The hallway slowly returned to normal.
But nothing felt normal anymore.
Not after that.
Scott McCall ran a hand through his hair, pacing.
"Okay… no—no, we are not ignoring what just happened."
He turned sharply toward Aiden.
"You just grabbed an Alpha mid-attack like it was nothing."
Aiden stood still.
Calm.
Composed.
Untouched.
"Because it was nothing," Aiden replied.
Silence.
Stiles Stilinski pointed at him.
"That—right there—that is exactly the kind of sentence that gets people killed."
Aiden glanced at him.
"They were already going to die."
"…Okay, yeah, that didn't help," Stiles muttered.
Meanwhile—
Allison Argent hadn't moved.
Not really.
Her eyes were still on Aiden.
Still processing.
Still… pulled.
"You could have killed him," she said quietly.
Aiden looked at her.
"And I chose not to."
That answer hit differently.
Because it wasn't hesitation.
It wasn't doubt.
It was control.
Allison stepped closer.
"Why?"
For a second—
The world narrowed again.
Just the two of them.
"Because it's not time yet."
Her breath caught.
There was something in the way he said it—
Like Peter's fate was already decided.
Just… postponed.
Behind them—
Lydia Martin leaned casually against a locker.
Watching.
Analyzing.
"You talk like you're above all of this," Lydia said.
Aiden didn't even look at her.
"I am."
A pause.
Then—
Lydia smiled faintly.
Not mocking.
Not dismissive.
Interested.
"Good," she said softly.
"Because people who think they're above everything…"
Her eyes flickered.
"…either rule the world…"
A beat.
"…or burn it."
Aiden's lips curved slightly.
"Let's find out which one I am."
That answer sent a strange chill through the room.
But then—
A low groan broke the tension.
The Beta.
He shifted on the floor.
Breathing uneven.
Eyes flickering beneath closed lids.
Scott immediately rushed over.
"Hey—hey, he's waking up."
Aiden's gaze sharpened.
"Careful."
Too late.
The Beta's eyes snapped open—
Glowing bright yellow.
Wild.
Unstable.
He lunged.
Straight at Scott.
"Scott—!" Stiles shouted.
But before the attack could land—
Aiden moved.
Not fast.
Not rushed.
Just… inevitable.
His hand caught the Beta's face mid-lunge.
Stopping him completely.
Again.
The force cracked the floor beneath them.
The Beta struggled.
Snarling.
Clawing.
Desperate.
Useless.
Aiden's grip tightened slightly.
Not enough to hurt.
Enough to control.
"Look at me," Aiden said.
The Beta resisted.
Feral.
Broken.
Aiden's eyes ignited.
Flames rising again.
Burning brighter this time.
"Look at me."
The command hit harder.
Deeper.
And slowly—
The Beta's movements weakened.
His resistance faltered.
Then—
His eyes met Aiden's.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Because in that moment—
Something invisible snapped into place.
Authority.
Not Alpha.
Not dominance of a pack.
Something older.
Something deeper.
Hellhound.
The Beta's body went still.
His breathing slowed.
His eyes lost their madness.
"…What… happened?" he whispered.
Scott blinked.
"That's new."
Aiden released him.
Stepping back.
"You're being influenced," Aiden said.
The Beta looked confused.
"Influenced…?"
"Fear," Aiden replied.
"Amplified. Controlled."
Understanding slowly crept in.
"Peter…" Scott muttered.
Aiden nodded slightly.
"But that's not the real problem," he added.
Everyone looked at him.
"What do you mean?" Allison asked.
Aiden's gaze shifted.
Toward the windows.
Toward the forest beyond.
"Peter isn't acting alone anymore."
That changed everything.
Stiles froze.
"Nope. No. I don't like that sentence at all."
Lydia straightened slightly.
"Someone else is pulling strings?"
Aiden didn't answer immediately.
Because he could feel it.
That faint pressure again.
Not Peter.
Not the Beta.
Something else.
Watching.
Waiting.
"Yes," he said finally.
And then—
He turned.
"Scott."
Scott looked up.
"Yeah?"
"You need control," Aiden said.
Scott frowned.
"I'm working on it—"
"You're failing."
The bluntness hit hard.
Scott clenched his fists.
"I didn't ask for your opinion."
Aiden stepped closer.
"You don't need my opinion," he said quietly.
"You need to survive."
Their eyes locked.
Tension rose.
For a second—
It almost felt like a challenge.
Like a line was about to be crossed.
Then—
Aiden spoke again.
"Come with me tonight."
Scott blinked.
"…What?"
"I'll teach you control."
Scott hesitated.
Because part of him—
Didn't want to accept help.
But another part—
The part that remembered losing control—
Knew he needed it.
"…Fine," Scott said finally.
Aiden nodded once.
Then—
He turned again.
And found Allison still watching him.
Always watching him.
"You too," Aiden said.
She froze.
"Me?"
"If you're going to stay involved," he continued,
"You need to understand what you're stepping into."
Her heartbeat quickened.
Danger.
Truth.
Him.
All of it pulled her forward.
"…Okay," she said softly.
Behind them—
Lydia smiled faintly again.
"Now this…" she murmured,
"…is going to get interesting."
Aiden's eyes flickered with fire once more.
Because the game was changing.
Lines were being crossed.
And tonight—
He would begin shaping everything.
His way.