I woke up cold.
Not just cold—wrong.
The ground beneath me wasn't my bed.
It was damp. Uneven.
Leaves.
I didn't move immediately.
I already knew.
"…so it started."
I pushed myself up slowly, scanning my surroundings.
Trees and fog.
I was in the preserve.
I'd walked here.
In my sleep.
But this—didn't feel accidental.
It felt like I'd been pulled.
Then I felt it.
A presence.
Not close but not far either.
Watching.
It was waiting for me.
I stood still.
Didn't run.
Didn't panic.
My breathing slowed on its own.
"Then show yourself." I said quietly into the trees.
Silence.
Then—
A low growl.
Not loud. Not aggressive. Just heavy.
It pressed against me more than it echoed.
I didn't move.
"If you wanted me," I said, a little firmer this time, "you wouldn't need to hide."
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then the pressure shifted.
Closer.
My instincts screamed at me to move.
To run.
I didn't.
Not immediately.
I held it.
Just a little longer.
Then—
Something in that presence changed.
And my body reacted before I could stop it.
I stepped back.
Then again.
Not fear—instinct.
And just like that—the control slipped.
I turned.
And ran.
Morning
I made it home just before sunrise.
Showered.
Changed.
Then sat on the edge of my bed.
"…okay."
This time—
I didn't ignore it.
I let the system surface.
[Proficiency System — Status]
Strength: 16.9
––Muscle Efficiency: 5.7
––Grip Strength: 5.5
––Explosive Force: 5.7
Speed: 17.7
––Movement Efficiency: 4.3
––Balance: 4.0
––Reaction Speed: 5.3
––Hand-Eye Coordination: 4.1
Endurance: 16.4
––Pain Resistance: 5.0
––Recovery Efficiency: 5.7
––Stamina Control: 5.7
Control: 15.9
––Sensory Filtering: 3.9
––Body Awareness: 4.2
––Emotional Regulation: 3.8
––Perception: 4.0
I read through it once.
Everything looked… steady.
But that wasn't the problem.
The problem was—
I stepped back.
I closed the panel.
"…not enough."
School
I had just shut my locker when it slammed open again.
Jackson.
Right on cue.
"All right, little man," he said. "How about you tell me where you're getting your juice."
I didn't react immediately.
"…what?"
He leaned in slightly.
"Where. Are. You. Getting. Your. Juice?"
Oh.
Steroids.
I almost laughed.
"You really think I need steroids?" I asked.
His expression tightened.
"There's no way you're pulling that off on the field without something," he said. "So you're gonna tell me what it is."
I stepped closer.
"Or what?" I said a little aggressively.
That landed.
He shoved me into the lockers.
"What the hell is going on with you, McCall?"
I held his gaze.
Didn't react.
"Nothing you can keep up with."
For a second—
I thought he might swing.
Instead, he leaned closer.
"I'll figure it out," he muttered. "I always do."
He walked off.
I didn't move.
Didn't need to.
Field
"Let's go! Bring it in!"
Coach's voice cut across the field as we gathered.
I barely heard it.
Not because I wasn't listening.
Because everything else was louder.
Heartbeats.
Footsteps.
Voices.
I filtered it.
Forced it down.
The full moon is already showing its effects.
"McCall!" Coach snapped. "You got a question?"
I blinked, snapping back to reality.
"No."
"Then stop staring into space and get out there!"
The whistle blew.
The game started.
The ball came toward me.
I caught it easily.
Too easily.
The movement felt easier. Lighter. Stronger.
I moved.
Everything slowed—No.
Not slowed.
I was just faster.
More precise.
I dodged one.
Then another.
Jackson came at me.
I saw it before he moved.
Adjusted.
Slipped past him.
The goal opened.
I took the shot.
Scored.
Clean.
For a second—
everything felt perfect.
Then—
something surged.
Not loss of control.
But close.
I exhaled sharply.
Forced it down.
Not here.
.....
Derek POV
He was watching.
From the edge of the trees.
Still.
Scott moved differently.
Not like a new beta.
Too controlled.
Too aware.
No panic.
No rage.
That wasn't normal.
Derek narrowed his eyes slightly.
Interesting.
After Practice
"Scott! Scott, wait up!"
Stiles.
I didn't stop.
"Stiles, I've got first elimination—can it wait?"
"No," he said, grabbing my shoulders. "Listen to me. They found animal hairs on the body."
I already knew what he was going to say.
"…it was a wolf."
I didn't respond.
Not because I didn't care.
Because I couldn't think about that right now.
Stiles' Room
His room was a mess.
Papers everywhere.
Books.
Printouts.
He looked worse.
"You gotta see this," he said. "I've been up all night."
"How much Adderall?" I asked.
"A lot."
I sat down.
"This isn't a joke anymore," he said. "The bite, the wolf—this is real."
"I already told you."
He stopped.
"…yeah, right."
I didn't answer.
"Full moon's tonight," he said.
I nodded.
"You are not going to the party!"
"I'm going to the party."
"We already talked about it," I added.
That broke him.
"Are you out of your mind?"
"I'm not losing control."
"You don't know that!"
"I do."
He stared at me.
Then—
"You're cursed, Scott."
That didn't hit the way he thought it would.
"I'm controlling it," I said.
"Not completely," he said, pointing at my hand.
I didn't respond.
Because he was right—my claws were out.
The full moon was already taking effect.
"I'm calling Allison," he said suddenly.
"No, you're not."
He grabbed my phone anyway.
I moved before he could dial.
Shoved him back.
My hand clenched—
For a second—
Too tight.
Too fast.
Then I stopped.
Forced it down.
The chair behind him cracked instead when I threw it aside.
Silence.
Stiles stared at me.
I exhaled slowly.
"…sorry."
That one was real.
"I've got to go."
I grabbed my bag.
And left.
Later, at home,
I stood in front of the mirror again.
Breathing steady.
Pulse controlled.
Everything—
held.
For now.
But underneath—
Something was building.
Not out of control.
But not stable either.
I looked at my reflection.
Eyes steady.
Human.
For now.
I exhaled.
Control wasn't as easy as I thought it would be.
To be continued…