The Beasts of Gevaudan- Part 2

Adam and Belle are determined to defeat the Beast of Gevaudan- and if that means Adam has to bulk up even more and grow stronger, so be it. Enjoy!

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Belle and Adam were seated in the parlor before the library, huddled around the fireplace. It was a familiar scene; a little more than a year ago when they had sat here after Adam had saved Belle from a pack of ravenous wolves, and just as then, Belle was bandaging cuts and wounds Adam sustained from another fight.

He had become the beast again; even bigger and stronger than he had been, a mountain of muscle, fur, and claws. There was tension in the room— Adam had hidden his transformation from her, and a monster that seemed to be just as strong as him was stalking the woods outside the castle.

Adam sighed heavily, leaning forward as he hunched over the entire couch set before the fireplace, Belle curled up on the floor and resting against his leg. "What else do you want to know?" he rumbled.

"Everything," she replied.

He nodded. "Very well. It was two months ago, when I was out hunting. I came across the spring, and stopped so Philippe and I could take a drink. But as I knelt down, I nearly jumped out of my skin— I saw the Beast's face staring back at me."

Belle's brows arched. "I had no idea— why didn't you tell me?"

Adam looked past her, staring into the fire. "Because… it's not the first time I've seen his reflection."

Belle looked up to him, resting her hand on his lap. "Adam…"

He sighed heavily, gently taking her hand in his, engulfing it entirely. "I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to worry. But after finding the spring, things… changed. When I dreamt about being the Beast again, it was always a nightmare. Being treated like an animal, a monster— hunted down. But after that, the dream shifted— I was running through the woods, feeling more free and more powerful than I ever had before. I dreamt of being strong again— strong enough to protect you and everything I love, from anything." He explained, reaching down to cup her cheek as Belle stood to better look him in the eye. "I… think I started to miss it."

He paused, studying Belle's reaction. She said nothing, but met his gaze, her reaction enigmatic as she listened to him. Adam's eyes darted down, quickly drinking in the sight of his own powerful, augmented body— the burls of muscle that tensed under his shaggy fur were larger, far larger, than he had known before Belle came to his castle. The fight he just had with the Beast of Gevaudan was the first opportunity he had to test his strength— and despite the vast wells of power that surged in his engorged muscles as he tensed his thickly roped arms, fur bristling as his triceps and biceps jostled one another for room, he was still found wanting.

"I heard voices in these new dreams," he finally continued. "I was told how to change between my human form and that of the beast, so long as my intentions remained pure. I was told to drink from the spring; I would step out of the Spring as the Beast, and I would be able to change back to a human so long as my clothes remained by the water— I would fit them as I began to put them on."

Belle gasped softly, a hand rushing up to her mouth as realization hit her. "Your clothes were lost in the fight. What… what happens to you now, then?"

Beast huffed, his great chest rising and falling. "....I don't know. But I also don't know if I care any more— the Beast of Gevaudan is my main concern."

"Adam! How can you say that?" Belle gripped his hand. "You spent a decade stuck this way, and… it nearly destroyed your humanity. How can you not care about that?"

Adam grinned softly, rumbling as his thick fingers ran through the strands of Belle's hair. "Because, I have you this time. Besides, you yourself said that you fell in love with me when I was like this."

Belle leaned into the beast's hand, resting her cheek against his palm as her hands wrapped around his meaty forearm. "That's sweet. But even so, there has to be another way."

Adam shook his head. "No. Belle, I can be strong enough to take on the Beast of Gevaudan. If I'm supposed to be Prince of these lands, then my chief concern is the safety of my people. I know how to fight like this. I know how to protect what I care about, like this." He held out his huge arms, his thick, beefy flanks flaring out as his body took over more and more of the room. "If I can fight Gevaudan like this, why shouldn't I? Do I send hunters or guards out that may not come back home?"

Belle clung tighter to Adam. "I'm not saying you're wrong in thinking like this, but Adam, the last time most of my village saw you like this, they were ready to kill you. What are we supposed to do during the day?" 

"Our friends and servants know my past, we needn't hide it from them. Meanwhile, you'll have to hold court in my place, and if people ask, you tell them the truth— their Prince is hunting the Beast of Gevaudan."

Belle pursed her lips. "This is more than just noble intentions of protecting the people, isn't it?"

Adam offered a crooked smile. "You know me better than anyone. But I feel… responsible for Gevaudan. I see him, and I see what I could have become, had I not met you. A creature like him can't exist without a curse. He may have been cursed by the very same Enchantress I was— I want to do more than capture or defeat him; I want to be strong enough to save him, if I can."

Now that she and Adam were working together on bringing down the Beast of Gevaudan, Belle took over even more of the castle library than she usually did, pouring over maps of Adam's fief and looking over reports of the beast's sightings. She had mapped out a dozen of the sightings, and what she knew of animals like wolves, he was clearly claiming territory for himself— and he was growing closer to her village.

A sense of dread slowly bubbled up inside her. So far, the Gevaudan beast had only been seen in farms, where he had mostly attacked cattle— but showed little compunction about attacking farmers or their families. She could scarcely stomach to think what he might do in a town of thousands, as her heart sank. She rolled up the map and rushed out of the library, running into Cogsworth in short order. The portly and officious majordomo scrambled to bow properly to Belle. "Ah! Your Highness."

"Cogsworth, where is Adam? I need to speak with him straight away."

"Oh, yes! His Highness is being kept to the gardens, out of sight of any petitioners, as you and His Highness requested. I believe he's training, past the hedgerows."

Belle gave Cogsworth her thanks and ran for the gardens, hiking up her skirts in one arm, map tucked under the other. She could hear some commotion towards the back end of the gardens, the scraping of something heavy against stone, and the low snorting and snarling of two very large creatures. As she reached the end of the gardens, she had to stop at the sight before her. Adam was on one side, and one of their heaviest bulls on the other. The bull was larger than a carriage, literally locking horns with Adam and scraping its hooves against the stone.

Belle felt her heart flutter from the sight; the bull was a mass of tempermental muscle and brawn, but Adam was taking him head on. His hands were gripped tightly on the bull's horns and stepped to the side, giving Belle a view of his enormous, sprawling backside— thick burls of muscle bunched and tightened in a tapestry of brawn, his mountainous shoulders heaving upward as hamstrings thick as rope in his trunk-sized legs tightened and flexed hard as stone. He let out a bestial roar as he pushed the bull back; when it charged him again, Adam grunted, catching the bull's horns again and then hefted the creature off his hooves, muscles surging as his anvil-like triceps roared to life. He threw the bull over his head in a clean arc, and the bull hit the hedges across from Belle with an almighty crash.

"Oh my— Is that Claude?" Belle gasped softly, rushing to Adam's side. "Did you hurt him?"

"He's fine, Belle," Adam grunted, his enormous jutting cliff of a chest puffing up and down as he breathed heavily. "He's an ornery animal filled with spite and ill-temper— he's as close to training against the Beast as I'm going to find, unless you want me to go into the woods and wrestle bears."

Claude was lowing deeply, kicking his legs in the air as Adam lumbered over and hefted the great bull back to his feet. Oddly, Claude did seem far better disposed towards Adam after being thrown clear across the courtyard, his thick snout pressing against Adam's side until the Beast handed the bull an apple. "What brought you out here, anyways?" He cast a side glance to Belle, rolling his broad shoulder and casually flexing his boulder of a bicep. "Just came to watch?"

Belle's eye did glance towards Adam's huge form, but she shook her head, gesturing to the map. "I think I know where the Beast of Gevaudan is going to strike next, and it's not good." She knelt down, rolling the map on the stone ground as Adam crouched down on his huge haunches. "Look, these marks I've made show his latest sightings and his victims— he's getting closer and closer to my village. Papa could be in danger, he's on the outskirts— but if Gevaudan gets closer or too bold…"

"The whole village could be threatened," Adam furrowed his brow. He thought for a moment, then pulled himself to his full height, eclipsing the sun and casting Belle in shadow. "I'm going to the Spring for another drink."

Belle leapt to her feet, grabbing her husband's hand. "Adam, you can't."

"Why not?"

"Whatever that Spring has done, you're already stuck in this form with no clear way to become human again. What if drinking more takes something else from you?" Belle asked.

"It won't," Adam replied bluntly.

"How do you know that?"

Adam stammered, eyes darting away from Belle. "I— I just do, alright? Belle, the Beast of Gevaudan might attack the town tonight. What other choice do we have?"

Belle studied him closely, nodding slowly. "Alright— alright. But I'm coming with you."

Adam's brows bounced in surprise. "What?"

"I need to make sure you're not going to overdo it," Belle wrapped her arms as tightly as she could manage around Adam's swollen mass of arm muscle. "And from now on, we're going to do this together, step by step."

Adam dared a grin, and then pulled Belle off her feet. 

"What— Adam, what are you doing?"

Adam cradled his wife in his thickly roped arms before reaching over and placing her on his back. "Hold on."

"Adam, wait!" Belle said, a small bit of panic rising in her voice as she clung tightly to the thick burls of his back. The Beast did not heed her and took off loping on all fours, tearing through the gardens at a shocking speed. Belle screwed her eyes shut as Adam summoned all the strength in his earth-shaking legs to leap across the chasm that separated the castle from the forest, clinging as tightly as she could to his overgrown back, not daring to ease her grip for a moment until she felt his weight shift, and realized he was standing straight again.

"Uh, Belle— we're here, you can let go now."

Belle dropped to her feet, shaking slightly before turning on Adam. "You scared me half to death!" she shouted, balling her hands into fists and wailing on the Beast's shaggy side. Adam could only look down, smirk, and let out a small chuckle as her fists connected with his dense musculature— she may as well have been trying to punch a cliffside. "I thought you wanted to do this together, step by step."

"Your sense of humor is still the same," Belle said waspishly, folding her arms. 

Adam paused before reaching down for the spring water. "Belle… does this really bother you? Me being bigger, more… beastly even than I was before?"

Belle turned back to face him, her own features softening. Adam knelt down so she could better cup his face. "No. I just… I don't want to lose you."

Adam pulled Belle close, pressing her gently across his chest and kissing the top of her head. "You won't. I promise." He turned to the Spring and knelt down, cupping the water with his hands and drinking deeply. Belle took a step back, eyes fixed as she watched Adam's already massive body begin to shift and grow. The beast grunted and huffed from the rush of power and adrenaline coursing through him, his limbs locking and tensing. His muscles trembled, his fur bristling as those engorged swells of brawn began to grow thicker, his chest jutting out like an advancing army, back flaring out like wings. 

It passed after about a moment, and Adam slowly pulled himself to his feet, overlooking the vast width and sheer size of his body. "I… I think I may be starting to reach my own limit," he grunted.

Belle stepped forward, concern dripping into her voice. "What do you mean? Do you feel alright?"

"Oh, no, I feel… good." Adam said, curling his arm as his bicep swelled up like a hill, filling the space between the peak and his own clenched fist. "But I'm aware that… I might get too large." He reached for a water skin he had kept with him, and dipped it into the Spring. "I won't drink anymore than this… and I want you to carry it for me."

Belle frowned softly as she took the skin. "Why me?"

Adam smiled softly, leaning forward to look Belle fully past the jutting crest of his pecs. "There's no one else I would trust with it. No matter what I ask, only give it to me if you trust me."

Belle had to maneuver around the engorged muscles to reach Adam's thick pillar of a neck and then kissed his cheek. "Come on. It's getting late in the day— and the village will need us."

"Do you really want to waste time going back to the castle to get Philippe? You can ride me again," Adam said with a broad smirk.

Belle rolled her eyes, playfully slapping Adam. "Don't think I don't know what you're implying."

He lifted his arms over his head, framing his monstrous face with the sheer brawn of his arms. "And yet, you're not saying no."

She scoffed, reaching for Adam's mane and giving it a firm tug that forced his head back with a loud grunt. "If you jump over a chasm that wide again, it will be the last ride."

It was sunset by the time the two reached Belle's village. They reached Maurice's workshop first, and Belle warned her father to stay in town until they had captured the Beast of Gevaudan. When she returned to the edge of the forest where Adam was laying low, she had a basket tucked under her arm. "Papa will be staying at the tavern for the night. Most of the night watch will be there anyway, so he should be safe." She frowned quizzically when she spotted Adam. "What are you doing?"

He was hunched low to the ground on all fours, sniffing the air. "He's near. I recognize his scent." He looked over his huge shoulder, spotting the basket. "What's that?"

"A treat from Papa. We may be here a while." Belle looked inside. "Let's see… some wine from Pierre's, a fresh baguette from Marie, a good wedge of cheese, some fresh strawberries, and cooked bacon."

"Oh, thank goodness. I'm starving." Adam grinned. "It's been a while since we've had a picnic."

Belle grinned, setting a place on a soft patch of grass for both of them. She leaned against Adam's huge flanks as they ate, watching Maurice's home and the forest line for movement closely. 

"Belle…" Adam cleared his throat. "How would you feel if… I stayed this way? Once we've dealt with Gevaudan."

Belle sat up a bit. "You mean, you don't even want to try and find a way to change back?"

Adam was silent for a moment before he answered. "I feel more… myself, this way. I spent years like this… when I became human, over time I felt weaker, smaller, blind, even. My senses weren't as sharp, I wasn't as strong as I used to be… now, I feel like I could take on anything."

"You spent years trying to break the spell— you even said you thought you were hideous." Belle responded.

"I know, I know. But the way you look at me… I don't feel hideous. Not anymore." He looked back at her. "Is this face really so… terrifying?"

She laughed gently. "It was a bit of a shock, at first. I had never seen anything like you. But no, I've told you before… your eyes drew me in first. And you can be scary when you roar and gnash your teeth. I never cared about how you looked, Adam… you showed me who you were."

"So…?"

Belle sighed. "Adam… if you stay like this, what are you going to tell everyone? What about the people, the court, the King, even? Do you think if you stay this way, they'll just… accept it and leave us alone?"

"I don't know…" Adam said softly, his shoulders dropping softly. "Maybe."

Belle frowned, reading Adam's face. "We'll find a way, then."

Adam grinned, and they sat in silence for another moment, until a scream could be heard from the village square. Adam leapt to his feet. "He must have gotten around us."

"Wait, Adam, before you rush in—"

There was another scream. "We don't have time!" Adam shouted, already dropping to all fours to charge towards the village. Belle thinned her lips, gripping the butt of a pistol she had brought and rushing after him.

The village square was in a state of pandemonium; the church bells rang out in the gathering night as villagers were running in terror, barricading themselves inside their homes, or those left behind desperate to find anything to defend themselves. The hulking Beast of Gevaudan let out a bone-rattling howl, monstrous, dagger-like claws tearing into those that tried to fight the monster, the wolf-like beast tearing through market stalls and makeshift barricades.

Adam watched from the shadow, preparing to tackle Gevaudan, but before he could, he heard a terrified scream behind him.

"Mon dieu!" A terrified older woman, clutching two children close to her. "Here! Here, it's the monster!"

Adam held up a hand in desperation to keep her quiet, but before he could say anything, a shot rang out, and he felt a stinging pain as a bullet grazed his shoulder. "Wait! Stop!" He snarled. "I'm not the monster, I'm here to protect you!"

The villagers were so terrified, they either didn't hear Adam's words or didn't care. More shots rang out, and Adam raised his huge arms to shield himself. "Aren't you listening? I'm your Prince! I'm only here to—"

Gevaudan slammed into Adam, knocking him clear off his feet. Even though there was a noticeable size difference between the two, the hulking werewolf still had deep reserves of strength and a predator's cunning; he lunged for the Beast's neck, trying to bite deep into Adam and kill him as swiftly as possible. Adam let out a mighty roar as he sank his own claws into Gevaudan's shoulders, his powerful arms tensing, biceps and bulging chest pushing back against Gevaudan, the iron-like grip of his hands wrapping firmly around Gevaudan's neck as he pried him off of him, and then, the muscles in his trunk-thick legs coiling like a spring, kicking him off, and sending the Gevaudan beast flying. He leapt back to his feet, ready to charge after Gevaudan, but then another shot rang out, and Adam roared in pain as a bullet found purchase in his back. 

He reared behind him, looming large over a wide-eyed watchman scrambling to reload his musket before Adam tore it out of his hand. "Enough!" With a twitching bulge of his engorged slab of a tricep and a bounce of his bicep, he snapped the musket in half like it was a dry and brittle twig. "I'm trying to save you ingrates!" He slammed his fist into the wall of the nearby building, bunching through brick and plaster. "But if all you understand is fear when you look at me, I'll scare you into line!" He bared his fangs and claws, roaring in the faces of the villagers— the watchman scrambled, running in blind fear, but the woman fell to her knees, her children huddling close, shivering with terror as they stared up at Adam.

When he caught their eyes, Adam's features softened, his face falling. "Wait— please." He went on one knee, studying the woman's features. "I recognize you— You came to my castle. You're Molette, the seamstress, aren't you? You made a gift of that beautiful cloak for my wife, the Princess."

The seamstress flinched, but as Adam spoke, she slowly lifted her head. "Prince Adam…?"

Adam smiled, but before he could speak further, Gevaudan attacked again. The wolf leapt on Adam's back, digging his claws deep into the beast's mountainside of a back as Adam howled in pain. "Get out! Run!" He snarled to the seamstress and her children, slamming the Beast of Gevaudan against the wall to shake him free. They ran off, falling back further from the village square as the two monsters struggled against one another. Adam's vision began to swim as he felt the deep, stabbing pain, slamming Gevaudan against the wall again, but this time, the other beast wouldn't let go. 

Another shot rang out, and Gevaudan yelped, releasing his claws from Adam as it fell back. Adam slumped, swooning as he tried to chase after Gevaudan, forced to lean against the wall. He spotted Belle, a thin waft of smoke trailing from the barrel of her pistol. "Belle…"

"Adam!" She ran to his side, hands shaking as she saw the deep crimson streaks and open wounds on his back and neck. "You need help, now!"

"No!" Adam grunted. "No time— he's getting away. The water, now."

"Adam…"

He reached for her hand, squeezing it tightly. "Belle— please. Trust me."

Belle's hands were shaking from fear for Adam as she reached for the waterskin. She hesitated, but only for a moment. "Please, Adam. Be careful."

He nodded curtly before tearing the water skin open, downing the contents greedily. He huffed, his breathing ragged until he felt that power surging through him again. He clenched his fists as the galvanized brawn girded onto his body tightened and hardened like armor, every part of his already monstrous body unfurling like a war banner. He curled his toes, claws digging into the stone, and widened his stance to make way for the earth-shaking columns that his legs had become, fur shifting like wind chasing through a vast wheat field over his powerful thighs and sculpted calves. His torso surged in size, abs thick as stones, the beast's hefty flanks jutting out like buttresses, while his chest pressed out even further, his arms roped further with breath-takingly huge biceps.

Adam huffed, and charged for the village square, thumping his enormous chest and letting out a challenging howl. Bearing his teeth, he watched and waited for the Beast of Gevaudan to strike. His heightened senses caught the creature lurking behind him, and he was fast enough to catch Gevaudan as he charged. With one hand wrapped around the other beast's neck, Adam lifted him into the air as the monster struggled, scraping at a forearm thick as his waist, barely scraping at his boulder of a bicep. 

"These are my lands," Adam growled. "And I will keep them safe. Maybe we can talk more when you wake up." Summoning all his strength, he roared again as he hefted the Beast of Gevaudan up and then slammed him down into the ground, cratering the cobblestones— broken and bloody, the Beast of Gevaudan fell unconscious.

There was a tense stillness, the only sound in the village Adam's own heavy breath as he slowly slumped down, sitting on the broken fountain in the square, resting his huge body. Belle rushed to his side, followed by the cautious and wary glances of villagers peeking out of their doors and windows. 

"Adam! Are you alright?" Belle clung to his huge side. 

"I'm fine," he grunted. "Just… just need to rest for a moment."

Some of the villagers drew closer, gripping muskets, pitchforks, whatever they could manage. "Princess!"

"Wait! Please, everyone—" Belle rose, holding out her hand. "This is the Prince. It's Adam."

Adam raised his face to see the villagers approach, tentative looks on their faces.

"It's true." The seamstress pushed her way to the front. "It is the Prince! He saved my children."

The villagers stared at the hulking mountain before them. "Your Highness…?"

Adam scoffed lightly. "Stop staring at the beast, all of you. The Beast of Gevaudan isn't dead— string him up, tie him down with lead weights and chain him. But don't kill him."

"My prince," one of the watchmen bowed his head, gesturing for some of the others to follow. As they busied themselves securing the Beast of Gevaudan, Adam closed his eyes, leaning as much weight against Belle as he dared without flattening her. 

"They're starting to come around." Belle said, resting her head against his swollen flank.

"They're still staring." Adam muttered.

Belle giggled lightly. "There's a lot to stare at."

The Beast smirked softly, breathing deeply and bouncing his shield-like pecs. "They'll get used to it."

"So, what are we to do now?"

Adam huffed. "We'll see about Gevaudan. I think there's still a man in there, somewhere. I want to help him, if I can."

"Well, you're man enough for both of you," Belle said, a small smile playing on her lips.

Adam's brows bounced at the comment, leaning forward to see her properly past the burls of his own brawn. "Really, now?"

Belle sighed happily, wrapping her arms as far around Adam's torso as she could. "You'll have to show me just how strong you really are— I have a few ideas in mind, for when we're back at the castle."