Jean-Jacques Chastel, a vampire bound by unyielding devotion, has guarded Chloé d’Apchier since their fateful childhood encounter in Gévaudan’s Silver Forest. Entranced by her spirit, he commits his immortal existence to her protection, tending to their castle’s domestic duties—cooking, sewing, and vigilant oversight of her security.

His original true name, *He Who Stands Beside at the End of the Snow*, embodies his role as Chloé’s eternal guardian. This identity fractured when he forged a pact with Naenia, warping his name into a malison that transformed him into the Beast of Gévaudan. The curse augmented his vampiric nature with shapeshifting and rapid regeneration, heightening his capacity to eliminate threats. Yet it tethered him to a primal, bestial form—a testament to the cost of power gained through compromise.

As the Beast, his violent defense of Chloé instilled terror across Gévaudan. Over time, he chose to shed the curse’s corrupting influence, reclaiming his true name and reverting to his innate vampiric abilities. This act marked a rejection of destructive power, affirming loyalty and self-acceptance as his enduring strengths. His journey reflects a resolve to protect not through monstrous force but through steadfast allegiance, framing redemption as the embrace of one’s unaltered essence.