Curse of the Beast by Ashley Lavering

Author:Ashley Lavering
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, paranormal, young adult, supernatural, werewolf, fairy tale, beauty and the beast, retelling, paranormal fantasy novel

CHAPTER 19—Shredded Styrofoam and Bloody Plastic

Wednesday, April 4

It was a surprisingly warm day for early April. The bare branches of the trees agreed as little stubs of green inched their way out of hibernation. Navigating through City Park, I kept close to the low-lying foliage and the bushy, green pine trees that concealed Beast.

My shoulders ached from the added weight of the raw beef steaks I’d bought this morning. That was an experience I didn’t want to repeat. I’d tossed the packages of steaks into the shopping cart, my conscience heavy with guilt at breaching my pact with Chel. But, what other choice did I have? What was better—animal or human blood?

Half way across the park, the weight of my backpack grew heavier. Fire burned through my legs and my breath became heavy as if a bungee cord was taut, ready to yank me back. Had I gotten too far from the wolf? My hand instinctively cradled my stomach, but there wasn’t any soreness under my fingers. Was I really that out of shape? Maybe it was my conscience weighing down on me.

Then, my backpack jerked to the side, and I staggered back. My legs bumped against something hairy and warm. Untangling one of my arms from the shoulder strap, I swiveled out of the backpack so I could maneuver better. Whipping my head around, I glared at Beast whose teeth had a solid hold on the bottom of my backpack.

“You’re ripping it,” I yelled. His silver eyes shone with defiance and his jaw flexed with a low growl. “Knock it off!”

I smacked the soft flesh of his nose and his jaw slackened enough for me to jerk my backpack from his greedy teeth. I quickly scanned the damage. Thankfully, it was repairable, except for the teeth marks in my textbooks.

“You snitched three packages already. I’m not letting you get another one before lunch!” I winced. I sounded too much like how Aunt Lily used to scold me as a child. But, honestly, he deserved it. He’d ripped a hole in my backpack, and I couldn’t forget the shredded Styrofoam and bloody plastic littering my van floor. I was lucky to salvage any steaks. A lot of good it did my backpack. Irritated, I picked up the few pens that fell out and stuffed them into a smaller, less damaged pocket.

He looked up at me with eyes I didn’t think were capable of begging. If someone had told me yesterday that wolves could pull the same heartstrings dogs did when they begged, I would have laughed.

Showing my irritation, I sighed dramatically and unzipped my backpack. I fished out a large steak from the thermal bag I was using to keep them cold, hoping they wouldn’t smell while I was in school. I could only imagine what the principal would think of the stench after a couple more hours. And what about Chel? She could smell blood a mile away. She’d think I was hoarding meat like some weird freak, and that I’d broken our pact.

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