He suppressed the urge to shift.
Becoming fully human would make all of this worth it.
He laid the man out and stripped off his clothes.
Underneath, the wiry middle-aged body looked not so different from his own.
To become fully human, he needed someone who resembled him.
That’s how the soul would align.
“Ha... hah....”
Breathing hard with excitement, he looked down at the man’s body.
Just seeing a figure like his own made him feel closer to humanity.
Once he ate that heart, he’d finally be free from discrimination, free from being treated like an animal.
People would finally respect him.
Respect him as one of their own.
“I can finally... become a human. Sorry, old man. But you’ve had your turn. You’ve already had the privilege to live as a human—now it’s time you handed the rest over to me, just like the two humans who came before you.”
He muttered to himself as he began placing candles in a circle.
