Page 91 of Cursed Beasts

Caston grabbed me by my upper arm and pulled me away from the guys. Tears welled in my eyes when I looked back to see Lucien with a devastated expression. I knew I should have told him last night, but I just needed a day to get my head wrapped around this entire situation, and I didn’t know Caston was going to show up.

I let Caston lead me away, worried he was going to do something stupid or Lucien would do something irrational involving dismemberment. Zev and Aeon would probably join, and Caston needed to go home. The last thing we needed was our coven sending more witches here.

“Which one is your room?” he snapped, sounding even more impatient.

“It’s this way but, Caston.” I pulled my arm away, hating the feel of his hands on me.

We arrived at my room, and I let him in, wondering how the hell I was going to get him to leave without a big scene.

I stood by my bed as he looked around the room in disgust.

“What are you waiting for? Hurry and pack.” He looked at me, irritated.

“Caston, I can’t leave,” I said, sitting on my bed.

“Have you even tried? They did not consult me on this, and you still owe me an heir.” He looked livid. “So, get your shit or we will leave here with nothing.”

I stared at him, and this was the first time I had taken a really good look at him. He looked like shit. His suit was wrinkled, he had bags under his eyes, and he was looking a little deranged.

“I can’t leave until I break the spell. I have tried to leave, and I’m bound to the house and ground.” I tried not to get annoyed thinking I couldn’t lose my cool if I wanted to get him out of here.

Shouting came from the other side of the door, and I worried about Lucien. Our mating was bound to have repercussions on his end, and I was not looking forward to that.

“This is ridiculous!” Caston shouted. “Did you know about this?”

“No, I was left here—”

“Bullshit. Why do you have luggage here? Was this your family’s plan to use me for my money and connections, but not keep up with your end of our contract?”

“Caston—”

“Don’t patronize me Katarina. I knew your family was a bunch of conniving witches, but this seems to be a little much.”

“What makes you think they consulted me on any of this? When has my opinion ever mattered?” I snarled. “I have been just as clueless as you’ve been, and I’m the one who has to live with the decisions and sins of my family.”

“You are mine!” he roared.

His anger made me flinch. He had grown angrier with each year we didn’t have a child. If I didn’t tread carefully, this might get out of hand and the last thing I wanted was Lucien or the guys getting involved.

“Look, Caston, I really can’t leave. I’m stuck here until I break the curse,” I said, hoping I could get away with not saying I could leave after the year.

“Well, that isn’t going to work for me,” he snarled. “Get your shit or we leave with none of it.”

“Caston, I’m serious. I can’t leave, there is a—”

I should have expected it. He slapped me with enough force that I lost my balance falling onto the bed.

“You will give me an heir if it’s the last thing you do!” he yelled, getting on top of me and slapping me again.

My training kicked in, hitting him with my palm on his nose, further breaking it. A gush of blood came down on the both of us, but that didn’t stop him. He had a murderous look in his eye when my body seized up and I couldn’t move.

Caston was a powerful telepath. Since I had no training whatsoever, my mind had always been vulnerable to his advances.

“Don’t make me keep you like this for the rest of your life. I can bury your self consciousness so far into your mind that you wouldn’t be able to do anything but lay there and do what I tell you to do.”

Fear of that possibility was enough to make me worry if he could really get me out of here and what that meant.

“Now get your ass up and fucking pack,” he said, pushing his hair back. “I won’t ask again.”

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