Page 20 of Trust No Alpha

The sky stretched white today. It looked like it might finally snow later.

I clasped my hands over my chest and saw they were shaking. My body felt like a tumble of knots.

At long last, the door to my rooms opened. Mathias stepped in, glancing around before seeing me by the window.

“Kris.”

I sat up. “How is Father?”

“He’s fine. He’s conscious. He wants me to tell you he won’t be pressing charges.”

“Won’t be pressing charges?” A heat of fury went through my body.

“Well, uh, that came out wrong. He said he’s sorry and it’s not your fault. If you thought you’d get into trouble, you’re not.”

I fumed even though he’d clarified things a little more. “Has Father always been a dangerous Alpha?”

“What? He’s not!” Mathias puffed out his chest as he sat on the edge of my bed facing me.

“He forced me.” I stuck my chin up, pressing my lips together until they hurt.

“Technically you’re an Omega. You must submit.”

“It was Father! And fuck that, Mathias. It’s rape.”

“Not if you submit.” Mathias’s mouth twisted.

“If you submit but it’s not by your own will, then yes it is rape.”

“It’s Alpha law. You don’t get to use that defense. Not if you’re an Omega.”

“Well, I am using it as a defense.”

Mathias leaned toward me. “You nearly killed Father!”

I swung my legs over the side of the couch, thinking I needed to get up, walk away. “Listen to yourself! What the fuck? I’m your brother! Was I supposed to just bend over for him? For Father?”

Mathias’s brows lowered. He wouldn’t look at me as he answered. “Yes.”

“What do you know?”

“I know. I’ve felt the Burn now. There’s a reason things are the way they are, and the laws favor Alphas.”

“And what was it like? Did you go rape a few Omegas to get it out of your system?”

In a flash, he was up and pushing me back against the couch. “How dare you talk to me that way!”

“What way? We’re litter-mates. You should be on my side!”

“You’re an Omega now even if you also have the Alpha gene. It doesn’t count anymore. You’re not the perfect son now. You’re sullied. You have egg sacks. You have a pouch somewhere inside there.” He looked down at my stomach.

I lowered my gaze to where his hands held me by the shoulders. Then I looked back into his eyes with as cold a stare as I could muster. “Get your hands off me!”

“I could do anything to you and it wouldn’t be a crime.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Get. Off.” My teeth clenched on each word.

“Now that I’ve had my first Burn, I can smell you. You do smell different. Sweet, actually. And fuck. That hair. It’s like liquid gold. You’re too pretty to be an Alpha. You always were. I don’t know why we couldn’t all see it from the start.”