Page 18 of Omega and the Beast
“He’s a good male,” Deirdre continued, ignoring her father to focus her gentle smile on Callista. “He saved my life, you know. All of our lives.”
“From the Beast?” her father asked pointedly.
Behind Deirdre, Mirkon, the male who had been introduced as her mate, put his hand on her shoulder. His skin was even darker than Deirdre’s, and they had the same long braids, but where she was talkative and friendly, he was much quieter and more reserved. He did not speak now either, but his thunderous expression made his feelings clear.
“Forgive me,” Broderick said, raising an open hand in a show of peace. “I’m grateful to him, as much as anyone. He’s given me shelter and hospitality, but saved my life? You could as easily sayIsaved your life, simply because – I say this only as an example,” he added to Mikron, before concluding, “because I haven’t stabbed you yet.”
Mirkon did not appear pleased by that comparison, but Deirdre put her hand atop her mate’s, smiling as if theywere merely exchanging pleasantries over tea. “I might, if you were cursed to go about stabbing people. Adonis fights the curse every day. I’ve seen the toll it takes on him. I was the first sacrifice. I saw the Beast, felt his breath on my skin. I felt his claws tearing at the ropes that bound me to the Blood Tree. He could have killed me at any moment,” Deirdre said, almost fondly. “Instead, he herded me here to keep me safe, the way he does with everyone, fighting against the violence the curse instills in him.”
“And once you’re in the castle, you’re safe?” Papa asked, badly disguising his skepticism.
“So it would seem, but it isn’t as if we were given a book of rules for the curse,” Deirdre answered, confirming what Adonis had told her. “His greatest fear is that the curse may grow and change as time passes, that one day his will won’t be enough and he might turn on all of us, unable to help himself.”
Remembering the Beast’s form, his strength and swiftness, Callista could well understand that. Never mind he’d be outnumbered twenty to one, he would still likely kill most if not all of them. One blow from those clawed hands, one snap of those powerful jaws, was all it would take to end a life, and there was no knowing how magic might play into any battle.
“He said some of you have tried to return to your villages?”
Deirdre sighed and nodded “I’m sure you must think poorly of us. We’ve considered going to a single village, all of us, but we’re… we’re not sure what happened to those who tried to return. I watched from a distance when Vance tried to return to my village. Mirkon and I both did.” Her expression solemn, she met Callista’s gaze squarely. “He disappeared before our eyes before he could reach the walls of the village. The next morning, they found him hung from the trees.”
More magic at play.
It was almost too fantastical to believe, except she’d seen it at work with her own eyes. Magic wasn’t real, except it was. She couldn’t help but wonder if the same curse that had made everyone forget the truth about Alphas and Omegas had also made them forget about the existence of magic. The curse was diabolically ingenious.
Talking with Deirdre and the others, Callista learned as much as she could about the community that had grown here under Adonis’ care. Her father remained by her side the whole time as the night grew later, and her eyelids became heavier.
Eventually, the others left them alone, understanding they might need some time to themselves. Her father told her of his travels, how he’d delayed his return waiting on Lachlan’s suppressants, then tried to make up the lost time by driving the carriage too fast over the rough road, only to end up staggering through the woods at night, fleeing in a daze from the sounds of the Beast all around him until he’d arrived at the castle. She told him about Father Conal’s last visit and his offer – his threat – of marriage. Her father’s face darkened with quiet rage, as expected, but he said little, apart from, “No doubt he seized our home before the hearth had cooled, but at least you are well away from him.” She hadn’t thought of that, but supposed it didn’t matter what happened to their few possessions and a scratch of land.
Now more than ever, she was glad to have escaped Father Conal’s clutches.
“We should get to bed,” Papa said, yawning and glancing around. The great hall had mostly cleared out except a young male who was tending the fire. “Tomorrow, we willfind something for you to do. I’ve been helping in the gardens as much as I can with my arm like this.”
Nodding, Callista got to her feet, happy to walk beside him until he tried to turn to the North Wing and take her with him.
“I… My room is that way,” she said, pointing to the doors she and Adonis had walked through together so many hours ago.
Papa scowled and gruffly said,
“No, I’ve been told we’re not to go there. That’shiswing.”
“And mine,” Callista said firmly. Although Adonis hadn’t expressly invited her to share his bedchamber, it was where he’d brought her and considering the way he’d looked at her, the way he’d kissed the top of her head when he’d left… Unless he came back and told her he didn’t want her there, that was where she was going to be.
“Callie—”
“Papa.” She held up her hand, stopping him from whatever he was going to say. Then letting her hand drop, she reached for his. He took it reluctantly, clearly realizing he wasn’t going to like her decision. “I want to be there, and it is my decision. I like Adonis. I want to know if there can be more between us than just the instincts of an Alpha and Omega. I cannot discover that if I am sequestered in my father’s room.”
Sighing, Papa raised his eyes to the ceiling, a familiar gesture that meant he was asking for patience. It also meant she had won. Callista hid her smile before he dropped his gaze again so he didn’t see it and have a reason to dig in heels longer.
“Very well.” He smiled at her, though it was only half-hearted and held more resignation than happiness. “Isuppose I will have to accept that you are all grown up now and don’t need me.”
“I willalwaysneed you,” she replied immediately, stepping in to give him a giant hug. “That’s how I ended up here in the first place.”
Her father sighed as he hugged her back just as tightly. “I want to scold you for making such a dangerous choice, but considering Father Conal’s interest in you and the way everything worked out, I am hard-pressed to do so.”
“Good, because I couldn’t have stayed there,” she replied, shuddering as she remembered the expression on Father Conal’s face when he’d spoken with her. Even if he had been an Alpha or she a Beta, she wouldn’t have wanted anything to do with him. She couldn’t imagine being with him the way she had been with Adonis — and didn’t want to try. The very thought made her feel ill. “I never want to go back.”
Well, that wasn’t entirely true. She didn’t want to go back until they had some means of bringing Father Conal to justice. What good would approaching the villages do if magic was protecting them? It was something she would have to think about… and talk to the others about. She doubted she was the only one to have ever entertained thoughts of retribution.
But that was for tomorrow when Adonis returned.
