Page 48 of Red's Beast

Asella comes toward Corbin and grabs him by the arm. He tosses a look over his shoulder with a low growl.

“What do you want, Asella?”

"I don't think this is a smart decision. It doesn't matter what you think you'll gain, but this might affect how the pack sees you."

Corbin’s growl louder as his face partially shifts. When he leans to snarl in her face, I smell the scent of fear filling the immediate area. “Does it look like I care what this pack thinks? No, I don’t. I want her as my mate and for her to bear my children as we intended. It must be that way. Now, get out of my way before you meet your end.”

Grandmother shakes with anger in my embrace, irritated by his words. “She will not be your mate because I won’t allow it.”

He only stops to shift his gaze in our direction. I try to shield her from him with my body, but she fusses and shoves me aside. I nearly trip and fall onto the ground, but recover.

“You have forgotten, pup. I am an alpha female, so I don’t ever hide, not even behind another alpha female.”

"Grandmother, no." I reach for her arm, but she shrugs me off again, moving past me toward him.

"Lillian, I won't allow this to stand,” she says under her breath.

I watch as she moves closer and closer until they are within four feet of each other. Grandmother’s eyes are on him, blazing red with a snarl on her lips. A low growl rumbles in her chest as they lock eyes.”

Corbin only laughs and turns to give me a sly look. “See, your grandmother understands pack hierarchy. The only way to stop me from taking you as my mate as your alpha is for her to challenge me herself. It’s rather admirable and sweet, but I hope you’ll forgive me later. A match like this is to the death.”

I panic, causing my mouth to quiver as tears fill my eyes. “No, I won’t allow this. She can’t do this.”

"Her wolf has decided."

“No,” I say as I lunge to grab her arm. “No, please. You can’t do this to me. I’ve already lost my parents. I can’t lose you too.”

She casts me a quick glance before returning to staring at Corbin. “Honey, you will not lose me because I don’t intend for him to win.”

Corbin strips out of his long white shirt and tosses it onto the ground. Next is his pants following. They land on the top of theshirt. Once he stands bare before the pack, he raises his hands and laughs. “What a display. I commend your captivating words, but you won’t be walking out alive. I always get what I want.”

Grandmother’s gaze locks onto his face as she slowly strips out of her blouse, followed by her skirt. No one says a word.

I watch her as tears roll down my cheeks. Her cane falls on top of the pile of clothes, which makes me cry even harder.

I gulp hard as I take in her human form. A few scars line her body from past fights. Wrinkles line her face from all the smiles and gifts life has given her.

I memorize every single inch of her, wishing that this would have never come to pass. “You can’t do this, grandmother. Please, just let me mate with him and forget this match. You can’t leave me like this.”

Her alpha power rolls out of her in waves, nearly knocking me down. For the first time in my short life, I can feel the raw power that she has carried all along and I’m in awe.

Corbin’s alpha command rolls out across the pack and mingles with my grandmother’s, causing quite the stifling display.

“Are you sure you want to do this, pup?” She asks, completely ignoring my pleas for her not to do this.

Corbin bites his lower lip as his gaze shifts toward me. His orange eyed gaze feels like it pierces me to my very soul. “For her, I will do anything. When I win this challenge and you are taking your dying breath, you will watch me claim your granddaughter for all to see. Those faint marks on her throat will be redone with my own.”

His eyes lock onto the marks. With all the chaos, I had forgotten all about them. I reach up, gently touching the pinpricks with my fingertips. It feels wrong to think of another wolf’s mark covering them. The beast made these, even though they aren’t actual mating marks.

Alana’s wailing temporarily distracts everyone as she mourns over Nigel’s headless body.

Then I hear the faintest growl from somewhere behind me. I don’t dare turn and look. Not now.

Grandmother allows the shift to take over and takes her wolf’s form. Corbin shifts his gaze to me again with a wicked smirk plastered on his face.

His wolf is quickly surfacing, much faster than grandmother’s. He gives me one last glance before blowing me a kiss.

“One day, you won’t want my lips to be off your body. This I promise you,” he says, his voice mixed with that of his wolf’s.

---