Belle
Belle firmed her grip on Levi’s fur as he sped through the dark woods. She sniffed the air but didn’t catch anything except the strong scent of pine. Her senses weren’t as sharp anymore, and tracking would be nearly impossible, but Levi still had it. And since he was running without hesitation, she was sure he was on the right track.
Belle wondered where Nathaniel was headed. By his expression earlier, there was no doubt in her mind that he was being controlled again. And to make matters worse, he was headed to The Snow Queen’s castle.
Belle should’ve known Aria was behind that. The thought should’ve crossed her mind the moment Belle saw the beast with the genie bracelet. Aria was the only one looking for the bracelet, and Belle wouldn’t have put it past The Snow Queen to manipulate the beast for her own interests.
There were many things Aria had done, and as a forgiving friend, Belle had looked the other way, waiting for whatever phase that was to pass. But manipulating Nathaniel was stooping too low, and Belle was not going to stand for it.
By the time she crossed the bridge, she spotted the main gate hanging mangled on its hinge. No doubt Nathaniel had burst through without even slowing down. A wave of guards ran toward the castle, weapons at hand. Belle tried slowing Levi down, but he didn’t listen. He must’ve been hearing them inside and decided Belle had no time to waste. He sped through the mangled gates then jumped over a group of guards, landing on a balcony above.
He stood on his hind legs, and after kicking the door open, he sped down the hall. A piercing scream came from the ballroom, and Belle yanked at Levi’s fur to go faster.
She wasn’t sure what she expected to find when she burst through the door, but catching Nathaniel circling Aria like a shark in the middle of the ballroom was certainly not on her list of choices.
Belle jumped down from Levi then grabbed onto the railing. “What are you doing to him?” she called out.
Aria’s eyes flickered to Belle. “Me? You can’t be serious.”
The black wolf snarled, and Aria let out a frustrated huff. Was he not being controlled anymore? Did he find out The Snow Queen had manipulated him and was now seeking revenge?
“Nathaniel,” Belle called out. “You’re not a killer. You don’t want to do this.”
Nathaniel kept circling Aria with the scowl of a killer, not even bothering to look up at Belle.
“Listen to her, you mutt.” Aria glared at him, but still avoided making any sudden movements. “You don’t want to mess with me.”
Nathaniel growled as if daring her to fight back. Belle then noticed Aria was wearing the genie bracelet on her wrist. Now it made sense why Aria hadn’t blasted him with ice. She was completely defenseless without her powers.
“Nathaniel, please…” Belle started down the stairs slowly. “I know you can hear me.”
The black wolf with crimson eyes stopped circling, but still didn’t turn to look at Belle. He kept his deadly stare on The Snow Queen.
“Listen to my voice.” Belle lifted her hands in surrender as she approached. “You are the master of your own mind, Nathaniel. You can break free. I know you can.”
His strong shoulders kept rising and falling as his breathing deepened.
“I know you’re in there,” Belle said softly.
Aria’s eyes flickered to her friend again. “What do you mean he’s still in there?”
“He’s been controlled by a mermaid stone for too long,” Belle muttered quickly. “You should know. You did this to him.”
“I already told you, I don’t have a mermaid stone,” Aria hissed. “And I hate those flipping mermaids. Control freaks.”
Belle shook her head then stared at Aria with wide eyes. “Aria, who locked that bracelet on you?” Belle asked, keeping her voice low.
“Who do you think?”
The wolf snarled at Aria. She stiffened for a moment, but then glared at him. “What do you want from me, huh? Just say it!”
“Renounce your throne,” a voice came from the top of the staircase. Belle swung around to find Snow, wearing a simple cotton dress and a maroon-red cloak. A snowy white barn owl flew overhead.
“Snow?” Belle’s mouth dropped. “How did you…?”
Snow touched the necklace around her neck, brushing the iridescent stone with the tip of her fingers. “Roger took this from Prince John,” she said. Though proud of the fact of having upped a prince, she wasn’t smiling. She didn’t seem happy to have resorted to such a strategy. But it didn’t matter. Taking’s someone’s ability of choice and manipulating them was unacceptable. And no amount of remorse would ever earn Belle’s forgiveness.
“Let him go,” Belle hissed, balling her fists. “Or so help me heavens.”
“I’m sorry, Belle.” Snow kept her stare fixed on her sister. “Not until The Snow Queen renounces her throne.”
“I will not,” Aria said firmly. “Now stop this nonsense.”
Snow lifted the mermaid stone and whispered into it. The wolf stepped forward with a low growl.
“Would you really kill your own sister?” Aria asked.
Belle couldn’t tell for sure from where she stood, but Snow’s eyes must have filled with tears because they glistened with the reflection of the chandelier. “You killed George.”
“I didn’t kill him,” Aria said. “The lake is a portal. I just sent him to Jack’s world—”
“You took him from me!” Snow cried. “I loved him, but that meant nothing to you. All you care about is yourself, and your high and mighty position. The people are suffering under your reign, and our parents would be ashamed of what you’ve done to their kingdom.”
A flicker of sadness appeared in Aria’s eyes, but then it was gone, and she squared her shoulders, then looked up at her sister again. “If you only knew.”
Before Snow said anything else, Levi jumped out from behind the railing and knocked Snow down on the steps. The necklace ripped from her neck, and the mermaid stone slipped from her hand, tumbling down to the main floor. Belle and Aria stared at each other for a few heartbeats, then jumped toward it. Aria snatched it from the floor then rose to her feet.
“Aria, give me the stone,” Belle pleaded, still on the floor.
Aria stepped back with a frown. Then turned to the black wolf, lifting the stone to her lips.
“Aria, what are you doing?”
She whispered into the stone, then suddenly the black wolf turned toward Belle, his crimson eyes boring through her soul. Belle’s eyes widened as he took a step toward her.
“No. Nathaniel, wait…” She crawled back as he approached. “This isn’t you. You need to break free. Listen to me!” But he was already standing over her, and with an angry growl, he lowered himself and bared his teeth.
Belle sucked in a terrified breath, then reached up and touched his face. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “I know this isn’t you. So, please, when you remember this, don’t blame yourself. I’m not blaming you. You hear me? I love you, Nathaniel. I always will. For better or for worse.”
The black wolf bared his teeth, his crimson eyes sharp and vicious, ready for the kill. Belle thought about closing her eyes, but she didn’t. She wanted him to see that she wasn’t afraid of him, and that she loved him... until the very end.
The wolf closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the red had lost its glow. Belle watched as his deep blue took its place. Nathaniel shifted back to his human form, and Belle gasped as he fell to his knees in front of her.
She hastily removed her cloak and threw it over him, covering his waist. She cupped his face then lifted his eyes to meet hers. “I knew you were in there,” she whispered. “I knew you were strong enough to break free.”
“You freed me, my love,” he whispered back. “You saved me.”
He was looking at her like something had finally healed inside of him, like he’d woken up to find that his nightmares were just that, that they never existed, that it was all just a bad dream that felt far too real, but now he was awake, and he was safe, and everything was going to be okay.
Belle rested her forehead on his and closed her eyes, allowing her racing heart to slow. She couldn’t care less that Aria had fallen to her knees with some sort of relief. Or that Snow was still trapped under Levi’s massive paw on top of the stairs. All that mattered was that Nathaniel was finally out of harm’s way, and never again would he have to worry about being controlled. Lexa had told them that if a man was ever to break free on his own from a mermaid’s hypnosis, he was free forever.
“And I love you, too,” he whispered ever so softly.
Belle opened her eyes but didn’t respond for several heartbeats. Then she smiled and caressed his tired face. “I’m yours, always.”
He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. It was soft but desperate, like he was running out of air, and somehow, she was his only source of oxygen. Belle reveled in his need for her, because she needed him just as much. He had claimed her heart, and despite all odds, there was no undoing it.
She was his... forever.