Rrrriiiinggg!!
The sound of the bell rang, announcing the end of the school day at Beacon Hills High School, and the students rushed out of the classrooms excitedly, all heading toward one destination.
The lacrosse fields.
Lacrosse was the center of discussion among the students of Beacon Hills, especially with the beginning of a new school year, which meant a new season full of opportunities…
Opportunities for fame, for entering the spotlight, and most importantly—new chances to get girls.
Because, quite simply, that was all that occupied the minds of high school teenagers.
"Stiles, wait a bit!!"
Scott shouted in frustration as he ran after his excited friend, who was charging toward the fields as if the grand prize were waiting for him.
"Come on, Scott! This is our chance to get on the team and become starting players!!"
Stiles said quickly, then added as he sped up even more:
"Or at least… players who are actually there."
"Is he always like this?"
Victor asked in confusion as he watched Stiles move farther away.
Scott sighed and said:
"No… only at the beginning of every year. And after coffee. And before it. And during anything that has to do with Lydia."
Stiles rushed toward the lacrosse coach and the statistics teacher at Beacon Hills High School, Bobby Finstock.
Stiles reached him, panting, opened his mouth, and was about to speak—
"No, Stilinski. You're not on the team."
Bobby said immediately without lifting his eyes from the list in his hand.
"What?! Come on, this isn't fair!! It's the beginning of a new year!!"
Bobby slowly raised his head and looked at him with impatience.
"The last time I checked, the first day of school was yesterday, not today!!
And also, you're a bad player, and all you'll do on the field is fall on your butt… most likely on your back first."
"What?! Come on, coach! I trained all summer!!"
Stiles said enthusiastically, then whispered quickly:
"Okay… most of the summer."
"No. It won't happen."
Stiles suddenly dropped to his knees and grabbed the coach's sleeve.
"Please!! Please please please please!! This is my chance to impress Lydia!! This is my chance to be someone!!
Or at least someone everyone doesn't laugh at!!"
Victor stared at the scene in shock, then slowly turned toward Scott.
Scott looked away and said coldly:
"I… don't know this person. And I've never met him in my life."
"Stilinski!! Let go of my sleeve now!!"
Bobby said sharply as he tried to pull away, but Stiles clung to him as if his future depended on the fabric.
"Stiles, I think you should let go of the coach."
Scott said awkwardly, wishing the ground would split open and swallow him, especially with the growing stares from the other students… and some of them had started recording.
"No!! I trained all summer!! I'm getting into the starting lineup!!"
Stiles said firmly as he held on tighter.
"Or at least… the bench! The bench is great!!"
Bobby sighed, then said with a dangerous smile:
"Alright, tough kid. You want to play that badly? Then we'll play… your way."
The coach blew his whistle loudly, then said:
"Now, everyone line up for offense. And Stiles here will try to stop you from scoring a goal."
The team members smiled and looked at each other with amusement.
"Oh, this is going to be fun."
Jackson Whittemore said with a mocking smile, as if he were talking about watching a movie.
Scott sighed and tried to turn away and leave, but Bobby grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.
"McCall!! Where do you think you're going?! You're after Stilinski.
Move your lazy butt to the field!!"
Scott groaned, cursing Stiles in his head… several times.
Victor looked at Scott's expression, then at the field, where he saw a full line of large players smiling maliciously.
He shook his head and thought:
ah ah, I don't want this smoke.
He immediately turned with the intention of leaving.
"Hey!! You! The new kid!! Come here!!"
But unfortunately, the coach had other plans.
Victor groaned as he was dragged in as well.
---
[Meanwhile, in an unknown location].
A figure sat in a large, dark, luxurious room with dim lighting.
The figure, handsome with green eyes and thick black hair, was sitting with intense anger on an ornate chair in the center of the room, staring at a massive screen. It was Lucian Castel, surrounded by his loyal followers, watching the last footage of Ciri Bandrikon on a huge screen placed in the middle of the room.
Lucian was extremely angry, because last night one of his most important servants had died: his best spy, a powerful 800-year-old vampire named Cirien Bandrigon, or simply Ciri Bandrigon. Lucian was sure that there was nothing or no one strong enough to harm Ciri in Beacon Hills, let alone kill her. Yet she had died last night under unknown circumstances after he had ordered her to kill the Petrofa doppelganger.
Lucian had placed tiny cameras inside the brains of his followers. The function of these cameras was simple: if one of his important servants died, the cameras would send their last moments directly to him.
---
Boom!!
Ahhhhhhh!!!
Where do you think you're going? I'm not done with you yet.
Arrrrr!!
Boom!!
Arrrrahhh!!
"When you mess with my family you mess with me, you motherfucker!!"
Aaaahhhh!!
---
"Stop".
Lucian Castel raised his hand and ordered his followers to stop the video.
The video paused at the moment of Ciri's death, and a blurry, unclear shape appeared on the TV screen.
"Clarifie the image".
Lucian angrily ordered, and one of the people in the room trembled, then started pressing several buttons quickly.
The image cleared rapidly, and Alex appeared in his Lycan form.
Lucian's breath caught, and he stood slowly in horror. The room froze, and the air became still.
"Im… impossible.
Ly… Lycan?"
Lucian whispered in disbelief, with a hint of fear in his voice.
Whispers spread across the room, and fear rose in everyone's hearts, because anyone who had witnessed the Two Hundred-Year War knew what the monster in the video was capable of.
Lucian stood slowly, still in disbelief, then saw two things about Alex that made him narrow his eyes:
Yellow eyes.
An underdeveloped body.
Lucian sat down slowly and then said slowly, intriguingly:
"Interesting… very interesting indeed."
Luc Kong, Lucian's loyal slave, and a 900 years old vampire, stepped forward and said in a puzzled voice:
"What shall we do, my King? Shall we stop chasing the Malrow pack due to the Lycan appearing in Beacon Hills?"
"Beacon Hills is a cursed place. The Nightsuni appeared there more than 70 years ago and nearly caused the destruction of the entire planet."
Milton Wilde, a vampire over 700 years old, said fearfully.
"I don't care if it's a Lycan or not!! Just give me Folcret and I will kill him and avenge my sister!!"
Cirella Bandrikon Cried angrily, and her eyes glowing red.
"There is no more Folcret, Cirella, and even if there was, it wouldn't be enough to kill the Lycan."
Lucian's right hand and personal witch, Alexis, answered calmly.
"And let's be realistic. Even if you had Folcret, you wouldn't be able to kill the Lycan because you would die a miserable death just like your sister."
Rosalys Lyco, a 700-year-old vampire, replied sarcastically to Cirella.
"Watch your tongue or I will tear it out!!"
Cried Cirella in anger.
"Oh really? I'd love to see you try!"
Rosalys retorted sharply.
The argument intensified and the debate escalated.
"Enough!!"
Lucian shouted angrily, and everyone immediately fell silent.
Lucian placed his elbows on his desk, then looked at all his servants and loyal followers, and said:
"Enough empty talk. This video proves the impossible…"
Lucian paused briefly, as if weighing the words he was about to say, then continued slowly:
"The return of the Lycans.
Then continue.
"And it seems this Lycan is somehow connected to the Doppelganger that I ordered Ciri to kill."
Cirella clenched her fist so tightly that blood flowed from her hand at the mention of her sister's name.
Lucian continued with an indifferent expression:
"Now, here is what will happen. Luc, you will gather the army heading to Beacon Hills and lead all operations there. I will send you a full coven of witches to assist in completing your mission: capturing the members of the Malrow pack and this new Lycan alive."
Luc Kong lowered his head, then said in a trembling, fearful voice:
"But… but my King, we are talking about a Lycan, not just any werewolf. The Malrow pack alone will cause huge problems for me even with a full coven of witches."
Lucian looked at Luc coldly, then said:
"Just carry out what I say, and I will send you the Tenebrous Vampyrum squad."
"Yes, my lord."
Luc Kong lowered his head in obedience.
Lucian looked at Alexis, then said:
"Contact with the League of Assassins, Alexis. The Doppelganger must be killed."
Alexis bowed respectfully, then left the room.
Lucian looked at Rosalys, then said:
"I need to gather information on this Lycan and the situation in Beacon Hills in general, but I do not want you to go personally."
Rosalys lowered her head, then said:
"Yes, my lord. I will contact the operatives in Beacon County immediately."
Lucian nodded in appreciation, then said:
"And now, everyone may leave. I need some time to think."
"Yes, my lord!!"
Said everyone in the room in full harmony, and they all left except for one person.
Lucian looked at Cirella with an indifferent expression, then said:
"What is the matter?"
Cirella laughed a dry laugh, then said:
"What is the matter? Have you forgotten my sister's death just like that? We have served you for centuries, and we have fulfilled all your requests and desires, and this is how you reward us? By not caring or attempting revenge for us?"
Lucian looked at Cirella coldly, then smiled sarcastically and said:
"It seems you misunderstood, Cirella."
A red crown symbol lit up on Cirella's chest as Lucian finished speaking.
"Aaaahhhh!!!"
Cirella screamed in intense pain and kneeled to the ground, spitting blood violently.
Lucian slowly approached Cirella, then said in a low, dark voice:
"The purpose of your existence, your sister's, or anyone else's here, is solely to serve me and fulfill my demands. You are my servants, insects—no, even less valuable than insects to me. Therefore, I will not blink if you all die. Is that clear?"
Lucian then pressed Cirella's head down and crushed it on the ground, stepping on her head as he finished speaking.
"…Clear."
Cirella said painfully and weakly as her head was pressed into the tiles.
"Good. Now get out of my office, you foul garbage."
Lucian removed his foot from Cirella's head, then returned to his desk and sat back in his chair, wearing a dark expression, hiding what he was thinking.
Cirella rose slowly and painfully, then left the office, tears streaming down her face, her expression full of hatred and intense resentment.
--------------------------------
"Ow!!"
Stiles and Victor groaned as they lay on their backs.
"Hahahahaha!! Look at the new kid, he looks like he got hit by a truck!!"
Jackson Whittemore laughed arrogantly as he easily knocked Stiles and Victor onto their backs.
Jackson was a handsome boy with blue eyes and black hair, and he was also the second strongest human boy at Beacon Hills High School and the captain of the lacrosse team.
"That's it!! I'm going to kick his ass!!"
Victor said angrily, standing up and trying to attack Jackson.
"Hey, hey!! Calm down, man, it's just a game!!"
Danny, the Beacon Hills team goalkeeper, said as he tried to grab Victor.
"Get off me!!"
Victor shouted angrily, and some other students rushed in to hold him back.
"Breeeet!!"
The coach blew his whistle loudly, then shouted, "Koshomogly!! To the bench, now!!"
Victor glared angrily at Jackson, then threw his lacrosse stick and said,
"Whatever, this sport is stupid anyway!!"
Then he walked away and left the field entirely.
"Your brother isn't doing very well."
Allison said to Lily as they sat in the stands.
Lily looked awkwardly at Victor and said,
"Yes, he always gets tense when we move to a new city."
"Or maybe he's just bad at sports."
Lydia Martin said indifferently while popping her gum.
Lily got annoyed and said,
"Or maybe your stupid boyfriend is just an idiot."
Lydia looked at Lily and said with a playful smile,
"Oh come on, sweetheart, you can do better than that."
Lily snorted in annoyance and looked away.
Allison looked awkwardly at her two new friends.
She had met Lydia and Lily during lunch, and this strange friendship had formed. Everything in this friendship was managed by Lydia, of course. Even the friendship itself existed because of Lydia. But at the same time, all the tension coming from it was also because of Lydia. Lydia was a girl with a sharp, sarcastic mouth, and in the last ten minutes she had been mocking Victor and Stiles, who had been thrown into the air like dirty towels by the entire team.
Lydia looked toward the field with growing boredom when it was Scott's turn to defend.
Lydia Martin was a very popular and beautiful girl at school, with strawberry-blonde hair, light blue eyes, smooth white skin, and high social status. She was also dating Jackson Whittemore.
"Who's that?"
Allison asked curiously when she saw Scott taking a defensive stance in front of all the attackers.
Lydia popped her gum and said,
"I don't know, and I don't care."
"I hope he kicks Jackson's arrogant ass."
Lily said sharply.
Lydia rolled her eyes and ignored Lily.
Stefan looked from the stands at Scott carefully. He suspected that Scott was a werewolf and wanted to see what werewolves could do around normal humans. Would they lose control like vampires? Stefan wondered. Three months ago, he had believed that vampires and witches were the only supernatural creatures in the world, but Lexi had shocked him with several interesting facts when he decided to come to Beacon Hills to find his brother.
Stefan clenched his fist as he remembered the reason for coming to Beacon Hills, then relaxed his hands and watched attentively.
"Breeeet!!"
The coach blew his whistle sharply and said,
"McCall!! Be useful and add some morale to the team with your terrible defense!!"
Scott groaned tiredly, then stood in a ready position.
Some laughed at the coach's words.
Then the attackers lined up in one row.
"Oh, this is going to be so much fun,"
Jackson said mockingly.
"Alright, score those goals!!"
The coach blew his whistle, and the first attacker rushed toward Scott.
Scott watched carefully and then saw everything in slow motion—every step, every muscle contraction, every movement.
"Haaah!!"
The attacker shouted and tried to get past Scott.
Scott blocked his path and shoved him hard.
The attacker flew through the air and landed on his back with a painful groan.
"What?"
Jackson said in confusion, stopping his laughter.
Everyone looked at Scott in shock.
"Yes!!"
Stiles shouted enthusiastically from the bench.
Coach Bobby looked slightly stunned, then blew his whistle again.
"Aaagh!!"
Another attacker rushed forward fiercely.
Scott exhaled nervously, as it was very hard to restrain his strength so he wouldn't accidentally hurt anyone.
The attacker dodged right, then left, then tried to pass Scott. Scott simply extended his stick and stopped him easily.
The attacker fell onto his back and groaned in pain.
"Yes!! That's my guy!!"
Stiles stood up and shouted excitedly.
The coach blew his whistle again, and attackers kept coming at Scott, all of whom he stopped easily while holding his strength back to the extreme so he wouldn't break them.
Finally, it was Jackson's turn.
Jackson stood in front of Scott angrily, twirling his stick left and right.
The coach looked at Scott and said,
"McCall!! When did you learn to play like this?! Where were you hiding these talents, in your ass?!"
Scott opened his mouth to answer, but the coach interrupted him:
"You know what? I don't care where this miracle came from!! What matters is that if you can stop Jackson from getting past you, you're in the starting lineup, got it?!"
Scott opened his mouth in shock, not knowing what to say. What he had dreamed of before had come true. Maybe, in the end, getting bitten wasn't so bad.
The coach blew his whistle and shouted,
"Whittemore! Go and kick McCall's ass!!"
Jackson nodded and charged toward Scott.
Scott braced himself and watched carefully. This was his chance to surpass Jackson, who had bullied him and Stiles since middle school.
Jackson raised his stick and tried to swing toward the goal, but Scott raised his own stick and blocked the strike.
Jackson groaned in annoyance, then tried to spin around Scott and get past him, but Scott blocked his path again.
Jackson growled angrily and tried to shove Scott hard.
But Scott pushed him gently, and Jackson flew through the air for two meters and landed on his back.
"Yes!! Come on, Scott! Show that arrogant Jackson his place!!"
Stiles shouted hysterically, then sat down shyly when he noticed everyone staring at him.
Lily laughed loudly and happily.
As for Allison, she smiled softly and looked at Scott warmly. She didn't know why, but she felt as if she had met Scott before, as if an important part of her memory had been… erased.
Scott removed his helmet, exhaled sharply, and looked at Jackson lying on the ground, then extended his hand to him.
"Are you okay?"
Jackson groaned angrily when he saw Scott's outstretched hand and said sharply,
"I don't need your pity, McCall!!"
Then he stood up angrily.
"McCall!! Get over here, now!!"
Scott turned to his coach and went to him.
"What was that?! Some kind of magic?! A miracle?!"
"No, Coach, it's just—"
"I don't care what it is!!" Bobby cut him off sharply, then patted his shoulder and said,
"Because you're on the team now!!"
"Really?! That's amazing!! Thank you, Coach!!"
"Tomorrow is your first real practice!! Don't disappoint me, McCall, is that clear?!"
"Yes, sir!!"
"Good! Now move it, you useless lazy asses, and do something useful!!"
Bobby shouted loudly and blew his whistle hard.
Scott walked to the stands and started talking excitedly with Stiles.
Stefan watched him closely. Scott hadn't lost control in any way. He saw no drastic changes in his features or body, but he witnessed an impressive and controlled display of strength. Scott had thrown larger teenagers into the air for several meters. Even adults didn't have that kind of strength, let alone a normal teenager.
Stefan sighed and stood up slowly. The situation was very confusing for him. He didn't even know what werewolves looked like, what their traits were, or how to tell if one was standing in front of him. All he knew was that one bite from them was enough to kill him. Now all he could do was stay hidden and out of sight.
Derek Hale stood watching Scott from afar, and what he saw truly astonished him. Scott should have lost control by now, especially while playing a violent sport like lacrosse, but he was more controlled than… necessary.
Derek shook his head and headed back toward the forest. He needed to prepare well to avenge his sister.
---
[After school]
"Wow, Scott, that was really amazing. You actually made it onto the team."
Stiles said as he walked beside Scott deep in the forest.
"I don't know, Stiles. I feel like I'm kind of cheating."
Scott replied as he searched around for his inhaler.
"If by cheating you mean turning into a werewolf, changing your face, growing claws, and roaring like 'RAAAH! RAAAH!'"
Stiles joked, mimicking Scott's transformation expressions.
Scott rolled his eyes and said,
"This isn't funny, Stiles. Since last night, everything around me feels so fragile, like if I'm not careful, something will break, or… or—"
"Or someone."
Stiles finished.
Scott looked at him disapprovingly.
Stiles shrugged and said,
"Come on, Scott, don't tell me you haven't thought about the possibility of hurting someone."
Scott sighed and said,
"I did fine, it's just that it's…."
"Tiring? Or scary?"
A third voice said coldly.
Scott and Stiles turned and saw David emerge from between the trees.
"Hi, David,"
Stiles said nervously, waving.
Scott looked at David and said,
"Were you following us, David?"
"No. I was just passing by while heading to your house."
"My house? Why?"
"Because Deaton wants me to bring some of Alex's belongings so he can perform a location spell."
David replied coldly, looking around.
"A spell for what?!"
Stiles said in shock.
"A location spell. Used to find missing people or objects,"
A fourth cold voice said.
They all turned toward the voice and saw Derek standing there with a mysterious expression, his hands in his pockets.
"Derek… I didn't know you were here,"
Scott said slowly.
"Let me guess, you were just passing by us too?"
Stiles said sarcastically.
Derek looked at Stiles coldly and said,
"What are you doing here? This is private property."
"Private property? What are you talking about? This forest is public."
Scott asked in confusion.
"No. This area belongs to my family—the Hale family."
"Okay,"
Stiles said slowly, then added,
"We came looking for Scott's inhaler."
Derek tossed the inhaler when he heard Stiles' words.
Scott caught it and said,
"My inhaler! Thank you, Derek."
"Why are you looking for this device? You don't need it anymore."
David asked curiously.
"Right?! I told him that a million times, but he insisted on coming here!!"
Stiles said irritably.
Scott replied,
"This device carries an important memory for me."
"Whatever. Now leave."
Derek said coldly, then turned and walked away.
"What's his problem?"
Stiles said in confusion.
"Stiles… the body that was here yesterday is gone."
Scott said quietly.
"So what?"
"That means he found his sister's body, cut in half, lying in the dirt deep in the forest."
Scott replied emotionally.
"Ooooh. That makes sense now. But I bet you ten dollars he's always cold like that with people."
Stiles said quickly.
Scott shook his head helplessly.
"If you two are done, we need some of Alex's belongings."
David said coldly.
Scott looked at him and said,
"What exactly do you need?"
"Clothes, possessions, valuable items, and things closely connected to Alex."
"Okay. When do I need to bring them?"
"Meet us at Deaton's clinic at about ten o'clock tonight."
David said coldly, then vanished in a blur of speed.
"Damn, I'll never get used to that speed."
Stiles said in awe.
"Come on, Stiles. Let's go home."