Page 132 of Red's Beast

Part of me feels like I am by doing this. Lillian is already the alpha and I’m sure Corbin may claim her before I see her again. I close my eyes, a single tear sliding down my cheek as my heart aches for her.

In the end, I have to save myself and my family.

What more do you want? You've already cursed me to this life. I haven't seen my human body in two hundred years. And my mate is possibly going to be mated to Corbin, one of your descendants. There's not much else you can do to me. My heart has already been ripped out and turned to dust.

She smirks. "Well, there is something else. You never took me as yours and nothing is holding you back now. So why not?"

Anything but that. Even if Lillian is taken by Corbin, I can always challenge him. I can't if I take a mate.

"What if I told you it was too late to save Lillian from her fate because she's already decided? You know the only way to break up a chosen mating is for one to die. I know there are some technicalities if it's a chosen versus fated, but I don’t think youcan just challenge him. It's time for you to choose your own fate, Lucian. Maybe if you don't take me as your mate, you will consider being my servant. I promise to be a good master." She stares at me, her left brow raised as she studies me. "It won't be bad and I can even ease your burdens. Like your memory. All in exchange for freeing everyone from this realm. It's your decision Lucian."

Every thought that can pass through my mind does. It's like I'm seeing everything at once. If I take this deal, my family is free, but it will cost me everything. I can never claim Lillian or save her from Corbin. I won't recognize my family because she'd take my memories to make it easier for me. None of this sounds like a good deal.

"Oh, I promise you it won't be that bad. Having your memories erased makes you free. Plus, if you take this deal, then maybe I can help you become a man again." She comes closer to me, tracing her hand across the top of my head.

I recoil from her and try to move away.Nope. I don't know about any of this.

"What's there to know, Lucian? Just take the deal and it all goes away."

Natalia stiffens, her hand still outstretched as she looks into the woods. At first, she looks concerned, but then it fades and is replaced with something else. A smirk forms, pulling at the edge of her rosy lips. "Oh, this will be beautiful. So, what do you say,Lucian? Freedom for everyone in exchange for your servitude? What more do you have?"

I glance behind me, but I'm not sure what is going on.You promise they'll be free? If so, then yes.

"They'll be free."

I bow my head in agreement just as I hear Lillian's voice calling out behind me. But when I turn, I don’t see her.

Lillian

Grandmother signs. "Corbin thinks he found the realm."

"Are you certain?" I look up at him, and he nods.

It appears my thoughts are wrong, and maybe they weren’t discussing that.

"We got one shot. If this isn't it, I don't know that my magic will carry us somewhere else." He looks down at the book and sighs. "The fake Alana spoke of a place called Dark Sun and made it into a bed-time story. That is what brought it to my mind, because the opposite of a moon is the sun and she named it after the pack.”

I walk over and snatch the book from his hand. As I thumb from the notes and glance over the pages. Sure enough, it’s an old story that looks handwritten about a place called Dark Sun.

Grandmother shakes her head. "It’s the only chance you two have to find the beast.”

Corbin shakes his head and grabs the book from my hands. "We're opening the portal in an hour. If you can, set up this diagram."

He flips through the pages and shows me a symbol to trace into the dirt. It's not what I expected but looks simple enough to do. It's a square with one line diagonally across it. On one side, there’s a sun, and on the other, there is a crescent moon.

Honestly, it looks rather plain and not witchy at all. "Are you sure that's the symbol you need? I thought spells were more complicated."

Corbin sighs. "Just be happy it's not this." He flips the pages over and the symbol that lies there is so much more complex and something that would take me hours to do. "Imagine drawing that with your finger."

"Nevermind. I'll take the square any day."

I walk outside and clear a place near the house, though my mind wanders to what that other image was for. There was no telling what kind of spell that was for.

It doesn't take long to draw the square, then trace my finger diagonally across it. Once it's complete, I look and admire my handiwork.

Soon I will see Lucian again and this nightmare will all be over. After everything we have been through, we'd finally get to just be. I've waited so long to be free and have the life I've longed for. It's finally happening today. And I’m getting my fated mate.

Corbin steps outside. Something about him is completely different. He has this air about him that just makes me grimace. He walks past me, the book still clutched tightly in his hand.

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