Bought by the Beast King (Katerina and hunter) novel Chapter 36

**Leaves Falling Like Promises**
**By Amara Grant**
**Chapter 36**

**KAT**

D

55 vouchers

My fingers fumbled for the door handle, yanking it with all my might, but the soft click that followed was a cruel reminder that the driver had secured it from his side. I was ensnared, a captive in a metal box.

Ragged breaths escaped my lips, each one a struggle, as panic surged through me like a tidal wave. There was no turning back. I couldn’t. The thought of retreating sent a jolt of fear crashing against my ribs, and in a moment of desperation, I slammed my palms against the glass, the sound echoing in the confined space.

Kostas was here. This man, Mr. Rivers, had lured me right into his web.

“Calm down, Princess Katerina,” he said, his voice smooth yet laced with a mocking undertone.

The name, one I hadn’t uttered in three long years, drained the strength from my body. My lungs felt constricted, and I slumped against the seat, gasping for air as the weight of my identity bore down on me.

Mr. Rivers seized my arms, pulling me closer, his hazel eyes flashing a golden hue as he scrutinized my face for any sign of weakness.

“Your Highness, snap out of it,” he commanded, urgency lacing his tone.

“I won’t go back!” I shouted, my voice cracking as I pushed against his chest with all my might. But he stood firm, an immovable force. An alpha wolf would never yield to a mere human.

Desperation clawed at my insides, and my instincts screamed for me to fight. Adrenaline surged through my veins, and I wrenched myself free from his grip. In a swift motion, I raked my nails down the side of his cheek, leaving behind four deep, bloody gashes. His head snapped to the side, and in that fleeting moment, I drove my fist into his jaw with all the strength I could muster.

But he didn’t even flinch. Instead, Mr. Rivers touched his cheek, and I watched in horror as the skin began to mend itself, knitting back together as if my attack had been nothing more than a gentle breeze. He turned his head back to me, those golden eyes a stark reminder of my utter helplessness.

“If I snapped your neck right now, no one would know who you are. Just another human discarded in a ditch,” he said, his voice calm, yet the chill in it seeped deep into my bones.

I pressed myself against the door, trembling uncontrollably. He was right. What on earth had I been thinking? I had never let my wolf surface, never shifted. I was less than an omega in this world—he could crush me like an insect beneath his heel.

“But I won’t,” he continued, his tone shifting once more as that cruel smirk returned to his lips. “That would be treason. I enjoy breathing far too much.”

He adjusted his sleeves as if he hadn’t just issued a death threat, the casualness of it sending a shiver down my spine.

“So, will you take the main event slot tomorrow night?”

What?

My mind struggled to grasp the implications of his words. How could he shift so seamlessly from threatening my life to discussing his event as if they were one and the same?

“I can’t do that! They’d find me,” I blurted out, shaking my head vehemently, panic rising within me.

“They’d find the delicate omega princess mowing down an opponent in the ring?” he replied, throwing his head back in a humorless laugh. “You’re an anomaly, princess. A unicorn. The omega who refuses to submit. They will never look for you in my ring.”

The absurdity of his statement hung in the air, and though it seemed unlikely, the risk was far too great. Keeping a low profile was my only chance at survival. Plus, if I returned home bloodied and bruised, I could only imagine what Hunter would do.

“I can’t,” I whispered, desperation creeping into my voice. “Name anything else. Please. Someone will recognize me.”

“Like those two humans you left sprawled in the alley yesterday?” he asked, his tone almost teasing.

My breath caught in my throat. He was no longer hiding the fact that he had been watching me. But why? Why was he willing to risk my life for his own amusement?

“I’ve already got people tearing down the posters, by the way. You’re welcome,” he said, his smirk widening as if this were all just a game to him. I had a sinking feeling that any questions I had would remain unanswered.

“Do we have a deal?”

I shook my head. Running felt like the better option—starting anew somewhere far away. But that wasn’t what he wanted to hear. He pulled out his phone, unlocking it with a swift motion.

“Then let me call your brother now and—”

“No!”

Before I could snatch the phone from his grasp, he had already pressed the call button. My heart raced as I saw the name Prince Kostas Lordswood flash across the screen. I froze, my eyes glued to it as a mix of dread and longing washed over me.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify