Chapter 9 Beast
Nine
Beast
I wake up hard as a rock and desperate for my mate. Which is not new. I’ve woken up like this every day since Belle first stepped foot in my castle. What is new is the fact that when I reach for her, she’s not in our bed.
I sit up with a growl, and everything spins.
Fuck.
Right. The curse breaking. Nearly dying. All that fun stuff.
“Belle?” My voice comes out even rougher than normal.
“I’m here.” She appears from the bathing room, already dressed.
She’s grinning. Fucking beautiful in a soft pink silk dress that looks fucking amazing on her lush curves and deep brown skin.
Her soft curls falling down her shoulders.
Healthy, radiant… I can’t believe she’s mine. “How are you feeling?”
“Horny.”
She laughs. “Of course you are. But how are you actually feeling, love?”
“I just told you.”
“Pierre.” She sits on the edge of the bed, pressing a hand to my forehead like I’m a child with a fever. “You collapsed yesterday. You were practically dead. You need to rest.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. You’re recovering from breaking a decades-old curse.” Her voice is firm. “Which means you need to rest.”
I stare at her. “Rest?”
“Yes.”
“Alone?”
“Exactly.”
“Belle.” I reach for her, but she wiggles out of my reach. “I’m a Beast. I don’t need to rest. I need to fuck my mate.”
“Beast…”
“But I’ve been resting for hours.”
“It’s been one night!”
“Exactly. More than enough.” I try to stand, but the world tilts alarmingly. I have to grab the bedpost.
Belle is immediately at my side, shaking her head while helping me steady. “See? Back in bed. Now.”
“I’m not weak,” I protest, still letting her guide me back under the covers. “Just adjusting.”
“Uh-huh.” She pulls the blankets up over me like I’m an invalid. “You’re staying in bed. Doctor’s orders.”
“You’re not a doctor.” I grumble, crossing my huge arms over my broad chest.
“I’m your mate.” She winks and leans to kiss my frown, clouding me in her scent, making my hard cock jump under the sheets, and my balls tighten. “I’ll have Louise bring us breakfast. You’re going to eat, rest, and behave, Beast.”
“Belle…”
But she’s already heading for the door.
“I mean it, Pierre!” she calls back. “No getting up. No tiring yourself. And definitely no…”
“Fucking?” I ask with frustrated grumpiness.
Her only answer is a bright, warm laugh. The door closes behind her, and I’m left alone with a rock-hard dick and my wounded pride.
Louise arrives thirty minutes later with a tray of food.
“Oh, poor master,” she fusses, setting the tray across my lap. “You look terrible, sire.”
“Thank you,” I grumble.
“I mean, you look tired. Which makes sense.” She starts arranging pillows behind my back. “You need to eat everything on this tray. Build your strength back, my lord.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. Lady Belle said you almost fell trying to stand.”
“She’s exaggerating.”
“She’s worried about you. We all are.” She pours my tea. “Now eat, please. I made your favorites.”
The food is amazing, but eating is not what I want to be doing right now.
What I want is my mate. Naked under me. Or on top of me… I’m not picky. I chuckle to myself before smothering my laughter.
“Where is Belle?” I ask Louise between bites.
“The mistress is exploring the castle with Rosalie. She wants to see how everything’s changed now that the curse is broken.” Louise smiles. “She’s delightful, sire. You chose well.”
“She chose me,” I reply, feeling my expression relax into a smile.
Louise grins back at me. “I’ll check on you in a few hours, my lord. Please get some rest!”
Then she’s gone.
When I try to get up, the world spins again, and I have to sit back down with a growl of frustration.
Fine, maybe I’m a little weak. But that doesn’t mean I can’t…
The door opens, and Belle peeks in.
“Just checking on you,” she singsongs with a bright smile on her lovely face.
“I’m fine.”
“Oh, you’re pouting,” she teases me, framing my face with her delicate hands.
“I don’t pout,” I mumble through clenched teeth, crossing my arms again.
“Definitely pouting.” She giggles. “The castle is amazing, Pierre. Everything is so beautiful. The forest is full of animals again. There are even deer in the rose garden!”
“That’s nice.” I can’t help but smile at her happiness. I reach for her. “Come here, sweet.”
“No.”
“Belle…”
“You need to rest.”
She laughs and kisses my cheek. My fucking cheek. Like I’m a child or a pet.
“I’ll be back later,” she promises. “Behave.”
Then she’s gone again. I last about ten minutes before I try to get up and go find her. I make it three steps before Gideon appears in the doorway.
“Going somewhere, sire?”
“Out.”
“Lady Belle said you’re supposed to stay in bed, sire.”
I glower at him. “I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine, my lord. We watched you stop breathing. We were there when your mate sobbed over your body thinking you were dead.” His voice cracks. “I think you’ve earned a day in bed, sire.”
The image of Belle crying over me makes my chest tight. And my poor staff… they’ve suffered enough because of me.
“Fine,” I mutter.
Gideon nods and heads back to the door with a grin. “Try to sleep, my lord. You look exhausted.”
“I’m not…” I sigh, cutting myself.
We exchange a look, then he closes the door. Stubborn old bastard.
I climb back in bed, but by early afternoon, I’m losing my mind. I slept, ate, stared at the ceiling for hours.
What I haven’t done is touched my mate… And it’s fucking killing me.
The bond in my chest keeps pulling, urging me to go find her, claim her, remind her who she belongs to.
When the door opens again, I’m ready to jump out of my skin.
“Belle, thank fuck…”
“It’s Rosalie, sire.”
I deflate and growl, “What do you want?”
“Just checking on you, my lord.” She’s bringing another tray. “Mistress Belle sent me.”
“She should have come herself.”
“She has, sire. Three times. But you were asleep.”
Was I? Wow, I must be much more affected than I thought… “How long have I been in bed?”
“Since this morning, my lord.”
An entire day without Belle. Without touching her, tasting her, being inside her… I’m gonna die.
“She’s giving you time to heal,” Rosalie hurries to add, pouring my tea. “Because she loves you and wants you healthy.”
“I am healthy,” I snarl at the poor girl. “I don’t need time. I need my mate.”
She smiles. “And you’ll have her, sire. When you’re stronger.”
“I’m strong enough now.”
“Are you?” She sets down a cup. “Can you stand without feeling dizzy? Can you cross the room without needing to sit down?”
I don’t answer, because we both know I can’t.
“Give it one more day, please, sire. For Lady Belle,” she adds.
I harrumph.
* * *
I spend the rest of the afternoon doing absolutely nothing. Just lying in bed, hard, frustrated and going insane.
When Belle comes in for dinner, I’m ready to pounce on her.
“Finally,” I growl, reaching for my mate.
She dances out of reach, laughing. “How are you feeling?”
“Belle.” I use my most reasonable voice. “I haven’t touched you in a day. I’m going insane. Please just…”
She sets down a dinner tray. “Eat first. Then we’ll see.”
“We’ll see?”
“Depending on how well you behave.”
I stare at her. “You’re withholding sex until I eat dinner?”
“I’m incentivizing good behavior.” She grins.
I eat the damn food. The meat. And vegetables. The bread. And dessert. Even drink my water. While Belle sits next to me, telling me about her day exploring the castle and grounds.
“The gardens are incredible, Pierre,” she says. “There are flowers I’ve never seen before. And the library… Beast, there are even more books than I realized. Entire sections I didn’t notice before.”
“That’s nice,” I say absently, not really listening. I’m too busy watching her full mouth move, remembering what it feels like wrapped around my…
“Are you paying attention?”
“Yes. Books. Gardens. Very exciting.” I set aside the empty tray. “Now come here.”
“Baby…”
“I ate everything. I’ve been good. Real good. I need you, mate.” My voice drops. “Please, Belle. I’m dying here.”
She bites her plump bottom lip. “You’re supposed to be resting…”
“I’ll rest after. I promise. But right now, I need to be inside you or I’m gonna lose my fucking mind.”
“You nearly died yesterday…”
“And I’m alive today. Because of you. Because you came back, broke the curse, and gave me everything.” I reach for her hand, bringing it to my chest where my heart is pounding. “Feel that? That’s because of you. You’re my life, Belle. And I need you. Now.”
I watch her resistance crumble. Her eyes softening.
“Fine,” she finally replies with a sly smile. “But I’m in charge. You’re still recovering.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I grin with all my teeth. Must be terrifying…
But of course, Belle is unfazed. “I mean it, Beast. You stay on your back. Let me do the work.”
The image of her riding me makes my cock pulse. Full tits, wide, round hips… and that thick ass… bouncing… within reach. Her soft skin, her scent, her noises… her heat…her slick. I start to feel a bit dizzy and it’s not from exhaustion anymore.
“Yes, darling. Whatever you want.”
She’s already pulling off her dress, and the sight of her naked makes my mouth water.
“God, I missed you,” I breathe.
“It’s been eight hours, Beast.”
“Way too fucking long.”
She climbs on the bed, straddling my waist, and I groan at the feel of her bare, hot, wet pussy against my long, hard, thick shaft.
“Ready?” my mate asks in a husky voice that feels like a caress on my heavy balls.
“Been ready since I woke up, sweetheart.”
Belle lifts herself up, aligning the thick head of my cock with her already slickened folds, rubbing my precum at her entrance, then she sinks down, moaning when I first breach her, pulling a growl from me.
I grab her generous hips, pulling her down.
Flush. Fully seated. Letting us both feel.
How full she is of me. How tight she is for me.
Pulsing around me. While I throb inside her. Fucking heaven. Home.
“Fuck,” I gasp. “Belle…”
“Shh. Stay still. Let me take care of you,” she says through trembling lips.
Our eyes stay connected as she rides me slowly, and it’s the sweetest torture I’ve ever experienced.
I want to flip her over and pound into her.
Wanna take control and make her fucking scream.
Not just these soft, almost pained, little moans every time I hit deep inside her.
With sweat beading at her temples, her curls frizzing, large breasts bouncing in my hands. So goddamn perfect.
“That’s it,” I encourage. “Use me, little omega. Take what you need. All fucking yours. My heart. My cock… my fucking knot.”
My words seem to trigger something in her. Belle’s moving faster, with her hands braced on my chest, her head thrown back, lips parted on a silent cry of pleasure.
Beautiful. So fucking beautiful.
Then she comes, clenching around me, sucking me in deep, milking me.
I have no choice but to let go too. My knot swells, locking us together, and she collapses against my chest with a ragged moan.
I hold her tight. Never wanting to let go.
Even more so after a day of torture where I couldn’t get my hands on my mate.
I nuzzle her temple, and she presses her face into the crook of my neck.
We’re both scenting each other. Pressing kisses on our damp skins.
Enjoying the last ripples of our orgasm. Together. Connected. One.
“Better?” she asks after a long moment of us basking in our afterglow.
“Much,” I rumble and wrap my arms around her soft, warm body, holding her even closer. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For coming back. For saving me. For loving me even when I’m being difficult.”
My mate laughs softly before simply answering, “You’re mine.”
My heart swells. “Forever?”
“Forever, my prince.”