When dawn broke, Derek Hale's property was no longer silent.
Red and blue lights flickered through the trees as police cordoned off the area. Photos were being taken, tape was being stretched, and the constant crackle of radios filled the air. Sheriff Stilinski stood in the middle of the crowd; his face was stern, his eyes sleep-deprived.
Derek Hale was led toward a police car in handcuffs.
Just as he was about to be put into the back seat, a door opened.
"Hey."
Stiles sat in the front seat before anyone could stop him. He turned to Derek, lifting his chin.
"I'm not afraid of you."
Derek slowly turned his head. His eyes were ice cold.
The expression on Stiles's face dropped instantly. "Well…" he said, swallowing hard. "Maybe… I might be a little afraid." Then he composed himself. "Anyway," he said quickly. "The girl you killed… she was a werewolf, wasn't she? But a different kind. She could turn completely into a wolf. Scott and Sean can't. Is that why you killed her?" Derek didn't take his eyes off the windshield.
"When the problem is your friends," he said in a calm but threatening voice, "why are you looking for the problem in me?" Stiles froze.
"Sean's brother, Scott," Derek continued. "What do you think will happen after he transforms on that field? Do you think everyone is going to cheer for him?" He turned his head toward Stiles. "It will be a bloodbath." Stiles's breath hitched.
"Maybe," Derek said in a low voice, "his brother Sean can stop him." He paused for a moment.
"But on a full moon… will he be able to control himself, too?" "Do you really trust that?" Stiles was about to answer when a firm hand grabbed his arm.
"Enough," said his father, Noah Stilinski. "Get out of the car." Stiles couldn't resist. Derek's gaze was still heavy on the back of his neck.
The Sheriff pulled him aside. "You're going to tell me how you found this body," he said sternly. "And you're going to tell me the truth."
A short while later...
Stiles was at the wheel. Scott sat in the back, and Sean was beside him. The interior of the car was unusually quiet.
"Last night…" Scott said finally. "This isn't over yet." Sean nodded. "I feel it." Suddenly, Scott tensed up. His hands gripped the edge of the seat. An involuntary growl escaped his chest.
"Scott?" Stiles asked in a panic.
"Something's happening," Scott groaned. "Something is moving… inside me." Sean's face was also contorted. He was controlling it, but he was struggling.
Scott suddenly lunged forward and opened Stiles's bag.
And he stopped.
His eyes widened.
"Is this wolfsbane?!" he shouted. "Did you really bring it with you?!" Before Stiles could even look back, Sean had already opened the door.
No one noticed.
Sean had already jumped out of the car and vanished among the trees by the side of the road.
"Sean—" Scott said, but his voice trailed off.
Stiles slammed on the brakes as a reflex. He pulled the car over, grabbed the bag, threw it out, and tossed it far away.
"Okay!" he shouted. "It's gone! No more!" He turned around.
The back seat… was empty.
"Scott?" he said, his voice trembling.
No answer.
"Sean?!"
There was no one.
"Shit…" Stiles whispered.
Anxiously, he got back behind the wheel, turned the ignition, and sped off.
The door opened silently.
When Sean entered, the house was dark. He didn't even take off his shoes. His t-shirt was torn, and his shoulder and chest were covered in dried blood. His breathing was calm, but his body was still tense.
A voice came from downstairs.
"Sean?"
Scott was already home.
Sean took a few steps without answering. Just then, Scott rushed down the stairs. The scent that hit his nose changed his expression instantly.
"Sean?!" he said in a panic. "Are you okay? What happened? You—" Sean cut him off. A faint, relaxed smile played on his face.
"I don't know," he said, shrugging. "But I was in my right mind." Scott's eyes were fixed on Sean's t-shirt.
"I barely managed to lock myself away," Sean continued. "I fell into a cave while wandering in the woods. It was a real accident." He let out a short laugh. "Ahahaha!" Then he headed for the stairs.
"I'm going to take a shower," he said without turning back. "We'll talk tomorrow, Scott." As Sean went upstairs, Scott stood frozen. The smell of blood was still in the air, but… there was nothing else.
Most importantly, his brother hadn't killed anyone.
Scott took a deep breath. For a moment, he had been terrified. But now… he was relieved. Because he knew Sean wouldn't lie. Besides, he had confirmed it wasn't a lie. While Sean spoke, his heart had remained perfectly steady.
Shower water poured over Sean's head. The hot water washed the blood and dirt from his body, but it couldn't erase the images in his mind.
He bowed his head. His eyes were closed.
"Truly…" he whispered to himself. "Why did I enjoy that so much?" The sound of the water grew louder.
*Flashback*
When Sean jumped from the car, the only thing on his mind was control.
He ran. His breathing was steady. His heart was fast but calm. He moved through the woods and finally found a cave with a narrow mouth and a deep interior. He went inside. He went all the way to the back. He leaned against the wall.
Hours passed.
It grew dark.
Then… A rustle.
When Sean emerged from the cave, he was met by three silhouettes. They were armed. Their movements were cautious.
"Hey," said one of them, his voice confident. "A werewolf." Their leader smiled. "And so young?" He raised his gun. "I think we hit the jackpot today, boys." Something stirred inside Sean.
BANG.
A bullet lodged in his chest.
The pain… was brief.
Sean growled. His eyes turned golden yellow. He put his hand to his chest, gripped the bullet, and pulled it out in one movement. He threw it on the ground.
Then… he vanished.
A second later, the leader's throat was in Sean's hand. Simultaneously, an arrow pierced his shoulder. Sean didn't care.
His claws came down.
The man's throat was shredded.
Blood spilled onto the ground.
Sean paused for a moment. He raised his hand. And… he licked it. Then he turned his head.
The second hunter was trying to flee. Sean caught up to him. He shrugged off the arrow, grabbed the man's arm, and pulled.
The sound of snapping bone tore through the night.
He reached for the chest. He plunged his claws where the heart was.
The third hunter was frozen. His eyes were wide with terror.
"Wolfsbane…" he stammered. "How is it not working—" Sean approached him. His eyes were still golden yellow. He leaned into his neck.
He sank his teeth in.
The carotid artery was torn.
Silence.
*Flashback*
The shower water was still running.
Sean opened his eyes.
There was no regret on his face. He had killed those who attacked him, and he had known since the day he became a werewolf that he would eventually have to kill someone.
On Saturday, the bleachers of Beacon Hills High were overflowing. Parents, students, cheers… The sun was beating down from directly above, but for some reason, Sean felt uneasy.
Melissa was looking at the field with excitement, and Sean sat silently beside her. Stiles was in the dugout; his eyes didn't leave the field for a single second.
The whistle blew.
The game began.
And minutes passed.
Not a single pass came to Scott.
Sean furrowed his brow. They're doing this on purpose… Stiles noticed it too. He was tapping his hands on his knees in the dugout, clenching his teeth. This isn't good, he thought. Not good at all. Scott's breathing became heavy. His chest was heaving. An opposing player approached him but… suddenly backed away.
Sean started.
No…
Was Scott transforming?
Stiles saw it too. His eyes widened. No, no, no… Scott forced himself to pull it together. The whistle blew again. The ball was thrown into the air.
In that moment, everything happened.
Scott stepped on the shoulder of an opposing player and caught the ball in the air with an incredible leap. It was as if gravity didn't apply to him. There was a momentary silence on the field.
Then the ball… hit the net. The bleachers erupted.
Melissa hugged Sean with joy. "Did you see that?!" she said excitedly. Sean smiled, but his eyes were elsewhere.
Chris Argent.
Chris also felt that he was being watched. He lifted his head. Their eyes met.
Sean just smiled. He gave a slight nod. Then he turned his gaze away.
The game continued.
Scott didn't stop.
He played. He ran. He hit.
In the final seconds, four players closed in on him at once. He hesitated for a moment. Then he threw the ball.
Score.
But immediately after, Scott pulled off his glove.
And stopped.
The claws…
His eyes widened. In a panic, he ran toward the locker room.
Sean bolted up. At that moment, Allison was also running after Scott.
Sean was worried but… There was a greater danger. Chris Argent.
Sean took a few steps and approached Chris.
Chris looked at him. "You…" he said. "You look like the player on the field." Sean smiled comfortably. "Yeah," he said. "I'm Scott's brother. Number 11. The kid who played terrible at first and then caught fire." Chris laughed. "Truly one of the best lacrosse games I've ever watched," he said. "And you? Any interest in the sport? Your body… looks like it's been trained for this kind of work." Sean shrugged. "No," he said. "I prefer hunting. Or fishing. There's a different kind of pleasure in it." He paused for a moment. "Besides, I get a feeling from you," he said lightly. "Like a very good hunter." Chris chuckled at the compliment. "I suppose that counts," he said. "But it's rare for someone in high school to like old-school hobbies." He tilted his head. "If you want, I could teach you a few things one day." Sean laughed. "Sure,", "But if I beat you at hunting, I'll be making fun of it for years." Chris laughed out loud. He hadn't laughed like that in a long time. "We'll see," he said. "I'll tell Allison. We'll go out one day." As he walked away, there was a genuine smirk on his face.
Sean watched him go.
He was smiling. That smile was sincere. For a moment… The hunter-werewolf issue had vanished. "I hope," he murmured to himself, "we never become enemies, Chris."
Then his gaze shifted to the dispersing bleachers.
There was a girl with pitch-black hair and eyes of brown tones. Her long hair seemed to shine in the moonlight. Sean's heart began to beat very fast. He wondered if this was how Scott felt about Allison.
Sean's face softened, and his expression turned into a friendly one.
But then…
He looked at the field.
And froze.
Jackson.
He was picking up Scott's glove.
A thought appeared in Sean's mind.
Should Jackson… die?
A moment later, he recoiled.
Since when… did I start thinking about someone dying so casually? He lifted his head. The moon sat pale in the sky.
Sean looked at the moonlight.
And he felt the darkness inside him smile silently.