Zoey examined him, wondering how he could look so human but not be. He was wearing a flannel and jeans, for crying out loud. Zoey had an image in her head where the Beast looked like a ghost from the 1800s. Or in all black, like he had attended a funeral. But no, he dressed pretty much like a farm boy.

She frowned once her eyes traveled to the smirk that got larger the more Zoey looked at him.

"Why can't I see your eyes?" The darkness that covered them messed with her head. It was a constant reminder that whatever was happing was out of the ordinary.

"I've already told you, it's for your own good."

Zoey let out a sigh. She was getting sick of having all these questions with no answers.

"What Zoey can tell you-" he got cut off from the front door opening.

"Sorry, Zoey, I forgot something." Ellie apologized while coming into the front door. She gave Zoey a confused look at her stance.

"We're you talking to someone?" She asked, examining around the room. Zoey glanced to the couch, but the Beast had vanished.

"Oh, uh no. I was just fixing up the couch."

Ellie nodded but the room filled with an awkward silence.

"Well, I'm just going to go grab what I forgot."

Zoey let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding once Ellie was out of sight. Zoey turned her attention back to the couch, looking for any signs of him.

"Beast? Beast?" Zoey whispered, placing her hand down on the couch. For some reason, she expected him to be there but invisible. Instead, her hand went right down on the soft blankets. Zoey leaned over the couch, looking for any place he could have gone but came up empty.

"Zoey?"

she leaned up from behind the couch, making eye contact with Ellie's concerned ones. Zoey's cheeks felt hot when she realized Ellie must have though she looked crazy.

"I'm heading out. Will you be okay? Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm okay, thank you."

"Are you sure?" Zoey responded with a nod.

"Alright then. Oh also, we have some company coming over, and we would love for you to join us."

Zoey agreed, and Ellie left out the door.

"How long are you staying here, Zoey?"

A soft gasp left her lips as Zoey didn't notice his presence behind her.

"Will you stop doing that?!"

"Answer my question." His hand shot out to grab her forearm, holding her in place.

"Why? It's not like you answer any of mine."

"Fine, let's stop playing games. Once you admit this is all real and give in to me, I'll tell you everything."

His grip only got tighter.

"What happens when I give into you?"

"You become mine."

She swallowed, trying to wet her parched throat.

"And if I don't want to be yours?"

"You will. It's only a matter of time."

࿓࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔

The Beast left her alone after that, but Zoey knew he was close.

She spent most of the morning unsure of what to do. There was no point in her being here anymore. Zoey decided to drive around the city and sightsee. It wasn't a huge city, but it was definitely bigger than her small town.

Zoey sat in her car facing a large grassy area in front of the university. They had giant trees full of orange and red leaves. It was a captivating sight.

She could almost imagine myself living here and attending school.

Zoey let her mind wonder to the Beast. What would he think of that? Zoey wondered if he'd follow her here, exclaiming that he had to protect her or if Zoey would finally be free from him and his watchful eyes.

Once four rolled around, Zoey headed back to Adam's home. Zoey pulled her slightly oily hair from her head decided she should shower. She wanted to look presentable for their guests.

Showering had been harder to do these past couple of months. Zoey didn't feel eyes on her in there, but she was constantly paranoid she was being watched. It got so bad she started showering in a swimsuit.

Zoey slipped the bright pink bikini on and quickly showered.

Once she was finished, she changed into a simple white sweater with some blue jeans.

Zoey headed down the hall when she heard some voices. Only Adam and Ellie were in the kitchen, so Zoey knew their guests had not arrived yet.

"Oh, Zoey, is that what you are wearing?" Adam asked the second she walked in the door. She nodded, peering down at her outfit. What was wrong with it?

"And you could have at least put on a bit of makeup."

Zoey winched at his harsh tone and gripped her elbow.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll go fix myself."

She turned to back to their guest bathroom, trying to stop her eyes from tearing up.

Zoey swiped her eyes with a bit of eyeshadow and followed it with mascara. She debated changing, but it was the cutest outfit Zoey brought.

She hesitantly walked downstairs, feeling unsure of myself. Her arms crossed tightly over her body as all Zoey wanted to do was turn around and go home.

"Oh, Zoey, come meet Sebastian."

Ellie led her to the dining table and introduced me to the man sitting next to Adam.

"You and Sebastian are pretty close in age. You two should get to know each other, so you have a friend when you attend the university."

she set him a friendly smile, but Zoey understood now what the fuss about her looking appealing was.

It's not that Zoey didn't find this man attractive. She did, but with what's been going on, making friends or having a boyfriend was not on her radar. How could Zoey when she had a beast breathing down her neck, watching her every move? A monster who has his heart set on making her his.

She blended into the background as they continued their conversation. Zoey could tell Adam and Sebastian were good friends besides their age gap. Sebastian is an intern at the company where Adam works, which is how they met.

Zoey noticed that Sebastian would look over at her a few times. Whenever Zoey met his glance, he would send her a dazzling smile that filled her belly with butterflies.

Finally, the dinner was finished when Sebastian mentioned having to leave.

"Oh, that's right. We wish we could go with you but we already made other plans. Oh, would you want to take Zoey with you instead? She hasn't been in the city that much."

Sebastian nodded, liking the idea.

"Would you like to come, Zoey?"

"Oh, I don't know. I have-"

"I promise you'll have fun." His eyes pleaded with mine. Zoey gave up and agreed to go with him. It's not like her brother would let her go with him if he didn't trust him.

Zoey stood up to leave with him, but Ellie stopped her. "You might want to wear something else."

She tilted her quizzically, wondering where we could be going that Zoey would need to change.

"I didn't really pack anything better than this."

"Don't worry, Zoey have something for you."

Zoey followed her down the hall to her and Adams's bedroom. Ellie dug into her closet while Zoey sat down on the bed.

"Ah hah! I knew I still had this."

Ellie shoved a maroon dress and a pair of white heels into her hands. "Wear this and come to the living room once you're ready."

She eyed the dress once Ellie left. The fabric was soft and stretchy, which Zoey liked.

"You're not actually going, are you?"

Zoey only flinched this time. She must be getting used to his sudden appearances.

"I am." Zoey turned to face him with a glare.

"Don't go."

"Why? Seriously if you give me one answer as to why I shouldn't go, then I'll stay."

She didn't want to go out with Sebastian anyway, but she would if it helped her get answers.

"It's not safe."

"Why?" Zoey was getting tired of that word.

He gave her no response.

"Then I'm going." Zoey spat, anger heating her blood.

"Please, Zoey, don't do this."

"I don't trust you. Hell, I don't even know what you are. You don't get to tell me what I can and can't do. Until I get a better understanding of what your business with me is, I'm going to do what I want."

The Beast was silent. His body seemed tense, and his hands turned into fists. Zoey had a feeling he wanted to tell her, but he couldn't.

"Will you please leave so I can get dressed?"

She started stripping from her clothes once she knew he was gone. Zoey slid the maroon dress on, realizing it was tight and left no curves unseen. Though the dress covered her arms and went down just below her knees, it exposed her back. Zoey wasn't used to wearing anything like this, but she didn't have another choice.

Zoey fixed her hair, making it look more put together. She took a quick peek in the mirror, knowing the more she looked in the mirror, the more unsure she would become of her appearance.

Everyone was waiting in the living room when Zoey stepped out. her brother and sister-in-law wore an approving smile once they looked upon the dress. It genuinely surprised her that Adam was okay with his little sister going out like this.

"Are you ready?" Sebastian asked, holding the door open for her. Zoey nodded and stepped out into the chilly night. The dress doing absolutely nothing to fight against the cold.

"You kids have fun but not too much fun!" Adam called out to us just as Zoey climbed into Sebastian's truck.

As she turned to put on her seatbelt, Zoey caught a glimpse of a dark silhouette watching the car closely.

࿓࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔࿔

Thanks for reading!! What are your thoughts on The beast? What do you think of Zoey's brother?