Jacob arrived at school during lunch. He parked his Aston Martin and headed straight for the cafeteria, where he found Allison, Lydia, Stiles, Scott, and Erica at their usual table.
He slid into a seat. "What are you guys talking about?"
Stiles leaned in, lowering his voice. "There are three new werewolves in school."
Jacob raised an eyebrow and casually scanned the room. He spotted them sitting together at a table in the far corner. 'So Derek turned Isaac and Boyd, just like in canon. But who's the girl? I can't see her face.'
He turned back to Stiles. "I know Isaac and Boyd, but who's the girl?"
Before Stiles could answer, Scott spoke up. "Her name's Tracy Stewart. And I call dibs."
Jacob narrowed his eyes at Scott, who immediately pleaded, "Please, just let me have this one."
Jacob smirked. "Relax, I have no interest in her. But can you even ask her out? Do you need me to be your wingman?"
Scott shook his head. "No, thank you. I can ask her out myself. You just stay away from her."
Jacob shrugged. "Like I said, I'm not interested." His smirk widened. "I'm more interested in Melissa. I should pay her a visit; I haven't seen her in a while."
To his surprise, Scott didn't react. He just kept staring at the back of Tracy's head, completely ignoring him.
Jacob picked a clean chicken bone off Allison's plate and hit Scott on the head with it. "Hey. Didn't you hear what I just said?"
Scott blinked, finally looking at him. "I did. I just don't care."
Jacob's smile returned. "Does that mean I have your blessing?"
"No," Scott said flatly. "It just means I know my mom won't date a minor."
"I'm a minor now," Jacob countered. "But I'll be eighteen in a year and a couple of months."
Scott stood up, straightening his jacket. "Well, that's a problem for later." He glanced toward the cafeteria door. "For now, I'm going to talk to Tracy. She just left."
Jacob gave him a mock salute. "Okay, son, have fun. And if you don't want me as your wingman, you can ask your Uncle Stiles for advice so you don't get rejected."
Stiles laughed. "I can give you some solid tips, Nephew Scott!"
"Screw you both," Scott said, but he was smiling. "I finally have a chance at a girlfriend, and I'm not letting you ruin my good mood." He walked out of the cafeteria, leaving Jacob, Stiles, and the girls laughing.
When the laughter died down, Stiles's expression turned serious. "By the way, guys, there's something weird going on. Someone—or something—has been digging up graves and stealing human organs from the cemetery."
Jacob asked. "Did that happen yesterday?"
"No, it happened four days ago," Stiles said. "I found it in my dad's files yesterday, but he just classified it as a grave robbery. His focus is on the Black Shuck case."
Allison frowned. "Maybe it's not a supernatural case this time."
"Maybe," Stiles agreed.
Jacob thought. 'So the events of season two have already started. That's the omega werewolf stealing and eating human organs.' He scanned the cafeteria, looking for Jackson, but didn't see him. 'What should I do about Jackson? He's an idiot, but he's not evil. The real villain is that creep Matt, who stalked Allison and controlled the Kanima in the show. Yeah, I'm definitely getting rid of that guy.'
He was pulled from his thoughts by Allison nudging his shoulder. "I was talking to you. Didn't you hear me?"
Jacob blinked. "Sorry. What did you say?"
"Mom invited you to dinner tonight. Are you going or not?"
"Of course I'm going."
Allison smiled. "Okay, I'll call and tell her we're coming." She took out her phone to make the call.
Jacob turned back to Stiles. "Have you seen Jackson today?"
"Yeah, he was in class this morning," Stiles said, lowering his voice again. "But he was acting really weird. He looked pale and sick, and he got a nosebleed. The blood coming out was black. Why are you asking about him? And why was he bleeding black blood?"
Jacob feigned ignorance. "I was asking because I didn't see him with Derek's new Betas. And I have no idea why he's bleeding black blood."
Just then, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. They gathered their things and headed back to class.
---
After school, the group gathered in front of the building.
Scott was smiling like an idiot. "Alright, guys, see you later. I have a date!"
Jacob held up a hand. "Wait." He pulled some cash from his pocket dimension. "Here's a thousand bucks. Take Tracy somewhere nice, son."
Scott growled, "Screw you," but he snatched the money. "But thanks. I could use it." He ran to his car and sped off.
Jacob smiled, wrapping an arm around Allison and Lydia. "I'm going to be a good father."
Lydia and Allison just shook their heads, smiling.
Stiles loudly cleared his throat. "Ahem. Ahem."
Jacob looked at him. "What?"
Stiles grinned sheepishly. "Do you need a second son? I'll even call you daddy."
Jacob looked at him with pure disgust. "Nope. And if you call me that, I swear I'll break your teeth." He took out another thousand dollars and slapped the cash into Stiles's chest. "If you want money, just say so. You don't have to disgust me."
Stiles caught the money, his smirk widening. "Thanks, d..." The lethal looks from both Jacob and Lydia made him stop mid-word. He turned and quickly dragged a laughing Erica away, "Let's go, babe! Jacob and Lydia are about to kill me!"
Jacob and Allison walked Lydia over to the Rolls-Royce, where Cogman was waiting. Jacob kissed Lydia goodbye. "See you later, love."
"See you guys later," Lydia said, getting into the car.
Cogman look at Allison. "Aren't you coming home, my lady?"
"No," Allison said. "Jay and I are going to my parents' for dinner."
"I see," Cogman said. "Have a pleasant evening."
"Thanks."
Cogman drove off smoothly, and Jacob and Allison walked over to the Aston Martin.
Allison eyed the sleek silver car appreciatively. "Nice car. When did you get it?"
"I got it from my pocket dimension a few days ago," Jacob said, unlocking it with a click. "I kind of forgot about it."
"Can I drive?"
Jacob tossed her the keys. "Sure."
They got in, and Allison drove them toward her parents' house.
Soon, they pulled into the Argent driveway. Allison parked the car, and Jacob retrieved a wheel of blue cheese from his pocket dimension he got as a daily reward.
"This is an Italian blue cheese called Gorgonzola," he said. "Since your parents like stinky cheese, I thought they'd appreciate it."
"They're going to love it," Allison said. "Do you have any fancy chocolate in that pocket dimension of yours?"
"I do. Do you want to give them some?"
Allison nodded. "Yeah. Give me a box. Or, make it two."
Jacob quickly purchased two boxes of premium chocolate from the System Shop for 12 coins and handed them to her. Then, they got out of the car and walked up to the front door.
Kate was the one who opened it.
Allison kissed her aunt on the cheek and gave her one of the chocolate boxes. "For you."
"Thanks, Princess," Kate said, smiling. She then greeted Jacob with a playful glint in her eye. "Good evening, handsome."
Jacob gave a nod. "Kate."
They went inside, heading toward the kitchen, which was filled with the delicious aroma of a home-cooked meal.
Allison kissed her parents hello. Jacob handed the wheel of cheese to Chris. "Here. Enjoy. But please don't open it until I leave."
Chris accepted it with a smile. "Oh, Gorgonzola. It does have a strong, pungent smell, but it tastes fantastic paired with honey and toast, or a nice Wagyu steak."
Victoria nodded in agreement. "It's also excellent in pasta or risotto. I could make some for you kids if you'd like."
Jacob and Allison spoke at the same time. "Please don't."
Victoria just smiled. "Your loss."
Allison then took a large box filled with Sker Buffalo meat from her spatial ring. "I brought you some of that meat you liked from our place."
Chris took the box, his expression genuinely pleased. "Thank you, sweetheart. That meat was incredible. I haven't stopped thinking about it since I ate it."
"When you finish that box, just tell Allison to give you more," Jacob said. "We have plenty."
Chris stored the meat in the refrigerator. "Thanks."
"Alright," Victoria said, clapping her hands together. "Chris, you take Jacob to the living room. Kate, Allison, and I will finish up in here."
Chris and Jacob went to the living room, talking comfortably until Allison called them for dinner. They moved to the dining room and enjoyed a relaxed, delicious meal. Chris and Victoria expressed their gratitude to Jacob once more for the Mirakuru.
Afterward, they all settled in the cozy living room near the fireplace. Allison and Jacob curled up together in a large recliner. Chris had his arm around Victoria on the couch, and Kate sat in a plush armchair.
Allison brought up the town's latest trouble. "By the way, have you heard about the Black Shuck in town?"
Chris's expression grew serious. "A Black Shuck? No, we hadn't."
Allison filled them in and then said, "Cogman is looking for it, but so far, he hasn't found it."
"Black Shucks aren't always depicted as purely evil," Chris mused, falling into his hunter's knowledge. "Some folklore says they're guardians who protect travelers or accompany women walking home alone at night."
"Those are just stories," Victoria countered, her tone sharper. "Black Shucks are evil creatures. They haunt the dying and drive them insane before delivering the killing blow. There are documented incidents of them stalking wounded soldiers on battlefields, howling and watching from a distance at night, enjoying the soldiers' fear before finishing them off. They'd also appear in towns hit by the plague, tormenting the sick until they lost their minds from fear, then killing them with a blue fire that burns and freezes simultaneously."
Allison frowned. "Why do they do that? The haunting, I mean. Does it make them stronger?"
"Probably not," Kate said, swirling her drink. "Some creatures are just psychopaths. They enjoy the suffering of others. Like your butler."
"Hey!" Allison protested. "Cogman is not a psych..." She paused. "Well, he is a psychopath. But he's not evil."
Kate shuddered slightly. "He might not be evil, but he sure scares me. I don't like being alone with him in the same room. It feels so creepy when he looks at me with that unsettling smile of his."
Allison laughed. "That's my fault. I told him to try and get along with you. The smiling is his attempt to be friendly. He means well; it just… looks sinister on him."
Victoria changed the subject. "By the way, Allison, I've been thinking of going back to work. I'm considering a teaching position at your school. What do you think?"
"Really?" Allison asked, surprised. "What subject are you going to teach?"
"English."
Allison smiled. "Then please, don't be too strict with me. And also, go easy on Malia. We have to drag her to school every day as it is; don't make her hate it more than she already does."
Victoria winked. "I'll try to be nice."
Jacob studied her. "You're not going to school just to teach, are you?"
"And what else would I be going there for?" Victoria asked, her expression neutral.
"You're going to monitor Derek's Betas. Right?"
"Maybe."
"Just don't attack them unless they actually hurt people," Jacob said. "And when Gerard comes to Beacon Hills, make sure to warn him not to take the principal's job, or even step foot in my school."
Chris looked intrigued. "Why are you so concerned about the principal?"
"Because he's my friend."
Victoria raised an eyebrow. "Friend?"
Allison chuckled. "Yeah. Jay and Stiles get kicked out of class almost every day, so they've become… friends with the principal. Jay even convinced him to let them put a TV and some video games in an empty classroom to serve detention there. The principal sometimes plays video games with them."
Victoria said, "Is that really what a principal should do? Detention is meant to be a punishment, not for them to have fun." She fixed Jacob with a stern look. "What about your grades? Do you even learn anything in school?"
"I'm a straight-A student," Jacob said with a shrug.
"He's telling the truth," Allison confirmed, though she sounded amused. "Surprisingly, he and Stiles have good grades. They just can't listen in class or sit still for a second. The only time Jay is quiet in class is when he's asleep—which also gets him detention."
Jacob smirked at Victoria. "What were you like as a student? I bet you were the kind who reminded the teacher when they forgot to assign homework."
Victoria smiled, a rare, nostalgic glint in her eye. "As a matter of fact, I was. I was a good student, but I didn't have many friends. Not because I couldn't, but because I found most of my classmates… intellectually lacking. I quite enjoyed the miserable looks on their faces when I reminded the teachers about homework."
Allison laughed. "Didn't doing that get you in trouble?"
"It did," Victoria admitted. "But I was trained as a hunter. I beat up anyone who tried to bully me, girls or boys."
Allison smiled proudly. "I'd expect nothing less from you, Mom." She turned to her father. "What about you, Dad? What kind of student were you?"
Chris's expression grew distant. "Gerard started training me young. He showed me horrible things. School was a place where I could relax and try to be a normal kid. But in high school, I was mostly absent-minded, thinking about the things I'd seen and dreading my first real hunt. That's why I didn't want to tell you about the supernatural or that we were hunters. I wanted you to have what I couldn't—a normal childhood."
"I appreciate that, Dad. Thank you," Allison said softly.
Chris gave a wry smile. "You weren't very thankful when you found out we were hunters, though. Do you remember how angry you were?"
"I was angry because you sent your hunters to attack Jay, Lydia, and me instead of just talking to me," Allison reminded him.
Chris coughed awkwardly. "We all make mistakes, I guess." He shifted in his seat. "By the way, Gerard will arrive in town in a day or two."
Allison's expression hardened. "Does he know about Kate?"
"Yes," Chris said.
Jacob frowned. "How? All the hunters you brought to fight Peter that night are dead. Who told him Kate was turned?"
"That was actually my fault," Kate admitted with a sigh. "Three days ago, I was with Chris and some other hunters, visiting one of our warehouses. I forgot there was a mountain ash barrier around it. The hunters all saw me being blocked by the barrier. I wanted to kill them all, but Chris didn't let me. So they told Gerard I'm a shapeshifter."
Allison shot her aunt a worried look. "Then you should be careful. He'll definitely try to kill you."
"I will be," Kate promised.
Jacob stretched and looked down at Allison in his arms. "Alright, time for me to head home. Are you coming with me or staying?"
"I'll spend the night here," Allison said. "Can you leave the car? I'll drive it to school tomorrow."
"Sure." He kissed her, handed her the keys, and stood up. "See you tomorrow." He nodded to the others. "Good night, everyone. Thanks for dinner." Then, he vanished.
Chris and Victoria had seen him teleport before, so they weren't shocked. Kate, however, looked around the room, bewildered. "Where did he go?"
"He teleported," Allison said simply.
"Teleported?"
"Yeah. He's already home by now."
Kate sighed, a hint of envy in her voice. "That's a handy ability to have."
"It is," Allison agreed, standing. She took Kate's hand. "Come on, let's go watch a movie in my room."
Kate brightened. "Can we watch a horror movie?"
"No. Horror movies are stupid. Let's watch a comedy."
As the two headed upstairs, Victoria watched them go, then turned to Chris, her expression serious. She snuggled closer. "How are you going to deal with Gerard?"
Chris let out a long, weary sigh. "All I can do is warn him not to do anything stupid. The rest is up to him."
"But what if he tries to attack Jacob, or Allison, or one of their friends?" Victoria pressed.
Chris shrugged, his face set in grim resignation. "Then that kid Jacob will definitely kill him. Or, worse, send his butler to deal with him. And I won't interfere. Gerard has hurt too many innocent people. He doesn't follow the Code anymore. Let him face the consequences of his own actions."
To be continued… 😊