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

Chapter 16- Steven

I watched as my mate got onto the beast that I didn't like so much. I set my jaw, feeling jealous, and my Human snorted and called me a 'jealous, Mutt.' I growled softly, and the horse snorted and bobbed his head in annoyance.

"Would you stop?" my mate asked, exasperated as he started moving without her consent. "Do I need to get a switch? I'll whip your ass again if you don't behave."

The horse snorted and tapped his hooves twice as if to say 'no.'

"Then be nice, or else, I will do it." She looked at me and smiled apologetically. "I am sorry," she said. "He just wants to be a pain in the ass right now." She nudged him with her legs and started to get him moving. "Are you going to watch us?" she asked.

'Yes,' my Human said.

"If I have to," I grumbled, setting my jaw.

"Of course, Your Majesty," she said. She walked by me on the horse and walked out of the barn. She didn't look back to make sure we were following as she made her way to the indoor arena.

"How do you know where the arena is?" I asked, walking by her side. I was a little impressed that the horse didn't try anything, but I was sure that was because of Belle.

"I went exploring," she replied. "I wanted a safe place to train my horse while we are here."

"And what else did you find?" I asked.

"A paddock to put him in, and that is it," she replied. "I don't know where else I am allowed to go in the palace and on the grounds." She glanced at me from the corner of her eye. "Can you show me, please?"

"I-" Peter stopped when she turned towards him and sent him a look. He cocked his head, and it seemed like they were having a silent conversation. Peter narrowed his eyes at my mate, and she narrowed her eyes at him. "Never mind," he said. He looked at me. "Annabelle would like it if you showed her places so that she wouldn't get lost if His Majesty pleases."

"And, Petrica needs to stop butting in," she said. "And, stop calling me Annabelle."

"But that is your name. Stop calling me Petrica."

"That is your name," she said.

"Do you two always do this?" I asked, getting tired of their arguing. I was surprised that she wanted me to show her around the kingdom, and my human was telling me to do it.

"Yes, Your Majesty," they said in unison as they looked at me. "Our apologies."

I set my jaw and narrowed my eyes. I didn't like their relationship one bit. I hated how close to him she was and wondered if she could ever be close to me.

'If you stop being an ass, then maybe,' my Human said, and I growled at him. 'Now, will you answer her? She is still waiting.'

"Fine," I said, ignoring him. "But, these are the only places you are allowed to go. Is that understood?"

Belle smiled, relief filling her eyes as she nodded. "Of course, Your Majesty," she said. "Thank you for taking time out of your day to show me. I sincerely appreciate it."

I grunted but did not say a word as she turned towards the front. Hope filled my heart, and I crushed it and tried to ignore that feeling.

I didn't want to get my hopes up about her just because she was my mate. For, who could love a beast like me?

***

It had been an hour since I had watched her jump those fences, and I was sitting in my office, trying to ignore this sense of pride that my human felt for her.

I moved a hand through my fur and waited for Peter to come into my office. I was annoyed and jealous of the way they interacted, as if they were a couple waiting for the time that they were to get married.

I had to put a stop to it. I had to put a stop to it before they became closer or worse. I had to stop this before it got out of hand.

My human stirred when I thought that. A burst of his anger filled our shared body, and he slowly started to retake control before I pushed him back. 'Don't do it,' he warned, knowing full well what I was planning on doing. 'She will hate you if you do this.'

I growled, ignoring the stinging hurt in my heart. I didn't want her to hate me, but she shouldn't be with me.

She didn't want to be with me, a monster. She shouldn't want me, but how she had asked for me to show her around the pack caused my heart to pound and fill with warmth.

I pulled the jeweled crown from my desk and stared at the pearls. My heart started to ache as I saw that there was only one left white, slowly turning black.

I had six months left until our twenty-first birthday, and I was nowhere near ready to have her as my mate. We both weren't ready for what this mateship could bring.

'That is why you don't do this,' my Human warned. 'I don't think she will appreciate having her cousin taken away from her, not after she lost her mother and father because of you.'

'Shut up,' I growled, putting the crown back into the desk and slamming the door shut. "Enter," I growled, hearing a knock on my door.

The Omega opened the door and walked in, followed by Peter. They both bowed to me, the Omega's heart pounding faster than Peter's.

"Leave us," I growled at the Omega, and he flinched and ran out of the room. Worthless Mutt. Worthless and pitiful.

"You wanted to see me, Sire?" Peter asked, and I looked at him. He didn't look nervous, which annoyed me to no end. He had no idea what was coming, and all he was doing was acting nonchalant. "What can I do for you?"

I leaned forward and stared at him with hard eyes, feeling proud when I caused him to shift on his paws. "I want to know what your plans are with Belle," I said. "Why are you trying to take my mate away from me?"