Fated Fairy Tales - Beauty Sleep

Beauty Sleep - Chapter 8

Benson’s POV

What do I do? There’s a possibility they could kill me if I confronted them, and nobody would be none the wiser. No one other than Ora knows I’m here. So I stay silent.

“Did you get everything you needed, Jayne?” A naked Josie asks as she walks further into the barn. Scooping up an oversize jacket that was lying around.

I’m watching as Jayne speaks a few words and waves her hands in a circular motion. Then she lifts what looks like a tarp off the ground. She then kneels on the ground and lifts some wooden floorboards. Josie goes to her aid as she tries to drag something out of the ground. I watch as the pair together drag out a wooden trunk from a secret compartment in the ground.

“No. The Valerian I need has become hard to get hold of. No one had any. But I don’t know why. It’s a common flower in Europe.” She removes the padlock on the trunk and lifts the lid. I can’t see anything, but I hear stuff being shuffled around. I watch with interest. I watch as Jayne stands up and holds a bottle up to the light.

“I still have time, Josie. I have told my suppliers I will pay over the odds.” She sighs and examines the contents of the small bottle. “If I can’t get hold of any. I may have just enough for one elixir.”

Josie took hold of Jayne’s hands. “If the time comes and you still don’t have enough. Give the elixir to Jo. She is Ora’s best chance.”

“I will get some Josie. Don’t worry,”

“I am sure you will. But if you don’t, give the real elixir to Jo and give me a placebo.” Josie instructed Jayne. I don’t know what they are talking about. But it is clear Josie believes Jo can protect Ora better than her. Protect her from what?

“Josie, we started this mission together. We end it together. I will get the Valerian. We will get her home when it’s safe,” Jayne tells Josie sternly, before pressing her forehead against Josie’s.

I watched as the pair put the trunk back in the ground, replaced the floorboards, and threw something over the top of it. Before they casually walked out of the barn. Knocking the light off and closing the door as they leave.

It’s dark. So I had to be careful when I climbed down the ladder. I carefully made my way over to where the trunk was hidden. I want to see what’s inside. I think Jayne is a witch. But without seeing what’s in there, I am only speculating.

I got down on my hands and knees, not knowing what to expect. But as I pat the ground, there is nothing but concrete covered in hay. “What the goddess?” I mutter. There was a wooden floor on this part. I know what I saw. She had to be a witch and must have cast a glamor spell or something. I don’t know much about witches. But I’ve heard they can do things like that.

Who the hell are they? Witches and wolves living together, protecting each other. What has all this got to do with Ora? I pace as a million questions run through my mind. Then I suddenly froze. Does Ora know about her aunts? I can’t leave. Is Ora a wolf or a witch? I need answers.

I went back to my spot on the ledge. Who knows what the aunts would do to me if they found me? I need to know if Ora knows. I don’t even know why it’s important to me. Questions keep running through my head until dawn. I’m so tired, but couldn’t sleep.

“Morning,” Ora says as her head appears over the top of the ladder. She has the biggest smile on her face. “You’re up early,” she says.

“Didn’t sleep much. Or at all,” I responded. I need to find out if she knows, without asking her directly. “What are your plans today?” I asked, noticing her clothes or lack of them. Cycle shorts, a sports bra, and a vest. The usual training outfit for a female warrior.

Ora hands me a croissant and a thermos. “It’s coffee,” she says as I unscrew the kid. “Well, I have to train with my aunt Jo this morning. Then I have to go to church?”

Ah, an opportunity. “Which church do you go to?” I asked. This will tell me who she prays to, Selene or Hecate.

“Going to the local church is a requirement for me since I attend a Catholic school. Afterward, we go to the homeless shelter where we prepare and serve food.” If Ora attends the Catholic Church and prays to their god. She mustn’t be a wolf or a witch. She can’t know about her aunts.

“Ora,” a voice yells.

“Coming. I’m just checking on my kitten. That’s my aunt Jo. She’s a fitness fanatic.” Ora shouts while smiling at me. She can’t be a wolf. Wolves hate cats. Witches don’t though.

I watch through a gap in the wooden slats as Ora runs towards a woman at the house. They walked towards a small shed not far away. I have a clear view of what they are doing.

The pair both stretch before sparring. Her aunt Jo is training Ora. Just like a head warrior would train me. She has to be a wolf. I watch as I watch the young woman I am growing to care for take a beating. But she doesn’t stay down, she gets up every time. That’s my girl.

I observe as a pair of batons is handed to Ora. I started panicking that Ora could be seriously hurt if she was hit by one of them. But as I watch Ora spar with her aunt, I realize this is not Ora’s first fight with batons, as she’s got skills.

Too many questions still run through my mind. What if Ora has been kidnapped? I feel sick at the thought of her being taken from her parents. I slump down and hold my head, stressing about what is going on.

I didn’t even notice how many hours had passed. Not until Ora appeared in front of me with some food in a bag. She’s wearing a white dress with yellow and blue flowers this time. She’s like a beautiful spring morning.

Forgetting everything, I whistle at how gorgeous she looks. Her cheeks immediately turn red. “I won’t be back until later,” she says as she hands over the food.

“Thank you,” I respond. I will ask her some questions later. I know she is going to church right now. She bends down in front of me and kisses me, just like I kissed her last night. The feeling is the same. She is making my body ignite. I want to grab hold of Ora and never let her out of my sight. But I know how much trouble that will cause right now. Instead, I watch as her smiling face disappears down a ladder.

I watched as the truck drove away with at least three inside. Maybe I didn’t see one of the aunts climbing in. Ora said they go to the homeless shelter afterward as a family.

“Now is my chance to get answers,” I tell myself, planning on having a snoop around. I climbed down the ladder. Once my feet touched the ground. I spun around to come face to face with a woman. A woman whose glare would scare Hades himself.

She pushes me against the ladder with her hand around my throat. She held a knife to my throat with her other hand. “Hello Kitten,” she says as the blade nips my skin.

I panic. “What? No, I’m looking for a kitten. I lost it yesterday.”

This must be Aunt Jo, as she isn’t one of the women I saw last night. She sniffs the air. She’s a wolf. “You’re lying to me. Just like Ora did.”

There is no point in lying any further. She knows. “I had an accident. Ora helped me. She gave me somewhere to stay.”

“It’s best not to lie to me, boy. I am not one to be messed with.” She leans closer to me and her eyes change. Her wolf is trying to take over. I need to get out of here. My life depends on it. I have never been this scared.

My teeth chattered with fear, and tears ran down my face. I am defenseless. “The visitor center. Ora was attacked. I tried to help,” I responded.

“I really want to deal with you. But it would take me too long to clean up the mess. So I’m going to give you five minutes to disappear. Disappear and forget about this place. Do you understand?” I nodded my head slightly, as the knife was still digging into my skin. Jo then releases me and takes a step backward. I grab my neck, not quite believing she is letting me go after she has threatened me.

I rushed past her, not giving her a chance to change her mind. Not giving her wolf a chance to take over and hunt me down. “Never come back here.” She says as I rush toward the barn door.

Not a chance do I ever want to cross paths with her again. I simply run. I need to get my dad. He will know what to do. All I know is the name of the hotel we stayed in. I can find it if I can get to a computer.

I will make my way back to the National Park visitor center. I will beg someone to let me use the computer there. I have to get to my dad.

But when I get there, I find out my dad has been looking for me. The manager called the number dad left and within half an hour my parents were there to pick me up. Mom’s face was red, and her eyes were puffy. “What’s going on?” I asked as soon as I was in the car.

Dad stomps on the gas and the car speeds off. “We’re heading home,” Dad says as he grips the steering wheel. “The pack’s been attacked. Beta Arnold has been killed.”

Mom wouldn’t be crying like that over Beta Arnold. She’d be upset, but not crying. “Benson, Rhea is missing.”

My head started to spin at what he just said. My baby sister has been taken. She is out there all alone. She’ll be so frightened. Nothing else matters but getting home right now. “Drive faster, Dad.”