Caught Beast Mate(55)
“That’s great, Alpha Beast, because I’d like to talk about it too.”
“I have a big orange cat upstairs.”
“Oh, you do? I have a big orange cat at home.”
“Go on and see him. Meet my mate, Rey. There is cake.”
“I will. Later.”
Alpha Beast sighed. “Girl, I will carry you upstairs, and if you disobey me again when I’m trying to be nice, it’s not gonna go well for you.”
“Don’t threaten her,” Dad said.
“You know what? Suit yourself,” Alpha Beast said. “Let’s talk pairing. Half a million in gold.”
My jaw dropped.
Daddy whistled, his lips turned up, and he coughed as he tried to hold back laughter. He couldn’t. He threw his head back and laughed. We all sat there staring at him. I smiled, happy to see him this happy, though I didn’t find any of it funny. At least someone could still laugh about something.
Alpha Beast drummed his fingers on the table, waiting for Daddy to calm down. When he had, Alpha Beast said, “Almost as much as I paid for my mate. Just so ya know.”
Daddy sobered and leaned his elbows on the table. He locked eyes with the Beast and said, “No.”
“One million. In gold bricks.”
“You’re buying his life,” Daddy said. “And I—”
“How much?” Vice interrupted.
“You’re buying his life, but my daughter is not for sale.”
A pause. Tears clouded my eyes. I was so proud of Daddy. Many had sold their kids for much less, many who were not as desperate as us. Some days we rationed the flour for bread, some days we didn’t have bread and Daddy went hungry, but he’d rather go hungry than sell me. I couldn’t imagine all the things he could do with all that money. Buy an island from the beasts, probably. Kick back somewhere in the tropics, have purple birds coo on his windowsill.
“This leaves us with the other option,” Vice said. “The one where you execute Torrent. He is destined to become Earth’s High Priest, our line with our Beast Mother. Torrent chose to enroll in battle training. Every male in this fleet, from the moment Torrent stepped foot on this planet, hopes one day he will accept his position. You will rob us and our people of a royal bloodline, not to mention our spiritual connection with our…god. If you choose to put him to death, you will do so publicly in the Beast City. Every beast will know your face.”
“I don’t care if they know,” Daddy said.
“I do,” I said quickly. “They’ll come after you.”
“They won’t. They need me.”
“What for?”
“Information. I’ll go back, finish what I started.”
Alpha Beast cracked his neck as if preparing for combat. “You ran out in the middle of your mission. Twice now. Men of Earth will ask questions.”
“And I’ll give them answers.”
“And those are?”
“None of your business.”
The tension in the room grew. The men glared at each other.
“Easy,” Vice said to Alpha Beast, whose teeth descended and whose jaw jutted as he readied to eat my dad. “Do you want her to watch you die?” he asked my father. “If not, mind your tone.”
Daddy gritted his teeth.
“No,” I said and put my hand over my dad’s. “No, he doesn’t want to die.”
“Good,” Vice said. “Torrent’s life is yours, John. These are the rules, and we will honor them. But we will not protect you or kill any more beasts if they want to avenge Torrent. We will not protect you unless you go back and retrieve a beast female they are holding captive.”
“I don’t need your protection. I’ll take care of any beasts who come after me.”
“Like you took care of Torrent?” Alpha Beast asked.
“You gave me implants. I’ve tested them. I can lift a fucking car.”
“Even with implants, you can’t outmatch most of our rookies. You’re helpless. You want his life because you think it’s best for your kid. You know he’ll never give her up. I’ll say it again. He will never give her up, he will never replace her with another, he will never love her less, only more with each day of his life. He does not love anyone more than he loves his mate, and he will give her a home she deserves. I know what you want. I know what fathers like you want. You wanna man for her.” Alpha Beast growled low in his chest. “Find me a human who can promise her all that, and I’ll kill Torrent myself.”
“You don’t know me,” Daddy said. “You don’t know what I want for her. You only know what I don’t want. My answer is no.”