The morning started as usual, but I decided to change things up and take a different route to school. As I drove, I noticed Isaac walking along the sidewalk, his head slightly down, his posture tense. Something about him seemed off—maybe it was the guarded way he moved.
I pulled up alongside him, rolling down the window.
"Hey," I said casually.
Isaac glanced over, his eyes narrowing slightly with caution. "Yeah? You need something?"
"No, not really. Just wondering if you want a ride."
He hesitated, studying me like he wasn't sure if this was some kind of trick. After a moment, he nodded. "Yeah, thanks. Name's Isaac."
"Cool. I'm Kai," I replied.
He climbed into the passenger seat, clutching his bag tightly. The drive to school started out quiet. The silence felt heavy, so I decided to break the ice with some questions.
"So, are you always this quiet, or is it just me?" I joked lightly.
Isaac gave a small smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm just... not used to people being nice, I guess."
"Fair enough," I said, keeping my tone relaxed. "You're on the lacrosse team, right?"
"Yeah," he said, his voice soft. "Defense."
"Nice. I hear the team's been doing pretty well."
Isaac nodded but didn't elaborate. It was clear he wasn't big on talking about himself, so I shifted the topic to school in general, asking about classes and teachers. He answered in short sentences, but at least he wasn't shutting me out completely.
When we finally pulled into the school parking lot, I turned to him. "Hey, if you want, you can sit with me and my friends at lunch. No pressure."
Isaac looked surprised by the offer. He hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yeah... maybe. Thanks."
"Cool. See you later," I said as we got out of the car
The rest of the day was fairly normal, but I could sense something was off between Scott and Stiles. Then it hit me—last night, Sheriff Stilinski got hit by a car during the chaos of a supposed panther attack. Thankfully, he was okay, just a little injured, but the whole incident had sent the town into a panic.
Scott and Stiles had a minor argument, but I figured they'd make up eventually. During lunch, I stuck to my usual routine and sat with Erica and Boyd. This time, Isaac joined us, which was a pleasant surprise. I introduced him to Erica and Boyd, and the four of us started talking. It felt good to see the group expanding, even if it was still awkward at times.
After school, I headed home to train like usual. The calm didn't last long, though—I got a text from Stiles that read: "SOS. Need help at school."
I didn't have time to gear up. Grabbing only my three-section staff, I rushed out of the house and drove straight to the school. When I arrived, I immediately noticed the state of Stiles' Jeep—it was wrecked. Derek's and Jackson cars were also there, which only confirmed my suspicion: this was the night the Alpha made its move.
I hurried into the building, the tension palpable. It wasn't hard to find them; they were barricaded in a classroom. I knocked on the door and called out, "Move the desks so I can get in."
There was some shuffling on the other side before they let me in. I quickly stepped inside and helped put the barricade back in place. Glancing around, the first thing I noticed was the massive glass window dominating one side of the room.
"Y'all thought this was a good idea? A classroom with a giant glass window?" I said, exasperated.
"It seemed safer at the time," Scott mumbled defensively.
"Alright, tell me what happened," I said, my tone steady but firm.
Allison, Jackson, and Lydia turned to Scott and Stiles, their faces full of worry. I gestured for Scott and Stiles to step aside so we could talk quietly. They explained everything—the attack, Derek's apparent death, and their fear that the Alpha wasn't done yet.
"He's not dead," I said in a low voice. "Werewolves are incredibly hard to kill. Derek just needs time to heal."
Before we could continue, Jackson, visibly impatient and frustrated, yelled, "Will someone just tell us what the hell is going on?"
I turned to him, keeping my voice calm but authoritative. "It's an animal. A mutated one."
That answer seemed to pacify him for the moment, but the tension in the room remained thick. I scanned the room again, my grip tightening on my staff. The Alpha was still out there, and it was only a matter of time before it made its next move.
"A mutated animal?" Allison asked, her brow furrowed with confusion.
"Yes," Scott confirmed, but his voice wavered, betraying his unease.
"Then why did you text me to come here?" Allison pressed, looking at Scott with growing suspicion.
Scott froze, unable to answer.
"Allison," I cut in, stepping forward, "tomorrow after school, come to my place with Scott and Stiles. We'll explain everything."
"Everything?" Scott echoed, his eyes wide and worried as he glanced at me.
"Yes, everything. But right now, we need to focus on getting out of here," I said firmly.
Suddenly, a loud bang echoed through the room—the Alpha was at the door, trying to break in.
"Move! Upstairs!" I yelled.
We scrambled up the stairs and into another classroom, slamming the door shut behind us and locking it. For a few tense moments, nothing happened. The banging stopped, but the silence that followed was just as unnerving.
"It's waiting," I muttered under my breath.
I pulled my keys from my pocket and tossed them to Stiles. "Take these."
He fumbled the catch and stared at me, confused. "What for?"
"I'll be the diversion. You all get out of here while I keep it busy," I said calmly.
"What?!" everyone shouted in unison, except for Jackson, who just looked annoyed.
"You can't do that!" Allison exclaimed, her voice trembling. "You'll get yourself killed!"
"Look," I said, meeting her eyes, "one of us has to do it. I'm the best option. I've got a weapon, and I can keep it distracted long enough for you to escape."
The room fell silent as everyone processed what I'd just said.
I turned to Stiles, giving him a small, almost playful smile. "Not a scratch on my car."
Before anyone could argue further, I pushed open the door and ran out. My heart pounded as I made my way toward the gym, gripping my three-section staff tightly.
I knew the Alpha would be there. It was only a matter of time before it showed itself.
After a few minutes, the Alpha appeared, its hulking form stepping into the gym, its growl reverberating through the space.
"Expecting Scott? Sorry to disappoint you," I said, a crazy grin spreading across my face. "But I've been itching for a fight—a chance to test my abilities."
The Alpha growled louder, baring its teeth before lunging at me. But it was too slow. I blitzed toward it, swinging my staff with precision and power. The impact sent it flying into the wall with a loud crash, bones cracking audibly. And that was me holding back.
It staggered to its feet, glaring at me in confusion before charging again. I dodged with ease, countering with swift, precise strikes.
"Is that the best you can do?" I taunted, twirling my staff. "I thought you were supposed to be an Alpha."
It growled, frustration evident, and swung its left hand at me. I dropped my staff, caught its arm mid-swing, twisted it behind its back, and delivered a brutal strike to its elbow, breaking the joint. The Alpha let out a piercing howl of pain.
"Oh, that looks like it hurts," I said mockingly, smirking as I stepped back.
The Alpha's arm healed rapidly, and its eyes burned with rage as it attacked with renewed ferocity. I kept dodging, my movements fluid and precise, and began to sing mockingly:
"Fight, little wolf, fight,
Wanna entertain me?
Bite, little wolf, bite,
Let's see how you take this!
Strike, little wolf, strike!"
My voice echoed through the gym as I continued to evade its attacks. The Alpha's anger grew with each miss, its frustration evident in its erratic movements. It managed to land a hit eventually, but I barely flinched, stepping back with a smirk.
Then we heard it—sirens in the distance. The Alpha froze, its ferocity replaced by caution. It gave me one last glare, a mix of anger and curiosity, before retreating into the shadows.
I picked up my staff and left the gym, heading outside to find the group waiting near the cars. Derek was nowhere to be seen.
"Why didn't you leave?" I asked, frowning as I approached.
"We couldn't leave you," Allison said, her voice laced with worry, her eyes scanning me for injuries. "So we called the police and waited."
I gave her a reassuring smile, putting my staff in the trunk. "Thanks, but as you can see, I'm not even hurt. The animal ran away."
"That's good," Scott said with a relieved nod.
I leaned closer to Allison and whispered, "Remember, after school tomorrow, come to my place. We'll answer your questions."
She nodded silently, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern.