The date went on without another hitch, even though I had a feeling that Reif was getting more worried with each passing second, silently wondering what had gotten me so quiet before our date.

As he promised, no one bugged us while we ate our food, laughed and hung out with each other, and I couldn't help but be amazed at the man that was hiding underneath the beast he claimed to be.

He changed... I silently thought, my heart skipping a beat before it pounded faster in my chest while it grew warm. He has changed for the better, and I can't help but feel very grateful.

Maybe he would be able to let me go...

My heart ached when I thought again because a part of me didn't want to leave him or the family I had made, but I wanted to find the man that had raised me and make sure that he was safe.

Reif cleared his throat and placed his hand on my arm, and I turned to look at him. Concern filled his eyes while he stared at me, and his ears were close to the side of his head, looking nervous and very worried. "Belle?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "Are you ok?"

I smiled and slowly nodded. "I am," I confirmed before I cleared my throat and rubbed my hands across my dress as if to remove a speck of dust. "I am sorry. I was only thinking. What were you saying?" I asked while I raised an eyebrow in question, praying that he wouldn't ask me what I was thinking.

Reif scowled and narrowed his eyes, and I couldn't help but lower my gaze from his. "Are you sure that you are ok?" he asked while he raised an eyebrow in question. "Don't lie to me, Belle," he warned in a soft yet firm tone. "Please. I'm begging you. Are you sure that you are ok?"

I bit back a small sigh before I slowly shook my head, not able to meet his gaze, my cheeks turning slightly red. "I am not," I said, my voice barely above a whisper before I cleared my throat and moved my hands across my dress again. "However, again, I don't want to ruin this date with you, Reif." I hesitated before I took his hand in mine.

"You won't ruin it," Reif said and instantly shook his head. He stopped and turned until he was facing me, and I stopped in front of him before I could run into him and stared at him with wide eyes. "You'd never ruin the date between us because I had an amazing time with you and will always have an amazing time with you, no matter what happens."

My cheeks turned red when he said that, and I dipped my head closer to my chest while I looked away from him. "Oh," I said, my voice barely above a whisper before I cleared my throat and looked at him again so that he could see the honesty on my face. "I had an amazing time with you, too. Thank you. I do appreciate it, Reif."

Reif slowly nodded and bit back a small smile, looking very relieved. "So... what do you want to do, now?" he asked while he raised an eyebrow in question. "Or, are you able to tell me what's going on through the back of your mind because you are worrying me?" He gently moved a strand of hair that fell from its updo and tucked it gently behind my ear. "Again, you won't ruin anything if you tell me. I promise."

My heart ached, and I couldn't help but feel slightly guilty for making him nervous about me when he didn't need to.

Finally, I sighed and looked away from him and at our feet, not able to meet his gaze any longer. "I miss my father," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, even though I knew that he could hear it.

I cleared my throat and shook my head while I shifted from side to side. "I am worried that something bad has happened to him. He's... he's been everything that I had left to hold onto for a long time after my mom died..."

Until you and the pack came along and changed my life for the better... I wanted to say but didn't while I bit the inside of my lip to keep that thought to myself.

Reif looked at me and then looked away, not able to meet my gaze any longer. He didn't say a word, and pain flashed through his eyes, making me feel more guilty than I should have felt.

I cleared my throat and looked away from him. "I'm sorry," I said, my voice barely above a whisper before I cleared my throat again, not able to meet his gaze when he looked at me again. "I-I told you that I didn't want to ru-"

Reif raised his hand, and I stopped talking while I closed my mouth without another word. "Don't," he said while he shook his head, his voice barely above a whisper before he cleared his throat and shifted on his feet. "Don't apologize, Belle. It isn't your fault."

I hesitated and stayed silent while I looked at him again, not knowing what to do or what to say.

"It should be me who apologizes to you," he said while he cleared his throat and shifted on his feet, looking away from me, and I raised an eyebrow in question. "I am the one that caused you to worry about your father."

He cleared his throat while he shifted on his feet again. "So, I would like to apologize to you for causing you to worry about your father. I now know that what I had done was wrong of me, especially since you and your father haven't done anything to me or my kingdom." He paused and cleared his throat while he dipped his head closer to his chest, not looking at me. "Can you ever forgive me?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

My eyes grew wide and looked at him, slack jawed, and I stared at him, not knowing what to say or do. My cheeks grew red while my heart skipped a beat before it pounded faster in my chest.

Reif cleared his throat and placed his hands behind his back. "Well?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper while he looked at me again. "Can you forgive me?"

I hesitated before I slowly nodded and closed my mouth. "Yes," I said, my voice barely above a whisper too. "I forgive you, Reif. I have forgiven you already. You don't need to ask me again."

Reif bit back a small sigh of relief while his shoulder sagged as if the weight of the world was lifted from his shoulders. "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, and I laughed a little before I nodded.

"Yes," I said softly. "I am sure."

Reif sighed again before he slowly nodded as if he agreed with himself about something. He cleared his throat and took a step back, tucking his tail behind his legs and my heart skipped a beat before it started to break a little.

Why was he pulling away from me?

"R-"

Reif shook his head, and I stopped trying to say his name. "Go," he said softly, and I closed my mouth while I raised an eyebrow in question, my heart skipping a beat before it pounded faster in my chest.

"W-W-What?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, and I squashed the hope that I felt because I had no idea if what he said was true. "What did you say?"

"Go," he said again, his voice soft yet firm. "Go and find your father. You're free."

I blinked and blinked again, shocked and amazed that he was going to do something that could help me even if it would cost him his life. "Bu-"

"No," he said, interrupting me with a shake of his head. "Go and find your father."

"Wh-"

"Belle, please," he said, softly. "You're free. Go."

I pressed my lips into a thin line before I slowly nodded and took a step back away from him. "Thank you," I said, my voice barely above a whisper and moved a hand across my dress. "Are you sure?" I tried but failed to hide the hope in my voice while I took another step back and away from him.

Reif smiled sadly before he slowly nodded. "Yes," he said. "I'm sure. Go, and find your father. Make sure that he is safe and alive."

"But what about you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "And the pack?"

Reif's smile seemed to grow sadder while he shook his head. "We will be fine," he said before he cleared his throat. "Now, go. Find him and bring him to safety. Ok? You'll always have a place here if you need it."

I bit back a small sob and slowly nodded. "Ok," I said, my voice barely still above a whisper. "Thank you." I moved closer to him and stood on my tippy toes, and Reif stood still while he watched me with wide eyes.

I kissed his cheek, his fur smelling clean and fresh before I pulled away and offered him a tight smile. "I am serious, Reif," I said softly. 'Thank you. I do appreciate it."

Reif's eyes grew wide and he offered me a sad smile. "Anything for you, Belle," he said softly while he dipped his head closer to his chest. "Anything for you."

And with that, I grabbed my dress in my hands and turned on my heels and ran back to the palace, leaving my heart and "love" behind.