The forest did not immediately relax after the hunters disappeared.
Even after the last trace of movement vanished beyond the trees, an invisible tension lingered in the air, pressing down on the clearing like a weight that refused to lift. The wind barely stirred, and the usual sounds of the forest—rustling leaves, distant birds—seemed absent, as if the land itself remained on edge.
No one moved.
For several long minutes, every werewolf present stood frozen in place, their senses stretched to their limits. Ears strained for the faintest disturbance. Noses searched for lingering scents. Muscles remained coiled, ready to react at the slightest sign that the hunters had not truly left.
They listened for footsteps.
For the metallic click of a rifle being reloaded.
For anything.
But nothing came.
The silence persisted.
Too quiet.
Too unnatural.
Finally, Talia Hale raised her hand, her gesture calm but authoritative.
"They're gone," she said.
The words broke the invisible tension.
Slowly, the clearing began to breathe again.
The rigid stances of the wolves softened. Shoulders lowered. Claws retracted. The younger children, who had been trembling in fear, began to calm as the immediate danger seemed to pass.
Some of them still clung tightly to one another, unwilling to let go, their small hands gripping sleeves and blankets as if reassurance could be held physically.
Nearby, Derek Hale was anything but calm.
He paced back and forth like a caged predator, his movements sharp and restless. Every step carried frustration, anger, and something deeper—helplessness. His claws extended briefly, flexing before retracting again, betraying how close he was to losing control.
"They're not going to stop," he said, his voice tight.
He turned toward the others, his eyes glowing gold with restrained fury.
"They burned our house," he continued, each word heavier than the last, "and then came back the next morning to finish the job."
His gaze hardened.
"So why did they leave?"
The question hung in the air, thick with tension.
Laura Hale answered before anyone else could.
"Because they wanted to see how many of us survived," she said quietly.
All eyes turned toward her.
Her expression had grown colder, sharper, the grief now buried beneath something far more dangerous.
"They weren't retreating," she continued. "They were observing."
Her gaze shifted toward the forest where the hunters had vanished.
"And now they know."
Talia gave a slow nod, confirming her daughter's assessment.
"Laura is correct," she said.
She stepped forward slightly, drawing the attention of everyone present.
"The hunters will report back to their family," she continued, her voice steady but firm. "What happened here was only the beginning."
Her eyes hardened, a flicker of something fierce passing through them.
"And next time… they will not come alone."
Arthur Corvinus leaned back against a nearby tree, rubbing his temples as if trying to ease the growing pressure in his head.
Yep, he thought.
'That sounds about right.'
He knew exactly how dangerous the Argent family could be.
And more importantly—
He knew exactly how unhinged Kate Argent was.
"Psychopath with a crossbow, a sniper rifle… and a flamethrower," he muttered quietly under his breath.
He let out a slow, tired sigh.
'Seriously…Why couldn't I reincarnate into a peaceful anime or something?'
Instead, he found himself trapped in the world of Teen Wolf, where survival wasn't guaranteed and supernatural creatures seemed to drop like flies every season.
His timing couldn't have been worse.
Talia stepped further into the center of the clearing, her presence immediately drawing everyone's attention once more.
"We cannot stay here," she said.
Derek turned toward her instantly, disbelief flashing across his face.
"What?" he asked.
Laura frowned slightly, her arms crossing over her chest.
"This is our territory," she pointed out.
"Yes," Talia replied calmly.
"And that is precisely why the hunters will return."
Her gaze shifted briefly toward the ruins of the Hale house.
"Our home is gone," she said, her voice softening just slightly.
There was a pause before she continued.
"And our pack is wounded."
Those words carried a different kind of weight.
Several of the younger wolves lowered their heads. They weren't warriors. Not yet. Some of them had barely begun to understand what it meant to be a werewolf. Facing trained hunters in their current state would not be a battle.
It would be a slaughter.
Laura's expression tightened.
"So we run?" she asked, the word clearly bitter on her tongue.
Talia shook her head.
"We relocate," she corrected.
Her tone remained calm, but firm.
"There is a difference."
Derek crossed his arms, still unconvinced.
"Where would we even go?" he asked.
Talia turned slightly, her gaze drifting toward the distant town beyond the forest.
"There are allies," she said.
Arthur's attention snapped back immediately.
Allies?
His mind raced for a moment before settling on a single, familiar answer.
Wait…
There was only one person that made sense.
He muttered under his breath.
"Deaton…"
Laura glanced toward her mother.
"You mean the emissary?" she asked.
Talia nodded.
"Yes."
Derek frowned.
"He lives in town," he said.
"Yes," Talia confirmed again.
Laura's eyes narrowed slightly.
"That's risky."
Talia didn't deny it.
"It is," she said. "But it is also necessary."
Her gaze swept across the survivors—the injured, the exhausted, the children trying their best to stay strong.
"The Hale pack has always protected Beacon Hills," she said.
Her hand clenched into a fist.
"And we will not abandon it now."
Arthur blinked.
Wait…
That was a major shift.
In the original timeline, the Hale family had been scattered, broken, nearly erased after the fire.
But now…
They were staying.
They were fighting.
Arthur let out a quiet, defeated sigh.
Yeah…
The timeline is officially broken.
Before he could dwell on it further, Talia suddenly turned toward him.
"Arthur."
He flinched slightly, caught off guard.
"Y-Yes, Alpha?" he responded.
Talia studied him carefully.
"You are human," she said.
Arthur nodded cautiously.
"Technically."
Derek raised an eyebrow.
"What does that mean?"
Arthur immediately waved his hands.
"I mean—yes. Human. Completely human."
Laura crossed her arms, her gaze narrowing slightly as if she didn't fully trust that answer.
Talia continued, unbothered.
"That means you will not be affected by mountain ash barriers," she said.
Arthur blinked.
Then it clicked.
Oh…
Right.
Mountain ash.
A natural barrier against supernatural creatures.
But for humans?
It might as well not exist.
And suddenly—
Arthur had a very bad feeling about where this conversation was heading.
Talia didn't keep him waiting.
"I need someone to go into town," she said.
Arthur slowly raised a finger and pointed at himself.
"…Me?"
Talia nodded without hesitation.
"Yes."
Derek frowned immediately.
"That's dangerous."
Arthur nodded quickly.
"Extremely dangerous," he added.
Laura tilted her head slightly.
"What exactly would he do?" she asked.
Talia's answer was simple.
"He will find the emissary."
Arthur closed his eyes briefly, already knowing the name that followed.
Yep.
Called it.
Alan Deaton.
Veterinarian.
Druid.
And someone deeply connected to the Hale pack.
Arthur dragged a hand down his face.
'Congratulations, Arthur. You just reincarnated yesterday… and now you're already being assigned story quests.'
He looked up slowly, his expression somewhere between disbelief and resignation.
"So let me get this straight," he began.
He pointed toward the distant road leading into Beacon Hills.
"You want me to walk into town…"
He gestured toward the forest behind them.
"…while hunters are actively searching for survivors…"
Then he pointed back at himself.
"…and somehow find and talk to a mysterious druid veterinarian?"
Talia nodded.
"Yes."
Arthur stared at her for a moment.
Then he let out a long, tired sigh.
"Well…" he said, pushing himself to his feet.
He stretched slightly, wincing as his body reminded him of yesterday's trauma.
"When you put it that way…"
He glanced toward the path leading out of the forest.
"…this is definitely a terrible idea."
Derek smirked faintly.
"Scared?" he asked.
Arthur glanced at him, unimpressed.
"I just survived being burned alive," he replied.
He shrugged slightly.
"I think I've earned the right to be cautious."
Laura let out a quiet chuckle, the sound surprising even herself.
For a brief moment, despite everything that had happened, she and Derek almost looked like normal teenagers again.
Talia watched Arthur closely.
"You do not have to go," she said.
Arthur's gaze shifted toward the children.
Some were still coughing.
Others sat quietly, clutching their bandaged arms.
They looked… fragile.
He exhaled slowly.
"Yeah," he said. "I know."
There was a pause.
Then he rolled his shoulders, as if bracing himself.
"But someone has to."
Without waiting for a response, Arthur turned and began walking toward the forest path that led into town.
The ground crunched softly beneath his feet as he moved.
He didn't look back.
Instead, he raised one hand lazily in the air.
"Alright," he called out.
"Let's go meet the druid."
And with that—
Arthur Corvinus stepped out of the ruins of the Hale territory…
…and straight into the next part of a story that was no longer following its original path.