Page 48 of Beast

“We’ll be fine,” I said firmly. Everything in me wanted to protect her. To bring her father to justice for her. To see her smile again, and not the forced one she gave me now with shadows hiding behind her eyes.

We walked through the island’s forest to the beach. What would it be like to be free from the clutches of the Russian mafia? To live our lives without looking over our shoulders.

Her father stood at the shore, the boat anchored behind him. When he saw us holding hands, he glowered, and I could smell the disdain from here.

So he didn’t like us together. Too bad. But as much as I wanted to flick him off and kiss her fully, I’d play nice.

If he tried to hurt her, I’d rip his heart out and kill all his men before they killed me.

“Natalia.” He said her name like a whip, and she flinched beside me.

“What do you want to talk to us about?” she asked, not letting go of my hand.

My pride swelled that she was sticking up for us. Something she never would’ve done in school.

“Enough of these games. Come with me.”

She hissed in a breath but shook her head, and said, “No. I’m staying with Tomas.”

“Are you now?” He rubbed his chin, narrowing his eyes as he surveyed me like he missed something. “You’re off your meds, aren’t you? No worries, I brought some with me.”

“I don’t need them anymore. I figured out what they were really for... hindering me from becoming an omega."

Her father hissed out a curse. “Gavno! You do as I say, Natalia.”

The fact he spoke this way to my mate, treating her like a child, and hiding her heritage from her, boiled the blood in my veins. “She isn’t a slave to do whatever you ask. She is her own woman.”

Natalia squeezed my hand, tears in her eyes.

“Bah, you know nothing.” He waved a hand in dismissal at me.

“I know the Bratva would love to know how you hid an omega from them.” And I didn’t for one second believe it was for her benefit or to save her from being sold. A benefit I had being an alpha and the Bratva offering me protection for my wolf in exchange for my services.

His face colored purple and he pulled out a gun, aiming at me. “You see, I had you promised to wed Dmitri after you graduated high school. I gave you time. I told everyone that you needed to spread your wings for a bit, but that you would return to me.”

Natalia gasped. “You were going to sell me like a whore?”

“Nyet. It was an arranged marriage. One I would profit from a great deal.” His smile made a cold rage slam into my gut.

“But I won’t marry him. I don’t even like him.”

Her father shrugged. “Who said anything about like? And you ruined my plans, taking this... Beast to your bed. A used omega is like a rotten apple nobody wants and is no good to anyone.”

Anger and rage coursed through my veins, and I barely kept my wolf under control. “She is perfect and mine. You will not have her.” I pushed her behind me, shielding her from his gun.

He didn’t want to kill her merely over his brother, because if he did, the Bratva would realize what he was hiding and hunt him down. No, this was a different type of revenge. Natalia was his bargaining chip and I was the one who took that away.

My wolf roared inside me to shred him to pieces, and I barely contained it.

“You put the hit out on her. Wanted to make it look like a rival mafia leader.” I shook my head.

“No one dictates what I do or who I vote for.” He cocked the gun. “Not even my wayward daughter. Do as I say, Natalia. We can salvage this if you beg.”

Natalia stepped forward, her voice was strong and determined. “I’m not a slave. And I choose Tomas, not you, not Dmitri. Only him.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. She chose me, over her father and the comfort of the mafia. I saw a change in her, a strength I had never noticed before. I felt a warmth in my chest as I looked at her determined face.

“You would die for her?” Her father raised his eyebrow, looking me up and down like I was trash left out on the curb too long.

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