Bought by the Beast King (Katerina and hunter) novel Chapter 106

**Leaves Falling Like Promises**
**By Amara Grant**
**Chapter 106**

**KAT**

The tears streaming down my face felt like molten fire, and the bitter taste of humiliation lingered like ash in the back of my throat as I strode across the room with purpose. I plopped down on the couch beside him, my arms crossed defiantly, the simmering anger beneath my skin threatening to boil over.

“What happened?” Nathan inquired, his voice laced with concern.

The words stuck in my throat, heavy and suffocating. How could I possibly articulate the devastation of having my autonomy stripped away by the very person I had trusted more than anyone else? It felt surreal, especially when Nathan himself had played a role in that betrayal. He had forced me to my knees, making me witness the most degrading act imaginable as he took that woman, right before he’d shoved me into the helicopter that whisked me back to this gilded cage of a life. A whirlwind of hurt, disappointment, and anger churned within me, a tempest I struggled to contain.

“You shouldn’t have brought me back,” I hissed, my voice barely containing the fury. “In another year, I could have walked in with my head held high. I could have defended myself.”

“Look at you,” Nathan sighed, straightening his posture as he reached for the jug of water on the table. “You’re already at the top of your class. You can defend yourself right now.”

His words were true, but they did little to extinguish the fire that choked my chest. It felt like a dark, festering thing lodged inside me, refusing to let go.

“Why should I have to submit to anyone?” I snapped, my voice rising. “I have my own mind, my own dreams!” I grabbed the glass of water he had poured for himself, gulping it down as if it could douse the raging inferno of my fury.

“Sometimes, there’s more strength in submission,” he replied, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. “Look at the past few days. Two dominant men hovering around you, but who was really in charge here?”

Heat surged up my neck at his words. Images of him sprawled on the bed, his hand wrapped around his cock beneath the sheets, invaded my mind uninvited.

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” I muttered, my gaze flicking away. I didn’t want to entertain thoughts of another man naked; my wolf was already snarling, fiercely protective of our fragile bond.

“I know, but someone had to say it,” he chuckled, the sound lightening the oppressive atmosphere momentarily. “Once this whole mess is sorted, I probably won’t be allowed to speak to you again in this lifetime.”

His casual remark cracked something deep within me. ‘Once it’s sorted.’ The tightening in my chest eased a fraction, and fleeting glimpses of a life with Hunter washed over me, momentarily pushing Nathan from my thoughts. My wolf settled, the threads binding us still humming softly.

Life with Hunter. Would he stand by me as I forged a career in law? Would we have pups together? I knew his job at the Bureau kept him busy, but we could navigate that, couldn’t we?

But then, his cold eyes flashed through my mind, the memory of him walking out of the Grand Hall, and the fact that he’d vanished before I woke up after easing my heat still stung like a fresh wound. Yet, we were connected. Eventually, he would have to hear me out.

“What brought that smile to your face? Thinking of your upcoming nuptials?” Nathan teased, mischief glinting in his eyes.

The warmth inside me shattered like glass. I shot him a glare, crossing my arms tighter around myself.

“How are you even here?” I demanded, frustration boiling over. “Father said you weren’t coming out until after the mating ceremony.”

“As gracious as the king is, I didn’t care for the room he assigned to me,” Nathan replied, rising and shoving his hands into his pockets. His jacket was missing, and his once-pristine shirt was now torn and smudged with dirt. “Besides, I have no intention of being here when they realize they can’t give away what belongs to another.”

“So what’s the plan? How do we get out of here?” I asked, a flicker of hope igniting within me.

“You’re staying put,” he replied flatly.

Before he could finish, the door swung open violently. Hunter burst into the room, clad in sweatpants and a snug T-shirt, his presence radiating an intensity that startled me into action. I shot to my feet, my heart racing. The anger etched on his face was familiar; I had seen it before, the night he had chased his beta away from my doorstep, and when I returned home bruised from a fight.

But never had I seen that fury directed at me.

I stumbled back, the palpable heat of his rage washing over me, pulsing through the bond we shared like a living thing. His beast roared beneath the surface, straining to break free, and fear lanced through me like a knife.

Without uttering a single word, his hand closed around my throat, pulling me back against the wall with a force that left me breathless. No claws, no pressure, but the shock of his grip sent tremors through my very core.

“Are you preparing to mate your brother, Princess?” he growled, tilting my head aside to expose my neck. “Haven’t you told them? Don’t they know you’re mine?”

His body pressed against mine, his thigh sliding between my legs as his arm encircled me, trapping me in a cocoon of warmth even as fear coiled around my spine like ice. I stood frozen, terrified that even the slightest movement might provoke the beast within him. Every story I had ever heard about Lycans echoed in my mind, a haunting chorus.

Would he hurt me, even while claiming me?

“Answer me, Katerina,” he growled, lowering his head until his nose brushed against the mark I had covered with a dressing.

With a swift motion, he ripped the dressing away, his eyes—now a blood-red hue—locking onto mine with an intensity that set my heart racing. Fury burned within those depths, primal and feral. I was paralyzed, too terrified to look away, too frightened to make a misstep.

“Do you want to see me lose control before you understand?” he murmured, lifting me effortlessly against him until my feet dangled helplessly in the air. Scenes from the porch, how he had claimed me in that very manner, flashed through my mind, igniting a mix of fear and longing. “Or should I show them right now who you truly belong to?”

His voice was calm, but every instinct within me screamed that we were in grave danger.