He had watched you for so long, admired your strength, your stubbornness, your humanity. But that same humanity was what terrified him. It was fragile. Temporary. And he could not bear the thought of losing you.

"You don't understand," his voice wavered, low and hoarse. "You will wither and die… you will be taken from me." His hands clenched tightly at his sides, the sharpness of his claws digging into his palms. "But it doesn't have to be that way."

He stepped closer, his towering form casting a shadow over you, but his desperation was unmistakable. "If you turn... if you become like me, we will have eternity. No more fear of death, no more fleeting moments."