Chapter 83

_Chase’s POV_

I caught Elodie as she collapsed, her body limp in my arms. I held her close, feeling her erratic heartbeat against my chest. My own heart was racing, filled with worry and fear.

"Elodie," I whispered, my voice shaking. I scooped her up, cradling her in my arms, and strode back to the hotel room. The city lights blurred around me, a kaleidoscope of colors that seemed to mock my despair.

As I laid her on the bed, I couldn't help but think about the look of horror in her eyes. "You're a monster," she'd said. The words cut deep, but I knew I deserved them. I'd kept my true nature hidden, afraid of losing her. Now, I'd lost her trust, maybe forever.

I sat beside her, gently brushing her hair back. She was so fragile, so human. And I'd dragged her into my world, a world of darkness and danger. The weight of my responsibility crushed me.

Elodie's face, pale and exhausted, haunted me. I'd seen the fear in her eyes, the revulsion. How could I expect her to understand? To accept