The Beast And The Blessed

Fourteen: Tobias

Tobias's P.O.V.

I growled as I threw another collection of old, stained floorboards into the back of my truck. It wasn't often that I drove it. I despised the sound of the large machine, and being trapped inside the cage felt suffocating, but in times like this, I had no other choice.

Neighbors, who had done nothing for years when they heard the crying or screaming inside my childhood home, were outside watching as I gutted the house as quickly as possible. The new flooring order wouldn't arrive for a couple of weeks, but I felt my chest grow lighter with every floorboard I ripped up.

The longer I stayed in the house, the less I seemed to notice Ana's scent. It hurt to know that the last piece of her I had was about to be thrown out. Still, as I dropped the last load of the blood-stained wood into the truck bed, a little bit of the guilt I had been carrying lessened.

It was a step closer to leaving my past behind and moving forward to the future, toward Joselin.

I worked until the sun started falling, returned home to shower, and then went to the dining hall.

The head table was empty, and I glared at the door impatiently to catch a glimpse of my witch. Her smell was so unmistakable that it was as if she were in the room with me, and my nerves drove me wild. I needed to tell her about Ana and that I was finally getting closure. I needed to ask her to consider giving me a little more time.

My spine straightened as the doors were pulled open, and Joselin walked in, her hand in the crook of another man's arm. I felt my stomach twist, and I saw red. Her gaze slid right over me as if I was just another face in the crowd, and I wanted to jump over the table, throw her over my shoulder, and take her back to my house.

A sickly, sweet smell rolled off her as she walked by, and I growled as I saw a bite mark on her perfect flesh. Siren.

Had she not learned her lesson the last time?

Joselin's head turned, looking over at me at the sound, but she kept her lips pressed together as she walked by.

I knew exactly who the man was. We had been warned of his arrival in the castle, but I hadn't expected my witch to be with him.

He smiled brightly at her, enamored by her beauty, and it made me want to kill him. But he was Natalie’s brother, technically a member of the royal family. As much as I wanted to kill him, I had to restrain myself.

Still, he needed to leave before I took his departure into my own hands.

Joselin a piece of bread as he boasted about her, and she accepted it. He had a child-like excitement about him, but he sounded old enough for me to challenge

I smirked as I knew she had my back. Joselin turned

right, baby.

my woman's, and I growled again, not bothering to look away from Joselin to the newcomer. I had gone all day without seeing her, without her scent and her touch. If anyone took her away from me now, I

fact that he knew how long Joselin had been in my life

forced her eyes away as one of the servants placed her plate in front of her. The rest of the pack was buffet-style, but my plate remained

and I licked my

you worry. I'll ease that ache for you

her lips wrap around the utensil. Everything

them, focusing only on my woman. I would never let Joselin go, not until my

her eyes away from her plate

you dancing tomorrow." He repeated, and I felt my eyes burn as they turned black when my beast came forward. One

She smirked, but

would move well together." He responded, and my nails extended as I held myself back

would return from their trip. The conversation

making sure she had her fill before I stood. Joselin looked back up immediately, seeing my clean, untouched plate before me, and held my gaze. No words needed to be said as I approached the

the hall, and only a second later, she

woman confidently walked, her chin up and back straight,

greeted, stopping a few feet away and facing me head-on. The sound of my name on her lips was torturous, and I wasted no time pushing off the wall. "Was there

and I spun her, forcing the conference room door open. She let out a gasp

are you doing, sweetheart? You're playing a dangerous game." I growled, nipping her earlobe gently. The smell of her desire was prominent, and I wanted nothing more than to

Her words were hard and clipped, but her hands rested on my shoulders as I pushed her against the wall, cupping her

as she released a sweet little sigh that

as I spoke, and she trembled in my hold as the hand around her

reached her neck. My tongue slid across her skin where my mark would one day lay, and she moaned loudly, her hands moving up from

was still mine. She just needed

her skin, but knowing it wouldn't be fair for me to mark her just yet. Not without talking to her or asking her if she wanted to be mine. "I have watched you play this game with others for too