Heart of a Beast

Chapter 11 | Part 2 - Tiberius

Tiberius knew Crystal was scared, but to have her commit to trying was the declaration he needed to hear.

They spent a few hours alone in her room, listening to classical music in silence before she offered to show him some of her favorite drawings.

Hesitant at first, she opened up her sketchbook to reveal a beautiful drawing of Brooke in wolf-form standing proudly on a rock next to a stream surrounded by trees with a waterfall in the background. The blending of grays made it come alive and he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him when he could've sworn the waterfall was moving.

She had talent, that he was sure of and a swell of pride for his mate filled him.

The next image was Justin in wolf-form—his pelt a blend of grays with a white belly—playing with his son when he was a year old. Training the pup to recognize his father's wolf and not to fear him. With his rump in the air, tail high, and head low, the wolf licked his face despite his peels of laughter.

The value of family was strong and Tiberius was pleased to know that his mate grew up within a loving family despite the suffering he brought upon her.

She blushed three shades of red when she showed him the third drawing—her parents in wolf-form nuzzling each other. Their eyes were closed, captured in a tender moment. Her father in lighter shades of gray while her mother was darker as she pointed them out. Love radiate from the blended and smudged lines.

This was the love shared between mates that her heart longed for. Pure, peaceful, embracing, endearing, and enduring.

He kept his paws to himself despite the urge to touch her cheek.

He wanted nothing more than to nuzzle her like the image, but her hunched forward, closed posture told him to hold back.

Someday, he mused.

Wooden floorboards creaked as footsteps padded down the hallway and stopped outside her bedroom door before a rap of knuckles tapped against it.

"Time to go, Cricket," her father said.

Not entering nor intruding, simply informing her that it was time to pay their Alpha and Luna their respects.

Stiffening, all the color drained from Crystal's face and her heartbeat picked up in speed. Her delicate violet scent turned sour with nervousness.

Leaning in, he draped his arm around her shoulder and coaxed her head against his heart. She stiffened at first, but the soothing beat soon relaxed her.

"Cris?"

She sighed. "Yeah, Dad. Just a minute."

Footsteps turned down the hallway to another part of the room where soft voices murmured.

She inhaled and exhaled. Her heartbeat slowed to a calm, steady rhythm. Her muscles twitched once but that was it.

Tiberius closed his eyes and pressed his nose to her hair and inhaled her delicate scent. The stink of his curse was there, twisting his stomach into knots.

You have time.

"Thank you," she whispered a few minutes later.

He nuzzled the top of her head with his nose and relaxed his arm around her. She didn't immediately pull away and a rumble of pleasure reverberated within him.

Anytime, mate.

That had her pulling away, her cheeks inflamed and her heart skipping.

He allowed himself a touch while she was still close and brushed the back of his knuckles across her cheek. His blood sizzled and spread up his arm to his heart and throughout his body from there.