Evermore [The Beast/The Prince x Reader]

chapter seventeen

His hand was pressed against the small of her back. She moved her hands to touch his chest. Slowly, she slid her left hand across his bicep and gripped his free hand. His eyes were filled with serious passion as he took on step to the left, and she followed suit.

They were spinning with the group. There was no specific dance pattern to follow, so they danced to the beautiful music the band played in the back. She could hear guitars as he spun her with him.

___ had been right; all the men wore costumes or masks to hide their faces. The women, however, wore shorter dresses or tucked up their skirts. They had boots laced to their knees and hair a mess of curls piled on top of their heads.

___, however, looked elegantly beautiful in her dashing golden gown and her hair that fell freely around her shoulders. She held her head high and danced with all the grace of a real princess.

She smiled as the Beast urged to her step backwards. She did, allowing him to guide her in a quick spin that lead her right back into his arms. He carried them for the next few moments, taking every step that would keep her close to him.

They were getting breathless and growing weary, but neither of them wanted to give up what they had. Their rhythm was unmatchable, and as the Beast swooped down and wrapped his arm tightly around her waist, she could have sworn that she heard several audible gasps.

She fell back down on her feet, a heap of smiles and gown and curls, and he chuckled. He held her so perfectly in his arms as he danced with her. She tilted her hear back and let him spin her, feeling her eyes shut as she basked in the bliss.

The energy of the party was everything she had been deprived of. Even more so than the excitement, though; she had found a newfound passion for the Beast himself, who was tilting her back as the song came to an end.

She cupped the side of his face and opened her eyes. He smiled and leaned his face into her touch. She shocked even herself when she stroked her thumb up his cheek, her other arm finding its way to the back of his neck.

He lifted her up. Her face was moving closer to him; he parted his lips. Her lips were forming words he could hardly hear when a pale hand shot out of a group and pulled her away from him.

She jumped as she came face to face with a man she had never seen before. His dark red hair and dangerous green eyes made her shiver. He smirked at her and kissed her hand, bowing.

"Pardon my abrupt action," he said, charm laced in every word, "but I have witnessed you dance and wish you would accompany me for a song. Hello-"

"Bonjour," she said, scowling.

"A French woman," he said, eyes flashing. "My."

"Yes," she said. She tried to pull away, her voice full of distaste. He locked his fingers around her hand.

"You must be a princess," he said.

"I'm not," she said, pulling her hand back. "And I must get back to my dance partner-"

"And leave me so soon?" he asked, stepping close to her.

"My friend is-"

"Can't he wait? Dance with me."

She looked back. The Beast had another woman in his arms; a blonde girl, completely drunk and laughing loudly. He kept his eyes on ___, watching her carefully as she let the man touch her hand and waist.

She bit her lip. If it were up to her, she would be pushing the man away and going back to the Beast, but he was occupied and she didn't want to interrupt him. So she turned towards the man and let herself grab onto his shoulders.

They were spinning. It was slow and not as energetic as her dance with the Beast. She glanced back often and always saw his eyes on her. He was worried; and she felt her heart flutter in her chest. She smiled at him.

Then, the man cupped her face and leaned close.

She looked at him in alarm. "What are you doing?"

"I have fallen for you so soon, mademoiselle, and wish for you to give me more of your attention."

"I must go," she said, and she felt the familiar feeling of the Beast's hand against her back.

"She has asked you to leave her be," he growled at the man. "I suggest you obey a woman's request."

The man raised his red eyebrows. "Oh, I will go when she orders me to."

"I'm ordering you to," she said. His jaw clenched. "Goodnight, sir."

"No," he spat, grabbing her arm. "Do not play me for a fool, you beautiful woman. Don't you know that I love you madly? Don't you know who I am? I get whoever I please-"

"Is this how you people do this in Moscow?" the Beast asked with heavy sarcasm and a strong sense of protectiveness. "Release her and be gone."

"Who are you to speak for her, sir?" the man asked, and he stomped closer to the Beast. Now inches from his face, he saw the fangs and eyes that were not hiding behind a mask, but behind a face of fur. "You! You - are... are a beast!"

Her heart sank in her chest and her stomach surged upward in her throat. The man began to scream, and in fear and anger, the Beast lashed forward a gloved paw and gripped the man by the neck.

The whole party turned its attention to the scene. They gasped and cried out. There was silence as the man choked and the Beast growled under his breath.

"I'm a beast?" he growled. "How dare you speak to me like that when you pick your women like one would their supper."

With that, he threw the man away from him. The man was sent flying towards the stage and band, who got up, and, like everyone else, screamed at the realization of a violent monster in their party.

The Beast, having realized his mistake, began to look around. Everyone was screaming, sobbing, fainting, running. And he was the cause.

At his side, ___ gripped his hand. "We must go, your majesty! We must leave!"

"I am so sorry," he huffed. "I-I am a monster-"

"You're not," she said, and she pulled his hand. "Come with me! We must go!"

He followed her without considering otherwise. However, the overwhelming surge of fear in his heart as he heard several heavy footsteps made him stop.

"There he is!" shouted the man that the Beast had thrown. Behind him was a group of several armored and armed guards. "Seize him! Beat him! Kill that monster!"

At the same time, ___ was swept up in the crowd. She screamed for her friend, who was torn between running for his life and finding the girl. Although the guards were armored, the thick crowed made it difficult to get to him. He turned and looked around for ___.

"Your majesty!" she called out, unseen. "Wait! Wait - take my hand!"

He began to panic. He couldn't see her. "___!" he yelled, and it was more like a roar than a scream.