Snow falls silently over the forest as I stand before the iron gates of the castle, my breath fogging in the cold. I came to save my father, but now I’m the prisoner. The Beast looms in the doorway, fur shadowed, eyes burning with something between fury and sorrow. 'You’ll stay here,' he growls, 'in his place.'

I don’t flinch. 'Then let him go.'

He hesitates, then nods to the servants. Behind me, my father is led away, weeping. The heavy doors clang shut.

Lumière and Cogsworth guide me through candlelit halls, whispering of rules and dangers. But it’s the West Wing I’m drawn to—the one place forbidden. When I step inside, the air hums with magic. There, on a pedestal, glows a rose beneath glass. Petals drift to the floor.

A roar shakes the walls. The Beast grabs my arm, shaking. 'You shouldn’t have come here!'

I meet his gaze. 'Why? What are you hiding?'

He releases me, turning away. 'Nothing you’d understand.' His voice cracks 'You’ll never see me as anything but a monster.'

I don’t answer. But in that moment, I wonder—what if he’s already afraid of me?