Gretel and the Bear

by Natalie Kristen

  Gretel shook her head slowly. “My father loved you. That wolf, he was a piece of shit who got what he deserved—but he loved you as well. And you...you killed them.”

  “I did what I had to do.” Whilda shrugged and turned to Gretel. “And today, I came to do what I should have done ten years ago. Kill you both!”

  She shrieked an incantation and her nails lengthened into claws. Her face contorted to become an eerie, skeletal mask and her hair writhed around her like snakes.

  Gretel tried to shield Mama but she wasn't prepared for the ferocity and power of a mother's love.

  Mama screamed and rushed out from behind her, her fork held high.

  “I won't let you hurt my little girl!” Mama yelled. “I should have finished you off that night, you witch!”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Gretel rushed forward but she had to raise her arms to protect her face and eyes from the glass splinters when the window exploded suddenly.

  Glass shards flew all over the bakery as something large and furry smashed through the window.

  Gretel scrambled up as quickly as she could, and pulled Mama to her. She stifled a scream when she saw a large black wolf standing in front of her. The wolf blocked Gretel and Mama with its huge, powerful body and faced Whilda.

  Gretel scrabbled back with Mama and huddled against the wall. They clung to each other and watched the wolf face off against the witch, a low, threatening growl emanating from its throat.

  Whilda blinked rapidly, trying to hide the shock and fear in her eyes.

  She's afraid of the wolf, Gretel realized.

  The wolf crouched and bared its teeth. Whilda produced a blade from the folds of her dress and smirked. “Silver,” she warned.

  The wolf snarled and flew at her. The witch screeched and slashed madly with the silver blade. She kept screaming incantations and the whole bakery was plunged into darkness even though it was early afternoon. A thick black cloud seemed to be hanging in front of the bakery. Her dark magic was cloaking the bakery from the eyes of the pedestrians and motorists going down the street. Those people saw just a quiet, peaceful bakery, and everything looked normal to them. They couldn't see the shattered glass and hear the sounds of a deadly battle taking place right in the middle of The Gingerbread House.

  Gretel and Mama were trapped inside the bakery as well. Whilda's magic prevented them from leaving. Mama gripped her dainty fork and prepared to charge into battle alongside the wolf. She wanted to help take down the wicked witch.

  “Lemme!” she snapped as Gretel forcibly restrained her.

  “No! You stay here, Mama! I won't let you do this foolish thing!”

  Mama narrowed her eyes. “But I let you do your foolish thing.”

  “What…?”

  “I knew you were sneaking out at night, and it broke my heart that you were putting yourself in danger. But I knew how important it was for you to find your brother.”

  “I...” Gretel opened her mouth, but she knew there was only one thing to say. “I'm sorry.”

  “I'm going to help the wolf,” Mama said obstinately.

  Gretel got up. “So am I.”

  The shadows twisted and writhed on the walls, and it felt as though the bakery had melted away. They were back in the forest, fighting the witch, trying to save each other.

  Gretel saw that the wolf was bleeding from the deep, open wounds on his body. The injuries inflicted by the silver blade couldn't heal and it was obvious that the wolf was in agony.

  Whilda had claw marks across her face and there were blood stains on her shredded dress. She moved awkwardly, with a limp, but her eyes weren't human any more. They were completely black, dark and bottomless like the pits of hell. She hissed and flicked her tongue out like a snake, moving soundlessly, sinuously.

  Gretel and Mama moved in. They surrounded the witch and advanced fearlessly towards her.

  “Come on,” Mama invited. “Just you and me, witch. Leave the children out of this.”

  Whilda spun round and opened her mouth wide. Gretel screamed when she saw venomous fangs descending. “Mama, look out!”

  Mama ducked just in time. A jet of venom shot from Whilda's fangs and missed Mama's face by inches. It splattered on the wall behind and the wallpaper sizzled and crumpled to ashes.

  “Oh, you snake!” Mama cried.

  Whilda's cackling laugh echoed around them. The wolf lunged forward and bit into Whilda's leg. Screeching, she raised her silver blade and aimed it at the wolf's neck.

  Mama charged forward and stabbed her pastry fork right into Whilda's eye. “I missed the first time,” Mama panted, stumbling away. “But I won't miss again!”

  Whilda screamed and flailed as she tried to claw at Mama. Gretel pushed Mama away and grabbed Whilda by the throat with her tongs. “The only way to kill a snake...” Gretel snarled.

  The wolf threw its massive body at Whilda and knocked her to the ground. There was a glint of claws and teeth, and Whilda's head rolled away from her body.

  “...is to cut off its head.”

  Gretel felt her legs collapse under her and she slid to the floor.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Derek drove like a madman from his office to The Gingerbread House. He had bolted from his office and raced to his car. His staff all got out of his way in a hurry when they saw the wild look in his eyes.

  He was a bear on a rampage, and they knew he would mow down anyone who got in his way.

  He could sense his mate's rage and distress. He had to get to her in time. Gretel was in danger. He could feel it.

  Derek gunned his car up the curb and stopped just before it smashed into The Gingerbread House. He dashed out of the car, shifting as he charged into the bakery.

  A big, black wolf was standing over the headless torso of a woman. Gretel was sitting on the floor, leaning against Mama Mae and there was a dazed, blank look in her eyes.

  Derek could barely get his hulking bear body into the bakery, but he managed. He faced the bleeding wolf and growled. The wolf bared its blood-stained teeth at him and growled back.

  To his surprise, the wolf stood in front of Gretel and Mama as if trying to shield them from him. The wolf seemed to think that Derek was here to hurt the females, and it wanted to protect them.

  Gretel looked up and whispered, “Derek.”

  He glanced from her to the wolf and suddenly noticed something strange and extraordinary.

  They had the same eyes.

  Derek stared at the two pairs of intense, hazel eyes and the realization struck him with the force of a blow.

  He shifted back to human form and approached the wolf.

  “Hansel. You are Hansel Woods.”

  The wolf stared at him for a beat, then shifted.

  A tall, young man with dark brown hair stood before them. Gretel gasped and burst into tears.

  “Hansel!” She threw her arms around him and hugged him fiercely. Taking a step back, she looked him up and down and ran her fingers over his face. “Oh, Hansel! It really is you. You...you've grown, so much! My little brother...”

  “Gretel,” Hansel said in a tight voice. He swallowed before wrapping his arms gingerly around his sister.

  “You're here! You really are here! How did you know we're here? Why didn't you come home? How did you escape from the wolves? But...you're a wolf! How…?” Gretel pressed her fingers to her mouth, trying to stop her torrent of questions.

  Hansel glanced at Derek, who was standing quietly at the side, holding Mama Mae. He acknowledged Derek with a curt nod, and turned his eyes to Mama Mae. Mama Mae was weeping softly against Derek's chest and murmuring prayers of thanks.

  “Mama Mae...”

  Mama jerked her head up at Hansel's voice and smiled through her tears. “Hansel, you've grown into such a fine young man. I...”

  “Oh Mama!” Gretel came and pulled her to Hansel. Hansel enveloped the two women in his arms and hugged them hard.
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  “Thank you, Mama Mae,” Hansel whispered. “You saved me. I'm alive because of you. And you saved my sister.”

  Gretel stared at her brother and asked, “Whilda said that you became the Alpha when you defeated Alphonso. Did the wolves in the pack attack you? Was that how you changed into a...a...”

  “No. I wasn't changed against my will, Gretel. A she-wolf, Elena, who was the Beta of the pack raised me. It was a little strange, because I was her Alpha but she was my mother. A human boy in a pack of wolves would be eaten alive, so she changed me. She said I was a natural alpha, and my wolf would be strong.”

  “Why didn't you look for us?” Gretel said softly. “I never stopped looking for you, Hansel.”

  The young man looked away. “Although I'm now the Alpha of the pack, I've never really accepted my wolf. I thought you'd be disappointed and...repulsed. I only allowed myself to be changed to survive in the pack. Elena meant well. I mourned her when she passed.” He shook his head. “But I can never forget what Alphonso did. He ate our father's heart. I don't ever want to become a monster, a beast, like him.”

  “You're nothing like Alphonso,” Gretel said angrily. “You avenged Papa. You defeated Alphonso and drove him out of the pack. And Whilda killed him. And now—you killed Whilda.”

  “Yes. I've been looking for her. I finally found her, and she led me to you. When she entered your bakery, I saw the gingerbread house in the window. And...I knew. I knew it was you,” Hansel said hoarsely. “I waited outside, but nothing moved. Literally nothing. I could see you, Mama Mae and Whilda inside the bakery, but no one was moving. You were just standing there like statues. I was so stupid!” Hansel swore at himself. “I should have known she'd cast a spell, a veil over the bakery. I just smashed right in, hoping I wasn't too late...”

  “You're not! You're here, that's all that matters!” Gretel hugged her brother again before twisting round abruptly. “Oh, I...I almost forgot!” She gave a shy, sheepish smile. “Hansel, this is Derek Grimm. He is my mate!”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Derek leaned against the door of Hansel's office and rapped twice. Hansel looked up and grinned at him.

  “How are your wolves settling in?” Derek asked, striding into the office.

  “They're doing very well.” Hansel beamed. “They really like working here. The pay is great, the benefits are good, and the male wolves get to ogle all the cute office girls in tight pencil skirts.”

  “Your sister will twist your ears.”

  Hansel held up his hands. “Hey, I'm not the one ogling them.”

  Derek chuckled. “Yeah, your wolves are fitting in very well. They're sharp and they're hard workers.”

  “I know,” Hansel answered with a hint of pride.

  Derek nodded. He was honestly very impressed with Gretel's baby brother. The young man had been thrown to the wolves and he had returned leading the pack. The Fireheart pack was a small, fierce pack, and the Fireheart wolves clearly respected their Alpha. Hansel admitted that over the years, quite a number of wolves had challenged him for the Alpha position. “Leadership challenges had to be decisively and brutally resolved. There's no room for mercy.”

  Gretel was right. Hansel was a fighter, a survivor. He was strong, tenacious and smart. He was a good leader. He was firm but fair, and he led by example. He had clearly earned the respect and loyalty of his pack. The Fireheart pack kept a low profile but they weren't weak. The Fireheart wolves ran a few small casinos, and it was a lucrative business.

  “But you're only eighteen!” Derek had spluttered when Hansel told him about the pack's main source of revenue.

  “I keep in the background. My lieutenants manage the casinos but they report everything to me. I run a tight ship,” was Hansel's answer.

  Derek had spoken to his two elder brothers, Hans and Jack, and they had agreed to acquire the casinos from the Fireheart wolves. The casinos were now part of the Grimm Group, and the Fireheart wolves had all been offered jobs in the Group. Hansel was being trained by Derek to oversee the Group's casino operations, and he was a fast learner. He wasn't afraid to ask questions, and he had a good head for numbers.

  Derek chatted for a while more with Hansel, then stood up. “I'm going to pop down to The Gingerbread House. Want anything?”

  “A few gingerbread girls would really spice up my day,” Hansel said with a wink.

  Derek shook his head when he heard Hansel chortling mischievously as he left the room. Sometimes he tended to forget that Hansel was only a lad. Sure, the boy was tough and smart but he was only nineteen. At such a young age, Hansel had already seen too much bloodshed and violence. But he wasn't broken and scarred. Instead, he learned from his experience and his enemies. He built himself up and he built a chaotic pack that was torn by infighting and distrust up into a united, strong pack.

  Hansel and Gretel. The siblings were very much alike. Both were stubborn, strong and fiercely loyal.

  Derek made his way to The Gingerbread House and pushed into the busy little bakery. He winked at Mama and Gretel as they served the customers and waited patiently until all the customers had left.

  “I'm here to get a few gingerbread girls for your brother,” Derek deadpanned.

  “Ah, that boy!” Mama clucked her tongue.

  “And put everything into bags.” Derek gestured round the whole bakery. “I'm buying snacks for the whole office.”

  Gretel and Mama laughed. “Are you eyeing the Best Boss title again this year?”

  “Maybe.”

  Taking all the packed boxes, Derek told Mama and Gretel as he went to the door, “Hansel and I should reach home around seven, so….”

  Mama's eyes sparkled. “The cake is all ready!”

  “It's made of gingerbread,” Gretel whispered as she came to kiss him. “I can't wait to see Hansel's face when he sees his cake. My brother...he's never had a birthday cake before. I hope he likes it.”

  “Hansel will love it.” Derek grinned.

  They had all moved into his house. His big, spacious house now felt like a real home. Mama took the ground floor bedroom, while Hansel took the bedroom across the hall which used to be the guest room. It had taken a while to persuade Hansel to move into the house, but he couldn't deny his sister's heartfelt request. She missed him so much and she wanted to make up for all the years they'd lost.

  It was Hansel's nineteenth birthday today. Derek had quietly invited all the Fireheart wolves to the surprise party, so Hansel's entire pack would be at the house this evening. Derek's brothers, Jack and Hans and their families would also be there. Hansel would be surrounded by his family and his pack on his birthday.

  Derek knew that Gretel wanted this party to be special for her brother. The boy'd had to grow up too fast, and she wanted him to enjoy all the fun and love that he'd missed out on.

  Family, friends and pack. They would all make sure that tonight, Hansel could just be a nineteen-year-old boy and enjoy his party.

  Derek saw the joy and excitement in Gretel's eyes and smiled. He loved her so much and her happiness meant everything to him. Her family was his family, and he loved them just as fiercely.

  Gretel threw her arms around his neck and gave him an achingly tender kiss. “I love you,” they said together.

  Mama smiled at them and said, “I think we should let Derek get back to the office. Come on, Gretel, you and I should get on home and get ready for the party!”

  Derek backed out of The Gingerbread House with a huge grin on his face.

  This was going to be a fantastic, unforgettable birthday party.

  ~ End ~

  About the Author

  Natalie Kristen is a writer who enjoys mixing the sweet with the spicy, the light with the dark, the possibilities with the unimaginable. She enjoys exploring paranormal and dystopian worlds, deep desires and inspiring romances. She is hopelessly addicted to coffee, chocolate, reading and writing. She loves to hear from readers so please feel fre
e to follow her on Twitter and Facebook, or visit her blog for the latest news and updates.

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