The Beast And The Blessed

Sixteen: Tobias

Tobias's P.O.V.

This was the last place I wanted to be, but it was where I needed to be. The music was too loud, and the smell of alcohol and body odor was offensive. Still, I was here, watching and waiting.

Joselin hadn't agreed to be mine yet. We weren't together, but I would be damned before I let her go on a date with another man.

I hadn't felt threatened when she had been sleeping with random people. But her going out on a date with a man who looked at her the way that only I should was not going to stand.

I took a sip of my water, my eyes on the door as I waited for her to enter. If they were going dancing, this was where she would be. It was her favorite place because it was right by the bunkhouse, so it was filled with guards who were used to her, and very rarely would anyone care if she was among them.

It was the town's people who didn't know her that had a problem.

Several of my pack members nodded at me in greeting but didn't bother approaching me. They knew I wouldn't talk to them unless I had to. They didn't mind. I had risked my life for many of them in the past, and they knew my silence was nothing personal.

I used to talk. I used to talk a lot.

My father hated it.

He beat me, telling me to keep my mouth shut. He said it made me a good warrior to know my place, respect my superiors and not waste my breath on those below me. It wasn't until I was older that I realized he wanted me to keep silent so no one would know he would torture me at home despite knowing our neighbors could hear it.

They knew about my home life and did nothing to help me or stop him, and

I would heal before anyone could see it.

But then he got his hands on Ana. I was just a young teenager, practically a kid still. Those words would haunt me forever. 'You sound just like your father.'

Just like that, his life-long lesson finally stuck with me. I didn't want to sound like my father.

Joselin was my escape.

loved when I spoke. She would listen to everything I had to say like it was the more important thing in the world, even

in a high ponytail, and I felt my eyes burn to the black of my beast. She rarely wore her hair up, and I fucking loved it. The way it emphasized her neck

lot with a ponytail and knew she

leaned in, whispering by her ear. The music drowned out

baby.

a night out, but I had laid the rules down very clearly, and I was a man of

watched them closely, waiting for him to slip up, but he stiffened as she leaned toward him, inching away. Her smile fell

from me as she ordered a drink. The bartender, Joey, glanced up

trying to find me in the crowd but failing. Knowing that I had just made her happy with such a small gesture reminded me of how perfect she was and

as her date ordered his drink and was forced to pay. They stayed at the bar for a while, talking and sipping

queen's brother expectantly. He was hesitant, and my teeth ground together as

as she let out a breath of disappointment,

holding them above her head briefly. As I watched her move, I couldn't stop the purr of pride and

as my eyes were forced away to the man moving up next

saw Holden approaching, but she still didn't turn to me. She knew I was here. She had heard me vocalize my anger

I watched Joselin roll her hips with the beat,

couldn't take it anymore. My woman

only one she would

flooring with a noise of protest that was muffled by the music. The

stepped between them. Holden smiled, grabbing her hand and spinning the woman out. The kid knew how

up a piece, wrapping it around my finger before pulling on it lightly, making her look up. Goosebumps rose along her skin as I dipped my head down,

me over the speakers, but she did. She heard me loud and clear as I

back against

swayed with her, refusing to lose contact. Even when she spun around to face me,

had ever been as my pack watched as I publicly made my interest known. There was no doubt that most of them knew of my attraction to Joselin, but I wanted every last one of them to know. I didn't want anyone else touching her ever

hip, guiding it up her side, over the swell of her breast, and to her chest. Her heart was thumping as quickly as mine, and I licked my lips as I pressed my palm more

her how good we would feel together with less clothing, but I promised

she ground and rubbed against me, touching me as often as possible. My hands had moved down to her thighs, feeling the soft skin at the bottom of her tight, little black dress. I

she dipped to the floor before coming back up. I reached down, adjusting myself in