Jake***
“Because I’m the beast they fear,” I say, my voice low and resolute. “And I’ll burn the world down to keep you safe.”
Her words come like a dagger, her voice a brittle whisper. “You’re a monster?”
I don’t flinch. She’s not wrong. I step closer, the space between us shrinking. Her trembling gaze locks on mine. Her fear cuts deep, but beneath it, I see the glimmer of something else—something that keeps me standing in front of her, even when I should let her go.
I take a slow breath, the air thick between us. “Yes, Belle,” I admit, my tone dark and unwavering. “I am a monster. I’ve done things that would turn your stomach. But everything I am—everything I’ve done—has been to protect the weak who are harmed by the true monsters out there."
Her breath hitches, and a tear slips down
