The beast and the blessed novel by Ashley Breanne

Eighteen: Natalie

Natalie's p.o.v.

Tobias seemed to find it amusing how much harder I worked in training the next day. My body was running hot, and I was angry that Joselin had tried to invade my thoughts. I didn't want anyone in my head, least of all someone I didn't know I could trust. I just couldn't figure out why she had done it. What was she looking for?

Having her around Killian all the time was driving me crazy too. It was so hard for me to get him to bring his walls down and not be so cold toward me, but then he willingly spent all of his time with her.

It was unreasonable as my physical attraction to him held no emotional ties, but I was jealous

He spent every day with her but fought me every moment that I tried to spend with him. I had to wonder if they had a past or if something was currently going on between them. It would only make sense that she was trying to forcibly get information out of me if she was jealous too. She would want to know if he and I had done anything.

Her flirting with Tobias was confusing, but maybe that was why he wasn't giving in to her. How many men did she have wrapped around her finger in the castle? Why did the man I was to mate with have to be one of them? Women could be cruel, but I never thought I would have to experience one so brash as to openly throw it in my face that she was sleeping with the man I was to spend the rest of my life with

The effects of the upcoming full moon were making me stronger than before, not as strong as a wolf, but my bloodline allowed me to be stronger than any human. I was pushing, pulling, and throwing around the weights like a woman on a mission. Each time I felt myself struggle, I thought about Joselin and Killian locked in his office together, with no witnesses, and I would see red.

I didn't like it.

I turned to glare at Tobias as he flinched back when I got up from the machine to stretch between sets. His nose wrinkled, and his eyes squeezed shut as he moved back.

My hard work was showing, and I knew I had been sweating a lot more than normal, but his reaction was almost offensive.

nDo I smell bad, Tobias?" My frustration sank in through my words, and I placed my hands on my hips. His eyes opened showing the familiar glowing red of his Lycan, making me take a step back this time

The longer I stood, I expected my body to begin to cool, but I only seemed to get hotter. My face was burning, and my hands were shaking as pain stabbed through my abdomen.

I bounced on the balls of my feet, trying to work out the muscle cramp from over-exerting myself, but failed. My body curled in as another wave of muscle spasms washed through my stomach. "Tobias, I think I need to go to the infirmary." I gasped, looking up to see that he had moved further back and that the room was rapidly emptying.

The way he was acting was terrifying. I had never seen him look so scared. His glowing eyes were flicking back and forth, and I gasped as he stopped his scan of the area and sprinted toward me. His body contorted with each step before he launched himself over me.

I fell to the floor with a scream, curling myself in a ball with my arms wrapped around my head as he collided with one of his pack mates behind me.

Their snapping jaws were dripping foam as they snarled and bit each other.

"Your Highness!" A young maid shouted as she ran into the room. "You can't be in here like this. We need to get you back to your room!"

I whimpered in pain as she pulled at my arm to help me stand. "I need a healer.”

My plea went unheard as the girl shook her head and yanked me toward the exit. I couldn't get my legs to move fast enough, and I stumbled as the she-wolf dragged me from the room. "Someone get King Killian!"

His name sent a shiver down my spine, and I felt my muscles begin to uncoil for a moment of relief before they knotted once more. "Healer," I gasped as I struggled to pull her hand from my arm when she began to take me in the wrong direction.

The fighting could still be heard behind me but was louder than before as if there were more than just the two Lycans battling.

The girl dragging me forward gasped as the witch I had been picturing punching appeared before US. But I was excited to see Joselin. I had a few things to say to her.

"This explains so much,” Joselin muttered as she reached forward to grab my arm from the maid who released me quickly. I yanked free before stumbling back and falling on my butt.

"Not you!" I spat, as I glared at her. "You don't get to touch me!"

Joselin's eyebrows pinched together, and I watched as she waved her hand with annoyance. My body slid across the floor toward her from her magic, making my head jerk back as she bent down and grabbed my ankle. The world spun around US as I shouted for her to let me go.

"You're a liar!" I screamed as I tried to kick myself free. The small voice in the back of my mind was telling me that I was being unreasonable, but the way my body was burning up, I couldn't seem to separate the fever-induced thoughts from reality.

My stomach lurched as we teleported back to my room, and she stepped back as I kicked my foot at her, just barely missing her arm.

"What is your problem?” She yelled back as I rolled onto my hands and knees, desperate to make the pain stop. "I'm trying to help you."

The cruel and heartless laugh that left me seemed to echo off the walls around US as I glared up at her. "You aren't doing anything for me! You're training me so I can give up my life for your precious king, but you don't give a shit about me!"

I watched as Joselin took a sudden step back from my words. Her surprise was evident as her jaw dropped and her eyes widened.

"You said it yourself yesterday in the library. It's why Killian wants nothing to do with me, right? He said I was his mate! He said I was his! He chose me! But I'm not here as his chosen mate. I'm here to be his sacrificial lamb! He chose me to be the one to die, so he could live!" I pushed myself up as I spoke, my voice deepening from the pain until it was unrecognizable to my own ears.

The twisting of my insides made me groan as I straightened myself to my full height, refusing to let whatever curse was trying to kill me win. Sweat was dripping down my face and neck as the heat grew more intense.

"I'm going to go get Killian. You're in heat. You're not thinking clearly without him here." She whispered in awe as she watched me resist the pain, backing away slowly toward the door as I stalked toward her.

"You do that! Go get Killian." The fact that she referred to him by his first name seemed to trigger me further into the black abyss that was sucking me in. I glared at her, willing her body to turn to flames.

As she pulled the door open, I moved up behind her, grabbing it before she could close it between US. "Tell me this though, witch. Do you feel any guilt? You were so nice to my face, only to turn around and lock yourself in his office with him day after day. I know what you were doing! Did you care at all that he was claiming I was his mate to the world while he was fucking you behind my back?"

Joselin's eyes widened further, but for the first time since I met her, she was speechless. Her sarcastic wit and attitude were gone. Standing before me was just a woman. One I wanted to kill.

" didn’t think so.” I snarled as I slammed the door in her face.

The relief of being alone made all of the anger melt away, leaving me with nothing but pain, and the tears fell on their own as a sob wracked through my chest.

My mind was spinning a mile a minute with thoughts that I knew had no hold, but that tormented me with the possibility of them being a reality.

Heat.

She said this was my heat.

The possibility of it seemed low as I hadn't shifted yet, but it was either that or I had been poisoned or possibly cursed by the very witch who had just claimed she was helping me.

I grabbed my head tightly in my hands, squeezing it as I tried to focus and calm my mind. All I wanted was for the burning and pain to stop.

The intrusive and negative thoughts I could deal with. The possessiveness I felt for Killian was solely because we slept in each other's arms at night. I knew that, but couldn't seem to get them to stop. It wasn't a regular relationship or mating, but we were bonding in the only way that I think he knew how.

I loathed the thought of him being with Joselin, or any woman, and then curling around me as if he hadn't just been with another. It made me feel cheap and dirty.

All of the muscles in my body tightened, and I stumbled forward. If it was my heat, the only thing that could fix it was sex. I could try to take care of myself, but I wouldn't be able to do anything until I had cooled off first.

My legs dragged beneath me as I clumsily walked forward, grabbing the frame of the bathroom door for support before forcing myself the rest of the way in the room, only stopping once I was in the shower under the ice- cold spray of water.