Heart of a Beast

Chapter 21 | Tiberius

Song: "Helium" by Sia

----

[Madame Papillon requests your presence over tea tomorrow,] Beckett the Raven mentally told Tiberius before landing in the tree overhead and pecking a piece of paper loose from his leg.

Tiberius growled lowly. [And what does she want? She almost spilled the cure to my mate and then—]

Beckett interrupted, [And Madame apologizes for that.]

[So, what does she want?]

[You'll see,] Beckett replied before taking flight.

Crystal started to panic as she stared at the small strip of paper in her hands.

Tiberius wrapped his arms around her, sensing her wolf clawing at the surface as she began to hyperventilate.

"Wh-What d-does s-she want?" she wheezed, crumpling the paper in her hands and turning to bury her face in Tiberius' chest.

She shuddered with each breath as Tiberius smoothed his paw over her head and her mother leaned in, encouraging Crystal to take deep cleansing breaths.

He didn't trust that spell-casting witch. She was Catherine's aunt, for Goddess' sake! She had a raven as a familiar capable of tapping into his mind against his will to communicate. Raven familiars only chose skilled witches.

Or the ones wise enough to understand them, he reminded himself as Crystal stilled against him.

She brushed her fingers against his chest, a comforting habit she had that sent ripples of pleasure to surge through him. As she relaxed and her caresses continued, he pressed his paw over her hand to stop her.

His maleness throbbed and threatened to spill out—a constant struggle he had with himself the last few days. She was oblivious to his struggles and he wanted to keep it that way as she worked on improving herself.

Taking one more deep breath, she pulled away as she exhaled and thanked him in a whisper. With her gaze lowered, she withdrew into herself as everyone pointedly looked away as the stink of her embarrassment wafted in the air for all to smell.

The picnic wrapped up soon afterward and everyone returned to their homes.

Crystal went straight to her room and shut the door before Tiberius could follow her in.

He stood outside and wanted to smash his head against the doorframe as anger and pain ripped through him.

Dammit! Why? She was doing so well!

A whine slipped out from him as he paced up and down the hallway, pausing for a second each time he reached her door.

Her parents and sister watched on. Their heartache and helplessness saturated the air with a saltiness he could taste on his tongue before they busied themselves and murmured amongst themselves to "Give her a moment."

After five minutes, he parked his rump on the floor and lightly scratched at the door.

"Come in."

His ears perked forward at the softness of her voice before he gingerly turned the doorknob and peered in.

Crystal was on her bed, lying on her back with her eyes closed and her hands clamped together over her heart. Her furrowed brows relaxed a little as she blinked her eyes open and stared up at the ceiling.

Tiberius closed the door gently and padded on all fours to her bedside and rested his head on the edge. A little whine crept out as he nudged her arm with his nose.