The Beast And The Blessed

Two: Joselin

Joselin's P.O.V. - Present Day

One had to be a special kind of stupid to let their ignorance feed their fear.

Yet, as I stepped into the pub, the room fell silent. Bodies shifted, and multiple people began collecting their belongings to make a quick escape. Only one person in the building should have been afraid of me, and he was sitting with his back to me at the bar, trying to enjoy his day off.

I was about to ruin that.

My chest warmed as my eyes ran across his broad back and shoulders. He didn't bother turning to look at me as I approached him. I rested my elbows on the counter next to him as the bartender placed a beer in front of me and then rushed to the other end of the bar.

The sound of feet scurrying away as the room rapidly emptied made me grit my teeth, knowing I would have to leave a large tip to make up for the loss of his business. A quick scan of the room showed only a few castle guards, who were used to me, had chosen to stay and were enjoying their meals.

But that was how it worked. I used to let their reactions get to me. The people would take one look at my long white hair and colorless eyes, and they would leave. When I was first brought here, a few people protested King Amery from taking me in. They lost, but it still bothered me.

But now, even though most of them had grown used to me, I embraced it.

I loved that I instilled a deep-seated fear in people. Humans, Lycans, Wolves, Fae... you name it.

Except him.

He had never been afraid of me, not since day one. At least, that was what

I told myself. In reality, our past was a bit more complicated than that... more painful.

Tobias pushed his plate of food in my direction, and I bit back a smile as I grabbed a fry before sliding the ceramic dish back toward him. I wasn't hungry, but I wouldn't turn his offer down. His glass of water sat untouched in front of him, and I watched as a drop of condensation ran down the glass onto the paper coaster beneath it.

warmth of his body managed to make it through his jeans and into my skin. It was glorious, and I dropped my hands in

breathing speed up when he briefly looked down at my body. When his eyes met mine

at me, his pupils dilated, and his lip pulled up ever so slightly on one side, always made my

just out of reach. If

The two didn't mix.

afraid of him

place like this to ask for help. "But

and go for it with Tobias. But there was no point to it. He had a soulmate somewhere out

I did it anyway. Getting to be loved by Tobias, even for a limited time, would

tried to get his attention by flirting with and touching him... He never responded. He wasn't like the others. Other men fell at my feet if I approached them. They loved to be able to say they fucked me,

wanted more than that, but I had only ever felt that way for Tobias; for the one man that rejected every advance I made

up the constant humiliation of his repeated rejections. It wasn't worth the pain if I never got the chance to be with him. But that didn't mean it didn't still hurt every time I saw him

was here, humiliating myself again in public to

it a secret, not only because there were very few people he

catching my attention. His eyes were open, holding steady on me as he sipped his ice water. I watched as he swallowed, the tanned skin of his neck moving slightly

a large gulp of my beer, forcing my

I said, placing both hands around my beer mug as it hit the wooden top of the bar, staring at the wall of liquors in front of us. "I'll do this alone if I

silently asking me to explain. But even thinking the words make a ball form in my throat. How did I tell him that the horror I had experienced as a

it. But I stopped when Tobias placed his hand over mine on the bar top. Sparks erupted across my skin, and I felt my breathing halt as I stared at our hands. It wasn't the first time he had initiated

He nodded once before standing to fish his wallet out of his pocket and leave some money. My heart dropped when he let go of my hand, but I masked

corner of my eye, I watched as Tobias lifted his hand instinctively as if he were going to place it on my lower back. But he clenched his hand in

wouldn't want to. He had made it very clear over the past couple of months that he wasn't interested

the

I walked calmly out of the building. Still, I knew they could hear my heart beating erratically and my uneven breathing as I shoved my feelings down. If he didn't want to touch me or want me