The school cafeteria hummed with the usual midday chaos. Jacob, Allison, and Lydia were in the school cafeteria having lunch when a visibly depressed Scott joined them, setting his tray down with a clatter.
The three of them looked at him with raised eyebrows. Lydia smirked. "What's wrong with you, Scott? Did Jay hit on your mom again?"
Scott shot a half-hearted glare at Jacob. "In fact, he did. He went to visit her yesterday at work." He sighed, the anger dissipating into pure gloom. "But that's not it."
"Then what's wrong?" Allison asked.
"I don't have a date for the formal yet." Scott mumbled, staring at his food.
Jacob said. "There are a lot of girls in this school. I'm sure you can find one. Just go and ask around. What's the worst that can happen? Them saying no? Besides, you just need a date for the formal, not a girlfriend."
"But I really want a girlfriend." Scott insisted, his voice tinged with longing.
"I can't help you with that." Jacob said, shrugging. "You have to find her yourself. You're the captain of the lacrosse team, after all. It should be easy for you."
Just then, Stiles arrived with a shy-looking Erica by his side. "Jacob, this is Erica. Erica, this is Jacob."
"Hi. Nice to meet you." Erica said softly, her eyes darting downward.
Jacob offered a warm smile. "Nice to meet you, too."
"Erica, come sit next to me." Allison said, patting the empty chair beside her.
Erica sat down, and Lydia leaned forward. "We're going shopping after school. Do you want to come with us? We'll buy you a dress for the formal."
"Can I go with you?" Erica asked, her eyes lighting up.
"Of course." Lydia said.
"But... I can pay for the dress myself..." Erica began.
Allison cut her off gently. "No, since we're taking you shopping, we'll pay for it."
"Thank you." Erica said, her gratitude evident.
Stiles just smiled and didn't say anything.
The group fell into easy conversation, which was abruptly interrupted when a new girl strode into the cafeteria.
Everyone in the cafeteria turned to look at the unfamiliar, stunning girl with wild hair and an almost feral confidence that commanded the room.
Scott's eyes widened, his jaw slightly slack. "Who is she?"
A slow, appreciative smile spread across Jacob's face. "She's gorgeous, isn't she?"
"Yes, she is." Scott whispered. "Guys… I think I just found my date for the formal. And hopefully, my girlfriend."
Lydia and Allison exchanged a knowing, pitying smile.
Scott suddenly remembered his company and turned to Jacob with a look of panic. "Jacob, don't you dare have any ideas about her…" He saw the smirk on Jacob's face and his confidence faltered. "Please..." He pleaded. "J-just let me have this one."
Jacob merely chuckled and waved a dismissive hand. "Sure, man. Go ahead and ask her out."
"Thanks." Scott said, standing up and smoothing down his shirt. "Wish me luck, guys." He took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing."
Stiles, watching Jacob's amused expression, leaned over. "Jacob, you're up to no good again. Who is that girl?"
"Just watch." Jacob said, his eyes glinting with mischief.
"Poor Scott." Allison murmured, shaking her head.
They watched as Scott nervously adjusted his collar and stepped directly into the new girl's path. "Hi... I-I'm Scott." He stammered.
The girl—Malia—stopped and raised a single, skeptical brow, looking at him as if he'd sprouted a second head. "Yes, I know."
"You... you know?" Scott's hopes soared. "Then… do you want to go out with me?"
Malia's response was immediate. She punched him squarely in the face. "Why are you acting so weird today? And no, I don't want to go out with you, idiot."
Scott hissed in pain, clutching his nose. Malia brushed past him without a second glance and walked straight to Jacob's table, where everyone was trying—and failing—to hold back their laughter. She sat down next to Jacob, took a bite of his food, and grimaced. "Ugh, this tastes awful."
Scott stumbled back to the table, his face red with embarrassment, and sat down heavily. He glared at Jacob, who was laughing openly now. "You said the worst thing that could happen is her saying no!"
"Don't glare at me." Jacob said, his amusement fading into mild annoyance. "I should be the angry one here. You just hit on my girlfriend. You're lucky I didn't beat your ass."
Scott and Stiles spoke in unison, shocked. "Girlfriend?!"
Stiles's eyes widened as he looked at Malia, realization dawning. "You're Malia, aren't you?"
Malia ignored him, picking at Jacob's food.
'She is definitely Malia.' Stiles thought. 'She is just as rude as she is in her coyote form.'
Scott turned his betrayed look to Lydia and Allison, humiliation washing over him. "Damn it! Why didn't you guys tell me she was Malia? I made a fool of myself, and now the whole cafeteria is laughing at me!"
Lydia's smile was sweet and utterly unapologetic. "We didn't tell you to ask her out. You decided that on your own."
Jacob stood up. "Alright, see you guys later. Malia, let's go."
With that, Jacob and Malia left the cafeteria, meeting Cogman outside the school. Cogman opened the car doors for them. As they slid into the backseat, Cogman took his place behind the wheel and drove off toward the sheriff's station.
Inside the car, Jacob turned to Malia. "By the way, Malia, you need to drop your blood on this tattoo." He raised his right hand, revealing a faintly glowing red tattoo—an intricate circle with a dragon's head at its center.
"Why?" Malia asked, eyeing it curiously.
"To become my mate. You'll understand after you do it." Jacob explained. "But think carefully. Once your blood is on it, we'll be bound together for life."
Malia didn't hesitate. She bit her thumb and let a drop of her blood fall onto the tattoo on his palm. The symbol glowed with a bright, vivid light, then slowly faded until it vanished entirely.
Both of them closed their eyes as the magical contract sealed their bond. In Jacob's mind, a screen materialized:
[Contract Successful. Congratulations, Host. You are now married to Malia Hale. The two of you are bound for life. You cannot betray one another, and her mind is protected from being read by any other creature. You can communicate with her telepathically, and you will sense when she is in danger.]
'Malia Hale!' Jacob thought. 'So the System used her real name. Speaking of Hale, I should probably save that idiot Peter and not let him die. He is her father, after all, and she might want to get to know him. But not until after Derek takes the Alpha spark from him. I don't want to miss a sign-in. I'll just use one of those expired beans to save him. That'll be fun.'
Jacob opened his eyes and looked at Malia, who was still processing the connection with her eyes shut. 'I wonder what kind of bloodline she'll get when we sleep together.' He mused.
Soon, Malia opened her eyes, a look of wonder on her face.
"Do you understand what that tattoo was now?" Jacob asked.
"Yes," Malia said, a small smile playing on her lips. "And just now, I talked to Lydia and Allison in my head. It's amazing."
Jacob retrieved a Quen Scroll from his pocket dimension and handed it to her. "Here. Open this, and you'll learn an ability that lets you create an energy barrier to protect yourself."
Malia took the scroll and unrolled it. It glowed brightly, dissolving into a stream of golden light that flowed directly into her mind.
Five minutes later, Malia had fully learned the new ability. She opened her eyes, buzzing with excitement. "I want to try it!"
"Wait until we get home." Jacob said with a chuckle. "And I still have something else for you." He pulled a spatial ring from his pocket dimension and handed it to her. "Drop your blood on it."
Malia did as instructed, and her eyes widened as she realized what it was. She immediately took out the phone Cogman had given her earlier and practiced storing it in the ring and retrieving it several times, a delighted grin on her face. Then, she threw her arms around Jacob's neck. "Thank you!"
Jacob smirked, wrapping his arms around her waist. "You're not sincere enough."
Malia smiled mischievously, climbed onto his lap, and they began kissing passionately. They didn't stop until Cogman cleared his throat loudly from the driver's seat. "Sir, we have arrived at the sheriff's station."
Jacob and Malia broke apart, slightly flushed, and got out of the car. The three of them walked into the station.
The moment they entered, a screen appeared in front of Jacob's eyes.
[Location Sign-In Available:
You can sign-in inside Sheriff Stilinski's office.]
Jacob smiled. 'Great.'
They walked to the front desk, where Jacob addressed the deputy on duty. "We're here to see Sheriff Stilinski. Tell him it's Jacob, and it's important."
The deputy nodded. "Wait a moment." He called the sheriff, hung up, and gestured for them to follow. "Right this way."
Soon, they reached the sheriff's office. The deputy knocked and left. Noah opened the door. "Come in." He said, ushering them inside.
Once they had entered, Noah closed the door and returned to his desk. Jacob and Malia took the seats opposite him, while Cogman remained standing politely behind them.
Noah looked at Jacob. "So, why do you need to see me, kid?"
Jacob gestured to Malia. "I need your help with her situation."
Noah leaned forward. "What's going on?"
"Her name is Malia Tate, and..."
Noah cut him off, his brow furrowed in thought. "Malia Tate... I think I know that name..." His eyes widened as the memory clicked. He looked at Malia with shock. "You're the girl who went missing from that car accident over seven years ago. Where have you been all this time?"
Malia visibly tensed at the mention of the accident. Jacob reached over and took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Let me tell you what happened." He said to Noah.
Jacob then recounted the entire story—the crash, the woman with blue eyes, Malia's first shift, her years alone in the woods believing she had killed her family, and the truth Lydia had uncovered.
Noah listened intently, his expression growing more sympathetic. When Jacob finished, the sheriff looked at Malia with profound sadness. "I'm sorry you had to go through all of that, kid."
Malia remained silent, so Jacob continued. "Anyway, can you help with her legal status? Cogman will be her legal guardian, so we'll need your help with that paperwork, too."
Noah nodded, his professional demeanor returning. "Okay, I'll take care of it starting tomorrow. But since you're here today, I want your help with something."
"What is it?" Jacob asked.
"I have a case with two dead men." Noah explained, his expression grim. "Both have strange, circular puncture wounds—one around the face, the other on the neck."
Cogman, who had been listening quietly, spoke up. "Were they drained of their blood?"
"Yes," Noah confirmed. "After the autopsy, the coroner confirmed the victims had been drained of their blood."
"Then I believe you are dealing with a Lamprey." Cogman stated.
Jacob raised an eyebrow. "A Lamprey?"
"Yes, sir." Cogman replied. "It is the only creature that leaves those specific marks and drains blood."
"A Lamprey?" Noah echoed, bewildered. "You mean the eel-like fish with the disk-shaped mouth?"
"We're not talking about a fish." Jacob clarified. "We're talking about a shapeshifter with a mouth like a lamprey fish. They're known for feeding on humans by sucking their blood."
Noah pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Oh, great. That's just what I need right now." He looked at Jacob. "Can you help me with this case, kid?"
"Sure," Jacob agreed easily. "I don't have anything else to do. But what are you planning to do with the Lamprey once we find it?"
Noah thought for a moment. "Let's find it first, and then we'll decide."
"Do you have any surveillance footage from where you found the victims?" Jacob asked. "Give it to Cogman."
Noah shook his head. "Unfortunately, there is no footage."
"Then take us to see the bodies. I need to see if Malia and I can catch a scent."
Noah stood up. "Alright, let's go."
As they followed the Sheriff out of his office, Jacob thought. 'System, sign in.'
[Location Sign-In Successful. Rewards Obtained:
- White Honey Potion (The Witcher) x15: An enhanced version of the White Honey Potion that grants permanent immunity to all poisons upon consumption.
- Full Carcass of a Sker Buffalo x10 (Kong: Skull Island): Delicious, juicy, and brimming with primal energy. Consumed daily, its potent nutrients grant a small but permanent, cumulative increase to raw physical strength and stamina.
- Ducati Hypermotard 1100 EVO SP]
Jacob followed Noah and the others while reading the rewards. 'Nice! The White Honey Potion is useless to me since I'm already immune to all poison, but it'll be useful for the girls. Maybe I'll give one to Stiles and Scott, too. I was worried about running out of good meat since the Sea King meat is almost gone, so this Sker Buffalo meat came just in time. I hope it's as delicious as the System says. And the bike should be good. I can't wait to ride it.'
They drove to the hospital. When they arrived, Jacob thought. 'System, why didn't you give me a location sign-in at the hospital? Hurry up and give me one.'
[Do not be greedy, Host. You just received a location sign-in.]
'But this is an important location from the Teen Wolf series canon! You should give me a sign-in opportunity here. I've been here twice now!'
[You will get your sign-in opportunity, Host. Just not today.]
'Fine, I guess.' Jacob grumbled internally.
Soon, they met Melissa. After greeting Noah, she looked at Jacob with a warm smile. "Are you here to visit me again, kid? When you left yesterday, Scott came in, and he was very grumpy."
Jacob laughed. "Yeah, I ran into him on my way out. He told me to stop visiting you."
"Don't mind him." Melissa said, waving a hand dismissively. "He just worries too much."
"I don't care about him." Jacob said, grinning. "I like talking to you. So, no matter what your idiot son says, I won't stop visiting."
Noah cleared his throat, interrupting. "Anyway, Melissa, can you show us the bodies?"
"Sure." She replied, her professional demeanor returning. "Follow me."
She led them to the morgue and showed them the two corpses.
Jacob leaned in slightly, then shook his head. "There's only the smell of chemicals and death on them now. Do you still have their clothes?"
"Yes," Noah said. "We kept them as evidence back at the station."
"Good. Have someone bring them here." Jacob instructed.
As Noah stepped aside to make the call, Melissa looked at the bodies with a somber expression. "What kind of creature did this?"
"A blood-sucking shapeshifter called a Lamprey." Jacob explained. "Those puncture wounds were made by its teeth. By the way, did these two die on the same day?"
Noah, having ended his call, rejoined them. "No. We found them this morning, but in different locations. According to the coroner, one died yesterday and the other three days ago. But since it's winter and they were drained of blood, they haven't... decomposed."
Malia wrinkled her nose. "Maybe they haven't decomposed to you, but to me, they stink."
Jacob nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Melissa, can you put them back in the fridge, or whatever you call it?"
"It's called a mortuary refrigerator." She said with a slight smile.
"Is that so? Good to know. Now, let's get out of here. It really does stink."
After Melissa returned the bodies to the refrigerator, they left the morgue. They parted ways with Melissa, who went back to work, and waited outside the hospital for the deputy to arrive with the victims' clothing.
To be continued... 😊