Page 10 of Omega and the Beast

Callista

Callista wrapped herself in bedsheets while Adonis clothed himself, then left her alone with a promise to swiftly return.

Venturing away from the bed, she opened the heavy curtains, letting in more light, by which she was able to locate a basin with a little stale water in it.

As she gratefully washed, a knock sounded.

Adonis, with a clean smock and woolen kirtle in a pretty shade of blue.

He left her alone to dress, which she appreciated, but he stayed right outside the door, and soon she was following him through the castle, her head spinning.

The past few days felt like a haze, a dream.

Her body still ached from the exertions, but she also felt replete, completely satisfied in a way she never had before.

Between her legs, there was a dull ache, but she didn’t mind.

It was like a pleasant reminder of what she’d done with… well, with a perfect stranger.

A very handsome, very kind, very thoughtful stranger, who had done very filthy things to her that had felt very, very good. She truly wasn’t sure what to make of him.

Yes, he was dangerous, just as Father Conal had claimed. However, Father Conal was the one who had made him so. Though looking at the way he moved and his powerful muscles, Callista could absolutely believe he didn’t need to be a Beast to be dangerous.

In bed, she had felt small beside him and beneath him, but somehow, she felt even smaller walking next to him. He loomed over her, easily the tallest male she’d ever met, and he walked with the grace and power of a predator.

“I live in the south wing, away from the others… for their safety,” Adonis explained as he escorted her through the halls.

“I thought you said your Beast doesn’t see people as prey once they’re here,” she said, and was immediately sorry to see his expression cloud.

“I don’t, but I never know if that will change.” A muscle in his jaw tightened, his amber eyes flashing. “I don’t know enough about the curse to be sure of anything. You must understand, everything I do know has only been learned through trial and… and terrible error. I don’t want to risk anyone.”

He would be a good leader. A far better leader than Father Conal, who often put himself before everyone else.

After all, as he so often said himself, what would the village do without him?

That was why he ate first and best, why he was clothed in the finest fabrics while children shivered in the cold, and why he took a tithe for nothing more than preaching about how terrible they all were and how the Gods would punish them if they did anything other than what he told them to.

It wasn’t enough that he made others suffer for his comforts, Father Conal was also sacrificing young women every three years, knowing the only reason there was a Beast at all was because of the curse he’d laid upon Adonis.

Not just him, either. The other village leaders, too, each of them in turn so they didn’t have to send a woman from their village every year.

And if any of their victims should dare to return after judgment, they were killed as if they were criminals, for no reason but to preserve the illusion of infallibility of those in power.

All of them using lies and fear to keep their position, to make the villagers so fearful, they had sacrificed their own to stay safe. Anger bubbled up inside her, but she pushed it back down. She didn’t want Adonis to think she was angry at him.

It wasn’t his fault. He hadn’t asked to be born an Alpha or to be cursed.

Ahead of them, at the end of the hall, were two huge ornate wooden doors. Adonis strode forward, pushing one open, revealing a bustle of activity on the other side. It felt almost odd not to be alone with Adonis as she stepped through.

The ceiling was just as high as the hallway’s had been, but the room itself was the biggest yet. Callista’s jaw dropped as she looked around, taking in the columns, the stained glass, the stunning decoration. All of this in the middle of the woods, and no one had any idea!

No wonder Father Conal didn’t want people roaming too deeply into the woods. She wondered what he would have done if anyone had come back talking about the castle.

She doubted they would have lived long.

Callista’s lips firmed. Something had to be done about Father Conal and the other leaders. This wasn’t right.

“Adonis!” Several voices called out at once, greeting the Alpha, all of them apparently happy to see him.

Callista hovered shyly as he returned their greetings.

She saw no fear, no hesitation as he moved among them, only the respect of a vassal for their lord, tempered by genuine friendship and high regard.

“Callie!” Her father’s familiar voice made her jerk in surprise, her head whipping around. Relief flooded her as she saw him. His face was bruised and his arm was in a sling, but otherwise, he looked exactly like himself, limping toward her with open joy on his face, his unbound arm open wide.

“Papa!” Running to him, Callista slammed into him as carefully as she could, doing her best not to hit his injured arm but unable to hold back her exuberance completely.

She was so relieved to see him alive. Even though Adonis had told her father was there, she hadn’t been able to fully relax and believe it until she saw him for herself.

“You’re here. I can’t believe you’re here!” He hugged her as tightly as she hugged him, obviously uncaring of his injury in his relief to see her.

Knowing what she did about the castle now, she couldn’t help but wonder if he’d been sure he would never see her again. He couldn’t have gone back to the village once he knew the truth. Not without risking his life.

She thought he probably would have eventually made an attempt, knowing her Papa, and she was so glad she’d followed after him instead.

“You’re here, and…” His voice trailed off as he inhaled, and she realized what he was doing.

A blush heated her cheeks as he pulled away enough to take a good look at her face, his dark eyes narrowing as he studied her expression, then his gaze cut away behind her to where Adonis was standing. He knew she would have run out of her heat suppressants.

“Adonis.” That was a tone she’d never heard Papa use before. It even had a hint of a growl to it.

She didn’t look over her shoulder to see how Adonis took it, just put her hand on her Papa’s chest.

“Papa, I am fine. Adonis saved me.” He’d done all manner of other things to her as well, but she wasn’t going to talk about that.

As things went, she would much rather spend her heat with Adonis than on her own.

Or, worse, with Father Conal. Adonis had explained how an Omega’s heat actually would have sent the males into a frenzy if they’d scented her, Betas or no.

The only reason it didn’t bother her father was they were related.

The Beta males didn’t have knots, though. They would have worn themselves out trying to relieve her and been unable to. And she would have let them because something was better than nothing. Only an Alpha could give her what she truly needed.

Only him.

Which was why she blushed. She didn’t know how much her father knew, but he’d obviously guessed something of what had happened, or he wouldn’t have spoken Adonis’ name like that.

Papa took a deep breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his gaze met hers rather than looking past her.

“How did you get here?” he asked. “You weren’t sacrificed?”

“No, she was looking for you,” Adonis said, stepping up beside them. Something about the way he stood made her think he wanted to put his hand on her back, but he refrained. “Come, we need to get some food and water. We can talk as we break our fast.”

For a moment, she thought her father would refuse or perhaps insist on talking to her alone, but after another deep breath, he nodded stiffly. Callista was relieved. She didn’t want the two males fighting. Besides, she truly was hungry. She’d been too busy to eat for the past few days.

Thinking about that made her blush again. The things she’d done with Adonis…

She looked up at him as he flanked her, setting her between himself and her father as they moved to the front of the room, where long tables were set with food. He looked back down at her and smiled before she hastily glanced away.

Despite everything they’d done together — or maybe because of everything they’d done together — she didn’t really know how to act around him. What to say. She was the only Omega there, but that didn’t mean he would like her.

She wanted him to like her, she realized. Because she liked him. Even though she knew so very little about him, what she did know, she admired. She wanted him to like her.