Scott was asleep when the door slammed open.
"Dude—get up."
The urgency in Stiles' voice cut straight through the fog of sleep. My eyes snapped open instantly—too fast, too aware for someone who'd been unconscious seconds ago.
For a moment, I didn't move.
The room felt… familiar. Not comforting, not new—just something I recognized without fully owning. Like stepping into a memory I hadn't lived but somehow knew by heart.
Then it clicked.
Scott McCall's room.
And in the doorway—Stiles.
"…right," I muttered under my breath as I pushed myself up.
Stiles frowned. "What?"
"Nothing," I said quickly, grabbing the nearest thing within reach—a bat. My grip settled around it too naturally, like my body already knew what to do with it.
Stiles stared at me. "Why do you have that?"
"Thought you were someone else."
"That's… wow. Really makes me feel appreciated."
I let out a quiet breath, steadying myself. This wasn't a dream. Everything was too sharp, too structured. My thoughts weren't scrambling—they were aligning.
I knew this moment.
Which meant everything after this was already in motion.
"So what's going on?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.
Stiles stepped inside, energy barely contained. "Police scanners picked something up. My dad left like twenty minutes ago, and they're calling in everyone. Like—everyone. Even State."
I stood, pulling on my shoes without rushing. "And?"
He leaned in, lowering his voice like it actually mattered. "They found a body. In the woods."
There it was.
The beginning.
I nodded once, keeping my expression neutral. "A body?"
"Yeah," Stiles said, already pacing. "Except it's not a full body. They only found half."
I paused just long enough to make it believable. "Which half?"
Stiles blinked. "I… didn't even think about that."
I almost smiled.
He pointed at me. "We're going."
Not a suggestion.
Of course not.
"Give me a minute," I said, already moving.
As I stood, something settled quietly behind my vision—not in front of it, not intrusive. Just… there.
Clean. Minimal. Structured.
...
[Proficiency System — Active]
Strength: 4Speed: 5Endurance: 4Control: 3
...
I didn't react outwardly.
But internally, everything sharpened.
Every action improves something.
Good.
I tested it immediately—nothing dramatic, just small adjustments. I tightened my grip on the bat, shifted my fingers slightly, found a more stable hold.
A faint response followed.
[Strength +0.02]
Subtle.
But real.
I exhaled slowly.
Yeah… this was going to matter.
I grabbed my jacket and followed Stiles out.
The night air hit colder than expected. The woods looked darker than they should have been, even with flashlights cutting through the path ahead. It wasn't fear settling in—it was awareness. Sounds carried further. Shadows felt sharper.
Stiles talked the entire way—half theories, half nonsense, with the occasional bad joke thrown in. I let him. It helped keep things normal.
Meanwhile, I tested everything.
I adjusted my steps—shorter strides, then longer. Shifted my weight. Controlled how my feet hit the ground.
[Movement Efficiency +0.03][Balance +0.02]
Not fast.
But consistent.
So repetition stacks.
That changed everything.
"Okay, just to be clear," Stiles said, sweeping his flashlight across the trees, "if we find anything remotely close to a dead body, I'm blaming you."
"That's fair," I said calmly. "This was obviously my idea."
"You didn't stop me."
"That would've taken longer."
He snorted. "Rude."
We moved deeper.
The air changed first.
Subtle enough that Stiles didn't notice—but I did. A faint shift in the wind, carrying something metallic. Something wrong.
I slowed.
"Wait."
Stiles stopped. "What?"
I didn't answer immediately. I focused—not just listening, but filtering. Separating noise from meaning.
Leaves. Wind. Our footsteps.
And underneath—
Movement.
[Perception +0.04]
"We're not alone," I said quietly.
Stiles turned, scanning behind us. "Yeah, no kidding—we're in the woods."
Before I could respond—
"Hold it right there!"
Flashlights burst through the trees. Police.
I didn't hesitate. "Go."
I was already turning.
Stiles didn't argue. We split instantly.
The moment I lost sight of him, the forest shifted.
Quieter.
Not silent—but… reduced. Like everything unnecessary had been stripped away.
I didn't run blindly. Every movement had intent—controlled breathing, measured steps, consistent direction.
[Control +0.05][Endurance +0.03]
A branch snapped behind me.
I stopped.
Slowly.
The growl came next.
Low.
Close.
I turned—
Too late.
The Alpha hit me.
The impact slammed me into the ground, fangs tearing into my side. Pain exploded through my body, sharp and violent.
My instincts kicked in.
I shut them down.
Breathe.
In.
Out.
Don't lose control.
[Pain Resistance +0.06][Control +0.04]
The world blurred for a second, but I held onto it. Forced myself to stay present.
Through the haze, I saw it.
The shape.
The eyes.
Red.
I pushed myself up just enough to stay conscious.
"…Alpha," I muttered.
It paused.
Just for a second, something shifted between us. Recognition? Curiosity?
Then it was gone.
No sound. No warning.
Just… gone.
I stayed still, breathing hard but controlled.
The pain was still there.
But it wasn't overwhelming anymore.
It was contained.
I looked down.
Blood. Real.
But already slowing.
[Endurance +0.05]
I pressed a hand lightly against the wound, testing it, measuring.
"It's already working…"
Not hope.
Observation.
I pushed myself to my feet. Not steady—but steady enough.
That alone was different.
I glanced back into the trees where the Alpha had been.
"I know what you are," I said quietly.
This time, the words carried weight.
The forest stayed silent.
But something in it had noticed.
By the time I got home, everything had settled into something that almost felt normal.
Almost.
I closed the door and leaned against it for a moment, letting everything line up.
The bite had happened.
That part was fixed.
Everything else was still in motion.
I sat on the edge of the bed, flexing my hand slightly.
The system was still there.
Quiet. Constant.
Not guiding. Not interfering.
Just… recording.
Perfect.
Because it meant one thing.
Everything I do matters.
I leaned back, staring ahead—not overwhelmed anymore. Focused.
The future was already mapped out.
The Alpha.
The full moon.
Derek.
Allison.
Hunters.
Mistakes.
This time, none of it was unknown.
And now—
I had more.
A system that rewarded effort.
A body that adapted.
A timeline I understood.
I let out a slow breath.
Then smiled.
"This time… I build this right."
Somewhere deep in the preserve, Peter Hale paused.
Just for a moment.
Because something about the boy he bit felt… off.
Not stronger.
Not yet.
But changing faster than it should.
And that—
Was interesting.