After the delicious dinner, Alec waited until everyone was asleep and began to creep out of his bed. He knew that his grandfather trusted him now to explore the grounds more, but he still didn't want to wake him or his little sister.
"I gotta meet Lucinda," He thought.
He wanted nothing more than to control these beastly urges once and for all. He slowly crept down the hallway. As he did, he noticed how he wasn't knocking things over with his tail or letting his huge size bump into anything breakable.
'Guess I'm getting used to this beast body.' Alec thought.
Alec quietly made his way down the large stairwell and tip toed past the maid's room. He was almost distracted by the smell of the wonderful pie Celia made earlier!
'Oh, man! I wish I could have a slice now!' He thought. But he knew that he couldn't risk waking anyone. Without giving it another thought, he crept out the back door and into the woods. He began walking through the tall grass and looked up at the beautiful moon that was rising high by now.
"This place is amazing! Maybe living here instead of the city would be better," Alec thought outloud. In reality, when we all get a chance, being in a magical and beautiful forest is much better than the city.
As Alec began to walk peacefully through the forest, the wind began to flow through his hair.
"Wow….magic is all over this place. I can feel it! he said softly, now letting thr magical flow through his hair. He looked into a nearby pool and saw his beastly face, but for some reason he didn't mind.
"Even though I know I'm a beast, this is part of who I am. I'm grateful to have someone like Lucinda and my family to help me."
And as he spoke those words, Lucinda flew down from a nearby tree and landed in front of him.
"Hey there Alec," She smiled sweetly.
"Hey." Alec grinned, now blushing a bit.
"Why Alec, are you blushing?" She smiled, now getting closer and closer to his face.
Alec began to step back, not sure what to do.
"I-I…"
"Relax there."
"But that doesn't mean I won't steal a kiss later," He said under his breath.
"What was that?"
"Oh nothing!"
She arched a playful brow and grinned at him, gently taking his pawed hand.
"Come on, it's time for me to tell you how we can solve this beast issue." She grinned, now leading him deeper into the beautiful and mystical forest.
Alec had goosebumps as Lucinda lead him to the most remote spot in the Enchanted Forest.
When he did, he was greeted by a group of friendly looking fairies. One had long blue hair with a matching dress, one had short red hair and a dress that glowed like fire, and there was Meadow herself.
Alec smiled and waved at Meadow. Meadow smiled and was about to wave back until her sister stepped forward. She meekly put her hand down.
Lucinda clapped her hands together. "Ladies! The spell book!"
The two fairies looked around.
Lucinda frowned. "LADIES! Spell book! Stat!"
"Uh...we can't find it, Lucinda." said the two fairies.
"UGH! For flying out loud!" Lucinda uncharacteristically complained. "It must be back at the treehouse!" She pointed at Meadow. "Stay here and keep an eye on Alec!" Lucinda and her friends took off.
Alec turned to Meadow. "Uh, is Lucinda okay? She seemed kinda...tense."
"It's okay. She's always like that." Meadow replied. "Alec, I want to give you something." She reached into her satchel and took out a necklace with a gold chain and a blue gemstone.
"What is it?" asked Alec, admiring the trinket.
"It's a friendship necklace." Meadow smiled as she put it on Alec the Beast. "You're the first friend I've ever made, Alec. So, I want you to have it and keep it and never take it off. Um, you are my friend, right?"
To her relief, Alec smiled and tucked the necklace under his shirt. "Of course we are. I'll keep this necklace close to my heart." He picked up a scent. "Mmmm! What's that delicious smell?!" He got really close to Meadow and started sniffing her.
"Hahahahahahaha! Hey! That tickles!" Meadow giggled.
"Oops! Sorry!" Alec backed away. "I-It was my beast instincts again!"
Meadow just laughed it off. "It's okay! I think you're smelling the fairy wands I made!" From her magic satchel she took out a plate of pretzel sticks dipped in different brightly colored chocolate and decorated with sparkly sprinkles.
The kind fairy offered Alec the plate and the young beast instantly grabbed a pawful and chomped them in his maw.
"I love your appetite, Alec!" Meadow said joyfully.
"Really? You're not disgusted?" Alec said, brushing crumbs off of him.
Meadow shook her head. "Nope. It just show some you like my cooking!" Her wings fluttered with glee.
"I'm glad I have a friend like you, Meadow." Alec said. "And-"
"Alec!" Luncinda and her friends came back. "Okay! I got the spell book!" She opened it and flipped through the pages until she found the right page. "Ah-ha!"
Lucinda muttered the spell and waved her hand. An altar was placed in the middle of the clearing.
Intricate white magic lines and symbols were placed in a circle. Lucinda pointed to the center. "Right there, Al! Let's get this party started!"
Alec stood as directed. Lucinda, Meadow, and the two other fairies positioned themselves around Alec and held their hands out, closing their eyes.
Their bodies began to glow as they whispered the incantation.
The circle around Alec began to glow. The letters anenoff the ground and swirled around the beast. Everything spiraled around Alec so quickly, it became a big blur.
An enormous light flashed, the entire area was engulfed in light.
When the light died down, Alec opened his eyes.
But he was still a beast. Nothing changed.
"Huh?" said Alec
"WHAT?!" Lucinda shrieked. "It didn't work?!"
ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!
Hearing that familiar thunderous roar, Terence came bursting out of the forest.
And he was ANGRY.
"EEEP!" Meadow squealed and hid behind Alec. This beast she was looking at was bigger and scarier than Alec!
"Grandpa?!" Alec was beyond confused. What was happening?!
"So, this is where you were!" Terence snarled. "You wicked fairies thought you could take my grandson?!"
"Wicked fairies?!" Alec turned to Meadow, who meekly looked away.
Lucinda scowled at the elderly beast. "Of course you had to show up." Before Alec's eyes, Lucinda's flawless face melted away, her gold hair turned black, even her white gown changed.
No longer was Lucinda the kind, innocent fairy Alec knew. Lucinda had revealed her true form.
She was a tall woman with a scowl so nasty, it could spoil milk. Her skin was grey and her hair and lips were black as her heart.
Lucinda leered her yellow eyes. "I was hoping I'd erase your grandson from existence. But for some unexplained reason, the spell didn't work!" She turned to Meadow, who was still hiding from Lucinda's wrath.
"Erase me from existence?!" Alec said, shocked.
"That's right." Lucinda smirked. "Tell me, did you ever wonder how the beast became a beast?"
"Yeah! An evil fairy turned him into a beast!" Ellie said.
Terence jumped. "ELLIE! I told you to stay a time the castle!"
Ellie just shrugged. "And miss al the action? No way!"
"That's right! The evil fairy! Who's MY ancestor!" Lucinda laughed. "Turns out, turning a prince into a beast wasn't enough! And when that Beauty girl fell in love with him, the spell was broken and lost most of her power! But now that I'M the next evil fairy, I plan to rid the world of beasts once and for all!"
"What...?" Alec was heartbroken. "But...I thought-"
"I liked you?" Luncinda laughed loud and cruelly. "Oh, please! You beasts are the most disgusting creatures on the planet!"
"You're the disgusting one!" Terence retorted.
"NO! You and your whole family are! First, you father left my great grandma out in the pouring, drawing cold rain! Then I get kissed by a beast!" she gagged.
"Well, just like your ancestors, you won't get away with this!" Terence growled.
"HEY!"
Terence spun around and saw the blue fairy and red fairy holding Ellie hostage.
"Don't think so, Gramps." Lucinda sniffed. "An evil fairy loves to hit below the belt!"
Terence's anger reached to a boil. And Alec was the same. They growled and snarled ferociously, they wanted to attack. But not with Ellie as a hostage.
Lucinda rolled her eyes and continued to mock them. "Oh, please. Snarling like the filthy animals you really are isn't gonna-"
"AAAAAAAAH!"
"AAAAAAAAAAA! MY HAND!"
Lucinda looked back and saw her fairy fiends writhing in pain. She saw spilt blood.
But another disturbing sight was Ellie. She was free, but also changing.
Light brown fur was sprouting on her face. Her fingernails grew into sharp claws. And her teeth became fangs.
And she growled louder than Terence and Alec combined.
Terence saw his chance and sucker punched Lucinda. She was sent flying and crashed into several trees.
Alec rushed to her sister. "Ellie! You're-a beast?!"
Ellie looked at her hairy arms. "Huh. I guess I am."
Terence laughed. "Looks like it didn't skip your generation after all!"
Alec couldn't help but laugh. "Guess that explains your appetite!"
But the moment was ruined when the two fairies got to their feet.
"YOU LITTLE BRAT!" snarled the blue fairy. "You almost bit my hand off!"
"You nearly severed my finger!" whined the red fairy.
"Don't be a bunch of babies!" Ellie snipped. "You deserved it anyway!"
The fairies were ready to strike back. They gather forward but they were blasted by a burst of green energy. They screamed in pain as they fell down unconscious.
It was Meadow who shot them down. "Jerks." she muttered.
"Meadow!" Alec said, approaching her. "You...saved us!"
"Yeah, Lucinda always told me beasts were monsters. But after meeting you, I realize that she was wrong. Dead wrong. So-"
"MEADOOOOOOOOOW!"
Lucinda stormed out of the forest, her yellow aura filled with rage. "YOU BEAST LOVING TRAITOR! YOU WILL PAY!"
Lucinda fired a blast of magic, but Meadow created a sparkly green shield to block her sister's attack and sent it back to her.
"In your face, sis!" Meadow said as he attack made a direct hit at Lucinda. The evil fairy was shot down to the ground.
Ellie leaped like a lion cub and tackled Lucinda. She gnawed on her face and shredded her head with her claws.
Terence and Alec jumped into the fray and began mauling Lucinda. She couldn't say a spell or use any magic as the Beast family pummeled, bit, and shredded her in a whirlwind of rage.
Once the beasts vented all their frustrations, Lucinda was defeated, battered, and needless to say, bruised and bloody.
"Think we went too far?" Alec asked.
"Perhaps." Terence said. "But ferocity is one of a beast's greatest assets. But we'll have to learn to control it. Okay?"
"Okay, grandpa." Alec and Ellie said together.
"But first..." Terence snapped his fingers.
In an instant, Delia and Celia appeared.
"We'll take it from here." said Celia. The two fairy maids cast a spell to tie Lucinda and her henchfairies like mummies in magical rope.
"Well, done everyone!" Delia said. "We've been after this little pest for a long time."
"The Fairy Council will see to her punishment." said Celia.
"Wait, Fairy Council?!" Alec said.
"That's right." said Meadow. "The fairies are ruled by a queen. But they also have a council of course."
"Right. And once we heard a new beast was coming to the magical realm. My sister and I went undercover in hopes of ferreting Lucinda out." Delia said.
"And I can't thank you enough, ladies." Terence said gratefully. "There will be a little extra in your paychecks." He winked.
The fairies smiled and disappeared with their prisoners. Meadow saw the sad look in Alec's eyes.
"You gonna be okay, Al?" she asked.
"Yeah, I just can't believe Luncinda fooled me like that."
"Don't feel bad. She fooled me about beasts. In fact, I was on board about her beast extinction plan until I met you. She told me that's beasts were evil and stuff, but she's been the evil one all along. That's why I gave you that necklace."
"The necklace?"
Meadow nodded. "Yeah, whoever wears it is impervious to magic. That's why the ritual was a bust."
"Thanks, Meadow." Alec hugged the good fairy.
"Yes, thank you! You saved my grandson!" said Terence. "So, Meadow. I'd love to have you for dinner..." He licked his lips.
"EEEEE!" Meadow jumped into Alec's arms.
"Grandpa!" the young beast scolded.
Terence chuckled. "Just kidding. Couldn't resist."
newbienovelistRD: Liking it so far? Just one more chapter left! Leave reviews and be nice please!
To guestsurprise: Hey, Amiga! Let's talk in another story! I'd like to chat about some story ideas!