Submit to the Beast (11 page)

He took Tobias’ hand again and pulled
him alongside him. A quick kiss on his head and the Beast strode
forwards, curiosity assailing him. What was that noise? A moment
later and he found out.

The cavern, though usually busy, was
absolutely packed. The lights were on, the stalls open, and there
were people everywhere. They lined up alongside the walls of the
main cavern, filled the middle, hundreds and hundreds of them. Some
were back in full human form, some were in the process of changing,
but all had one thing in common, females, males and children alike.
They were chanting, feet stamping a rhythm, hands clapping a beat,
and when the Beast realized exactly what they were saying he was
overcome with a feeling unlike anything he had ever experienced
before.

“
Tobias, Tobias,
Tobias
.”

His mate’s name… and his people were
saying it, and their arms were open, smiles stamped on their faces,
welcome in their eyes.

The Beast looked around, almost
overcome with the feelings that were rolling off his people and
towards him.

Excitement.

Curiosity.

Welcome.

Tobias gasped as he too realized what
was happening. “What are they…”

“
They’re here for you,”
the Beast said.

“
Me?”

“
Your family,” he added.
“Welcoming you home.”

“
Home.” Tobias said the
word almost as though he was testing it on his lips, and as he did
so, the Beast became aware of the emotions his mate was
feeling.

Excitement.

Curiosity.

Wonder.

“
They accept you,” the
Beast sighed. “Why did I ever imagine otherwise?”

He looked across the cavern and locked
eyes with the male who had clearly made this happen. Gregovitch,
and he was grinning with a combination of pride and amusement. He
bent down, sweeping a bow, and gestured the Beast and Tobias
forward.

Together they moved…and were pulled
into a tangle of human and beast arms, hands and claws, hair and
skin. The Beast touched his people, thanked them with a look and a
gesture, but not words, because there was no need, he knew what
they were feeling, and just by looking into his yellow eyes they
knew too.

“
Welcome, Tobias,” they
said. “Welcome home.”

And then there was Layla, a wry grin
on her face, and Karl, an apology on his lips, and everyone else
the Beast cared about. By the time they made it to the far side of
the cavern and up the twisting tunnels to the Beast’s private
rooms, and it took a while, the Beast was both humbled and
overwhelmingly happy. Tobias felt the same. The Beast knew that
instinctively.

“
That was…” Tobias sighed.
“I didn’t expect anything like it.”

“
Neither did I,” the Beast
said honestly. “And yet I
should
have expected it.”

“
They don’t mind me being
here,” Tobias said. “That you and I…”

“
Are mated?”

Tobias lowered his head and shrugged.
“Yes.”

“
You’re one of us now,”
the Beast said. “I have claimed you and you are mine,
Tobias.”

A pause and then Tobias stepped
forward, straight into the Beast’s arms. It was the first time he
had willingly done such a thing, had expressed himself in such a
way, and the Beast felt his heart thud as he enfolded Tobias into
his arms. “Tobias,” he sighed. “This is where you
belong.”

“
Then I have no choice,”
Tobias whispered. “Not now. Not after feeling their love and
acceptance. I didn’t realize,” he added. “That it would feel like
that. That I would feel part of it all.”

“
We’re all part of one
another,” the Beast said. “It truly is a community
here.”

And then Tobias said the words that
the Beast had longed to hear from the moment Tobias had awoken
manacled to his bed. “I will stay.”

“
You’re sure?” the Beast
asked.

“
For now I am,” Tobias
said. “In a month? In a year? I don’t know. But for
now.”

That was enough for the Beast. It was
the start of a promise, the start of a future, and coming from his
human mate, it was more than he had begun to hope for. He knew then
that he would be able to persuade Tobias to stay forever. He knew
it because there was no other option, and once Tobias became part
of their community? Why would he ever want to be anywhere else? He
wouldn’t.

“
I love you, Tobias,” he
whispered, placing a kiss on his mate’s head.

“
I love you, too,” Tobias
breathed. “I do. Which is strange considering I don’t even know
your name.”

The Beast couldn’t help but laugh.
“You do. You always have.”

“
I…”

“
You call me the Beast,”
he said. “And it is to the Beast that you have submitted, and
so…”

“
The Beast.”

“
Your
Beast,” he said. “For as long as you will have
me.”

Tobias lifted his head for a kiss, and
yellow eyes met. “I think that is going to be a very long
time.”

THE END

COMING SOON

The Hunt

OUT NOW BY APRIL
ANDREWS

The Warriors of the World
Series

By April
Andrews

The Gladiator’s Prize

The Gladiator’s Bargain

The Gladiator’s
Sacrifice

The Gladiator’s
Surrender

A Warriors of the World
Story…

The Queen’s Pet

The Mating Season
Series

By April Andrews

Taken by Two

Captured by Three

Chased by Four

Owned by One

Bargain With the
Beast

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ABOUT THE
AUTHOR

April Andrews loves a good
romance, and she likes that romance super hot. To April that means
men, lots and lots of men...

In her spare time April
likes to take long, soothing walks, play with her kitten, and try
to outwit herself at chess. That's a losing battle, because April
always knows what the next move is going to be...that's not the
case with her books. April's characters take her on the most
wonderful journeys, and she loves the fact that she can take you
along too. 

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