When morning came, Sean and Scott headed to school. Once they reached the locker room, Scott, Stiles, and Sean caught up with Jackson. Lydia had been missing since yesterday, and the anxiety was plain as day on Stiles' face. He was quieter than usual. Sean didn't say a word to him; he knew anything he said would be in vain. He decided that after school, he would set out to find Lydia himself.
"Why should I care if Lydia's wandering around the mountain peaks naked?" Jackson scoffed.
"Because a gut feeling is telling us she's turned," Scott replied.
"Turned? Into what?"
"A unicorn," Stiles snapped, his patience thin. "We think she's turning into one of those magical one-horned horses. What do you think she's turning into, you numbskull?"
"If Lydia turned, there's nothing to be done," Jackson said coldly, brushing past them. Sean watched him go. Is this kid actually starting to find some misplaced confidence against me? he wondered.
Later, they headed to their chemistry exam. Sean and Stiles sat near each other, while Scott was directly in front of Stiles. The teacher had to warn Scott and Stiles as they kept whispering.
As the exam continued, a sound caught Sean's ear, making him look toward Jackson. His interest piqued when he saw pitch-black blood leaking from Jackson's nose. Jackson bolted upright and rushed out of the classroom toward the restroom. Sean stared at his completed exam paper for a moment, then indifferent, wrote a few more lines.
After the exam, Scott distanced himself, mentioning he was meeting Allison.
While Stiles and Sean were alone, the teacher approached them. "Stiles, I told you that you have detention. Sean, if you'll excuse us, may I take Stiles now?"
Sean looked at the chemistry teacher for a moment, then at Stiles. "We're discussing something. Could you take him once we're finished, Mr. Harris?"
Harris stared at them for a beat, then nodded and retreated to his desk.
"Sean... I want to find Lydia, no matter what," Stiles said, his voice thick with grief and worry. He couldn't hide his true emotions in front of Sean. "I mean... I don't know what to say. But I just want her found, man."
Sean placed a hand on his shoulder, looking him dead in the eye. "Don't worry. I'll find her. I'm going to search everywhere after school. And by the way, things are about to get dangerous out there. An old hunter is coming. Scott isn't really listening to me anymore, so I'm counting on you to keep him on the right path."
Stiles looked at Sean for a long moment. "Thank you. And don't worry, I won't let him stray. By the way, Sean... how are you? You know... hanging in there?" The concern was evident in his voice.
Sean let out a heavy sigh. "Don't worry, I'm fine. It's just... my memories are slowly coming back. You know I lived with my father before I came here to my mother, and a lot happened. When I got out of the hospital, my parents seemed almost relieved that I didn't remember anything. I need to find out why. What exactly happened in the past?"
Stiles' eyes widened. "What? Your memories are coming back?" he shouted, his voice jumping in excitement.
"Stilinski! Please, a little silence?" Mr. Harris barked.
Sean smiled as Stiles offered a quick apology. "Yes. But not much. Only a name came to me last night. And for some reason, I can't help but think everything is connected to it." His smile faded, replaced by cold seriousness.
"Who? What's the name?" Stiles asked.
"Marina." As Sean spoke the name, a sharp pang struck his heart a visceral, instinctive reaction from his body.
Seeing his state, Stiles suggested, "Why don't you ask Mrs. McCall?"
"Do you really think she'd tell me, Stiles? I told you, my parents were happy when I lost my memories. They'll want to keep it that way."
Mr. Harris interrupted again. "Stiles, Sean, are you quite finished?"
Sean nodded. "Whatever, Stiles. Just watch your back. And don't worry, I'll handle it." With that, he walked out. Left alone, Stiles sighed and pulled out his phone. He hesitated over Mrs. McCall's contact, then locked the screen and leaned back in his chair.
After leaving school, Sean went home to change before heading into the woods. After a fruitless search, he headed toward the funeral. Today was the funeral for the Argent family. There, he saw an old man sitting next to Allison: Gerard Argent.
It was a name he'd heard after speaking with Chris yesterday. The man was known for his cruelty. Sean observed from a distance, but as he was about to turn back, he spotted Scott and Stiles. Sheriff Noah was dragging them both by their collars. Sean chuckled at the sight and snapped a photo.
He turned and disappeared into the gloom. He didn't know how much time had passed, but the sky had turned pitch black, and he was still searching.
Meanwhile, Scott and Stiles were standing near an ambulance, watching someone covered in blood. "Did Lydia do this?" Stiles whispered. "I don't know..." Scott replied. "I just... I want you to find her, Scott. I told Sean, but..." Scott nodded. "I know. I'll find her." He turned and walked away.
Fifteen minutes later, Sean approached the ambulance. He was shirtless, having clearly given his clothes to the girl standing beside him to cover her. Stiles looked at them, his jaw dropping in shock. "Lydia? Sean?!"
Sheriff Noah and Stiles stood side by side. Stiles stared at Lydia, his eyes scanning her until he literally collapsed to the ground. Sean burst out laughing at the sight. As Stiles scrambled back up, Noah stepped toward them. He took Lydia aside first, then his eyes fell on Sean's body.
How could a kid have this many scars? Were those claw marks? Some of them looked fresh.
Stiles stepped closer to say something, but Sean suddenly looked behind him, sensing something. He bolted toward the forest. "Sean! Stop!" Noah shouted, but there was no answer. Stiles felt a surge of dread Scott had headed in that same direction just moments ago.
Deep in the woods, Sean watched as a werewolf hung suspended from a tree. He saw Derek and Scott from a distance but stayed hidden, watching the scene unfold. Gerard looked at the blade in his hand, then sliced through the waist of the werewolf, who had lost his transformation. The sight was gruesome. Scott was in total shock.
As Sean watched, his eyes involuntarily flared a golden yellow. His hair grew longer, and pure rage forced a transformation. This display of cruelty incensed him. He noticed Chris looking visibly upset by Gerard's actions.
Gerard looked at his son. "A code? There is no code anymore. Not after my daughter died! From now on, they all die. Every single werewolf will die! Good or bad, aggressive or innocent they all die!" His voice carried the weight of a death sentence.
The very atmosphere of the forest shifted. Derek's gaze snapped to a specific spot, where he saw Sean, seething with fury. If looks could kill, Gerard would have been torn into a thousand pieces. But in a blink of an eye, Sean vanished from his sight.
The air grew heavy with killing intent and bloodlust, the temperature seemingly dropping. Gerard, Chris, and the hunters looked around warily. Chris knew exactly who this bloodlust belonged to the moment he felt it.
Gerard looked around mockingly. "Come out, you dog!" he barked.
A chuckle echoed through the trees, sounding as if it were right in everyone's ear. It was a whisper the devil's whisper.
"You've made the mistake of your life, Gerard Argent. I hope you cling to this decision until the moment you die. Because your death will be agonizing. You will pay a thousandfold for what you did today. I will make you pay for murdering a harmless werewolf."
Sean knew the man who had been killed. The werewolf had arrived a few days ago, and they had spent a night talking, sharing their life stories.
Gerard and his hunters drew their weapons instantly. "Come out, you coward! Your empty threats won't work!"
A split second later, a scream of pure agony ripped through the air. The body of a hunter, sliced clean in half, flew past their eyes. It happened so fast they couldn't process it.
The voice returned. "Blood for blood, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Don't get too excited, old man. Your death won't be this easy." As the words faded, the remaining half of the hanging werewolf's body was torn to shreds within the shadows and vanished.
Sean didn't linger. He turned and left, his body literally trembling with rage.
Derek held Scott back, whispering in his ear, "This is what hunters are, Scott. This is how it will always be." Scott was still in a trance, having witnessed Sean's sheer brutality.
Derek stared at the bifurcated corpse of the hunter. He realized that if he weren't an Alpha, he wouldn't have even seen how the attack happened. Sean was terrifying both in personality and in power.
After leaving the scene, Sean reappeared at the waterfall. He dove in, letting the water wash him clean. When he closed his eyes, he thought of the man's death. It was as if he could still hear the man's life story echoing in his ears. He calmed himself, and once he stepped out of the water, he headed straight home.
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Author: Greetings! I've been away on vacation, but I'm finally back. I jumped straight into writing this chapter so you wouldn't have to wait any longer. Sorry for the hold-up and thanks for the support!!