You consider what he's saying; he clearly could read you like a book.
"You're right," you say to him. "I would probably just have gone back
to proving I was right."
He nods. "We can't let that happen. You certainly aren't the first to
figure out our secret, and you're not the most-acclaimed person
either. But I can tell you're driven. It's the look you have about
you. You simply blurting out that you're sure it's a werewolf
print...that really just confirmed my theory. If you're willing to
tell someone who you just met that you believe in werewolves, you'll
tell anyone."
You walk over to him, holding your arm up to his mouth. "And biting me
will calm your concerns, right?"
He gently pushes your arm away. "I...I wouldn't do that out here,
Stephanie. But yes..it will allay concerns. Not just mine, but the
concerns of the others. Once you're one of us, the risk is just as
much yours if our secret is found out. You will have as much at stake
as any of us."
You nod. "So you're not going to bite me out here?" The more you think
about it, this could be an incredible empirical experience. You won't
need to research werewolves...you'll be one! You can test the limits
of your own abilities, and you'll know you aren't being lied to, or
fed false information. You quietly promise to document every aspect of
the experience, even if you never publish it or reveal it to anyone.
"No," Gabe says. "First off, I'm just in my human form right now...me
biting you like this wouldn't do a bit of good. Secondly, I need to
eat something. The change burns an incredible amount of calories and
energy. That's where the ravenous werewolf myth comes from. It's
instinctive if you haven't eaten before you change...you'll
potentially go berserk. I don't want to put you in any unnecessary
danger."