The Beast (Harry Styles)

Chapter Seventeen

Home at last, Adeline is elated!

But not all is good, time has faded;

Things have changed, and not for the better,

So I'll start the late chapter, but better late than never!

~.~

As my father emerged into the threshold of the living room, I gasped.

He hobbled on his right foot, his left barely supported by a crutch. It was wrapped in white gauze that covered almost his entire leg.

"Father!" I called in disbelief and bewilderment. Walking over to him, I draped his arm around my shoulders to help him stand. "What happened to you?"

"Just an. . .accident." He let out a hiss and threw his head back in pain. "I'll be back to work soon."

"This isn't just an accident!" Shaking my head, I led my father back into our small living room.

Sam sat on the couch with concerned look upon his face and a book in his hand. When his yes met mine, he started to laugh.

"I told them you had a helluva spirit and would be damned if anyone tried to control you," Sam mused smugly.

"Yeah, yeah," my father muttered as I guided him next to Sam. Sitting down next to him, my father admitted, "But I really thought I would never see you again, Adeline; you had us scared for a while there."

"William had me worried," I said taking a seat across from the two men. "It wasn't even the forest or finding a castle in the middle of it all; when I found his necklace laying on the side of the road, it honestly--"

Thump!

I stood up immediately and ran into the entrance foyer.

My mother was in the corner, hand over mouth, watching Harry--who was on the floor--and William, who stood over him.

"What are you doing?" I screamed at William as he leaned forward Harry, positioned to strike once again.

I hurried over to the fallen man; his shallow breathing and visible shaking struck the match to a candle I hoped would never be lit.

"What are you doing?" William looked towards me like I was a mad man. "He's the Beast! He imprisoned me and enslaved you!"

"No he didn't!" I paused for a second and offered a hand to Harry. "Okay, technically he did, but just because you've seen the cover and read a chapter doesn't mean you know the story!" Harry took my hand, and with a pained expression, stood up.

"Stop speaking in metaphors Adeline!"

William's eyes held a crazed look as if he was looking for anything, literally anything, to argue about. No matter what I said, he would come back and say something terrible about Harry.

"What she means," Harry started and took my hand in his, "is that, considering the time she has spent with me, she believes that even though your judgment may be correct pertaining to the time you have had with me, hers is more accurate."

"Exactly," I said agreeing with Harry's explanation and giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.

"So what now? Are you on his side?" William assumed to attack me.

"Compared to the true ignorance of your statement, I'd say she is," Joshua piped in as he remained still standing in the doorway.

"And why should I believe any word that comes out of your filthy mouth, Joshua?" William stepped closer to him. "Weren't you the one who encouraged me to find him? Or jump off the cliff? Oh, can't forget about the time you had me destroy your own father's store--"