“Good,” he rumbles through a deep chuckle.
* * *
The dining hall is transformed. Candles blaze in every chandelier. The table is set with sparkling china. And at the far end, our staff is gathered. All human and smiling.
They break into applause when we enter the vast room.
“My lady!” Louise rushes over. “You’re a sight for sore eyes. Come, come, sit. I prepared a feast.”
Pierre guides me to a seat, then settles next to me. His hand finds mine under the table, squeezing it gently.
Dinner is incredible. Roasted meats, fresh vegetables, bread that’s still warm from the oven. And after days of barely eating, I’m ravenous.
The service is not formal at all. Our friends come in and out of the dining hall, bringing dishes and drinks, chatting away.
“We should throw a ball,” Rosalie suggests. “Announce the curse is broken. Reopen the castle to the kingdom.”
Pierre tenses next to me.
“A ball sounds fun,” I say carefully. “But maybe… not right away? We’ve all been through a lot. Maybe we should take some time to adjust first?”
“Wise words, my lady,” Rosalie replies with a nod. “There’s no rush. We have all the time in the world now.”
“To freedom,” Gideon raises a glass. “And to our mistress, who broke the curse.”
“To Lady Belle!” the others chime in.
“I didn’t…”
“You did,” Pierre says quietly, holding my gaze. “You saved us all.”
“You saved yourself,” I counter. “By letting me go. By choosing my happiness over yours.”
* * *
When dinner ends, Pierre practically drags me back to our room.
“Days,” he reminds me as he kicks the door shut. “I promised you days in bed.”
“You’re supposed to be recovering…” I fake-protest.
“I’m fine.” He’s already pulling off my dress. “Never been better. And I haven’t had you in forever, Belle. All those days thinking I lost you…”
I kiss him, cutting off the words. “You didn’t lose me. I’m here.”
“Mine,” he growls against my mouth. “Say it.”
“Yours. Always yours, my Beast.”
Nine
Beast
I wake up hard as a rock and desperate for my mate. Which is not new. I’ve woken up like this every day since Belle first stepped foot in my castle. Whatisnew is the fact that when I reach for her, she’s not in our bed.
I sit up with a growl, and everything spins.
Fuck.
