The Beast And The Blessed

Sixty-Seven: Joselin

Joselin's P.O.V.

When Cora turned to Tobias for the second time, something in me snapped. I had watched those spikes impale him, watched him pull himself back up, and watched as he fought with everything in him to get to me. He wanted to fight for and protect me, and my need to do the same was just as strong.

For a split second, when the pain of being skewered to the ground hit me, I thought I had lost him. My vision went red, and I was ready to take down the entire mountain.

Then he got up, and I felt like I could breathe again, but I turned my anger to Cora.

I couldn't stop myself if I wanted to. Her ward wasn't breaking as quickly as I hoped, and I knew everyone was exhausted already. As much as I hated to admit it, she was winning. She was so strong from the fresh pull of power from Rona and was only a few hits away from killing one of our people. She had already been close to drowning most of them.

The risk of her ensuring the first to fall would be Tobias was too high. She knew losing my mate would weaken, if not kill me.

Instead, my legs carried me forward until my shoulder dug into Cora's torso, and my arms wrapped around her back. Touching her felt like playing with fire, burning my skin, but when the darkness surrounded us, I knew it was worth it.

The world flickered around us, and my stomach clenched when the familiar feeling of darkness surrounded us.

'What are you doing?" Cora asked as we stumbled and struggled to regain our footing after I tackled her. She gripped me tightly like a child who didn't want to be put down.

'You shouldn't have hurt my mate," I replied, knowing there were so many more reasons behind her death today, but my mind was on the man back in the Sanctum with a gaping chest wound.

Her eyes were wide as she looked around, and I smirked at the unease I saw when she felt them. The shadows.

The low rumble of excited growls through the darkness made the hair on my neck stand up. I had several wounds still bleeding, and the memory of one of the creatures sliding its tongue over my shoulder blade had my heart beating faster.

'You shouldn't have killed those spell casters." My statement was met with her jaw clenching as I grabbed one of her arms and forcefully pried it away from me. It was quite literally a shot in the dark that she wouldn't be able to use her powers here. But even if she could, if I could get her off me and get out of here, she would be stuck. "You shouldn't have killed Rona and the witch in the mountains." "I deserve a trial!" Cora screeched, suddenly no longer as confident as she used to be. We both knew I wouldn't let her out of here. As soon as she was back on Earth, she would go back to wreaking havoc and trying to kill everyone that didn't agree with her or that she could steal power from.

’I'm sure you recognize this place. You don’t deserve the air currently in your lungs, let alone a trial. I am your prosecutor, jury, and judge." My fingernails dug into her arm, puncturing the skin as I held it down and away from me. She may have been more powerful after taking Rona's magic, but I was physically stronger from training every day.

"But not my executioner?" She twisted her arm, grabbing at my forearm but unable to get a firm hold.

’You know what this place is." I felt victorious when she struggled even more, desperate to cling to me. I could feel the hot breath on the back of my neck and the overwhelming presence of the creature.

in me not to flinch away, knowing whatever it was, it had tasted my blood before and had enjoyed it.

body vibrating as the

cracked as she yelled, and a cruel laugh ripped free from

you in here. Walking away from you while you're heart is still beating would be a mistake.

then. An offering. I'm not your executioner.

on my forearm as she fell to the ground, but I pressed my lips together as I watched, praying to the Goddess that I didn't make a mistake

let

on a shape between us as

around grew closer and louder as chunks were bitten

stayed,

The Sanctum of Light and Tobias. I needed to

to my knees before opening my eyes, my

head snapped up to see him just as

I pressed my body into his further, gripping the back of his neck with one hand as I listened to his

my back, I let the warmth of the white vastness welcome me

rows of beds were empty, and there was a flurry of movement as the doctors and healers in the infirmary

one of the healers immediately began working, holding their hands to my body with their

still bleeding, not

and the murmuring stopped. He stormed in with Natalie trailing behind him. Cyrus, Aisha, and Margot hung back near the door, but I could see the relief on the spell caster's face when they landed on

furious. His black eyes faded away as he took inventory of the room and that everyone had returned. He didn't like how close this fight had been, and I knew

stepped forward next to Tobias and threw her arms

stomach, where the healer lifted my shirt and began working on the melted skin on

to assure her I was okay, but my eyes closed in a rush of unexpected happiness

He came.

the war, but they never did. But now, I had my family with me this time, and my fears about not being wanted, replaceable,

see you all so soon. I figured you would be busy dealing with the aftermath of all of this." I responded, my hand waving in the air lazily to

smiled at me warmly before turning to the bed beside me, giving Aurora and Henry a

bit. Last I heard, she was in a conference call with several Alphas, giving them hell." The corner of his lips turned up, and I

turned to the healer. ’I am healed enough right now;

it was because he had been too injured to shift back. The trail of blood had run down his chest and covered the tops of his thighs, but he refused to let my hand go when the