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

Chapter 15- Belle

It had been a month since I had lived at the castle, and I was settling in fine, well sort of. I had made a lot of new friends and felt protected and happy with being there. However... there was that one part that missed my father and wanted to do what I had promised him.

I had no idea how I was going to do it, but I was thinking about it. And, it didn't help that His Majesty was a hell lot grumpier with me now that he found out that Peter was my cousin, and I had been spending most of my time either with him or with my horse.

And right now, I was hanging out with my horse, about to ride him. However, I had gotten distracted by his mane and was braiding it and being deep in thought.

"Ok, what's wrong?" Peter asked, from where he was leaning against the stable wall. "And, don't lie to me and say nothing is wrong, Belle. I know you better than that."

"I have no idea what you are talking about," I said. "Nothing is wrong." I finished Riser's mane and looked at my cousin to see him scowling at him. "What?" I asked, furrowing my brows and cocking my head.

"I know you, Annabelle," Peter said. "I know when you are feeling trapped."

I scowled and shook my head. "Gee, I am so thankful that you had placed that out in the open, Petrica," I said, rolling my eyes. I bit back a smirk when he growled softly. "Easy," I crooned when Riser snorted and bared his teeth at my cousin. "Would you stop being a butt?" I asked, flicking his nose.

Riser snorted and shook his head. He flicked his tail, and I could tell that he was rather annoyed that I was standing up for Peter.

"So, what is it?" Peter asked, changing the subject back to the one we were having before.

I bit back a sigh and chewed my lip. "Are we alone?" I asked, my voice becoming rather softer.

Peter frowned and stood taller than his slouching form. His ears swiveled on his head as he listened for the sounds of the pack members that lived here. He took in a deep breath and sneezed, shaking his head. "We're alone," he grumbled, moving his arm across his nose. "I hate the dust in here." He relaxed and slouched a bit more.

"You're the one that followed me in here," I said. I cleared my throat and moved a hand through my hair. "I had told my dad that... I would try to escape." My voice was barely above a whisper, and I knew that Peter was able to hear it.

Peter looked rather shocked and hurt that I had said that. "What? Why?" he asked. "Do you... not like it here?"

I sighed and cleared my throat, turning to look away from him to look at the work I had done to Riser's mane. "I do like it here, Peter, surprisingly. Everyone has been really nice to me, and I have enjoyed everyone's company." I licked my lips. "Even the King's, when he is not a grumpy asshole."

Peter snorted, and I could tell that he was relaxing slightly. "You miss him, don't you?" he asked, talking about my father.

I nodded my head, my heart aching. "After Mama died, Papa was the only thing that I had left." I hesitated and cleared my throat. "Though... there was this time when I thought that I had lost him too."

"What?" Peter asked, sounding rather shocked. "Why? What happened?"

I shook my head, not going into any details. If I did that, then I would have to explain everything that I was hiding, from having an ex that was an egotistical Werewolf to the fact that I had almost died myself.

"Hey, Belle!" Louis called, and I relaxed slightly because I knew that Peter wouldn't bring it up with Louis there. "The jumps are ready. Peter had told me to put most of them up at around six feet and do other stuff before he came to find you. Cameron was being a wuss and made sure that some of them were shorter and single."

I scowled at my cousin, and he shrugged. "I thought I told you that it had been a while since I had jumped a whole course."

"You did, but you have been jumping since you were younger, so I don't see a problem." He paused and shrugged his shoulder. "Well, the only problem is if Riser will be able to do it or not."

Riser snorted and tapped his hoof against the stone concrete to say 'yes.'

"Wait, did he just say yes, he couldn't do it, or he could do it?" Peter asked, looking at me.

"Do you think you can do the course?" I asked, and Riser nodded and tapped his hoof against the stone once. "I think he wants to try," I said. I took in a deep breath and nodded my head. "Ok," I said. "I'll try the course."

"But, some of the jumps are so high. You could get hurt if you fall off," Cameron said. "It's too dangerous."

"Riding is dangerous already," I said. "I mean, I am dealing with a living breathing animal with a mind of his own." I shrugged my shoulder. "And, I have fallen off many times before."

"Did you get hurt?" Cameron asked as I took the halter off of my horse and placed his bridle on.

"I got sent to the hospital many times, if that is what you are asking," I said. "It happens."

"Then why do it?" his deep voice asked from behind the rest of them. The king walked over to us, scowling. There was a little flash of hurt in his eye before it disappeared with a look of annoyance.

A blush appeared on my face, and I looked away from him as I fixed my horse's bridle. "I... sort of am an adrenaline junkie," I said. "I like the rush that I get when I am riding my horse."

"She wants to go skydiving," Peter said. "Isn't that right, Annabell, or had that dream already leave you?"

"Yes, Petrica," I said. "I still want to do that. Are you still going to do it with me like you had promised, or are you going to skip out as you did with that ziplining experience?"

Peter narrowed his eyes at me and scowled, and I gave him a smug smile. "Get on the damn horse," he grumbled. "And don't kill yourself."