IS HE A BEAST

und the skirting of the

o wear for d

a yellow satin ribbon

capped, and my neck, s

ere ex

d but someho

ut of the room and go

ed me. She tsked as she

k of my long

er wants your hair u

way for wha

-factly that I was too s

tly tied my hair into a

usses to my dress, and

pstick to my lips, she u

fog as we descended the l

o the grand

nter of the room, long

and porcelain dishware,

s hiding the f

h fruit, cut cheeses, fr

f plates, and wine goblets

s grand, double my size

and throwing light and s

elier that hung above t

across

een what I envisioned o

ving quarters, mold-infes

I’d ca

xpected su

heard of my new husba

Beast that I’d have to

wing golden locks and ge

h other before we con

mentarily. Per his requ

g. Staff have been sen

ghtened at the prospect

ling every rec

me had left, when ever

an instant, sudden hollow

was almos

e, what with my father a

at least I’d been around

t didn’t make me feel t

here that was so big

s when I heard the first

At first I wasn’t sure wh

ntrance of

Thump

ing harder, and I gather

fingers unti

loser, and I rea

tst

coming

k a step back just as th

ear

’t enough for what I wa

al part of me

ing back as the Beast

e dining hall. The rumo

tterly t

size of a human man, wi

chest that blocked out

forearms were hairy, bu

. And his face… c

pitch-black eyes, and a

legs—God, they appeared

iety, bent oddly and t

ll to his shoulders, onl

urved back and away

nd wide, his teeth sharp

ed as I stared at them wh

so that when he closed h

ningly

a noble, but it couldn’

primal

sk how entirely

and another one, and I

s legs and feet reminded m

wolves that prowled the da

egs. Paws… God, he had

trained on me. He look

ms

table between us, althou

od, glass and steel. It wo

e wanted, even if right n

d hold back a dem

ther did I, my tongue i

om, his nails scraping a

ning in the c

air at the end of the ta

g them around the top. H

Like

ice rumbled out, and I f

weet sweat on you, hear

respond.

to you. That is no

here. I didn’t think

wasn’t always

e side slightly as if ex

as having a hard time g

sen

d inclining had his thi

slightly pointed ears, w

my heart to

can hear your heart raci

He slowly slid his hands

ood ominously before he

nd clos

ng to the other side, ou

getting to me was the sl

holly in

e chair at the head of th

, pulled it out, and s

thronelike structure,

ial weight. The firelight

they arched u

he gr

strous, all guttural and

ack so quickly I nearly

the edge of the tab

n across from him and r

ed the size

table had seemed grand

n we sat, I could still f

fe

end and he on the other

melled the wolf, the prim

erhaps as a distractio

ilver platter situated at t

e

lifting his dome, metal

actually

de like some kind of

s, then glanced down at

gaze to mine as if he fe

more prominent as

ed to be a semb

hat left me, he scolded

sumably to ope

oval at dinner, which s

what h

ing to stop the shaking

tly inundated with the sce

I set the lid on the ta

n befo

had been cut up amids

around

I’d ever seen in a sitti

d ever fini

r liking?” he

lowly dragging my ton

between my teeth. I didn’

mmed his hands down on t

is head lowered, his gaz

wood, creating gouges

air, trying to make mysel

noise

and as if he caught hims

ed his throat. For a seco

and kept his f

nd ran his paw over his

he looked down at his pl

down low as he st

to obey before he to

my mouth go slack, and

d. And that was exactl

or delicate, noble or h

swift as he picked up th

h, growling and snarling

where as he shoved it

potatoes, and pieces of c

, covering his face

ith a hand and kept wa

doubtedly horrified look

at my untouched one, then

amusement spri

strange, deeply distorte

mouth and reached for his

d liquid dribbled down

n, unable to stop the hu

tional s

aid and wiped the tears

o ravenous—” My words

me ferociously,

g all kinds of shame that

tual part of me pushed fo

I heard a crash and ear-

the entir

I was because I really d

the one who’d j