Villain's greatest weakness is his pride.

That was something that Henri was counting on as there wasn't a person more prideful in his land than 'Mister Perfect' himself, Gaston. He always needed to be the best in everything, and even after Henri became a werewolf, he was still jealous of him and the life he led.

That he would go as far as to turn Belle against Henri was something Henri didn't expect. Why put so much effort into it?

"Well, well, if it isn't the Beast," Gaston said mockingly as soon as he entered the room. "Not so tough anymore, are you?"

"Hello to you too, Gaston," Henri said calmly, already too used to his rude remarks to get angry.

"Would you mind leaving me alone to deal with this monster?" Gaston asked.

"Wouldn't you like to check on the woman he kidnapped first?" Merida challenged Gaston.

"I am sure she is well taken care of. I have faith in your father's hospitality," Gaston said.

He assumed from what he heard from king Fergus that the wild-looking thing standing in the middle of the room was his daughter and did his best to seem like a perfect gentleman.

"Come along, Merida. We should leave them to it," King Fergus said.

Merida looked at Henri questioningly and only left when he gave her a little nod.

"Alone at last," Gaston said, getting into Henri's face. "Why are you so difficult to get rid of?"

"Sorry for ruining your evil little plans," Henri said with contempt. "Which were what exactly?"

"You two were supposed to disappear in a magical mishap. Then, Belle was to return with a sap story of how you died. But not before marrying her in a foreign land as you were so in love that you decided to go through with the wedding," Gaston said.

"No one would have believed that without proof," Henri said.

"No one would dare doubt the pretty innocent Belle. I mean, she had even you fooled that she was a kind person, an obedient wife-to-be," Gaston said, laughing in his face.

"So, she was in on everything from the beginning?" Henri asked, wanting to confirm how far her betrayal went.

"In on it? It was her plan in the first place. I was supposed to kill you here and get rid of your body. No one would have even known I ever stepped foot on the strange land that took you from us. But that nosy redhead interfered, and Belle couldn't get you to where we agreed," Gaston said.

"Sorry to ruin your perfect assassination plans," Henri said, growling as he slowly cut through his ropes with his sharp nails.

It was lucky for Henri that they tied him with his hands on his back as Gaston had no idea that he was about to get free and that all the provoking wasn't a good idea.

"No matter, it will still come to be. I am lucky these people are so gullible. They would trust anyone with a pretty face," Gaston said, stroking his perfectly arranged hair.

"Who do you call gullible?" King Fergus yelled, storming into the room.

He was followed by Merida, who had convinced him to eavesdrop on the conversation to learn the truth.

"King Fergus, I didn't...I mean..." Gaston stuttered, terrified the huge man would destroy his perfect looks with just one punch.

"You didn't know that I could hear you! Well, lad, I am lucky that my daughter is so persistent. Otherwise, I would have been played for a fool," he said, pulling out his long broadsword and lining it up with Gaston's treacherous heart.

"Here, let me help you," Merida said, running to Henri.

"No need," he said, moving aside the ropes he managed to cut through.

In the meantime, Gaston took advantage of the king's wooden leg and managed to bring him down by cutting it with his own sword. Henri hurried to take the fallen sword, but Merida was quicker to pick it up and protect her father from what was bound to be a lethal blow.

"You coward, trying to hit a man while he is down," Merida said, clashing the sword against Gaston's.

Merida was grateful that she had insisted on being taught how to use all types of weaponry. It provided her with an edge Gaston didn't expect.

"This is my fight," Henri said, fumbling forward.

"You are hurt. Besides, I can handle one egotistical liar," Merida said, giving Gaston the evil eye.

"No girl shall ever defeat me!" Gaston yelled out, attacking.

However, he didn't have the training or the skill that Merida possessed. Thus, he soon fell to the ground with a sword under his throat.

"There, all done. Defeated by a girl," Merida said, sneering at Gaston.

"Mercy, please, mercy," Gaston said, crying like a little girl who hurt her knee. "It was all her idea, I swear, Henri."

"I know you both well enough to know that it was both of you. Belle might have been the brains, but you were her equal partner in crime," Henri said.

"Guards, bring Belle!" King Fergus exclaimed.

Merida started tying Gaston down in the same chair that moments ago was occupied by Henri.

"Your games are over," Henri said when Belle appeared. "You will follow me home and face the punishment."

"What's going on?" the queen asked, confused.

"We were wrong, my dear, and our daughter has saved our lives and stopped us from committing a horrible injustice," the king said.

Confused as she was, the queen never doubted the king's words, not even for a second.

Soon, Belle was tied up as well, and they were thinking about how to bring them all back to where they belonged when Henri collapsed.

"Henri! What's the matter?" Merida asked, rushing to his aid.

"Was that pan silver?" he asked weakly.

"I am not sure," Merida said.

"Whatever it is, it has a bad effect on werewolves. I need to go outside. The moon will be full soon, and it will help me heal," he said.

"Can you handle this?" Merida asked her parents.

"Yes, we'll call for your brothers. They aren't going anywhere," the king said.

"Alright then, I am coming with you," Merida said, helping Henri get up.

"You don't understand I will not be human once the moon is full," he said.

"Yes, I understand that," Merida said unperturbed. "You still can't stay alone while injured. I will be there by your side to protect you."

"You have already done so much while I've been a weakling and a fool. Why would you even want to help me?" he asked.

"Because I see in you something I didn't think existed. A wildness that is more in tune with nature and animals than anyone I've ever met," she said, smiling at him. "Besides, I am good at reading people. I know you are a good person, that you can be adventurous and dangerous but never purposefully hurtful."

While they went over the drawbridge and over the next hill, Henri started shifting. Soon enough, all there was left in his place was an enormous wolf, a much larger one than Merida had ever seen.

"Come, we can rest here," she said, pointing at a comfortable-looking patch of grass.

She lied down, inviting the wolf to do the same. At first, he hesitated, but soon he snuggled next to her and started licking her face affectionately.

"Haha, that tickles," Merida said, laughing.

Then she fell asleep with her hand over the wolf's soft fur. Two wild hearts, beating as one in a world which rarely understood them.