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 arms around my waist. They overlapped, his palms flat on my sides as his thumb rubbed in soothing circles. I could feel his

to mark him, I just knew that the Goddess had her hand in it. There was no way the mark would have

been his chosen mate, but we were mates nonetheless, and my short temper with her today didn’t allow me to hear her compliment for what

fated mate bond because you’re not a wolf or Lycan, but that doesn’t mean that you weren’t fated to be together. Wasn’t he the one who found you all those years ago? I remember you showing up here with me. I was so excited there would be another girl in our

and even though he was hurting and on the verge of taking it out on someone else, he refused to let that

onto something. Lycans have difficulty finding fated mates they have for decades, but maybe it’s because their

already had a mate before me. If she

the voice in my head during our bonding ceremony, telling me to bite him. It was so distinct, so

mates? Maybe they just haven’t realized it because other species don’t feel the

a life with her, that pull to him never went away. My love for him never lessened. Having him with me again

placing a kiss on my mark before resting his cheek

in blood, and terrified, I hadn’t gone a single day

at the prospect. I knew it wasn’t likely, but it

Was that the sign I needed that our mate

could be true?’ I asked Tobias through our mate link, and he

belonged to you. I found you first. You were always mine.’ Tobias nuzzled his nose against the side of my

because even when he had found her, he couldn’t find it in him to feel the way he thought he should. He had told me how he thought about me far too often and still craved my company, touch, and the sound of

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 Tobias for so many years. I didn’t want to be

my man to have a bonding ceremony with me. Can you imagine how romantic it would be? Under the full moon,