บท 58: Chapter 58: Carnage

The Argents froze as Peter's glowing red eyes bore into them. The body of the dead hunter dangled limply from his claws, blood dripping. With a wicked snarl, Peter hurled the corpse with terrifying force. It slammed into Chris, Victoria, and Kate, knocking them back and sending Jackson sprawling into the dirt.

Then Peter vanished into the night, his form melting into the shadows as if he were never there.

---

Inside the Hale house, the hunters regrouped, their flashlights cutting through the oppressive darkness. Tension crackled in the air, each creak of the floorboards sending shivers down their spines.

"He's here." one hunter muttered, his voice trembling.

Another hunter whispered, "What do we do?"

Before anyone could answer, a guttural growl echoed through the house, freezing them in their tracks. The sound came from everywhere and nowhere, reverberating off the dilapidated walls.

"Stay together!" Chris's voice rang through their radios.

---

Peter struck without warning.

The first hunter didn't even have time to scream. One moment he was standing by the staircase, his flashlight scanning the shadows, and the next, Peter's massive form loomed over him. Clawed hands grabbed him, and with a sickening crunch, Peter ripped his throat out, tossing the lifeless body aside like a rag doll.

The second hunter turned and fired, but Peter was already gone, his speed unmatched. He appeared behind her, his claws slicing through her armor and flesh in one swift motion. She collapsed in a heap, blood pooling beneath her.

Chaos erupted.

"Fire! Fire!" someone shouted, and the house lit up with the muzzle flashes of automatic weapons. Bullets ricocheted off walls and furniture, but Peter was a blur, weaving through the hail of gunfire with supernatural agility.

The hunters' panic deepened as Peter took them apart one by one.

---

On the second floor, Derek moved through the shadows, his movements slower than Peter's but no less deadly. His wounds throbbed, the wolfsbane-laced chains having weakened him, but he pressed on.

A hunter spotted him and fired, the bullet grazing Derek's shoulder. Derek growled, the pain fueling his rage, and charged. Before the hunter could reload, Derek grabbed the rifle and snapped it in half with his bare hands. He slammed the hunter into the wall, his claws digging into the man's chest, and tossed the lifeless body to the floor.

Two more hunters rushed at Derek, one swinging a knife and the other firing a handgun. Derek dodged the blade. He grabbed the knife-wielder by the arm and flung him into the second hunter, sending them both crashing into a pile of rubble.

The one with the gun scrambled to his feet, raising his weapon, but Derek was faster. He lunged, his claws slashing across the man's chest, and finished him with a powerful swipe to the throat.

The final hunter charged Derek with a knife. Derek let the weapon graze his side before grabbing the man by the head and slamming him into the ground with bone-shattering force.

---

Downstairs, Peter continued his brutal assault.

A trio of hunters formed a defensive line. "Come out, you bastard!" one of them yelled, his voice shaky.

Peter obliged.

He emerged from the shadows, his massive form crouched low, eyes blazing like fire. His lips pulled back in a snarl, revealing sharp fangs.

"Fire!"

The hunters unleashed a volley of bullets, but Peter moved faster than they could track. He leapt into the air, crashing down in their midst with earth-shaking force. His claws slashed through the first hunter's chest, sending him flying into a wall. The second hunter tried to run, but Peter grabbed him by the neck and crushed his windpipe with a single squeeze.

The last hunter screamed and swung his rifle like a club, but Peter caught it mid-swing and snapped it in half. With a feral growl, he grabbed the man by the head and slammed him into the ground, leaving a bloody smear on the floorboards.

---

The remaining hunters regrouped in the central room, their numbers dwindling. Blood stained the walls and floor, and the air was thick with the metallic scent of death.

Peter circled them like a predator stalking prey, his footsteps silent, his growls low and menacing. He reveled in their fear, the primal scent of it fueling his bloodlust.

When he struck again, it was with devastating precision. He darted through the group, his claws slicing through two hunters before they could react. Their bodies hit the ground with wet thuds, and Peter was gone again, disappearing into the shadows.

---

Derek joined Peter in the central room, his chest heaving as he eyed the remaining hunters. "You're enjoying this too much." he muttered.

Peter smirked, his voice deep and guttural. "And you're not?"

Derek didn't answer, instead charging at a hunter who raised his weapon. Derek grabbed the man and slammed him into the ground, breaking his spine with a sickening crack.

Peter took down the last two hunters with ease. The first tried to flee, but Peter caught him, slamming him into a wall and finished the man with a single swipe of his claws.

The final hunter dropped his weapon and raised his hands, trembling. "Please... don't..."

Peter tilted his head, his glowing eyes cold and unfeeling. Then he slashed his claws across the man's neck, ending him.

The fight inside the Hale house was over, the walls and floors soaked in the blood of the hunters. The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the creak of floorboards and the faint sounds of the forest outside. Peter stood amidst the carnage, his massive werewolf form drenched in blood, his red eyes still glowing with feral intensity.

Derek, though battered and wounded, leaned against the wall, catching his breath. "We need to go." he muttered.

Peter didn't answer. His sharp ears twitched, catching the sound of footsteps outside. His snarl deepened, and with a burst of speed, he was out of the house, disappearing into the night.

---

Outside, Kate hissed. "Where is he?" Her eyes darting around.

Before anyone could answer, a blur of motion streaked from the shadows. Peter emerged, his massive clawed hand grabbing a hunter who had just reached Chris. With a sickening crunch, Peter snapped the man's neck and tossed his lifeless body at Chris's feet.

Chris barely flinched, his gun aimed at Peter in an instant. Victoria and Kate followed suit, their weapons aimed, their expressions steely.

Peter roared, a deafening sound that echoed through the forest, and charged at them. His speed was terrifying.

"Shoot!" Chris yelled, and the three opened fire.

Bullets tore through the air, slamming into Peter's body, but they barely slowed him. Victoria hurled a grenade filled with wolfsbane. The moment the device exploded, a purple mist spread through the air. Peter skidded to a halt, growling furiously as he backed away from the poisonous cloud.

Peter vanished into the shadows again, his mind racing. Moments later, he returned, carrying a massive log from the forest. With a guttural snarl, he hurled it toward the trio. The log spun through the air like a missile, forcing Chris, Victoria, and Kate to dive out of the way.

Peter used the distraction to close the distance. He moved with unnatural speed, appearing in front of Kate before she could react and caught her by the arm.

Kate's eyes widened, panic flickering across her face. She reached for the dagger at her belt, her fingers trembling as she pulled it free and stabbed Peter's arm. The blade, coated in wolfsbane, burned into his flesh, eliciting a roar of pain and fury.

Peter's retaliation was swift and brutal. His jaws clamped down on her shoulder, his sharp teeth piercing through skin and muscle. Kate screamed as Peter flung her to the ground, her body hitting the dirt with a thud.

Pulling the dagger from his arm, Peter dropped it to the ground and stalked toward her, his red eyes burning with rage.

Just then, the roar of an engine cut through the tension, and Stiles' familiar beat-up Jeep skidded to a halt near the house. The door flung open, and Allison jumped out.

"Peter, stop!" she shouted, her voice firm and unwavering as she stepped between him and Kate.

Peter froze, his claws mid-swing, his eyes narrowing at the audacity of the young girl.

"Move." Peter growled, his voice guttural and inhuman.

Allison didn't flinch. She stood her ground, meeting his gaze. "If you don't want to die, I suggest you leave now."

Peter's lips pulled back in a snarl, but he hesitated. He knew that attacking Allison would bring Scott's wrath down upon him—a wrath he wasn't prepared to face.

Behind Allison, Kate struggled to her knees, clutching her bleeding shoulder. She smirked, her voice laced with mockery. "What's wrong, Peter? Scared of a teenager? Some alpha you are."

"Kate, shut up!" Allison snapped, her voice sharp.

But Kate's words had already done their damage. Peter's anger boiled over, and his rationality slipped. With a deafening roar, he raised his clawed hand, his massive frame towering over Allison.

"Allison, move!" Chris shouted, panic lacing his tone as he raised his weapon.

Victoria's voice trembled. "Allison, get out of the way!"

Just as Peter's claws were about to strike, a massive grey wolf leapt from the shadows, landing gracefully in front of Allison. Its fur gleamed in the moonlight, and its red eyes burned with an intensity that matched Peter's. The wolf snarled, baring its teeth, and Peter froze.

A chill ran down Peter's spine as he sensed another presence. Slowly, he turned his head to see a towering black werewolf emerging from the darkness, His form massive and imposing. His glowing red eyes locked onto Peter, radiating an aura of dominance and power.

The black werewolf's voice was a deep, monstrous growl. "I warned you, Peter. But you just tried to attack Allison, didn't you?"

Peter took a step back, his bravado faltering.

Scott's growl deepened, its tone laced with menace. "Now you have to pay."