Page 40 of Beast

Natalia stood there, her eyes wide with fear.

I took her in my arms and held her close, not caring if my men saw us.

It was as though we hadn’t seen each other in years. Our lips met and fireworks danced behind my eyes. The link between us—alpha and omega—was stronger than before.

I held her in a passionate embrace for a long time, until she sagged against me.

Placing my hand under her chin, I lifted her head a little, making eye contact again, my cock already hardening at the sparkle in her eyes.

“Don’t you ever fucking leave me again.” She punched my shoulder.

Not caring that she was mad at me, but loving how fierce she was, I grabbed her, holding her to me. “I’ll always protect you, no matter what happens. You’re safe.”

Tears shone in her eyes as she nodded, and I held her tight in my arms.

Even though she trembled against my body, I could feel the strength of her resolve to survive.

“What are we going to do?” she asked. “About... about them telling you to kill me?”

I inhaled deeply, drawing in her spicy-sweet omega scent. She was close to going into full heat and we wouldn’t be able to resist each other even if we tried.

The idea of lying to her to protect her sank like a stone in my gut. “I went to the city to talk to your father. Warned him about what was going on.”

“My father?”

Before I could answer her, she slapped me in the face. She pulled from my arms and headed to the guest room, where she slammed the door firmly behind her.

16

NATALIA

Ididn’t know who I hated more, my dad or Tomas. No, he didn’t deserve a name. He was a monster, a beast just like his nickname. So that is how I would think of him, as Beast.

“How could you go to him? Him of all people?” I accused as I stormed out of the guest room after pacing inside there for what felt like hours, but most likely was only a few minutes. Beast looked tired, his eyes were bloodshot, and I could see by the way he was slouching that no doubt he hadn’t eaten. But I didn’t care.

“Do you know I am more scared now than I was before? He most likely is going to come here and shoot me himself, then hold the funeral and tell people he would take revenge on whoever did it.”

Beast nodded, but then he cooked his eyebrow. “Is this what he did to your uncle? Did he shoot him? I thought you never knew how he died.”

Tears streamed from my eyes as I prepared to reveal the ugly truth. I knew a lot more about the fate of my uncle, but I didn’t want to talk about it. Somehow not revealing the exact way he died made it less real. I wanted to leave the painful memories behind when I left Russia.

“That was exactly what he did. He shot him in cold blood.”

“There’s a saying I’ve heard many times: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”

If he wanted to talk about sayings, I knew one too well, which didn’t apply to my father at all. “Blood is thicker than water.”

“Yes, that one too,” he choked out.

Then he walked back to the sofa like standing up was too much for him. He looked vulnerable as he pulled at a loose thread on the cushion, but I didn’t want to comfort him. I wanted to slap him again, but he’d merely move his head to the side as if it had hurt. But I knew there was no way that it could hurt him. I knew, no matter what, it was probably like little feathers on his face. He was a freaking werewolf after all.

“So, you told him where I am?” I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to hold myself together.

He shook his head.

“Then, why did you go to him? Tell me.”

He exhaled. “I wanted to, but you stormed to your room. I know why, and I’m not blaming you. All I wanted to do was talk. So much has happened in a short space of time. I’m just as confused as you are.”

---