Delanzhou: Wolf Blood and Moon Shadow

William stirred to the gentle rustling of leaves and the faint scent of earth and moss. He opened his eyes slowly, the world around him coming into focus. The dense canopy of the forest loomed above, moonlight filtering through the branches and casting soft patterns on the ground.

He was no longer in the eagle's nest. Instead, he found himself lying on a bed of moss and leaves, a makeshift shelter built into the side of a cliff. A small fire crackled nearby, its warmth warding off the night's chill.

Sitting across from him, her silver hair gleaming like molten moonlight, was Alice. She was sharpening a dagger, the rhythmic scrape of metal against stone filling the silence.

"You're awake," she said without looking up, her tone neutral.

William pushed himself up, wincing as his muscles protested. The strange energy from her blood still coursed through him, but his body felt heavier, more solid, as if something new had been woven into his very being.

"How long was I out?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"Just a few hours," Alice replied, setting the dagger aside. "Your body is adjusting to the blood. You'll feel strange for a while."

William's hand instinctively went to his neck, where he could still feel the faint sting of her bite. "What did you do to me?"

Alice leaned back, her gaze steady. "I saved your life. That's all you need to know for now."

The fire crackled softly as silence stretched between them. William studied Alice, her calm demeanor and unyielding gaze giving little away. She was unlike anyone he'd met before—graceful yet deadly, kind yet guarded.

"Why are you here?" he finally asked. "This isn't your territory."

Alice's lips quirked into a faint smile. "I could ask you the same. It's not every day I find a wolf throwing himself off a cliff."

William frowned, her words stirring memories of his leap. He had made his choice, given up everything he had, and yet fate had brought him here.

"I had my reasons," he said quietly, looking into the fire.

Alice's eyes softened, but she didn't press him. Instead, she stood and walked to the edge of the shelter, her silhouette framed by the moonlight.

"This place is neutral ground," she said. "The elders call it the Greywood—a place where the rules of neither wolves nor vampires apply. You're safe here. For now."

William nodded, though safety was far from his mind. He had no bloodline power, no allies, and no clear path forward. Yet, for the first time in a long while, he felt… still.

As the night deepened, William found himself staring into the flames, the memories of his betrayal replaying in his mind. The look in Marlowe's eyes as he accepted the bloodline transfer, the cold satisfaction on Mike's face, and the false sweetness in Ruth's voice all haunted him.

"Why did you save me?" he asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

Alice turned, her expression unreadable. "I told you. It was the right thing to do."

"That's not a reason," William said, his voice sharper than he intended.

Alice walked back to the fire, sitting across from him. "Do you need a reason for every act of kindness?" she asked, her tone cool.

William hesitated, her words cutting through his defenses. "In my experience, kindness always comes with a price."

Alice studied him for a long moment, her silver eyes piercing. "Then you've been surrounded by the wrong people."

Her words stung, not because they were harsh, but because they were true. William had spent his life surrounded by ambition and deceit, where every action was calculated and every gesture masked an ulterior motive.

The following days were a strange mix of recovery and quiet companionship. Alice was a woman of few words, but her actions spoke volumes. She tended to William's wounds with care, hunted for food, and ensured the shelter remained hidden from prying eyes.

William, in turn, found himself observing her closely. She moved with a grace that was almost otherworldly, her every action deliberate and precise. Yet, there was a gentleness in her touch, a quiet strength that contrasted sharply with the cruelty he had endured.

One evening, as they shared a meal of roasted rabbit, William broke the silence. "You don't act like the stories say you should."

Alice raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And how should I act?"

"Cold. Ruthless. Like a predator," he said, his tone cautious.

Alice chuckled softly, a sound that was both musical and bitter. "Stories are just that—stories. Do you believe everything you hear about wolves?"

William shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Fair point."

For the first time in days, he felt the tension between them ease.

One night, as the fire burned low, William found Alice sitting on a fallen tree near the edge of the shelter. Her gaze was fixed on the stars, her expression distant.

"Do vampires believe in destiny?" he asked, approaching her.

Alice glanced at him, her silver eyes reflecting the starlight. "Some do. Others think it's just an excuse for our mistakes."

William sat beside her, the cool night air brushing against his skin. "What about you?"

"I think destiny is a chain," she said after a moment. "Something that binds us to paths we didn't choose."

Her words resonated with William, stirring memories of his own struggles against expectations and betrayal.

"Then how do you break free?" he asked softly.

Alice smiled faintly, her gaze returning to the stars. "By making choices. Even if they're small."

Her answer lingered in the air, a quiet challenge that William found himself pondering long after she had returned to the shelter.

As William's strength returned, so did his determination. He couldn't stay in the Greywood forever. There were debts to settle, wrongs to right, and a future to reclaim.

But as he watched Alice tending to the fire, her movements as steady and unyielding as ever, he felt a pang of uncertainty. She had saved him, cared for him without asking for anything in return.

"Thank you," he said suddenly, his voice breaking the silence.

Alice looked up, her expression surprised. "For what?"

"For reminding me that kindness exists," he said, his tone earnest.

Alice's lips quirked into a faint smile, but she didn't respond. Instead, she turned back to the fire, her silence speaking louder than words.

Looking at Alice's profile, William smiled slightly: "It's so uncomfortable to repeat the script of the previous life. I really want to hug Alice, but I still have to take it step by step."

Alice is still so kind and stupid. He remembered how embarrassed she was when she knew that vampire blood was ineffective against werewolves. At this moment, William suddenly had the urge to take Alice away.

No longer care about the war between the two races, and no longer care about the impact of future dark magicians on the world. It would be better to add Rose.

Thinking of this, William suddenly felt relieved and said to Alice: "Do you want to travel somewhere else?"