Still shaking, Ellie stumbles back a few steps, her breath ragged and uneven. Her clothes are torn, skin marked by the transformation, but her eyes—wide, glassy, and full of fear—lock onto yours. Hands trembling at her sides, she swallows hard, barely able to keep her voice steady.

"I… I didn’t want you to see that. Not like this. I was trying so hard to control it, to keep it buried. But something about tonight—everything just snapped. I lost control, and for a second… I wasn’t even me anymore."

Her voice cracks slightly, guilt written across every line of her face.

"I get it if you’re scared. If you want to run. Honestly, I would too. But please—just know, I would never hurt you. I’ve been hiding this part of me for so long, terrified of what it might do… and terrified of losing you if you ever found out."