The atmosphere in Beacon Hills had changed overnight. It wasn't just the weather, though the air had a strange chill to it; it was something deeper. Something unsettling that clung to the town like a shadow. It started with the rumors—the whispers in the halls, the worried conversations at the diner. Then came the official news: animal attacks. Brutal, savage attacks that left entire families on edge. But it wasn't just the violence that unnerved people; it was the eerily familiar details. The claw marks, the torn flesh. It was like something straight out of a horror story.
And everyone was talking about it. Everyone except Scott and me.
We were sitting in the kitchen, as usual, eating breakfast before school. Melissa had just finished her shift at the hospital and was now fussing over the two of us, her voice tinged with the kind of concern I'd never heard before.
"Promise me you'll stay out of the woods, okay?" she said, placing a hand on each of our shoulders as she gave us a firm look. "I know you both like to explore, but after what happened last night, I'm not comfortable with you going out there."
Scott frowned, glancing over at me. "You're worried about what, Mom? Animal attacks? People get attacked by animals all the time. It's nothing new."
But even as he said it, I could see the doubt creeping into his eyes. He knew it wasn't just any animal that had been responsible. None of us were stupid. The attack on the Miller family—their house completely destroyed, torn to pieces like some sort of wild beast had gone on a rampage—wasn't just an accident. The whole town was talking about it in hushed tones, barely believing the rumors but all the more terrified of them.
Melissa sighed, the worry lines on her face deepening. "It's not just that, Scott. The hospital treated two people last night—two different families—both claiming they were attacked by the same animal. And no one can figure out what kind of animal it is. The claw marks aren't like anything they've ever seen before. Please, just be careful."
Scott opened his mouth, ready to argue again, but I could tell he wasn't really listening. His eyes were distant, his mind already elsewhere, probably on the same thought that had been gnawing at me all morning: the feeling of a connection to the events that seemed to pulse under my skin like a heartbeat.
"I'll be fine, Mom," I said quickly, hoping to ease her worries. "We'll stay close to town. I promise."
She looked between us for a moment, her expression softening. "Alright. But I mean it, you two. Stay out of the woods for now."
The conversation ended there, but the tension lingered. We ate our breakfast in silence, the sound of utensils clinking against plates filling the space, and I couldn't help but feel an uncomfortable tug at my chest. It was the same feeling I'd had since the moment the news broke. Something was wrong in Beacon Hills. Something was waking up, and I could feel it.
After breakfast, we headed to school. As we walked down the street, I saw the same nervous looks on the faces of the people walking by, as if everyone could sense the growing danger but didn't know where it was coming from. The usual charm of Beacon Hills—its small-town feel, the comfort of familiarity—had been replaced with something darker.
At school, things were no better. The hallways were filled with whispers, with rumors of who the next target might be. I overheard a few of my classmates talking about how they were going to be extra cautious now, and others were making jokes, trying to downplay it, but I could see the fear in their eyes. Even in the classrooms, the teachers seemed distracted, not quite able to focus on their lessons as the town's unease spread like wildfire.
Stiles caught up to us in the hallway, his usual energetic smile replaced with a tense expression. "Did you hear?" he asked, his voice low. "They're saying it's some kind of wild animal, but... it doesn't make sense. There's no wild animal in the area that would do that kind of damage."
"Yeah," I said, glancing over at Scott, "I heard."
Stiles raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying my indifferent tone. "You're not worried?"
I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Worried about what? Some wild animal? Nah. Just gotta keep our heads on straight."
But even as I said the words, a deep unease curled in my gut. My instincts, the ones that had been waking up over the past few weeks, told me that this wasn't a simple animal attack. There was something else at work here. Something that felt... personal. Like it was drawing me in.
I could feel the power, the raw energy, building inside me again, pulsing with the same urgency I'd felt the first time I slammed my fist into that locker. And it wasn't just the power. It was the pull toward the woods. Toward the unknown. Toward the abandoned Hale House.
"Something's not right," I muttered under my breath, half to myself.
Stiles turned to me, looking thoughtful. "What do you mean?"
I didn't answer right away. The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't bring myself to say them. Not when I wasn't even sure what they meant myself. But as I looked at Stiles, something in me snapped.
"Do you think... do you think the attacks have anything to do with that place?" I asked quietly, my voice trembling slightly.
Stiles frowned. "You mean the Hale House?"
I nodded, my heart beating a little faster at the thought. "Yeah. I don't know why, but I can't shake the feeling that it's connected. That... whatever's happening now started there."
Stiles' eyes widened. "Are you serious? That place is off-limits, man. It's dangerous."
"I know," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "But I feel like it's the key to all of this. Like it's calling me."
Scott, who had been quiet up until now, spoke up. "You're not thinking of going there, are you?" he asked, his voice tight with concern.
I hesitated, the tension in the air thickening. "I don't know. But I think I have to. I can't ignore it."
Stiles threw up his hands in frustration. "Look, I get it. Beacon Hills is weird, okay? But we're not superheroes. We're just regular high school kids. We can't go poking around places like the Hale House, especially with everything going on right now."
But I couldn't ignore it. I couldn't shake the feeling that the answers were out there, just beyond the edge of the woods, waiting for me to find them. I had no idea what I was walking into, but I knew one thing for sure: something was awakening in Beacon Hills, and it was going to change everything.
As the bell rang and we headed to class, the weight of the knowledge settled on my shoulders. Whatever was happening, it was just the beginning. And I couldn't turn back now.