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Scott McCall woke up with a sharp inhale.
His body jerked upright, sweat clinging to his skin as fragments of the previous night crashed into his mind—flashes of the woods, the hunt, the moment his claws almost tore into something living.
His hands trembled.
Slowly, he raised them in front of his face.
"That wasn't a dream…"
The faint sound of footsteps outside his house reached him.
A car passing.
Voices two houses away.
Scott froze.
He could hear everything.
"…What the hell…"
"Okay—good news."
Scott turned.
Stiles was already there, sitting on the chair like he owned the place, dark circles under his eyes, hair a mess.
"You didn't kill me."
Scott blinked.
"…There's bad news, isn't there?"
Stiles nodded immediately.
"Oh, yeah. There's a lot of bad news."
He stood, pacing.
"So—quick recap. You ran into the woods, went full horror movie mode, almost killed something, then passed out. So… honestly? Could've been worse."
Scott stared at him.
"…I almost killed something?"
Stiles pointed at him.
"With claws. Actual claws. Not emotional ones. Physical, sharp, murdery claws."
Scott ran his hands through his hair, breathing uneven.
"What's happening to me…?"
Stiles stopped.
For once—no jokes.
"Scott… I think when you were bitten."
Silence filled the room.
"I think it changed you."
Scott looked down, fists tightening.
"…What if I hurt someone?"
Stiles stepped closer, voice steady despite the fear.
"You didn't."
A beat.
"That means you're still you."
The hallway was empty.
Quiet.
Too quiet.
Scott leaned against the lockers, trying to steady his breathing, his mind still spiraling from everything Stiles said.
Then—
A voice.
Calm.
Controlled.
"You should avoid the woods… at least until you learn control."
Scott's head snapped up instantly.
"What do you mean?"
Arthur stepped into view.
Composed. Unbothered. His presence alone felt… heavy.
His eyes studied Scott carefully before he spoke.
"Someone who knows what you are becoming… and also your friend… if you allow it."
Scott frowned, suspicion rising.
"we barely even talk."
Arthur ignored that.
Instead, he spoke like he was stating facts.
"You were bitten, You lost control, And now hunters will take notice of you."
Scott's expression changed.
From defensive—
To shaken.
"…How do you know all that?"
Arthur's lips curved slightly.
A faint smirk.
"Because your story is… predictable."
Scott didn't understand that.
But something about it made his stomach tighten.
His instincts flared.
anger.
Uncertainty.
Scott moved.
Fast.
His fist shot forward toward Arthur's face—
Arthur tilted his head.
The punch missed by inches.
Scott's eyes widened.
He attacked again—faster, more aggressive.
Arthur stepped aside effortlessly.
Like Scott wasn't even a threat.
Scott growled, lunging, grabbing—
Arthur caught his wrist mid-motion.
Firm.
Unshakable.
Scott pushed harder—
Nothing.
"Too slow," Arthur said calmly.
Scott's eyes flashed yellow.
"easy there."
He forced his strength forward—
Arthur twisted his wrist slightly—
CRACK
"ARGH"
Scott growl, his golden eyes began to shine.
And in the next second—
Scott was slammed against the lockers.
Hard.
Metal dented behind him.
Air knocked from his lungs.
Arthur stepped closer, voice low, controlled.
"You're reacting on instinct."
"No control. No awareness."
Scott glared at him, breathing heavily.
"If I wanted you dead…" Arthur continued, his gaze unwavering,
"you wouldn't even see it coming."
Silence.
Heavy.
Arthur released him.
Scott didn't attack again.
he take a look of his broken arm— healing.
Because now—
He understood.
The gap between them was enormous.
Deep in the woods—
Hunters moved through the terrain with precision.
Weapons ready.
Eyes scanning.
"Multiple tracks," one said.
"Different species."
Another crouched, examining claw marks.
"One of them is new."
A pause.
Then:
"Capture if possible."
"Kill if necessary."
Elsewhere—
Hidden in the shadows—
The vampires watched.
Still.
Cold.
Patient.
Their eyes followed the movements of both Scott… and Arthur.
"For now, Scott McCall is unstable."
"Arthur, on the other hand, is strong…"
"Not just strong… he's stronger than what we expected."
A brief silence.
"…he's something else."
And just like that—
Their focus shifted.
Not to Scott.
But to Arthur.
Back at school—
Scott leaned against the lockers after Arthur left.
His hands trembled slightly.
"…What if I hurt someone…?"
Arthur's words echoed in his mind.
"Then you will become exactly what they believe you are."
Scott clenched his fists.
That thought terrified him.
More than anything.
Arthur walked alone, his expression unreadable.
His thoughts, however—
Sharp.
Precise.
"The bite…"
"The timing…"
"The progression…"
Everything aligned.
Almost.
"The Alpha should appear soon."
He paused.
That night—
Scott lay awake.
Staring at the ceiling.
Listening.
Waiting.
Then—
He heard it.
Outside.
Not random.
Intentional.
Watching him.
Scott slowly sat up.
His eyes glowed yellow.
From the darkness beyond his window— Two glowing eyes stared back.
Unblinking.
Predatory.
A voice—low, distorted—cut through the silence.
"There you are."