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

Chapter 30- Belle

The rain pounded hard against my cloak, but I ignored it while we ran towards somewhere. It was cold and wet, and I was shaking, but I didn't care because it meant that my body was still working, even though my heart was in pieces.

Tears blurred my vision while I rode my horse, and I let Riser have full control of his head because I had no idea where I was going or where I needed to go, even though all I wanted to do was go home.

All I could do was hold on while he went somewhere, taking me away from the male that was supposed to be my mate but who was a "monster" instead.

My heart ached and screamed for me to go back, even though I knew that it wasn't possible.

I couldn't live somewhere where I was a prisoner...

I couldn't take any more heartbreak.

I bit my lip to keep myself from crying out in the dark, not wanting anything to find me, even though I knew it was pointless because of my horse's thundering hooves on the ground.

Da dum, da dum, da dum. His hooves pounded against the soft ground, not even slipping as if he was so sure of where his footing should be to make sure that both of us stayed safe and alive.

I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth together while I leaned closer to my horse's neck, making sure that I didn't squeeze Pippa too tight. I didn't want to hurt her like I was hurting, hurting the further away that I got from the kingdom and my "mate.

I had no idea where we were going, no idea how far away from the castle we were, nothing. All I knew was that I needed to continue to get away from there, praying that I would find a way home and back to my father and the life that I wanted to make here but couldn't.

However, that all changed when something knocked me off of my horse, and I landed on my shoulder hard.

I bit back a scream of pain while I rolled, making sure that I didn't hurt my dog in the process.

Riser snorted and shook his head before he started running away while I got to my feet and looked around with Pippa by my side.

My adrenaline and fear spiked, but I made sure to act calm and pulled out my bow and arrow. My hands were shaking from the cold and fear that I felt, and I silently cursed myself for being so stupid and afraid but still acted strong and in charge.

"Who's there?" I called out and pointed the arrow in the direction that the thing came from. I narrowed my eyes and scowled while I gripped the bow tighter, ignoring everything that was happening around me. "Show yourself."

Thunder rolled overhead while the rain pounded against me and everything around us, but I didn't care while I waited for the thing to say something.

"Are you Man, Wolf, or both?" someone asked from my left, and I instantly moved my bow that way with the arrow ready. They didn't appear from the trees, and I couldn't help but wonder as to who was out there, wondering if they were Wolves or these Hunters that I shared my blood with.

"Wolf?" I asked, shocked and appalled, trying to make it seem like I didn't even know what they were talking about. "Both? What do you mean? Who are you?" I paused. "What are you?"

"She's merely human," another person that was near the first person that had spoken said with a small hiss. "Let's go before she gets hurt."

"I don't think so..." the first person to speak said.

There was a bit of rustling in the bushes before someone appeared, and a flash of lightning showed that it was a man holding a gun.

My heart leapt into my throat, and my dog barked and jumped in front of me while I took a step back.