Over the next five weeks, Andy tried to hunt down Calvin Locke. He tried to get the other Bone Gnawers to help but they ignored him, not wanting their packs to suffer the same fate as Andy's pack. Andy kept seeing Des. They went for walks, watched the stars and had long talks about life. Andy felt more and more attached to her and often wished he could just leave his Garou nature behind and be human forever.
After a night of watching the stars, Andy walked Des home. They walked hand in hand, smiling at one another every so often. The moon was bright and Des leaned on Andy as they walked.
"I hope you had a good time." Andy said as they came to the warehouse.
"I did, Galahad." Des said with a smile. "It's not every day I get to meet a guy who loves the theater and star watching."
Des stretched up and gave Andy a soft peck on the cheek. Andy blushed and smiled at Des.
"Want to go for breakfast tomorrow?" Des asked as Andy put a hand on the steel ladder going up to the roof of the warehouse.
"Sure. What time should I meet you?"
"Nine o'clock all right?"
"Sounds fine."
Des smiled and walked up the block. Andy climbed the ladder to the roof, smiling to himself. For once in his life, Andy felt things were going his way and life couldn't get much better than this.
"Better get some shut eye if I want to meet Des tomorrow." Andy thought as he straightened his blankets.
As Andy pulled the blanket up to his neck, a distant scream caught his ear. Andy threw the blanket off and raced to the rusty ladder. He slid down the ladder and hit the street running. Before he cleared the alley, Andy concentrated hard. He shifted to Lupus form and raced up the street on all fours, his nose sniffing the air. His acute hearing picked the source of the scream and he made his way to a small back alley. Andy crept in and found the source of the scream.
Two large punks were standing over Des. She was slumped up against a wall, her eyes half shut. A punk with long purple hair stood over her with a knife.
"Come on!" laughed the punk, as he toed Des with his foot. "We just want to have fun."
Andy let out a low guttural growl.
The punks whirled around and saw Andy creeping toward them. The purple haired punk held his knife ready and the other punk with red hair grabbed Des.
"Look at the size of that fuckin' dog, Joey!" the purple haired punk said.
"Get rid of it, Polk!" Joey shouted as he used Des as a human shield.
Andy glanced at Des and it looked as though she was unconscious. Polk waved his knife threateningly at Andy. The young Garou circled Polk and snapped at him with his powerful jaws.
"Scram before I skin you!" Polk shouted as Andy crept towards him.
Andy let the Rage flow through his body and started to shift forms. He leapt at Polk. Andy shifted into Crinos in midair. He landed on Polk hard and snatched the knife away from him. Polk turned white with fear as Andy tossed the knife away and looked down at him, his toothy maw snapping at him.
"Holy shit monkeys!" Joey cried and he let go of Des.
Andy got off of Polk and shifted back to Lupus. He watched Polk scramble to his feet and run out of the alley, his red hair friend close behind him.
Andy calmed himself down and let the Rage flow out of him. He shifted back into his human form and walked over to Des. He knelt down and looked her over. He shirt was ripped at the neck and her jacket had a slash across the shoulder. Andy carefully checked Des out for any other wounds, but found none.
"Des?" Andy asked softly.
Des's eyes flickered open.
"I saw... I saw..." Des mumbled.
Andy picked Des up in his arms and held her close. He carried her out of the alley and towards Des' apartment. Andy found Des' keys and opened the front door. He carried Des up a flight of stairs and let himself into Des' apartment. Andy laid Des down on the couch gently. He made her comfortable and got her a glass of water from the kitchen. When Andy came back, Des was awake and Andy avoided looking at her eyes as he handed her the water. Des drank the water and put her hand on Andy's shoulder.
"What happened tonight?" Des asked in a quiet voice.
"What do you mean?" Andy asked. "You were attacked by a couple of punks. A dog came and saved you. I heard the barking and found you."
"No." Des said. "The dog it walked on two feet and then it changed into you."
"You must be in shock." Andy said.
"Galahad, what happened?"
Andy looked into Des's eyes.
"I can't tell you." Andy answered and he got up.
"What?" Des asked.
Andy slid his coat on, avoiding Des's eyes.
"Galahad?"
Andy put his hand on the doorknob.
"Galahad, please? Talk to me." Des said in a soft voice.
"Des, I know what happened, but I can't tell you." Andy said, not looking back.
"You can't tell me? What was all that crap about honesty and truth? What the hell have we been doing the last five weeks?" Des sobbed. "Well, fuck you! I was probably just another toy for you. Was that it? You can go to hell! Get the fuck out of my apartment, you lying bastard."
Des buried her face in her hands and began to cry. Andy felt his hand tense on the doorknob. He tried to turn it, but something inside of him wouldn't let him. That something inside was hurting and Andy slowly turned around.
"Des?" Andy called softly.
Des sat on the couch, her arms wrapped around her legs and her face buried in her knees.
"I do care." Andy said.
"Go to hell, you liar!" Des sobbed in her knees.
"Des!"
Des didn't answer.
Andy felt his insides twisting. He knew what he wanted to say but the words seem stuck on his tongue. He fought the fear welling up inside of him and began to shake slightly. Andy took a deep breath and got the words out.
"I love you." Andy said with a quivering voice.
Des looked up, tears streaming down her cheeks. Andy raced over to the couch. He wrapped his arms around Des, hugging her tightly. Des held Andy tightly as he kissed her tear streamed cheeks. Andy held her close, finding comfort in the warmth of her body.
"I do, Des." Andy whispered, head buried in her shoulder. "I do love you, no matter what you think."
"Then tell me what happened! My mind isn't making sense." Des sobbed.
"Okay." Andy said. "I will explain, but you'll be put into terrible danger. Do you still want to hear?"
"Please, tell me." Des said.
Andy sat back and looked at Des. He brushed her hair out of her eyes and spoke.
"I'm Garou." Andy said softly.
"Garou?" Des asked.
"A werewolf." Andy said.
"You're telling me you can change into a wolf?" Des asked, voice full of doubt.
Andy nodded.
"I think you've lost it." Des said.
Andy stood up and stood in the middle of the room. He shut his eyes and concentrated hard, using all his willpower to shift smoothly. With a grunt, Andy shifted into his Lupus form. Des gave a little screech and went a little pale. Andy trotted over to the couch and sat down beside it. He cocked his head at Des.
"Galahad?" Des whispered, eyes full of fright.
Andy barked and shifted back into human form.
"There." Andy said quietly.
They sat in silence for a long time, neither looking at the other. Andy reached to touch Des, but she shied away from him. His heart began to ache and Andy fought tears back.
"I'll leave you now." Andy said. "You don't have to worry about seeing me again. I'll disappear."
"I thought you said you loved me?" Des asked, tears filling her eyes.
"I do." Andy said as quietly. "I love you more than life itself. I love you so much I'd rather hide from you than to let you be afraid of me. No one loves a Garou."
Des grabbed Andy and held him tight.
"Don't leave. I'm not afraid of you." Des said. "I want you to stay and I don't care what you are!"
Andy kissed Des softly on the lips and her lips parted. Andy let his emotions flow and gave Des a deep, passionate kiss. Des closed her eyes and returned the kiss. She slid her hands under his shirt and pressed them against his back. He lifted her off the couch and carried her into the bedroom. Des looked at Andy and kissed him deeply, his lips parting to let her tongue explore. Andy gently laid Des on the bed and took his jacket off. He laid down beside her and softly stroked her hair. She smiled at him and gently rubbed his neck.
"Des?" Andy said.
Des nodded.
"I haven't been with a girl before." Andy stammered. "I'm not sure what to do."
"You mean you're a virgin?" Des asked, a small smile creeping across her lips.
"Yeah." Andy said sheepishly.
"Well," Des said quietly, "so am I. I guess we'll just have to figure it out for ourselves."