The school day drew to a close, and the hallways buzzed with the familiar chaos of lockers slamming, hurried footsteps, and the murmur of conversations. Scott moved quickly through the crowd, his eyes scanning ahead as he searched for Allison. His heart thudded heavily—not with nerves, but with purpose. He had waited long enough to say what needed to be said.
There she was, standing near the entrance, her hair catching the late afternoon light filtering through the windows. Allison was rifling through her bag, her expression calm but distant, as though she was lost in thought. Scott hesitated for only a moment before making his way over.
"Allison!" he called, his voice just loud enough to rise above the noise.
She looked up, her expression brightening briefly at the sight of him, though there was a flicker of hesitation in her eyes. She closed her bag and slung it over her shoulder as he approached.
"Hey," she said softly, her tone polite but guarded.
Scott stopped a few steps away, his hands slipping nervously into his pockets. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his eyes earnest as they searched hers.
"I—uh, I wanted to say I'm sorry," he said, his voice low but firm. "For leaving so suddenly at Lydia's party. That wasn't fair to you."
Allison blinked, her lips parting slightly as she processed his words. Her expression softened, though there was still a trace of wariness in her gaze.
"It's okay," she said after a moment, her voice gentle. "I mean, it wasn't great, but…" She trailed off, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied him. "Is everything okay? You seemed… off that night."
Scott exhaled, his shoulders sagging slightly as if the weight of his guilt had been pressing down on him. "It's complicated," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "But it wasn't about you. I promise."
Allison tilted her head, her brow furrowing as she stepped closer. "Scott, if something's wrong, you can tell me," she said, her voice tinged with concern. "You don't have to deal with it alone."
Her kindness hit him like a wave, and he felt a pang of regret for the secrets he couldn't share. But before he could respond, a low voice cut through the air like a blade.
"Allison."
Scott turned his head sharply, his body tensing instinctively. Standing a few feet away was a tall, broad-shouldered man with dark, piercing eyes. His presence was commanding, the kind that demanded attention without effort. He was dressed neatly, his expression calm but unreadable as he looked between Scott and his daughter.
Allison's face lit up in a smile, her demeanor instantly relaxing. "Dad," she said, her voice warm as she stepped toward him.
Scott froze, his heart racing as recognition dawned on him. This was the man. The hunter. The one who had shot him in the woods that night. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, he couldn't breathe.
"Hi," Allison's father said, his voice even but laced with quiet authority. He extended a hand toward Scott, his gaze unwavering. "Chris Argent."
Scott hesitated for half a second before reaching out to shake his hand. Chris's grip was firm, his eyes boring into Scott's with an intensity that made his skin crawl. There was no immediate sign of recognition, but Scott couldn't shake the feeling that Chris was sizing him up, looking for something.
"Scott McCall," he said, his voice steady despite the rapid pounding of his heart.
Chris nodded, his expression polite but distant. "You're the one Allison's been spending time with," he said, his tone casual but deliberate.
Scott swallowed hard, forcing a smile. "Yeah, we've… hung out a bit."
Allison glanced between them, her smile faltering slightly as she seemed to pick up on the tension. "Dad," she said, her tone light but with an edge of exasperation, "Scott's a good guy. You don't have to interrogate him."
Chris's lips quirked in a faint smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Just making sure," he said, his gaze lingering on Scott for a moment longer before shifting back to Allison. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah," Allison said, giving Scott a small, apologetic smile. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
Scott nodded, his smile tight. "Yeah. Tomorrow."
As Allison and Chris walked away, Scott's hands curled into fists at his sides, his breathing shallow as he watched them go. He could feel the weight of Chris's presence even after he was out of sight, the tension in the air refusing to dissipate.
Stiles appeared at Scott's side, his expression concerned. "Well, that looked intense," he said, his tone light but edged with unease. "You okay?"
Scott exhaled slowly, shaking his head. "That's him," he said quietly, his voice barely audible. "The hunter. That's Allison's dad."
Stiles's eyes widened, his mouth opening slightly in disbelief. "Wait, what?" he whispered harshly. "You mean the guy who tried to kill you is her dad?"
Scott nodded, his jaw tight as his gaze remained fixed on the spot where Chris had disappeared. "Yeah," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "And he has no idea."