The Beast And The Blessed

Ten: Joselin

Joselin's P.O.V.

Tobias had sat in the corner of the room, watching me for hours. Only this time, it didn't bother me. I forced myself not to think about him even though I could feel him.

I was so focused for a while that I forgot he was even there until he stood up, making me jump. I glanced over my shoulder, watching as he moved with purpose to the door before pausing and turning back to me.

'Josie,'' He started, and his voice made me swallow hard. His sudden shift in treatment toward me, the touching and flirting, made my name sound all the sweeter on his lips.

I resented it.

'I'm going down for dinner. Would you like to come?"

I knew he wasn't inviting me on a date. He would just walk me down to the dining hall, and we would go our separate ways to eat among the pack. Still, my heart beat faster at the invitation.

"No, thank you. I'm not hungry." I stared down into the bowl with the small amount of blood I was able to pull from the ring. It should have been enough, but something was blocking me from taping into it.

While the challenge was intriguing, I was tired of struggling to find the answers I needed over the past few months without digging through book after book. Then again, if it was easy, the people we were up against wouldn't be considered threats.

I wasn't mad at him about Rona. I knew he was telling me the truth when he said he didn't touch her or encourage her. She was a crazy bitch, and how she spoke to me after I walked into the room was obviously an attempt to antagonize me.

"About this morning in the gym," he started, and I tensed as I waited, peeking up at him from beneath my eyelashes. "I'm sorry that I made you uncomfortable. After what happened last night, it has been so fucking hard not to touch you today, not to drag you back here and finish what we started. I thought you were enjoying us sparring together."

I scoffed, lifting my head as I pursed my lips. "It wasn't about us training, Tobias. You only want to touch me now because I said I was done throwing myself at you. I don't appreciate that. Find some other toy to play with. You had your chance."

He let out a low growl, and I lifted my hand in his direction as he took a step forward. "You are not a toy."

"Don't, Tobias. You've been playing with my emotions for months now because you enjoyed me giving you my attention. Now that you don't have it, you are suddenly interested in me? Like I said, find someone else to play with. Don't be cruel." As I finished speaking, my voice started to crack, and I gritted my teeth together.

the mood for his back

tower. Go eat your dinner. I'm going to be working for a while." I looked back down at the

wasn't here, he was still a distraction. I was second- guessing sending him

needed to focus on figuring out what

to tap into her through her blood. I had done it before with others. The fact that I couldn't do it to her either

could, even if it took hours, and

next day. No one was allowed in, and I refused to leave until

the sooner I found out who was involved in the darkness afoot,

other valuable collections. It had already been preserved, so I knew

clock on the wall told me I only had a few minutes, and I changed quickly before racing down to the kitchen. I didn't debate teleporting for a second. It was too mentally draining. Going into a place I wasn't sure I would make it out

counter with foil over them, and I smiled widely. This was precisely what I needed. I smelled them as soon as I hit

more. Killian was only a few minutes late. I was sure they would be down soon. Based on what I had seen of their relationship, which had been far

no need to grab plates. I doubted the food would last long enough between us to need

down to the tray of brownies as I waited, but I resisted the urge to dig

but I didn't bother getting off the counter. If

his chest as he eyed me curiously. His short blonde hair was wild as if he

like he was going to a meeting. My eye dropped down to

he was still pretty toned for

whispered before looking out the large bay window behind the sink. He was handsome, but he looked a

lie to deny that now that I've seen you." His shoes barely made a noise as he walked quietly toward me. "What brought you down here

look at him as he leaned back against the counter to my right. His gaze locked on the window to see what had captured my interest. All of it did, and from the faint smile on his face,

trees had flashing specks between them as torch bugs danced in the cool night air. The sky was illuminated with more stars than any one person could

with me sitting with my legs crossed up on the counter, I could tell that he was taller

it had been over an hour and a half that I had been waiting for Killian and Natalie before the stranger showed up. Surely, they weren't going to be joining

for the dessert that I knew was waiting for me. The foil was loud as I pulled it