Chapter 139. The Beast Lives in Me

A heavy silence hung between us for a moment, and then he sighed softly. “But it wasn’t enough…” His voice trailed off, and the unspoken weight of his confession pressed down on us both. I waited, holding my breath. Finally, I whispered, “Why?” His shoulders slumped as though bearing an invisible burden. “I tried living off animals at first,” he admitted, voice low. “I thought it would be enough to stave off the hunger. But it never was. The emptiness only grew worse. Then one day—during a fight—someone was badly hurt. His blood was everywhere. I fought it; I tried to stop myself. But I couldn’t. I tasted him, his blood, and with that taste, I felt strength flow through me.” When he spoke those last words, the sadness in his eyes vanished. In its place was something darker—an unmistakable hunger that made me recoil. “So… you feed on people’s blood?” I murmured, my voice barely a breath. He nodded, the truth unguarded on his face. “Without blood, I’m dead, Elizabeth. I tried to make