Page 70 of Red's Beast

"Lillian, hey, are you listening to me?" He grabs my chin roughly in his grasp and forces me to meet his gaze. My face is like a stone wall and shows no emotion. "What is wrong with you? You’re just lying there like a rock."

"You."

"How dare you," he says as he presses me harder into the bed. "After all, I've given you and will do for you. How can you be so ungrateful to be with me?"

"Maybe because you're not giving me a choice. It is always about you and what pleases you. You have not once asked me what I like or what I expect. You completely disregarded my request to wait until the full moon so we won't be doomed. Now here we are, with you on top of me, just waiting to take me as yours without going through the proper mating ceremony. So go on. Get it over with. I’m half undressed as it is.”

"That is not true. I took you on that picnic and made sure you had your favorites. I think of you," he argues, but then looks to the side of the bed. "You have always been so stubborn. Why can’t you give in to me just this once?"

"Stubborn, or right? It's only three days now, isn’t it Corbin? Are you really so impatient that you can't wait three days to make me your mate?"

He turns toward me with a questioning gaze. "Who's to say you'll behave that day, either?"

"I am behaving, or did you forget I'm an alpha female? You should know that alpha females are harder to conquer and don’t cave so easily.”

Corbin leans in close, his breath on my face as he tries to make his point. "Then bond with me and become my queen right now. Who cares about the ceremony when we can just take care of business ourselves? Come on, Lillian, grant me my wish of owning you.”

I smirk. "A tempting offer, I assure you, but it can wait."

The door swings open, one of his betas standing there out of breath with blood dripping down his face. "Corbin, I've been trying to get a hold of you."

He doesn't move from on top of me. Instead, he turns to look at the man with a growl rumbling low in his throat. "Can you not see I'm with my mate and in the middle of something? Can it not wait?"

Only then does the beta see me underneath him and that I'm tied to the bed. "Oh."

His face turns bright red as he shifts his gaze to look at the floor. Corbin growls as he moves from the bed and undoes the belt from my hands. "This isn't over, kitten."

I rub my wrists as soon as I'm able and sit up on the bed. Once Corbin reaches the door, he turns and gazes at me. "Don't eventhink about leaving this room. I have eyes everywhere, and when I come back, you are becoming my mate once and for all.”

He slams the door behind him as a sigh of relief escapes my lips.

Beast

As I make my way to the village area of Dark Moon, I’m filled with an uncertain feeling. I take my time walking through the woods and by the creek.

All I want is to feel Lily’s touch again, just like that week we spent in the woods. I stop at a small pond we had taken a swim in.

She was absolutely stunning in those days we spent together. Her white wolf was magnificent and everything I had dreamed of.

Oh, how I will remember that night in particular forever. After the swim, we took a stroll through the woods, side by side, her fur next to mine. She cut her eyes in my direction longingly and then dragged her tongue up my cheek. I turned to her, wanting to do more, but I stopped myself from doing anything at all except brushing my nose against hers.

The rest of the week, we spent in each other's arms, or, well, paws. Until the last night. That is when I left her something to remember me by. I remember how she was against me and something just came over me and I had to do it.

I leaned down, my teeth scraping across her throat and then I sank my fangs into her flesh. She yelped and cried out, but then calmed as pleasure took over. It wasn't a mating mark, but it was close enough and made sure she was marked as mine to some extent. Hopefully, it will work until she chooses me.

At least, I hope she chooses me.

I wanted that week she spent with me to never end, but sadly, she had to go back. There are things I know she needs to do and though she can't remember all of her time spent with me, I know somewhere deep down she does. But this has to be what she chooses.

It seems so long ago, but it has been just a matter of a few days. I long to hold her in my arms and finally feel what it was like to be a man again. It has been so long since I have been human and able to shift between forms that I have forgotten how it feels to even go through the process. The feeling of bones breaking is not something I miss, though.

The closer I get to the village, the more off I feel and stumble in my steps. Something doesn't set well with me, and I catch glimpses of Corbin as he hovers over her. It's like a split vision and I can see the forest, but also him.

No, this can't be happening.

Shaking my head, I try to clear my vision, but all I can see is him as he kisses her and feel the sensations as he moves across her body. What is he about to do? No, they have to wait until the full moon. That is tradition and must be upheld for the mating to be considered done.

Lily tries to stop him, but something is stopping her. Where are her hands? The vision moves as she tugs, but she's trapped.

---