I was in this twilight sort of state as the Beast lifted me off the ground and held me close to his chest.

The soft touch of his mouth to the crown of my head as he gave me a gentle kiss did funny things to my heart.

When did I fall for this creature? How could I have fallen for him so quickly?

When did I realize that just because someone had an outwardly monstrous appearance didn’t mean their inner selves were ghastly?

Because as I thought of my husband, felt him hold me, took in his wild scent, all I felt was this warmth and safety in his arms.

The movement of him walking through the forest, holding me as he presumably went back to the castle, was enough to lull me into a dreamlike state.

The sweat had dried on my body, and I was sore between my thighs, so wet and sticky from the remnants of his orgasm and mine.

In fact, my entire body felt covered in his cum and marks, his primal bites and scratches. I found myself inhaling once again, taking in the scent of him because it felt like the most perfect thing in the world.

It felt like home, like this was where I was always meant to be.

“Thank you for protecting me,” I murmured sleepily and burrowed deeper against him.

I felt him running the smooth side of one of his massive horns against my cheek, the sound of him scenting me loud and arousing and so very perfect.

“I will always protect you. You are my life, and without you there is no me.”

Oh, my heart softened even more, became painful as it pounded harder and faster behind my ribcage.

Before I knew it, we were within the castle and he was striding up the stairs. I did nothing but let him carry me, his furry body so warm and big and soft that I felt my smile stay in place.

The sound of a door opening and closing roused me, and then cool satin touched my naked skin. I blinked open my eyes, a dim glow coming from a candelabra sitting on the nightstand beside the four-poster bed.

I shifted onto my side and watched as the Beast disappeared behind a doorway.

Staring at the candelabra, I noticed the wax dripping down the brass stem to the base, then glanced at the small table over by the big picture window. A beautiful array of long stem red roses sat within a glass vase, a few petals having fallen to lie on the lacquered top.

The sound of running water drew me out of my thoughts, and a second later the Beast was walking back toward me, pulling my focus from the flowers to my husband.

I marveled at his sheer size, at the way his muscles were visible under all that dark fur. The candlelight caught his impressive horns, and the flickering light and shadows would have made him seem almost frightening if I hadn’t already known how gentle he could be with me.

His tail flicked back and forth behind him, and my face heated, my body tingling when I remembered what he’d done with that piece of his body as he fucked me in the forest.

I wasn’t sure what he was doing until he was on his haunches beside the bed, his body still so big despite him crouched on the floor, and holding up a warm cloth.

A surprised gasp left me as he placed it between my thighs, the heat pulling a hiss from me because I was so sensitive.

“You don’t have to—”

“Shhh, let me take care of my wife.” He gently cleaned me up, and all the while he stared into my eyes. There was this almost softness washing over his expression as his eyes became hooded. “It pleases me to tend to you, to ensure I’ve taken care of you after I’ve fucked you.”

Butterflies fluttered in my belly at his words, and despite the soreness I felt, desire licked at my body once more.

Once he was done cleaning me, he lay behind me and pulled me in close to his chest. His body was warm, all that fur like my own personal blanket as I snuggled in closer to him.

I turned in his arms and tipped my head back, looking up and into his face, tracing his horns and fangs, his tusks and feline-like flat nose with my gaze.

“You’re beautiful.” I murmured the truth.

“I am a monster, ghastly. I know this.”

I was shaking my head before he finished. “You’re fearsome and strong, protective and beautiful in my eyes.”

He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes for a second. “Say it again.” He opened his eyes, the color flashing red, and a growl laced his words.

I knew what he wanted, what he meant, and it wasn’t sweet endearments falling from my lips. I shimmied up on the mattress so I could kiss him, then ran my tongue along his tusk, which pulled a groan from him.

His cock was hard as it pressed against me, seed already smearing along my leg.

“I’m yours,” I whispered against his lips, never having spoken truer words than those.

He growled and I found myself on my back again with my beastly husband hovering over me.

“You are mine. Forever. Let anyone try and take you from me, and they’ll see how dangerous I truly am.”

“I never want to be anywhere else.”

He closed his eyes once more and his shoulders tensed. “One day I’ll make you fall in love with me.”

Oh my sweet, big brute of a husband. I cupped his cheek and sifted my fingers through his fur.

“I’m already on my way there.” My voice was whisper-soft, and his answer was a rough sound pulled from his throat as he parted my thighs and slid back into my deliciously sore body.

He opened me up and filled me to the brim. And he did so for the rest of the night.