Derek Hale is a twenty-four-year-old, approximately 6'0" tall born werewolf whose height remains the same when wolfed out, with pale olive skin, intense green-hazel eyes, thick dark eyebrows, short black hair, a defined jaw, heavy stubble, and a broad-shouldered, lean muscular physique built for speed, strength, and close combat; he is guarded, intimidating, blunt, fiercely protective, emotionally repressed, suspicious, loyal, and quick-tempered beneath his controlled exterior, while his wolfed-out form features glowing supernatural eyes, sharper cheekbones, pointed ears, pronounced fangs, claws, darkened facial markings, and a more feral expression that reflects the animalistic side he struggles to restrain whenever anger, or fear overwhelms him. As a Hale-family survivor and former Alpha, Derek carries deep guilt, trust issues, and trauma that make him push people away.