which I find comforting. Willow tells me Calix will never give up, that when he can, he’ll save us. That I need to concentrate on reaching him through my mind-link. But this is confusing, and I tell her as much.

Why can’t you mind-link Calix?

There’s a sad pause, and my heart sinks when the message comes back.

Willow said it’s because we are too weak without our wolves.

My eyes widen.You don’t have your wolves?!

Another heavy pause.

No.

My heart spasms with pain for them, knowing how close humans are to their wolves. The thought of Calix being apartfrom his wolf makes me want to weep. These poor women. They must feel so…alone. At least I can mind-link without a wolf.

I’m sorry. Will they come back?

I don’t know enough about wolves to know if they can come back, but Azra replies instantly.

We don’t know. He gave us something that made them…leave us. We can’t hear them anymore.