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

Chapter 38- Belle's POV

"Why not?" he asked, and I looked at him with a pointed look before I turned my attention back to my horse. "Belle," he warned, and I rolled my eyes and scowled. "Why don't you want to meet the others?"

"Because I don't want them to hurt the stupid pack nor the king," I said with a small snap in my voice. I tossed the curry comb back into the tack box with a sharp clunk and had it fall out of the tack box, and my horse snorted and backed away from me while he shook his head.

"Sorry, Boy," I cringed before I patted his neck and cleared my throat. "I did not mean to scare you."

My horse snorted and shook his head before he tossed his head and shook it again. He flicked his tail before he stopped backing up and pawed the ground.

I bit back a small chuckle and moved a hand across his neck again, and he nuzzled my side. "Ya, ya, I love you too."

My horse whickered and pawed the ground again before he snorted and shook his head.

I bit back a small smile and shook my head before I went to the tack box to put my curry comb into the tack box and then take the hard brush out.

My cousin stayed silent while he watched me, and I could tell that he was a nervous wreck for some reason. His whole body was tense, and I couldn't help but wonder if it was something that I said or something else, something that I couldn't hear.

I furrowed my brows and cocked my head while I scowled and looked at him. "What?" I asked, my voice dark and filled with warning, and he looked at me with wide eyes, shocked and surprised at my tone. "What is it? Why are you so tense?"

Peter hesitated before he bowed his head and shifted on his feet. He cleared his throat while tucked his tail underneath his legs. "It's nothing," he said dismissively with a shake of his head, and I scowled and narrowed my eyes further. "It isn't," he said and shook his head again. "Don't worry about it."

"I don't believe you," I warned. "What is it?"

Peter hesitated again before he shook his head and cleared his throat. "Again, it's nothing, Annie," he said, calling me by a nickname that he only called me when it wasn't safe to discuss something. "Can you go back to getting stuff done with your horse so that you can start riding again?"

I held back an eye roll and bit back a small sigh. "Whatever," I grumbled while I grabbed the hard brush tighter in my hand and started to brush my horse some more. "Is the king nearby?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Who?" Peter asked and raised an eyebrow. He smirked and dipped his head closer to his chest while he looked at me, and I scowled and narrowed my eyes while my cheeks turned red.

"Stop," I said, and he chuckled, amused. "He is the king."

"But you are allowed to say his name," he said, and I shrugged and grimaced. "So what is his name?"

I held back an eye roll before I sighed and shook my head, deciding that it was best not to argue with him. "Reif," I said. "His name is Reif. Is he nearby?"

He shook his head, no. "He isn't," he said before he cleared his throat and flicked his tail. "Why are you asking if he is nearby?" he asked and raised an eyebrow. "Do you not want to see him?" Concern filled his eyes while he studied me, and I pursed my lips and shrugged.

"I don't mind," I said honestly before I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet. "I was curious about him being nearby because he doesn't really come out often."

"Unless you're out here," he said and winked, and I looked down and blushed before I shrugged.

"I mean..." I cleared my throat and shrugged again. I finished with the hard brush and then went to get the soft brush so that I could brush his face.

Peter chuckled. "What are you going to do after this?" he asked and gestured to my horse and I, changing the subject. "Are you wanting to have a date with the king?" He wiggled his eyebrows, and my cheeks grew red.

"Peter," I warned, and he chuckled and dipped his head closer to his chest. "Stop."

"Come on, Bellie," he teased and wiggled his eyebrows. "Do you?"

I stayed silent and placed the soft brush back into my horse's tack box and grabbed the hoof pick while my cousin watched me.

"You are," he said, and I rolled my eyes and scowled. "I know that you are wanting a date."

"It's not that I don't want it, but it's... I don't know." I sighed and shook my head before I cleared my throat again. "I am just worried..."

My cousin furrowed his brows and slowly nodded. He didn't say a word while he looked at me, and I could tell that he was worried too.

"He won't do anything to me," I said before I shook my head and cleared my throat. "I know that, but there is still that part that is thinking stuff."

"And it's nothing to do with him?" He raised an eyebrow.

"And it's nothing to do with him," I confirmed before I cleared my throat again. "He showed me the man that he can be and that was hiding underneath his anger and everything. What happened to me was not his fault and has not changed my mind on him."

Peter slowly nodded and looked relieved. "If he asks you out on a date, would you take his offer?" he asked and raised an eyebrow, and I paused and looked at him.

I raised an eyebrow, and my cheeks instantly turned red. "What do you mean?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, and my heart skipped a beat before it started to pound hard in my chest. "Is he going to ask me out on a date?"

Peter didn't say a word and bit back a small smirk. He dipped his head closer to his chest and studied me, and I bit back a small sigh while I rolled my eyes and scowled.

"Well?" I asked and raised an eyebrow. "Is he?"

Peter bit back a small smile and shook his head. "I can't say," he said before he cleared his throat and shifted on his feet. "Now, are you going to get finished with Riser so that you can ride, or are you going to just stand there and look pretty?"

I scowled and narrowed my eyes. "Petrica," I said, and he winced and laid his ears closer to his head. "Please."

"I am not saying a word," he said and shook his head. "Now finish working on your horse."

I bit back an annoyed groan and rolled my eyes before I placed the soft brush back into the tack box. "Fine," I grumbled before I started to do what he said for me to do and put Riser's saddle pad, saddle, and bridle on him. "But if he does, then I would accept the date."

Peter breathed a sigh of relief, and a look of amusement filled his eyes. He slowly nodded before he cleared his throat and scratched his neck. "Good," he said and nodded before he cleared his throat again. "Are you almost done?" he asked and raised an eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes and pressed my lips into a thin line, annoyed but finished getting Riser ready. "Yes," I said and nodded before I grabbed my helmet and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Are you going to watch me?"

"Of course," Peter said and nodded. "I don't trust your horse that much to let you ride your horse on your own."

I rolled my eyes and scowled while my cheeks turned red. "Just, shut up, Peter," I said before I placed my helmet on my head and started to walk to the indoor arena with both my horse and cousin following me, and my cousin was laughing. "He isn't going to do anything to me, Peter. He never will."

Not that I can't handle it, of course...