The day had taken on an eerie stillness as Scott and I made our way through the woods. It was the same stretch where we'd been bitten. Scott had insisted we come back to retrace our steps, hoping to make sense of the madness that had become our lives. I'd agreed, though a part of me couldn't shake the feeling that someone—or something—was watching us.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I asked, breaking the silence.
Scott shoved his hands into his hoodie pocket, his face tense. "No. But I can't sit around pretending everything's normal. Not after... whatever this is."
Before I could respond, a faint rustling caught my ear. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but enough to put me on edge. I instinctively turned toward the sound, my senses sharper than ever since the bite.
"Did you hear that?" I asked, stopping in my tracks.
Scott frowned. "Hear what?"
Another rustle, closer this time. Then, a voice—low, commanding, and unmistakably intense—cut through the air.
"Your instincts are improving."
Scott and I whipped around to see a man step out from behind the trees. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with piercing eyes that seemed to bore straight into our souls. He wore a leather jacket and moved with a predatory grace that sent a shiver down my spine.
"Who the hell are you?" Scott demanded, his voice shaking slightly.
The man tilted his head, his gaze fixed on us like a hawk sizing up prey. "Derek Hale," he said simply, as if the name alone should mean something.
"And you're here because...?" I asked, stepping in front of Scott instinctively.
Derek's lips twitched in what might have been a smirk, though his eyes remained cold. "Because you're both in over your heads."
Scott bristled. "What are you talking about?"
Derek took a step closer, his movements deliberate, his presence almost suffocating. "You were bitten. That's not something you can just ignore. Your lives aren't the same anymore."
Scott looked at me, his confusion evident. "How do you know about that?"
Derek's expression darkened. "Because I've been keeping an eye on you. You're not the only werewolves in Beacon Hills."
The word werewolves hung in the air like a thunderclap. Scott's face paled, his breaths coming faster. I felt a surge of adrenaline, but it wasn't fear—it was curiosity.
Scott shook his head. "No. This... this can't be real."
"It's real," Derek said, his voice firm. "And the Alpha who bit you? He's still out there. He didn't bite you out of kindness. He has plans for you—both of you."
"What kind of plans?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.
Derek's gaze shifted to me, his expression unreadable. "That depends on whether you survive long enough to find out."
Scott took a shaky step back. "This is insane. You're insane."
Derek ignored him, his focus still on me. "You've noticed the changes, haven't you? The strength, the speed, the heightened senses. But there's more to it. You're a target now. And if you don't learn how to control this... you'll be dead before you know it."
I crossed my arms, trying to match his intensity. "And I'm guessing you're here to teach us?"
Derek's smirk returned, this time colder. "I'm here to warn you. The Alpha who bit you is dangerous, and he won't stop until he gets what he wants."
Scott finally found his voice again, though it was tinged with desperation. "And what does he want?"
Derek's eyes flicked to Scott, then back to me. "An army."
The word sent a chill down my spine.
"An army?" I repeated, my voice lower.
"He's building a pack," Derek said. "And you're part of it now, whether you like it or not."
Scott's breathing quickened, and I could see the panic setting in. "This... this doesn't make sense. Why us? Why now?"
Derek shrugged, though there was no casualness in his demeanor. "He saw something in you. Potential, maybe. Or weakness. Doesn't matter. What matters is that he's watching. And he's waiting."
I took a step forward, meeting Derek's gaze head-on. "What do we do about it?"
Derek studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable. "You survive. Learn to control the wolf. And stay out of his way."
"That's it?" I asked, my tone sharp. "No plan, no strategy? Just stay out of his way and hope for the best?"
Derek's jaw tightened. "You're not ready to face him. Not yet."
Scott finally snapped. "And who are you to decide that? You show up out of nowhere, tell us our lives are over, and then what? You just leave us to figure it out on our own?"
Derek turned to Scott, his expression hard. "I've already lost too much because of him. My family, my home—it's all gone. I'm not here to hold your hand. I'm here to make sure you don't make the same mistakes I did."
Scott flinched at the intensity in Derek's voice, but I held my ground.
"What do you want from us?" I asked.
"I want you to survive," Derek said simply. "Because if you don't, he'll come after the people you care about. Your mom. Your friends. Everyone."
The mention of our mom made Scott's face go pale.
"You're lying," Scott said, though his voice wavered.
Derek stepped closer, his presence almost overwhelming. "You think this is a joke? You think you can just pretend none of this is happening? The Alpha doesn't care about your denial, Scott. He'll tear through everyone you love to get what he wants."
Scott looked at me, his eyes wide with fear. For the first time, he seemed to realize the weight of what we were dealing with.
I turned back to Derek, my resolve hardening. "If you're so concerned about us surviving, then help us. Teach us how to fight back."
Derek's eyes narrowed. "Fighting back isn't always the answer. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is stay alive."
"That's not good enough," I shot back. "If he's coming for us, we need to be ready. We need to protect the people we care about."
Derek studied me for a long moment, as if weighing my words. Finally, he nodded, though his expression remained grim.
"Fine," he said. "But don't say I didn't warn you. This won't be easy. And if you're not careful, it'll get you killed."
With that, Derek turned and disappeared into the trees, leaving Scott and me standing in stunned silence.
Scott finally broke the silence, his voice shaking. "What the hell just happened?"
I glanced at him, my jaw clenched. "We just got our first warning. Now it's up to us what we do with it."