The scent of blood still lingered in Desmond's mind as he walked through the dimly lit streets of Forks. His bruises ached with every step, but the pain wasn't the problem.
He had lost.
The vampire had overpowered him like it was nothing. Even with his shield, he had barely made a scratch.
If that werewolf hadn't shown up, he'd be dead.
That wasn't acceptable.
He clenched his fists.
Elias had trained him to fight, but training wasn't enough. He needed real power.
Training with Elias
The next day, Desmond arrived at Elias' secluded training ground—a clearing hidden deep in the forest.
Elias was waiting, arms crossed. His sharp eyes immediately noticed the bruises on Desmond's face. "Looks like you had a rough night."
Desmond exhaled sharply. "Ran into a vampire."
Elias didn't react immediately. Then he nodded. "And?"
Desmond hesitated. "I lost."
Elias studied him for a moment. "You're still alive. That means you learned something."
Desmond gritted his teeth. He didn't want to just survive. He wanted to win.
Elias sighed. "Alright, kid. You want to get stronger?"
Desmond nodded.
"Then stop holding back."
Elias lunged.
Desmond barely had time to react before a fist slammed against his shield. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the clearing.
Desmond's feet slid backward, but he stayed standing.
Elias smirked. "Good. You're getting better."
He attacked again—faster.
Desmond braced himself, reinforcing his shield. This time, when Elias' punch connected, Desmond absorbed the force. Energy pulsed through his body as he redirected it, launching a counterstrike.
Elias dodged at the last second, his eyes gleaming with approval. "Now we're talking."
Desmond didn't stop. He kept attacking, testing his limits, forcing himself to adapt. The fight with the vampire had shown him his weaknesses. Now, he was fixing them.
Secrets and Lies
After hours of brutal training, Desmond collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily. His muscles burned, but for the first time, he felt… progress.
Elias sat beside him, watching the sky.
"Tell me, kid," he said, voice quieter now. "What do you know about werewolves?"
Desmond frowned. "Not much. They're fast. Strong. One saved me last night."
Elias chuckled. "Yeah, they do that sometimes. Not for free, though."
Desmond glanced at him. "What do you mean?"
Elias' face darkened. "Let's just say… their kind and vampires don't exactly play nice. You were caught in the middle of something bigger."
Desmond felt a cold weight settle in his chest. The vampire had called him 'different.' The werewolf had saved him. But why?
Elias stood up. "I'm gonna teach you how to fight monsters, kid. But if you want to understand them…" He glanced toward the distant forest.
"…you'll have to meet them yourself."