The quiet in Stiles' room was broken only by the rustling of papers as he set them in front of Scott and Allison, looking both tense and excited.
"Okay, so here's what my dad found." He took a deep breath, his finger landing on a page marked with names. "Turns out, every recent animal attack victim had ties to the Hale fire." He ticked off on his fingers, "Garrison Myers, Leveque, and the new ones—Reddick and Unger. They were all connected to what happened to the Hale family. And then, of course, there's Laura Hale. Well... she was a Hale."
Scott nodded, his expression serious. Allison's eyes widened as she gasped. "Wait, Stiles... are you saying that these attacks aren't from an animal?"
"Exactly," Stiles confirmed, his voice dropping to a whisper. "This wasn't just some rogue mountain lion. We know it's the Alpha. And I'm willing to bet your family does too."
Allison's face paled. "And this Alpha you're talking about—who is he?"
"Remember that night? The thing outside your window? That was him." Scott said.
Allison's breath caught in her throat, a shiver running through her. Scott reached for her hand, his grip reassuring. "He won't come near you again. I made sure of it."
Allison relaxed slightly, managing a nod. "Do we know his identity?" she asked.
Stiles leaned forward. "That's exactly what I wanted to tell you both. The Alpha isn't just killing anyone. These murders are revenge, all aimed at people involved in the Hale fire." He glanced at Scott before lowering his voice, "And you know what that means. I think... I think the Alpha is a Hale."
Allison looked confused. "This Hale fire you keep talking about—what exactly happened?"
Stiles glanced between Scott and Allison, his voice somber as he explained. "Six years ago, there was a fire at the Hale House. The Hale family was inside. They... they didn't make it."
Scott nodded, adding, "The Hale family wasn't just any family, Allison. They were a pack of werewolves, led by an Alpha named Talia Hale. She wasn't just strong; she was the Guardian of Beacon Hills and respected by both werewolves and hunters alike."
Allison's brows furrowed, sadness clouding her gaze. "So she... and her family… they all died?"
Stiles shook his head. "Not all of them. Talia's son Derek and her daughter Laura managed to escape. They left Beacon Hills after the fire, but… Laura came back and ended up dead in the woods. And now Derek's back too."
Allison's eyes widened as she put the pieces together. "So that dead body they found in the woods... that was her?"
"Yes," Stiles confirmed grimly.
Turning to Scott, Stiles whispered urgently, "Scott, I think the Alpha is Derek Hale. It has to be him."
Scott shook his head firmly. "No, it's not Derek. Remember his eyes?"
Stiles slapped his forehead in sudden realization. "Right, his eyes are blue."
Allison tilted her head, suspicion in her eyes. "Doesn't that make him more suspicious? Didn't you tell me that when a werewolf takes an innocent life, their eyes turn blue?"
Scott nodded. "Yes, but that only happens for Betas. An Alpha's eyes stay red, no matter what they do."
"So," Allison said slowly, "even if he's not the Alpha, that Derek is probably a bad guy, right?"
Stiles shrugged. "Most likely."
Scott looked at them both with a serious expression. "Listen to me, both of you. Not all blue-eyed werewolves are cold-blooded killers. Say a werewolf accidentally hits someone with a car. The guilt would turn their eyes blue. Or if they saw someone they loved being killed and did nothing because they were scared—their eyes would turn blue too."
Stiles was quiet for a moment, letting that sink in. "So... it's not always about killing. Guilt can do it too."
"Exactly," Scott nodded. "Don't judge every werewolf by the color of their eyes."
Stiles sighed, glancing at Allison. "But if the Alpha isn't Derek... then who is it?"
Scott hesitated. He'd known the truth from the start but wasn't sure how or when to reveal it. After a moment's pause, he spoke. "Actually, I know who the Alpha is."
Stiles looked like he'd been hit by a truck. "You've known this whole time?" He grabbed Scott by the collar, half in disbelief and half in frustration. "And you didn't tell me?"
"Calm down, Stiles!" Scott pried his hands off, grinning despite the tension. "I was going to tell you."
Stiles crossed his arms, still looking miffed. "Fine. When did you find out?"
Scott glanced at Allison. "A few days ago. Allison mentioned seeing a bear with red eyes outside her window. I figured it was the Alpha, so I went to track him. The scent led me to the hospital."
"The hospital?" Stiles blinked, leaning in. "So who is he?"
Scott took a deep breath. "Peter Hale. Derek's uncle. He was in the house during the fire and ended up burned and in a coma for years. But he's not in a coma anymore. He killed Laura, took her Alpha spark, and he is hiding in the hospital, pretending to be in a coma to avoid suspicion."
Stiles let out a low whistle. "So... what did you do after you found him?"
A smirk played on Scott's lips. "I beat him half to death and told him to stay away from Allison."
Allison's cheeks flushed as she reached over to give Scott a hug and a kiss. Stiles rolled his eyes, unable to resist a snarky comment. "Oh sure, Scott. Tell the Alpha to stay away from your girlfriend. Did you even tell him not to kill poor little me?"
Scott laughed. "Don't worry, Stiles. I told him if he touched anyone close to me, he'd be dead. He won't come near you, my mom, or your dad. He knows better."
Stiles leaned back, exhaling a sigh of relief. "Alright, but why didn't you stop him from... you know, killing people?"
Scott's gaze darkened. "Because except for Laura, he hasn't killed anyone innocent. He's taking revenge on the people who murdered his family. And, Stiles... you know what those monsters did, right? They burned werewolves, regular humans, and even children alive. They watched them burn to death."
Allison's voice softened, her eyes full of sorrow. "That's horrible... they deserve whatever he does to them."
Scott's eyes met hers, a flicker of pity in his gaze. He knew one of those involved was her aunt Kate, someone Allison loved. He hesitated, wondering if he should tell her.
"What is it, Scott?" she asked, noticing his look.
He took her hand gently. "There's someone else involved. Someone at the heart of all of this. But... I think you and Stiles should figure it out yourselves."
Allison's brow furrowed. "Why can't you just tell me?"
Scott squeezed her hand. "Trust me. Once you find out who it is, you'll understand why I didn't just come out and say it."
Allison took a shaky breath, nodding. "Alright. I'll look into it."
"Don't worry about Peter Hale for now and help Allison find the one responsible for that fire," Scott said, glancing at styles.
Stiles looked determined, glancing between Scott and Allison. "Got it. We'll start digging."
Then, just as they were settling back, Stiles's expression shifted, and he swallowed hard, almost nervously. "There's... actually something else I need to tell you, Scott. Something I found in my dad's files that... well, it's even scarier than the Alpha."
The room fell silent as both Scott and Allison stared at him, anticipation thick in the air.
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