The Beauty and the Beast (1st book of Fantasy Series)

Chapter 37- Belle's POV

"So, how are things going with you and the king?" my cousin asked while we walked to my horse with Pippa by my side.

It had been a couple of days since the king woke up, and I couldn't help but feel happier and more relaxed than I had in the past few months since I had been here.

The air around us seemed to be brighter and filled with this hope and light, and I couldn't help but wonder if it was because the king wasn't as mad as he had been and was slowly but surely becoming more of his human self.

"Belle," my cousin teased while he nudged me, and I looked at him with wide eyes. "Come on, how is everything going with you and the king? Is it going good?" He wiggled his eyebrows, and I couldn't help but look away from him and blush.

"Stop," I said and nudged him a little, and he bit back a small laugh and moved with my push. "There isn't anything going on between us like that..."

"But you do accept him as your mate, correct?" he asked and eyed me from the corner of his eyes, and I hesitated but slowly nodded while my cheeks turned a softer red.

"If he accepts me," I said and wrapped my arms across my chest. I cleared my throat and moved a hand across my face before I shook my head. "I don't know if he will or not..." I cleared my throat again and shrugged.

"What do you mean?" Peter asked while he furrowed his brows. Worry filled his eyes while he studied me. "What do you mean by that? He'll accept you. He's started to accept you after you saved his life."

I bit back a small sigh before I slowly nodded. "I know," I said softly, "but what if it's all a ruse? What i-"

"Hush," Peter scolded and nudged me, interrupting me. He narrowed his eyes and scowled, and I pressed my lips into a thin line. "It isn't a ruse, Belle. This is real life. He accepts you."

I didn't say a word while I opened the stable barn's door. I bit back a small smile when I heard my horse whicker in greeting. "Hey, Boy," I said when he whickered again and bobbed his head. "How are you?"

Riser whickered again and kicked his stall door, and I bit back a small chuckle.

"Belle," Peter warned, and I pressed my lips into a thin line while I made my way to my horse. "Come on. Don't do this."

"Don't do what?" I asked and furrowed my brows while I cocked my head and studied him. "What am I doing?"

Peter scowled and narrowed his eyes, and I couldn't help but look down, not able to meet his gaze any longer. "You are holding back from him and all of this. You are acting as if you don't deserve this happiness or whatever is going for you. Why?"

I didn't respond and walked into the stall, and my horse instantly nuzzled my side.

"I'm serious, Belle," he said softly while he walked over to the other side of the stall. "Why?"

I hesitated before I shrugged and looked down while I rubbed my horse's neck. "I'm just not," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

Peter scoffed and rolled his eyes. He didn't try to go into the stall because he knew that Riser wouldn't allow him to. "What can we do to change that?" he asked softly, and I shrugged and grimaced. "Belle," he warned.

I sighed and shook my head. "I don't know," I said before I cleared my throat and licked my lips. "I'll be fine." I patted my horse again.

"Uh huh," he said, and I could tell that he didn't believe me. "Do you want your horse's halter?" he asked, changing the subject.

I nodded. "Please," I said. "I do want to get him ridden some because I hadn't been able to do that since I had been helping the king."

My cousin chuckled and nodded.

He took the halter from the stall door and handed it to me. "Here," he said, and I took it from him with a small "thank you." "When do you think you'll be able to talk?" he asked, randomly.

I grabbed the halter from him and placed it on my horse. "About?" I asked, trying to keep my tone as leveled as possible, but my heart skipped a beat.

"Everything," Peter said. His voice was soft while he gently pushed me, trying to see what I would say or do.

I rolled my eyes and scowled, getting nervous. "That doesn't help me any, Peter," I said coldly. "What are you talking about? What do you want me to talk about?"

Peter stayed silent and looked around before he looked at me. Concern filled his eyes while he watched me rub my horse's face before I started to make my way out of the stall with my cousin moving out of my way.

"Peter," I said again, trying but failing to keep my voice level and firm. "What are you talking about? What do you want to know about me?"

Peter sighed and moved a hand through his fur. "Louis told me about the claw marks he saw on your stomach when you were in the cells," he finally blurted out, and I grew still with my heart in my throat. "When are you going to talk about them?"

My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach from my throat, and I took a deep, shuddering breath.

Shit...

"Well?" Peter pressed while he studied me. "What happened?"

"It's nothing," I said and shook my head, lying straight through my teeth before I cleared my throat and licked my lips. "I got into an accident with a horse. It's fine. I'm fine."

Peter snorted and rolled his eyes while he scowled. "Un huh," he said with a soft scowl in his voice. "I know that is not true."

I pressed my lips into a thin line and held my tongue.

"Please," he said softly while he dipped his head closer to his chest. "What happened?"

I sighed and shook my head. "It's nothing," I said, again.

My cousin pressed his lips into a thin line while he narrowed his eyes, and I could tell that didn't he didn't believe me. "Will you tell the king if he asks you?" he asked, and I looked at him and scowled while I narrowed my eyes. "Well?" he asked and raised an eyebrow.

I sighed and shook my head again. "Don't tell him," I said. "He doesn't need to worry about it."

"Belle, we worry because we care about you," Peter said. He stopped and watched me hook up my horse on the cross ties. "And we are worried about what happened to you."

I shook my head and sighed. "It's in the past," I said before I cleared my throat, "and I do not want to bring it up into my present or in my future."

"But the past has a way of sneaking up on you," Peter pointed out, and I pursed my lips in annoyance. "You know that I am right, Belle." He gave me a pointed look, and I couldn't help but purse my lips further.

He was right, and I knew that he was right.

"Well?" he asked and raised an eyebrow. "What is up with those scars? Are they from an animal with claws?"

I sighed and shook my head, praying that those that tried to help me wouldn't be affected by this. "Yes," I admitted, finally when my cousin opened his mouth to say something else. "They are from an animal with claws."

My cousin pressed his lips into a thin line and worry flashed through his eyes. "What type?" he asked, his voice barely of a whisper. "What type of animal did that to you?"

I gulped and cleared my throat while I licked my lips. "A wolf," I replied finally, my voice barely above a whisper. "A wolf did it to me, but it was not a regular wolf that did it."

I sent another prayer to the Moon Goddess and cleared my throat again while my cousin stared at me with wide eyes and an opened mouth.

Shock and pain filled his eyes, and I silently nodded, answering his unasked question.

"It was a Werewolf."