Ch: 80-84
Chapter 80: Back Home pt. 1
After driving almost all night, Jacob, Allison, Lydia, and Cogman finally arrived back in Beacon Hills. The digital clock on the dashboard read 4:07 a.m. as the car rolled to a stop in front of the mansion. The night was still and quiet, save for the faint chirping of crickets.
Malia, who had heard the car, was already waiting for them near the entrance.
When Jacob stepped out, she ran toward him, circling him happily before rubbing her head against his leg.
Jacob smiled, crouching down to pat her head. "Hey, Malia. Missed us?"
She nodded and gave a small bark in reply.
The group headed inside. The mansion felt comforting after everything that had happened in Vegas. Jacob handed all the bank cards to Cogman before heading upstairs with the girls.
Allison and Lydia went straight to their rooms to shower, while Jacob retreated to his. Malia followed him, trotting close behind, and jumped onto his bed as if claiming it for herself.
He took a shower, and by the time he came out, Malia was already curled up and fast asleep. He lay down beside her, gently stroking her fur.
A few minutes later, Allison and Lydia, freshly showered, came into his room. Seeing Malia asleep and Jacob already half-asleep, they exchanged a smile and quietly slipped under the covers.
The four of them slept soundly until morning.
---
Jacob didn't wake up until almost 11 a.m. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, warming the bed. He blinked the sleep from his eyes and noticed that Malia was gone, but Allison and Lydia were still sleeping, hugging him from both sides.
He carefully freed himself from their arms, moving slowly so as not to wake them, and headed downstairs.
Malia was on the couch in the living room, watching an animal documentary on TV.
Jacob sat beside her. "Hey." He said softly. "Did you go to the woods while we were gone?"
She shook her head.
Jacob smiled. "Good girl."
Malia snorted and ignored him, turning her attention back to the TV.
He reached into his pocket dimension and pulled out several snacks and treats he'd picked up for her in Vegas. Malia perked up immediately, her tail wagging.
He grabbed some chips for himself, and the two ate together in comfortable silence.
'System, sign in.' Jacob thought.
[Daily Sign-In Successful. Rewards Obtained:
- Esdeath's Bath Water - 20 liters (Akame Ga Kill!)
- Paddington's Marmalade - 30 jars (Paddington)
- A Pair of Socks]
Jacob read the rewards and sighed. 'System, I like girls, not their bath water or dirty underwear. Stop giving me these perverted rewards. I should get rid of that water again.'
He took a jar of marmalade and some crackers from his pocket dimension and tasted it. 'Not bad.' He thought. 'I should put a few jars in the kitchen.'
Just then, Cogman entered the living room from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a towel. "Sir, breakfast is ready."
Jacob waved a hand dismissively. "Wait until the girls wake up. We'll eat together."
Cogman nodded. "Very well, sir."
Jacob leaned back on the couch. "By the way, how much was on those bank cards?"
"A total of 1.15 billion dollars, sir." Cogman said. "Most of it came from Dimitri's account."
Jacob's eyes widened slightly. "How much was on Dimitri's card?"
"Eight hundred million." Cogman replied smoothly.
Jacob let out a low whistle and grinned. "Those bastards from the auction were loaded. According to Elena's memories, that was just what the Vegas branch made in two months. I can't imagine how much the people behind the auction make from all their branches in the states and overseas."
Cogman tilted his head thoughtfully. "Should we open our own auction house, sir? We could sell only bad people. Poachers, murderers…"
Jacob shot him a sharp glare. "No. I'm not running a slave market. I have no problem killing bad people, but I will never sell them."
Cogman shrugged. "I was merely suggesting, sir."
Jacob rubbed his temples. "Don't ever suggest something like that again. Anyway, did you manage to transfer the money to our accounts?"
"Not yet, sir. Today is Sunday. The banks won't process transactions until tomorrow. While I could hack them today, I prefer to do it during business hours—it's much easier that way."
"Fine." Jacob said. "Once it's done, transfer twenty million to my personal card, and five million each to Allison and Lydia. You can invest the rest or start a company, like we talked about before."
"As you wish, sir." Cogman paused. "And sir, when is our next scheduled outing to... you know, maim and kill people?"
Jacob sighed. "Cogman, stop thinking about killing all the time. Go do something useful—grow our wealth, cook something, or buy yourself a female robot if that'll keep you busy."
"I am not a pervert like you, sir. I find no pleasure in such things." Cogman said. "And growing our wealth is trivial; I could add billions to your account today if you wished. But breaking bones, crushing skulls, tearing out hearts—now that's satisfying. I love squeezing the life out of..."
Jacob groaned. "Stop. Stop! You psychopathic murder-bot, go tend the garden or something. You're ruining my good mood."
Cogman opened his mouth to reply, but Jacob raised a hand. "No. No more talking. Go."
Grumbling, Cogman turned and stomped toward the garden.
Jacob sighed and leaned back on the couch. Malia, who had been watching silently the whole time, tilted her head.
Jacob smiled and reached over, running his hand through her fur. "Don't worry. He only kills bad people."
Malia gave a soft whimper and rested her head on Jacob's thigh. He smiled faintly and went back to watching TV with her.
After half an hour, Allison and Lydia finally came downstairs, both looking half-asleep.
"Morning." Allison said, rubbing her eyes.
"Morning." Jacob replied with a grin. "Sleep well?"
Lydia yawned. "Like a rock. I didn't realize how tired I was. I didn't even have nightmares about killing people yesterday."
Jacob said. "I told you you'd get used to it. Besides, you can't call those monsters we killed yesterday people."
"Where's Cogman?" Allison asked.
"He's sulking in the garden." Jacob said.
"What did he do this time?"
"The usual. He was talking about killing and maiming people, so I sent him out. But he already made breakfast. Let's eat."
They went to the kitchen and ate together, but Malia didn't follow; she was full from the snacks Jacob had given her.
While eating, Jacob said. "By the way, girls, guess how much money we earned from our little trip yesterday."
Lydia said. "A hundred million? Maybe two hundred?"
Jacob smiled. "How about you, Allison? How much do you think we got?"
Allison thought for a moment. "It must be 400 million or more. Those monsters held auctions every week, and the people buying must have been rich, too."
Jacob grinned. "It's 1.15 billion dollars."
Lydia's eyes went wide. "What?! That much?!"
"Yep." Jacob confirmed. "I told Cogman to transfer five million to each of the cards I gave you."
Lydia hugged him. "You're the best! I'm going to buy a nice car, something that suits a queen like me."
Jacob kissed her. "You can buy whatever you want. If you need more money, you just have to ask." He then looked at Allison. "What about you? What do you want to buy?"
Allison smiled. "I don't want anything in particular, so maybe I'll buy a car, too—a Ferrari or something like that. But are we going to be in trouble if we use that money?"
"Don't worry about that." Jacob assured her. "Cogman will take care of it and make it legally ours."
After breakfast, they moved back to the living room, where Malia was still glued to the TV, watching her favorite wildlife show.
Lydia looked at her. "You really love watching animals kill each other, don't you?" She picked up the remote. "Can I switch the channel?"
Malia let out a low growl.
Lydia chuckled. "Okay, okay, chill. I just want to see if what we did yesterday made the news. Then I'll switch back to your murder show."
She changed to a news channel. The screen instantly filled with chaos—footage of the Vegas skyline, a massive explosion, and a shaky phone recording of the auction building collapsing into a crater.
The news anchor's voice was grave:
["Authorities are still investigating the massive explosion that rocked the Las Vegas Strip last night. Officials suspect terrorism or gang violence, though no group has claimed responsibility…"]
Then the footage switched to another angle—one taken from the street. The camera caught a figure dressed like the Joker breathing fire and fighting a massive, bull-like monster under the flickering city lights.
Jacob complained. "Those bastards are making me look bad. Don't they have better footage?"
"Shut up and let us hear what the anchor says." Allison scolded.
The anchor continued:
["Some witnesses believe this footage is from a movie set, but others claim it's real and that these two individuals were responsible for the massive explosion. We have footage of the bull creature tearing a man in half, and the Joker incinerating the bull creature, but we can't show it."]
Jacob leaned back on the couch, arms crossed, an amused smile on his lips.
Next, the station brought in a paranormal expert. The man looked like a walking conspiracy theory—wild hair, dark circles under his eyes, and papers scattered around him.
["The bull monster..." he declared dramatically. "...is clearly the result of a failed government experiment. Probably military genetic testing!"]
The anchor, barely hiding a smirk, asked. ["And the man who breathed fire at it?"]
The theorist snorted. ["That's just alcohol and a lighter—a classic party trick!"]
Allison couldn't hold back a snort. "A party trick that turned a Minotaur into ash."
Jacob and Lydia chuckled.
Allison turned and glared at him. "Remind me again why you had to throw a supernatural coming-out party in the middle of Las Vegas?"
Jacob shrugged, stroking Malia's fur. "Isn't this more fun?"
Lydia rolled her eyes. "I bet a lot of people will lose sleep for a few days after seeing your little horror show."
"That's their problem." Jacob said dismissively. He gestured toward the TV. "Change the channel. Let's see what the others are saying."
Lydia changed to another news station. This time, two so-called experts were arguing on a split-screen.
["It's an alien!" one insisted, waving his arms dramatically.]
["It's a mythological Minotaur, obviously!" Shouted the other, slamming his hand on the desk.]
They started yelling over each other while the flustered anchor tried—and failed—to regain control.
Jacob smirked. "This is so much fun."
Lydia switched again. Now a stern-looking government representative was giving a press conference.
"Hey, why did you switch? I loved those two crazy guys." Jacob complained.
"Shush!" Allison said, leaning forward.
["These videos are all fake."] The government representative said firmly. ["They are elaborate CGI hoaxes. As for the building, we believe the explosion was gang-related, and we are still investigating."]
Jacob laughed. "The government's really doing its best to hide the truth."
Lydia kept flipping channels—and froze when the next report showed actor Bryan Cranston being escorted by police.
["Bryan Cranston was briefly detained by authorities after a limousine rented under his character's name, Walter White, was found abandoned near the explosion site. The person who rented it was described as looking exactly like the actor. Cranston has since been cleared of all suspicion."]
Jacob burst out laughing. "Oh, come on! Poor guy was probably sleeping when it happened!"
Allison shook her head in disbelief. "You really caused a mess."
"Come on, this is fun!" Jacob said, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "The whole country—maybe the whole world—is busy now discussing whether that Minotaur is real. The government and others who know the truth are probably trying their best to hide it. And I bet there are supernatural groups out there who liked what I did and are thinking of doing the same, exposing the supernatural to everyone."
Allison smiled. "I guess you're right, this is fun. I just hope nothing bad happens, like a supernatural revolution or something."
"That would be even more fun!" Jacob said with a grin. "Maybe I should start a revolution and rule this country."
Lydia's eyes lit up. "That's crazy, but I wouldn't mind being the wife of the President of the United States."
Jacob shook his head. "No, no. Not the wife of the president, but the wife of the King of America. That means you and Allison would be queens."
Lydia's smile widened. "I like the sound of that even more."
Hearing a low growl from the couch, Lydia quickly switched back to the animal channel. Malia immediately stopped growling and wagged her tail, satisfied.
The three of them grabbed their phones and started scrolling. Within seconds, their social media feeds were flooded—clips of the fight, wild conspiracy threads, and hashtags like #VegasMonster and #FireJoker, all racking up millions of views.
Jacob chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Look at that. I'm trending."
Lydia, scrolling through her phone, said. "They've arrested a lot of clowns in Vegas since yesterday."
Jacob laughed. "That's hilarious."
Allison sighed. "I bet it's not just the people from the auction looking for you now. Probably the government, the FBI, and who knows who else. Maybe even NASA is looking for your alien ass."
Jacob stretched lazily. "They can look all they want." He smiled confidently. "They'll never find me. Maybe next time I should make the news as Batman."
Allison raised an eyebrow. "There will be a next time?"
"Definitely." Jacob said. "So you girls should start thinking about what you want to disguise as."
Lydia nodded. "Let's just make sure not to cause any news-worthy trouble in Beacon Hills. That would draw a lot of unnecessary attention, and would probably expose us."
"Of course." Jacob agreed. "We'll only cause trouble in other states. I don't want to expose myself—not yet, at least."
Chapter 81: Back Home pt. 2
Outside the mansion, Cogman, who had just finished tending the garden, heard a car park in front of the iron gate. He went to investigate and found Stiles and Scott waiting by the Jeep.
Cogman nodded at Scott, then looked at Stiles. "What do you want, Pillow Humper?"
"Hey, don't call me that!" Stiles protested. "I was sleeping, okay? I thought the pillow was a girl! We're here to see Jacob."
Cogman's eyes narrowed. "Do you have an appointment?"
"An appointment?" Stiles frowned. "I didn't know we needed an appointment to see him."
"I see." Cogman replied smoothly. "Then you are uninvited guests. Should I dispose of you before you ruin the sir's morning?"
"Dispose of us?!" Stiles stepped back. "Scott, hurry up and howl or something to make Jacob come out before this psychopathic robot kills us!"
"Can you just let me in, Cogman?" Scott asked. "Then you and Stiles can continue... whatever this is."
"No, don't leave me alone with him!" Stiles pleaded. "He might actually kill me!"
Cogman opened the gate and walked toward Stiles with a smirk. "Don't worry. I won't kill you. I'll just break a few of your bones."
Stiles opened his mouth to argue, but Jacob's voice came from inside the mansion. "Cogman, stop messing around and let them in."
"As you wish, sir." Cogman said, stepping aside with an exaggerated gesture. "Welcome."
Scott walked toward the mansion while Stiles got back in his Jeep, drove through the gate, and parked in front of the entrance.
They walked inside and found Lydia and Allison sitting together on a couch, while Malia lay lazily on Jacob's lap in a recliner. She lifted her head, watching the newcomers with curiosity.
Stiles froze mid-step. "Uh… Jacob? Did you catch a coyote and force it to be your pet?"
He walked over and reached out to pet her. Jacob raised a brow but didn't stop him.
The next second, Malia bit Stiles's hand and shook it like a chew toy before letting go.
"AAAAH! It bit me!" Stiles yelled, clutching his hand as blood dripped onto the floor—though the wound was already starting to heal.
Allison, Lydia, and Jacob burst out laughing.
"She's not my pet, you idiot." Jacob said. "She's a werecoyote. Her name is Malia."
Stiles blinked, his face shifting from pain to shock, then to realization. An evil smirk appeared. "Oh. She's Malia. Your third wife, right?"
Jacob's laughter cut short. "Wait, what?"
Lydia frowned. "What do you mean, third wife?"
Allison turned to Jacob, arms crossed, eyes narrowing. "Since when is Malia your wife?"
Even Malia tilted her furry head, giving Jacob a confused look.
Jacob glared at Stiles. "He's lying."
"No, I'm not!" Stiles smiled. "You literally told us—you said you had three wives when you and Melissa came back from your little date!"
Allison's expression froze. She walked over to Jacob, grabbed him by the ear, and yanked hard. "Forget about Malia—who is this Melissa he's talking about?!"
Jacob winced. "Ouch! Ow! He's lying, Allison, there was no date!"
Scott smiled, seeing a chance to get Jacob in trouble for taking his mom out. "No, Stiles isn't lying… and Melissa's my mom."
Lydia blinked in disbelief. "I knew you were a scumbag, Jay—but your friend's mother? That's low, even for a pervert like you."
Allison let go of his ear, but not before giving it one last painful twist. "You better start explaining."
Jacob rubbed his ear. "There's nothing to explain! I had dinner with her—once. She was sad, and I took her out to make her feel better. As a friend, nothing more."
Stiles smirked. "But I remember you wiped the tears from her face and called her beautiful and..."
Jacob glared daggers at him. "Cogman, you can kill Stiles now."
Cogman smiled and rubbed his hands together. "As you wish, sir."
Stiles immediately dove behind the couch where Allison and Lydia were sitting. Peering out from his hiding spot, he pleaded. "Girls, save me from your psychotic butler, please!"
Allison smiled. "He's just joking, Cogman. You can't kill Stiles."
"I know, my lady." Cogman said. "But can I break a few of his bones? He'll heal."
Allison shook her head. "No."
Cogman groaned. "At least let me cut off his tongue."
"You can't do that either." Allison said.
Stiles shuddered. "That's even worse than breaking my bones, you psycho!"
Cogman glared at Stiles. "Stop hiding behind my ladies and come face me like a man, you cowardly Pillow Humper."
Jacob laughed. "Pillow Humper—what a nice nickname for Stiles."
"No, it's not nice!" Stiles glared at Cogman. "And you, I told you to stop calling me that!"
Cogman smirked. "And what are you going to do about it?"
"Alright, Cogman, that's enough." Allison said. "Stop arguing with Stiles."
"My lady, can I at least punch him in the face? Just once?"
"Nope."
Cogman groaned in frustration, then turned to an empty armchair and began hitting it with a series of karate chops, kicks, and punches until it fell over. He calmly put it back in place, fixed his suit, and smiled. "Anyone fancy a drink?"
Allison shook her head with an amused smile. "Yeah, go make us some tea and bring some snacks."
"Right away, my lady." Cogman said, then headed to the kitchen.
Stiles cursed under his breath. "Crazy bastard..."
Lydia smirked. "Stiles, we can protect you from Cogman, but only if you promise to tell us everything Jay does when we're not around from now on."
Jacob smirked and looked at Stiles. "You can promise her, but she won't always be there to protect you from Cogman. And since you're a traitor, I'll go after Erica."
Stiles panicked. "Nooo! You can kill me, but please don't go after Erica. I really like her."
Jacob then turned to Scott, who was still smiling. "And you. You seem so pleased with yourself. Even after I helped protect your mom from Peter, you came here and helped Stiles get me in trouble with my girls. So, you will pay for that."
Scott stopped smiling. "What are you going to do?"
Jacob said. "I never thought about going after Melissa, but now I'm not so sure."
Scott's eyes widened. "What, nooo! You can't do that!" He looked pleadingly at Allison and Lydia. "Help me, please! Tell him not to go after my mom!"
Allison shrugged. "Sorry, if he's decided to go after her, we can't help you. He's a pervert, and we can't change that even if we wanted to."
Seeing both Stiles and Scott looking depressed, Jacob felt better and smiled in satisfaction. But a sharp glare from Lydia and Allison made him cough awkwardly.
"Alright, guys." he said, changing the subject. "Tell me why you're here."
Lydia interjected. "Wait, first, Stiles, wipe your blood from the floor where you bled when Malia bit you."
Stiles took a paper napkin from the table, wiped the drops of blood from the floor, and pocketed the napkin.
Allison said. "You can throw that in the trash. It's in the kitchen."
"Nope." Stiles replied. "That psycho is in there. I'm not going anywhere near him."
Jacob looked at Scott. "So, do you want to talk about something?"
Scott sighed. "We came to talk about what happened in Vegas."
Jacob raised a brow. "Vegas? What about it?"
Scott frowned. "The explosion. The news. The bull-like monster and the Joker." He glanced between Jacob and the girls. "You guys didn't see it?"
Jacob said,. "Oh, you're talking about that. We saw it on TV. Crazy stuff."
Stiles sat next to Scott. "Yeah, crazy. And somehow, while all that was happening, you four were out of town. Where were you guys? And that Joker looks a little like you, Jacob."
Lydia met his gaze evenly. "We went to Monterey."
Stiles squinted. "Monterey? You expect me to believe that?"
Jacob smirked. "Believe whatever you want, Stiles."
Scott asked. "Do you guys think the supernatural will be exposed, and the government and normal humans will start hunting supernatural creatures?"
Jacob said. "The government is already trying its best to cover things up because, unlike you, they know that hunting all supernatural creatures is an impossible, bad idea."
Stiles nodded. "Yeah, first of all, supernatural creatures have superpowers. And no one knows how many humans are actually supernatural. It could be a quarter, or maybe even half of the world's population. Trying to hunt them all is a stupid idea that will result in a war between supernatural creatures and normal humans. You can imagine how that will end."
Scott asked. "Are you guys saying the government is aware of the supernatural side of the world?"
Lydia nodded. "Of course. And I think most of the higher-ups are witches, wizards, vampires, or other creatures who can control people mentally. Or they're normal humans who have a creature like that working for them—or they work for one."
Jacob said. "Scott, you should stop thinking that the only people who know about supernatural creatures are us and a few others. I'm sure billions of people are either supernatural themselves or know about the supernatural."
They kept talking about what happened in Vegas and checking the news. Cogman brought tea and some snacks, and they continued their conversation until 2 p.m., when he called them for lunch.
After lunch, Cogman drove Allison and Lydia back to their parents' houses, leaving Scott and Stiles in the mansion with Jacob and Malia.
Jacob asked. "By the way, Scott, did you talk to your boss about what you are and what he is?"
Scott said. "Yeah, I had a good talk with him. Like you said, he's a druid. He already helped me put a barrier of mountain ash around my house and taught me and my mom how to activate it."
Stiles added. "He put one around my house, too."
Jacob smirked. "Did he ask you if you know what I am?"
Scott nodded. "He did. I told him you're a shapeshifter, but I have no idea what you are."
Jacob smirked. "I see. Anyway, let's go play some video games. We haven't played in a while."
With that, they went to the gaming room and started playing. After two hours, Stiles and Scott left. Jacob went to the bathroom and poured Esdeath's bath water directly from his pocket dimension into the toilet. Then he took Malia for a walk in the woods.
She led the way to a crashed car and sat there, staring at it.
Jacob sat next to her, stroking her fur, and didn't say a word. When the sky began to darken, they returned to the mansion.
Chapter 82: The Rotten Scent
Ten days had passed since Jacob burned the auction building in Vegas. In those ten days, not much had happened—the commotion Jacob caused in Vegas died down, but people all around the country still talked about the Minotaur. Peter and Derek were lying low, the Argents hadn't tracked them down, and Jacob's daily sign-ins these past ten days had yielded only kitchen essentials or normal food like cans of tuna or a few dollars.
That morning, he woke to the familiar weight and warmth of Malia curled against him, tucked into the hollow of his arm like a living pillow. Allison and Lydia had spent the night at their parents' houses.
Jacob stroked her fur gently and thought. 'System, sign in.'
[Daily Sign-In Successful. Rewards Obtained:
- a plunger for your toilet
- $50
- a measuring tape]
He sighed. 'I've been really unlucky these past few days.'
He got out of bed, waking Malia in the process. "Sorry, go back to sleep. I've got school." She curled back up and was soon asleep again.
He took a quick shower, dressed, and went downstairs. Cogman was waiting in the kitchen.
"Morning, Cogman." Jacob said.
"Good morning, sir." Cogman replied. "Should I drive you to school today, sir, or are you taking your bike?"
"No, I'll take my bike today." Jacob said, grabbing a slice of toast.
"Very well, sir." Cogman said.
After finishing his meal, Jacob rode his bike to school.
At school, Jacob met Scott and Stiles.
"Morning, guys." Jacob said.
"Morning." Scott and Stiles answered in unison.
Jacob raised a brow at how cheerful they seemed. "Why are you two smiling like idiots? Did something good happen?"
Stiles pointed toward the parking lot, where Jackson had just climbed out of his Porsche, looking confident as he walked toward the school. "We took Jackson to Peter yesterday, and Peter gave him the bite. Jackson paid us ten grand."
"I see." Jacob said. He glanced at Jackson and thought. 'I wonder if he's still going to turn into a Kanima.'
Shaking off the thought, he turned to Scott. "Did you pick out a car yet?"
"Yeah." Scott said, grinning. "I found a nice 2000 Mustang GT for $6,000. It's owned by an older gentleman, the mileage is a little less than 50,000, and it's in great condition. Title and registration will cost an extra six hundred, so $6,600 total. I gave Stiles a thousand, I gave my mom two grand, kept $400 for myself, and I'm going to get the car today after school."
Jacob tilted his head. "Did you tell Melissa where the money came from?"
Scott said. "I told her I did a werewolf a favor, and he gifted me ten grand. She took the $2,000 and said she really needs it to pay some bills."
"How is she, by the way?" Jacob asked. "I should give her a visit."
"No. You stay away from her!" Scott snapped.
Jacob said. "Relax, I'm sixteen. I don't want to date your mom." Then he smiled. "I just want to build a good relationship with her and make sure she stays single until I turn eighteen."
Scott's eyes flashed yellow, and he let out a low, warning growl. Jacob laughed and ran off toward Allison and Lydia, who had just arrived at school.
Scott calmed down and looked at Stiles, who was quieter than usual. "What? No sarcastic comment?"
"I've got plenty." Stiles shrugged. "But I don't want to say anything about Jacob dating your mom in front of him. I don't want him getting upset and going after Erica." Then he smirked. "But now that he's gone, I can say something sarcastic about your future stepdad if you want."
Scott got angry when he heard the word stepdad. "You know what? I think I'll go after Erica myself."
Stiles stared at him wide-eyed for a second, then burst out laughing.
"Why are you laughing?" Scott said. "I'm serious!"
"Ahahahahaha! You are... serious?" Stiles managed to say between laughs. "Hahahaha!"
"Stop laughing!" Scott said, growing more frustrated.
Stiles finally caught his breath, wiping a tear from his eye. "I'm sorry, it's just... that's the funniest thing you've ever said!"
"You think I couldn't get her if I wanted to?" Scott challenged.
"I thought my laughing was an obvious answer." Stiles retorted. "What do you think you have that I don't? You used to be the lacrosse co-captain, but now I'm just as good as you after Jacob gave me that potion. If I wanted to be captain, I could—but since we're best friends, I don't want to take that from you. Besides, Erica likes me, and she would never be interested in your stupid ass."
"Hey, you didn't have to call me stupid." Scott grumbled.
"Aren't you failing a few classes?" Stiles shot back.
"Not anymore." Scott said, a touch of pride in his voice.
Stiles snorted. "Anyway, I thought we were brothers. I never thought I'd have to worry about you going after my girlfriend. I really want to beat your ass for saying you'd go after her. So, I'm not talking to you for the rest of the morning."
With that, Stiles turned and walked into the school building, leaving Scott standing alone, scratching his head awkwardly.
---
After school, there was a lacrosse game, and Jacob and the girls went to see it since there was nothing else to do.
In the bleachers, Allison saw her parents and Kate sitting there. "What are they doing here?" She asked.
Jacob said. "I don't know. If I have to guess… maybe they're looking for Peter's betas since they couldn't find him and Derek."
"I'm going to ask them." Allison said, then walked toward her parents.
Jacob noticed Melissa sitting beside Sheriff Stilinski. He took Lydia's hand, walked over, and sat next to her.
"Jacob! How are you?" Melissa greeted with a warm smile as he sat.
"Hey, Melissa, long time no see." Jacob said. "Is Scott still making trouble for you?"
Melissa chuckled. "No, he's surprisingly well-behaved, more than usual since the last time I saw you."
Then Jacob looked at Scott on the field, who was glaring at him. "Is he? Anyway, if you want to teach him a lesson, just let me know."
Melissa reached over and twisted his ear lightly. "I can take care of my son, kid. But thanks."
Lydia, on Jacob's other side, pinched him. He took the hand that was pinching him and kissed it, making her pout.
The game started, and Scott was playing rough. Instead of reprimanding him, Coach was actually cheering him on and arguing with the referee every time a foul was whistled against Scott.
As the game continued, Scott looked at the bleachers, where his mom wasn't even paying attention to him but was talking and laughing with Jacob. His eyes glowed, and he ran to one of his own teammates, bumped him hard, took the ball, and ran toward the opposite team's goal to score.
Stiles caught up with Scott. "Scott, calm down! Let's go check on Sean; I think you hurt him badly. I swear, when you hit him, I heard his bones breaking."
Scott came back to his senses and walked with Stiles toward his teammate to check on him, but the guy named Sean stood up and pushed Scott away.
"I'm fine." Sean snapped as he walked off.
As Sean walked away, Scott looked at Stiles and whispered. "Sean is like me. I think he just shifted when he pushed me."
Stiles whispered back. "A werewolf?"
Scott said. "No, he's something else. And whatever he is, he smells bad. Like, really bad."
Jacob, sitting in the bleachers, felt a wave of disgust the moment Sean shifted and pushed Scott away.
"Jay." Lydia whispered, leaning close. "I don't like that guy who just pushed Scott. He feels wrong."
Jacob made sure the Sheriff doesn't hear them and said."I know. I think he's a wendigo."
"Are you sure?" Lydia asked.
Jacob said. "Yes. You can't tell when a wendigo doesn't shift, but when they do, they smell rotten, and he just shifted when he shoved Scott. You stay here with Melissa."
Melissa, who was listening, whispered, leaning close. "What's a wendigo?"
"Lydia, tell her." Jacob said.
Lydia nodded, and Jacob got down from the bleachers. He walked near the field and called Stiles over.
Stiles jogged over. "Can you stop messing around and keep away from Melissa, at least until the game's over? Scott is going to lose control and hurt someone."
"Don't worry about that." Jacob said. "Tell me, what's the last name of that guy, Sean?"
"Walcott." Stiles said.
Jacob thought. 'So, he is the wendigo from season 4. He and his family have a secret stash of human bodies in their basement.'
Stiles brought Jacob out of his thoughts. "Why are you asking about his last name? Is it because he's a shapeshifter too?"
"No, it's because he's a wendigo, and I need his last name to know where he lives." Jacob said.
Stiles frowned. "What are you going to do?"
"Let's just say your dad will be very busy tomorrow." Jacob glanced back at the field. "Now go play your stupid game. Coach is coming this way, and I don't feel like talking to him."
Stiles nodded and didn't ask any more questions. He jogged back to continue the game as Jacob moved to a remote corner of the lacrosse field and spoke to Allison telepathically. [Allison, come here and bring your parents too.]
Not long after, Allison, her parents, and Kate came and stood next to him.
Victoria said. "Allison said you wanted to talk to us. What's going on?"
Jacob's expression was serious. "There's a wendigo on the field right now—and you know what that means, right?"
Chris frowned. "If that's true, there's probably a family of them living here in Beacon Hills."
"Yes, and we can't let them live past tonight." Jacob said. "So, this is your chance to show Allison what hunters really should do—getting rid of evil supernatural creatures."
Chris nodded. "Do you know where he lives?"
Jacob shook his head. "No, just his full name—Sean Walcott."
"That's good enough." Chris said, stepping aside and pulling out his phone. "I'll make a few calls."
As Chris walked off, Victoria turned to Jacob. "How do you know he's a wendigo?"
"He shifted, and I caught his scent." Jacob said. "I've dealt with wendigos before. Although it was Cogman who killed them, I still remember their scent. They smell like rotting flesh."
Kate said. "That's true. I've dealt with one before. Nasty things—but not that strong. They're easy to kill."
"I guess you've never met one in its alpha form." Jacob said. "I've read about them and have a picture of a wendigo in its alpha form, and it is not pretty to look at—a deer skull for a head, a furry body, and red glowing eyes instead of white. They're monsters among monsters."
Victoria nodded. "We have that picture in the bestiary too, but no one has seen an alpha wendigo in centuries."
Allison said. "And I hope we don't see it either." She looked at Jacob. "Do you think Sean's family has an alpha?"
Jacob shook his head. "Probably not."
Chris rejoined them, slipping his phone back into his pocket. "I got their address. We'll hit them tonight at 11 PM."
"Alright." Jacob said. "You guys get ready. Cogman and I will join you at your place. He'll sulk for a week if I don't take him with us tonight, and he'll probably start playing creepy music on his piano. I'd rather not wake up to him playing creepy music at 3 a.m."
Allison laughed. "Yeah… that sounds exactly like him."
Jacob smirked. "Are you going with your parents, or with me and Lydia?"
"I'll go with my parents." Allison said. "I want to see how they prepare for a hunt."
Jacob leaned in, kissed her, and said. "Alright then, I'll meet you at your parents' house." Then he started walking toward Lydia, waving over his shoulder. "See you guys later."
As he reached Melissa and Lydia, he kissed Melissa on the cheek and said, "Good night."
Melissa raised a brow. "You're not going after that wendigo, are you?"
"Yes, we are." Jacob said. "We can't leave something that dangerous living in Beacon Hills. Wendigos eat people, Melissa."
"Is Scott going with you?" She asked, concern clear in her voice.
"No. He doesn't want to kill people, even monsters like wendigos, so we will not take him with us." Jacob said.
Seeing that Melissa's expression had changed and she obviously didn't agree with killing people, Jacob sighed. "Don't give me that look, Melissa. If you want, I'll call you and Scott afterward. You can see for yourself what wendigos really do. And don't worry, I would never encourage Scott to take a life. He chose not to kill, and I respect his choice."
Melissa thought for a moment, then nodded. "All right. Call me when it's done. I want to see with my own eyes how horrible they really are."
Jacob smiled faintly. "Alright."
He and Lydia walked toward the parking lot. "Did you bring your car?" He asked.
Lydia said. "No, I came in Allison's car; she drove to school today."
"Then let's ride my bike home." Jacob said, tossing her a helmet.
They climbed onto his bike and rode off toward the mansion.
Chapter 83: The Wendigo Hunt
Jacob and Lydia arrived home and greeted Malia. Then, Jacob headed to the kitchen, where he found Cogman cooking and singing a depressing British war song.
"Cogman, hurry up and finish cooking, we have work to do." Jacob said. "And please stop singing that horrible song."
Cogman stopped cooking and looked at Jacob with excitement. "What kind of work are we talking about, sir?"
"The kind you love." Jacob replied.
Cogman's eyes lit up. "What are we killing tonight?"
"A family of wendigos."
"Then let's go now! You can have dinner later, sir." Cogman urged, already moving to put the food away.
Jacob held up a hand. "Either you feed me, or we are not going. And we're not leaving until 10:30. We'll pass by the Argents' house first, then we'll go after the wendigos."
Jacob left the kitchen, leaving Cogman to cook in a suddenly good mood, now humming a happy tune.
After dinner, Cogman drove Lydia and Jacob to the Argents' house. Arriving there, Jacob contacted Allison telepathically. [Allison, we are outside. Are you guys ready yet?]
[We are. Just five minutes and we'll be out.] She replied. [Are you going to ride with us or take the Rolls Royce? I think you should ride with us; the Royce is too eye-catching.]
[Alright, we'll ride with you guys.]
Five minutes later, the Argents emerged. Lydia and Jacob rode with Allison and her parents, while Cogman rode with Kate in her car—an arrangement that made her visibly nervous.
After a short drive, they parked a fair distance from the wendigo family's house.
"So, what's the plan now?" Jacob asked.
Chris said. "We'll go and knock on the door and force our way inside after they open it."
"That's it?" Jacob raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were going to disguise yourselves as a lost couple or salesmen or something. This is just boring. You guys suck."
Allison shot him a glare.
He raised his hands in surrender. "Fine, fine. I'll shut up."
Jacob looked out of the car window and spotted Sean on his bicycle heading toward his house. "Wait here." He said. "I'll be right back."
"Where are you going?" Allison asked.
"Just wait."
He got out of the car and, after making sure no one was watching, used his super-speed. He caught Sean, dragged him into a dark alley, and dropped him on the ground.
Sean was startled; everything happened so fast. Before he could react, he found himself in a dark alley on the ground. He stood up and looked at Jacob. "Who are you? And what do..." He recognized Jacob. "Wait, I've seen you in school before. What do you want?"
Jacob didn't bother to answer. His hand moved in a blur, catching Sean by the throat. He inserted his claws into the back of Sean's neck and began reading his memories.
When he was done, Jacob's eyes glowed golden, his face a mask of rage. He choked Sean and slammed him against the wall. "You damn monster! How many people have you and your family eaten?"
Sean, dazed from the forcible memory reading, looked at Jacob with terror. He shifted, his eyes glowed white and his teeth became sharp and yellow. He struggled violently, trying to free himself from Jacob's grip, but he couldn't move Jacob's arm at all.
The moment Sean shifted, a horrible, rotten smell hit Jacob like a physical punch. Disgusted, Jacob punched him, knocking him unconscious and nearly breaking his skull. He watched Sean shift back to normal after losing consciousness, spat to the side, and muttered. "Disgusting bastard."
Then he dragged Sean's limp body back to the cars.
Allison and the others saw him coming and got out.
Lydia looked at Jacob, concerned. "What's wrong? You look pissed."
"I read his memories." Jacob said, his voice grim.
Allison asked. "What did you see?"
"Their basement is a cold room… filled with human bodies. Hanging like butchered cattle."
Lydia's eyes widened. "How many bodies are we talking about?"
"Sean doesn't know the exact number." Jacob said grimly. "But he knows there are more than twenty. His parents and older brother hunt outside of Beacon Hills to avoid suspicion, driving to other towns and cities to find their victims. Then they bring them back here. Sometimes they bring their victims alive so they can kill them slowly. They like fresh blood."
"Damn those monsters." Allison muttered, her voice shaking with anger.
Jacob added. "And they have guests tonight." He then looked at Kate. "Remember the alpha wendigo we talked about?"
Kate's eyes widened. "One of them is an alpha wendigo?"
Jacob nodded. "Yes. Sean's grandfather is an alpha wendigo, and his grandmother is almost an alpha, too. Apparently, for a wendigo to reach alpha status, it needs to eat the organs of other alpha creatures. According to Sean's memories, his grandfather ate two alpha werewolves and an alpha weregator to become an alpha. His grandmother has only eaten one alpha werewolf, so although she is stronger than normal wendigos, she hasn't become a full alpha yet."
Victoria said. "That is going to be a problem."
"There is no problem." Jacob stated firmly. "You guys take care of Sean's brother and parents. Leave the grandparents for us. Now let's go. They caught a guy for dinner, so we better hurry—we might be able to save him."
As they walked toward Sean's house, a System window appeared in front of Jacob's eyes:
[Available Sign-In:
- Location Sign-In: Host can sign in inside the wendigo's basement.]
Jacob thought. 'Finally, a location sign-in! System, let's not talk about event sign-ins, but why didn't you give me a quest or a location sign-in opportunity when I went to Vegas?'
[Host can only get quests and location sign-ins from events and locations related to the Teen Wolf series canon.]
Jacob complained internally. 'You are too cheap, System.'
---
Inside the Walcott House
The air was warm and filled with the savory, herb-laden scent of a home-cooked meal, yet beneath it lay a thick, coppery undertone of blood and the faint, sickly smell of decay. A "Welcome Home" cross-stitch hung on the wall beside a framed family photo where everyone smiled a little too widely, their eyes a touch too hungry.
In the dining room, Christina Walcott, a woman with a kind face and a floral apron, placed a large platter of oven-roasted ribs on the table. The meat was glazed and beautifully presented, but to a trained eye, the bone structure was unnervingly, unmistakably human.
David Walcott, the picture of a proud father and husband, leaned in, picked up a rib, and took a hearty bite. He chewed thoughtfully. "As expected from you, Christina, the taste is great." He said, smiling at his wife. "But these ribs are a bit too lean. You know how my mom loves juicy meat."
Christina wiped her hands on her apron and gestured with a nod towards the corner of the room, where a terrified fat man was tied to a chair, gagged, his face pale and slick with sweat. "Aren't we eating him?" She said sweetly. "He is juicy enough."
David chuckled. "True, true."
Their older son, Michael, entered the room, his eyes scanning the table. "Mom, did you make me my favorite?"
"Of course, honey." Christina beamed. "The meatloaf is in the kitchen. I made it from the thighs of that girl you caught yourself."
Michael kissed his mother's cheek. "You're the best."
At the head of the table, the grandfather drummed his fingers impatiently. "Where is Sean? I'm starving." His voice was a dry rasp.
"I talked to him ten minutes ago." David said, checking his watch. "He said he was on his way home."
Just then, a knock echoed from the front door.
"See? That's him." David said. "Michael, open the door for your brother."
Michael jogged to the door and pulled it open, a greeting smile on his lips that died instantly. It wasn't Sean.
Cogman stood on the doorstep, impeccably dressed and wearing a serene smile. "Good evening."
Michael's eyes darted down and saw his younger brother, unconscious and being held up like a sack of potatoes by the cheerful butler. Behind Cogman, he saw a crowd of grim-faced strangers—Jacob, the Argents, and Lydia.
"Who are you people?!" Michael snarled, his eyes beginning to glow a sickly white. "What did you do to Sean?!"
Cogman's smile didn't falter. "He is fine; he is just unconscious. As for us," He said, his voice dripping with fake politeness. "we are here to have fun with your family."
Before Michael could process the statement, Cogman's fist shot out with piston-like force. It connected with his face with a sickening crunch, sending the young wendigo flying backward through the entryway. In a flash, Cogman was on him again, delivering a brutal kick that launched him into the dining room to crash against the table.
Plates and cutlery clattered to the floor as Cogman stepped calmly into the room.
Jacob and the others entered the house, closed the door behind them, and followed Cogman into the dining room.
The moment David and Christina saw their son Michael crash into the dining table and their younger boy, Sean, limp in Cogman's grip, their human facades dissolved. Their eyes glowed a sickly white, their teeth sharpened into yellowed, jagged fangs, and the disgusting, rotten scent of their true nature flooded the room.
But they didn't get a chance to attack.
Victoria, Chris, and Kate raised their silenced weapons and fired. David, Christina, and the dazed Michael were shot between the eyes and dropped dead to the floor.
Simultaneously, Cogman looked down at the unconscious Sean in his grasp. With a casual motion, his hand shot into the boy's chest and emerged clutching a still-beating heart. He dropped the body with a dismissive thud.
The two grandparents, who had been frozen in shock, snapped back to their senses. The grandmother shifted with a guttural snarl. She was far stronger than her children; her eyes blazed white, her face elongated into a deer-like visage, and her fingers sprouted into long, razor-sharp claws. She lunged at the nearest threat—Victoria.
Victoria raised her gun, but the wendigo grandmother was impossibly fast, dodging the silenced shot. She closed the distance, her claws poised to slash Victoria's throat.
But a powerful gust of wind erupted from Allison's mouth, slamming into the wendigo grandmother and sending her crashing into the far wall. Allison stepped forward, her eyes glowing green, and the air around her hummed with energy.
"Mom, let me take care of her." She said, her voice steady. The katana, Shusui, materialized from her space ring into her hand. As her fingers closed around the hilt, a swirling coat of green wind sheathed the blade.
The wendigo grandmother scrambled out of the shattered drywall with a furious roar and charged again. Allison was ready. She met the charge with a single, fluid slash. A streak of green light followed the blade's path, and the wendigo's arm flew from her body, landing with a wet thud. The creature staggered back, shrieking in agony.
A low, bone-chilling growl filled the room. The grandfather was shifting. His body expanded, cracking and stretching until he stood nearly eight feet tall. His head transformed completely into a white deer skull with jagged antlers, and his eyes glowed red. With a speed that turned his huge body into a blur, he launched himself at Allison.
Jacob watched, arms crossed. He decided to let Allison defend herself.
Allison reacted instantly, raising her free hand. A shimmering energy shield materialized in front of her. The alpha wendigo's massive claws slammed into it with a sound like shattering glass. The shield cracked violently but held, the force of the blow causing Allison to grit her teeth and slide back a few inches.
The alpha reared back for another strike, but Jacob had seen enough.
In a burst of motion, he appeared between Allison's shield and the wendigo. He leaped, his own hand closing around the base of the wendigo's antlered skull. With raw, overwhelming force, he slammed the massive creature face-first into the hardwood floor. The impact was thunderous, splintering the boards and cracking the bone of the wendigo's skull.
A pained, gurgling roar escaped the wendigo.
Jacob stood up, dusted off his hands, and delivered a brutal kick to the monster's side, sending it skidding across the room to stop at Cogman's feet.
"He is all yours." Jacob said calmly.
Cogman's eyes lit up. "Thank you, sir."
"And, Cogman." Jacob added, his voice dropping to a cold, flat tone.
Cogman, who had just punched the struggling wendigo back to the ground, looked up. "Yes, sir?"
"Make his death as painful and slow as possible."
Cogman gave a deep, theatrical bow. "With pleasure, sir." He grabbed one of the wendigo's antlers. "Let's have some fun." With a sickening crack, he broke the antler off and immediately drove the sharp, broken end deep into the wendigo's chest.
Jacob waved a hand in front of his nose. "Cogman, drag him to another room and have all the fun you want with him. He stinks."
"Of course, sir." Cogman began dragging the shrieking, struggling alpha away, punching and kicking him as he went. The angry, pained roars of the wendigo echoed from the hallway.
The grandmother, clutching her severed stump, saw her powerful alpha husband being dragged away like a toy. Knowing she was doomed, she made a desperate attempt to escape, turning to sprint towards the nearest window.
Allison didn't even move from her spot. She simply gestured with her free hand, and two razor-sharp wind arrows shot forth. They struck the grandmother, embedding themselves in the back of her knees. The creature crumpled to the floor with a cry.
She turned her deer-like face toward Allison, a final, hateful growl rumbling in her throat.
Allison responded with two dismissive flicks of her wrist. Two crescent blades of wind shot from Shusui, slicing through the air and through the wendigo's body with a sickening, wet sound. The creature fell apart into several cleanly severed pieces.
Silence descended upon the ravaged dining room, broken only by the wet, choking screams and the sound of splintering bone that continued to emanate from down the hall.
Chris looked at Jacob and said. "Your butler is a psychopath."
Jacob nodded his head, a faint, grim smile on his lips. "Yeah, he is. I almost feel sorry for that poor bastard he's having fun with."
Chapter 84: Aftermath
After dealing with the wendigos, Jacob pulled out his phone and sent a text to Scott and Stiles: [You guys can come if you want to see what wendigos really are. Wear hoodies. And bring Melissa with you; she said she wanted to see.] Then he sent them the address of the Walcotts.
After that, he turned to the Argents, his expression serious. "A friend of mine is on his way. He's a werewolf, but not by choice. Peter Hale bit him the night we went looking for Laura Hale's body in the woods."
He watched as Chris, Victoria, and Kate exchanged quick, sharp glances.
Jacob's eyes narrowed. "Scott is a good friend of mine and Allison. Don't even think about using him to get to Peter. He has nothing to do with Peter or the Hales' drama." He looked directly at Victoria and Kate. "And don't even think about hurting him. Especially you two."
"Mom, Scott is a nice person." Allison said. "Jacob taught him how to control himself, so please don't harm him."
Victoria folded her arms. "Don't worry. As long as he doesn't hurt any..."
Jacob's eyes flashed a brilliant, dangerous gold, cutting her off. "I said, don't think about harming him. Even if he did hurt or kill someone. Am I clear?"
Victoria said. "We are hunters. Our job is to protect the innocent."
Jacob's eyes faded back to normal. He snorted. "Yeah, right. If you're so righteous, then kill Kate. She's a monster who kills the innocent."
Kate stiffened. "Hey, I'm not stupid enough to harm your friend, so don't bring me into this."
Chris coughed awkwardly. "Ahem—don't worry, kid. We won't touch your friends."
Kate quickly changed the subject, pointing to the terrified man still tied to the chair in the corner, his eyes wide with panic. "What are we going to do with him?"
"Let the cops deal with him." Jacob said.
Allison frowned. "But he saw our faces."
"Don't worry about that." Jacob assured her. "I'll take care of it."
---
The Basement
After that, Jacob, Lydia, and the Argents descended into the Walcotts' basement. The moment the door opened, the air grew cold, and the metallic stench of old blood and the nauseating odor of decay hit them like a wall.
The scene that greeted them was one from a slaughterhouse nightmare. Human bodies—dozens—hung from hooks like butchered cattle, skin pale, limbs stiff. Some were missing parts, some were cut open as if waiting to be portioned, and others were stripped down to the bone. It was a grotesque testament to the Walcott family's appetites.
Lydia's face tightened with fury. "These sick bastards…"
Allison clenched her fists, shaking with barely contained rage. "Damn monsters…"
In contrast, the veteran Argents showed little outward reaction. Chris scanned the room with a grim, clinical detachment. "I've seen worse." He stated flatly. "There are a lot of creatures like wendigos."
"Yeah." Kate said. "This is what most supernatural creatures do."
Jacob didn't speak. He only looked at the bodies—at what was left of these people. Then he spoke silently in his mind.
'System. Sign in.'
[Location sign-in successful. Rewards obtained:
-Absolute Anonymity: A permanent passive ability. Once merged, your energy and natural scent will be completely masked. To other supernatural creatures, you will appear as an ordinary human unless you actively use your powers or unleash your aura.
-Phoenix Down x20 (Final Fantasy): A Phoenix feather capable of restoring a dying person to full health. It can cure injuries caused by dark magic and curses and can be used as a weapon against dark creatures like vampires and zombies.
Note: It cannot revive the dead.
-Zombie Summoning Ability: After learning this ability, the host can summon ten zombies, each as strong as a beta werewolf, or two zombies with the strength of an alpha werewolf. If the zombies are destroyed, you must wait 24 hours to re-summon them.
Warning: The zombies can spread the zombie virus, infecting not only normal humans but also supernatural beings. The host must use caution when summoning them.]
Jacob scanned the rewards and thought. 'Finally… something useful. I can finally hide my energy. Thank you, System—I needed that. Phoenix Down is useful, I guess… but I hope I never need to use it.' His expression darkened. 'And that zombie summoning ability? Yeah, no. Destroy it. I'm not turning this world into a zombie apocalypse.'
[Are you sure, Host? You may need it someday.]
'No. I'll never need that. Destroy it.'
[As you wish. Ability destroyed.]
'Good. Now merge the Absolute Anonymity ability into my body.'
[Are you sure, Host?]
'Yes.'
A warm pulse spread through his veins.
[Ability merged successfully.]
Jacob exhaled softly, a faint smile touching his lips.
---
Upstairs
While Jacob and the others were in the basement, Melissa, Stiles, and Scott arrived and entered the house. They froze in the doorway of the dining room, taking in the gruesome sight of the dead Walcott family.
Melissa froze for half a second, then exhaled slowly. She'd seen dead bodies countless times at the hospital. Stiles swallowed hard but handled it; seeing dead bodies wasn't new to him.
Scott, on the other hand, staggered back and nearly vomited. He clamped a hand over his mouth, face pale.
Stiles muttered. "Yeah… my dad's gonna have a massive headache tonight."
Melissa glanced at the bodies again. "Did Jacob do all of this?"
Scott thought quickly. 'If I tell her Jacob killed people, she might freak out and stay away from him, hopefully.' Aloud, he said. "I don't know if Jacob did this or not, but he told us he's killed people before."
Melissa's eyes widened. "When you say he killed people, what kind of people are we talking about?"
"Bad people." Stiles interjected before Scott could stop him, defending Jacob. "He killed a wizard and a few hunters who came after him. And he told us about the memories he saw in that wizard's head." Stiles shivered. "What he told us about those memories was nightmare fuel, and he only told us a little bit."
Scott shot Stiles a furious glare.
Stiles frowned. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Nothing." Scott said, but internally he groaned. 'Stupid Stiles! Why did he have to tell her that? He should've let her think Jacob is a ruthless killer. I wish she'd see him as a monster and stay away from him.'
Just then, Cogman entered the dining room. He had just finished his "fun" with the alpha wendigo and was heading to the basement. His suit was now spattered and smeared with dark blood.
Stiles tensed the moment he saw him.
Cogman stopped, looked directly at him, and said. "Pillow humper. Why are you here?"
Stiles groaned loudly. "Stop calling me that! We're here because Jacob told us to come." Then he squinted at Cogman's blood-soaked suit. "Why are you covered in blood?"
Cogman's face lit up with a creepy, genuine smile. "I was just having fun in the other room with an alpha wendigo. He didn't die quickly, which was to my liking. Breaking every bone in his body and stabbing him with his own antlers was delightful." His eyes took on a distant, blissful look. "Ahhh, you should have heard the beautiful sound of him choking on his own blood…"
"Alright, that's enough, you psycho!" Stiles cut him off, shuddering. "Where are Jacob and the others?"
"In the basement." Cogman replied. "Let's go."
"Wait!" Melissa said, pointing at the terrified, bound man in the corner. "What about him? Should we release him? Is he a wendigo?"
Cogman waved a dismissive, blood-stained hand. "He is not a wendigo. We saved him. He is just some unlucky bastard who was going to be the main course tonight. Leave him be. Sir hasn't said what he wants done with him, so we can't release him yet."
With that, Cogman headed for the basement stairs, and the three of them, with a shared sense of dread, followed him.
Melissa grabbed Scott's arm, pulling him close and whispering, her eyes fixed on Cogman's back. "Who is the psychopath?"
Scott sighed. "He's Jacob's butler."
---
In the Basement
Stiles, Melissa, and Scott joined Jacob and the others. The stench hit them first. Metallic. Cold. Wrong.
Bodies dangled from hooks along the ceiling—men and women, drained, butchered, carved up like livestock.
Melissa's breath hitched. "This is… terrible."
"It is." Jacob agreed, his voice flat. He then gestured toward Stiles, who was visibly trembling. "But I think Stiles is excited. Look, he's shaking."
"I'm shaking because it's cold!" Stiles snapped.
Jacob raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Are you sure? Aren't you excited to see all these dead women? You are, after all, into necrophilia."
That was the last straw for Stiles. He grabbed Jacob by the collar. "How many times do I have to say I don't have any interest in corpses?!"
Jacob smiled. "I don't believe you."
"Jacob." Melissa's voice was full of disappointment. She was looking at him with profound sadness. "Is this a joke to you?"
Jacob pried Stiles's hands from his collar and turned to her, his smirk vanishing. "What do you mean?"
Melissa gestured around the nightmarish basement. "We are standing in a basement filled with dead people, hanging like butchered animals. They had lives. They had families. They had loved ones. And yet you're here laughing and joking. How can you act like this?"
For a moment, Jacob just looked at her. Then a hollow, bitter laugh escaped him. "Then what do you want me to do, Melissa? Cry? Scream? This isn't the first time I've seen something like this." His voice began to lose its calm, gaining a hard, ragged edge. "I've seen people being sold for sex, or like cattle to be eaten. I've seen human organs, blood, and body parts auctioned off to the highest bidder."
He continued, his eyes darkening. "And I've seen horrors in the memories of the monsters I've killed—horrors you can't even imagine, no matter how dark your thoughts get. I've seen babies sacrificed for power. I've seen girls, virgins no older than me, raped and then slaughtered in rituals. I've seen things..." His voice cracked, and he looked away, fists clenched. "...things that would keep me awake for the rest of my life if I ever let myself truly think about them for even a minute."
Melissa stared at him, stunned into silence.
"So tell me, Melissa." Jacob finished. "What do you want me to do?"
Allison reached out and gently caught his hand. "Jay, calm down."
He flinched at her touch, then took a deep, shuddering breath. "I'm sorry." He said, softer now. "It's just… the world we live in is messed up. And I can't let myself think too much about the horrible things I've seen. Because the second I do, my mind goes to the worst possible places... I start imagining losing Allison and Lydia. And if something bad ever happened to them... I'd do terrible things. And I mean really terrible things."
He continued. "I'm not like a werewolf who loses control by accident… I'd lose control on purpose. I'm possessive, arrogant, proud, and greedy. If I let those parts of me loose, I'll turn into a real monster. I'd end up killing anyone who even looks at my girls the wrong way, I'd take a life on just a suspicion. So I joke. I laugh. Even in a place like this. Because I need to keep my mind busy. I need to build a wall between myself and all the death I've seen and caused, or I will lose my mind."
Melissa swallowed hard.
"I'm sorry, kid." She said softly. "I... I've seen dead people before at the hospital. You see families crying, mourning their loved ones, and it's always heartbreaking. You think you get used to it over the years, but you don't. You just learn to ignore it enough to keep working."
She looked at the hanging corpses again, her face pale. "But this… this is different. This is pure evil. And I shouldn't have judged you for how you cope. I thought you were being disrespectful, but… I'm sorry."
Jacob said. "Don't worry about it." He looked around the basement one last time. "We've seen enough. Let's get out of this hellhole."
They went upstairs, and soon everyone left the house—everyone except Jacob and Cogman, who remained in the dining room.
Jacob walked over to the terrified man still tied to the chair in the corner. He pulled the Memory Neuralyzer from his pocket dimension. "Cogman, look away. This thing can erase memories, and I don't know if it will work on you."
"What about you, sir?" Cogman asked.
"My mind is protected, so it won't affect me. Besides, it only works if you look directly at the flash. I told you to look away just in case."
As Cogman turned around, Jacob lifted the Neuralyzer—then paused. He retrieved a pair of dark sunglasses from his pocket dimension and put them on. "The only thing missing is a black suit." He muttered.
"Are you... are you going to kill me?" The man stammered.
"No." Jacob said calmly. "But tell me, how did you get caught by this family?"
The man said nervously. "I own a bookstore. Christina was a customer. She came today and started flirting with me. She told me her husband was out of town and that she wanted to have me for dinner at her house. Then she winked, kissed my cheek... no, actually, she licked my cheek and said, 'Delicious.' Those were her exact words! I thought..."
Jacob cut him off. "You thought she wanted to sleep with you. But what she really wanted was to eat your dumb ass."
"I didn't know monsters existed!" The man whined. His eyes then fixed on the device in Jacob's hand. "And I know what that is! It's a Memory Neuralyzer! Are Men in Black real? Are aliens real? Please, don't erase my memories! I want to work with you guys!"
Jacob stared at him, amused. "Are you married?"
"Yes! And I have kids, but they'll understand!"
Jacob pinched the bridge of his nose. "How does your wife treat you?"
"She treats me well, she's a good wife, but… I'm getting bored of her. So, can you please make me a Man in Black?"
Cogman, who had been listening, turned his head slightly. "We should have let the wendigos eat him before we killed them. Shall I just dispose of this pig, sir?"
"Tempting." Jacob admitted. "But we can't kill him. Alright, Cogman, look away."
Once Cogman averted his gaze, Jacob activated the Memory Neuralyzer. A bright flash filled the room. "You never saw us, and you never saw the monsters." Jacob instructed the now-dazed man. "Tell the cops these people kidnapped you and wanted to eat you, and that's all you know. You were unconscious the entire time. And when you go back to your family, you will treat your wife like a queen. Buy her flowers every day, never think about cheating on her again, and be the best father to your kids."
The man blinked, dazed.
After delivering the command, Jacob knocked the man out with a precise tap to the head. "Cogman, make the anonymous call to the sheriff. Tell him there's a foul smell coming from this house."
Cogman made the call, and the two of them finally left the scene.
Outside, Jacob looked at Stiles. "By the way, how did you guys get here so fast?"
"Actually, we were already here before you texted us." Stiles explained. "After you told me you were going after Sean and his family, I found their address and drove over. Melissa insisted on coming with us when I went to pick up Scott."
"I see." Jacob said. He then walked over to Melissa. "I'm sorry if I lost my temper in there."
Melissa touched his cheek gently. "It's okay, kid. I'm sorry, too. I didn't realize how heavy a burden you're carrying. No teenager should have to deal with things like this."
Jacob smiled faintly. "Alright, we should leave before the cops arrive. Good night." He kissed her cheek and started walking toward Allison and Lydia.
Melissa smiled. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight." Scott added.
Jacob ignored him, waving only at Melissa. "Goodnight, Melissa. See you soon."
Scott growled, his eyes flashing yellow. "Allison, Lydia, keep him away from my mom!" He took Melissa's hand and started pulling her toward Stiles's Jeep. "Let's go, Mom!" They got in, and he glared at Stiles, who was laughing.
Scott growled. "Stiles!"
Stiles said. "Hey, don't growl at me, I didn't do anything. You go growl at Jacob; he is right over there."
Melissa shook her head with a smile and said. "Just drive, Stiles."
Stiles said nothing more. He drove away, a smile still playing on his lips.
Jacob, who was laughing and waving at Melissa, was interrupted by two sets of hands pinching him from both sides. "Ouch!" He exclaimed, though he felt no pain. He stepped away from Allison and Lydia. "I'm riding with Kate."
"No, you are not." Allison said firmly. "I don't want you alone with Kate."
"Cogman will be with us!"
"I said no." Allison repeated, her tone leaving no room for argument. "You are getting in my dad's car and explaining to me and Lydia what's going on between you and Scott's mom."
Jacob sighed. "I'm sixteen! There is nothing going on between me and Melissa. Now, can we just skip the usual routine where you two act angry and finally get to what you really want?"
Lydia smiled sweetly and took his arm. "Allison and I were planning to go shopping tomorrow. You're going with us."
Jacob groaned. "Come on, anything but that!"
Allison seized his other arm. "Then maybe we should talk about Malia. We never actually talked about her."
"We don't need to talk about Malia." Jacob said quickly. "How... how about we skip school tomorrow and go shopping the whole day?"
Lydia shook her head. "We are not skipping school. But you are paying for everything."
Jacob complained. "Didn't I give you money?"
"That's my money." Lydia said sweetly. "I want to spend your money."
From the driver's seat of his car, Chris called out. "Get in. We need to go."
They got into the car, while Cogman joined a visibly nervous Kate in hers. The two vehicles pulled away from the house of horrors, heading back toward the Argent residence.