The Beast

We didn’t say anything for long moments, but the low humming sound he made could’ve been interpreted in many ways.

Pleasure. Empathy. Displeasure.

“I’m sorry,” I found myself saying, and if the Beast’s expression could soften, I felt like it would’ve in that moment.

He cupped the side of my face, his palm so big that one could easily cover my entire head.

It wasn’t lost on me every time I was near him that the Beast could break me as if I were nothing but a toothpick between his teeth, snapping me in half until I was but a splinter.

“My father’s troubles aren’t your concern but—”

“He’s your family. Your only family.” He smoothed a claw gently along my jawline. “That was the past, though. You have me now. So if he needs help, that’s an extension of you and I’ll gladly step in. Because I care for you.”

I felt my belly tighten, my heart skip a beat. How could this Beast, so big and fearsome, be gentle and soft? How could he completely go against everything I’d ever heard about him?

Was he just misunderstood or was he this gentle only with me?

I cupped the back of his palm, my hand so insubstantial compared to his, his fur so soft beneath my touch.

I smoothed my thumb over his prominent knuckles, could feel his body visibly shiver, and heard a deep sound leave him. Because of me.

“I will leave momentarily. I will fix whatever wrongs he’s done that directly affect you.”

“I’ll go with you,” I said instantly but he was already shaking his head.

“I would prefer you stay here, in the safety of the castle. I will not put you at risk.”

I felt a smile curve my lips. “But I have you to protect me.”

He growled low and moved his hand to curl it around my nape. “You are my only priority. I will protect you until it kills me.”

I felt that flush of heat move through me, that warm wetness between my thighs once more.

I let my gaze move around his face, memorizing every dip and hollow, everything that had once been unusual to me but now seemed fantastically beautiful. I stared at his mouth, so foreign yet so attractive.

I actually found myself taking a step forward, placing my hands on his furry chest, feeling his muscles and sinew clench and relax against my touch.

He didn’t say anything but he started breathing faster and harder as I lifted up on my toes, bringing us closer together.

As if he knew where my thoughts were going, he lowered his head at the same time I tipped mine back.

“You’re not what I expected,” I whispered, our mouth so close together that my bottom lip almost touched his tusks.

“You are everything I envisioned.” His words were a deep rumble that I felt all the way down to my toes.

He still had his paw around my nape, the gentle prick of his claws against the side of my throat reminding me how very deadly he was. But I knew without a shadow of a doubt, deep within my soul, that he’d never hurt me.

He would always keep me safe. And with that thought in mind, I gently pressed my mouth to his and gave the Beast my first kiss.

He groaned deeply but didn’t kiss me back, just held still as he let me explore his mouth. I ran my tongue along his bottom lip, then over one tusk before dragging it up and touching the point.

He growled anew, and I felt his paw tighten around the back of my neck as he pulled me in closer, my breasts smashed to his chest, my nipples painfully hard.

He was panting against my mouth, his lips slightly parted as I tentatively pressed my tongue inside, exploring him, touching mine with his.

He tasted spicy like cinnamon. So wild and potent that I couldn’t stop the moan that was pulled from me. And then he was tilting his head to the side and crushing his mouth harder to mine.

He moved his tongue along mine and I was shocked to feel it was textured, rough like a feline’s.

The kiss wasn’t gentle or soft. It was slightly awkward given his fangs and tusks, but God, it felt so good. And he tasted even better.

He broke away far too soon, but he didn’t pull away and instead ran his big, fat, textured tongue down my cheek, along my jawline, and down my neck.

I gasped at how strange it felt, the warm wetness of him literally licking me.

He did this back and forth, up and down the side of my neck, bathing me in this very primal way before he kissed me once more. I opened wide, my mouth far too small to fit well against his, but it didn’t matter. It all felt so good.

He dragged his tongue over my lips before plunging it inside, pulling out and repeating the action.

But all too soon, he pulled away. I leaned forward, staring up at him with no doubt a dazed expression. I curled my fingers tighter into his fur, pulling him toward me, wanting more.

He groaned and smoothed a thick pad along my bottom lip. “If I don’t stop, I’ll take you here right now, Belle.”

My pussy clenched and I felt more wetness coat my lips and smear along my inner thighs. He inhaled sharply. I knew he smelled me, my arousal.

“And I want you in my bed, spread and soaked—that juicy cunt all primed for me—when I fuck you for the first time.” He growled. “But after that first time…” His eyes flashed red. “I will fuck you in every single room in the castle, marking you with my scent so it saturates the air.”