Desmond spent the next few days processing everything.
His first vampire kill. Elias's cryptic words. The realization that vampires—creatures he had read about—were actually afraid of him.
It didn't add up.
And Desmond hated when things didn't add up.
Piecing It Together
Sitting in the dim light of Elias's hideout, Desmond scribbled notes in a battered journal.
He listed everything he knew so far:
Vampires exist. Werewolves exist. He was an anomaly—neither vampire nor werewolf, but something both sides feared. His shield was beyond anything Bella had in the books. The werewolves saved him for a reason.
He tapped his pen against the page. There had to be a connection.
Then it hit him.
The werewolves saved him.
They knew about him.
Which meant someone—somewhere—knew what he really was.
Desmond slammed the journal shut. It was time to get answers.
A Dangerous Curiosity
Elias wasn't happy when Desmond told him his plan.
"You want to go looking for werewolves? On purpose?" Elias asked, arms crossed.
Desmond shrugged. "They clearly know something about me."
Elias scoffed. "And what if they decide you're a threat?"
"They won't kill me," Desmond said confidently.
Elias raised an eyebrow. "You sound sure."
Desmond smirked. "Let's just say… I have a feeling they need me alive."
Elias studied him for a moment before sighing. "You're going to do this with or without me, aren't you?"
"Yep."
Elias muttered something under his breath before grabbing his jacket. "Fine. But if you die, I'm not dragging your corpse back."
Desmond grinned. "Deal."
The Wolves' Territory
It wasn't hard to find them.
Desmond had read enough to know that werewolves—true werewolves—patrolled their territory aggressively. And sure enough, the moment he and Elias set foot past the treeline of a secluded forest, they were being watched.
Desmond didn't react. He kept walking, hands in his pockets, pretending not to notice.
Elias whispered, "We're surrounded."
"I know," Desmond whispered back. "Just keep walking."
Then, a deep growl.
A massive wolf—easily bigger than any normal animal—stepped out of the shadows. Its fur was dark, its eyes glowing with an unnatural golden hue.
Desmond didn't flinch.
The wolf shifted.
One moment, it was a beast—the next, a man stood before them, his expression unreadable.
"You've got guts coming here, kid," the man said. His voice was rough, like he'd spent years barking orders.
Desmond tilted his head. "And you already knew I'd come, didn't you?"
The man's lips twitched. "Smart."
Desmond's smirk widened. "I try."
Elias muttered, "Cocky little—"
The werewolf cut him off. "You're awake now. That means things are changing."
Desmond's expression darkened. "And you're going to tell me what that means."
The werewolf's golden eyes locked onto him.
"You're not ready for that truth yet."
Desmond clenched his jaw. He hated cryptic answers.
But he could be patient.
For now.