Page 110 of Red's Beast

“Well, that is new information,” I say as I lean forward onto the tabletop. “Do you know who Natalia was bonded to and where this person is? If I can find that and become his mate, I think it will free him.”

“That's as much as I can tell you." He cuts his eyes toward Grandmother and gives a curt nod."I'm going to go shower, if you don't mind. Living in that barn was awful."

"You'll stay here. Shower in the bathroom through there. I will go to your house and get your clothes. If you try anything funny, I will hunt you down and gut you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand, Alpha." He growls out the last part and looks exasperated, like it drains him to even say it.

Once he walks through the bedroom door, Grandmother turns to look at me, a wooden spoon in her hand. "Don't worry. I will watch him like a hawk and have something ready to eat. This spoon is good for more than cooking.”

She turns around, but I see a tear roll down her cheek as soon as she does. I don't bring attention to it as I scoot my chair back. She’s probably drowning in thought and having to think of the past isn’t easy for her because it’s a reminder of her mate.

As soon as I'm standing outside, I close the door softly behind me and take a deep breath. I look around toward the woods, expecting to hear the crunching of the leaves and branches, but it's nothing except eerie silence and it's deafening.

"Oh, how I miss hearing you, beasty."

I push off from the door and walk down the narrow path to the village, feeling completely lost because of the quietness. The quicker I can get his things and get back, the better.

I spot the alpha house in the distance and head in that direction. Several greet me, but they never look at me fully. It takes me a moment to realize they do that, so it's not a direct challenge to me.

It’s going to take me some time to get used to it.

Once I reach the alpha house, my hand reaches out for the doorknob, and I have to shake myself back to reality. When did I get to the house? It is like I walked here in a daze.

I pull the knob and step inside, feeling a little awkward as I do. Taking the stairs, I take the familiar path, but I freeze once I'm standing at his bedroom door.

Not too long ago, I was in here and he had planned to take me right there against the wall. It sends a shiver down my spine as I recall him stalking me across the room, leaving me with no way of escaping his pursuit.

Except the window, which I flung myself out of and then ran toward the woods.

Suddenly, I'm trembling in fear, unable to open the door. He isn't even here, but the memory remains. Anxiety and panic creep up, making my throat close.

I take a moment to breathe and finally make myself do what must be done.

I sling the door open and walk inside with a new determination to get what he needs and get out, but then my eyes land on the window that I jumped out of and it brings me right back to the memory.

This is going to be harder than I thought.

I can't stop my hand from trembling as I reach for the dresser and take hold of the knob. Nothing happened in this room, and I should be fine. It is and was nothing.

He made an attempt, and I escaped. It is a done deal. Why am I freaking out about this room?

The smells in the room overwhelm my senses, and the shaking continues as it overtakes my whole body. I finally yank open the drawer and grab his undergarments, but it's all I can do to even touch them.

Pull yourself together. Nothing has happened between the two of you and you got out. You're just grabbing his clothes from his room, and everything is okay. He isn't even here.

My wolf tries to sound reassuring, but it’s not that. All these years, he has been a thorn in my backside, following in his father’s footsteps. When he finally saw I had potential, only then did he plan to make me his. Up until that point, he saw me as a useless maid and I was there for his entertainment.

Isn't that how it goes, though? You're nothing until they see what you could be?I take a long, calming breath, but it does nothing for me.

I drop his boxer shorts on the top of the dresser and dig through another drawer for socks, followed by jogging pants and a shirt.

In and out. In and out. I can do this.

I fold them into a stack and head for the door, but my knees give out and I land on the floor in a mess of sobs.

Get out of this room, even if you have to crawl. Move.

Slowly, I crawl across the floor to his bedroom room with his clothes in my right hand, being dragged along with me. It’s all I can do just to get out of here.

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