The Beast And The Blessed

Twenty-Two: Joselin

Joselin's P.O.V.

Of all the inconceivable requests Aurora could have made, this one was the most irksome. I had more important things to do than trampling through the forest, looking for some creature she wanted to collect, like prized cattle.

'Find him. Convince him to come here.'

Her vague instructions then included no more than to tell me I had to do this without using magic and I had to go alone.

I had yet to determine if I would be capturing a human, a troll, or a dragon. All I knew was that she was wasting my time, trying to get me to prove myself to her before she would accept the offer to be my pledge.

It was infuriating... and fun. I loved a good challenge, and whatever game Aurora was playing, I wanted to win. It was almost a sickness, the need to excel at everything and prove myself as the best.

What frustrated me the most was the time it would take. The thought that this was a trap to get me away from the castle while the threat closed in on my people, my family, was brief.

Aurora was a descendant of the Moon Goddess, and I had faith in Her. I had to trust that she wouldn't and hadn't turned her back on the Goddess or her daughter. So, I had to weigh my options. Do I risk another getting a permanent spot on the council by staying to protect my people, or do I inform the others of the threat and have them look out for it while I am gone?

It wouldn't be such a hard decision if I knew how long I would be gone. I would go, in a heartbeat, to keep the council trustworthy if it was only a few days. But I had no idea what was in store for me or how long I would be away.

I was sulking and lost in thought as I stormed toward the dining hall. If I was going to make a rational decision, I needed food.

Aurora was already sitting at the head table with Henry and Holden. Holden looked amused and slightly disgusted, sitting next to the mushy couple as Henry kissed Aurora's knuckles before whispering something in her ear that made her cheeks turn the darkest shade of red I had ever seen.

My usual seat to Natalie's left was still open, but her chair remained empty. She had probably taken lunch in Killian's study as they preferred. Holden sat to my left, and he smiled brightly when he saw me approaching.

I felt eyes burning into the side of my head. The way my body lit up to alert me of his presence told me exactly who it was. His brown eyes bore into mine from where he sat at the long stretch of the table, and butterflies filled my stomach when I saw him glance from me to Holden.

still jealous, that foolish man. He should know by now that I was his

Holden, trying not to flinch when I saw how his

him as a friend, but this choice was more important to my

watched as the corner of Tobias’s mouth twitched as he tried to hide his

fell quiet as I took

could practically hear him silently praising me for making the right decision. Maybe

plate and found me sitting among the pack. It was customary for our plates to be put together by the chef and served to us while the rest of the

his plate, and I wrinkled my nose at the large amount of

tell him everything about this morning but unable to with all the ears focused on us. They were listening in, trying to find something to gossip about as if my choice of seat hadn't already been enough for

felt nervous for the first time in a long

flashed his straight, white teeth at me before leaning in and kissing me quickly in response. His hand that was not on my thigh picked up his sandwich, and he began to eat, rubbing

his palm burned against the skin, and I pressed my leg closer to him, enjoying the

As I peeked up and saw Holden in a conversation with Aurora, not looking in our

could do to me and made

throughout the room as several people started making suggestive comments or whistling. I would have blushed if

growl as I stood up, aiming my hand toward

for granted the ability to speak freely. You have forgotten your place." A smirk crossed my lips as he began to scream, his lips sealed shut as I cast a short­lasting curse over him. He would be free to speak, eat, and drink again tomorrow. But until then, I would enjoy the silence. "I have fought and killed for you a hundred times

have to eat here. They chose to. The dining hall was open to everyone, but no one

their own homes. The pack mentality made them want to come here and eat together. Isolating

face, trying to open his mouth before racing out of the dining hall. I presumed

sat

ate. It would have been amusing to watch him

had expected to go back to my tower with him, but I was shocked when he took me out of the castle and to the familiar house

as a child. Tobias would occasionally bring me here, only when his

he had brought me here, but as his hand tightened in mine,