Into the Shadows: Tom and Derek’s Decision
The night carried a thicker, heavier air in the backstreets of the city.
Between the towering buildings, hidden in a narrow, dimly lit alleyway, Derek and Tom walked in silence. The flickering glow of neon signs cast weak reflections on the damp pavement, merging with the chaotic graffiti staining the walls.
The lingering scent of cigarette smoke mixed with the faint, acrid stench of burnt plastic, making the place feel like a trap for outsiders.
Tom took a deep breath.
Tonight, he was making a choice.
This wasn’t just any meeting spot. This was the threshold of the world Derek had been drowning in. And now, Tom was about to step into it too.
As they reached the end of the alley, they stopped in front of an old garage—its doors left wide open, revealing a repurposed warehouse. Inside, laughter and muffled music spilled into the night, setting the tone for something that felt less like a meeting and more like a celebration.
Derek paused.
"You ready?" he asked, pulling a cigarette from his pocket and tucking it between his lips.
Tom’s gaze flicked toward the group lingering outside the entrance.
Somewhere deep inside, a part of him knew this might be a mistake.
But there was no turning back now.
"I’m ready," he said, his voice steadier than he expected.
Derek exhaled a slow drag of smoke, giving him a once-over.
"Alright then, baby face. Let’s see if Wesley likes you."
Meeting Wesley
As the door swung open, the heavy scent of smoke, alcohol, and something unspokenly dangerous filled the air. The room was dim, lit only by the flickering glow of cheap neon signs, but the scattered tables and worn-out couches made it easy to see the men lounging in the shadows.
At the very center of it all, seated between two men, was Wesley.
He was twenty-six, with an untamed, dangerous charm. His jet-black, slightly wavy hair was loosely tied at the nape of his neck. His lean yet defined frame disappeared beneath a long black leather coat, blending with the dim surroundings like a living shadow. The faint gleam of silver chains around his neck, combined with the tattoos on his arms catching the light, made him look like someone who lived just on the edge of chaos.
Next to him, a blonde woman sat close, her body wrapped in a sheer, skin-tight dress that left very little to the imagination. Her bold, knowing eyes flicked toward Tom, scanning him up and down in a way that took in everything—every nervous twitch, every subtle hesitation.
Wesley smirked as he finally acknowledged them.
"So, this is the new kid," he said, his voice warm but laced with something sharp—something dangerous.
Derek grinned, slapping Tom’s shoulder in a casual but firm gesture.
"Tom, Wesley. Wesley, Tom."
Wesley leaned forward slightly, his sharp eyes studying Tom like a puzzle he was in no rush to solve.
"Tell me something, Derek…" His voice was slow, deliberate. A hunter testing his prey.
"How tough is he?"
Tom felt a jolt of electricity course through him. This was a test.
Derek exhaled smoke and crushed his cigarette under his boot.
"That’s what we’re here to find out, aren’t we?" he said, amusement laced in his voice.
Wesley hummed in thought before glancing at the blonde.
She didn’t hesitate.
Slowly, she leaned toward Tom, a teasing grin on her lips as she spoke.
"There’s something in your eyes…" she mused, voice dripping with curiosity. "Is it innocence? Or is it hunger for danger?"
Tom held back the tension coiling in his gut and smirked.
"You’d have to take a closer look to figure that out."
Wesley laughed.
"Now, that’s what I call entertainment!"
He took a slow sip from his drink, the glass catching the dim light before he set it down.
Then, his focus shifted back to Tom, expression turning more serious.
"Alright, Tom… Tell me why you’re here. Ordinary boys don’t just walk into places like this."
Tom met his gaze head-on.
"Because I’m not ordinary."
Silence.
Then—a grin.
Wesley chuckled, shaking his head.
"Then prove it."
And in that moment, Tom knew—whatever happened next would determine exactly which path he was about to walk.
Tom’s Transformation: Introducing Carolina to Wesley
Tom had long abandoned his hesitation.
The boy who once stood at the edge of decision, questioning his place in this dark world, was gone.
Now, there was only determination.
He didn’t just want to be here—he belonged here.
And now, he was ready to prove it.
Wesley, seated comfortably in his chair, exhaled a slow drag of smoke as he studied Tom.
"So, tell me, baby face… what exactly do you bring to the table?"
Tom didn’t flinch at the nickname this time.
Instead, he smirked.
Then, in a calm but cutting voice, he answered:
"I bring you something different. Something rare. Something that doesn’t just exist in this world—it controls it."
Wesley raised a brow, intrigued.
Tom leaned forward, placing his hands on the table. His tone deepened, his words dripping with an unsettling certainty.
"Carolina."
Silence settled in the dimly lit room.
Wesley’s eyes flickered with mild recognition. The name rang a bell.
"Carolina?" Wesley repeated, his voice curious but careful.
Tom nodded slowly, a small smirk tugging at his lips.
"You might have heard of her. You might have even seen her—watched from afar, wondering what kind of woman could move through a room like she owns it, without even trying."
Wesley tilted his head slightly, intrigued but still unreadable.
"Go on."
Tom’s confidence didn’t waver.
"She’s not just a woman, Wesley. She’s a force. The kind that doesn’t just get noticed… but gets remembered."
He let the words settle, knowing that every syllable carried weight.
"She walks into a room, and people pause without realizing why."
"She doesn’t have to demand power—because power bends itself around her."
"And the best part?" Tom leaned back slightly, his smirk widening.
"She doesn’t even know it."
Wesley was listening now.
Truly listening.
The blonde woman beside him was watching Tom, her interest evident in the way her lips parted slightly.
Wesley finally set his glass down, tapping his fingers lightly against the rim.
"And why, Tom, should I care?" His tone was amused but not dismissive.
Tom’s eyes darkened.
"Because I can bring her into our world."
A slow, sharp grin stretched across Wesley’s lips.
"Now that… that is interesting."
Tom didn’t blink.
He knew exactly what he was doing.
And for the first time, Wesley was truly looking at him not as a kid…
But as someone worth watching.
A Dark Baptism: Tom’s Point of No Return
The room had never felt heavier.
Tom could feel the weight of Wesley’s words pressing into his bones, sinking deep, wrapping around him like an iron chain.
This was it. The moment.
No turning back. No hesitation.
And when the words left his lips— "I will please you, Daddy."
—something inside him shifted.
Derek’s breath hitched, his fingers flexing slightly as he processed what Tom had just said.
Wesley, however…
Wesley smiled.
A slow, dangerous curve of his lips.
The kind of smile that promised both favor and destruction.
He leaned back, eyes gleaming under the dim light, his fingers tapping lazily against the wooden surface.
"That’s how my boys should be," he murmured, his voice a low purr of satisfaction.
Beside him, the blonde woman lifted her glass toward Tom, her lips curling into a small, knowing smirk.
He had passed the first test.
But the real trial?
It hadn’t even begun yet.
Wesley exhaled a trail of smoke, watching Tom like a newly sharpened blade waiting to be used.
Then, with a lazy but deliberate nod, he spoke the words that would seal Tom’s fate.
"Welcome, kid."
The final verdict.
Tom’s pulse steadied.
This was what he had chosen.
No family. No attachments.
Only loyalty. Only power.
And as the finality of those words sank in, he realized—
He had never felt more alive.
ns 15.158.61.41da2
