The Beautiful Monster

Elias didn't say anything for a few moments.

"Yes," he finally said.

Alyssa let out a shaky breath, realizing that she was right. He did save her, but what did he save her from?

Knowing that he was there that night answered one of her questions, but it made tons more pop up in her head.

"What happened that night?" she asked him, needing to know what she was up against.

"I can't tell you," Elias sighed.

Alyssa closed her eyes for a second, feeling more pain and disappointment seep deep into her body.

She felt weighed down by it all at this point.. He hadn't changed.

He didn't truly love her. She knew these things, but it still hurt her to be reminded of them.

"Goodbye, Elias," she muttered before walking away from him, leaving him standing there on the spot with a broken look on his face.

*******

Trying to get on with her life like normal was borderline torture for Alyssa.

She had her life finally smoothed out and figured out, and then Elias came thrashing through, destroying everything in sight.

How could he do that to her? She felt like he was trying to hurt her on purpose at this point. He had hurt her enough eight years ago.

Two days after the gala, Alyssa tried to make use of her day off.

She didn't get many, and she didn't want to spend it sulking in the apartment, even if that was what a part of her wanted to do.

The outside world was scary and cruel. Why would she want to go out there?

Alyssa pulled her jacket off before grabbing her things and leaving her apartment. First stop, she wanted to get coffee to put a little boost in her system.

She surely needed it. Elias kept breaking into her mind, and she felt heavy all over when she thought about him.

She hoped that he would disappear again so that she could try to move on again.

Something told her that things weren't going to work out for her that easily, though. They never did. She just had to prepare for what she didn't want to deal with.

She walked into a local coffee shop, venturing to the ordering counter to buy a cappuccino and a muffin. Maybe the sugar would help her feel a little better.

Honestly, she was searching for anything to make her feel a little better at this point. Her life had been flipped upside down with no warning once again.

She didn't think that she could take the whiplash of that again. She just managed to find her footing after it happened last time.

Once she got her cup of coffee and her muffin, she sat at a small table near the front of the shop, wanting to take a moment and try to relax.

She wasn't even sure if she knew how to do that even more, and that didn't even have to fully do with Elias. She was always on call for the hospital.

Alyssa suddenly heard light footsteps sound from behind her. They sounded like they came from boots. If she had to guess, black boots, and she knew who wore them.

She turned to look over her shoulder, seeing Elias approach her slowly, like he was trying not to startle her.

She shook her head at him and went to stand up and leave.

Elias moved to block her way, towering over her.

"I want to talk," he told her. He wasn't budging.

Alyssa glared up at him, wishing that he wasn't so damn intimidating.

She knew that she could shove him aside and leave, but it seemed like he really wanted to talk. Maybe he would actually tell her something that she wanted to hear.

"Fine," she muttered before turning around and taking a seat. She took a sip of her coffee as she watched him sit down in front of her.

Elias pulled his jacket off. His black button down was unbuttoned a few buttons at the top, flashing some of the smooth, pale skin that Alyssa was familiar with.

Alyssa swallowed hard and bit into her muffin hastily, trying to distract herself. The last thing that she needed to be doing was admiring this man. He looked as good as ever, but that didn't make up for the trauma he left her with.

"How do you keep finding me?" she asked him. It couldn't be a coincidence all of the time.

Elias held her gaze evenly as he folded his hands together in front of him on the table.

"I've been keeping an eye on you for a minute," he admitted.

Alyssa narrowed her eyes as she leaned back in her seat. She had a feeling that was the case, but it didn't make her feel any better that she was right.

"That's kind of weird, don't you think?" she asked him pointedly. It was weird to stalk people.

Elias cracked a wry grin as he glanced around. He then lowered his eyes slightly as he peered at her.

"It's a bit necessary given the circumstances," he said quietly.

Now, they were actually getting somewhere. Alyssa sat up a little more, curling her fingers around her coffee cup.

She wanted to know more about these circumstances, especially since she was involved in them.

"I've felt like I've been followed for a while now," Alyssa admitted to him. "Was that you?"

Elias frowned slightly and shook his head.

"I never got too close to you," he told her.

Alyssa tapped her fingertips against her coffee cup as she thought.

"So, it must've been that thing that attacked me that night," she said.

She had a feeling it was that creature since she always felt so uneasy.

Even if she was upset with Elias, she wouldn't feel that scared if it was him. She felt like she would've sensed it was him in a way.

Elias nodded after a moment. Now, he seemed uneasy.

Alyssa guessed that she was nearing the territory where he would start giving her riddles instead of actual answers.

She knew that she still needed to push, though. Maybe she could at least get him to give her a clue.

"What was it? It had… fangs," she said. She felt silly saying that, and she almost questioned what she saw for a moment. However, she knew what she saw. They were right near her face!

"Take a guess," Elias merely said as he lowered his eyes to the table.