I was halfway to the door when—
"Scott?"
I stopped.
Mom stood in the kitchen, leaning slightly against the counter, still in her scrubs.
"You're going out?" she asked, looking at my outfit.
"Yeah."
She glanced at the clock.
Then back at me.
"Late for a school night.... Or is it a date?"
I blushed lightly. "It's just… a friend. Or—I hope more than a friend."
She studied me for a second.
Longer than usual.
"You okay?"
The question landed heavier than it should have.
"Yeah."
Too quick.
She noticed.
She always did.
"Scott."
I exhaled slowly.
"I'm fine," I said again, this time a little more evenly.
She didn't respond immediately.
Just watched me.
Like she was trying to figure out what I wasn't telling her.
"…you've been different," she said finally, worried.
I looked away for a second.
"Better different or worse different?" I asked.
That got a small smile out of her.
"I'm still deciding, but if its something that you need to talk about, you can talk to me."
I nodded slightly.
That was fair.
She straightened, grabbing her keys from the counter.
"I've got a double shift tonight," she said. "So don't do anything stupid, and use protection, I don't want little McCalls running around this house just yet."
I blushed slightly.
"I don't want to have the birds and the bees talk right now."
She teased me as she passed.
"Whose the girl, invite her to dinner some time."
"I am leaving the car keys,"she added.
I nodded.
"I will."
She paused at the door.
Then looked back.
"…be careful, okay?"
Something in her tone— She was still worried.
I held her gaze for a second.
"I will."
This time—
I meant it.
She left.
The house went quiet.
I stood there for a moment longer.
Then turned toward the mirror.
Breathing steady.
Pulse even.
Everything… controlled.
[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
Still good.
I watched myself carefully.
No change in my eyes.
No tension.
No slip.
"Alright," I muttered.
For a second—
it almost felt normal.
Then I stepped outside and drove to Allison's place.
I pulled up outside Allison's house and cut the engine, taking a second to steady myself before stepping out. The night felt sharper than usual, but manageable. For now.
Before I could even reach the door, it opened.
Allison stepped out first.
And for a moment, everything else just… stopped.
She looked different. Not just dressed up—confident. Comfortable. Like she belonged exactly where she was.
"Hey," she said, smiling.
I blinked once, then smiled back. "Hey."
"You're late," she added, but there was no real accusation in it.
"I was making sure I didn't mess this up," I replied.
That earned a small laugh.
"You're doing fine so far."
I was about to say something else when another figure stepped out behind her.
Chris Argent.
I straightened slightly without thinking.
"Dad, this is Scott," Allison said. "Scott, my dad."
I extended my hand. "Nice to meet you, sir."
Chris took it—firm, like he was checking something.
"Scott," he repeated, studying him for a moment longer than necessary. "You play any sport?"
"Yes sir, Lacrosse."
"Good. Keeps you disciplined."
I nodded. "I try."
"He's good" Allison added
Chris held his gaze for another second, then gave a small nod.
"Be back at a reasonable time," he said to Allison, but his eyes stayed on Scott.
I nodded before Allison could answer, holding his gaze.
"I will," she replied.
I opened the car door for her, and she got in with a quiet "thank you."
I moved around to the driver's side, exhaling once before starting the car again.
For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.
Then—
"You handled that well," Allison said.
I glanced at her. "Your dad?"
She nodded. "He's… a lot."
"He's just making sure you're safe."
She smiled slightly. "Yeah. He does that."
A short pause followed, comfortable this time.
"You look… different,"I said.
She raised an eyebrow. "Different good or different bad?"
"Definitely good."
That got a real smile out of her.
"Careful," she said. "You're getting better at this."
"At what?"
"Talking."
I laughed quietly. "Don't get used to it."
She leaned back slightly in her seat, watching him.
"I think I will."
The rest of the drive passed easier than it should have.
And for once—
I wasn't thinking about control.
We reached Lydia's house and immediately—everything got louder.
Party
Music hit first.
Heavy bass.
Too loud.
Too close.
Voices layered over each other.
Laughter.
Shouting.
Glass clinking.
And underneath all of it—
heartbeats.
Too many.
I slowed near the entrance.
Filtered.
Focused.
One thing at a time.
[Sensory Filtering +0.03]
[Emotional Regulation +0.02]
Don't lose it here.
The noise didn't disappear.
But it… separated.
Manageable.
For now.
Then I took her hand, looked in her eyes and said,"Shall we?".
She replied,"Yeah lets go".
We went inside, moving past people already too drunk to notice anything.
There were people making out almost everywhere.
She smiled.
And something in me settled.
That was enough to make me smile.
"You okay?" I asked.
She shrugged lightly. "It's… a lot."
"Yeah," I said. "It is."
For a second, neither of us moved.
Then the music shifted.
Slower.
She glanced toward the crowd.
Then back at me.
"Do you dance?" she asked.
I hesitated.
"…not really."
She smiled.
"Good. Me neither."
And still—
she held out her hand.
I took it.
The moment our hands touched—
everything sharpened.
Her heartbeat.
Closer.
My heartbeat started to rise with hers.
I forced it down.
[Emotional Regulation +0.03]
Focused on her instead.
We moved into the crowd slowly.
Not really dancing.
Just… moving.
Close enough to feel her.
Far enough not to lose control.
"You don't seem nervous," she said.
"I am," I replied.
"You don't look like it."
I almost laughed.
"I'm just trying not to mess this up."
She tilted her head slightly.
"You're doing fine."
That shouldn't have mattered as much as it did.
But it did.
Then—
something shifted.
A sudden movement behind her.
Someone stumbling too close.
A hand brushing her arm—
too rough.
She flinched.
And before I could think—
I moved.
Fast, too fast.
I caught the guy's wrist mid-motion.
My grip tightened.
He froze.
"Back off," I said.
My voice came out lower than usual.
Lower.
He tried to pull away.
Didn't.
Because I didn't let him.
For a second—
I felt it.
That edge.
That power.
This is easy.
My grip tightened slightly.
Too much.
The guy winced.
And something in me—
liked it.
This feels… good.
That thought hit harder than anything else.
No.
I released him immediately.
He stumbled back.
Muttered something.
Left.
Allison was staring at me.
"…Scott?"
I exhaled slowly.
"I'm fine."
But I wasn't.
Because it wasn't gone.
That feeling.
It was still there.
Just beneath the surface.
Then—
a voice cut in.
"Well, that was impressive."
Jackson.
Of course.
He stepped closer, looking between me and Allison.
"Didn't know you had it in you," he said.
I didn't respond.
Didn't need to.
He smirked.
"What is it this time? Adrenaline? Or are you still on whatever you're taking?"
I stepped forward slightly.
"I told you," I said calmly. "I don't need anything."
He laughed.
"Yeah? Then prove it."
He shoved me.
Hard.
I didn't move.
Not even an inch.
Something in his expression changed.
"…okay," he muttered. "That's new."
I stepped closer.
"Try that again."
The words came out before I could stop them.
A little more aggressive than usual.
Jackson noticed.
And for once—
he hesitated.
Then swung.
I saw it before it happened.
[Reaction Speed +0.04]
[Hand-Eye Coordination +0.03]
Moved before it landed.
Caught his arm.
Twisted it behind his back.
He dropped to one knee wincing.
The crowd went quiet.
And for a second—
everything slowed again.
My grip tightened.
Too much.
I could break it.
The thought came naturally.
Easy.
No.
My eyes flickered.
Yellow—
And beneath it—
something darker.
Red.
Just for a second.
"Scott!"
Stiles.
His voice cut through everything.
I froze.
He pushed between us.
"Hey—hey, stop," he said quickly, hands up. "That's enough."
I didn't move.
Didn't release Jackson.
"Scott," he said again, quieter now. "Let go."
That voice—I knew it.
Something in his voice— brought me back to reality.
I exhaled sharply.
And released.
[Emotional Regulation +0.05]
[Control +0.03]
Jackson pulled back immediately, glaring.
"…what the hell is wrong with you?" he muttered.
I didn't answer.
Because I didn't trust myself to.
Then—
someone else stepped in.
Derek.
I didn't hear him arrive.
But I felt it.
That same presence from the woods.
His eyes locked onto mine, sharply.
"You're slipping," he said quietly.
Not a question.
A statement.
I held his gaze.
"I've got it under control."
He didn't look convinced.
"You think you do."he said harshly.
For a second—
I wanted to argue.
But I couldn't.
Because he wasn't wrong.
"You should leave. Now." he said.
Then he stepped back.
And just like that—
he was gone again.
Like he'd never been there.
The crowd started moving again.
Pretending nothing had happened.
But everything had changed.
Stiles grabbed my arm.
"Dude," he said under his breath. "That was not control."
I didn't answer.
Because I didn't have one.
I turned instead.
Found Allison.
She was still watching me.
Not scared.
But not completely calm either.
I walked over slowly.
"Hey."
"Hey," she said.
A pause.
"You okay?" she asked.
I nodded.
"Yeah."
Not a lie.
But not the whole truth either.
"You sure?" she pressed gently.
I hesitated.
Then—
"I just need some air."
She nodded.
"I'll come with you."
We stepped outside.
The noise dropped immediately.
Cool air.
Quiet.
Better.
For a few seconds—
neither of us spoke.
Then she looked at me.
"You're different," she said.
I didn't deny it.
"I know."
Another pause.
Then—
"You didn't hurt him," she said.
"I could have."
That slipped out.
She studied me for a second.
Then stepped closer.
"You didn't," she said.
And somehow—
that mattered more.
I focused on her.
Her voice.
Her presence.
Everything else faded.
Not gone.
But quieter.
Controlled.
She was closer now.
Close enough that I could feel her heartbeat clearly.
I leaned in—
just slightly.
Gave her time to pull away.
She didn't.
So I closed the distance.
The kiss was soft.
For a moment— everything else disappeared.
[Emotional Regulation +0.04]
[Control +0.02]
No noise.
No pressure.
No instinct.
Just—
her.
Then—
it came back.
Too much.
I pulled back slightly.
She noticed.
"Scott?"
"I'm okay," I said quickly.
But I stepped back anyway.
Just a little.
Just enough.
Because I needed to.
I looked at her.
Then away.
Breathing steady again.
Finding the anchor in her just like in the series.
For the first time—
I understood it.
Not just the power.
The danger.
Because for a moment back there—
I didn't just lose control.
I wanted to.
And that—
That scared me more than anything.
To be continued…