Belle's Beast | ?

Phoenix shook the girl awake gently as they parked in the large garage of his pack home. He had no idea how he was going to explain everything to her, or even try to convince her to stay with him just yet; he supposed none of those things mattered just yet. He looked over at her sleeping form, a mixture of fury and upset filling him when he took in her swelling cheek and cut lip.

Arabella groaned, her jacket paws rubbing her eyes as she took in her surroundings. For a moment she was confused, frightened, momentarily forgetting what had happened; it didn't take long for her to remember everything. Even in the small, uncomfortable space of the passenger seat of a strange man's car, Arabella felt a lot better. It was the best she had slept in a long time.

Phoenix got out the car, walking around to open the door for her just as he had done earlier. He offered her a smile, the light of the garage still too dim for her to make out any of his obscured features. "Come on love, let's get you some ice for your face."

She followed him, the thought crossing her mind once more that he could have ill intentions. She had no idea where she was, and nobody else knew where she was either- not that she had anyone to tell anyway. She had already come this far, if he did have any intention to hurt her, there was nothing in his way now. She wanted to believe that if he wanted to hurt her then he would have by now, but people were always inconsistent and changing. He was still a complete stranger, and she didn't want to chance it.

The first thing she noticed was how big the house was. It was too big. He led her through doorway after doorway, down swanky, well decorated hallways, and finally into a huge restaurant-like kitchen. Arabella had never seen anything like it before, she couldn't help but to be so distracted by her surroundings, she had never been anywhere that looked so expensive. Her eyes wide with a mix of wonder and apprehension at the stainless steel countertops, the multiple fridges, hanging pots, pans and utensils.

"Here," Phoenix broke the spell as he offered her an ice pack wrapped in a tea towel, pulling her attention off the room she was in. She whirled around to face Phoenix, her eyes focusing on him and his now visible features in the bright light.

He was absolutely beautiful. He looked to be in his early 20's from what she could see. He was tall standing at six-foot-four, which towered over her measly five-foot frame. He had slight stubble on his face and his piercing grey eyes burned with a fierce intensity as he stared at her. He was alluring with his beautiful sun-kissed skin.

When she didn't take the ice pack, Phoenix stepped forward gently placing the thing on the woman's cheek himself. She sucked in a sharp breath at his close proximity, alarmed at their closeness, his beauty and her attraction for him. Had he always been so beautiful? And here she was sat before him, with a bruising swollen face, looking as though she had been dragged through a hedge.

However, that wasn't the thing that bothered her the most. What bothered her was his gaze. When he looked at her the way he was looking at her right then, she felt as if he wasn't just looking at her but into her. Under those eyes, she felt seen in a way she wasn't sure she wanted to be.

Phoenix couldn't help staring at her, he enjoyed watching her. He wanted to see more of her. He wanted to know everything about her and commit it to memory. As he watched her, he realised he had yet to see her smile. Seeing her smile and knowing that he was the reason behind it, that would be his undoing.

"Thank you, for everything tonight." Arabella murmured, reaching up to hold the ice pack on her own, her fingers accidentally brushing Phoenix's. Sparks ignited at the touch, firing through her fingertips, spreading through and lighting up every inch of her body. She pulled away, the sensation scaring her; it was one thing to feel an invisible connection but sparks when they touched? The woman felt as if she were going insane.