Page 124 of Red's Beast

This is just lust because of the mating heat. I have to hold out.

Corbin reaches up to cover his mouth to stifle his laughter. “Have I offended you, Grandmother? Oh, my. How terrible of a house guest I am.”

A low growl escapes her as she turns around with a wooden spoon in her hand. "I swear if you don't get out of my sight and become useful, I'm calling it off. No granddaughter of mine is marrying into your crazy messed up family."

I slowly stand and walk around the edge of the couch to go into the kitchen. Grandmother heaves in a deep breath just as I reach her, trying to keep calm so she doesn’t shift.

“It’s going to be okay. He is annoying, but he’s always like this. I think he’s just cocky because he doesn’t know how else to be. Be the bigger person and overlook him.”

“I don’t want to,” she mumbles between breaths. “This grandma has big teeth and wants to bite some sense into him. Get out of my sight, Corbin, before I change my mind.”

He throws up his hands in a sign of defeat as he quickly retreats into the spare room and shuts the door behind himself. I sigh as I hear him shuffling around to find a shirt.

Grandmother unleashes another low snarl.

“Is something else going on, or did you wake up irritable this morning?”

"How can you even consider being his mate? I know you want the beast, but who knows if Corbin can even do what he says? He even said it himself. His magic isn't the greatest and here you are being dragged around. You have a pack to lead. Maybe you should go to the other packs and find a mate there. Just leave all of this behind.”

I smile faintly because I wish it was that easy, but I can’t just stop wanting Lucian. My heart knows he’s my fated mate and no one will ever fill his place. I just don’t have much of a choice right now. To find him requires working with Corbin, though I hate it.

"Thank you for your concern, but I know what I'm doing."

She eyes me warily as she breaks the wooden spoon in her hand. "Do you think so? I don’t buy it. Let’s just search the other packs and find someone else. Get yourself out of this deal with Corbin before it’s too late.”

Shaking my head, I slink toward the couch, my shoulders sagging. Sighing, I collapse onto the couch and lie there looking at the ceiling.

After all these years of being suppressed and fighting my true nature, here I am finally free, but I'm trapped in a prison that I can't escape. One wrong move and it all falls apart.

"Oh, Grandmother. A fated mate bond is something we all desire and will do almost anything for. Now that I know who the beast is and confirm he is Lucian, nothing else is going to satisfy me.”

She scoffs from the kitchen. “Well, Lucian is in for a surprise when he gets back because you’ll have to fulfill your deal with Corbin.”

“I know, but I have to hope this all works out for the best. Honestly, I’m just tired of the curses and everything that has happened. Part of me wishes I could just give in and settle, but I’ve already come so far.”

Corbin slowly cracks the door, then steps out. I look around, only to lock eyes with him. “Are we having breakfast soon?”

Grandmother sighs as she looks at the broken spoon and lays it on the counter. Corbin’s brows shoot up, but he doesn’t say anything.

“One wrong word and you will be going outside like the dog you are. Do you understand?”

He nods. “I just want breakfast.”

I look at the rick of wood near the kitchen and realize we are getting low. “I’ll go get you some more wood for breakfast.”

“Thank you, dear.”

I stand up from the couch again and head to the door, only to have him follow me. There’s no need to turn around as I step outside. His presence is not something anyone would miss looming behind them.

"I'm coming with you."

"No, you're not. Go inside the house,” I whisper.

The door shuts behind him, and he looks at me as I whirl around to face him.

“Why are you not going inside?”

“Because you and I need to talk about this,” he says as he motions between us with one finger. “There’s tension and I’m not talking about a tension created because we’re mad at each other.”

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