The Argents' POV
Chris and Victoria stood in one of their warehouses outside the town, surrounded by grim silence. The bodies of fifteen hunters, all slain by Peter that night at the Hale house, lay in rows, ready for burial. The air was thick with the metallic scent of blood and disinfectant, mingling with grief and anger.
Chris, along with a group of five hunters, was helping place the bodies into coffins when a thunderous bang echoed through the warehouse. The heavy steel door at the entrance shuddered violently, followed by another impact.
"Everyone, take out your weapons!" Chris barked. "Something's attacking!"
Victoria and the other hunters quickly armed themselves, readying their guns as the pounding continued. With a final deafening crash, the warehouse door gave way, swinging wide open.
Standing in the doorway was a three-meter-tall creature. Its grotesquely fat, gray-skinned body loomed like a nightmare brought to life. Two massive tusks jutted out from its lower jaw, and its small, bloodshot eyes scanned the room with cold detachment.
"Damn it." Chris muttered under his breath, his grip tightening on his weapon. "That's an ogre."
"It must be here for the bodies." Victoria said.
Chris kept his eyes on the beast. "Everyone stay calm. Sam, do we have mountain ash?"
"Yes, sir." Replied a hunter named Sam. "But not much."
"Go get it. Now." Chris ordered.
Victoria added. "Ogres fear fire. Someone find gasoline. We'll trap it in a circle of flames."
While two hunters scrambled to follow their orders, Chris, Victoria, and the remaining three hunters opened fire on the ogre. Bullets ricocheted harmlessly off the creature's thick hide, not even leaving a scratch.
The ogre, initially focused on the rows of bodies, turned toward them. Its expression shifted to one of annoyance as it roared and charged forward, the ground shaking beneath its weight.
"Scatter!" Chris yelled.
The hunters dived out of the way just as the ogre barreled through, smashing into a nearby office, reducing the walls to splinters.
Moments later, the two hunters returned—one carrying two cans of gasoline, the other clutching a glass jar of mountain ash.
"Quick, pour the gasoline around it!" Chris instructed. "When it comes out, light it up!"
The ogre emerged from the destroyed office, its rage palpable. Chris shouted and waved his arms, drawing its attention, while the hunters worked quickly to pour a circle of gasoline around the beast. As soon as they lit the fire, flames roared to life, encircling the ogre.
The creature roared in frustration, backing into the center of the fiery barrier.
"Sam, now!" Victoria shouted. "trap it with the mountain ash!"
Sam hurried to sprinkle the mountain ash, completing the barrier around the flames. As the ogre clawed at the air and slammed against the barrier, the hunters knew it wouldn't hold forever.
Chris turned to Sam. "Do we have any 50-caliber rifle here?"
"Yes, sir. There's a McMillan TAC-50 in the armory."
"Go get it. Fast."
Sam dashed away as the flames began to die down, leaving only the glowing embers and the relentless pounding of the ogre against the ash barrier.
Victoria frowned. "This barrier won't hold much longer."
Sam returned moments later, bringing the rifle. Chris assembled it with practiced precision, loaded the magazine, and took aim at the ogre's head.
The shot rang out, deafening in the enclosed space. The bullet hit its mark, blowing a massive hole through the creature's skull. The ogre staggered, swayed, and collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.
Cheers erupted from the hunters.
Victoria, however, stared at the corpse with a frown. "Where did this thing even come from?"
"I don't know." Chris replied grimly.
As they watched, the ogre's monstrous form began to shrink and shift, transforming into the body of an unnaturally tall man.
Chris approached the corpse, his expression dark. "Whoever he was, it looks like he completely lost control to his hunger. If he hadn't, we'd be in real trouble."
He packed the rifle back into its case and turned to his team. "Alright, everyone. We've got one more body to deal with. Clean this up quickly. And let's bury these bodies before something else shows up for them."
The hunters got to work, but as they moved, Chris glanced at Victoria.
"Do you think I could kill Scott with this rifle?" he asked, his voice edged with bitterness.
Victoria sighed. "I don't know. But what if you miss? Scott can walk through mountain ash. He's fast, and he's not as dumb as an ogre. Forget it. If he were a regular werewolf, I'd have already killed him myself. But he's not."
Chris clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. "I just hate that kid. He took my little girl away."
Victoria placed a hand on his shoulder, her tone softening. "If you miss her that much, let's finish up here and call her back home."
---
Scott's POV
After saying goodbye to Deaton, Scott and Allison drove home, had dinner with Melissa, and called it a night.
The next morning, Scott woke up feeling refreshed. He and Allison shared breakfast with Melissa before heading to school. The day passed uneventfully until lunchtime, when Scott noticed something unusual.
Lydia was staring at her plate, her fork absently pushing her food around. Her normally confident demeanor was replaced by a distant, anxious look. Scott could feel her unease.
"Lydia." he called softly.
She didn't respond.
"Allison, try shaking her." Scott suggested.
Allison placed a hand on Lydia's shoulder and gave her a gentle shake. "Lydia, are you okay?"
Lydia blinked and snapped out of her daze. "What? Sorry, Allison, did you say something?"
Allison frowned. "You were in a daze. Scott called your name, but you didn't answer. Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine." Lydia replied, though her voice trembled slightly.
Scott leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "Lydia, I can feel your anxiety. Tell me what's wrong. What are you feeling?"
Lydia sighed, her shoulders sagging as if she was carrying an invisible weight. "I feel like something... dangerous is coming. And it's coming for you, Scott."
Scott's expression turned serious. "How dangerous? Don't overthink it. Just tell me what comes to mind."
Lydia hesitated before speaking, her voice shaky. "Whatever it is, it's targeting you specifically. And it feels... creepy, disgusting, and dangerous. I can even sense its hunger."
Scott's lips curled into a wry smile. "Oh, I think I know exactly who's coming for me. The vrykolakas. She's back."
Allison's face paled. "Scott, this is dangerous. I know you're strong, but maybe we should call my dad. He might be able help."
Scott shook his head. "No, Allison. She's stronger now, strong enough to think she can take me on. And don't forget, she has seen me in my wolf form. She probably knows how strong I am. But more importantly, she can teleport through shadows. If she gets behind your dad, he won't have time to react before she either kills him or uses him as leverage against me."
Stiles leaned forward, his usual humor gone. "So, what's the plan?"
Scott smirked. "Like I said before, I'll fight her alone. But I need you guys to handle her pack. Don't engage them head-on, just distract them, keep them occupied. Let my mom take them down one by one. Once I finish her off, I'll come help you."
Erica raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you scared, Scott?"
Scott's smile widened, his eyes gleaming with a mix of nerves and excitement. "Scared? No. But I won't lie, I'm a little nervous. And excited. I've never had to go all out before. I think this time, I might have to use everything I've got to take her down."
He looked at his pack, addressing them with a commanding tone. "Listen up. I don't know how many people she's brought with her, but I don't want any of you fighting recklessly. Use every dirty trick you can. Take advantage of our immunity to normal werewolves weaknesses, like mountain ash, wolfsbane, and poison. And use their weaknesses against them. Be smart."
Suddenly, Scott's lips curled into a sly smile as he turned to his pack. "Let's go. It seems we have a guest."
The group walked to the lacrosse field, where they found Peter—wounded, bruised, and slumped against the bleachers.
Scott raised an eyebrow. "You don't look so good, Peter."
Peter groaned, his voice laced with frustration. "It's because of you. Yesterday, I was minding my own business, drinking alone, when a crazy bitch kidnapped me. She started asking questions about the alpha in Beacon Hills. At first, I refused to talk, but then she bit my arm. Her bite was so strong it crushed my bones like they were potato chips."
Stiles crossed his arms, smirking. "Well, you still have your arm, so I'm guessing you spilled the beans pretty fast."
Peter shot him a glare. "What do you know, kid? I didn't give her anything about Scott right away. I told her about Satomi and Derek first. But then she asked me which one of them could turn into a giant black wolf. I said I didn't know, but then..." His voice faltered, and a shiver ran through him.
Scott said, his voice calm. "Go on."
Peter swallowed hard. "Then another voice spoke, and I realized someone else was in the room. I've never felt anything like it before. She wasn't like you, Scott. The fear I feel around you is a deep fear and awe, it comes from instinct. But with her..." He trailed off, his eyes distant. "It was disgust. And I felt like prey, and she was the predator. She's strong, like you."
Scott's eyes narrowed. "What did she say?"
Peter hesitated before continuing. "She said, 'You lied. You know who I'm looking for.'"
"And then?" Scott asked.
Peter exhaled shakily. "I knew she'd kill me if I lied again. So I told her I knew who she was looking for."
Scott tilted his head, his curiosity piqued. "And what does she want?"
"She wants to fight you." Peter replied grimly. "Tonight. In the Beacon Hills Preserve. And..." He paused, visibly shaken. "She said she wants to eat your liver. Those were her exact words."
Allison's face tightened with worry. "What deal did you make with her to let you go?"
Peter sighed. "I told her I'd deliver the message and make sure you knew where to find her."
Stiles squinted at him. "That's it? Then why are you still bruised and barely healed?"
Peter's voice wavered. "I'm a beta now. My wounds take longer to..."
"The truth, Peter." Scott interrupted, his tone sharp and commanding.
Peter flinched. "Fine! She asked me about your pack, how many were in it. I didn't want to answer, but they tortured me. I told them everything. I told her I was the one who turned you into a werewolf, and that you only have one member in your pack."
Scott nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. "Okay, you can leave now."
Peter looked up at him, a flicker of hope in his eyes. "Are we cool, Scott? I didn't want to tell her anything, but she would've killed me. She could tell when I was lying."
Scott's eyes flashed with irritation. "Go away, Peter. She didn't need you to tell her anything about me. She's an alpha, she can read memories. Torturing you was just for fun. And by the way, she's right there, listening to us."
Scott turned toward the nearby woods. "Why don't you come out and chat since you're already here?"
From behind a tree, a tall, striking woman emerged. Her presence was both elegant and menacing, her eyes gleaming with predatory intent. Cassandra smiled wickedly, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. "No, sweetheart. Let's save our chat for tonight in the woods. Don't be late."
Scott grinned. "I can't wait. See you tonight."
Cassandra blew him a kiss before disappearing into the shadows of the forest.
Boyd broke the silence. "That woman was hot, but I feel nothing but hatred and disgust for her."
Scott chuckled, glancing back at his pack. "Let's head back to class. After school, we'll get ready for the fight."
As they walked back toward the school, Isaac glanced over his shoulder. "Why is Peter still following us?"
Stiles sniffed the air dramatically. "Can't you smell it? He's scared. Probably thinks if he leaves the school, she'll catch him again."
Peter, trailing a few steps behind, snapped, "I'm not following you. I'm looking for my pack!"
Scott and the others exchanged amused glances but didn't respond. They had more important things to focus on.