Chapter 113 - visit from government
Jacob tossed the Yeti's head and body aside, deactivated his Fire Domain, and extinguished the flames wreathing his draconic form. With another mental command, the protective barrier around Allison and the others dissipated.
Stiles was the first to run forward. He stopped a few meters away, looking up at the six-meter-tall monster Jacob had become. "I always wondered what kind of shapeshifter you were," he said, his voice full of awe. "And honestly, when you said it was dangerous if people found out what you are, I thought you were just exaggerating."
"And what do you think now?" Jacob asked, his voice a deep, resonant rumble.
"I think you were right, if people find out you're a weredragon, they'll come to hunt your scaly ass," Stiles said. "You and everyone in this town will never have a day of peace."
"I am not a shapeshifter, Stiles," Jacob corrected, lowering his massive head slightly. "I'm a real dragon."
"What's the difference?" Stiles asked.
Jacob's crimson eyes gleamed. "A weredragon's power is constrained by their human nature. It limits their energy reserves, their elemental powers, and their physical strength. Even if they could shift into a full dragon form, their size is small. A real dragon… has no such limits. We can grow into disaster-level creatures, capable of wiping out cities in an instant."
Lydia, who had arrived with the others, put it more bluntly. "Let's put it this way: a weredragon is a cheap knock-off of a real dragon. A really bad, very cheap knock-off."
Stiles's eyes widened. "Wait, so… you're not human?"
"For now, I am." Jacob said. "But the stronger I get, the more I connect with my dragon bloodline, the less human I become. Eventually, the human part will be gone, and I'll be a dragon completely."
Stiles said. "What? Then will you turn into a monster? Never turn back to human form? Lose control and start eating people? Go live in a mountain and hoard treasure?"
Jacob let out a booming laugh that shook the ground. Lydia reached over and smacked Stiles sharply on the back of the head.
"Are you cursing him, you idiot?" She snapped.
"Ouch! I was just asking!" Stiles protested, rubbing his head.
Jacob, still chuckling, shook his massive head. "No. Even when I become a dragon completely, I'll still be me. Just… more powerful, I guess."
Stiles let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "That's good to hear. Because if you ever did lose control, I doubt there's any creature or weapon in our world that could stop you—especially since you can teleport. You'd become a living nightmare."
Scott, who had been pale and shaky, finally spoke up. "Jacob, can you please turn back to your human form and restrain your aura? I'm about to faint."
"Oh, sure…" Jacob said.
"Wait!" Stiles interrupted, holding up a hand. "Before you do that… can I get a picture?" He shoved his phone toward Lydia. "Please, take a picture of me and Jacob!"
Lydia took the phone. "Fine. But don't show the pictures to anyone, and don't lose your phone."
"I won't show anyone," Stiles promised. "And even if I lose the phone, no one can unlock it. Cogman made it, after all."
Lydia snapped a few pictures of Stiles standing and looking very small next to Jacob's colossal form. Stiles even convinced Jacob to hold him gently in one giant claw, pretending he was about to eat him for a particularly dramatic shot.
Afterward, Jacob's form shrank. In moments, he stood before them in his human form, quickly putting on fresh clothes from his pocket dimension.
Just then, Stiles's phone rang. He answered. "Hey, Dad. What's up?"
Noah's worried voice came through the speaker. "Stiles, where are you? It's 2 a.m.!"
"I'm with Scott and Jacob." Stiles said.
"Do you have any idea what those loud roars were?" Noah's voice was tense. "People all over town are panicking. And to be honest, I'm panicking, too. Those roars were… terrifying."
As Stiles began explaining about the witches and the Yeti, Scott's, Allison's, and Lydia's phones also started ringing. Their parents were all calling with the same fearful questions.
After they'd each calmed their families down—giving carefully edited versions of the truth—Stiles also called Erica's mother to assure her that Erica was safe and asleep.
He hung up and looked at Jacob. "Dad says the whole town is in a panic after hearing your roars. Did you have to roar like that?"
Jacob smirked. "I couldn't help myself…" His expression suddenly shifted. He held up a hand. "Wait. Shhh. I hear something." He turned his head, listening intently.
Allison tensed. "What is it?"
Jacob retrieved seven Venetian masks and seven black robes from his pocket dimension—old daily sign-in rewards. "Quickly, put these on. Some people are coming this way, moving fast. I think they're cops."
Stiles frowned. "It can't be my dad, right? He's at the station."
"No. They're supernatural," Jacob said, his voice low. "I can sense their energy."
"Should we leave?" Allison asked, already pulling on a robe.
"No. Just wear the masks. I want to know what kind of cops they are."
"How do you know they're cops?" Scott whispered, struggling with his mask.
"Because I heard them calling each other 'agents,'" Jacob replied.
Cogman, who had been observing silently, straightened his own robe with fastidious care. "If they are truly agents, and all of them are supernatural," he said, "then they are most likely from the S.D.E.S."
"Who are the S.D.E.S.?" Jacob asked, his red eyes watching the approaching energy signatures through the trees.
"The Supernatural Defense & Enforcement Section," Cogman explained. "A U.S. government division dedicated exclusively to supernatural affairs. Most of their agents and support staff are supernatural beings themselves."
"Are they good or bad?" Allison asked, adjusting her Venetian mask.
Cogman gave a small, elegant shrug. "I cannot definitively categorize them, my lady. The S.D.E.S. enforces laws within the supernatural world and works to maintain the Masquerade—keeping the supernatural world hidden. However, they also study and weaponize supernatural beings, and conduct secretive and often unstable experiments on both humans and captured creatures."
Lydia said. "So they're an evil organization?"
"They hunt evil creatures that harm and feed on humans." Cogman clarified. "And they utilize convicted criminals, both human and supernatural, for their research and development. In my analysis, they are a necessary evil."
Allison asked. "How do you know so much about them?"
"When Sir summoned me, I conducted extensive data infiltration to understand this world's power structures," Cogman replied. "I discovered the S.D.E.S. among others. I offered to brief Sir on all organizations aware of the supernatural, but he expressed no interest at the time."
"I see." Allison murmured.
"Alright, they're here. Let's see if they're S.D.E.S. or not." Jacob said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Let me do the talking."
Seconds later, six figures in dark suits emerged from the frozen tree line. They paused, taking in the devastated clearing—a wasteland of ice, shattered trees, the frozen corpses of the witches and their victims, the massive body of the dead Yeti, and the faint, slowly shrinking glimmer of the space portal. Their eyes finally settled on Jacob's masked group.
The leader was a tall, muscular man. He stepped forward, his posture rigid and authoritative. "Identify yourselves."
Jacob smirked beneath his mask, his voice deliberately altered to sound deeper and more menacing. "Aren't you supposed to introduce yourself first?"
"I'm Agent Frank. We're with the FBI."
Jacob let out a low chuckle. "Since when does the FBI recruit shapeshifters? I can tell all of you are."
Agent Frank's frown deepened. He raised a badge. "This is my credentials. We are the FBI."
"No," Jacob stated flatly. "You're from the S.D.E.S."
The reaction was instantaneous. All six agents drew their weapons, aiming squarely at Jacob. Agent Frank's voice turned icy. "Who are you, and how do you know about the S.D.E.S.?"
'So, Cogman was right.' Jacob thought. Aloud, he said. "Lower those toys if you want to live longer." He deliberately turned his back on them, a show of utter contempt, and walked over to the Yeti's carcass. He gave its head a solid kick with his boot. "Tell me, do you know what kind of monster this is?"
Frank stared at him for a long moment, then made a subtle hand gesture. "Stand down. Holster your weapons. For now." His men reluctantly complied. Frank turned his full attention back to Jacob. "First, remove your mask and identify yourself."
"We're hunters," Jacob said, not bothering to turn around. "We were passing through this town when we felt a massive energy surge. We came to investigate and found seven witches who had murdered ten people to open that portal." He gestured with a thumb toward the shrinking rift. "They summoned this… yeti-like monster. We killed them, and we killed their monster. Now, answer my question. Do you know what it is?"
Frank approached cautiously, his eyes scanning the colossal, blue-skinned corpse. "I don't know," he admitted, a note of genuine confusion in his voice. "I've never seen anything like it before."
Jacob listened to the man's steady heartbeat. He was telling the truth. "A shame," Jacob sighed, the disappointment clear even through his distorted voice. "I was hoping you would." He began walking back toward his group.
"Wait," Frank called out. "You're claiming you and your people killed seven witches and this creature?"
"Yes."
Frank's demeanor shifted, becoming almost businesslike. "Then perhaps you'd consider working for the S.D.E.S. We could use operatives with your capabilities. The compensation is… considerable."
Jacob didn't break stride. He waved a dismissive hand. "No. We don't like taking orders."
"At least give me a contact," Frank persisted, pulling out his phone. "In case we encounter another threat like this and require your assistance."
Jacob didn't respond. He rejoined Allison and the others. "Let's leave." He said quietly.
Then, with a subtle flex of his will, he enveloped his entire group in a telekinetic field. They lifted smoothly off the ground, flying swiftly away from the agents and Beacon Hills, heading deeper into the wilderness.
As they soared above the treetops, the full scale of the battle's aftermath became chillingly clear. For nearly two miles in every direction, the forest was a silent, glittering crypt of ice, radiating outward from the epicenter of their fight.
Stiles looked down. "Look at that… the Yeti was really strong. I don't even want to imagine the casualties if it had gotten loose in the middle of town."
Allison followed his gaze. "Lucky for everyone those witches didn't summon it there, I guess."
Then Stiles smirked, shaking off the grim thought. "Anyway, let's not talk about that anymore. I want to enjoy flying!" He spread his arms, imitating Superman. "This is fun!"
Scott was also enjoying the flight, a smile on his face. But once they were far enough from Agent Frank and his team, Jacob suddenly teleported the entire group back to the mansion.
He released his telekinetic hold on Scott, Stiles, and Cogman. The three of them dropped. Cogman reacted with inhuman speed, landing gracefully on his feet. Scott and Stiles were not so lucky, landing face first on the living room rug with a pair of synchronized thumps. As for the girls, Jacob gently lowered them onto the large couch.
Stiles and Scott sat up, pulling off their masks and rubbing their sore faces. "Warn us before you teleport!" Stiles groaned. "And I thought we had to be touching you for you to teleport us?"
Jacob removed his own mask. "That's what I thought too. But it seems as long as my psychic energy is maintaining contact, I can bring you along."
"Psychic energy?" Stiles asked, confused.
"I have telekinesis," Jacob explained. "Didn't you figure that out after you saw me control that dagger to kill a witch and make us all fly?"
Stiles flopped onto the couch. "You have so many abilities, I just turn my brain off when I'm around you. But I never thought you were actually a dr..."
Jacob cut him off sharply. "Shh! Erica and Kate are here. I don't want them knowing what I am, especially Kate."
Stiles winced. "Sorry. I forgot." He stood up. "Speaking of Erica, I'm going to check on her."
"I'll check on Kate." Allison said, heading for the guest rooms.
Jacob stretched. "Cogman, make us dinner. And make sure to cook a lot of meat—I'm starving after that fight."
"Certainly, sir." Cogman said with a slight bow before heading to the kitchen.
Jacob turned to leave the living room. Malia perked up. "Where are you going?"
"To take a shower."
Lydia, quick as a flash, grabbed Malia's arm as she tried to stand and pulled her back onto the couch. "My turn," she said with a smug smile. She stood and followed Jacob. "I'm joining you. But we should go to Serendell. I want to take a long bath with you." She threw a playful wink over her shoulder at Malia.
Jacob chuckled and wrapped an arm around her. "Sure."
Malia glared. "Lydia, you cheated!"
"You can have him after dinner," Lydia called back, just before she and Jacob vanished.
Malia snorted in frustration, then turned her glare on Scott, who was watching the exchange. "What are you looking at?"
"Nothing!" Scott said quickly, jumping to his feet. "I'm, uh, going to help Cogman!" He practically sprinted toward the kitchen.
Malia smirked, watching him flee, then grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, flipping through channels for something to watch.
---
Back in the Frozen Clearing
Agent Frank had just hung up his phone. He turned to his team, his expression all business. "The Director wants the body of the yeti-like creature transported to headquarters immediately."
One of the other agents, a woman with sharp eyes, gestured toward the sky. "What about those hunters? The ones who just… flew away?"
"The Director's orders are clear," Frank said. "They don't appear to be hostile, and they eliminated a significant threat. We should not provoke them. Now, gather the hands and heads of the dead witches for identification. Use the insulated bags—don't touch them directly. Witches always have dark magic on their bodies."
The team moved with practiced efficiency, collecting the grisly identifiers. Soon, the sound of rotors echoed through the icy clearing as a large military transport helicopter descended. They loaded the massive, blue-skinned carcass of the Yeti into its bay.
Frank pointed to two agents. "Mike, Sarah. You two stay and clean up this mess. Incinerate the witches' remains. Ensure the victims' bodies are returned to their families. Make their death look like an accident—something plausible."
The agent named Sarah nodded. "Do we stay in Beacon Hills after we deal with this?"
"Negative," Frank said, climbing into the helicopter. "Once the cleanup is complete, report directly to headquarters. We came here for the wendigo case, but the Director has reassigned us. We have a new, higher-priority mission."
Mike secured the helicopter door. "What's the mission, sir?"
Frank's face was grim in the cabin's dim light. "Something in the waters off Alaska is sinking fishing boats. And now, a cargo ship. We need to find out what it is, and fast. Wrap this up and follow us."
The helicopter's engines roared to life, lifting the heavy craft into the night sky, leaving the two agents alone in the silent, glittering tomb of ice.
To be continued… 😊 _______________________________________
Okay, that was the end of Season One! Although it took me 113 chapters, it was fun, and I enjoyed writing it very much. (It's just the end of teen wolf season one, I will not stop writing or take a break. I will write a chapter tomorrow, if God wills.)
Chapter 114 - sparring and second chances
In Serendell, Jacob woke up in his massive bed to find himself alone. He stretched and let out a satisfied yawn. "That was a good night's sleep."
He checked his phone. 'I slept for twelve hours, but it's only 7 a.m. in the outside world. And it's Saturday. I should go back to sleep...'
Just as he pulled the luxurious covers back over his head, Allison appeared in his bedroom. "Jay, are you awake?"
"No, I'm not," he grumbled, his voice muffled by the blanket.
Allison strode over and yanked the covers off. "Get up. You said yesterday you'd spar with the three of us so we could learn to control our new strength."
Jacob's hand shot out, grabbing her wrist and pulling her down onto the bed. "How about you sleep with me for a couple more hours instead?" He kissed her, then made a face. "Agh, you're all sweaty and salty. What have you been doing?"
"Training with Lydia and Malia," she said, wriggling free. "But none of us could use our full strength for fear of hurting each other. So get up. And fight us."
"Fine," Jacob sighed, surrendering to the inevitable. He teleported them both to a wide, grassy valley far from the palace, where Lydia and Malia were waiting.
He gave each of them a quick kiss. "Alright. You can use all your physical strength and attack me with everything you've got. But only physical strength—no other abilities."
"That's not fair," Lydia protested, crossing her arms.
"What you need right now," Jacob explained, "is to perfectly control your immense physical power. So, no elemental attacks, no teleporting, no sonic screams. And don't worry—I won't shift. I'll fight you in my human form."
Lydia's lips curved into a sly smile. "Are you sure? We might just end up beating your ass."
"That's impossible."
"I know, but can't you let us win?" she pouted dramatically.
"No. And I'm not going easy on you." Jacob's eyes glinted with playful menace. He looked directly at her. "Let's start with you."
He vanished.
A fraction of a second later, he was behind her. His foot connected with her butt in a solid, well-placed kick that sent her flying like a cannonball toward Allison. The two collided with a shared yelp and tumbled to the ground in a heap.
Jacob turned his glowing red eyes on Malia. "You're next."
Malia's own eyes ignited with a fierce golden glow, a wild, eager grin spreading across her face. "Bring it on!"
She was the first to attack. Her body became a blur as she closed the distance in an instant, her fist rocketing toward his face with enough force to shatter concrete. Jacob didn't dodge. He met her punch with one of his own.
The collision wasn't just sound; it was a visible shockwave of compressed air that blasted outward, flattening the grass in a ten-meter radius. Malia was sent flying backward, but she flipped mid-air and landed in a predatory crouch ten meters away, her grin wider than ever.
"Again!" she yelled, and shot forward.
This time, Jacob sidestepped her charge with fluid grace and delivered a swift kick to her stomach, sending her rolling across the grass. Before he could press the attack, Allison was there, having recovered. She leaped into the air, her body a controlled arc, and aimed a devastating flying knee at his head.
Jacob raised an arm. The impact sounded like a thunderclap. He didn't budge an inch, but the ground beneath his feet fissured. In one smooth motion, he grabbed Allison's leg and swung her like a hammer, slamming her into the charging Malia. The two girls crashed into the earth together, creating a new, shallow crater.
Lydia, having recovered and circled around him, used her flying ability to appear twenty meters above him. She flew down like a meteor, her right foot aimed at his head in a crushing axe kick. Jacob simply raised a hand and caught her. The force of her descent drove him knee-deep into the earth, but he held firm, then tossed her aside like a ragdoll.
They continued like that for an hour. The valley became an orchestra of destruction. Every blocked punch sent concussive waves through the air. Every kick that missed tore a fresh gouge in the landscape. The girls were fast, incredibly strong, and began to work with instinctual synergy—Allison using her martial arts and wind-assisted agility to attack him from all angles, Malia, caught up in the thrill of the fight, charged at him on pure impulse—no strategy, no caution, just a direct and reckless confrontation, and Lydia exploiting every opening with precise, powerful strikes, all aiming to wipe the smug smile off his face.
Yet Jacob remained their absolute superior, parrying, redirecting, and countering their onslaught with an infuriatingly calm smile. He was playing with them.
Frustration finally boiled over. "Girls, let's shift!" Allison yelled, panting.
In unison, their forms changed. Lydia's skin paled, her eyes and hair turning white. Malia grew taller, her face elongating into a coyote muzzle, fur rippling over her body, a tail lashing behind her. Allison's hair turned dark green, her eyes glowing with emerald light, her ears becoming elegantly pointed.
Their power spiked.
Lydia landed the first meaningful hit—a solid punch to Jacob's chest that actually made him slide back a few meters, his feet plowing twin trenches in the soil. Malia followed up instantly, scoring a thunderous kick to his side that sent him skidding sideways. Allison, moving like a ghost, appeared behind him and delivered a rapid series of blows to his back that echoed like detonations, finally driving him forward onto one knee in a small crater of his own making.
Jacob stood up, completely unharmed, and smiled. "Now we're talking." The smile widened, showing a hint of fang. "I'm going to stop playing defense."
His counterattack was a blur of controlled violence. He didn't teleport; he simply moved too fast. He wasn't cruel, but he was no longer gentle. Each of his strikes was calibrated to push them to their absolute limit, to teach them the ceiling of their new strength through impact and pain.
The valley echoed with the symphony of their sparring for another two hours before it finally came to an end.
Jacob stood amidst the scarred, cratered landscape, a light sheen of sweat on his brow and a satisfied smile on his face. At his feet, the three girls lay sprawled on the ground, breathing heavily in ragged unison. Their transformed states had faded, leaving them in their human forms, covered in dirt, sweat, and grass stains, utterly spent.
Malia groaned, clutching her side. "I think you cracked my ribs... again."
"Ahhh! Everything hurts," Lydia whimpered, not moving an inch.
Allison just stared up at the serene Serendell sky, her chest heaving. "I'm so tired, I could really use your offer to sleep for a few hours right about now."
Jacob looked down at them. "So, are you girls in control now, or should we spar some more?"
"No," Lydia said immediately. "No more sparring with you, you monster. I'm in total control."
"Me too," Allison panted.
Malia grinned through her pain. "I wouldn't mind fighting you again, but not today. Right now, I'm too tired. I just want to sleep."
"Alright," Jacob said, his smile softening. "But Malia, Lydia—you two should learn how to fight properly from Allison or Cogman. Malia, you charge in blindly, and Lydia, you're trying to be smart, but your attacks are predictable and your defense is full of openings."
Lydia pushed herself up on her elbows. "I'm already learning martial arts from Allison, but it's too boring. Besides, I have my sound attacks, that fire spell you gave me, and teleportation. I don't think I need martial arts." She narrowed her eyes at him. "And why aren't you learning martial arts?"
A grin spread across Jacob's face. "Because I don't need to, I watched all of Bruce Lee's movies." He dropped into Bruce Lee's On-Guard stance, then snapped a punch forward with a sharp "WAAAA-TAAAAH!"—making the girls burst into laughter.
After their laughter subsided, Allison sat up, her expression serious. "You probably should learn some martial arts. If you ever fight someone with the same strength as you, and they're actually skilled at fighting, you could lose."
Jacob shrugged. "Fine. I'll rewatch all of Bruce Lee's movies."
"I'll watch them with you!" Malia said eagerly. "I hate learning the boring way."
Allison shook her head in exasperation. "You two idiots. Movies won't teach you anything."
"Fine, fine, we'll learn," Jacob conceded. He offered Allison a hand and pulled her to her feet, wrapping her in a hug. Then he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Since you were the best during the spar, I've decided to reward you with a long bath with me."
Allison rolled her eyes. "Reward me, or reward yourself, you pervert?"
Jacob kissed her. "Does it really matter? We're both going to have fun." Then he teleported them both to the palace's large bathroom, where a different kind of sparring began. 😏😘👄💋🍑💦🍆💥🌊❤️😊
Malia and Lydia teleported to another bathroom, washed off the grime of battle, and then collapsed together in Jacob's massive bed, falling into a deep, exhausted sleep. Two hours later, a refreshed Jacob and a relaxed Allison joined them, and the four slept peacefully for another seven hours.
---
When they finally awoke, they teleported back to the mansion. It was 10 a.m. in Beacon Hills.
The smell of breakfast filled the air. Cogman was in the kitchen cooking. In the backyard, Stiles was sparring with a newly transformed Erica, while Scott watched from the sidelines.
Malia, drawn by the smell, headed straight for the kitchen. Lydia and Jacob wandered out to the backyard to observe.
Allison, however, went to the guest room to check on Kate.
She found her aunt awake, freshly showered and wearing the clothes Allison had left out for her. Kate sat on the edge of the bed, her face pale, looking weaker than Allison had ever seen her.
Kate looked up as Allison entered. "Good morning, Princess."
Allison hated everything Kate had done to the Hales. Yet the sound of that old nickname, the memory of Kate's desperate words yesterday when she thought she was going to die, and the horrific image of Peter slitting her throat—it all collided at once, melting the ice in her heart. The thought of losing her aunt for good was unbearable.
Allison couldn't hold back. She ran to the bed, threw her arms around Kate, and began to sob.
Kate was surprised, but after a moment, a soft, genuine smile touched her lips. She hugged her niece back tightly, tears tracing silent paths down her own cheeks.
When Allison finally calmed, she pulled back and sat beside Kate. She gently checked her aunt's neck—the savage wound was completely healed, not even a scar remaining. She looked at Kate's pale face. "How are you feeling?"
"My body feels weak, but I'm fine," Kate said quietly. She reached out, wiping a stray tear from Allison's cheek. "So… me dying is what it took for you to forgive me?"
Allison let out a humorless snort. "Actually, I was there when Peter slit your throat. And I chose not to help because what you did was truly awful. But…" Her voice broke.
"But what?"
"The thought of you being dead… it broke my heart," Allison admitted in a whisper. "And I regretted not helping you the moment I thought you were gone."
Kate's smile was bittersweet. "So… have you forgiven me?"
Allison sighed. "Yes. Even though you became a monster, and I hate what you did… I still love you."
Kate pulled her into another hug. "I love you too, sweetheart. More than anything."
After a long moment, they broke apart. Allison's expression turned firm. "But I'm only forgiving you this time. If you kill innocent people again, I will kill you myself. I promise."
Kate met her gaze solemnly. "I promise you, I will do better. I'll never listen to Gerard again."
Allison nodded. "Speaking of Gerard… he'll probably come to Beacon Hills to hunt you soon."
Kate sighed, a weary acceptance in her eyes. "Yeah. That he will. I have no doubt." She changed the subject. "Do Chris and Victoria know I'm… still alive?"
Allison nodded. "Yeah. They know."
Kate looked genuinely surprised. "I'm shocked Chris let me live, even though I'm a shapeshifter now. I thought he'd follow the Code and kill me himself."
Allison's expression softened. "He said he already watched you die once and couldn't go through that again when I told him you were still alive. He said you're his little sister and he loves you."
"Are you sure we're talking about the same person?" Kate asked, a hint of her old teasing returning.
"Yes," Allison nodded, a small smile on her lips. "Both Dad and I love you, Kate. We've decided to give you a second chance. So don't disappoint us."
"I won't," Kate promised. "But… I need Jacob to teach me how to control myself now that I'm a shapeshifter. Otherwise, I might end up killing someone by accident."
Allison snorted. "Jay's not an option. He's a pervert, and he'd definitely take advantage of the situation to molest you. He might even get greedy and decide he wants you."
Kate smirked. "I don't mind."
"I know you don't, you bitch," Allison shot back, rolling her eyes. "But I do."
"Hey, that was uncalled for!"
"Anyway," Allison smiled, steering the conversation back, "I will teach you control."
Kate blinked. "How?"
"By beating you, of course." Allison's smile grew wider and less sweet.
"What?"
"I'm going to make you lose control. Then, I'll beat you until you regain it. I'll repeat the process until you have total control, even on a full moon."
Kate swallowed hard. "Is there… no other way?"
"That's the fastest and most effective way I know," Allison stated matter-of-factly. "You'll also need an anchor." She then proceeded to explain the concept of an anchor to her aunt.
---
Meanwhile, in the Backyard
Jacob and Lydia stood beside Scott, watching Stiles and Erica spar.
"Erica seems happy," Lydia observed, a faint smile on her face.
Scott nodded, a genuine grin spreading across his own. "Yeah. She was so happy when she woke up this morning that she was crying loudly. And then stupid Stiles started crying with her, even louder. They woke me up—I thought something terrible had happened."
Jacob smirked. "You sound jealous."
Scott's grin vanished. He grabbed Jacob by the collar of his shirt. "Of course I'm jealous! I want to be in love, too!"
Jacob just kept smiling. "Hang in there, man. It'll happen for you, too. Someday. Probably."
"What do you mean, 'probably'?" Scott's grip on Jacob tightened. "You know what, let's spar too."
"Are you sure?" Jacob replied, his smile turning predatory.
With a nervous laugh, Scott released his grip and started smoothing out Jacob's shirt with exaggerated care. "Never mind. I was just joking."
Erica, noticing Lydia and Jacob, stopped sparring and ran over. She stood directly in front of Jacob, her expression earnest. "Thank you. For helping me get the Bite."
Jacob smiled warmly. "Don't worry about it. It was a small thing."
Erica's eyes welled up with tears. "It might be small to you, but to me, it's a favor I can never repay. I thought I'd never be healed…" Her voice broke, and she began to cry.
Lydia stepped forward and wrapped her in a comforting hug, holding her until the tears subsided. When they parted, Erica wiped her eyes, embarrassed. "Sorry, I ruined your clothes with sweat and tears."
"Don't worry about it," Lydia said dismissively. "Let's get you cleaned up. After breakfast, we're going shopping and to a salon. My treat. What do you say?"
Erica's face lit up with a beautiful smile. "Okay. Thank you."
With that, Lydia led Erica back into the mansion. Stiles watched them go, with a lovestruck grin on his face. Then, he turned to Jacob. "Thank you. For helping Erica. And, more importantly, for telling me to go after her."
"You're welcome, buddy," Jacob said.
Stiles's grin turned into a mischievous smirk. He leaned in conspiratorially. "She was beautiful before, but now she's so hot. I'm really grateful." His smirk widened. "So grateful, I want to kiss you right now." He lunged forward, trying to wrap Jacob in a hug and plant a sloppy kiss on his cheek.
Jacob recoiled in horror. "Disgusting! Get lost!" He hit Stiles in te face with a swift punch, followed by a roundhouse kick. "WAAAA-TAAAAAH!" he shouted, sending Stiles flying through the air.
Stiles hit a tree and slid to the ground, groaning dramatically.
Jacob struck a classic Kung Fu pose and snorted. "Hmph. Stupid Allison said I need to learn martial arts. I should already have a black belt."
Scott watched the entire display with a raised eyebrow. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Nothing," Jacob said, dropping the pose. He turned and began walking back toward the mansion. "Let's go inside."
Scott shrugged and followed, the two of them walking and talking as if nothing had happened, leaving Stiles behind.
Stiles sat up, clutching his side. "Guys! Help me! I think I broke something! Hey! Guys, wait up! GUYS!"