Chapter 43

• “He screamed alpha. Goddess he screamed in pain from the salt. He fought against my father. Tried like hell to get out. He begged and cried unlike anything I had ever seen. I left. I couldn’t stand hearing him scream. I ran into Jerry’s room, closed the door, and buried myself in the pillow. I cried like the day my grandfather died. I held my hands over my ears as I could still hear his screaming through the closed door of my brother’s room. I didn’t dare go back into the bathroom until he was done.
• When I could no longer hear him I went back into my room. Mom looked like she had been crying and was sitting in the doorway of the bathroom. Even dad had tears in his eyes. Somehow Cole ended up getting turned around. He was sitting in dad’s lap. His legs were wrapped around dad’s waist, his arms draped over his shoulders. His head was tucked into my dad’s neck, red streaks lined his face and more were slowly falling from his eyes. Dad had his hand in his hair on the back of his head. His voice was soft and gentle as he spoke. I embarrassed myself but the first question I asked was if Cole sitting naked in his lap felt awkward. I was so.... so....”
• “Distressed?”