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

Chapter 46- Belle's POV

The date went on without another hitch, even though I had a feeling that Reif was getting more worried with each passing second, silently wondering what had gotten me so quiet before our date.

As he promised, no one bugged us while we ate our food, laughed and hung out with each other, and I couldn't help but be amazed at the man that was hiding underneath the beast he claimed to be.

He changed... I silently thought, my heart skipping a beat before it pounded faster in my chest while it grew warm. He has changed for the better, and I can't help but feel very grateful.

Maybe he would be able to let me go...

My heart ached when I thought again because a part of me didn't want to leave him or the family I had made, but I wanted to find the man that had raised me and make sure that he was safe.

Reif cleared his throat and placed his hand on my arm, and I turned to look at him. Concern filled his eyes while he stared at me, and his ears were close to the side of his head, looking nervous and very worried. "Belle?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "Are you ok?"

I smiled and slowly nodded. "I am," I confirmed before I cleared my throat and rubbed my hands across my dress as if to remove a speck of dust. "I am sorry. I was only thinking. What were you saying?" I asked while I raised an eyebrow in question, praying that he wouldn't ask me what I was thinking.

Reif scowled and narrowed his eyes, and I couldn't help but lower my gaze from his. "Are you sure that you are ok?" he asked while he raised an eyebrow in question. "Don't lie to me, Belle," he warned in a soft yet firm tone. "Please. I'm begging you. Are you sure that you are ok?"

I bit back a small sigh before I slowly shook my head, not able to meet his gaze, my cheeks turning slightly red. "I am not," I said, my voice barely above a whisper before I cleared my throat and moved my hands across my dress again. "However, again, I don't want to ruin this date with you, Reif." I hesitated before I took his hand in mine.

"You won't ruin it," Reif said and instantly shook his head. He stopped and turned until he was facing me, and I stopped in front of him before I could run into him and stared at him with wide eyes. "You'd never ruin the date between us because I had an amazing time with you and will always have an amazing time with you, no matter what happens."

My cheeks turned red when he said that, and I dipped my head closer to my chest while I looked away from him. "Oh," I said, my voice barely above a whisper before I cleared my throat and looked at him again so that he could see the honesty on my face. "I had an amazing time with you, too. Thank you. I do appreciate it, Reif."

Reif slowly nodded and bit back a small smile, looking very relieved. "So... what do you want to do, now?" he asked while he raised an eyebrow in question. "Or, are you able to tell me what's going on through the back of your mind because you are worrying me?" He gently moved a strand of hair that fell from its updo and tucked it gently behind my ear. "Again, you won't ruin anything if you tell me. I promise."

My heart ached, and I couldn't help but feel slightly guilty for making him nervous about me when he didn't need to.

Finally, I sighed and looked away from him and at our feet, not able to meet his gaze any longer. "I miss my father," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, even though I knew that he could hear it.

I cleared my throat and shook my head while I shifted from side to side. "I am worried that something bad has happened to him. He's... he's been everything that I had left to hold onto for a long time after my mom died..."

Until you and the pack came along and changed my life for the better... I wanted to say but didn't while I bit the inside of my lip to keep that thought to myself.