I sat on my bed and waited for Belle to come back from taking care of the pack and making sure that everyone had food.

I was nervous, anxious even because I didn't know if she would come, even though she promised that she would.

However, her dog was curled up beside me sleeping, and I stared at this little creature after every time I looked at the door to see if she would come through.

'You are getting attached to her,' my human mused, and I hummed and closed my eyes, silently agreeing with him. 'How are you feeling?'

'Better,' I replied honestly. 'I don't feel as angry or anything as I had felt in the past. I don't feel...'

'...bitter?' Steven asked.

'Yes,' I replied and nodded. 'I don't feel as bitter as I had in the past.' I sighed and moved a hand through my fur. 'I don't know if it is because she had helped save me, or what, but...' I shrugged and grimaced.

He slowly nodded and hummed but didn't say a word.

There was a knock on the door, and the dog looked up and wagged her tail.

"Come in," I said, praying that it was my mate, even though my heart knew that it was her.

The door opened, and Belle stepped in with some more food. "How are you feeling, Your Majesty?" she asked, and I frowned when she called me by my title.

"Reif," I said softly, not getting mad at her for calling me by title, even though I didn't like it. "Please, call me that."

She smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear while she cleared her throat. "Forgive me," she said and dipped her head. "It'll take me a while to call you by your name and not "Your Majesty.""

I nodded, feeling guilty. "I know," I said before I cleared my throat. "Please forgive me."

"I do," she replied and walked over to me with the bowl. "Here, I brought you some more food. I won't be able to stay long while you eat it because Pip needs to go pee." She looked at the dog on the bed, and the dog whined as if agreeing with her.

"Will you be back?" I asked, biting back the disappointment. I knew that she had to take care of her horse and dog, but I did want her to spend time with me so that she could realize that I wasn't the bitterness that had consumed me.

"Yes," she said and nodded. She licked her lips and looked anywhere but me, and her cheeks turned slightly red. "I'm not scared of this you," she said hesitantly while she looked at me. "I don't mind hanging around you."

My eyes grew wide, and I looked at her shocked. "You aren't?" I asked, trying but failing to keep the hope out of my voice.

Belle smiled a little and dipped her head. "I am not," she said. She cleared her throat and looked away while her cheeks turned red. "I... wasn't afraid of you before now either, except for that night..." She trailed off and cleared her throat again while she shifted on her feet

Guilt filled my chest when she said that, and my heart broke. I knew what day she was talking about, the day that I showed her the monster that I could be with no mask and only pain and fear holding me from what was in front of me.

"I am sorry, Belle," I said softly. "Please, forgive me. I did not mean to do that to you. I did not mean to scare you. I..." I trailed off and cleared my throat, not knowing how to describe the feelings that I felt in the moment.

Belle nodded. "I do," she said. She cleared her throat and looked away from me. "Now, rest. I will be back."

I slowly nodded, and she nodded and started to walk to the door with Pippa hopping down and following her.

My heart skipped a beat, and my mouth went dry when my human's fear became my own.

What if she didn't?

"Promise?" I asked when she reached the door, and she paused and looked at me.

She didn't say a word while she stared at me with a soft look in her eyes. Her whole body was relaxed while she waited for me to say something, and I cleared my throat and looked down.

"Do you promise that you will come back?" I asked and looked at her, my ears flat against my head.

Belle smiled and bowed her head.

"I promise," she said.

And with that, she walked out of the room without a single glance back, but I didn't care.

She promised that she would be back, and I believed her.

Thank you, I silently said to the Moon Goddess. Thank you for finding someone like her for me...

***

I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard a knock on the door, and the door opened a small crack to reveal her standing there. "Come in," I said and moved a little so that I was sitting up further. "You don't have to stand like that."

Belle didn't respond and dipped her head. She cleared her throat and walked into the room with her dog at her side. Her whole body was tense while she walked in, and I had to keep myself from frowning, not happy that she was still nervous in my presence.

'I mean...' Steven said but trailed off, and I held back an eye roll.

'I know,' I said while she walked over to me. 'I'll make it up to her. She will never be treated like that ever again.'

My human sighed with relief and relaxed, and I couldn't help but feel slightly better too when I said that.

He was worried that I would keep acting like that when I wouldn't do that to him or to her.

"How are you feeling, Y- Reif?" she asked, catching herself from calling me my title. Her cheeks turned slightly red with embarrassment, and I bit back an amused smile.

"I have been better," I hummed and nodded before I cleared my throat. "How are you?"

"Likewise," she said and dipped her head. She cleared her throat again and walked towards the bed. "Were you able to eat?"

"Yes, thank you," I said and nodded. "It was good as always."

Belle smiled a little and bowed her head. She sat down in the chair beside the bed and I looked at her.

"Have you eaten?" I asked, noticing that she still looked a little thin.

"I have," she confirmed and nodded before she cleared her throat. She held back an eye roll, but there was a small smile on her face. "They made sure that I did."

"Your cousin and Louis?" I asked, and I raised an eyebrow.

"And the doctor and Cameron," she added. She smoothed her skirt out and cleared her throat while she looked away from me. "That's why it took me longer than necessary to get back. They wanted to make sure that I had eaten and wouldn't take no for an answer."

I slowly nodded and pressed my lips into a thin line. I didn't say a word while I looked at her, studying her and taking in her beauty.

Belle cleared her throat and bit back a small yawn, covering her mouth. "Excuse me," she said and moved a hand across her face. "I believe that I need to get some sleep. Are you feeling well enough that I can go to my room and fall asleep?"

'She can sleep in here,' Steven said. 'Ask her if she wants to.'

I hesitated before I cleared my throat and looked down, not able to meet her gaze. "Do... you want to sleep in here?" I asked hesitantly while I looked at her again. "You can sleep in my bed."

Belle's eyes grew wide while she stared at me, and her cheeks red. "Oh," she said while she looked down and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Umm..." She cleared her throat and shifted in the seat. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," I replied and nodded. "Please." I cleared my throat again and gestured to her dog. "Your dog may come onto the bed again too."

She hesitated before she nodded. "Of course, Y- Reif. Thank you."

My mate walked over to the other side of the bed and gestured for her dog to follow her.

I watched as she sat on the bed and took off her shoes, and my heart skipped a beat. "Will you need to wear something else for bed, or will you be fine in that?" I asked.

"I will be fine in this. Thank you," she replied. She picked up her dog and set her down on the bed before she looked at me. "Are you sure about this?" she asked hesitantly, and I nodded.

"I am," I confirmed. "You can go under the covers too."

Belle paused, and her cheeks grew red. She cleared her throat and looked away, and her heart started to pound. "Ummm..." she said and cleared her throat again. "Are you sure?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes," I said and nodded. "I am sure that you can go under the covers too. Wouldn't you be cold?"

Belle shrugged and stood again. She turned toward the bed and moved the covers before she sat down again. "I don't think it would be a problem," she said. "I do have Pippa to help with that." She gestured to the small dog, who sat down at the edge of the bed, watching us.

I nodded and cleared my throat, feeling slightly nervous too. "Thank you for watching after me," I said, and she looked at me and smiled. "I do appreciate it."

"Of course," she said. She cleared her throat and licked her lips while she got into the bed and laid down, pulling the blankets toward her chin while she faced me. Her eyelids slowly closed before she opened her eyes and looked at me.

Her dog walked over to her and laid down beside her. She placed her head on my mate's shoulder, and I couldn't help but feel slightly jealous.

"Are you ok?" Belle asked with furrowed brows while she placed her hand on her dog's side as if to protect her.

I nodded and looked away. "I am," I said, and she frowned and I couldn't help but think that she didn't believe me.

"What is it?" she asked. Her voice was soft yet firm, something that I imagined a mother would use on a child.

I didn't respond and closed my eyes a little.

"Are you jealous of my dog?" she asked, and I could hear the amusement in her voice. "Is that why you are like this?"

I didn't respond and felt bashful.

"Hmph," she chuckled while she shifted in bed before she sighed, growing serious. "Is this both of you or just one?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

'Just one,' my human said amused. 'I understand that you are jealous of a dog because she is close to her, but you have to get her to trust you before she will let you get close.'

I didn't respond to my human and sighed before he cleared his throat. "Just one," I said honestly. "Me."

She didn't respond and shifted slightly closer to me, and I had a feeling that he wanted me to explain.

"You know that each wolf has two sides, right?" I asked and opened my eyes to stare at her.

"Yes," she said and slowly nodded. "I know that there is a human side and a wolf side in each person. They have different names like yours is Reif and then your human side is Steven?"

"Correct," I said and nodded. I sighed and moved a hand through my fur before I cleared my throat. "My human side isn't jealous, but I am."

"Why?" she asked softly. "And who are you jealous of?"

I cleared my throat and closed my eyes, feeling bashful. "That you aren't near me," I said, and her cheeks turned red.

"Oh?" she asked, and she raised an eyebrow. Her cheeks turned redder, and she buried her face into her dog's fur. "Why?" Her voice was muffled, and Steven couldn't help but chuckle.

"I don't know," I admitted. "I just am."

She hesitated before she nodded. "I do apologize, Reif," she said softly. "I don't mean to make you jealous."

"It's ok," I said and shook my head. "It's not your fault." I cleared my throat and shifted. "Get some rest," I said softly. "You need it."

"Hmph," Belle said before she nodded and closed her eyes. She moved so that her back was facing me, and her dog followed suit but faced me instead. "Give me time," she whispered, her voice barely audible even for my keen hearing. "I'm still not used to this or for you being this kind to me."

"I'll wait," I promised.

"Thank you," she said, and with that, she took a deep breath before she fell fast asleep, and I couldn't help but smile, closed my eyes and fell asleep too, grateful that she was willing to give me a second chance.

Goddess, please don't let me screw it up. Please.