บท 57: Chapter 57: Going After The Hales

The morning sunlight seeped through the blinds, casting warm golden stripes across the room. Scott stirred, his senses awakening to the comforting weight on his chest. Allison lay there, her arms wrapped around his neck. He ran his fingers gently through her hair. And he simply lay still, enjoying the peace of the moment.

As Allison began to stir, her eyes fluttered open. She looked up at him, a sleepy smile spreading across her face.

"Good morning, gorgeous." Scott said, his voice warm and playful.

"Good morning." Allison replied, her voice still tinged with sleep.

They lingered there for a while, exchanging kisses and playful banter, enjoying the quiet intimacy. Eventually, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, signaling that Melissa was already up. They reluctantly got out of bed and headed downstairs.

At the table, Melissa greeted them with a knowing smile. "Good morning, lovebirds. Sleep well?"

Scott grinned, pulling out a chair for Allison. "Like a rock."

Allison smiled shyly, her cheeks flushing.

They shared breakfast, chatting about mundane things and enjoying the normalcy of a family meal. After finishing, Scott and Allison headed to school together.

---

When they arrived, Stiles was waiting for them by the lockers, grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. His smile was so wide it was almost ridiculous.

"What's up, Stiles?" Scott asked, eyebrow raised. "You're smiling like a fool."

"Nothing." Stiles said, his grin growing impossibly wider. "I'm just so happy today."

Scott smirked, immediately picking up on what was going on. "Oh, it seems Lydia made you a man last night."

Stiles didn't even bother denying it. His smile somehow grew even bigger. "Yes, she did."

"Well, good for you, buddy." Scott patted his shoulder.

Allison, shaking her head with a teasing smile, added. "If I were you, I'd stop smiling like that before Lydia sees you."

"I can't stop smiling even if I wanted to." Stiles admitted, almost giddy. "She can beat me up if she wants. I don't care. I'm just happy."

Allison asked. "So, are you two dating now, or what?"

Stiles hesitated but kept smiling. "No, we're not. She said I'm not her type. Honestly, I'm not even that sad about it. I think it's time for me to move on and find someone who loves me for who I am."

Allison's smile vanished, replaced by a cold glare. "Scum." She spat on the ground, then turned and stormed off.

"What? Why am I scum?" Stiles asked, baffled.

Scott clapped a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head. "If you don't want to die, don't say that in front of Lydia."

"Why?"

Scott sighed. "It's like this—you've been chasing her forever, and now that you've finally slept with her, you're acting like you're ready to move on. That's exactly what a scumbag would do."

"Crap. That's not what I meant!" Stiles panicked, realizing how his words could be misinterpreted.

"Well, that's how Lydia would understand it. And by the way, you might want to go after Allison."

"Why?"

Scott smacked the back of Stiles' head lightly. "Because girls talk, Stiles. Gossip is their favorite sport."

"Crap!" Stiles bolted after Allison, leaving Scott shaking his head.

"What an idiot." Scott muttered before heading to class.

---

When Stiles returned, looking flustered, Scott gave him a questioning look. "Did you convince her not to talk?"

Stiles sighed, slumping into his chair. "Yeah."

"What did it cost you?"

Stiles groaned. "A thousand dollars for her and Lydia to go shopping."

Scott chuckled. "You got off easy, honestly."

Stiles glared. "Your girlfriend is so mean."

Scott's smile widened as he subtly gestured with his eyes. "You might want to look behind you."

Stiles turned and saw Allison and Lydia walking into the classroom. Allison's mischievous smile made him groan.

"I heard that, Stiles." Allison said as she passed.

Stiles buried his face in his hands. "Damn it! I forgot about the super hearing." He peeked through his fingers. "Why is this happening to me? Today is supposed to be the best day of my life!"

Allison chuckled. "Well, I forgive you this time."

She and Lydia took their seats, leaving Stiles to mutter under his breath.

---

After school, Allison approached Scott with smile. "Hey, Scott, give me your car. I need to go shopping with Lydia."

Scott raised an eyebrow. "Shopping?"

Allison nodded. "I need clothes. I didn't bring any from home, and it's getting awkward borrowing from Melissa."

Scott shrugged and handed her the keys. "Here. Do you have money?"

Allison grinned. "Yep. Stiles is sponsoring our Shopping trip."

Stiles, standing nearby, paled slightly as Lydia shot him a sly smile. "Happy to help." he said nervously.

Scott chuckled. "You're getting the money from my room, right? If you need more, it's in my desk."

Allison kissed Scott on the cheek. "Thanks!" Then, grabbing Lydia's hand. "Let's go!"

As the Camaro roared to life and drove off, Scott patted Stiles on the shoulder. "Next time, think before you open your mouth. Now, drive me to the clinic."

---

That night, after closing the animal clinic, Scott went on patrol. The events of the previous night lingered in his mind—the organ-stealing woman, her strength, and the challenge she posed. He prowled the dark streets, his senses on high alert, hoping for a clue that would lead him to her.

Meanwhile, Allison and Lydia were still at the mall when Allison's phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and froze.

The message was from Kate: [We're heading to the old Hale house tonight. Your parents and the hunters are joining me. It's time to take down Peter and Derek.]

Her heart sank. "We have to go." she told Lydia.

"What's going on?" Lydia asked, concern etched on her face.

Allison handed her the phone, letting her read the message.

"Are you going to help?" Lydia asked.

"I have to." Allison replied firmly. "And I need to call Scott."

Lydia frowned. "Is Peter really that strong?"

Allison nodded. "He's an Alpha, Lydia. And not just any Alpha—he's dangerous. My family isn't fast enough to trap him with mountain ash or poison him with wolfsbane. They're no match for him."

Lydia bit her lip. "But Scott warned him not to touch your parents, right?"

"Yes, but what if Peter loses control? He might not care if Scott kills him afterward. And even if he didn't hurt my parents, he will definitely kill Kate."

Allison quickly dialed Scott's number, but he didn't pick up. Frustrated, she called Melissa and explained the situation, asking her to pass the message to Scott.

"Tell him to meet me at the Hale house." Allison urged.

She and Lydia then drove to Stiles' house. When they arrived, Allison explained the situation to him.

"I don't know where the Hale house is, can you take us there?" she asked.

"Of course." Stiles replied without hesitation.

The three of them got into Stiles' Jeep and headed for the Hale house.

---

The Hale House

Inside the decrepit remains of the Hale house, Derek sat tied to a heavy chair in what used to be the main living area. His wrists and ankles were bound with thick chains. Kate Argent stood smugly nearby, her eyes gleaming with sadistic satisfaction. Chris Argent and Victoria watched from the edges of the room, both more composed but no less determined.

"This is your last chance, Derek." Kate said, crouching in front of him with a mocking smile. "Tell me where is Peter, or I'll make this a lot less pleasant for you."

Derek glared at her, his jaw clenched. "You're wasting your time."

Kate chuckled. "I love when they act tough. It makes breaking them so much more satisfying."

Meanwhile, outside the house, Peter prowled the edges of the property. He had followed Derek's scent here, but the moment he approached the perimeter, a faint shimmer surrounded the house—a barrier stopped him in his tracks.

"Clever." Peter muttered, stepping back as his hand, which had brushed the invisible barrier, tingled with an electric-like sting.

From the house, a hunter spotted him and shouted. "He's here! The Alpha's outside!"

Shots rang out as bullets pierced the night. Peter leapt back, dodging into the cover of the forest. He growled under his breath, his glowing red eyes narrowing as he assessed his next move.

"They came prepared." He murmured, his sharp mind already calculating. "But barriers can be broken."

As he circled the house, he heard soft footsteps approaching. His predatory instincts took over, and in a blur, he grabbed the intruder—a young man—and pinned him against a tree.

"Who are you?" Peter growled, his voice low and menacing. "What are you doing here?"

The boy's eyes widened in fear, his lips trembling. Peter's sharp claws brushed his mouth, silencing him before he could scream.

"Speak." Peter demanded.

"I—I'm Jackson." the boy stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I came here looking for Derek Hale... or you."

Peter's eyebrows rose in surprise. "And why would you do that?"

Jackson hesitated, then blurted. "I want you to bite me. I want to be like you."

Peter smirked, his sharp teeth glinting in the moonlight. "Well, aren't you lucky to find me?" He stepped back, releasing Jackson. "But I don't grant favors for free. If you want the bite, you'll have to help me."

Jackson blinked. "Help you? With what?"

Peter gestured toward the house. "The hunters have trapped my nephew inside, and they've sealed the house with a mountain ash barrier. All you need to do is break the circle of ash. It's a black powder line on the ground."

Jackson looked toward the house nervously. "And then what?"

"Then." Peter said with a wicked grin. "I'll handle the rest. You'll hear gunshots. That's your cue to break the line. Got it?"

Jackson swallowed hard but nodded. "Got it."

Peter's grin widened. "Good. Stay here until you hear the shots."

With that, Peter shifted into his werewolf form. He darted to the far side of the house and slammed his fists against the barrier, roaring loudly.

Inside, the hunters scrambled. "The Alpha's attacking the barrier!" one of them shouted, and gunfire erupted, shattering the eerie silence of the forest.

Jackson, trembling but determined, crept toward the house. He spotted the faint line of black powder circling the perimeter and hesitated for a moment. Then he stomped on the line, scattering the ash and breaking the barrier.

The moment the barrier broke, Peter felt it. A triumphant growl escaped his throat, and he vanished into the shadows.

Inside the house, chaos erupted. The hunter guarding Derek heard a feral roar before the room plunged into darkness. A scream pierced the air, followed by the sickening thud of a body hitting the ground.

Kate, Chris, and Victoria rushed to the scene, but they arrived too late. One of their men lay dead, his throat torn out, and Derek was gone.

"Damn it!" Kate hissed. "Peter's inside. He must have help. Do you think it's Scott?"

Chris frowned, his expression grim. "I hope it's Scott. If it's not, we're in serious trouble."

Chris pulled out his radio and barked orders. "The Alpha broke the barrier. Everyone, regroup. Do not let him pick you off one by one!"

As the hunters scrambled to comply, Chris, Victoria, and Kate stepped outside the house, only to find Jackson lingering near the perimeter. Chris grabbed him by the collar.

"You broke the barrier, didn't you?" Chris growled. "Do you have any idea what you've done, you idiot?"

"I—I didn't know..." Jackson stammered, but Chris cut him off with a punch to the face, sending him sprawling.

Before anyone could say another word, a deafening roar filled the air. All eyes turned to the roof of the house, where Peter stood in his werewolf form, his glowing red eyes blazing with fury. In his hand, he held the lifeless body of another hunter, blood dripping from his claws.