Chapter 243: From Grief to Murder
September 3
A week passed in the Game of Thrones world.
Bob and his crew got to work immediately, their expertise and heavy machinery turning frozen earth into foundations. They recruited eager workers from the Northern houses and integrated the prisoner soldiers into the labor force, giving them purpose and a chance to earn their freedom. The city for the Free Folk near Long Lake began to take shape. The location was ideal: fresh water, fertile soil, and plenty of game. Bob's crew worked alongside the Northerners, teaching them modern construction techniques while laying the foundations for homes, streets, and a proper sewage system.
Cogman handled the logistics. He purchased all the necessary building materials from the Teen Wolf world—cement, steel, lumber, piping, and insulation—and had Jacob transfer them through portals directly to the construction site. He also bought massive quantities of food: grains, dried meats, fruits, vegetables, and other staples to sustain the Free Folk and the Northerners during the winter.
Sansa, working with the Northern lords, organized the distribution of food across the North. Cogman had bought several semi-trucks and modified them with electric engines—silent, efficient, clean, and capable of traveling long distances without fuel. A few of Bob's crew members, who had experience driving heavy vehicles, drove the trucks to towns and villages across the North, distributing food and supplies. They also taught curious locals how to operate the massive vehicles—a skill that would serve them well in the years to come and ensure that the distribution network would continue even after Bob's crew moved on to other projects.
To make the deliveries possible, Jacob used his earth element to carve roads across the North in just a few days. The roads were wide, straight, and smooth—cutting through forests and mountains, connecting even the most remote villages to the rest of the kingdom.
With the infrastructure taking shape and his wives busy with their own things, Jacob found himself with nothing pressing to do. He spent his days relaxing with his family, going on dates with his wives, and sneaking away to see Cora—a secret he still hadn't revealed to the others.
---
Jacob woke in his room in Serendell, entangled in a web of limbs and blankets. His wives had insisted on making him join one of their "girls' nights," and somehow—despite his protests—he had ended up in the middle of it. They had talked all night, laughing, sharing stories, and teasing him mercilessly. And despite his complaints, he loved every moment of it.
He tried to free himself without waking anyone, but Allison stirred beside him, her eyes fluttering open.
Allison rubbed her eyes sleepily. "Where are you going?"
Jacob kissed her forehead. "To eat. I'm starving." He smiled. "Go back to sleep."
Allison murmured something incoherent, hugged Daenerys, who was closest to her, and drifted back to sleep.
Jacob carefully extracted himself from the tangle of bodies and teleported to the bathroom. After a quick shower, he dressed in a simple black shirt and jeans and made his way to the kitchen.
He found Stiles alone, hunched over a plate of pancakes and eggs, scrolling through his phone.
Jacob greeted him. "Morning." He sat down, filled his plate with food, and began eating.
Jacob asked, "Where's Erica?"
Stiles said, "She spent the night at her parents' place."
"And Scott?"
Stiles said, "He just left with Missandei. They said they were going to drive to San Francisco."
Jacob said, "I see."
Stiles set down his fork. "Are you doing anything fun today?"
Jacob shook his head. "Not really. Just playing video games, maybe going for a drive in Beacon Hills. Nothing special."
Stiles said, "If you're not doing anything, how about coming with me to Beacon Hills to help Dad solve a case?"
Jacob raised an eyebrow. "What case? Did something happen in Beacon Hills?"
Stiles shrugged again. "I don't know. But I thought we could just go to the sheriff's station and ask my old man to give us something interesting to solve."
Jacob smirked. "You're bored, aren't you?"
Stiles grinned. "Completely."
Jacob chuckled. "Alright. Let me finish my breakfast, then we'll go."
---
After breakfast, Jacob and Stiles teleported to Beacon Hills and got into Jacob's Camaro. The engine purred to life, and they drove to the sheriff's station. The familiar building rose before them, its windows gleaming in the morning sun.
They found Noah in his office, buried under a mountain of paperwork. He looked up as they entered, a weary smile on his face.
"Boys," he said, leaning back in his chair. "What brings you here? Please don't tell me there's another supernatural psycho loose in town."
Stiles said, "Nah, we're just bored. Got any interesting cases for us?"
Noah rubbed his temples wearily. "Actually, yes. We've got a string of deaths—and I'm pretty sure all of them are either supernatural or connected to it. Someone's systematically hunting them."
Stiles's brow furrowed. "Dead supernatural creatures?"
Noah nodded. "Yeah. Ten victims so far. Six were branded with the word demon on their foreheads. I think those were shapeshifters. Three others were branded 'sinners'—the wives and husband of three of the 'demon' victims."
Stiles said, "How do you know they were shapeshifters? Just because of the word demon on their foreheads?"
Noah said, "At first, I was just guessing. And even when I asked their families, they didn't tell me—they pretended not to know anything about the supernatural. But this morning, we found the tenth victim. He was a werewolf from Satomi's pack—and he had the word demon branded on his forehead."
Stiles nodded. "I see. Which means all the victims branded with the word demon were probably supernatural creatures."
Jacob leaned forward. "Tell us more about the killer."
Noah pulled out a file and handed it to Jacob. "The killer has a pattern. Every victim is found crucified—like some kind of ritual."
Jacob flipped through the file, his eyes narrowing. "Do you have any leads? Suspects?"
Noah shook his head slowly. "Nothing. No evidence, no camera footage. Whoever the killer is, they're careful—and they know how to stay invisible."
Stiles said, "Sounds like a fun case to solve."
Jacob closed the file and rose to his feet. "Alright—let's go hunting for this serial killer. My bet's on a hunter."
Stiles stood up. "You're probably right. Someone crazy like Gerard and Kate."
Noah said, "Boys, if he's just a normal human, try not to kill him. I need him alive for trial, for answers, and to make sure the families get closure. A dead killer is a closed case with too many questions left unanswered."
Stiles said, "We'll keep him alive and give you a call when we find him."
With that, the two of them left the station.
---
Jacob and Stiles spent the rest of the morning going from crime scene to crime scene, hoping Jacob could lock onto the killer's scent. It wasn't easy—the killer had doused himself in strong-smelling herbs to throw off trackers. But after seven scenes, Jacob finally picked up a trace. They circled back to the most recent site and followed the fading trail until it led them to an old warehouse on the edge of town.
They found the killer in the middle of another ritual—a werewolf tied to a stake, poisoned by wolfsbane. Though she was weak, she was awake, her eyes glowing yellow as she begged the killer to stop, insisting she had never hurt anyone and pleading for him to let her go.
The killer was a gaunt man in his late forties, his eyes cold and fanatical. A silver knife, glowing hot, trembled in his hand as he chanted under his breath—words of purification—while pressing the blade into her flesh.
Stiles whispered, "What's he chanting? Is it some demonic ritual?"
Jacob's eyes narrowed. "No. He's a normal human with no powers and no demonic energy. From what I understand of his chanting, he thinks he's purifying the world of evil."
Jacob waved his hand, and the killer was frozen in place while the hot knife fell from his hand.
They walked toward them, and Stiles helped the woman down from the stake.
Jacob waved his hand, using his healing touch. White light enveloped the woman's body, and she was healed from her burns and detoxified from the wolfsbane.
The killer, although frozen in place, could still move his eyes and talk. He saw Jacob using his powers to heal the werewolf. He glared at Jacob and said, "Who are you? And how did you find me, demon?"
Jacob let out a cold, humorless breath. "Funny. You call me a demon, yet you were the one torturing an innocent woman. You were going to slaughter her. So tell me—which one of us is the real demon here?"
The killer sneered. "Innocent? None of you monsters are innocent. I'm doing God's work. All creatures like you and her are evil. You need to be destroyed."
Stiles raised a brow. "So you kill supernatural creatures because you think they're evil?"
"No, no—I don't think. I'm certain they're evil," the killer snarled. "They murdered my wife. I spent three months turning over every stone in this miserable town, praying she was just lost. Then the Sheriff's department called. They told me they found her. They told me not to look at the body. I forced my way into the morgue anyway. She wasn't just murdered. She was butchered. They carved her up like livestock, boy. They found her in the basement of the Walcott family's house, half-eaten. My wife—she was everything good I had in this world, and those monsters took her from me. I found out later that the Walcotts, my kind neighbors that I'd waved to for years, were actually a family of demons called wendigos."
Jacob's expression didn't change. "The Walcott family? I was the one who killed them. I saw what was in their basement. I am deeply sorry for your loss. I won't pretend to understand the hell you're living in. But that doesn't make every supernatural creature guilty. It doesn't give you the right to kill innocent people—supernatural or not. There are good and bad among them, just like humans."
The killer's eyes burned with rage. "You're lying to me, you damned creature. You're just a monster wearing a man's skin, trying to save your own kind. I know the truth of the world we live in now." He let out a hollow, mocking laugh, though his eyes remained dead and burning with a frantic, unfixable hatred. "The only good one among you is the one rotting in a ditch. You are all demons. Every single one of you."
Jacob shook his head with a sigh. His claws extended, and the killer's eyes went wide with terror—sure he was about to die.
Without a word, Jacob inserted his claws into the back of the killer's neck, and a flood of memories rushed through his mind.
His name was Marcus Webb. A few months ago, the sheriff's department had found his missing wife dead—half-eaten, her body mutilated beyond recognition. To make matters worse, she had been killed and eaten by his own neighbors—the Walcotts—the same people who had helped him search for her, all while keeping her hanging like a butchered animal in their basement. The police ruled it a cannibalistic murder, but Marcus later learned the truth: the Walcotts were wendigos.
An old hunter had approached him days after the police found his wife—a man who claimed to know the truth about the monsters that walked among humans. He showed Marcus a werewolf he had captured, taught him how to hunt and kill, and convinced him that all supernatural creatures were evil. Broken and grieving, Marcus believed him. His grief turned into hatred, and he bought wolfsbane, mountain ash, and all kinds of poisons. He had been killing ever since.
Jacob pulled his hand back, letting Marcus fall to the ground twitching, his expression cold. "He's not the only one responsible. Someone trained him and filled his head with lies."
Stiles frowned. "Who?"
Jacob said, "A hunter. An old one. He's been killing supernatural creatures for years. He taught this guy how to do it."
Stiles asked, "So it was really a hunter, just like we thought. Do you know where he is?"
Jacob nodded. "Yes." He looked at Marcus, who was now unconscious on the ground, then at Stiles. "Call Noah. Then we'll go deal with the hunter."
Stiles gave Noah a quick call, then hung up and pointed at the werewolf woman. "What about her?"
Jacob studied the woman. "Are you from Beacon Hills?"
The woman nodded quickly. "Yes. I belong to Satomi's pack." She paused, a sudden look of realization and caution crossing her face. "Wait... are you Jacob?"
Jacob raised a brow. "I am. Why?"
"Satomi made a rule for the entire pack," she said, looking at him with newfound respect. "She told us that under no circumstances were we to ever disrespect or mess with you. She was absolutely terrified of what you'd do to us."
"Hold on," Stiles blinked, gesturing between himself and Jacob. "How do you even know he's Jacob and not me?"
The woman gave Stiles a long, unimpressed look. "Satomi told us we would know Jacob the moment we saw him. She said he's the most handsome boy she's ever laid eyes on." She tracked her gaze slowly up and down Stiles's frame. "No offense, but... you don't really fit the description."
Stiles clapped a hand over his heart, pretending to be deeply offended. "Hey! That's actually hurtful."
Jacob chuckled, turning his attention back to the woman. "You can leave. There's no need for you to stick around here."
The woman looked at them both, her expression softening with genuine gratitude. "Thank you. Both of you, for saving my life."
Jacob offered her a small smile. "You're welcome. Now get out of here."
With a final, grateful nod, she turned and quickly hurried away.
Soon Noah arrived, and after Stiles and Jacob told him everything they knew, he took charge, arresting Marcus and securing the scene.
Jacob turned to Stiles. "Let's go deal with the hunter."
They both got in Jacob's car and drove downtown.
---
Soon they arrived in front of the hunter's building. Jacob parked the car.
The hunter—a man named Elias Vance—was living in a sixth-floor apartment, a place filled with weapons, maps, and photographs of supernatural creatures, among them Derek and his pack, Peter, Satomi, and Deaton.
Jacob and Stiles teleported directly from the car into the apartment.
The hunter was sitting in a chair, reading a book. He looked up as they appeared, his eyes widening in surprise. "Who are you? How did you get in here?"
Jacob didn't bother to talk to the old man. He used his telekinesis to make the old hunter fly toward him and freeze him in place. After reading his memories and finding out he was just a psychopath like Gerard—someone who liked to kill people and didn't care if they were supernatural or not, innocent or not—Jacob used his compulsion ability, his eyes glowing red as he locked onto Elias's gaze.
Jacob commanded, "Walk to the window. And jump."
With a flick of his hand, Jacob used his telekinesis to open the window behind the hunter.
The hunter's eyes went blank. He walked to the window and jumped. He fell six stories, his body landing with a sickening crunch on the pavement below.
Jacob took the weapons, photos, laptop, and phone of the hunter and put them in his pocket dimension. Then he and Stiles teleported out of the apartment, leaving no trace of their presence.
---
Jacob and Stiles stood on the rooftop across from the apartment building, watching as police and paramedics swarmed the scene below.
Stiles broke the silence. "Marcus... I feel bad for the guy. His wife was murdered, and some psychopath took advantage of his grief to turn him into a killer."
Jacob nodded slowly. "Yeah. He's broken, and Elias exploited that. People like Elias—they prey on the vulnerable. They use tragedy to recruit soldiers for their own twisted crusades."
Stiles sighed. "It's messed up. Marcus was a victim too, in his own way."
Jacob's voice was thoughtful. "The world is full of people like Elias. They'll always be there, waiting to twist someone's pain into hatred. We can't stop all of them."
Stiles said, "But we can stop the ones we find."
Jacob nodded. "Yeah. We can." He paused, then shook his head. "Come on. Let's not talk about sad things. Let's just be happy we can protect ourselves and our loved ones. Let's go find something to eat. I'm starving."
Stiles smiled. "Now you're talking."
They went to a restaurant and ate, the conversation turning to lighter topics—video games, movies, and the ridiculousness of their lives.
As they stepped out of the restaurant, Jacob's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, glancing at the screen—it was a message from Cora.
Sliding the phone back into his pocket, Jacob looked over at Stiles. "Alright, man. I've gotta go. Catch you later."
"Wait, hold on!" Stiles said, stepping into his path. "Can you at least send me back to your house? My car's still there, and I need to pick up Erica." He paused, a hopeful, mischievous smirk spreading across his face. "Or... or... hear me out. You could just give me a Sling Ring. Like the one you gave Allison and the others? Come on, I have the hand dexterity for it—"
"Get lost," Jacob interrupted flatly.
Before Stiles could utter another word, a circular dark purple portal opened directly beneath his sneakers. Stiles dropped straight through it, his indignant scream cutting off instantly as the gateway vanished into thin air, leaving Jacob alone on the pavement.
Smirking to himself, Jacob hopped into his car and drove toward Derek's loft.
Chapter 244: The Weight of the Past
New
September 5
Jacob picked up Cora from Derek's loft, and they set off on their date. The afternoon sun hung high over Beacon Hills as they teleported across the globe, visiting city after city.
Their first stop was Tokyo, where the bustling streets were alive with energy. They wandered through the vibrant neighborhoods of Shibuya and Shinjuku, ate fresh sushi from a tiny shop tucked away in an alley, and watched the famous Shibuya Crossing from a café window.
Next, they visited Paris. The city of light was alive with energy. They strolled along the Seine, bought crepes from a street vendor, and watched street performers near Notre Dame.
Then they teleported to Rome, where ancient ruins stood side by side with modern life. They ate gelato in the shadow of the Colosseum.
Finally, they visited Barcelona. They walked through Park Güell and watched the sunset from the beach, the Mediterranean stretching out before them.
Throughout the day, Jacob noticed something was off. Cora was quieter than usual, her laughter forced, her attention drifting. Over the past two weeks, she had been a spark of life—laughing, teasing, and vibrant. But today, she seemed distant, weighed down by something she wasn't saying.
Jacob sighed inwardly. 'Derek must have told her about Kate. And about how one of my wives is the niece of the woman who burned her family alive. I've been putting off this conversation, but I suppose it's unavoidable now.'
With a thought, Jacob teleported them back to Beacon Hills, landing on a quiet street. It was 10 PM now, and the streets were still bustling with people. Cora walked beside him like a zombie, her eyes vacant as she stared at the pavement.
Finally, she stopped walking. She looked up at him. "We need to talk."
Jacob nodded. "Okay. Let's go somewhere quiet."
They turned toward a nearby park, but before they could reach it, Stiles and Erica appeared, walking hand in hand.
Stiles spotted them, a massive grin spreading across his face as he swaggered over with Erica at his side. He smirked at Jacob. "Hey, man. Look at you, out here running side quests."
Jacob's tone was flat. "Now's not the time for your bad jokes, Stiles."
Oblivious to the suffocating tension, Stiles looked past Jacob to Cora. "So, who's the side piece? Do the girls at home know about her?"
Erica's eyes widened as she picked up on the murderous energy vibrating off the couple. She reached out and pinched Stiles's side hard. "Shut up, Stiles."
"Ouch! Babe, what are you doing?" Stiles yelped, rubbing his side.
Erica ignored him, offering Cora an apologetic, tight smile. "Sorry about him. He's an idiot."
Stiles, completely shameless, kept pushing. "Hey, Jacob. You know how I have that severe medical condition where I literally don't know when to shut up, right?"
Jacob stared at him, his expression completely blank.
"Look, just give me a sling ring," Stiles bargained, holding his hands up. "I promise not to tell a soul about your new lady friend. And hey, this isn't a threat! I know you hate being threatened. Consider the sling ring a medical cure for my uncontrollable snitching mouth."
Jacob's eyes narrowed. He looked at Erica. "Good evening, Erica."
Erica smiled nervously. "Good evening."
Jacob said, "You might want to step away from Stiles."
Erica didn't hesitate; she instantly took three steps back.
Stiles realized he had pushed too far and tried to hide behind Erica, but Jacob froze him in place with his telekinesis.
"Hey! Hey, hey! I said it wasn't a threat!" Stiles squeaked, his jaw the only thing capable of moving. "I-I'm sorry, okay? Whatever I said, I take it back! I'm sorry!"
Jacob stepped toward him, his expression cold. He placed his hand on Stiles's shoulder and electrocuted him for a few seconds. Stiles's hair stood on end, and smoke rose from his mouth.
Jacob cut the current and snapped his fingers, releasing the telekinetic grip. Stiles collapsed into a heap on the grass, groaning.
"You're lucky Erica is with you," Jacob said coldly, looking down at him. "But I'm still asking Cogman to deal with you later."
Jacob turned back to Cora, his tone softening. "Let's go."
He teleported them both away.
Erica looked down at Stiles, her hands on her hips. "Can you seriously not think before you speak? Didn't you see that Jacob and the girl were both in a bad mood?"
Stiles sat up, still twitching. "I didn't notice. And it was a calculated gamble—a little beating from Jacob versus getting a magic sling ring? Obviously, the house won and I got the electrocution. But it was worth the shot! Like the great philosophers say: if you want something bad enough, you have to be completely shameless to get it. Mark my words, love, I will get that ring."
Erica kicked him gently, rolling her eyes. "Get up. Let's go home. And whatever you do, don't tell Allison and the girls about what you saw tonight, or Jacob will literally kill you."
Stiles shuddered, pulling himself up. "Yeah, then we better not go back to Serendell tonight. I genuinely cannot control my own mouth. Let's crash at my dad's place."
---
Jacob and Cora appeared on a cliff overlooking Beacon Hills. Below them, the town lights flickered like a sea of fallen stars. The wind tugged violently at their clothes, filling the silence between them.
Cora broke the silence first. "Derek told me about the woman who took my family from me. And then he told me that one of your wives is Allison Argent—a hunter, and the niece of the monster who burned them alive."
Jacob nodded slowly. "Yes. Allison is my wife. And she is Kate's niece."
Cora's voice was cold. "I want to kill Kate Argent."
Jacob sighed, looking out over the horizon. "I know."
"I need to kill her," Cora continued, her voice shaking with barely contained rage. "She burned my family alive. My mother. My siblings. My cousins. My pack. All of them. Gone. Because of her. Some of them weren't even werewolves—they were just normal humans."
Jacob turned to face her. "I know what she did, Cora. And I won't stop you if you want to kill her."
A sudden flash of hope ignited in Cora's eyes. "Really?"
Jacob's expression was pained. "But I won't help you either. And if you kill her, Allison will never forgive you. She loves Kate. Kate is like a sister to her."
The hope in Cora's chest instantly curdled into hot, bitter anger. "So you're choosing Allison over me?"
"Allison is my wife. I can't choose you over her." Jacob's voice was tired. "If you kill Kate, I won't interfere. But I won't protect you from Allison's wrath, either. She's my wife, Cora. I love her. You and I... we aren't there yet. Besides, Allison already stood by and let Derek and Peter kill Kate once. She won't let her die a second time."
Cora's voice was sharp. "But Kate didn't actually die, did she?"
Jacob shook his head. "It doesn't matter."
Cora's jaw tightened. "So I have to choose. My revenge or you."
Jacob met her eyes. "Yes."
Cora stared at him for a long moment. Then her expression hardened.
"Then I choose revenge," she said coldly.
Jacob nodded slowly, his face unreadable. "I understand. You have every right to kill Kate." He paused. "But is there any chance you'll give up your revenge?"
Cora glared at him. "What do you think?"
For a long, quiet moment, Jacob's gaze lingered on her face, searching for a compromise that wasn't there. He let out a breath—a hollow, humorless sound that was half a sad laugh and half a heavy sigh. "This sucks." He turned away, unable to keep looking at her. "Let's go. I'll take you back to the loft."
"That's it?!" Cora shouted, the anger finally bursting through her stoic mask as tears spilled over her cheeks. "You're not even going to try and persuade me? Where are all your promises, Jacob?! You told me if I became your mate, I'd live a happy life! You promised you'd keep me safe, kill my enemies, and never make me sad!"
Jacob turned back to her. "I don't care if Kate lives or dies—I really don't. But Allison does. So I can't help you kill Kate, and I can't be with you if you go through with it. If I helped you, it would break Allison's heart and tear my family apart. Even if Allison forgave me, she would never forgive you. You two would be at each other's throats forever, and I refuse to live in a house where the women I love are constantly trying to destroy each other."
He stepped closer. "My promises weren't lies. I meant every word. I would give you a life you never dreamed of. I would make you strong. I'd try my best to keep you happy. But I will never—under any circumstance—help you hurt Allison."
Cora's voice was thick with anger and tears. "If you knew all of this, then why? Why did you even get close to me? Why did you date me only to break my heart when I'd already fallen in love with you?"
She crossed the space between them and slammed her fists against his chest. "Why did you do this to me?"
She hit him again and again, and he didn't stop her. He let her vent her anger. She wasn't using her supernatural strength, and even if she had, it wouldn't have hurt him anyway.
Finally, the rage drained out of her, leaving only raw grief. She broke down into heavy sobs. Jacob reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace.
She squirmed, weakly trying to push out of his arms, but he held tight, burying his face in her hair.
"I'm sorry," Jacob whispered.
After a long time, Cora's breathing slowed. She went still against him. "Let me go."
Jacob released his grip, stepping back.
Cora wiped her face, refusing to look at him. "You can leave. I know the way back."
For a brief moment, Jacob considered taking her to Serendell—showing her his true self, the world he could offer her. But he pushed the thought aside. Cora had to make a choice on her own.
He didn't say anything. He just wrapped her in his telekinesis and teleported them both.
They appeared instantly at the front door of Derek's loft. Jacob knocked once. The moment the heavy door swung open, Cora darted past her brother without a word, sprinting down the hall to her bedroom. The door slammed shut behind her.
Derek looked from the empty hallway back to Jacob, leaning against the doorframe with a heavy sigh. "Did you two break up?"
Jacob said, "I think so."
Derek's voice was tired. "I had to tell her about Kate and Allison. I delayed it as long as I could, hoping you'd be the one to do it. But you didn't."
Jacob didn't offer an excuse. He simply turned on his heel and walked down the concrete corridor. He didn't look back.
Derek closed the loft door, locking it securely. He walked down the quiet hallway, stopping outside his sister's room. He knocked gently on the wood.
"Go away, Jacob!" Cora shouted from inside, her voice muffled by a pillow.
"It's me," Derek said quietly. "Jacob already left."
There was a long pause before Cora's broken voice drifted through the door. "Leave me alone, Derek. I don't want to talk to anyone right now."
Derek pushed the door open anyway, stepping into the dimly lit room. Cora was lying face down on the bed.
He sat at the edge of the mattress, looking down at his little sister. "I know you don't want to hear this right now, Cora. But Kate Argent isn't worth losing Jacob over. Killing her won't bring the dead back."
Cora shifted slightly, her voice muffled by the pillow but dripping with venom. "He told me you and Peter had the chance to kill her, and you let her live. Why? Were you two just terrified of Jacob and Allison?"
"It had nothing to do with fear," Derek countered calmly. "Back then, Jacob told us he and Allison would remain neutral, and they did. But Peter ruined the execution. Instead of killing Kate, his claws accidentally turned her into a shapeshifter. After that fiasco, Allison made it clear—she wouldn't stand aside if we hunted her aunt down a second time."
Derek let out a heavy breath, staring at the floor. "And to be completely honest, Cora? I don't want to kill her anymore. It won't bring Mother back. It won't bring back the rest of our pack. All it would do is make an enemy out of the most powerful ally we have. Jacob saved my life. He saved Boyd and Isaac's lives after they got blood poisoning from a blood fairy. He helped me reclaim Mother's Alpha spark from Peter, and helped me save you and the others from Deucalion. Throwing away a friend like that over a psycho like Kate? It's just stupid."
Cora didn't reply.
Derek reached out, gently rubbing the top of her head the way he used to when they were kids. "I told you about Kate this morning because I hoped you would choose your own future over past hatred. I didn't want you to break up with Jacob. Just... forget your rage for a second. Think carefully about what actually matters more to you: revenge, or him."
He stood up, leaving the room quiet as the door clicked shut behind him.
---
Jacob teleported from Derek's building and appeared in his mansion. He took out his phone and called Cogman.
Cogman answered quickly. "Good evening, sir. What can I do for you?"
"I'm in a terrible mood, Cogman," Jacob muttered, his tone dangerously flat. "Let's go kill some people."
Within a fraction of a second, Cogman materialized right beside Jacob, his eyes gleaming with terrifying excitement. "Oh, splendid, sir! Who are we slaughtering tonight?"
Jacob said, "I don't care, as long as they're evil."
Cogman said, "Then sir, it will be my absolute pleasure to lead the way."
Jacob put on his nano-mask and turned it into a menacing, pitch-black skull mask. Cogman changed his face into a white skull mask.
Then Cogman connected to the network, filtering data at lightning speeds. He searched for human traffickers, auctions where innocent humans and supernatural creatures were sold, and the locations of wendigos and other evil creatures. He gave Jacob the addresses.
Jacob used his space element to open portals directly to each location. They hit hideout after hideout, illegal auction house after illegal auction house, wendigo den after wendigo den. They killed every evil creature they found and saved the innocent, moving from one location to the next without stopping.
They hit several locations in the United States, then moved to South America, Europe, and Asia. They didn't stop for six straight hours. They left the corpses for the local police to find—a message to the underworld—and took the money.
By the time they teleported back to the Beacon Hills mansion, it was the dead of night. Both of them were drenched from head to toe in blood.
Jacob cast a cleaning spell, instantly vaporizing the blood from his skin and clothes. Cogman did the same, humming a cheerful tune as the viscera vanished from his immaculate suit.
As Jacob headed for the grand staircase, Cogman called after him with a bright smile. "Sir, shall I whip up a late-night gourmet meal for you?"
"No," Jacob called back, his voice hollow. "I don't have an appetite."
"Very well, sir." Cogman bowed and went back to Serendell.
Jacob walked into his master bedroom, shedding his clothes before stepping into the attached master bath. He filled the massive tub with steaming water, sank into it, and closed his eyes.
Five minutes later, the bathroom door clicked open. Allison entered the bathroom, took off her clothes, and joined him.
Jacob said nothing. He pulled her into his arms, pressed a kiss to her forehead, and held her close.
Allison looked at him, her eyes searching his. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong? Cogman just returned to Serendell and told us you went on a massive, continent-spanning killing spree. The girls and I are worried about you. We can feel that you're sad."
Jacob stared at the ceiling. "It's nothing. I'll be fine in a few days."
"Oh, come on. Don't be like that," Allison nudged him gently. "Talk to me. Did things go south with your secret girlfriend?"
Jacob's jaw tightened. "I'm going to kill Stiles."
Allison let out a soft laugh. "Stiles didn't tell us anything. We figured it out. You were sneaking around these past few weeks, not telling us where you were going. So we figured you were seeing a new girl."
Jacob sighed. "Well, I was dating a girl, but things probably ended between us tonight."
Allison's smile was teasing. "Wait—are you saying there's a woman out there who can actually resist your stupidly handsome face and that magical charm of yours?"
Jacob said, "You know that my charm isn't mind control, right? It can be ignored if a woman wants to ignore it. Sure, she'd need a strong will and a week or two of constant distraction to get me out of her head, but eventually, she'll move on and forget me."
Allison shifted closer, her tone softening. "Why did you break up with her?"
Jacob said, "I didn't break up with her. She broke up with me."
Allison chuckled softly. "Let me guess... because she found out you're a pervert with six wives?"
Jacob playfully flicked her forehead. "No. I told her I was a pervert the moment we met."
"Well, now I'm genuinely curious," Allison said, her expression turning serious. "Hurry up and tell me. Why did she walk away?"
Jacob let out a long, defeated sigh. "Because of you."
Allison frowned. "Me? Why?"
Jacob said, "Her name is Cora Hale. Derek's younger sister."
Allison stiffened, her eyes widening in pure shock. "What? A Hale?"
Jacob nodded. "Yep."
The puzzle pieces instantly clicked together in Allison's mind. The teasing atmosphere vanished. "Because of Kate."
"Yeah," Jacob confirmed. "Derek told Cora what Kate did today, and she wants revenge. I told her I can't help her, and I won't stop her either. But I made it clear that if she kills Kate, she kills whatever future we have, and she'd have to deal with your wrath."
Allison quieted, staring at the water as she processed the gravity of the situation. "I see. I'll go talk to her tomorrow."
Jacob shook his head, tightening his grip around her. "You don't have to do that. I didn't tell you this so you'd go fix it. Cora has to figure out her own path."
Allison's voice was gentle. "I'm not going to talk to her because you asked. I'm going to do it because I want to do something for you. Besides, you broke up with her because of me. I have to do something if I can." She kissed him. "Now, let's go back to Serendell. The girls are really worried about you."
With that, they put on their clothes and teleported to Serendell.
Chapter 245: The Storm in Human Form
4 days ago
Jacob and Allison teleported back to Serendell, finding his wives gathered together in their private living room. Jacob explained the situation with Cora briefly and plainly. He didn't dwell on the heartbreak; his absolute priority was ensuring the women in front of him knew they held his heart. He knew better than to let a new flame cast a long shadow over his household.
With a smooth transition, he masterfully steered the topic toward the blood-soaked vigilante run he'd just shared with Cogman, painting a vivid picture of the dark corners of the world they had cleansed that night. The tale of battle instantly derailed the somber mood. Malia let out a low growl, deeply annoyed at missing a good fight, while Daenerys crossed her arms with a pout, thoroughly offended that she hadn't been invited to unleash her purging flames on such deserving targets.
Playfully coaxing and appeasing his two fierce wives took all of Jacob's focus, successfully pushing the painful memory of Cora's tear-stained face to the back of his mind. Surrounded by the warmth, laughter, and familiar chaos of his wives, Jacob's spirits lifted—his bad mood replaced by genuine smiles and the profound comfort of the family he had built.
---
The next morning, Jacob woke up late, the sunlight streaming through the windows of Daenerys's room. After sharing a long, hot shower, the two of them put on their clothes and teleported to the dining room.
The room was empty—the rest of the family had already eaten—but Cogman had left a perfectly preserved, warm breakfast waiting for them. They ate quickly in the quiet room before teleporting to the palace's shared living room.
They found the entire family gathered there, their attention completely locked onto the massive television screen.
Jacob and Daenerys took a seat on one of the large sofas.
Lydia looked at Jacob. "They're talking about what you and Cogman did yesterday."
Jacob leaned back, entirely unbothered by the media storm. He grabbed a stray throw pillow and rested his arm on it. "Oh. I see."
Stiles, who had come to Serendell this morning with Erica, said, "You know, you really should have taken me with you."
Jacob's gaze snapped over to him, his eyes narrowing. "No. I should have beaten you half to death yesterday. That's what I should have done."
Stiles smirked. "Come on, man! I was just joking! I really didn't know you were in a bad mood!"
Before they could devolve into an argument, Chris, his eyes fixed on the screen, said, "Someone raise the volume of the TV. I want to hear what they're saying."
Cogman snapped his fingers, and the volume of the TV was raised.
The screen cut to a live feed of a female reporter standing outside one of the criminal compounds Jacob and Cogman had hit the night before.
[...authorities are confirming that the death toll inside this single facility has surpassed one hundred,] the reporter said, her voice shaking slightly as forensics teams wheeled out body bags in the background. [But the true horror is what federal agents uncovered inside the building's lower levels. We are receiving highly disturbing reports of human organs packed in cooling crates, and human corpses suspended from meat hooks in specialized freezer rooms—hung like butchered cattle.]
The broadcast quickly cut back to the main news studio, where the anchor took over with a grim, serious expression.
[This scene is being repeated globally. Interpol and international task forces are reporting a coordinated, continent-spanning purge that has left over three thousand individuals dead in a single six-hour window. Early data confirms that every single victim was a highly dangerous criminal—ranging from international human traffickers and black-market organ harvesters to violent cartel leaders, cartel hitmen, and cannibalistic cultists. But what's unsettling is the pattern of wounds on some of the bodies—deep, massive claw marks, as if they were torn apart by something far larger than any animal known to man.]
The anchor gestured to a split screen. [Joining us now to discuss this unprecedented event is a former FBI counterterrorism specialist. Sir, what kind of organization possesses the resources and the intelligence to coordinate multiple simultaneous hits across the globe without triggering a single early warning system?]
As the guest expert began to analyze the impossible logistics of the raid, Cogman vanished from the living room. A second later, he materialized right beside Jacob's sofa, holding out a secure, encrypted smartphone.
"Sir," Cogman said. "It is a call from the S.D.E.S."
Jacob took the phone and put it on speaker. The phone masked his voice, making it sound deep on the other end of the line. "Hello."
From the other end of the line, the exhausted, deeply stressed voice of Maria Argyros, the Director of the S.D.E.S., filtered through. "Hello, Alec. Do you know what happened yesterday?"
Jacob shifted his position on the couch, entirely relaxed. "Yes. Someone decided to get rid of a little bit of the garbage piling up around the world."
Maria let out a long, heavy sigh. "That is not what I am asking. I am asking if you know who did it. Do you know who the two men in the black and white skull masks are?"
"Yes," Jacob replied smoothly. "It was me and my butler."
A dead silence hung over the line for a few seconds before Maria groaned, rubbing her temples on the other side. "Do you have any idea how much chaos you have caused? Don't get me wrong—I am happy that those monsters are dead. But those illegal auctions and trafficking houses you struck? Their stockrooms were filled to the brim with all kinds of supernatural things. We are talking about mounted heads of shapeshifters frozen in mid-beast form, taxidermied bodies of shapeshifters frozen in fully shifted forms, potions, fangs, claws, cursed items, and the intact corpses of supernatural animals that normal humans believe only exist in mythology books."
Jacob let out a soft, amused chuckle. "Well, Maria... that's exactly what your organization is good at, isn't it? Your job is to hide that stuff."
Maria sighed deeply, the sound of rustling papers audible over the line. "At least the next time you decide to do something like this, let me know in advance so we can get there before the normal cops arrive. Do you know how stressed my people and I have been for the past few hours? Do you have any idea how many people we've had to track down just to erase their memories?"
"Alright, my bad," Jacob said, though his voice remained unbothered. "I was in a bad mood yesterday and just went on a killing spree. I didn't think much about anything else. Tell you what—as compensation, I have a Chimera body if you're interested in buying it."
Maria's interest was instantly piqued, her exhausted tone sharpening. "A Chimera? Do you mean the real thing?"
"Yes. The giant, fire-breathing lion with a goat head on its back and a living snake for a tail," Jacob detailed. "But I took a few things from it. Some of the venom from the snake head, and a portion of the lion's hide."
"Okay, we will buy it," Maria said, calculating the value rapidly. "But you have to give me a discount after the absolute mess you caused yesterday."
"Fair enough," Jacob agreed. "Tell me where we should meet. But just you and the people you absolutely trust, Maria. I don't want to meet with any stupid people from the government again."
"I need to take care of the chaos you made right now, so give me a few days," Maria replied, the background noise of her command center humming loudly.
"Alright. Call me when you are ready."
Jacob hung up the phone, tossing it back to Cogman. Turning his attention back to the massive television screen, he leaned deeper into the couch, hugging Sansa on one side and Daenerys on the other, fully relaxed as he went back to watching the news updates with his family.
An hour later, Allison rose from the sofa. She leaned down and pressed a long, tender kiss to Jacob's lips, then teleported to the garage of their Beacon Hills mansion. She slid into the red Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster, and the engine growled to life. She pulled out onto the streets, following the route Cogman had loaded onto her phone, heading straight for Derek's loft.
---
Meanwhile, in Beacon Hills—inside Derek's loft.
It was 8:30 AM. Derek, Isaac, and Boyd were gathered around the TV, watching the breaking news of the global massacre Jacob and Cogman had left behind.
In her bedroom, Cora was staring blankly at the ceiling. She was still wearing the same clothes from yesterday, her phone clutched tightly in her hand. She stared at the digital screen from time to time, waiting for Jacob's name to light it up. Every few minutes, her thumb hovered over his contact. Her heart pleaded with her to dial his number, but her stubborn pride slammed the brakes every single time. With a frustrated hiss, she tossed the phone onto the mattress, only to scoop it back up sixty seconds later to repeat the agonizing cycle. She wanted him back, but she refused to be the first to call.
Suddenly, the loft's security alarm went off.
Cora got out of bed and opened her door. She sprinted into the main area just as the heavy metal door slid open with a screech. Striding through the threshold were three members of the Alpha Pack: Kali, Ethan, and Ennis.
The sight of them triggered a primal rage inside Cora. Her eyes instantly flared bright yellow. With a vicious snarl, she lunged forward in a reckless blur.
"Cora, wait!" Derek shouted, reaching out to grab her, but it was already too late.
Kali didn't even blink. With a casual, practiced fluid motion, she drove a brutal kick directly into Cora's ribs. The impact sent Cora flying backward across the room, her body slamming hard against the brick wall before she collapsed to the floor.
Boyd snapped, his fangs dropping as he and Isaac immediately charged the Alphas. Left with no choice, Derek flashed his crimson Alpha eyes and joined the fight.
The brawl was devastatingly brief. Ennis kept Derek busy, while Kali and Ethan systematically beat up the two Betas. The sound of sickening crunches echoed through the loft as Ethan broke Boyd's arm and Kali broke Isaac's leg, leaving them incapacitated on the floor.
Ethan pinned a groaning Boyd to the floor, twisting his remaining good arm violently behind his back. With the Betas down, Kali turned her attention to Ennis, double-teaming Derek.
Already struggling against Ennis, Derek was quickly overwhelmed, his breath knocked out of him as the two Alphas forced him to his knees.
Cora hauled herself off the floor, snarling through the pain as she tried to rush Kali from behind. But Kali simply swiveled, delivering a backhand that sent Cora crashing to the floor once more.
Held securely by Ennis, Derek glared up at Kali, his chest heaving. Kali looked down at him, a mocking, predatory smile stretching across her face.
"Deucalion gave you the perfect opportunity to cut the dead weight and join us in the vault, Derek," Kali purred, tilting her head. "But you wasted it."
Derek thrashed against Ennis's iron grip, his fangs bared. "I am not slaughtering my pack, and I am not joining a cult of serial killers!"
"You simply don't understand the mathematics of power," Kali countered smoothly, her claws tracing a slow line down his jaw. "Killing your own makes you stronger. We are only here to help you kill the first one. Believe me, once you taste the sweetness of absorbing their powers, you'll be happy to butcher the rest on your own."
Kali turned her gaze to Ethan. "Bring him over."
Ethan dragged a resisting, heavily bruised Boyd across the floor, forcing him down in front of Derek. Kali reached out, grabbing Derek's clawed hand by the wrist, forcing his arm forward, guiding his sharp claws directly toward Boyd's chest.
Across the room, a bruised Cora reached out for her phone in her pocket, her fingers trembling as she prepared to dial Jacob for a desperate lifeline.
But before her fingers could touch the screen, Allison stepped into the loft through the still-open door.
She blinked, taking in the chaotic layout of shattered furniture, bleeding werewolves, and invading Alphas. Her brow furrowed in genuine bewilderment. "What is going on here?"
Ennis, Kali, and Ethan snapped their heads toward the entrance. They swept their supernatural senses over the newcomer, but their instincts couldn't pick anything from her. To the three Alphas, the girl standing at the door felt completely, utterly human.
Derek's eyes widened, a profound wave of relief washing over him. "Allison! Help! They're trying to force me to kill Boyd!"
Allison shifted her gaze to Derek, raising an eyebrow at his clawed hand, which was currently centimeters from Boyd's chest. "Can't you just... make your claws disappear? I mean, it's significantly harder to accidentally murder someone with regular human fingers."
Derek blinked. His claws instantly retracted, and he looked up at her with an incredibly awkward cough. "Right. Regardless... can you please help? Just keep two of them occupied while I handle the third."
Allison shook her head with an amused smile. Then her eyes locked onto Ennis, who was still holding Derek down. "Let go of him. I am not going to ask a second time."
Ennis let out a booming, amused laugh, completely unfazed by the teenage girl. "And who the hell do you think you are, you little bitc—"
Before he could finish the insult, Allison appeared instantly at his flank, her foot connecting with his ribs in a devastating side kick. The sound of multiple bones breaking echoed through the room. Ennis didn't even have time to gasp; his massive body was launched across the loft, crashing violently into the solid brick wall before sliding down into a breathless, unmoving heap on the floor with blood leaking from his mouth.
Allison now stood exactly where Ennis had been, her eyes glowing a brilliant, supernatural red. She leveled a freezing glare at Kali and Ethan. "Take your bald friend and get out of my sight. Or I don't mind killing the three of you."
Allison unleashed her aura. Unlike Jacob's ancient, oppressive dragon majesty—which made people feel like prey standing before an ancient apex predator—Allison's aura felt like a roaring, catastrophic Category Five hurricane.
Instantly, the temperature inside the loft plummeted from the warmth of a summer morning to a bone-chilling cold. Ice spread outward from Allison, creeping across the floor and up the walls, frost spiderwebbing across the windows. Outside, the clear morning sky violently darkened as massive, pitch-black storm clouds rolled over Beacon Hills. The windows rattled violently as thunder boomed across the sky, followed by arcs of lightning flashing through the glass.
Every werewolf in the loft—friend and foe alike—felt their instincts shred in primal terror, screaming at them to flee, to submit, to do anything but stand before the storm that had taken human form.
Kali and Ethan exchanged a wide-eyed, terrified glance. The realization hit them like a physical blow: the girl standing in front of them was way more terrifying than Deucalion. Trembling uncontrollably, they immediately let go of Derek and Boyd, stumbling backward to put as much distance between themselves and Allison as possible.
"What are you waiting for?" Allison's voice was cold. "Get lost."
Panicked, Ethan and Kali scrambled over to Ennis's unconscious body, lifting him by the shoulders to drag him out.
"Wait," Allison commanded.
They froze mid-step, looking back at her with absolute wariness.
Allison tilted her head slightly. "Did you hit Cora?"
The Alphas remained dead silent, refusing to dig their own graves.
Allison looked past them to the girl standing near the wall. "You're Cora, right?"
Cora gave a stiff, hesitant nod. Her entire body was shaking, her werewolf instincts utterly paralyzed by the raging storm of Allison's aura.
Noticing the terror she was causing, Allison instantly reined her power back in. The dark clouds outside didn't disperse, but the heavy pressure in the room vanished. Allison's expression softened into something approachable. "Don't be afraid of me, Cora. I didn't come here to cause you any harm. I just came to talk. But first... tell me the truth. Did these three clowns lay a hand on you? Jay will be angry with me if I watched someone put their hands on you and did nothing about it."
Cora was too stunned to speak, but Derek found his voice, pushing himself up from the cold floor. "Yes. They hit her. They came here to force me to execute my pack and join their ranks."
"I see," Allison murmured. A dark, wicked smirk spread across her lips as she turned back to Kali and Ethan. "I won't kill you today. But I will break some of your bones."
She moved with such blinding speed that the two Alpha werewolves' eyes couldn't even register the motion.
She appeared right between Ethan and Kali, clapping a firm hand onto each of their shoulders. Channeling her lightning element, a massive surge of high-voltage electricity erupted from her palms. For several agonizing seconds, the two Alphas violently convulsed. Their hair stood completely on end, and wisps of dark smoke drifted from their open mouths as the current fried their nervous systems.
When Allison cut the power, the two fell to the floor in a twitching, groaning heap, barely maintaining consciousness.
Allison calmly delivered two precise, heavy stamps, cleanly breaking one arm on each of them. "Get lost," she warned down at them. "I'll let Jay know about this, and he will decide how to deal with you and the rest of your pack."
Kali and Ethan didn't dare breathe a word of protest. Whimpering through the agony of their broken limbs, they dragged their shattered bodies off the floor, hoisted the severely injured Ennis between them, and practically fled out the sliding door as fast as their injured and numb bodies could carry them.
Allison watched them go before turning back to Derek. "Does Jacob know about the idiots who just left?"
Derek nodded. "Yes. Jacob is fully aware of Deucalion and his pack. He and Scott helped me rescue Cora, Boyd, Jackson, and Tracy from them just a couple of weeks ago."
Allison's brow furrowed in thought. "Deucalion? I've definitely heard that name before." She tapped her chin for a moment before her eyes lit up. "Oh, right. Jacob mentioned him. He told me Deucalion used to be a peaceful, respected Alpha—very much like your mother. But my evil grandfather, Gerard, blinded him and turned him into a demon."
Derek let out a dry, bitter chuckle. "Yeah. Your family tends to have that effect on people."
"Gerard was a monster, and he's dead," Allison shrugged. "And as for Kate... she did unspeakable things to your family. But I stood aside and let you and Peter have your shot at revenge. It's really not my fault you failed to finish the job. Besides, every family has a few evil members. Like your uncle." She glanced around the loft. "Speaking of Peter, where is he?"
Derek shrugged. "Hiding in some dark hole in town until it is safe to come out."
Allison said, "At least he's smart." She turned her full attention to Cora, offering a calm, inviting smile. "Come with me. Let's go somewhere to talk."
Derek looked at his sister. "Go with her, Cora. Listen to what she has to say. And don't worry—she isn't going to hurt you. She might be Kate's niece, but she is nothing like her."
Allison raised her hand and used her Sling Ring. With a precise, circular motion, she cut a brilliant, shimmering golden portal through the air, revealing the quiet, deep green canopy of the Beacon Hills Preserve. "Follow me, Cora." With that, Allison stepped through the ring of sparks.
Derek looked at his sister one last time as she hesitated. "Go on. And remember what I said... Kate isn't worth losing Jacob over."
Cora let out a long, heavy sigh. Steeling her nerves, she stepped through the portal. The moment her feet cleared the threshold, the portal snapped shut.
Isaac stood from the floor, his broken leg already healed. He looked over at Derek. "Well... we just got our asses handed to us on a silver platter. If we want any chance of surviving Deucalion and his pack, we're going to have to hunt them down one by one."
Derek said, "We need to turn this entire loft into a death trap in case they come back."
"Or," Boyd muttered, massaging his already healed broken arm, "we could just call Scott for backup."
Isaac rolled his eyes, leaning his head back against the wall. "Better yet... let's just pray Cora fixes things with Jacob. If they get back together, Jacob will erase Deucalion and his entire pack from existence just to keep her smiling."
Derek stared at the space where the portal had vanished, a heavy weight lifting slightly from his shoulders. "I hope so. At the very least, she'll be safe with him."
Chapter 246: Cora's Decision
New
2 days ago
Allison and Cora appeared deep within the dense woods of the Beacon Hills Preserve. The forest was quiet, the trees tall and ancient, their branches filtering the morning light into dappled patterns on the forest floor.
Allison closed the portal behind them with a casual wave of her hand. Turning around, she looked at Cora with a slight smirk. "You followed me. It seems you've already fallen for Jacob."
Cora stared back at her, momentarily disoriented. Just a moment ago, Allison had radiated a terrifying, overwhelming pressure. But now that she had stopped actively using her powers, she felt entirely normal again—like a regular human with no supernatural powers at all. Cora wondered how Allison could mask her true nature so flawlessly, but she forced the curiosity down. Her eyes hardened.
"You're Allison Argent," Cora said, her voice flat.
Allison nodded slowly. "Yes."
Cora's hands curled into tight fists at her sides. "Your aunt burned my family alive."
Allison met her gaze. "I know." She took a slow step closer, her expression softening with genuine remorse. "And I'm sorry. For what Kate did to your family, I truly am."
"Sorry doesn't bring my family back," Cora snapped.
"I know it doesn't," Allison replied softly. "But I want you to understand something. I already gave Derek and Peter their shot at vengeance. I stood there and watched while Peter slit Kate's throat. I didn't interfere. I gave them their chance, Cora."
Cora scoffed. "But Kate is still breathing."
"That's Peter's fault," Allison said. "He should have finished the job when he had the chance."
A low growl vibrated in Cora's throat. "Are you going to stop me from killing her?"
Allison said, "Yes. I will. And if you somehow manage to kill her when I'm not around... I will probably kill you."
Cora's eyes widened in shock.
Allison continued, her voice steady. "Despite what she did to your family—and believe me, I hate what she did—Kate is more than just my aunt. She's like a sister to me. I love her despite the monster she is, and I can't help it. And she has changed. She's not the same person who burned your family."
Cora stared at her, her anger warring with confusion. "I don't know why you're telling me all of this. I don't want to hear it." She turned to leave. "If this is why you brought me here, then I'm leaving."
"Did you kill Peter?" Allison asked.
Cora froze mid-step. "What?"
"Peter killed your sister. Laura," Allison said. "Did you kill him for it?"
Cora was silent for a long moment. "That's none of your business."
Allison said, "You let him live. Why?"
Cora's voice was tight. "He claimed he didn't know what he was doing, that he was driven insane by the fire. I don't believe him, but Derek said not to kill him—he's the only family we have left. Besides... killing him wouldn't have brought Laura back."
Allison nodded slowly. "And killing Kate won't bring your family back either."
Cora snorted. "I don't care."
"Yes, you do," Allison said. "That's why you followed me here. Deep down, you want to be convinced."
Cora stayed silent, merely glaring at her.
Allison's tone softened, offering a compromise. "Look, I can let you vent. I can let you unleash all your anger and all your rage. You can beat Kate half to death, and she won't even fight back. She'll let you do it because she knows she deserves it."
Cora stared at her in disbelief. "You're offering me to beat your own aunt?"
"I'm offering you closure," Allison said. "You can let it all out. Hit her. Break her bones. Make her suffer. But you cannot kill her. That is my only condition."
Cora fell into a long, conflicted silence.
"Kate isn't worth losing Jacob over, Cora. Believe me, she isn't," Allison added.
Cora frowned. "Why are you trying to make me go back to him? Aren't you his wife? Shouldn't you be trying to keep him for yourself?"
Allison smiled. "Because I love him. And I don't want to see him sad. Not for a single day. Besides," she paused, "didn't he tell you what he is?"
Cora shook her head. "No. He told me that his kind is known for being a bunch of multi-wived perverts, but he didn't tell me what he is specifically."
Allison chuckled softly. "I see. Well, all you need to know for now is that neither I nor his other wives object to him having multiple women. Because that's his supernatural nature, and he can't change it. In fact, all of us feel incredibly lucky that he chose us. You'll understand later, if you choose to join our family."
Allison stepped away from Cora and said, "Now, let me show you a fraction of what you'll be missing out on if you choose revenge over Jay."
Without another word, Allison began to demonstrate her power.
First, she used the Firaga spell—a massive fireball that exploded against a boulder, shattering it to pieces. Then she used the Lightning Beast technique, sending a giant lightning tiger that carved a trench in the ground before colliding with another boulder, blowing it to pieces. Then she used her wind, lightning, and ice elements to unleash powerful attacks that left deep craters in the forest floor.
Cora watched, her eyes wide.
Then Allison shifted into her Alpha fairy form.
Beautiful blue butterfly wings grew from Allison's back. Her ears elongated, and delicate, glowing freckles appeared beneath her now-glowing red eyes.
She raised both hands to the sky that was still filled with dark clouds. Then the weather started getting violent—the wind became a howling storm, bending the trees. Lightning poured down from the clouds.
Cora watched in terror as Allison flew a few meters off the ground. The lightning strikes hit her, but instead of hurting her, the lightning gathered around her, making her stronger. A spear made of lightning appeared in her hand, and all the lightning from the storm gathered into it.
Cora's hair stood on end. Her werewolf instincts screamed at her to run, to hide, to escape from the terrifying creature in front of her.
Allison condensed all the lightning into the spear in her hand, then threw it at the sky.
The lightning spear flew with incredible speed into the center of the thunderstorm. With a flick of Allison's wrist, she detonated it.
A deafening, earth-shaking boom rattled the entire preserve. A massive shockwave of blue electricity rippled outward, instantly vaporizing the dark storm clouds and clearing the sky above them completely.
Allison landed next to Cora and shifted back to normal. She looked at the still-shocked Cora with a smile. "What do you think of my strength?"
Cora looked from the sky to Allison in front of her and swallowed hard. "W-what are you?"
Allison said, "I was a normal human before marrying Jacob. He turned me into a supernatural creature after we married. And I mean a supernatural kind of marriage. We became mates for life. Now I'm an Aeras Sidhe—a wind fairy, or an air fairy. And because of my mating bond with Jacob, I'm way stronger than normal wind fairies. I will still get stronger as Jacob grows stronger." She paused. "And what you just saw? That was only about twenty percent of my real strength."
Cora tried to process the information. "Are Jacob and his other wives as strong as you?"
"Jacob is stronger than all of us combined," Allison said. "As for me and his other wives, we have almost the same strength."
Cora took a deep, shaky breath, forcing her racing heart to calm down.
"Look, Jacob likes you," Allison said gently. "But he broke up with you because of me. That's why I want to show you what you'll miss if you don't go back to him. Being with him will make you stronger. And there are things more amazing about him, not just making you strong—let's just say he can give you things you never thought possible, even in your dreams. So when I say Kate isn't worth losing Jacob over, I mean it. Killing her will make you lose someone who would have changed your life and given you a life better than a fantasy."
Cora sighed and sat on a broken log. "You're not the first one to tell me not to break up with Jacob. Derek told me the same thing. He told me that all of Jacob's girlfriends are very strong and have some weird abilities. Not only his girlfriends, but all the people around him. And he told me that revenge isn't worth it."
"He's right," Allison said, walking over. "After you know everything about Jacob, you'll understand too."
Cora looked up, her eyes searching Allison's face. "What would you do if you were in my shoes? Answer me honestly."
Allison looked at her for a moment, then quietly sat down on the log right next to Cora. "Honestly? I don't know for sure. I'd probably choose revenge. If someone burned my family alive... I think I'd be too broken to care about anything else."
Cora said, "So you understand why I want to kill Kate."
"I can't even begin to imagine the pain of losing your family, Cora," Allison replied softly. "But I understand why you want to kill her. I know that even though it has been years since you lost them, you still haven't forgotten that pain. But if you could find a way to move on and give up revenge, you would gain a new family. You would find happiness again."
Cora's gaze darkened. "You're talking about me giving up my vengeance, but why won't you just stand aside and let me do it?"
Allison let out a weary sigh. "Like I said, I already let Kate die once. Derek and Peter had their shot and they failed to finish it. I can't let you kill her now."
She stood up, dusting off her clothes. "I've said what I needed to say, and I've shown you what I wanted to show you. The rest is up to you. If you choose to walk away, Jacob will be sad for a few days, and then he'll move on. Otherwise, the girls and I will have to beat his ass to snap him out of it. It's not like he doesn't have six beautiful wives waiting at home, or like you're the last woman on Earth. But besides my love, I can't give him the things he gave me. The least I can do is help him marry you—especially since he only broke up with you because of me."
"Alright, think about it." Allison turned around. "Let's go. I'll take you back to your place."
She raised her hand to rip open a portal, but Cora took a sudden step forward. "Wait."
Allison glanced back over her shoulder. "What?"
Cora swallowed hard, her voice trembling slightly. "Okay."
Allison frowned, turning around fully. "Okay, what?"
"I already miss Jacob," Cora admitted, looking down. "I don't want to live my life without him. So... let me confront Kate. I don't know if I'm going to beat her half to death or not, but I promise you I won't kill her."
Allison studied her face for a moment before nodding. "Wait here."
She opened a portal and disappeared through it. A few minutes later, she came back with Kate, whom Allison had quickly briefed on the situation.
Allison stepped aside.
Kate walked toward Cora. She stopped a few feet away.
Her voice was quiet, sincere. "First, let me apologize to you for the pain I caused. I know it can never be forgiven. I don't expect it to be."
She paused, her voice shaking slightly.
"I was raised to hate shapeshifters. My father, Gerard, taught me that you were all monsters. That you deserved to die. And I believed him. I was young, stupid, and desperate to prove myself to him. So when he gave the order to burn the Hale house, I did it without question. If I'm being completely honest... I did it with pride. I didn't think about the people inside. I didn't care about the agony I was going to cause. I just did what I thought was right."
Tears streamed down her face.
"But I was wrong. I was so wrong. What I did was unforgivable. I know that now. I burned your family alive because of my hatred. Because of my stupidity and ignorance."
She dropped to her knees.
"I don't expect you to forgive me. I don't deserve it. But I want you to know that I carry the weight of that guilt every single day."
She looked up at Cora.
"If you want to beat me, I won't resist. If you want to hurt me, I'll let you. I deserve it. Whatever you need to do to find some peace—I'll accept it."
Cora stared down at her. Suddenly, her eyes flared a brilliant, predatory yellow. Her fists clenched so violently that her claws tore through the skin of her palms, drawing blood.
But she didn't attack.
An agonizing, heavy silence stretched over the clearing. The wind howled softly through the trees, mirroring the storm raging inside Cora's chest.
Finally, Cora let out a long, shaky breath. Slowly, the yellow faded from her eyes, and she forced her rigid fingers to unwind. She looked away, refusing to look at the woman on the ground.
"No," Cora whispered.
Kate blinked, wiping a tear from her eye. "What?"
Cora's voice was hollow. "I've spent years dreaming about taking revenge. But now that I'm standing here, looking at you..." She shook her head. "It won't bring them back. It won't make the pain go away."
She looked at Allison. "I won't beat her. But I don't ever want to see her face again. Let's go."
Allison nodded. She opened a portal back to France, where Kate was staying.
Kate stood up, brushing the dirt from her knees and wiping her face. She stepped over and threw her arms around Allison, hugging her tightly. "Tell Jacob I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused, princess," she whispered. She broke the hug, kissing Allison's cheek softly. "I love you."
"I love you too, Kate. I'll come visit you later," Allison replied.
Kate nodded and stepped through the portal.
Allison looked at Cora. "Ready to go see him?"
Cora nodded, a small, weary smile returning to her face. "Yes. But take me back to the loft first. I need to take a shower and change my clothes, otherwise that idiot is going to call me smelly again."
Allison raised a brow, a look of amusement crossing her face. "Again?"
"Yeah," Cora grumbled, rolling her eyes. "I was imprisoned by Deucalion and his pack for more than two months in a bank vault with no toilet and no running water, and Jacob was the one who rescued me. He was making fun of me, saying that I stink."
Allison laughed softly. "He can be childish sometimes... well, most of the times. But honestly, he was absolutely devastated when you broke up with him yesterday."
"Really?" Cora asked, her heart skipping a beat.
"Yeah. In fact, he went on a massive killing spree yesterday," Allison said casually as if discussing the weather. "He and our butler traveled around the world and slaughtered more than three thousand people. Really evil people, of course."
Cora was shocked. "What?"
"Didn't you watch the news this morning?" Allison asked, surprised. "What he did is broadcasting on literally every single television station on the planet."
Cora said, "No, I didn't."
Allison waved her hand in a circle, opening a portal to Derek's loft. "Let's go. You can see that later, and don't let Derek and his pack know it was Jacob who caused yesterday's global bloodbath."
Cora nodded, and they both stepped through the portal and appeared inside the loft.
Cora ignored her brother and his two betas and said, "Allison, wait for me. I'll be right back."
Then she ran excitedly toward her bedroom.
Derek watched his sister run off before turning his gaze to Allison. "So... is she going back to Jacob?"
Allison nodded. "Yeah. We talked it out, and she decided to let go of her revenge."
"That's good," Derek muttered, exhaling a breath he felt like he'd been holding for days. He gestured toward the empty leather couch. "Come, sit down."
Allison walked over, making herself comfortable while she waited for Cora to finish changing.
"Do you want something to drink?" Derek offered.
Allison shook her head, pulling out her phone. "No, I'm good, thanks." She began casually scrolling through her notifications.
A second later, the heavy metal door of the loft slid open with a loud screech. Peter strolled inside, a smug, self-satisfied smirk plastered across his face—until his eyes landed on Allison. He visibly panicked, his smirk vanishing instantly as he dove behind Derek's chair, using his nephew as a human shield.
"What is she doing here?!" Peter hissed.
Allison slowly looked up from her phone, giving him a sweet, venomous smile. "Hello, Peter. I actually came here hoping to spar with you again."
Peter completely lost it. He grabbed Derek's arm like his life depended on it. "No, no, no, absolutely not! The last time we 'sparred,' you literally flayed the skin from my bones and tore every single muscle in my body apart! I am never, ever going through that again!"
Allison chuckled softly, shaking her head as she returned to scrolling through her phone.
Derek violently shoved Peter off him. "Get off me. She's just screwing with you." He sat back down, fixing his uncle with a hard stare. "Why are you even here, Peter?"
Realizing Allison wasn't actually planning to dismember him today, Peter smoothed down his clothes, instantly regaining his arrogant composure as he sat on the opposite edge of the couch. "Can't a man come visit his favorite niece and nephew?" Catching the lethal glare Derek was giving him, Peter cleared his throat. "Fine. There is something profoundly bizarre going on in town, and I came to see if you knew anything about it."
Derek frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"The animals in twon are completely losing their minds," Peter explained, his tone shifting to something genuinely unsettled. "They're committing suicide. Last night, five dogs from my apartment building threw themselves out of the upper-story windows. Several other owners reported their dogs trying to do the same, even violently attacking their masters—not to cause harm, but desperately trying to break free just so they could plunge to their deaths. And while I was picking up breakfast this morning, the streets and coffee shops were buzzing. Pigs on the local farms are going rabid and slaughtering each other, entire deer herds are leaping off the cliffs in the preserve, and a dozen cats and dogs mysteriously died inside their cages at the local vet clinic."
Derek shook his head. "No, I haven't heard anything about this. Could they be reacting to Deucalion and the Alpha Pack being in town? Maybe they're sensing the threat."
Peter shook his head dismissively. "No, highly unlikely. Animals hide from Alphas; they don't violently annihilate themselves."
Derek shifted his gaze over to Allison, who had stopped scrolling. Her brow was deeply furrowed, her eyes narrowed as she processed Peter's words. "Allison," Derek called out. "Was Jacob angry yesterday or something? Could this be his doing?"
Allison shook her head slowly, looking up. "He was in a bad mood, yes, but he didn't cause this. Even if he had accidentally released his aura in a fit of rage, animals wouldn't commit suicide because of it. They would just cower, freeze, or flee in absolute terror." She paused, her expression growing grave. "But Jay, Lydia, and Malia said there's a cannibal demon in town. Maybe it was what caused the animals to go crazy."
Peter said, "Why is a demon in Beacon Hills?"
Allison shrugged. "Probably because of the Nemeton. You know it acts like a supernatural magnetic lighthouse, drawing all kinds of monsters, supernatural creatures, and ancient evils straight to this town. It can even make them stronger. And to make things worse, Jay said the Nemeton is officially back at full power. In fact, it's stronger right now than it has ever been in history—mostly because my family lives here."
Derek said, "What does the Nemeton have to do with your family?"
"The Nemeton is like a tree, but instead of sunlight and water, it feeds on supernatural energy," Allison explained. "And just like trees release oxygen, the Nemeton generates more supernatural energy in return. Since my family and I are all powerful supernatural creatures living right next to it, the tree absorbs our leftover energy every single time we use our powers. Plus, Jacob killed a powerful demon in the woods a few months ago. The Nemeton likely drank in a massive amount of its residual energy when it died, pushing the tree all the way back to full power."
Isaac said, "This Nemeton you guys keep talking about... it's just a tree, right? So why don't we just take a chainsaw to it and cut it down?"
Allison shook her head. "Someone already tried that. That's why the Nemeton is just a stump now. If we try to destroy it completely, we aren't fixing the problem—we're just making it worse. The Nemeton is a supernatural tree that simply exists as part of the natural order. And when people try to mess with nature, there are always really bad consequences. Who knows what kind of disaster will happen if we destroy it, or what kind of evil is sealed inside it right now?"
She paused. "Besides, there is so much energy running under our town, and the tree is like a lightning rod for all that power right under our feet. If you destroy it, that energy will just bleed out into the soil until a new Nemeton grows. But in the time it takes for a new Nemeton to grow, the chaos will probably get much worse. And by the way, our town isn't the only one that has a Nemeton. Wherever the energy currents running under the surface of the world gather, a Nemeton forms. There are even Nemetons under the seas and oceans—except down there, they take the form of underwater plants."
Boyd stared at her, completely fascinated. "Is there a supernatural school somewhere where you learn all this? Because if there is, I seriously want to enroll."
Allison said, "There's no school—I learned from Jacob, my parents, and a bestiary we own. But honestly? A supernatural school sounds like a great idea. I'd take that over a normal school any day. It would be way more fun."
Just then, Cora called from her room. "Allison, can you come here for a moment, please?"
Allison went to Cora's room and entered, closing the door behind her.
Cora was standing by her bed, wearing only her underwear, looking completely overwhelmed by the piles of clothes scattered across the mattress.
Allison looked at Cora, then at the clothes on the bed. "Do you need help choosing an outfit? Because fair warning, I am not the fashion expert in our house."
Cora sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Well, I'm not just going to see Jacob. I'm going to be meeting his other wives too, right?"
"Yeah," Allison nodded. "They're all going to want to get to know you. But don't worry, no one is going to put any weird pressure on you or anything. Though... one of them was a literal princess before Jay married her, and another was a reigning queen before she met him."
Cora's jaw dropped. "A real princess and a queen? What, are they from European royalty or something?"
Allison's smile turned mysterious. "Not exactly. You'll find out soon enough."
"Great. Now I'm officially terrified," Cora muttered, pacing the floor. "What am I supposed to wear to meet them? I'm so nervous."
"Don't be," Allison said gently, walking over to inspect the pile. "But if you want my honest advice... skip the jeans and the basic t-shirt. Don't you have a dress in here somewhere?"
Cora said, "Why? Do I have to wear a dress?"
Allison shook her head. "No, you don't have to. But Lydia and Sansa can be incredibly brutal and judgmental about what the rest of us wear. Personally, I've learned to just ignore them, but if you want to make a good first impression, you should definitely wear something nice."
Cora bit her lip. "I don't really like wearing dresses, so I don't own any... wait. I actually do have one." She walked over to the back of her closet, pulling out a garment bag. Unzipping it, she revealed a stunning, vibrant red fabric. "This one. Jacob bought it for me when we were in Paris. It was insanely expensive—it cost twenty thousand euros."
Allison nodded. "That looks nice. Put it on, let me see."
Cora slipped into the elegant, sleeveless red midi dress. The tailoring was flawless, hugging her frame perfectly. Allison stepped in, helping her pin her hair up into a sophisticated style before taking a few steps back to evaluate the final look.
Allison nodded approvingly. "You look absolutely stunning."
Cora caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, a genuine smile breaking across her face. "Thank you."
Allison said, "Alright, let's go."
They exited the bedroom. Allison walked out of the loft, while Cora paused by the door, glancing back at her brother. "Call me immediately if Deucalion or his pack show up, okay?"
"Will do," Derek murmured.
As the heavy metal door slid shut behind the two girls, Derek turned around. He instantly caught Isaac and Boyd staring blankly at the door, their eyes wide and completely dazed by how incredible Cora had looked in the dress.
Derek cleared his throat loudly, his voice dropping to a low, warning tone. "I suggest you two stop staring at my sister. Better yet, stop looking at Jacob's girlfriend, because if he finds out, I won't be able to save you. He almost killed Peter once just because Peter dared to offend Lydia."
Boyd and Isaac both coughed awkwardly, quickly snapping their gazes back to the floor.
"Honestly," Boyd muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, "getting beaten half to death by Jacob might still be a better fate than what he did to Matt."
Isaac visibly shuddered at the memory, instinctively tightening his legs together. "Yeah. He literally crushed that poor bastard's balls into dust just for taking pictures of Allison. And then killed him after finding out he was the Kanima's master."
Derek said, "Boyd, go lock the door."
As Boyd went to secure the entrance, Derek walked over to the large leather couch, collapsed onto it completely relaxed, and picked up the TV remote to turn on a show.
Isaac raised a brow, looking around the room in confusion. "Wait, aren't we supposed to be turning the loft into a death trap in case Deucalion and his Alphas decide to visit us again?"
Derek didn't even look up from the screen, a smug, self-satisfied smirk playing on his lips. "Not anymore."
Peter blinked. "What changed?"
"My sister just joined an incredibly powerful family," Derek said, leaning his head back comfortably against the cushions. "Which means I can officially relax and rely on her to protect me. If Deucalion shows up at my door with his goons, all I have to do is give her a quick phone call and let her family wipe them out."
Isaac's eyes lit up as the realization washed over him. He instantly relaxed, his tense posture vanishing. "Oh, right. I completely forgot about that."
Smirking, Isaac sat down right next to Derek, and comfortably started watching TV alongside him.