Heart of a Beast

Chapter 29 | Crystal

Instrumental Song: "Lux Aeterna" (Requiem of a Dream) by Clint Mansell

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When her seizure finally stopped and Crystal cracked her heavy eyelids open into the early morning sunlight, the bloodstain on her pillow caught her attention. A metallic taste filled her mouth and a lingering pain from where she bit her tongue during the episode remained.

Sweat coated her skin and moisture stained her cheeks until Tiberius' calloused paws wiped them clean.

Looking up into his gray eyes, her heart hurt. The pain ripped through her and she broke down in tears.

"How... How could she do that to you?"

The fear and worry in his eyes lifted and he pulled her tenderly into his warm embrace.

Her ear pressed against his speeding heart. She listened as its tempo slowed, her eyes growing heavier with each passing minute until she could no longer keep them open.

He didn't meet her in her dreams and when she awoke a couple of hours later, she was still wrapped up in his arms.

She smacked her dry tongue against the roof of her mouth. She didn't want to leave this place—her place—but her mouth was dry as a bone.

Tiberius helped to sit her up, leaning her back against her bed, and brought the glass of water from her nightstand to her lips.

She reached up with weak hands and steadied the glass.

His paws had healed. She noticed the scabs on his nail beds had flaked off and little-pointed claws were now growing in place.

He set the glass back on the table once she was done and she took one of his paws in her hands to examine its condition. With his claws growing back, she held him gently as she brushed her fingertips over the healed flesh.

He reached around with his other hand to the base of her skull as he pressed his forehead to hers.

"I'm okay," she lied.

She wasn't okay. She was angry. Angry at that horrible witch for what she had done to them.

She needed a bath, but a deep-seated need to hold Tiberius tighter than ever before gripped her. A few questions lingered in her mind that she was afraid to ask.

A quiet bath would help to relax her and give her time to gather her thoughts and feelings about this new revelation.

She asked him to carry her into the bathroom and set her down on the toilet. After he left, she reached over to plug the tub and turn the water on before slowly undressing.

After easing herself into the cool water, she shivered and took a deep breath before holding it as she turned the cold water off and left the hot water on with her toes.

Tears of rage stung her eyes. Catherine not only tried to steal her mate, but she tried to steal him by force. She couldn't imagine what kind of sick and twisted person would do such a thing.

Did she know Tiberius was a lycan? Or was she only interested in his looks? Why would she do something to someone who showed no interest in her?

The thought of her mate kissing someone else made her stomach churn and bile to climb up her throat. She tried to push out thoughts of them having sex because she knew she couldn't handle such vile thoughts.

She clutched herself and cried out for her mother. When Ma came, Crystal pulled the shower curtain across so that only her head was visible as her mother took a seat on the toilet.