The beast and the blessed novel by Ashley Breanne novel Chapter 107

Two: Joselin

Joselin's P.O.V. - Present Day

One had to be a special kind of stupid to let their ignorance feed their fear.

Yet, as I stepped into the pub, the room fell silent. Bodies shifted, and multiple people began collecting their belongings to make a quick escape. Only one person in the building should have been afraid of me, and he was sitting with his back to me at the bar, trying to enjoy his day off.

I was about to ruin that.

My chest warmed as my eyes ran across his broad back and shoulders. He didn't bother turning to look at me as I approached him. I rested my elbows on the counter next to him as the bartender placed a beer in front of me and then rushed to the other end of the bar.

The sound of feet scurrying away as the room rapidly emptied made me grit my teeth, knowing I would have to leave a large tip to make up for the loss of his business. A quick scan of the room showed only a few castle guards, who were used to me, had chosen to stay and were enjoying their meals.

But that was how it worked. I used to let their reactions get to me. The people would take one look at my long white hair and colorless eyes, and they would leave. When I was first brought here, a few people protested King Amery from taking me in. They lost, but it still bothered me.

But now, even though most of them had grown used to me, I embraced it.

I loved that I instilled a deep-seated fear in people. Humans, Lycans, Wolves, Fae... you name it.

Except him.

He had never been afraid of me, not since day one. At least, that was what

I told myself. In reality, our past was a bit more complicated than that... more painful.

Tobias pushed his plate of food in my direction, and I bit back a smile as I grabbed a fry before sliding the ceramic dish back toward him. I wasn't hungry, but I wouldn't turn his offer down. His glass of water sat untouched in front of him, and I watched as a drop of condensation ran down the glass onto the paper coaster beneath it.

Tobias quickly pushed his thigh against mine, nudging me to grab my attention. The warmth of his body managed to make it through his jeans and into my skin. It was glorious, and I dropped my hands in my lap, hoping to hide the goosebumps that rose along my skin at his touch.

His rich brown eyes scanned my face, and I felt my breathing speed up when he briefly looked down at my body. When his eyes met mine again, I swallowed hard and had to turn away.

It was difficult enough for me to have to come here and ask him a favor. But seeing how he looked at me, his pupils dilated, and his lip pulled up ever so slightly on one side, always made my body feel warm and my mouth dry.

The man was a god, always just out of reach. If my family had been right, I was a demon.

The two didn't mix.

Maybe I was afraid of him too.

’I need a favor," I muttered, bitter that I had to show up in a place like this to ask for help. "But you've been avoiding me. Should I even ask, or should I go to someone else for help?"

My childhood best friend had challenged me a few months ago to toss my reservations aside and go for it with Tobias. But there was no point to it. He had a soulmate somewhere out there, and when he found her, she would be the luckiest woman in the world.

Yet, I did it anyway. Getting to be loved by Tobias, even for a limited time, would have been worth the heartbreak of him eventually leaving me for his soul mate.

I tried to get his attention by flirting with and touching him... He never responded. He wasn't like the others. Other men fell at my feet if I approached them. They loved to be able to say they fucked me, The King's Royal Advisor, but they never wanted anything more than that.

I wanted more than that, but I had only ever felt that way for Tobias; for the one man that rejected every advance I made and refused to touch me.

So, I gave up the constant humiliation of his repeated rejections. It wasn't worth the pain if I never got the chance to be with him. But that didn't mean it didn't still hurt every time I saw him or was reminded that I wasn't good enough for him.