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

Chapter 10- Steven

I watched as she talked to some of my pack mates, her hair wet from the quick shower that she had. A smile was on her lips as she listened to a story before a snort broke free from her lips, interrupting the person.

"Sorry," she said, her voice airy with a chuckle. She grabbed a napkin and coughed into it, trying to contain her laughter. "Please, continue. I insist."

"But, you are just going to laugh, again," the young wolf, Collin, said with a pout. There was a small smile on his lips wanting to burst out.

"It seems to me that you want me to laugh," Belle said, patting her mouth again before putting the napkin down in her lap and picking up her fork and knife.

"It wasn't funny," Cameron said, looking rather sullen. "It was mean and embarrassing."

"It was, I apologize for laughing, Cameron," Belle said, her lip curling into a smile. She wasn't sorry.

"What? Do you not have any embarrassing stories?" I asked, and she looked at me. "Is that why you laugh at them?" I gestured to the members of my pack.

'Dude,' my Human said. 'It was a joke. Chill out.'

Belle bowed her head and looked away, the smile fading a bit. "I have plenty, Your Majesty," she replied, looking back at me. "Would you like me to tell you one?"

'No.'

"Yes."

Belle nodded her head and took a sip of her drink. "How old are you, Collin?" she asked, looking at him. She didn't look at me when I growled out a warning.

"Seven," he replied.

She nodded. "I think I was about five or six when this happened," she said, finally. "My parents and I were living on a farm that her parents owned before we moved up to New York because my mother was going to be doing some testing up there."

"Testing?" Collin asked curiously. "What type?"

"Tests for her cancer," she replied, sadly. She cleared her throat and took a sip of her drink. Her eyes had this sad look about them, and for a moment I pitied her.

"Cancer?" Collin asked, cocking his head. "What is that?"

"It is a disease where unhealthy cells attack and kill healthy cells," she replied. "Basically."

"Oh. People can die from it?"

"Yes," she confirmed, nodding her head. She cleared her throat and shook her head. "Anyway, I was living with my grandparents and parents, and this particular day my uncle and cousin, named Peter, came to visit. Mama was feeling sicker that day, so she was in the bedroom when they stopped by."

"This better be ending soon," I said.

'Dude.'

"It is rather boring."

Belle sent me a look before clearing her throat. "Of course, Your Majesty," she said. She took a sip of her drink. "Long story short, Peter and I decided to make a cake out of stuff from the farm. Some of the stuff was smelly and gross while others smelt good."

"What was the most disgusting thing in the cake?" Collin asked. "And did anyone eat?"

"No," Belle said with a breathless chuckle. "No one ate the cake. It wouldn't have tasted good if someone had eaten it."

"But, what were some of the ingredients?" Collin complained, earning a growl from me. "Sorry," he muttered underneath his breath.

"Mud," she replied. "And fish. There were more, but for the sake of time, I will not list them out." She yawned, covering her mouth. "Oh, excuse me. The trip must be catching up with me." She cleared her throat.

"What did you do with the ingredients?" Louis asked.

"We decided to cook them," I replied. "My grandmother walked into the kitchen while we were trying to cook them, and she had noticed me with my dress off with only my underwear on. Both Peter and I were covered in mud head to toe, and we had destroyed the whole kitchen." She glanced at Dalen when she said that, hearing him growl. "We cleaned it up," she added. "And, I won't make that much of a mess in your kitchen."

"Good," Dalen said. "But it is His Majesty's kitchen."

Belle didn't reply, but she had a small smirk on her face. She cleared her throat and took another of her drink, finishing the last of it.

"Why were you both covered in mud?" Collin asked.

"I fell into the muddy river. Peter wasn't able to hold me up while I got some and tore my dress, and I fell." She shrugged. "I grabbed his foot and pulled him into the river."

"Why did you have your dress off?" I asked.

"Somehow, Peter was strong enough to rip it while he was lowering me down. He tore the dress in half, leaving only the front. That part got swept away by the river because we were fighting each other."

"And you both didn't get swept away with it?"

Belle shook her head no and smiled, sadly. "If I were, I wouldn't be here today."

And I would be mateless with no chance to get away from the monster that was me.