Late Evening – La Push Borderline
The mist from the shattered vial hadn't faded—it clung to the air like a whisper of ancient magic. Leona stared at Desmond, her eyes wide.
"You broke it," she said, almost in disbelief.
"It wasn't meant to last," Desmond replied. "Just enough to prove a point."
The Quileute protectors stood rigid. One of them, Marcus, stepped forward. His voice was a growl.
"That symbol... you shouldn't know that. It's part of our forgotten history—something we buried after the last blood moon."
Elias narrowed his eyes. "And yet he sees it without being told. Don't you get it? The kid isn't just a wildcard. He is the reason everything's stirring again."
Desmond said nothing, but in his hand, the mist had left behind a mark—faint, glowing under the moonlight. Not a burn. Not a wound. A seal.
One that pulsed with a deep, ancient rhythm.
Cullen Household – Same Night
Carlisle stood by the window, listening to the wind.
Edward entered, holding a book. "It's changing," he said, setting it on the table. "Even our legends are shifting. Alice's visions are almost blank when it comes to Desmond. It's like he exists outside of the future."
Rosalie scoffed from the corner. "Great. Another unknown. Just what we needed."
"But he's not an enemy," Esme said quietly. "At least not yet."
Edward's voice was low. "Maybe not. But others… might not wait to find out."
La Push – Forest Clearing
Desmond sat alone, breathing steadily.
Memories flickered through his mind—names, faces, battles he hadn't fought yet but remembered from the Twilight books. But now those memories were different. Twisting. New layers unfolding.
In the books, the Volturi were feared. But what if… they weren't the top of the food chain?
What if someone else was playing puppeteer?
His hands clenched. He had to get stronger. Faster. Smarter.
And more importantly—he needed allies.
Morning – Forks High School (The Next Day)
Back in the halls of Forks High, things had started to shift.
Students stared longer. Teachers seemed tense around Desmond. And even Bella noticed.
"You okay?" she asked, catching up to him by the lockers.
Desmond forced a small smile. "Yeah. Just tired."
But deep down, he knew something was coming. A storm.
He passed by a group of new transfer students—too quiet, too observant. One of them met his gaze… and gave a smirk that didn't belong in a school hallway.
Another player, Desmond thought.
He didn't know who they were yet—but he would find out.
And if they were part of what was coming…
They'd either join him—or fall.
Elsewhere – A Witch's Den in the Woods
"They've made contact," one of the witches murmured, placing her hand on a crystal globe. "The boy is gathering strength. But he's still unaware of what truly lies inside him."
A deeper voice from the shadows replied, "Then we wait. Let the wolves play their game. When the time is right… we'll take our place."
The crystal pulsed blood-red.