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

Chapter 26- Belle

My cheeks turned bright red when she said that, and I looked down. I cleared my throat and licked my lips. "Ummmm," I said hesitantly and cleared my throat again. "I d-" I stopped myself from talking and shifted on my feet.

The Moon Goddess's face grew softer. "You don't think that you should be his mate, do you?" she asked, and I shrugged. She chuckled and held her hands out for me to take. She took my hands and squeezed them. "You will be a great queen," she said, "and a good mate for him."

I furrowed my brows and bit my bottom lip. "But..." I cleared my throat and licked my lips. "But he doesn't want me," I whispered.

"His human wants you, though," the Moon Goddess said, and I raised an eyebrow in question. She chuckled and smiled before she dipped her head. "Of course," she said. "You don't know that much about your heritage."

I ducked my head and cleared my throat. "Uh... ya," I said. I cleared my throat and licked my lips. "What do you mean by the human wanting me?"

"Each Werewolf has two sides," she said, and I nodded to show her that I was following her. "They have a human side and a wolf side."

I nodded slowly. "And the human wants me?" I asked, and she nodded. "Why doesn't the wolf side?"

The Moon Goddess sighed and moved a hand across her face. She looked tired and seemed to grow older the more she was with me. "I wish I knew," she said. She raised her hand when I opened my mouth to say something, silencing me. "His Wolf is bitter, and he is full of pain," she said.

The Moon Goddess sighed and moved a hand through her hair, grimacing. She looked worn down and tired, and I had a feeling that she was feeling guilty for whatever reason that caused his wolf so much hate for me. "I can read all of my children," she said, "but for some reason, I can't read him any longer."

I nodded and looked at my hands. I furrowed my brows and bit my lip while I thought about what she said. "He is scared," I said, and she made a noise as if to say, "go on." "He doesn't know what to do, so he is going on the offensive instead of being defensive."

The Moon Goddess leaned back with a sigh and looked at me with eyes that seemed to dig deep into my soul. "But that doesn't explain why I can't read him," she said, "or do you have an explanation for that?"

I pressed my lips into a thin line and stared at my hands while I thought about it.

Why was she asking me why she couldn't read him? Shouldn't she know that?

Or was he somehow blocking her? If so, how?

"Belle?" the Moon Goddess asked, pressing gently. "Say what you think out loud. How can I not read him?"

I bit my lip and cleared my throat. "I don't want to offend you," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I shifted in my seat and cleared my throat again.

The Moon Goddess chuckled and patted my hand. "Child, I don't think you can offend me," she said. "You have a pure heart and a strong mind. You're empathetic and can figure things out that most when I can't see."

Slowly I nodded, and I cleared my throat. "Can he be blocking you?" I asked, my voice soft and hesitant. I cleared my throat again and shifted in my seat. "Maybe he is feeling guilty and that he has betrayed you."

I looked at my hands and furrowed my brows. My heart broke for the king because I had a feeling I knew what he was feeling.

He didn't feel like he deserved love...

Like me.

The Moon Goddess grabbed my hands and squeezed them. Silently, she told me to continue, wanting to know what I was thinking.

"He feels as if he doesn't deserve your love," I said and looked at her. "He feels as if he doesn't deserve your love or anyone, so he closes himself off and starts to feel bitter about it."

The Moon Goddess leaned back and slowly nodded. Pain and guilt filled her eyes, and I had a feeling that she felt guilty for making him feel that way. "I do love him, though," she said. She sighed and released my hands before she moved them through her hair and grimaced. "I love all of my kids."

I sighed and held my hands out for her to take, and she stared at them. "Even if you do love them, sometimes they'll forget," I said and shrugged. "They'll think that they aren't worthy of it, no matter how many times it's told differently." I paused and looked down, not wanting to meet her gaze. "Sometimes the mind is the worst enemy of the person," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

The Moon Goddess grabbed my hands and squeezed. "Are you saying for this yourself, roo?" she inquired, and I nodded. "You do realize you are worthy of love, correct?"

I smiled and looked at her, making sure that I wouldn't break down in tears. I craved love and affection that would be strong enough to help me feel complete; just I hadn't. I was still broken, just like the king. "As I said, sometimes the mind is the worst enemy of someone."

The Moon Goddess squeezed my hands. "I hope that you never give up on him and show him that you both are broken and do deserve each other," she said, squeezing them tighter. "You both deserve happiness and each other."

I looked down, not wanting to meet her gaze any longer. I didn't want her to know that I was planning on leaving soon, the castle getting to me more than it should.

The Moon Goddess hummed and nodded before she reached over and grabbed my face. Gently she lifted my chin until I was looking at her, and her eyes were filled with tears and understanding. 'Before you do leave, I want you to do me a favor."

I furrowed my brows, confused, for I had no idea what she wanted me to do. "Anything." I paused. "What is it?"

She sighed and cleared her throat. "I want you to go to the part of the castle that is forbidden from you," she said. She raised her hand and stopped me from talking, taking the warmth of her hand away from my chin. "I know what you are going to say, and I pray that you won't. I want you to see something, and I want you to get him to open up about his feelings and show him that he is worthy of not only my love but yours."

"And if I don't?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. My heart started to pound hard in my chest, and it started to beat faster and faster until it felt like it was in my throat.

I didn't like her looking so grave while she pulled away from me, and I had to clench my fists until I could feel my nails breaking into my skin to keep myself from reaching out and shaking her.

"Then the Werewolf kingdom will be thrown into chaos," she said, her voice grave. "There will be fights to see who would be the next Royal King, and they could wipe themselves out."

She shook her head and smiled before she gently placed a hand on my cheek. "But I know that won't happen because you have a heart that is as pure as gold, and you will see to it that you do whatever it takes to make things right."