The Beast And The Blessed

The Bear and The Beauty - One: Charlie

The Bear and The Beauty

Chapter One: Charlie

Charlie’s P.O.V.

I could hearthem laughing from here. There were a hundred yards of thick trees between us, and I could still hear them laughing at me.

The corner of my lips pulled up at the sound. Even if I was the butt of the joke, it felt amazing. Before them, I never had someone willing to treat me as an equal. Let alone to be so bold as to laugh at me to my face.

But as I grabbed a large glob of the thick green slime from my chest, I let a chuckle slip out too. It dripped through my fingers, stringing through them to the ground just as I reached the river's edge.

I deserved this. I knew better.

Yet, I still ended up covered in troll snot because I was careless. There were worse ways to end up after a battle with a rogue troll, but being drenched in their mucus was not my favorite.

Flicking my fingers to the side, the slime smacked loudly against the leaves of the overgrown bush next to me.

He would bring in a nice payday, but getting his remnants from my clothes and memory would take forever.

Oh, if my brother could see me now. He would be furious. Risking my life to chase monsters and sleeping in the forest with five men. Of course, they were in separate bed rolls and tents, but just thinking about him seeing how I lived now... I could picture the vein in Killian’s forehead threatening to burst.

He hated having his heir so far away and out from under his thumb. It was part of the reason why I left. Whenever he vocalized his dislike for my occupation, he always said it wasn’t suitable for 'the heir' to be putting herself in danger. Not once had he said he was worried about 'his sister.'

There was a big difference. One I resented.

As soon as I had the opportunity, I fled home like the hounds of hell were on my heels.

To be fair, they technically were. An angry Lycan was one thing, but the Lycan king? Forget about it.

thing to come of accidentally puncturing the pocket of mucus that trolls had under their chin, like a croaking frog, was that I

here, I usually let them

now it was my turn to enjoy the cool water instead of having

bothering to remove my disgusting clothes, I waded into the water. The chill in the stream sent a shiver along my spine as I bent my knees and sank down. My hands fisted into the sand, and I rubbed it over my top

my lesson by now and switched to leather. The men had offered to make me some so I could sew it into a functional top, something easier to clean, but the

like by the end of the day. Somehow, it managed to be more pungent after a

While I appreciated my family of

bank and laying it over the rocks to dry. I knew I would still go to bed with it at least damp and would have to hang it up around camp, but it was

as the uneven stones beneath me bruised

their punishment of sitting tangled up in a

the river almost 20 yards downstream, rinsing what looked like blood from his hands. His

to shirtless, muscular men walking around. But he put them to shame. I was sure if one wanted to, a full-grown Lycan could hide behind him, and no

amusement, with his eyebrows raised as he held my stare and continued to clean himself. I couldn't tell if they were a deep brown or black from the distance, but I wanted to find out. I felt stuck in place for a moment as the breeze shifted and his delicious scent wafted over to me. I had never smelt anything

drown in it and would greet the Goddess with

Him. My mate.

of my wolf as the man sat back on his heels, watching me. He looked entertained but not as excited as I felt.

my neck and over my chest as I realized my position. His eyes roamed over me greedily, stopping to examine the thin

the better. But now I was second-guessing everything. Nudity wasn't uncommon for Lycans or wolves, but he didn't smell like

in another deep breath, my muscles tensing. I may not interact with their kind often, but I

A bear shifter.

me feel even more exposed than when he was staring. I wanted his eyes on

Classy.

through his black hair, clearing the strands back

something that simple look so

feet, determined to make the most out of meeting my mate, but I couldn't do that covered in slime. I dove back into

So far, I had done nothing to attract him to me, and I wanted to make a

giddiness filled me at the prospect of him joining me. Perhaps he was as excited about finding me as I was about finding