"For heaven's sake, what happened?" she reached up for Belle, still tightly holding her arms around Beast's neck. As he finally gently set her down, they gasped seeing the bright red blood.

"The wolves attacked me, and Beast came and rescued me," she said, her legs a bit wobbly. Lumiere quickly grabbed a chair for her, and they crowded around her, checking her for wounds. "I think I'm okay, just frightened, and a few scratches," she peered down at her arms, seeing lines of blood spots. She looked up at Beast who was looking over them down at her, intensely concerned. "That must have been how you smelled my blood." The servants moved aside to look back at him, Lumiere gasping at the severe cuts and gashes on his arm. "Sire, you are injured!"

Belle sprang up and rushed to him, horrified at the wounds and looked down at the blood puddling on the floor. "That wasn't the wolves' blood," she turned to Mrs. Potts, "Get me some warm water and bandages, now!"

They made him sit in the chair and stood back while Belle cleaned and wrapped up his wounds. He winced at the pain from the water flushing the deep cuts. Belle admonished him, "I have to make sure it's cleaned out so it doesn't get infected." She used strips of fabric Mrs. Potts gave her and turned his arm around in her hands, examining one, then the other. "Did I miss any?" she had him stand up and looked at his back. "Yeah, I missed one. Sit back down," she put warm water and washed a puncture wound out. In front of him, she put her hands on her hips and standing in a bloodied, dirtied, leaf strewn dress, wiped tears from her face. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to put you in danger, if anything happens to you, I will never forgive myself." She put her hands over her face and started to cry.

The servants watched in awe at her emotional display. They looked at each other wide-eyed and as their master stood up and enveloped her in his arms, they slowly slipped away, back to their quarters.

"Please little one, don't cry, I've had much worse. I heal fast, that's one benefit of being a beast."

She let out a little laugh. She pushed her hair out of her face and reached her hands up to either side of his face. "At least they didn't get your face or your eyes." She sighed.

She puzzled him endlessly, was she actually looking at him with such emotion? He thought back to what Lumiere had told him. Clearing his throat, he said, "Thank you for attending to my wounds. Come, you need to get cleaned up. Mrs. Potts can help you. I want to make sure you are okay, and clean all this blood off you."

She nodded and limply walked by his side with his arm around her as he guided her towards Mrs. Pott's quarters. "I didn't realize I was in the west wing. I was looking for a lamp or candle, and the light from the flower got my attention."

He nodded, but didn't respond. "That room is off limits."

"I won't go near it again."

"Why did you run from me?"

She looked up at him, "You were attacking, I had to get away, I was afraid you would hurt me."

He put his head down in shame, "I'm a monster."

"You lost control. I knew it. I made a huge mistake going into the woods, though."

They stopped in front of Mrs. Potts' door.

"Yet you called out for me."

"Of course, I hoped you would come save me," she smiled softly.

He knocked on the door and Mrs. Potts came out, Beast instructing her to help Belle. Belle washed off in the bath, getting all the blood from Beast and the wolves, the dirt off herself.

"I'll burn this dress with the other trash," Mrs. Potts rolled it up in her arms.

"Shame, that was a pretty one."

"Oh, Master will give you 5 more to replace it. He's just glad you're not hurt."

"Mrs. Potts? What was that rose in the glass case all about? The one that lit up, all shimmery?"

She froze in her movements. Clearing her throat, she said, "Oh, you saw that, did you?" she refused to look at her.

That must be something very bad, Belle watched her strong reaction.

"Yes, I took the case off and tried to touch it."

She dropped everything and stared, "You what!"

"Beast stopped me though, before I did."

She put her hand to her throat, "Thank heaven for that."

"What is it for?"

"I cannot say, neither can he. You need to forget it exists, and never go near it again." She said sternly.

"He said the same thing," she said as she stood and took a towel to dry off.

"Heed that warning, my child." Mrs. Potts helped her out of the tub and examined her skin. "No other cuts or wounds from the wolves, just scratches from the branches. You are very lucky."

"I know. He could have been so angry and let them kill me. I'm grateful he risked himself to save me."

In his room, Beast slept soundly, after the emotional experience of the night before. He turned in bed and groaned, feeling the pain of the many wounds on his back and arms. He smelled Belle's sweet scent, and imagined her soft, warm body next to him. He let out a low moan, his dreams were becoming increasingly tortuous. He heard a soft high-pitched noise, and his eyes flew open. It wasn't a dream, she was in his bed, cuddled up against him. He leaned up and peered down at her. She wiggled closer to him, her hair still damp from the bath the night before, her cotton nightgown bunched up around her legs. She was under the covers with him, rubbing her warm backside up against his naked fur.

"Belle?" he said quietly, surprised.

"Mmm," she grumbled.

"Belle." He said louder.

She opened her eyes and looked over her shoulder at him, smiling. "I'm still sleepy."

He groaned as she wiggled up against him again. "Belle, why are you here? I told you not to-"

She turned around to face him, "No, you said not to if you weren't in here. You were in here. I feel safer sleeping with you. I didn't think you would mind too much. Do you?"

"Well, no."

She smiled, "Good." She softened her expression and reached up, lightly touching his bandages, "Are they still hurting?"

"Not too bad, thanks to your careful work."

"You're welcome. And I'm sorry I went into the forbidden part of the castle."

"I'm sorry I yelled at you and scared you."

"I'm sorry I ran from you." She put her leg up over his hip.

"Belle, I hate to think how close you came to being killed by those wolves. I was foolish, overcome by instinct, I'm so sorry."

She reached her hands up and cupped his face in her hands. Then she did the unbelievable, and leaned her face in and kissed his cheek.

"Belle," he choked on emotion.

She looked deep into his eyes and kissed his lips. He closed his eyes, tasting the sweetness on her soft lips. As she pulled back, he looked down into her deep brown eyes, and felt his cock throb in a way he hadn't known in centuries. He could feel a warmth wash over him, his need start to rumble out of control. "I can't stop, I need you," he pulled back, "You have to go, now."

"Is this another part of the curse?" she asked, looking startled.

"No, I just – I want to take you, completely."

"Oh," she pulled on his arm, "I want that too."

"You what?" he asked incredulously. "You don't understand."

"I understand intimate relations. I read." She stuck her chin out, "I don't have any personal experience, but I know about it." She wriggled close to him, "And I figure you could teach me."

"I- don't want to hurt you. And it will hurt, the first time."

She nodded, "I know, but I trust you. And, I want to. I want you." She gingerly pressed her lips to his again, and he claimed her with his mouth. He vowed to keep his instincts in check with all the might he had, not to scare her away. He was going to prove to her her trust in him was not misplaced.

He gently kissed her, going at her pace, leaning over her, holding his weight up off her. He pushed the sheet off them and reached his hand slowly up her nightgown. Feeling her bloomer, he resisted the urge to shred them in his claws, and asked, "Can I take these off?" she nodded and he sat up and slowly pulled them down, keeping her nightgown on. He came back up, face to face with her, rubbing his paw on the side of her face, reaching down and smoothing her long hair, falling off the side of his bed. He continued kissing her softly, her arms around his shoulders. He sat up slightly and closed his eyes, taking some slow breaths.

"Is anything wrong?" she asked, concerned.

"No, I'm just trying to calm myself."

She shook her head, "I know you're trying to be gentle, you can keep going," she smiled, "I can feel you against me."

He realized his hard cock was pressed against her leg. She giggled and pulled closer to him. He groaned and reached his paw down her nightgown and up to her hips. "Belle, open your legs for me."

She did as he asked, and he rubbed the pads of his paw on smooth hips, "You are so soft," he nearly cried, it had been centuries since he'd been intimate with a woman. He leaned down and kissed her, harder this time, but still mindful. He heard her gasp as he found her folds and started rubbing, very lightly. "Is that alright?" he buried his face in her neck.

"Unh, yes," she whispered. She started taking little panting breaths that spurred him on. He started dipping the edge of his finger, careful to keep the claw retracted. She let out a cry and grabbed his arm, pulling her knees up. He pulled away immediately, "Did I hurt you?"

"Um," she looked at him intently, "No, I just – I wasn't expecting that." She relaxed her grip and put her legs back down. She put her hand to her forehead, "I'm more nervous than I thought I was."

He lay gentle kisses on her neck, "Trust me, it gets better." He reached back down and continued working his finger between her folds. She allowed it this time, calming down. "I'm going to go in further," he explained, licking at her neck, rewarded with a soft moan coming from her. His cock was pulsating, screaming for release, but he ignored it. He slowly dipped his finger in farther. She was tight, which was expected. "My little one," he murmured. She started to pull back again, but he stopped her, "Relax, relax." He said softly. He rubbed the top of her folds and she threw her head back, started to tell him to stop, but silenced by the pleasure. He smiled, "That feels good, my darling?" she nodded silently. He continued making little circles while dipping his finger in little by little. He felt her loosen up and start to get wet. "You're wet for me?"

"What?"

"It means you're getting ready." He let out a low growl and knew he couldn't wait any longer. She needed to progress or she would let her fear take over. He moved on top of her, holding himself up as her eyes widened, "No, no," he said, "It's fine, relax and breathe." She nodded and did so. He pushed her nightgown up over her waist and shifted her to the center of the bed. Kneeling between her legs, he reached with both paws under her knees and tried to open her legs further, but she provided resistance. "Belle," he chuckled, "I need much more room than that, you need to open your legs fully for me."

"Oh, sorry," she didn't realize she was doing that. She let her muscles relax and allowed him to push them up to her sides. He caressed her legs, up her abdomen, then leaned on one elbow, his other paw holding his cock against her folds. She shuddered with the explosion of sensations. He looked down at her, "Relax," he said and she felt pressure at her opening, different than before. She could tell by his tense muscles and expression that this was it. He slowly and gently put his tip inside her. "Oh," she cried out. He let go of it and put both paws on either side of her. She looked down as he lay on her stomach, crawling his paws up with each slow thrust inside.

"Wait, wait," she wriggled underneath him.

"No," he locked eyes with her, "don't, it will hurt, but it will be okay." He pulled out slightly, moving in and out now, but ever pressing further inside. He knew he needed to stretch her out, and his paw fingers were too big to do it. He felt the tightness at her opening start to break apart and he pushed in farther.

"Oh, ow!" she screamed out.

He kept going, slowing moving in and out, deeper inside. She could only take a portion of him, he knew he was massive. He wiped her hair off her sweaty brow, "Are you okay?"

Breathing heavily, she said, "I'm getting used to it, the pain is subsiding," she arched her back up into him and he moaned, dropping his head down, licking at her neck. He felt her walls were slick, but she was so tight. He pulled slightly out, then started rocking back and forth inside, but not as deep as before. She looked up at him with a mix of anxiety and excitement as he moved faster and faster, then getting suddenly bigger, "Oh, oh!" she called out. He straightened up his elbows and arched up into her, letting out a roar as he muscles tightened and spasmed. She was pinned down by his pelvis, but didn't dare move. He finally relaxed, his breathing slowing, and he looked down at her as she held onto his forearms. He owned her, completely. She was marked for him only now. "I'm going to pull out," he told her, his voice rough, and slowly moved backwards, taking his spent cock out of her. He moved up the bed beside her and still out of breath, reached out for her, "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

She nodded, stunned at the way things had gone, she had read about intercourse, but there was no way to fully understand what it would be like, and with Beast, that would be different, as well. "Yes, I'm alright."

He kissed her arm, up her shoulder, "I am amazed by you Belle. I- I have few words."

She smiled, "I'm yours now."

He hugged her close, "You are my dream, come true."

She snuggled in, and they both went to sleep.