The Fairy Tales Collection (2 page)

She giggled.  “No one calls me Mirabelle,
remember?”

“I like Mirabelle better,” he said.  “It’s
pretty.”  He stared at the ground before mumbling, “You’re pretty.”

“No, I’m not,” she said.  “I’m too fat to
be pretty.  My best friend Rowan is really pretty because she’s got red hair
and is skinny.  But me and Ella are too fat.”

“Who’s Ella?”

“She’s my other best friend,” Belle said. 
“She lives in the trailer park where I do.  Her mama died when she was just a
baby and then her dad died just a couple months ago but she has a step-mom. 
She’s kind of mean though.  She makes Ella do a bunch of chores and stuff, and
sometimes she even makes her go to other people’s houses and clean.”

She sighed and stared at the rose bush
again.

“My best friend is Duncan.  He’s a li – “

He shut his mouth with a snap and Belle
gave him a curious look.  “He’s a what?”

“Uh, he’s a nice guy.”

She frowned but let it go and he released
his breath in a harsh rush.  What was wrong with him?  He had almost told her
that Duncan was a lion shifter.

“I should go.  It’s getting late,” she
suddenly said before climbing to her feet.

“Will your dad be worried?”  He asked.

She shook her head.  “No.  He was drinking
when I left so he won’t even notice I’m gone but I told Ella I would meet her
later.”

She stared a final time at the rose bush
before squirming through the thick bushes.  He followed her and she smiled at
him when they reached the other side.  “Thanks again for showing me the rose
bush, Ben.  I really liked it.”

He nodded and his heart sped up when she
said, “Maybe we could hang out again sometime?”

He hesitated.  Although technically he
wasn’t forbidden to play with human children, his father strongly encouraged
him to stay away from them.  He watched as Belle’s face flushed.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“What do you mean?”  He touched her
shoulder before she could walk away.

She shrugged and twirled the rose gently
between her fingertips.  “Boys don’t like playing with me.  They only like
playing with pretty girls.”

“I think you’re pretty,” he said again. 

Her eyes sparkled behind her glasses and
she patted his arm tentatively.  “I think you’re pretty too, Ben.”

She stared at the oak tree.  “Maybe we
could hang out tomorrow.  We could meet in the forest again if you… what’s
wrong?”

Bennett, his body tense, lifted his head
and inhaled again.  His eyes widened at the scent he caught and he grabbed her
hand, squeezing it tightly.  “We have to go.  Right now.”

“Why?  What’s wrong?”

“C’mon!”  He hissed.  Before he could lead
her away a soft growling came from their right and he froze as his bear made a
grumbling noise of warning.

“Ben?”  Mirabelle whispered.  “What – what
is that?”

The growling intensified and her eyes
widened when the cougar stepped out from the trees.  Her hand tightened on his
and she made a low moan of fear as the cougar stalked forward.

“Ben,” she whispered again.  “Wh-what do we
do?”

There was no reply and she glanced at him,
a small squeak of surprise emerging from her throat.

The shift was happening, his bear reacting
to the threat, and he dropped Belle’s hand as fur sprouted on his face and
arms.

“Ben?  What’s happening to you?”  She
moaned.

His bones cracked and he fell to his knees
as the cougar made a soft hissing noise before yowling.

“Run,” Ben growled as his teeth lengthened
and his body swelled.  “Run, Mirabelle.  Run!”

She backed away as he shifted completely to
his bear form before dropping her backpack and the rose and fleeing.  The
cougar yowled again and chased after her.  Ben roared angrily when the cougar
swiped at her.  Its claws tore through her t-shirt and blood welled up on her
back as she screamed in pain.  She was knocked off her feet.  Her glasses flew from
her face as she landed on the hard ground.  Ben roared again as the cougar
crouched over her.  He leaped onto the cougar’s back, tearing at the back of
its neck with his fangs as his claws sank through the thick fur to gouge and
tear at its skin.  The cougar screamed angrily and shook its large body,
dislodging Ben like a troublesome fly.  He landed on the ground with a harsh
thud and rolled to his feet, growling loudly.  The cougar stared at him before
crouching.  Fear flooded through him but he ignored it and growled again.  He
had to keep the cougar from hurting Mirabelle.  That was all that mattered.

The cougar’s body tensed and Ben rose to
his hind feet.  He was going to die but maybe Mirabelle could get away while
the cougar attacked him.  He roared again as the cougar sprang forward.  A
gunshot rang out and the cougar’s body landed on him with a heavy thud,
knocking him to the ground.  Blood poured from a crater-sized hole in its head
and he scrambled free of its body, staring wide-eyed at the man standing next
to Belle.

“Shift, little bear,” he said as he knelt
next to Belle.

Bennett shifted with a quiet pop and swiped
at the blood smeared across his chest before lunging forward.

“Is she dead?”  He cried as he fell to his
knees beside Belle. Blood was pouring from her back and he made a harsh cry of
dismay.  Belle turned her head and blinked blearily at him.

“Ben?”  She whispered.  “You – you’re a
bear.”

A combination of relief and fear flooded
through him as the man touched his arm lightly.  “Move back, little bear.”

He watched helplessly as the man removed
his jacket and pressed it against Belle’s back.  She screamed in pain and he
echoed her cry as her eyes rolled up in her head and she slumped against the
ground.

“She’s dead!”  Bennett shouted as his bear
surged forward.

“Calm yourself,” the man said before
reaching out and shaking him roughly.  “She’s not dead yet.”

He shouldered his rifle and Belle’s
backpack before carefully lifting Belle into his arms.  “Go home now.”

“No, I can’t!  I have to make sure she’s –
“

The man shook his head.  “I’m taking her to
the hospital.  You need to go home.”

“I’m going with you!”

“No, little bear.  You have no clothes and
no control over your shifting right now.  Go home.  I’ll keep her safe.”

Bennett stared wide-eyed at him and the man
smiled reassuringly.  “Quickly, now.  I need to get her to the hospital or
she’s going to die.  Go on.”

“Do you promise to help her?”  Ben
whispered.

“I promise.  Run, little bear.”

The man turned and, holding Belle’s
unconscious body tightly, ran quickly through the forest.  Ben, tears streaming
down his face, watched him disappear before gently scooping up the fallen rose
he had picked for Belle.  Holding the stem lightly in his teeth, he shifted to
his bear form and raced toward home.

* * *

The young man knocked twice on the massive
wooden door.  It opened after only a few moments and the woman, she was large
and broad through the shoulders like most female grizzly shifters, stared
blankly at him.

“Good evening, Mrs. Saxby.  My name is – “

“I know who you are, wolf shifter,” she
said.  “Come in.”

He stepped into the hallway and the woman
hesitated only briefly before hugging him firmly.  “Thank you for saving my
boy.”

He patted her back awkwardly as a giant of
a man appeared in the hallway.

“Conrad,” the woman said, “this is – “

“Rafe Taggert,” the bear shifter said. 
“Your father and I worked together many years ago.  Come into the kitchen.”

“Would you like a cup of tea, Mr. Taggert?”

He shook his head.  “No and please call me
Rafe.”

He sank into a chair as the grizzly
shifters did the same.  Conrad ran his hand through his short dark hair. 
“Thank you for saving my son.”

Rafe nodded.  “Honestly, it was pure luck
that I was in the forest yesterday.”

“Well, we’re still grateful you were there,”
the woman said as she squeezed her husband’s hand.  Tears were beginning to
drip down her cheek and Conrad leaned forward and pressed a kiss against her
forehead.

“He’s fine, Annette.”

She nodded and wiped at the tears as a low
voice spoke from the doorway.  “Is she dead?”

Rafe twisted around and smiled at the boy
standing in the doorway.  “No, little bear.  She lives.”

His mouth trembled and Annette held out her
arms.  “Come here, Bennett.”

He climbed into her lap and she rocked him
soothingly, kissing his cheeks as Rafe cleared his throat.  “They gave her
blood transfusions and stitched up her back.  They do not think there will be
permanent damage from the cougar’s claws.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” Annette said as she
continued to rock Bennett. 

“I did not tell them that your son was
there,” Rafe said.

A look of relief crossed Conrad’s face. 
“Thank you, wolf shifter.  We are in your debt.”

Rafe shook his head.  “There is still a
problem, Mr. Saxby.”

“What do you mean?”  Annette asked.

“The girl is awake.  I stopped by the
hospital this morning and the girl was awake and telling anyone who would
listen that your son was there and that he turned into a bear.”

Annette moaned in dismay and Bennett
clutched at her.  “I’m sorry, mama.  I tried not to shift but I couldn’t help
it.”

“It’s okay, my love.  It’s okay,” she
whispered as she gave her husband a frightened look.

“Did they believe her?”  Conrad asked.

Rafe shrugged.  “I’m not entirely sure. 
They had given her a lot medication for pain so they may believe that she is
not thinking clearly.”

“For the moment,” Conrad said grimly.

“Yes, for the moment,” Rafe replied. 
“Still, I don’t think there is much to worry about.”

“We can’t take that risk,” the grizzly
shifter said.  “Annette, we’re leaving.”

“Conrad, we can’t just – “

“We can and we will.”

Bennett sat up and stared wide-eyed at his
father.  “Papa, I will speak with Mirabelle.  I will convince her to keep my
secret.”

Conrad shook his head.  “No, boy.  Humans
cannot be trusted, you know that.  She will continue to speak of this and,
sooner or later, another human will believe her.  We leave today.”

He stood and held his hand out to Rafe. 
“Thank you again, wolf shifter.”

Rafe stood and shook it firmly as Bennett
slid from Annette’s lap.

“Papa, I don’t want to leave.  I don’t want
to – “

“We have no choice!”  Conrad snapped.  Bennett
flinched and his father’s expression softened.  “I’m sorry, son.  We have to
leave.”

He turned and strode out of the kitchen as Bennett
stared at his mother.  “Mama, please.”

Her face was pale and she was trembling
lightly but she kissed his forehead and pushed him toward the doorway.  “We
must listen to your father, Bennett.  Go and pack your things.”

He burst into tears and ran from the room
as Annette smiled wearily at Rafe.  “Thank you again, Rafe.”

He nodded and she walked him to the door. 
“Are you certain you should leave?  This may blow over quickly.”

“My husband is a good man but he will never
trust the humans.  Even a rumour started by a little girl is enough to make him
fear for our safety.  It’s better for everyone if we leave.”

“Good luck,” Rafe said.

“Thank you.  Good bye, Rafe.”

“Ms. Vale?  Can you sign here please?”

The voice was loud and intrusive in the
quiet library and she instinctively made a shushing noise before smiling at the
courier.  He gave her a bored look and held out the clipboard.

“Sign here.”

Her hands trembling, she scrawled her name
at the bottom of the paper before taking the long, narrow white box.  The
courier left, his boots clomping loudly on the wooden floor as she set the box
on the desk and used scissors to cut the ribbon that was wrapped around it.

She held her breath as she lifted the lid
of the box and unwrapped the tissue paper.  A rose, its crimson petals as dark
as blood against the white tissue, was nestled in the box and she lifted it
carefully before pressing it to her nose.

“Ms. Vale?  I can’t find a book.”

She placed the rose in the vase of water
she had filled this morning and smiled at the little girl.  “What book this
time, Valerie?”

Valerie studied the piece of paper in her
hand.  “Little Women.”

Mirabelle smiled again.  “That’s a very
good book.  I’m glad you’re going to read it, Valerie.”

“Mama says it’s a classic,” Valerie said
solemnly.

“It is.  Follow me.”

She moved around the desk and led the
little girl to the children’s section.  She scanned the shelves quickly before
pulling the book.  “Here, honey.  Take it to Mrs. Simpson, she’ll check it out
for you.”

“Thanks, Ms. Vale!”  Valerie grabbed the
book and scampered back to the desk as Mirabelle followed more slowly.  She
passed by the computers, tugging self-consciously at her cardigan as one of the
young men working at the closest computer glanced up at her.  His gaze wandered
over her plump body with vague disinterest before he returned to staring at the
screen in front of him.

She sighed and adjusted her cardigan again
before moving behind the desk.  Her glasses slid down her nose and she pushed
them up irritably.  Man, she really needed to remember to pick up her contacts
tomorrow.  She supposed she should go tonight but she was meeting Ella at
Gaston’s Bar and Grill after work.  She’d have to put up with her glasses for
another day.

Speaking of which, she glanced at her
watch, ten minutes until closing.  She hurried around the desk and shelved the
last of the books as the head librarian, Mrs. Simpson, announced the closing of
the library.  She smiled to herself as people gathered their things and headed
to the door.  She loved working at the library and she knew how lucky she was
to have gotten the job.  The economy was the shits right now and she was still
surprised that she had managed to find her dream job in her small town.

As Mrs. Simpson ushered the last of the
patrons out the door and locked it, she returned to the desk and gathered up
her jacket and purse.  She picked up the vase with the delicate rose, another
little beat of pleasure going through her.  As the day ticked on, she had worried
that perhaps this year would be the year that no flower appeared.  For the last
eighteen years on this exact day, a rose had been delivered to her without
fail.  The scars on her back throbbed suddenly and she winced before touching
the rose’s soft petals.

“Belle?”

She smiled at Mrs. Simpson.  “It was busy
today for a change, huh?”

“Yes.”  The older woman looked
distinctively uncomfortable and Belle gave her a worried look.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry, Belle, but I’m going to have to
let you go.”

Belle blinked at her, certain she had
misheard.  “I’m sorry?”

“I have to let you go.  There just isn’t
enough work to support two of us right now and the town has slashed our budget
again.  We have to cut costs wherever we can.”

Belle sank into the chair behind the desk
and stared numbly at the rose she still clutched.  “I – are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sorry,” Mrs. Simpson said with a
heavy sigh.  “I wish we could afford to keep you on.  I’m going to miss you.”

Belle blinked back the hot tears that were
threatening to fall as Mrs. Simpson patted her shoulder with one thin hand. 
“I’m so sorry, Belle.”

She nodded and rose unsteadily to her
feet.  “I guess there’s some paperwork I need to fill out.”

“It’ll only take a minute,” Mrs. Simpson
said.  “If you’d like, you can come back tomorrow and – “

“No,” Belle said.  “I’d rather do it now.”

Mrs. Simpson sighed again.  “Okay.”

* * *

“Belle!  Over here!”  Her best friend Ella
waved at her and Belle joined her at the booth.  She placed the rose in the
vase on the table and shrugged out of her jacket, tossing it into the booth
before sliding her chubby body into the booth.  Ella leaned forward and smelled
the rose.

“I see your mystery man sent you your
annual rose again.”

“He’s not a mystery man,” Belle said
absently.  “I know exactly who he is.”

“Are you sure it’s Bennett Saxby, Belle? 
No one has seen his family since that day.”

“It’s him, Ella,” Belle said.  “I know it
is.”

“You met him once when you were seven years
old.  You’re twenty-five now.  Do you really think it’s been him sending you a
flower every year?  Eighteen years is a long time, honey.”

“I know but who else would it be?”

Ella shrugged before taking a sip of her
drink.  “Maybe you have another secret admirer.”

Belle rolled her eyes.  “You know I don’t. 
I couldn’t get a date in this town if I tried.  No one wants to date the crazy
fat girl.”

“You’re not fat,” Ella protested.  “You’re
deliciously plump.”

She glanced down at her own chubby body. 
“It’s not your size, Belle.  I’ve had plenty of dates and we’re the same size.”

“No, I’m bigger than you,” Belle said.  “By
about three sizes.”

Ella rolled her eyes and Belle sighed.  “It
doesn’t matter.  There’s still the crazy part.”

Her best friend remained silent on the
subject of crazy and Belle couldn’t help but grin.  “Thanks for your support.”

“You’re not crazy,” Ella said firmly.  “But
you had a lot of blood loss that day and you were attacked by a cougar.  It’s
not surprising that you thought….”

She trailed off as a group of young men
walked by their table.  They didn’t spare a glance at either of them and Belle
stared intently at Ella.  “Bennett Saxby turned into a bear that day, Ella. 
You’re my best friend – you’re supposed to be on my side.”

“I am,” Ella protested.  “It’s just – you
have to admit that thinking a person can turn into a bear is, well…”

“Crazy,” Belle sighed. 

“You know what’s crazy?”  Rowan with her
red hair gleaming in the lights, slid into the booth beside Ella, jingling the
change in her apron minutely.  “You dressing like a librarian just because you
work in a library.”

Belle touched her dark hair that was swept
back in a ponytail and pushed up her glasses as Rowan eyed her cardigan and shirt
with distaste.  “Maybe you could unbutton just one or two of those buttons,
Belle, what do you say?”

Belle smoothed her shirt self-consciously. 
“Yes, because flashing a bunch of kids and old men at the library is totally
professional.”

Rowan laughed.  “You’ve got great tits,
Belle-baby, there’s nothing wrong with showing them off.  God, I’d kill to have
a rack like yours.”

She eyed her own small breasts as she
stretched out her legs and propped her feet on the seat beside Belle.

“Yeah, well, I’d kill to weigh a hundred
and fifteen pounds,” Belle said. 

Rowan rolled her eyes.  “Men like curves. 
I’ve got hips like a damn boy.”

“Whatever.  You’re gorgeous and you know
it,” Ella said with a laugh.

“Not as gorgeous as you, my sweet,” Rowan
said before kissing her cheek.  “You want your usual, Belle?”

Belle hesitated, tempted for a moment to
have something stronger, before nodding.  “Yes, please, Rowan.”

“Rowan!”

Rowan rolled her eyes as the bartender
shouted her name.  “Oh God, here we go.”

“I’m not paying you to visit with your damn
friends!”

“Yeah, yeah, shut your piehole, Kevin!  I’m
working!”  Rowan shouted back before sliding out of the booth.  “God that guy’s
a douchebag.  Do you know he hit on me the other night?”

She started to turn away, calling over her
shoulder. “Like I’d ever date an asshole like him.  He’s got – oh!”

She stumbled back as she ran into the solid
chest of the man standing behind her.  She stared up at him and Belle watched,
a little amused, as a flush covered her pale, freckled skin.

“Hello, Ms. Jameson.”

“H- hello, Mr. Taggert.”  Rowan’s usual
brash personality had disappeared completely and she licked her lips nervously
as the man smiled politely at her. 

“Rowan!  Get your ass over here and serve
some goddamn drinks!”

She jumped at Kevin’s shout and the man instinctively
reached out to steady her.  He stopped just shy of touching her and they both
reddened.  Rowan hurried away as Belle slid out from the booth.

“Rafe!  It’s good to see you again.”

“Hello, Ms. Vale.”  Rafe smiled at her and
she laughed before hugging him firmly.

“How many times have I told you to call me
Belle?  Will you join us for a drink?”

“I’m afraid I can’t.  I just popped in for
a minute but thought I would say hello.  How are you?”

“I’m good.”  She smiled happily at the man
who had saved her life.  “Are you sure you can’t have one drink with us?”

“Unfortunately no.  But perhaps another
time?”

“I’d like that.  I feel like it’s been a very
long time since you came to town.  Don’t you get lonely living out in the
woods?”

“I enjoy my privacy,” he replied.

Rowan was returning with a glass of wine
and Belle watched as Rafe’s gaze flickered over her face and body before he
looked away hastily.  “It was good to see you, Belle.  Take care.”

“You too, Rafe,” she replied.

He walked away and Ella leaned forward. 
“For an old man, he’s super hot.”

“He’s not that old,” Belle said.

“He’s at least thirty-five,” Ella said.

“He’s forty,” Rowan said absently as she
set the glass of wine in front of Belle.  She turned to study the retreating
back of Rafe as Belle gave Ella a pointed look.

“How do you know how old he is?”  Ella
asked.

“What?”  Rowan was craning her neck, trying
to get one last glimpse of Rafe as he left the bar and Ella poked her in the
side.

“Never thought you had daddy issues, Ro.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,”
Rowan said.

“Oh please,” Ella scoffed.  “We’re your
best friends.  You think we don’t notice when you’re eye banging someone.”

Rowan’s blush, which had just begun to fade,
flamed back to life.  “Just because I’m eye banging Rafe Taggert doesn’t mean I
have daddy issues, Ella.  The guy is incredibly hot and a good three-quarters
of the women in this town have had a crush on him at one point or another.”

“That’s true,” Ella said.  “My stepmother
hired him last summer to sod the back yard. I had to put up with Ana and Dru
for a week straight because the garage apartment has an unobstructed view of
the back yard.  Ana hit on him at least once a day.  Hell, even my stepmother
hit on him.”

“Gross,” Belle said.

“Yeah,” Ella replied.

“Did he sleep with either of them?”  Rowan
asked.

Ella shook her head.  “No.  Ana was so
pissed.”

“That’s nothing new,” Belle said before
smiling at Rowan.  “You thinking of sleeping with Rafe, honey?”

“Unfortunately, Rafe Taggert has no
interest in me,” Rowan said.  “He used to come into Gaston’s all the time, at
least that’s what Jana said, but about a month after I started working here he
stopped coming in.”

“He totally checked you out earlier,” Belle
said.

Rowan’s eyes widened.  “Are you fucking
with me, Belle?”

“Nope.  He might be fifteen years older
than us, but I have a feeling he wasn’t exactly noticing the age difference
when he looked at you.”

A small pleased smile crossed Rowan’s face
before she shook her long red hair back.  “Whatever.  The man is a virtual
hermit.  I couldn’t imagine living out in the woods in the middle of nowhere.”

“Your grandmother does,” Ella pointed out.

“Don’t remind me.  I nearly died of boredom
when I was a teen and spent my summer holidays with her,” Rowan said. 

She paused before saying casually, “Did you
hear there’s someone living in the Saxby place?”  Her gaze fell on the rose
sitting in the middle of the table.