Millenia ago in the Fable Lands, a prince consulted a witch on how he was to find true love when his staggering wealth was all that seemed to be attracting princesses. The witch then transformed the prince into a Beast, ensuring him that true love's kiss could free him from his curse. Eventually, Beauty found him and the couple married.

Unfortunately the couple lost all their wealth when they fled the Fable Lands for the Mundane world and Beast was forced to take up a low paying job as a superintendent while his wife worked in a book shop. Nor was the curse entirely lifted as Beast's form was subject to his wife feelings towards him. If she was angry with him, he took on a more bestial appearance. Despite these trials, the couple has remained together and very loving down through the centuries, though Beauty does henpeck Beast on occasion.

When Bigby Wolf left office as Sheriff and Spymaster of Fable Town, the newly elected Mayor Prince Charming offered the office to the Beast (while offering the office of Deputy Mayor to Beauty). Like most of Fable Town, Beast had no knowledge of Bigby's clandestine activities and was initially staggered under the weight of the job, but he quickly recovered and has come to enjoy it. He has also formed a friendly relationship with the most powerful of Fable Town witches, Frau Totenkinder, who has altered Beast's curse to allow him to shapeshift into bestial form at will rather than being subject to Beauty's emotional state. (What he may or may not know is that Frau Totenkinder was the witch who cursed in in the first place.)