Fated to the Beast

Chapter 1: Strange Man

Under the cover of night, the sky darkened, yet the stars shimmered brilliantly, resembling fish swimming in a vast ocean. Anastasia found herself captivated by their beauty. The wind blew strongly, causing her to tuck strands of hair behind her ear. From the balcony, she observed the peaceful surroundings, where trees swayed gracefully in the wind. However, she knew this tranquility wouldn't endure for long.

The approaching summit demanded her action before morning arrived. Her mission was to be swiftly completed, allowing her father to seize control of the Kingdom of Angrelan. Yet she questioned why she was headed to a place where she knew he wouldn't be.

It was a dark and desolate room.

Despite her uncertainty, Anastasia found herself drawn back to the place where she shouldn't have returned. She couldn't comprehend why she felt compelled to revisit it after spending a few days with that mysterious beast. Still, she wondered if it would still be there.

What if it had escaped in her absence?

What if another beast now occupied that very room?

Would she be able to escape as she had before?

But then, what if the beast had met its demise?

Unexpectedly, she felt a sense of concern for its safety.

Upon entering the room, Anastasia found nothing but emptiness. It appeared as it did on the day she left, save for the repaired hole in the wall. However, disorder still reigned: chairs scattered on the ground, a torn bed occupying space, the room covered in dense dust and adorned with spiderwebs. There was no sign of the beast, only a vast, gloomy chamber. She had forgotten its desolation when she resided there with the creature, no longer bothered by the untidiness.

With a heavy sigh, she closed her eyes, determined to accomplish her purpose. Turning towards the door to depart, she discovered someone standing silently behind her, leaning against the room's walls. Startled, their eyes met. Dark blue eyes that held a hint of familiarity.

Her heart raced, unsure whether it was the intensity of the man's gaze or the realization that he posed a clear danger. Unaware of his presence until now, she didn't know who he was or how she should react in this situation. Given his strong aura, she deemed it best to feign ignorance of the room's nature and depart.

"Apologies, I must have lost my way," she said, adopting the persona of a fragile woman. However, her words remained unfinished as the man swiftly approached her. He moved so swiftly that it became difficult to distinguish reality from illusion. In an instant, he was before her, pressing his lips against hers with fervor.

Her eyes widened in surprise. She was unable to react promptly as he held the back of her head, pulling her into a trance-like state with his passionate kiss. She couldn't comprehend why her body didn't resist him. She should have pushed him away, but she couldn't fathom why she didn't.

Why didn't she reject him or even respond to his advances?

It was his scent that affected her. There was something familiar about it, but she couldn't place where she had encountered it before. Reality snapped back when she felt his hand on her chest, groping her. Finally, she pushed him away.

"What do you think you are doing?" she asked, shocked. However, the man merely gazed at her with those longing, dark blue eyes. She deduced that he must have mistaken her for someone else and sought to clarify the misunderstanding before any regrettable actions occurred between them.

"Are you searching for someone?" she calmly inquired, attempting to change the topic and escape the room unnoticed, lest her father discover her conversing with a stranger, let alone being kissed by one. She was here solely for her mission, and associating with him was not part of it. Furthermore, her father had explicitly forbidden her from interacting with anyone during their visit.

"Yes, I have been searching for someone," the man finally replied, stepping toward her once more. His voice sent shivers down her spine, but Anastasia decided it was time to retreat, sensing that this encounter would only lead to trouble.

"I found her," he added as he backed her against the wall. Then, his hand gently brushed her hair, tucking it behind her ear.

"You must have mistaken me for someone else," she responded uneasily, realizing she couldn't be the person he sought. She had never seen him before and knew nothing about him. Apart from representing her kingdom as a princess and possibly an assassin, she had never ventured beyond the palace walls. This was her first time outside the palace, and she hadn't encountered anyone in her life who lived beyond those walls.

The man merely smiled sadly, causing her to freeze as his hand gently lifted her chin. She flinched when he kissed her forehead. It was then that she caught a faint whiff of alcohol.

So, he was intoxicated. If that were the case, he wasn't in his right mind.

"I have missed you," he uttered abruptly, resting his head on her shoulder. Anastasia snapped back to reality. Unsure of what to do, she couldn't understand why her heart raced whenever she was near him.

Minutes passed.

"Mister," Anastasia said, realizing the man had been leaning on her shoulder for quite some time without moving. She carefully lowered him to the floor, where a carpet and pillows lay. Although it was unclean, it was the space where the beast had slept when she couldn't escape. Since she couldn't carry him to the distant bed without great effort and time, leaving him there seemed the best option. Bringing him out of the room would only invite trouble if someone discovered them together.

She glanced at the sleeping man one last time before leaving the room.

"It is best not to become acquainted with me, or you will regret it in the end," she murmured as she closed the door to the room, unaware that he had awakened. She observed him for a moment before hurrying away.

"I have found you now," the man said as he slowly opened his eyes.

"I won't let you go, even if you push me away or refuse to acknowledge me. I will find a way to make you mine, no matter the cost."

"My dear Anastasia."