Bearly Sleeping: Fairy Tales with a Shift

By Cara Wylde

A retelling of Sleeping Beauty

 

Curvy Princess Rose doesn't believe in the curse that was cast on her when she was born. While seven good fairies offered her gifts of beauty, grace, and wit, an evil fairy cursed her to prick her finger on a spindle and sleep for one hundred years. Her best friends don't believe in it either, and they convince Rose to prove everyone they were wrong by trying the only spinning wheel left in the kingdom.

 

Tavian has always been in love with the Princess. Unfortunately, she was promised to someone else. When he can't stop her from playing with fire and challenging the curse, he leaves the kingdom and vows to return for her when the time is right. But to be there to wake her after the one hundred years are up means to find a way to become immortal, or at least prolong his life. The evil fairy is the one who comes with the solution: she turns him into a bear-shifter.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cara Wylde
• Release date: Sep 24, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386571704

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Rose clenched her teeth and groaned when the servant pulled her corset tighter. Tears were welling up in the corners of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

Princess, if I may... the young servant girl whispered. I don’t think I can make it tighter than this. What she really meant was that it was tight enough, and if she continued, the Princess would not be able to breathe anymore.

Rose threw an angry glance in the mirror. Her long, blonde hair was gathered in a loose braid that hung down over her right shoulder. Her bright blue eyes were the only good feature about her face, and no one could convince her otherwise. She hated her wide forehead, her plump cheeks, and round jaw. Big, heavy breasts, thick waist, generous hips – she hated everything about her body. It was no wonder her friends didn’t want to spend time with her unless they got to tease her about her weight.

Tighter, said Rose.

The servant sighed, but complied. She pulled at the strings hard and tied them in a pretty bow.

Rose took a labored breath and straightened her back. She studied herself in the mirror again, this time nodding in approval. It was hard to breathe, and her ribcage felt like it was being crushed little by little, but her waist did look better. Thinner. She was almost pretty. It was time to go downstairs. Her three friends were waiting for her so they could go for a walk in the lush gardens of her father’s palace.

Thank you, that would be all, she told the girl and headed to the door, careful not to let on she was in pain. It would eventually go away. She just had to think of something else.

Juliet, Angel, and Talia welcomed her with huge smiles and warm hugs. After all, some of the courtiers were present, and they didn’t want to let anyone know their idea of having fun was to tease the Princess about her extra pounds. They giggled and complimented Rose, making sure she caught the subtle sarcasm in their voice, then they ran straight to the gardens. Rose followed them, lifting the heavy skirt of her dress just an inch above her ankles. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Tavian staring at her, and she couldn’t help but smile. Her day was already better.

Tavian was the son of one of the courtiers, and he was three years older than her. Tall, well-built, with wide shoulders and strong arms, he was the epitome of what Rose found attractive in a man. She dreamed about his long, brown hair caressing her breasts as he leaned over her and kissed his way down her neck, about his green eyes boring into hers as he whispered how beautiful she was. Dreams. Sweet, impossible dreams. Why? Because, even though he came from a fairly noble family, Tavian wasn’t what the King and Queen wanted for their daughter. Rose had already been promised to a Prince from a neighboring kingdom, so it was better for her to stay away from handsome Tavian. She allowed herself to fantasize about him, but she did her best to avoid him on the halls and in the gardens.

Come on, Rose! Keep up, yelled Angel.

Rose picked up the pace, forcing herself to ignore the terrible pain in her chest. Angel... the girl was anything but an Angel. Long, dark hair, dark eyes, and a thin, perfect waist. Even though she was the Princess and she would inherit her father’s kingdom, Rose would have given everything up just to be like her friends: beautiful, sexy, confident. But she wasn’t. Rose, the Princess, the apple of her parents’ eye, the girl who had been blessed by seven fairies at birth was insecure, scared, and desperate to please. Sometimes, she wondered whether it could be because of the curse.

Juliet, Angel, and Talia sat down on the fresh, green grass. Rose completed their small circle by carefully sitting down between Juliet and Angel. If she kept her back straight and her chin high, she could almost breathe normally.

Talia studied her posture. You look nice today, she said. I love your dress.

Rose smiled. Her efforts were paying off.

Angel huffed. That servant of yours tightened your corset too much. How can you even breathe?

I’m fine. It’s a little loose, actually.

Angel rolled her eyes and Juliet chuckled. Rose ignored them and pulled out her fan. It was a lovely summer day. They sat in silence for a while, simply enjoying the colorful beds of flowers, the