The Blessed And The Beast

Five: Charlie

Charlie’s p.o.v.

My lips were damp from licking them, and his warm breath blew across them like a silent siren song, begging me to give it to the source and let him devour me. I expected a smile, maybe even a kiss. Any reaction telling me he was happy about the news would have been welcomed.

Instead, he shook his head, his eyebrows pulling together as he loosened his hold on me.

That wasn’t supposed to happen. He should want to hold me close, smile, and maybe even mark me.

My stomach turned to concrete as he pulled his arms away entirely. My dagger dropped to the ground from his loose hold on it, the blade embedding itself into the moist soil.

His body heat leaving me as he stepped back felt like I had just walked outside into a blizzard as all my fears surfaced. I spun around, not wanting to let him run out of my sight this time. He had escaped from me too many times before. We needed to have this conversation, even though I was terrified of what might be said.

My smile fell when I saw the horrified look on his face. The whites of his eyes were bright in contrast to the black irises, and I hated that as he let them roam over my body, I felt inadequate. He looked bothered by what he saw as his gaze returned to my face.

I wasn’t what he had expected from the Goddess… that much was clear.

“No.”

That single word made me wish the ground would open up and swallow me whole. The heat behind my eyes began building rapidly, and I knew tears would come next if I didn’t do something.

“No?” My echo seemed to amuse him as his lip twitched, but I didn’t find this funny. “You carry half of my soul, and your response is just no?”

He tilted his head to the side, a heavy focus taking over his expression as the tears I had been fighting back filled my eyes anyway. “I don’t have a mate.” “You might not have known you had one before, but you do now.” My voice cracked, and I couldn’t even find it within myself to be embarrassed.

“Bears don’t have mates.” He repeated, his eyes locked on me with unashamed pity. He didn’t know me, but how could he be so casual about ripping my heart out?

My chest felt heavy, and my spit thickened as I felt the dam about to burst. “Just because you don’t feel the mate bond doesn’t mean you don’t have a mate.”

love him with everything I had, even after my last breath. Was it how I

out so formal as he stepped back, and my lungs

referred to me as Princess Charlotte. He may be my mate, but he was a stranger. A stranger that was holding my heart in his hands and squeezing

chest before gesturing toward him in anger. Talking with my hands was a bad habit I had when I got worked up. My etiquette instructor had tried to break me of it, training me to remain calm, composed, and emotionless even when I was dying

the time, I succeeded in keeping my mask of indifference in place. Killian had been the only one I had ever shown my emotions around, and even then, I tried not to. He had higher standards for his

never said it in those words exactly, but that was how he made me feel

He shook his head, his mask cracking as the first tear slipped over my lid and down my cheek. He looked startled and a little scared at

half out of the ground, and I stumbled. He rushed forward, his hands raising toward me to steady me, but I caught myself

but stopped when he met my

I was about to lose him forever. The fewer physical interactions we had, the better. I couldn’t

I glared at him. He

schooled my emotions, just as I had been raised to

need to embarrass myself any more

by coming here today, now I wanted nothing more than to get away from him before he could say those dreaded words and

I turned around and walked away. He didn’t try to stop me, but I did feel him following me.

stood on the other side, showing no emotion, as I glanced over my shoulder for one last look at him. His hand flinched at his

for now until I could work up the courage to confront him again and have him sever our

we were soulmates before, but now he does. Perhaps

my hopes up, but he didn’t know

I returned, laughing and joking about returning earlier than usual to camp for food to refuel since I would ‘need my energy,’ but I couldn’t focus on what they were saying, let alone respond. My eyes stayed on the ground as I

The men went silent, Barley standing as Roman raced around the fire pit, catching me just as a sob broke free and my knees buckled

because he knew what it felt like. Roman had told me once about the pain he felt every day, the constant pull at his soul like

I had asked him, “Does it

everything I needed to know about how much he was hurting, even years after his

that point on, I had felt protective of him. He was a man who deserved happiness. He was the kind of man who loved unconditionally and would give anything for his family. A man who wanted children and a lot of