10. Osias
TEN
OSIAS
Seven days. Seven days since Celina Bates had walked into his office and turned his entire world inside out, and Osias still couldn’t quite believe she was real.
Not the carefully constructed Hollywood version that graced magazine covers and red carpets, but the woman who stole the covers at three in the morning, who laughed at terrible jokes with her whole body, and who made sarcastic commentary during strategy meetings that left him struggling not to smile.
The woman currently sitting beside him in his Ferrari, tapping her fingers against her thigh with barely contained energy as they navigated the maze of studio lots toward the set of Savannah’s Choice.
But her gate’s fixed now.
The thought had been circling his mind all morning like a vulture. The security company had called yesterday to confirm the installation was complete. Her mansion was secure again and ready for her return. She could leave his Beverly Hills sanctuary anytime she wanted.
The mate bond hummed between them, carrying undercurrents of her excitement about the Oscar nominations announcement, but beneath that was something else—a restless quality he couldn’t quite identify.
His lion stirred uneasily, hyperaware of every shift in her mood and every change in her breathing pattern.
You’re being ridiculous, he told himself as he pulled into the studio parking lot. She’s not going anywhere.
But the fear remained, irrational and persistent.
Seven nights of her sleeping in his arms had become as essential as breathing.
Seven mornings of watching her pad around his kitchen in his shirts, stealing sips of his coffee while she read through scripts.
Seven days of discovering that beneath the polished actress was a woman who hummed while she worked, who cried during animated movies, and who kissed him like he was the answer to questions she’d never known how to ask.
He was completely, utterly gone for her.
Which made the past seven days of watching her work alongside Braxton a special kind of torture his lion was barely tolerating.
Osias parked and moved around the car to open Celina’s door, his hand automatically finding the small of her back as she stood.
The simple contact sent familiar heat racing through his system—a reaction that had only intensified this past week rather than diminishing.
If anything, having her in his bed every night had made him more possessive, not less.
“Ready for Rennick today?” she asked, but her smile was strained around the edges.
The mention of her manager made Osias’s jaw clench involuntarily.
Watching Rennick attempt to reassert control over Celina’s life had tested every ounce of his legendary patience.
The man’s barely concealed fury at their relationship, his constant attempts to undermine her growing independence, and his manipulation disguised as concern—it all made Osias’s lion want to do things that would definitely violate several laws.
And he’s a lion shifter, Osias reminded himself grimly. Which makes everything infinitely more complicated.
Celina still didn’t know about Rennick’s true nature.
Osias had been waiting for the right moment to explain that her manager wasn’t just controlling—he was a predator in the most literal sense.
But every time he’d started to bring it up, something had interrupted them.
A crisis at the studio. A call from Daya.
Another confrontation with Rennick that left Celina emotionally drained.
He was running out of time to tell her and running out of patience with Rennick’s increasingly aggressive behavior.
“Whatever he throws at us, we’ll handle it together,” Osias said, guiding her toward her trailer.
The familiar chaos of a film set surrounded them—crew members hauling equipment, assistants scurrying between trailers with coffee and call sheets, and the distant sound of a director’s voice.
Normally, Osias found the controlled chaos energizing.
But today, knowing he was about to watch his mate perform romantic scenes with his stepbrother for the fourth time this week, it felt more like walking into a minefield.
She’s a professional, he reminded himself for the hundredth time. This is her job. You knew what you were getting into when you claimed an actress.
But knowing something intellectually and accepting it emotionally were entirely different things.
Every kiss between Celina and Braxton, every tender look scripted by someone else, every moment of manufactured intimacy felt like claws raking across his soul.
His lion didn’t understand acting. His lion only understood that another male was touching his mate, and that was unacceptable.
They reached Celina’s trailer, and Osias could already smell Rennick’s scent.
His lion bristled in automatic response to the other shifter’s territorial marking.
After thirty years of managing Celina’s career, Rennick had developed an almost pathological need to claim ownership of every space she occupied.
Not for much longer, Osias thought grimly.
Celina hesitated with her hand on the trailer door handle, and through the bond he felt a flash of something that might’ve been dread.
“He’s already here,” she murmured, more to herself than to him.
“Do you want me to wait outside?”
She turned to look at him, her green eyes searching his face with a piercing intensity. “No. I want you with me. I just... I have a feeling he’s going to be particularly insufferable today.”
Rennick was indeed waiting inside, perfectly groomed as always, sitting in the chair that had become his unofficial throne during Celina’s shoots. But there was something different about his posture today—a smugness that immediately set Osias on edge.
“Celina,” Rennick said, rising smoothly to his feet. “Perfect timing. I have great news.”
He didn’t acknowledge Osias’s presence, which was typical. What wasn’t typical was the barely contained satisfaction radiating from the older man’s every gesture.
“The Oscar nominations were announced this morning,” Rennick continued, producing a folded newspaper with theatrical flourish. “And you, my dear, have been nominated for Best Actress for your performance in The Eden Chronicles.”
Celina’s face lit up with genuine pleasure, and Osias felt her joy through their bond like sunshine. But there was more to her reaction—a quick scan of the paper in Rennick’s hand, her eyes moving rapidly down the page.
“What about Best Picture?” she asked, reaching for the paper.
Rennick’s expression flickered—just for a moment—with something that might’ve been annoyance. “Well, yes, there are several films nominated in that category as usual—“
But Celina had already taken the newspaper and was scanning the nominations herself. Osias watched over her shoulder as her eyes found what she was looking for, and her entire face transformed.
“A Walk Toward Forever,” she breathed, her voice filled with wonder. “Bates Films got a Best Picture nomination.”
Osias’s chest swelled with pride. This was what mattered to her—not just her own recognition, but validation for the company she’d built from grief and determination. The company that represented everything she was fighting to become.
“Congratulations,” he said softly, meaning it with every fiber of his being. “You deserve this.”
Celina turned, her smile radiant, and kissed him with spontaneous joy. It was brief, celebratory, completely innocent—and it made Rennick’s scent spike with barely controlled fury.
“And your film Sunny Monday is also nominated for Best Picture,” Celina said when they broke apart, her eyes sparkling with shared excitement.
Osias barely glanced at the nomination list. His own recognition paled in comparison to watching Celina finally receive acknowledgment for the work that meant everything to her. “Thank you, but this moment is about you.”
Rennick made a sound that might’ve been a cough but felt more like a growl. When Osias looked up, the other man’s carefully controlled expression had slipped enough to reveal the raw resentment underneath.
“Well,” Rennick said, his voice carrying just enough edge to make Osias’s protective instincts flare. “I suppose we should discuss how this affects your schedule, Celina. The campaign season is going to be intensive, and with your other commitments—“
“Actually,” Celina interrupted, folding the newspaper carefully, “I think we should celebrate first. Worry about schedules later.”
It was a small act of defiance, but Osias felt its significance through their bond. Seven days ago, she would have immediately deferred to Rennick’s agenda. Today, she was choosing her own priorities.
Rennick’s jaw tightened. “Of course. Though I do think we should at least—“
“Later, Rennick.”
The firmness in Celina’s voice made Osias’s lion purr with satisfaction. His mate was finding her strength and learning to set boundaries with the man who had controlled her life for three decades.
Rennick’s eyes flicked between them, calculation replacing the momentary loss of control. “Very well. But we will need to discuss this properly. Soon.”
The threat was subtle but unmistakable. Osias felt his own control slip a fraction, his eyes flashing gold before he could stop them. Rennick noticed—of course he noticed—and for a moment the two Alpha energies clashed in the small space of the trailer.
Then Rennick smiled, the expression sharp as a blade. “I’ll leave you to your... celebration.”
He moved toward the door with predatory grace, pausing just long enough to add, “Oh, and Celina? Do try to remember that success comes with responsibilities. I’d hate to see you make choices you might regret.”
The door closed behind him with a click that somehow managed to sound like a threat.