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.

was, it had tasted my blood before and had enjoyed it. I dreaded the

vibrating as the rumble of

here!" Her voice cracked as she yelled,

not planning on just leaving you in here. Walking away from you while you're heart is still beating would be

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

let me take a deep breath of relief, knowing the creature had moved

a

panic set in. Shadows from all around grew closer and louder as chunks were

if I stayed,

tried to focus on The Sanctum of Light and Tobias. I

I fell to my knees before opening my eyes, my

Tobias's deep voice yelled, and I heard him stumbling toward me. My eyes opened, and my head snapped up to see him just as his

body into his further, gripping

quickly. As soon as Aurora's hand touched my back, I let the warmth of the white vastness welcome me before the world around us faded

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

stood by my side with his hand in mine as one of the healers immediately began working, holding their hands

was still bleeding, not as much as before, but I was

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

He didn't like how close this fight had been, and I knew it. I didn't like it either.

shut when Natalie stepped forward next to Tobias and threw her arms around me. "We are so glad that

stomach, where the healer lifted my shirt and began

in a rush of unexpected happiness as Killian placed his hand

He came.

war, but they never did. But now, I had my family with me this

wasn't expecting to 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 gesture to the room around us and all the injured

turning to the bed beside me, giving Aurora and Henry

is in my office working for today. She said they would be staying to help out for a bit. Last I heard, she was in a conference call with several Alphas, giving them hell." The corner of

the healer. ’I am healed enough right

too injured to shift back. The trail of blood had run down his chest and