October – Two Months into Sophomore Year
The lacrosse tryouts were held on a Friday afternoon, and the entire school turned out to watch. Lucien stood on the field in borrowed gear, stick in hand, watching Coach Finstock pace back and forth like a caffeinated terrier.
"LISTEN UP!" Finstock bellowed. "I don't care if you're freshmen, sophomores, or if your daddy donated a new scoreboard! You want a spot on this team, you EARN it! Now GET MOVING!"
The tryouts began with warm-ups, sprints, agility drills, and conditioning that left half the candidates gasping for air within 20 minutes. Lucien held back, matching the pace of the better athletes without revealing his actual speed. Sam did the same, though Lucien could feel his beta's frustration through the pack bond. It went against every instinct to deliberately underperform.
Patience, Lucien sent through the bond. We make the first line, but we don't raise questions.
Jackson Whittemore dominated the drills with practiced ease, his expensive gear and years of training evident in every movement. He shot Lucien a challenging look as they lined up for shooting practice, the alpha dog asserting dominance over potential threats.
Lucien just smiled.
When his turn came, he took the ball, cradled it, and fired. The shot was perfect, a high corner, impossible for the goalie to reach. The second shot, same result. Third, fourth, fifth, every single one found the net with mechanical precision.
"VALE!" Finstock shouted. "Where the HELL did you learn to shoot like that?"
"Private coaching, sir," Lucien replied, which was technically accurate. Being a primordial wolf with supernatural reflexes and spatial awareness was just a very specialized kind of coaching.
Jackson's face darkened as Lucien continued to sink shot after shot. Sam wasn't far behind; his defensive plays were aggressive and effective. By the end of tryouts, it was clear to everyone watching that the team dynamics were about to shift.
The roster was posted on Monday morning. Lucien—first line, Sam—first line, defense. Jackson—first line / Captain, but no longer the undisputed star.
Lucien found the results taped to the locker room wall, surrounded by a crowd of players checking their status. Jackson stood nearby, his jaw clenched so tight Lucien could hear his teeth grinding.
"Congratulations," Jackson said, the word dripping with venom. "Guess daddy's money bought you some skills."
"Guess so," Lucien replied mildly, refusing to take the bait. "Looking forward to working with you this season, Whittemore."
He walked away before Jackson could respond, leaving the other boy seething. Making an enemy of Jackson wasn't ideal, but it was inevitable. The guy's ego couldn't handle competition.
November – First Game
The stands were packed for the season opener against Devenford Prep. Lucien could see Lucy sitting with Jake in the crowd, her excitement palpable even from the field. She'd been champing at the bit to join them at school, but Lucien held firm. Control first, social life second.
The whistle blew, and the game began.
Lucien had forgotten how much he enjoyed lacrosse. The speed, the strategy, the physical contact, it was a perfect outlet for his wolf's need for competition. He moved across the field like water, dodging defenders, setting up plays, scoring with surgical precision.
Sam was a wall on defense, using his enhanced strength judiciously to shut down opponents without raising suspicion. Together, they dominated.
Final score: 12-3.
Lucien had scored seven goals. The crowd went wild.
In the locker room afterward, the team celebrated with the kind of chaotic energy that only teenage boys could muster. Even Jackson managed a grudging nod in Lucien's direction, though his girlfriend, Lydia, was notably absent from the post-game festivities.
"You were incredible out there," one of the other players said, clapping Lucien on the shoulder. "How are you not already being scouted?"
"The season just started," Lucien replied with a smile. "Give it time."
But he had no intention of pursuing lacrosse beyond high school. It was just a tool, a way to build social capital, to establish himself as someone normal and exceptional in mundane ways. The real game was happening beneath the surface, in the supernatural world that Beacon Hills hid so well.
December – Academic Rivalry
The first semester grades were posted just before winter break, and Lucien found himself staring at a 4.0 GPA with his name at the top of the class rankings.
Right above Lydia Martin's name.
He'd expected this. His enhanced intelligence made academics almost trivially easy, and he'd been deliberately thorough in his work. What he hadn't expected was Lydia's reaction.
She found him at his locker after school, her expression carefully neutral but her eyes flashing with competitive fire.
"Congratulations," she said, her tone suggesting the opposite. "Must be nice, being naturally brilliant at everything."
"It's not natural," Lucien replied honestly. "I work hard. Same as you."
"Right. The lacrosse star is also a genius. How convenient."
Lucien closed his locker and turned to face her fully. "Is there a point to this conversation, or are you just here to be passive-aggressive?"
Lydia's mask slipped for just a moment, surprise flickering across her face. Most people were too intimidated by her to push back.
"I don't like you," she said bluntly.
"I gathered. But you don't even know me."
"I know your type. Rich, talented, perfect hair." She gestured vaguely at his white spikes. "You probably think you can just walk into Beacon Hills and take whatever you want."
"I'm not taking anything from you, Lydia. Your GPA is still impressive. We can both be smart."
"But only one of us can be valedictorian."
Ah. There it was. Lydia Martin's carefully constructed identity as the most intelligent person in school was threatened by a newcomer.
"Then I guess we'll have to see who wants it more," Lucien said with a slight smile. "May the best student win."
He walked away, leaving Lydia staring after him with an expression caught between annoyance and grudging respect.
February – Valentine's Day
The championship season was in full swing, and Beacon Hills High was riding high on lacrosse fever. Lucien had become something of a local celebrity, the mysterious new student who'd transformed the team from mediocre to dominant.
The attention was exhausting.
Girls flirted constantly, leaving notes in his locker, finding excuses to talk to him. Guys either wanted to be his friend or resented his success. Teachers praised him. The administration loved him for bringing positive attention to the school.
And through it all, Lucien maintained careful control. Friendly but distant. Exceptional but not supernatural. He dated occasionally, casual things that never went anywhere serious, and deflected the more aggressive advances with practiced ease.
"You're handling the popularity better than I expected," Sam commented one afternoon as they left practice. "I thought you'd be more annoyed."
"Oh, I'm annoyed," Lucien assured him. "But it's useful. The more normal I seem, the less anyone looks deeper."
They were walking to the parking lot when Lucien caught a familiar scent on the wind. His steps slowed, his senses sharpening.
Werewolf.
Not Sam, not Lucy. Someone else.
He scanned the parking lot carefully, but whoever it was had already left. The scent was fading, maybe an hour old. Someone had been here, watching the school.
Did you catch that? he sent to Sam through the bond.
Yeah. Not one of ours.
Stay alert. Please don't mention it to Lucy yet.
Lucien filed the information away. It could be nothing, a passing werewolf, someone just traveling through. Or it could be the beginning of something more complicated.
Either way, he'd be ready.
May – End of Year
The championship trophy sat in the school's main display case, gleaming under fluorescent lights. Beacon Hills Lacrosse – State Champions. Lucien's name was engraved on the plaque as team MVP.
The year had been a success by every measurable standard. First in academics, MVP of a championship team, popular enough to blend in but not so much that he couldn't maintain privacy. Sam had integrated well, making friends on the team and keeping his wolf under control. Even though Lucy's homeschooling was progressing, she'd mastered her shifts and would be ready to start as a freshman in the fall.
But as Lucien stood in the empty hallway for hours, staring at the trophy, he felt a growing tension. The calm was too perfect. Too easy.
Summer was coming, and with it, the final year before canon ends. Before Scott McCall got bitten. Before Peter Hale woke up and started his killing spree. Before everything Lucien had been preparing for became real.
He pulled out his phone and texted Jake: Need to accelerate the security team's training. Supernatural threat protocols, full disclosure. Start next week.
The response came immediately: Understood. Any specific threats I should know about?
Not yet. But soon.
Lucien pocketed his phone and took one last look at the trophy. He'd built his foundation, reputation, resources, and loyalty. Now it was time to prepare for war.
Because in Beacon Hills, peace never lasted long.
And the wolf moon was coming.