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(AN: thank you for the infinity stones guys, it is part of the promise of extra chapter for today. hope you like it)
Night had returned to Beacon Hills.
The ruins of the Hale house had grown cold, but the air still carried the bitter scent of smoke and ash. Most of the visiting wolves had already left, returning to their territories after helping the survivors.
Only a few remained.
The Hale territory was quieter now.
Too quiet.
At the edge of the clearing, Laura Hale stood alone, staring at the burned foundation of what used to be her home.
Her fists were clenched so tightly her nails dug into her palms.
Behind her, Derek Hale approached carefully.
"You should rest," he said.
Laura didn't turn around.
"Rest?"
Her voice was low.
"They burned our house, Derek."
Her eyes flickered red.
"They murdered our pack."
Derek's jaw tightened.
"I know."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Derek asked quietly,
"What are we going to do?"
Laura finally turned.
Her expression had changed.
The grief was still there…
…but something colder had replaced it.
"We rebuild the pack."
Derek frowned.
"With who?"
Laura gestured toward the small group of surviving children sleeping near a campfire.
"Family doesn't disappear just because a house burns down."
Her gaze hardened.
"And the Argents will learn that."
Derek followed her gaze.
"Are we going after them?"
Laura shook her head slowly.
"Not yet."
"Right now we survive."
Several meters away, leaning against a tree, Arthur Corvinus listened quietly.
He pretended to be asleep.
But every word reached his ears.
"Rebuild the pack…"
Arthur sighed internally.
"Yeah… that's what happens."
He remembered the story clearly.
The Hale fire.
Peter surviving.
Laura becoming Alpha.
Then later…
Peter killing her to take the Alpha power.
Arthur rubbed his temples.
"But now everything is different."
He glanced toward the resting form of Talia Hale, who sat beside the children like a silent guardian.
In the original timeline—
Talia died in the fire.
Now she was alive.
Arthur exhaled slowly.
"That alone changes everything."
If Talia lived…
Peter might never become Alpha.
Which meant…
Scott might never become the True Alpha later.
Arthur groaned softly.
"Great."
"I broke the timeline on day one."
Footsteps approached him.
Arthur quickly closed his eyes again.
But it was too late.
A shadow stopped in front of him.
"Arthur."
His eyes opened slowly.
Standing above him was Talia Hale.
Even weakened, the Alpha carried an overwhelming presence.
Arthur forced himself to sit up.
"Yes… Alpha?"
Talia studied him carefully.
"You were very quiet during the rescue."
Arthur scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"I was… unconscious most of the time."
Talia didn't smile.
Her Crimson eyes remained fixed on him.
"I know."
Arthur's heart skipped.
"But when you woke up," she continued calmly, "you spoke words I didn't understand."
Arthur froze.
"You said something about a story changing."
His mind screamed.
SHIT.
He forced a nervous laugh.
"I was probably delirious."
Talia said nothing.
The silence stretched for several seconds.
Finally she nodded slowly.
"Perhaps."
But the way she looked at him made Arthur certain of one thing.
She didn't fully believe him.
Talia turned toward the forest.
"The hunters will not stop."
Arthur frowned.
"You mean the Argents?"
Talia nodded.
"They broke the code tonight."
Her voice grew colder.
"That means they no longer follow the old rules."
Arthur swallowed.
"Which means…?"
"They will hunt us again."
Arthur leaned back against the tree.
"Fantastic."
Talia glanced down at him once more.
"You survived the fire."
Arthur nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"Then you are part of this pack."
Her gaze softened slightly.
"And the Hale pack protects its own."
Arthur blinked in surprise.
For the first time since waking up in this world…
…he felt something strange.
Safety.
But it didn't last long.
Because in the distance—
A faint scent drifted through the forest.
Talia's head snapped toward the trees.
Her eyes glowed Crimson.
Someone was watching them.
Arthur noticed her reaction.
"What is it?"
Talia's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Hunters."
Across the forest ridge, hidden among the trees—
A pair of binoculars lowered slowly.
A woman with blonde hair smirked as she watched the survivors.
Kate Argent spoke quietly into a radio.
"Report to base."
Her smile widened.
"A few of them survived."
She looked back toward the burned Hale territory. like a predator hunting her meal
"But that just means the hunt isn't over."