Page 143 of Red's Beast

His brows furrow together as he thinks about it for a long moment. “You know, I don’t know why. It’s always been our tradition. My best guess is something in the past happened to change everything. I heard stories during my time that wolves used to just claim each other whenever the mating bond pulled, but something changed. I think it was about eight hundred years ago.”

We study each other for a minute, both wondering the same thing.

“Do you think it has something to do with Natalia and Emmeline? Didn’t she say she had a thing for your ancestor?”

He nods before leaning down and kissing me slowly this time, savoring each touch of our lips. I can feel his wolf urging him to finish it all, but he also knows I’m a little tender right now.

I break the kiss and stare into his dazzling red eyes. My hand tenderly reaches up, caressing his face. “Your eyes are beautiful. I guess you are from the other original line, too. You know, I had no idea that there were other types of alphas before not too long ago.”

He shrugs. “You know, I don’t really know. My father was an alpha long ago, but never of a pack and has always had red eyes, too.”

“Corbin’s family doesn’t,” I admit.

“Maybe it has something to do with what Natalia spoke about. They were different. Witch blood doesn’t affect your eyes, but maybe it’s something in his family line that does.” He pauses for a second, then leans down to kiss me gently. “I don’t want to talk about Corbin and his family anymore. I’ll get up and do something with myself so I’m not tempted.”

As he rises from the bed, I lay there sinking into the plush feel of the bed. I realize they must have gotten me a different bed because mine never felt this good.

I look around and notice my house looks a lot cleaner. Not that it was dirty in the first place.

“Have you been cleaning my house?”

He calls out from the kitchen while banging around with what few pots I have. “Yes, and I made sure it smelled like me.”

I chuckle under my breath. Of course he would do that.

As I lie back on the bed, there is only one question remaining. Is there more to Corbin’s alpha eye color and how long before it comes back to bite us?

After a long moment, I dismiss my thoughts. If Lucian isn’t worried, then neither should

Lillian

One week later…

Tonight is the night of the full moon, and the night I’ll make Lucian officially mine. When he said we had a lot to do over this week, he wasn’t kidding.

The next day, after waking up, we had to address the pack. That night we held the official alpha ceremony, so we stepped up as the alpha pair together, even though I had already claimed them.

Everyone loves Lucian, and it has been a smooth transition surprisingly, though a certain few have been distant.

Mostly it’s those who were extremely close to Corbin’s family, like the betas and a few others. Maybe ten in all.

As for Corbin, I allowed him to stay for now. Though he has tormented me, I’m not stooping to his level. Well, not exactly. He is the resident maid for the pack and cleans houses. Lucian and I both want him dead, or as a goat. That was our first option, but I decided to be the bigger person and make him the maid.

It’s only fair, right?

Emmeline went to the realm she and her sister created. She profusely apologized, but I’m still processing it all. I think she has been gone for six days, and I still am not sure what to think. They wreaked havoc for everyone, but now we can move on and heal.

Grandmother is enjoying her new company. Lucian’s parents are just what she needs, and they seem to enjoy her sassy demeanor. It also gives me a peace of mind that she has someone there all the time to watch out for her.

Logan fits right in with the pack and is now helping us as Lucian’s beta, though sometimes he is rather reluctant. I’m not sure why he sometimes wants to be by himself or hangs back because he does great as the beta, but something is haunting him. Lucian fears it may get worse before it gets better, but I don’t know him enough yet to pass judgment.

The rest of the pack has fallen in line. Most of the time, they avoid me, and I am fine with that.

I straighten my ivory dress one last time as I check everything. Grandmother knocks on the door. “I have something for you.”

My mother’s red cloak lies in her arms.

“But it was so bloody.”

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