The Blessed And The Beast

Sixty-Two: Joselin

Joselin’s P.O.V.

It had been the longest day of my life.

I had tried to build a wind barrier down the center of the room to prevent Blanche’s voice from reaching me, but a sharp jab from Cyrus’s elbow made me drop it. Tobias slammed the spell caster into the wall, and Aurora had to separate them because I was too shocked to do anything but watch.

It was officially the most turned-on I had ever been, seeing him acting so protective and possessive over me. He was like my personal bodyguard, and I had quite a few fantasies I could make into reality.

I would have jumped him during our lunch break if we didn’t have an audience in the room. But everyone had their food brought to us and stayed to continue working. Killian was the only one not present, and that was because he had a to-do list longer than the hallway.

Charlie and Damien were in his office, helping him, and I hoped they were catching up and bonding. That relationship needed a little extra focus, but it was their business. I had said my peace with Charlie already.

Aisha and Margot acted very civilly, and I think it was because their hatred for Blanche was strong enough to give them a common enemy. It made me feel good to know they didn’t hate me as much as I thought they did. Or at least, they didn’t hate me as much as they hated Blanche, and that was something.

The girl had rattled on about everything from her morning before she joined us at breakfast to every fun and historical fact she could think of for each location Cora was popping around to. It made sense now why she stayed in the city and worked in real estate. The woman was book-smart, and I suspected that she had a photographic memory with how she was reciting information like an encyclopedia.

“This was where the war of 2042 started. I read that they had lost over fifty­thousand humans in this first battle. It really is a shame that they couldn’t get their act together and be a united front. They just had to let their government get in their heads and turn them against each other. If I were there…” Blanche rattled on, and I rubbed my fingers in small circles on my temple.

She was annoying as hell but also very helpful. Every place Cora had gone to had one type of historical event or another happen there. It was the only connection we had found so far. But even the kind of events didn’t align. Some had mass deaths; others didn’t have a single one.

But a quick search found that there was always something document worthy in the history books or online.

his palms flat on my sides as his thumb rubbed in soothing circles. I could feel his heartbeat against my back, and I leaned into him

cutest! When I heard that you had been able to mark him, I just knew that the Goddess had her hand in it. There was no way the mark would have stayed if you weren’t mates. Witches have never been able to mark another species before.” Blanche said, her eyebrows raised as she stared at us with doe eyes and a

his chosen mate, but we were mates nonetheless, and my short temper with her today

here with me. I was so excited there would be another girl in our age group for training, but then they said you

like he wanted to snap at her to shut up a few times. But he was a good man, and even though he was hurting and

have for decades, but maybe it’s because their mates aren’t always

knew Tobias already had a mate before me. If she did, she

my head during our bonding ceremony, telling me to

said I didn’t believe there was one mate for everyone. Who’s to say that each person can’t have multiple mates? Maybe they just haven’t realized it because other species don’t feel the

with hope. “I have always felt a pull to Henry, but his beast recognized the mate within his own kind. Even after he left me and began a life with her, that pull to him never went away. My love for him never lessened. Having him with me again only confirms that while I may not have been his match

hold on me, placing a kiss on my mark before resting his cheek against the side of

in blood, and terrified, I hadn’t gone a single day without thinking of

to mark him at our bonding ceremony because I am possibly one of his fated mates?” I asked, unable to hide the excitement at the prospect. I knew it wasn’t likely, but it made me incredibly happy that this hunch

to mark my fate, mate? Was that the sign I needed that our mate bond had

through our mate link, and he adjusted his hold on my waist to lace his fingers with

I always felt like I belonged to you. I found you first. You were always mine.’ Tobias nuzzled his nose against the

guilty about Ana. It wasn’t just because of her death but because even when he had found her, he couldn’t find it in him to

over their fated mate. The pull to a fated mate was stronger than anything. Even a marked, chosen mate wouldn’t be as strong as the pull to their unmarked, fated mate. It was one of the reasons I had been so hesitant to make a move on

love, I want my man to have a bonding ceremony with me. Can you imagine