Page 74 of Red's Beast

Maybe. You know you don't love Corbin, and there has to be a way to fulfill your destiny and save the pack. I don't believe that's with Corbin.

I know she's right, but I'm still not sure how. The story my parents told me is so close to his story, but what does it have to do with me? The question floats across my mind again.Could I be the key to his freedom?

Shaking my head, I slump into Samson's hold. What good am I to him?

My wolf is useless and only surfaces at random times. I can’t even shift on demand like other shifters. How can I be the answer?

As my gaze finds Corbin again, he is stalking closer to the woods to taunt the beast. He now sees he can’t leave, so he has become braver and dares to get closer. I move my gaze toward the woods to look at him.

The beast is standing at the edge, but I can barely see his dark form. He is huge, from what I can tell, standing nearly as tall as Corbin at six foot four. His fur is dark colored from what I can see through the bushes. Finally, the beast shifts and I can see him better now.

A few spots of fur are missing, revealing scars that decorate his body like badges of honor. My breath hitches in my throat. I don't remember my time with the beast for that week I was missing, so to see him now is taking my breath away. His red eyes find mine and I instantly calm. They look almost human.

"You love her, don't you, beast?" Corbin's voice distracts me as he shouts at the beast. "This pack needs her as their leader. Can you not do one thing for this village, or do you only think of yourself?”

No answer. Not even a growl can be heard. Corbin takes that as his sign to continue. "You've haunted these woods all these years and have taken many pack members from us. I thought your issue was with my father, but here you stand. Can you not just stick to the woods and leave the village in peace? It's all any of us want."

The beast looks at Corbin blankly, but then his gaze finds mine again. I can see him weighing the options, but he doesn't want to let me go.

Part of me wishes he wouldn’t, but I know our options are limited.

Nothing works out in my favor. It seems like no matter what I choose, someone is going to die.

If I choose the beast, I will lose my grandmother. The pack will never get behind me and Corbin will rally them. I’ll most likely end up dead. If I chose Corbin, then I don’t fulfill my destiny and the beast will stay trapped in the woods for eternity.

I’m literally doomed.

The beast seems defeated as he hangs his head for a second. If someone had told me this would happen five years ago, I would have never believed them. He was painted as some mindless beast, but this shows the opposite. He may be able to not speak with them, but you can tell he is thinking about the deal.

Lily, is this what you want?

His voice fills my mind suddenly, causing me to jump. Why would he ask my thoughts about this? Does it matter what I say?

Yes. It matters. If you want to save your pack and keep Corbin in line, I will let you. It's your choice.

My choice. There are those words again.Why is it up to me?

Because it has to be you. It always has been you. So, please decide.

Panic causes my heart to race, and Corbin turns to look at me with a wary stare. "What is wrong with you?"

My head snaps up as our gazes meet. I shake my head and try to act like nothing's wrong, but the way he looks at me says he doesn't believe me. "Remove your hand, Samson. I don't believe my little kitten is telling the truth. You can hear him, can't you?"

"No," I reply quickly.

Corbin bites his bottom lip and looks at me with a look of disbelief. "You replied a little too quickly, kitten, and you forget I can smell a lie."

My eyes widen for a moment before I can control my facial expression. "I can't hear a thing. You are mistaken."

"More lies." Corbin's gaze moves toward the beast, a feral snarl on his face. "I can just kill him and be done with this, but what will it do to you?"

"No, let him live. I will do as you ask and become your mate."I'm sorry, beast. You have to go. I don't want my village to suffer his wrath or for you to lose your life over me. I also can’t risk my grandmother’s life.

The beast looks at me with a straight look before nodding and disappearing into the woods. Corbin looks stunned as he keeps checking between me and where the beast was. "I guess it's been decided."

"You got what you wanted,” I say as I hang my head in defeat. This is not how I imagined my life, but there isn't much of a choice.

Corbin saunters over, his smile growing with each step he takes toward me. "Oh, this is only the start, kitten. With the beast out of our way, we can rule this pack in peace. You will have everything you ever wanted and be my queen."

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