Page 109 of Red's Beast

“Sadly?” He spats. "I'm a catch when it comes to alpha males."

I choke back a laugh. "You've got to be joking. He can't match me. It's like comparing a bonfire to a match."

Grandmother scoffs. “It’s not like she can see the other alpha males in other territories just yet. We don’t know what they are like, but they’re probably better. Anyone is better than you.”

I look up to see his face and am not surprised to find him red with anger. He doesn’t like what either of us has said, but he seems to direct everything at me. "How dare you? Do you not remember your place? Oh, that's right. You are right where I told you to be. On your knees before me."

"I see some things never change." The feeling passes and I finally stand. Once I'm sure of my footing, I stand proud and glare at him. "You will never speak to me that way again or I will end you. That applies to Grandmother as well. You are no longer alpha. I am. So deal with it."

"End me?" He chides. "If you don't find beasty in time, I may be the only thing that saves your furry butt. Have you heard the stories of alphas who don't take a mate?"

He waits for a second while I just glare at him. Of course, I haven't heard a thing about it. No one tells me anything, and I had a suppressed wolf, so I don't know anything. "No, but I'm sure you will fill me in, but first I need food."

Corbin takes a seat at the table, still clad in a towel, and I take the chair furthest away from him. The last thing I want to do is sit by him right now and Grandmother seems to feel the same way. She chooses the seat next to me and is oddly quiet.

"Well, I guess you want to hear everything I know and what has been withheld from you," he begins.

“She already knows some things, but do go on, Corbin,” Grandmother says with a simple shake of her hand.

"Fine," he continues. "The first thing you should know is when an unmated alpha takes over a pack, their very being drives them to find a mate. It's kind of a balancing of power thing. Packs always have a ruling pair, and it is ensuring there is a pair. Since the alpha part of you has been suppressed all these years, it seems yours is on an accelerated path to make up for lost time."

I lean back in my chair, my hand flying up in frustration and smacking the table hard. “We figured that much out already, so tell me something I don’t know.”

Corbin smirks and starts to speak, but I interrupt him.

"It's no thanks to your family, either. All your father did was abuse me and so did you. Lillian, do this or Lillian do that or that gosh awful thing of telling me where my place is. I'm sick of all of it and never asked for this. Now, once and for all, is there anything else I should know that you can tell me?"

Oddly, Grandmother and Corbin cut their eyes at each other as if asking a silent question. It just makes me angrier and I stand, slamming both hands against the old wooden table. "I get it. There are things you can't tell me because of that witch, but anything pack related should be on the table and not hidden."

Grandmother leans in her chair, lacing her fingers together across her stomach. "I truly think that covers everything besides finding the beast. That is all up to you and twinkle hooves over there."

"Twinkle hooves?" Corbin asks.

"Shut it," I growl out between clenched teeth. "Don't even think about arguing or challenging her. You will go through me and I will crush you."

He leans back in his chair, his expression one I can't read until he smirks. "I might like this more powerful you. It's more of a challenge than the poor, pitiful girl you were and it's doing something to me."

My mouth drops open, uncertain of how to respond to that. He enjoyed the broken me and the version of me when he found out I was an alpha, but apparently, me with my full alpha potential unlocked is very attractive to him.

I can’t win without losing.

Suddenly, he goes quiet and I meet his gaze to see if he'll say another word. His eyes widen and the smirk drops from his lips.

"Now you go quiet? What? Nothing else to say?"

He blinks rapidly and sputters. "Your eyes. I can’t believe it, but they are as red as blood. What kind of alpha are you?"

"There's only one kind," I state, but then I turn to look at my grandmother and see her looking away. “We are part of the original alpha line. It’s your bunch that is a freak.”

Grandmother scoots away from the table, searching for her cane before carefully rising. The chair skids, causing a horrible screeching sound, which makes me jump. “Food. You need something to eat. I’m going to cook.”

Corbin leans forward, his elbows resting on the table as he props up his chin with his fists. “No, I’m just a special kind of alpha. That is what dad always told me.”

“Fine, your father is from one of the southern packs. That much I do know and one day, I’m going to figure it out. Anyway, what weneed now is to free the beast. What do you know about his curse and how to break it?”

Silence. And it’s an awkward few seconds of it.

Corbin clears his throat. I guess he senses the tension in the room and thinks he can make it better. "The reason she or I can't tell you is because her bonded person is still alive. Until that person is gone, the spell she cast won't go away. At least, not entirely.”

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