Rose, Wilted: Book 1

Chapter 5 - The Attack

Another tremendous roar shook the glass panes and I finally saw it, the thing that had been attacking the village for months, the monster that we called the Beast.

The monster was down on four legs looking like a severely hunchbacked wolf, but even then the height from its shoulder to the ground was five feet or more. I could only imagine what the Beast would look like standing. Wild, shaggy fur coated its body and massive teeth glinted like bayonets in the orange glare of the torchlight as it roared. The dead King's ripped cape hung off its shoulders.

Jean had shoved his way to the front of the crowd. In one hand he now possessed a scythe, in the other, a torch. I watched, nails digging into the windowsill and eyes wide as he ran forward with a fierce yell, swinging the scythe horizontally in front of him. The Beast barely flinched.

Jean swung again, but the monster knocked it out of his hand with one swipe of a massive paw. The shaft splintered into five pieces and the curved blade buried itself in the dirt.

In a desperate attempt, he swung the torch in front of him, but in half a critical second the Beast found an opening. The monster leapt forward, raking its massive claws down Jean's arm and smacking the torch from his hand. It landed with a sizzle in the mud.

Jean cried out in pain and crumpled to the ground. His pale face had an orange glow in the torchlight, casting twisted shadows across his face as his expression succumbed to the agony of the wound.

No, Jean, you promised me! Get up! Please get up!

But my betrothed lay on the ground, moaning in pain as the Beast lifted a paw to deliver the killing blow.

I burst out of the house, unable to bear it any longer. I grabbed fencepost from someone and shoved through the crowd.

"Annalise!" my father shouted. He ran out of the house behind me, but for one of the first times of my life, I ignored him. My vision was filled with Jean and the Beast raising a paw of glistening, sharp claws to finish him off.

As I shoved through the last line of villagers I threw the makeshift club. The fencepost smacked the creature in the temple, but my only reward was a pause while it shook it's head and roared.

It was all I needed.

I threw myself over Jean's body, gritting my teeth for the killing blow.

It never came.

"Annalise!" my father shouted again.

I looked up into the eyes of the merciless Beast and saw the reflection of a terrified, disheveled girl with brown hair in those green irises. The Beast faltered. Its paw was frozen in mid-strike. The crowd had gone absolutely silent. The Beast looked confused for a moment, but then his face turned back into a snarl. I shook my head, tears collecting in my eyes.

"Annalise!" shouted my father. I tore my eyes away from the Beast and found him as he broke through the crowd and ran towards me. A deafening roar nearly split my eardrums and the crowd broke out its trance. Fear filled my eyes and a newfound rage overtook the Beast's.

I clenched my eyes shut as a massive, brown blur filled my vision, convinced that now would be the moment of my death. Once more, nothing happened. I heard my father's shout and dared to open my eyes. What I saw terrified me more than anything else that terrible night. The Beast was bounding into the forest at speeds no man could match on foot, dragging my father behind him. The forest was infested with wolves and ravines, robbers and confusing paths, but nothing within it compared to the terrifying monster that dragged my father away from me now.

"Father!" I screamed. I leapt to my feet. Desperation and terror seized me, as well as a firm hand around my wrist. I looked back to see Jean, clutching his arm and wincing at every movement. An expression of pain and desperation twisted his face and every word he spoke was pained.

"Anna, no. You can't go- I'll go- I'll go after him. It's too dangerous for you." His breaths came in ragged gasps and his face was pale.

"You're too weak," I protested, "and how will you ever follow them? The Beast- it's too fast."

"I'll take a horse," he said. "We'll get me fixed up at the house and then I'll go after them."

I bit my lip and nodded nervously.

Quickly, I helped Jean back inside. Blair was hovering indecisively in the kitchen, unsure of herself. Ilsa was rocking back and forth on the stairs, brown eyes wide and streaming with tears. When she saw the blood on Jean's arm she screamed and bolted up the stairs.

But I couldn't take care of my delicate sister now. I had Jean to help.

I lit a few candles, fetched some water and bandages and started cleaning off some of the blood. Luckily the wounds were long and shallow and wouldn't require stitches, although they bled a lot and from his expression they hurt like fury.

"Blair, can you get a horse saddled for Jean?" I asked. "The black Arabian would be best."

Blair nodded, looking relieved at being able to do something, and left quickly for the stable, leaving me and my betrothed alone. I finished tying one of the bandages in an urgent silence. I looked up into Jean's sparkling blue eyes. His face went blurry and a hot drop of liquid trickled down my cheek.

Jean gently brushed it away with a thumb and gave me a smile. But just behind his mask was concealed pain. He was so good at hiding it that if it weren't for his bandaged arm and the wince that slipped through, I don't think I could have guessed it.

"I'll be back in time for our wedding tomorrow evening, I promise." He gathered me up in his arms and cradled my face against his chest. My tears left a dark stain on his shirt.

"Be safe Jean."

"You too, Anna." He kissed the crown of my head. Then he strode out toward the stable. I watched as he and our black horse streamed out into the night in the direction the Beast and my father had gone.

I prayed for their safety and collapsed into sleep.

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And there goes everything. The wedding, her father, possibly Ilsa's sanity, need I go on?

So...crazy chapter, no? What do you guys think of the Beast? It's been lurking in the shadows for a while but now it's finally made a significant appearance. Any guesses on what will happen next? And why the heck did the Beast take Anna's father of all the people it could have chosen...

Please comment/vote/follow/add to your reading list/whatever the heck else you feel like doing, in any case I appreciate every bit!

Thanks! Next update we get to some pretty intense moments with the Beast and Annalise so stick around for that on Monday!