Beast

present.4

"if you don't come to this party with me tonight, I will personally castrate your lady balls and throw you in the dumpster." Karley pointed her finger at my forehead. I just scoffed, she knew my reasons for not wanting to go.

"Marguerite, are you seriously going to let this fear decide how you'll live your life. it's all a hoax made by our stupid council, The Beast does not exist! holy fuck it's just some weird tourist trap, get that into your thick skull!" I just rolled my eyes.

"If I come to this party tonight, you have to drive me to and from school for the rest of the year." I grinned wickedly. Karley groaned, contemplating the deal.

"Ugh fine. Get in, we need to start prepping." Karley tousled her hair, and turned on the ignition to her car as I hopped in. For the first time in a while, I was excited about something. Maybe not having to take the bus for the rest of the year or going to my first party. but what truly struck me is that I completely forgot about my rules and the time and everything concerning the beast. So perhaps, it never truly struck me at all.

A couple of hours of changing in and out of clothes, copious amounts of makeup passed, Karley decided that we were finally ready, much to my delight. I'm not really the kind of girl who loves makeup and fancy clothes and getting ready until my feet feel like they're about to fall off.

"Oh Em Gee! You look so hot!" Karley praised. I blushed, not used to this much attention. Glancing in the mirror, my strawberry hair tumbled down my back, my hazel eyes looking even brighter with my makeup. I smiled, lips glossy, I felt really nice.

A few minutes later, we arrived at the party. It was a clear night, the moon full and bright and stars shining through. I felt a shudder rake through my body, like the feeling you get when someone is watching you. I shook it off. There's so many people here. Of course someone's eyes probably glanced my way. As soon as I walked into the house, I immediately regretted it. It smelt like booze and rotting smoke, bodies were warm and sticky, I was suffocating, and wished to be in the fresh, cool air.

"Marguerite! Loosen up! You look like your cat got run over by a fucking garbage truck!" Karley attempted to tell me over the noise, as she handed me a drink. I only laughed, taking a sip of the drink.

She was right. All of my life I let a stupid fear control my body, my being, normal teenager things I should be experiencing. And for what? An old urban tale? Hell, there hasn't been an attack in years, so why do I do this to myself?

I let go. Completely and utterly. I dance and I drink and I have fun with my friends, which I haven't done ever. I deserve this. I deserve-

"You should stop drinking." A rich, velvety voice purred in my ear. I leaned back against a hard chest, sinking myself into whoever was behind me. It was so comfy and soft, like I could just hang onto this body forever. I breathed out why, as the voice reached out to my hand and caressed it with its own. Sparks travelled up and down my arm as if it were a series of fireworks.

Damn, I thought this stuff only happened in stories.

"It's my birthday today." I said softly, drinking in everything around me. The voice growled, and gripped me tighter.

"I am eighteen today" I muttered, slowly turning around. I stared at the chest, and reaching my hands up to the neck, not daring to stare into their eyes. Hands slinked around my waist, sparks exploding.

"Will you celebrate with me?" I whispered finally looking up underneath my sooty lashes. It was a man. So gorgeous and godly. I've never seen him before, yet I feel like I have known him my entire life. His eyes were like the sun, bright and golden and I couldn't stop staring at them no matter what was going on. His dark hair cascaded over them, and my fingers instinctively reached up to swat it away.

"So beautiful and so perfect. Mine. My girl. My love. My Mate." He murmured, voice low and husky. I didn't really understand what he was saying, his voice fluttered through my ears like water.

He gently took my side and walked me outside. My legs felt tired so I sat down on the grass and leaned against the house. I appreciated the loss of noise and bodies around me. "Did you see the moon tonight." I said. It wasn't really a question.

He hummed softly, sitting beside me and pulling me up on his lap. He nuzzled his nose into my neck, and I rested back against him.

"Every night my momma and I used to watch the moon." I started, as he was still cuddling into me.

"We would also look at the stars. She'd show me the Big Dipper and what one were the planets" He left a soft kiss on my neck and I almost gasped.

"W-we did it every night inside our home until." I stopped, choking up. He realized this too. He just stared at me, with his big, golden orbs. He didn't budge me to go on, just listened, to whatever I wanted to say.

"It's okay. I'm okay. Just forget that story. I'm not even sure why I started telling you that. I'm drunk I think and I'm a mess and I'm on your lap and by the way you are insanely hot and what the fuck is happening." I rambled. He just held me tighter and chuckled.

"Don't swear." He warned. I laughed. Was that the only thing he could get out of that?

"What's your name?" I wondered. I mean I was sitting on his lap for the love of god. He looked up to the moon, and closed his eyes.

"Nicholas." He whispered.

"Hi Nicholas, I'm Marguerite." I said and closed my eyes.