Taming the Beast [Completed]

Chapter 6

The beasts expression didn't change as if almost expecting her to say those words. The beast strode over to the jail cell and wrenched open the door.

"Leave."

Grand-mere didn't waste another second rushing over to Belle and placing her hands on her face. "Belle! You must not stay here! This place is dangerous!"

Belle peered into Grand-mere's eyes, tears welling up in her own. "I can't," her voice cracked. "It's the only way I'll know that you're safe." Belle removed the hands from her face and stepped inside the cell.

The beast slammed the door shut, the lock clicked to signal it had been locked.

"Make up a story. The best you can just don't tell them what really happened. They won't believe you if you do." Belle said.

Grand-mere stared at Belle, incredulous that her granddaughter would stay in this wrenched place just to save an old woman's life. Without a word, Grand-mere turned and scrambled out of the dungeon.

The beast watched as Grand-mere left then turned himself to leave. "Dinner will be ready soon." he grumbled. The beast then turned and started to leave.

Belle notice something she hadn't noticed before. "Why do you wear a cape when you're an animal?"

The beast stopped dead in its tracks, tense and unmoving. The beast sighed. "I wear it to remind me of the mistakes I made and who I really am." There was no harshness in his voice, only pieces of regret and sorrow.

Belle didn't press knowing what the beast could do. The beast then left the dungeon.

***

Belle played with a strand of hair as she laid on her side in the darkness of the dungeon. It was colder than cold down there and every once in a while she would shiver and her teeth would chatter. She could not stop thinking about the life she had left behind. What would Grand-mere say when her father would call and ask where she was. What would Grand-mere say to anyone?

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the cell door squeal open. She scrambled to her feet and shielded her eyes from the bright light emitted from a lamp.

"Leave."

Belle sat there unable to act upon the words commanded of her.

"LEAVE! And don't ever come back." He said the last part quietly and almost remorseful.

Belle scrambled out of the cell and up the steps if the dungeon. She pushed the large doors open and ran out into the cold night air. Her breath fogged up in front of her face. She hurried to her car that had a thick blanket of snow covering it. She jerked open the door and threw herself inside. Turning the key, she repeatedly glanced back and forth from the castle doors to her dash board.

The car sputtered and died. Belle, frustrated, hit her hands on the steering wheel and exited the car.

Muttering to herself, she began the descent down the mountain.

***

Belle's lips felt frozen and she shivered uncontrollably. The deep snow came all the way up to her knees leaving her shins, calves and feet wet and cold.

Off in the distance she could hear wolves howl at the full moon in the sky. Dispite her situation, hearing the howlscasued her to walk a little faster. She feared the wolves would find her and that she would fail miserably at getting away. The thought of her being ripped to shreads by the firerce animals caused her stomach to roll.

She heard a twig snap and then another and soon she saw a pack of wolves block her path. Belle, now shaking more, picked up a large stick nearby and held it at the ready. One wolf snarled and another snapped at her. She hit one over the head with the stick just as they lunged at her. The blow distracted the others and Belle chose this opportunity to get away. She turned and ran in the opposite direction. She could hear the wolves gaining on her and barking like mad. She felt a forceful tug on her coat and a loud rip sending her into the snow.

She turned her body around to face the wolves as they slowly approached her. She covered her face unable to face the fate that awaited her but it never came. She uncovered her face and saw a large figure standing over her. The large figure was breathing heavy and obviously enraged.

Belle took a closer look and saw it was the beast. The beast reared onto his haunches and let out a ferocious roar. The wolves seemed unfased and barked and snarled in irritation. The beast swung down on one of the wolves sending them into a tree. The wolves all the lunged at once but the beast fought them all off. The wolves slashed and clawed at the beast but the beast didn't seem to care. 

Finally, the wolves backed off as if to say they had met their match and ran off into the woods. The beast, breathing in uneven breaths, collapsed into the snow.