BEASTLY INFERNO

BEASTLY INFERNO: 5

If he says he's more than a wolf... Then what the hell is he.
-Neroli

The drive to the supermarket wasn't very far. In a matter of minutes, we pulled into the large parking lot. I stepped out of the car, my breath catching as I took in the size of the building. It was enormous, almost intimidating in its grandeur. My thoughts wandered briefly—how could he afford this? But I quickly brushed them aside.

Tristan took my hand, his grip firm yet gentle, and led me inside. The air-conditioning hit me as soon as we entered, sending a shiver down my spine. I barely had time to take in the sheer variety of items before he directed us straight to the meat section.

I grimaced as he began loading our cart with raw red meat—slabs of it, one after another. He picked up what looked like intestines, inspecting them with a critical eye before adding them to the pile. I couldn't hide my discomfort, but Tristan didn't seem to notice.

Thankfully, our next stop was the cereal aisle, and I sighed in relief. The shelves were stacked high with colorful boxes, each boasting different flavors and themes. I gasped softly at the variety.

"What type do you like?" Tristan asked, his tone calm.

I scanned the options. There was chocolate, mango, berry mix, and more. None of those appealed to me. "Plain," I said finally, pointing to the simplest box I could find.

He nodded and grabbed fifteen of them without hesitation. My eyes widened slightly, but I kept quiet.

He moved with purpose, leading us through various aisles. Butter, jams—both blueberry and strawberry—toothbrushes, toothpaste, shortbread, juice, water, and, to my surprise, my favorite hair products and bathing soap all found their way into the cart.

By the time we reached the halfway point, the cart was nearly overflowing, and my legs were beginning to ache. My energy waned, but Tristan seemed unfazed.

Then, we entered the lingerie section. My face burned instantly, and I froze.

The sales assistant's eyes widened slightly at the sight of us before she bowed her head in what looked like a formal greeting.

"My mate will need some underwear," Tristan said, his voice steady and matter-of-fact. "She's a size C. I want something comfortable."

My jaw dropped. How did he know that? My hands instinctively moved to cover my chest, and I shifted nervously.

The sales assistant gave me a kind smile and gestured for me to follow her. Reluctantly, I complied. She selected five beautiful and practical sets, each one to my taste. Thankfully, I didn't need to try them on.

We repeated this process in the clothing section. Tristan picked out dresses, sweatpants, sweatshirts, tops, skirts, and trousers. I managed to choose two pairs of shoes and three pairs of slippers, but by the time we reached the checkout, I was completely drained.

As the cashier bagged our items, I leaned heavily against the counter, struggling to keep my eyes open. Tristan paid without so much as glancing at the total.

Back at the car, he neatly arranged the bags in the trunk before opening the passenger door for me. I sank into the seat, leaned my head back, and allowed the exhaustion to claim me.

I woke with a start, sitting up quickly. My heart pounded in my chest as I looked around, disoriented. It took a moment to realize I was still in the beige room.

Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I padded out of the room and followed the faint sounds coming from the kitchen.

There he was, seated at the dining table. My stomach churned as I realized he was eating raw meat. He paused mid-bite when our eyes met.

"Come here and sit down. It's time for lunch," he said.

Reluctantly, I obeyed, taking a seat across from him. He stood and disappeared into the kitchen.

Please, no raw meat. Please, no raw meat. The prayer repeated in my mind as I squeezed my eyes shut.

The clink of a plate being set down in front of me made me open my eyes hesitantly.

Spaghetti and meatballs.

I blinked in surprise, staring at the plate. Tristan returned to his seat and resumed eating his raw meal.

"Eat up," he said, not looking at me. "I cooked it myself. Your body isn't ready for raw meat yet, so for now, there will be intervals. But make no mistake—soon enough, you'll be eating meat morning, noon, and night."

His tone was casual, but the implication sent a chill down my spine. I picked up the fork cautiously and took a tentative bite.

The flavors were incredible, rich and perfectly balanced. I couldn't help but moan softly as I savored each mouthful. Before I knew it, my plate was empty.

After washing up in the kitchen, I wandered into the living room and settled on the couch. I flipped through channels until I found a mystery movie, letting it play in the background as my thoughts swirled.

Hours passed, and I still hadn't seen Tristan. Three movies later, my eyes began to sting, so I turned off the television and decided to call it a night.

As I walked toward the bedroom, a low, pained groan stopped me in my tracks.

I froze, straining to hear. The sound came again, louder this time. It was coming from the opposite direction.

Against my better judgment, I followed it. The groans grew more intense as I approached a closed door. My heart pounded as I reached for the handle. Slowly, I turned it and pushed the door open.

What I saw made me stumble back in shock.

Tristan stood in the center of the room, his body tense, his eyes glowing. Behind him, nine white tails swayed, illuminated by an ethereal light.

I blinked, rubbed my eyes, but the vision didn't change. The heat in the room was oppressive, making it hard to breathe.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was low, almost a growl.

I couldn't answer. My feet moved instinctively as he stepped closer, backing me into the wall.

"You shouldn't be here," he said, his tone strained.

Before I could respond, he leaned in, his head burying in the curve of my neck. He inhaled deeply, his breath hot against my skin.

"You smell so good," he murmured. "I didn't think I would ever have a mate... You're my miracle. Every time I see you, all I can think about is how to seal you to me, to make you mine forever."

His words sent a shiver through me, heat pooling low in my belly. My hands moved of their own accord, reaching for him, but he suddenly pulled away.

A piercing roar tore from his throat, and I clapped my hands over my ears. His tails shifted, their glow turning into a fiery inferno before disappearing completely.

The room spun, and the last thing I saw was the floor rushing up to meet me before everything went black.