Chapter Four

When Belle heard the familiar sound of her husband, she suddenly took a step back.

She was yet to meet the Beast of the castle but when she heard Gaston's familiar voice, she felt her heart jump inside her mouth.

She placed a hand to her unborn baby when she heard him shout.

"Beast?! Open up! I've come for Belle and I'm not leaving until she's mine!"

Belle was inside her room after she'd met Mrs. Potts and she was thankful the woman was kind to her. But when Belle heard Gaston's voice, she took a step away from the door. Closing her eyes, she offered prayer of courage as she thought.

"Dear goodness! He knew where to find me!"

Swallowing, she rolled her shoulders back before she placed her hand on the knob. Once she opened the door, Belle stepped out into the hallway in time to see two figure entering the hall at the same time she was. One of them was Matt and he was one out of the three she'd seen earlier. The second person was another man but Belle couldn't make out his features. He was wearing a cape and his face was concealed but when Matt saw her, he called to her.

"Belle! You've spoken with Mrs. Potts?"

"Yes." Belle replied but she noticed the other figure was quiet standing beside Matt.

"Beast! Open up this gate! I know Belle's in there!" Gaston's voice shouted.

"You're going to let him stand outside and rant all he wants?" The person beside Matt asked.

"Well: unless you want him to take her away and do with her as he pleases," Matt answered and here, Belle approached the two. The second figure was tall and muscular but Belle was enthralled with the fact he was wearing concealing his face. She wondered why as she remembered Mrs. Potts as well as Harriet informing her the master would like her.

"You must be Belle." The tall figure greeted as Belle approached.

"Yes." Belle replied and she watched as Matt cleared his throat before he introduced.

"Belle? I would you to meet Adam; the master of the castle."

When the figure pulled his hood back, Belle gasped when the master of the castle smiled at her as he greeted.

"Hello, Belle; welcome to my castle."

A handsome man stood before her and Belle felt how his smile warmed her to the heart. She'd spoken about him with Mrs. Potts briefly and how she would like him.

There was movement to the side and all three turned when James, one of the other three Belle met when she arrived, came rushing inside as he called.

"Master Adam! Gaston's not going to let Belle out of his sight! He wants to chat with you so he can take her home right away!"

"Let him in and I'll speak with him the main hall." The owner of the castle replied.

His voice was calm and as Belle watched, she placed a hand to the movement of her unborn baby when Adam looked at her as he finished.

"I know how Gaston works. I'll make sure you're hidden to put some reason inside his mind, Belle. I watched him on the third floor and he's persistent."

Belle took a step back when Gaston's voice roared.

"Beast! Where in goodness sakes is my wife?!"

"He sounds nearby." Belle said and she took a few steps away from where she was. She wanted nothing to do with Gaston but she felt how the unborn baby was kicking. She didn't want to go back but she remembered her husband's betrayal and how it hurt her. How she would do anything to find a way out and escape forever! But she felt the wedding ring on her finger and the promise she'd made. She looked over at Adam but he was making his way down the stairs. As this was occurring, Matt, who remained with her, turned to her as he said.

"Belle? The master knows Gaston; the two used to be great friends until an accident happened with Adam's first wife. Since then: the two broke off their friendship and this could explain a few things you may not know about Gaston. And something which he won't reveal to you because he regrets his mistake greatly."

"Beast! Where is my wife?!" Gaston's voice repeated but Belle paused when this piece of information was told to her. Stepping over to Matt, Belle asked.

"Matt? Your master Adam had a wife? What happened to her? And how does this involve Gaston and his betrayal of me?"

Matt sighed as he placed his hands on his hips. At the same time, the doors of the castle opened and Belle heard a familiar voice bark.

"Beast! I know Belle is here! And if you don't let me see her-"

"Gaston? Why don't you step inside and calm yourself? Then we can chat about your wife and everything." Belle overheard Adam answer. His voice was calm and soothing and Matt gestured for Belle to walk around him. She followed his direction and hide beside a statue of an angel as Gaston's voice answered.

"Beast? I haven't been here for a long time but I know Belle is here."

"I mentioned before," replied Adam and Belle peered to the side as she watched as her husband, followed behind the master of the castle, as Adam continued, "you will know what should be chatted about concerning your wife after you've settled a bit. If I know you: you didn't have anything in that system of yours, did you?"

Belle watched as her husband's jaw dropped and she covered her mouth with her hands as the master turned to James, who probably been the one who opened the doors, as he asked.

"Care to serve our guest something of the meat kind? I'm sure Mrs. Potts has plenty of it."

"On my way, sir!" James answered and the young man rushed off. Belle watched as Gaston's features changed when he looked around the castle before he asked Adam.

"When was the last time I was here?"

Adam's features changed when this was asked and as Belle watched, the master answered as he swallowed.

"Since the day when we tried to save her, Gaston; remember?"

Belle uncovered her mouth when her husband's shoulders, which were formerly tight, relaxed as he replied.

"Oh… right… that time…"

Belle wasn't aware Matt had taken a step over towards her. When she looked at him, she met his eyes as he whispered.

"The master's wife was once like your, Belle; both the master and Gaston tried to save her on a hunting trip but the beast was gruesome. He took her life and she was pregnant like you were. Know the rumor about the Beast who supposedly haunts these woods?"

"I never heard of the tale, Matt; but it rings some bells. And how does this explain this with Gaston and myself?"

"The Beast, Belle, took Adam's wife and both Gaston and Adam tried to save her from him. He's been rumored to be spotted in this area and he lurks amongst the castle. That's why Gaston is here and why the master didn't kick him out."

"And yet they're friends?" Belle asked as her husband and the castle's owner walked forward. They entered a room apart from the main foyer and as Belle stepped away from the statue, she heard Matt answer.

"Yes. They've been trying to heal from that event but seems that the Beast still roams around the palace. The master believes the wolf pack could lead them to him."

"And Gaston is the perfect hunter for that." Belle replied and pieces of her husband's mysterious behavior was starting to come together. Here, Belle watched as her husband and Adam disappeared into a room apart from the main lobby as Matt answered.

"You got most of the picture, Belle; Adam wants Gaston to help him find the beast who took his wife's life."

"Then how is it that Adam never reached out to my husband in the first place?" Belle asked as she walked over to stand beside Matt. By this point, her husband and Adam were in the other room and she felt safe to be where she was. Matt, though she'd met him that morning, turned to her as he answered.

"Because when the beast took Adam's wife Gaston fled, Belle. And when news reached Gaston she was gone he blamed himself so much for shattering their friendship and hence," he gestured towards her unborn baby, "Gaston is the man who you married."

Belle felt a flutter of legs kick her and when she absorbed what Matt informed her about, she placed a hand to her unborn baby as she replied.

"So Adam wants to seek revenge on the beast who took his wife?"

"Yes. And he's not angry with Gaston which is a marvel."

Remembering how Gaston used to hurt her at times and call her his "little wife" and how he betrayed her at the tavern… no wonder Gaston never opened up if she ever asked him about his past… Belle rubbed her little baby as the kicking intensified and she was thankful for this! It meant the baby was healthy and wanting to meet their mother! Yet Belle still remembered her resolve about her husband but with the information she learned about him, rather than anger, though it still hurt, she looked over at the closed door where her husband and Adam were chatting.

"Maybe…" she began but at that moment, Matt glanced up as a shadowy figure zoomed across the ceiling. Matt's hand was placed on her shoulder when he said.

"Belle? Go downstairs and stay in the lobby. Don't move. The beast is here."

"The beast?" She asked but Matt looked at her and gave her a gentle nudge to make her way to the main lobby. He answered though his hand was still on her shoulder.

"Should have known the beast would be here. He's attracted to women and you're one of them."

"I'm what?" Belle asked but Matt looked at her as he finished.

'Belle? Downstairs and no questions asked."

The castle started to shake as Belle did as she was asked. Without questioning, she made her way down the stairs at the same time a voice called.

"Matt?! Whatever was that?"

By the time Belle made it to the main lobby, a few of the servants started to emerge from around the castle. The doors to the room where her husband and Adam were opened and she held her breath. She wondered if Gaston would be the first to come out and she didn't want to see him! Yet she couldn't push away the story she learned about from Matt. As the doors to the room opened, the castle started to shake and when Belle peered up, she widened her eyes when a dragon, as horrible looking as she'd read about in her novels, stared down at her and his eyes were fearsome.

"Belle! Get yourself out-"

A shattering noise sounded, glass flew across the floor, a huge claw reached down and Belle let out a scream when the dragon wrapped his claws tightly around her. As she was being lifted up, the doors to the room opened and her husband, Gaston, appeared and his eyes grew as wide as balls. The dragon turned to him in time as Belle tried to push herself free as Gaston shouted.

"Belle!"

But the sound of her husband was muted out when the dragon let out the loudest roar Belle ever heard in her life. She tried again to push herself out but the claws only tightened more. She realized if she tried again the baby would be lost! Instead, Belle looked at her husband as the beast pulled her out from the main lobby and through the broken ceiling. Then she was out in the morning light and the sun blinded her for a moment. When Belle blinked, she watched as the dragon blew out a huge blast of fire into the air; then he spread his wings and using his feet, pushed off the castle and soared into the sky. Belle became lightheaded and fainted.

The last thing she heard was the cry of her husband as he shouted.

' "Belle! NO!"