The Beast And The Blessed

Twenty-One: Joselin

Joselin's P.O.V.

It amazed me that his walking away from me made me feel giddy.

After what we experienced together the night before, I had expected him to want to either pick up where we left off or to be done with me. I never, in my wildest dreams, expected his declaration that he wanted me for me and wanted us to be mentally prepared to start something deeper before moving forward.

No man I had been with before had ever thought about me on that level.

I felt like I should be annoyed that he left me high and very wet, but I couldn't. He chose me tonight. Not my body and not my power.

Me.

That meant more to me than anything.

I would have let him have his way with me if he had tried to. I would have loved every second of it too, but it wasn't the right step for us tonight. He knew it and respected me enough to stop.

My hand moved up to my lips, pulling the bottom one down slightly as I giggled. The sound was startling as I hadn't made a noise like that in a long time, if ever.

I felt ridiculous chasing after him, but I couldn't help it. The door to my tower flew open, and I rushed down the hallway toward his retreating figure. Tobias froze, turning to face me just as I collided with his chest and wrapped my arms around his neck.

He looked stunned as I smiled widely at him before kissing him with everything I had. His arms wrapped around the small of my waist, and he picked me up off the ground as he kissed me back.

I wanted him to feel it, to show him how much I loved him and appreciated his choice.

This was different than any kiss we had ever shared before. It wasn't a kiss of lust and desire. It was love. I pulled back, still smiling widely as his eyes trailed over my face, reflecting the same happiness. His smile made my heart skip a beat as he set me back down on the ground.

"Soon," I whispered in agreement before stepping back. I could feel his eyes on me as I walked back to my tower, looking over my shoulder to catch one last look. He was standing with his suit jacket unbuttoned and his fingers in the front pockets of his pants, the smile never leaving his face as I closed the door between us.

The following day did not come soon enough. I was eager to see Tobias again, but I still had a job to do.

a knock echoed through my tower, and I rushed to hide away the

power on the other side of the door was stronger than the others on the council, and I let out a breath of

my shoulder.

together, not wanting to tell her anything. I would never know how she knew I was dabbling in a bit of blood magic before

by coming inside. Let's go for a walk." She turned and began walking away, her ebony black hair hanging down her back in a loose braid. I jogged forward to catch up with her, closing the door behind me and knowing that the ward I had in place would keep even Aurora, a Descendant of the Moon Goddess, out if

something this morning that bothered me, Joselin." The double doors leading us out to the back

Tobias threatened to kill Holden for touching me, I immediately had my guard up, ready to defend my man if she were

you." My response was met with a look of amusement before she cleared her throat and reached out to let her hand run along the tops of a few plants, perking them up

but Holden informed me that is how you travel all the time." We slowed to a lazy stroll the further we got from the castle. I could see her concerned gaze on me from

about having such a powerful witch examining my abilities. Still, I had already

easy, while mine was dark

like she would a daughter or a niece. In

name from Aurora wasn't surprising. Talia had previously held my job as the royal advisor and was very close to the previous queen, Lillian. When Queen Lillian turned on us, Talia went with her, and the betrayal had

been short-tempered, vindictive, and petty, but when she found

had been one

woods at eleven, I was brought back by the king, who handed me over to his royal advisor, Talia. At first, she didn't know what to do with me. Everything was a fight or power struggle between us. She didn't know how to care for a kid or raise one, and I didn't understand how

as the new king and chose me to be his

but I never expected she

me most of what I

books and from other witches when we crossed paths during

She loved to play with

away.

be trusted. I had learned that they always had something up their sleeve, driving their

blood I had in my safe were evidence enough

seconds. This was one of the reasons I had wanted to seek her

was different. Traveling into this realm was softer than the

see anything in the empty white space surrounding us,