Page 62 of Beast

Taren stands. “Fair enough. Never thought I’d see the day when Gaston Marques fell for a girl.”

I clear my throat before he walks away. “Heard you cut the head off the snake. Congrats.” Illeana’s death was the talk of the city. No one was upset she was gone.

Taren’s expression darkens at the mention of his former boss. “Yes, I finally put that snake in the ground where she belongs,” he says bitterly. “Should have done it years ago and saved myself a lot of misery.”

He pauses, as if debating how much to say. I wait patiently, sipping my whiskey. His hands clench into fists briefly before he forces them to relax. “The things she made me do over the years...”

“The past is done,” I say quietly. “Nothing changes what she did. But her reign of terror is over now.”

Taren nods slowly. “For that, I’m grateful.” He glances toward the back of the plane where Alice and Blake disappeared earlier. “Maybe now there’s a chance for something better ahead. If we choose to take it.”

I follow his gaze, thinking of Blake. “Yes. Perhaps there is.”

We remain in silence for a moment, two monsters contemplating redemption, or at least the closest we may ever come to it.

The moment ends when Blake and Alice reappear. But the glimpse of humanity I’ve seen in Taren linger, and I find myself hoping, despite everything, that he’s right. That even beasts like us can find some small piece of light ahead, if we dare to seek it.

He walks back to his seat, leaving me to my thoughts once more. I know Taren means well, in his own warped way. But he’s wrong about Blake. She’s not just another conquest to me, and I intend to prove it, no matter what it takes.

25

BLAKE

As soon as I walk through the door of our apartment, Kali and Luna rush over and pull me into a tight group hug. We hold each other close, the three of us clinging to each other.

“I missed you so much!” Kali says, squeezing me tight.

“Me too!” Luna chimes in. “We were so worried about you.”

That’s when Alice enters and joins in. Now all four of us are here, reunited at last.

I feel tears pricking at my eyes as we stand there, wrapped in each other’s arms. My three best friends, who I was terrified I might never see again. We stay huddled together for a long moment, just breathing each other in.

Finally we separate and I get a good look at them, assuring myself they’re here and they’re okay.

We all have tears in our eyes. So much pain and fear is behind us now, but also so much joy at being together again.

“I can’t believe we all made it through that,” Kali says.

Luna nods, wiping at her eyes. “I never thought we’d see Blake again.”

“Me either,” Alice whispers. She looks pale and drawn, like the experience took a heavy toll on her.

I feel a swell of emotion rising in my chest. We endured so much, but we survived. We’re together again.

Then the door opens again, and Taren walks in. We all fall silent, tensing instinctively at the sight of him. But before I can react, Gaston follows behind, strolling into my apartment like he owns the place.

Kali and Luna glance between Gaston and me, confusion etched on their faces.

“What the hell is he doing here?” Kali asks bluntly.

I let out a weary sigh. How can I even begin to explain this mess?

“It’s complicated,” I say evasively. I’m not ready to get into the twisted details of my relationship with Gaston. Not now, when I’ve just been reunited with my best friends.

Gaston smirks at me.

I avoid looking in his direction, unsure what kind of game he thinks he’s playing by coming here, but I want no part of it. After everything he put me through, how can he possibly think he can just waltz into my life and try to win my affections?

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