Dear Readers,
I want to sincerely apologize for the temporary removal of Chapter 2. After receiving some thoughtful comments, I realized that the way I handled Derek's situation might have come across as if I simply forgot about him or chose to move on. That was never my intention. In my mind, I justified Ross's actions by considering his inexperience in this unique role—he's not part of the standard FBI, and his job isn't about the usual investigate-arrest cycle. Instead, he's part of a very small team focused on helping the police deal with supernatural threats and hunters, protecting the public and keeping the supernatural world secret. That's also why he was hired younger than the usual minimum age of 23.
I also want to take a moment to explain why I chose Melissa McCall as Ross's soulmate, and why the soulmate concept is important to the story. Even though Ross is only 20, he's a serious character who's been through a lot, and he needs a mature partner—someone who's lived, not a child. It wouldn't make sense for him to date someone much younger. Plus, I genuinely like where most of the show's characters end up, except for Scott; I want him to stay with Allison, and for that to happen, Scott needs to grow up and get a handle on his life.
As for the soulmate element, I included it because, as we saw in the show, it takes a tremendous amount of force to hurt someone as powerful as a Demon Wolf—it took death and a lot of it. My character is already stronger and will continue to grow, so I needed a way to make him vulnerable. Rather than inventing a new weapon, I decided that the most profound way to hurt him would be through his life partner.
Thank you all for your patience and understanding. I will work to get Chapter 2 back up as soon as possible, and I'll be re-uploading Chapter 3 as well—complete with a new, intense scene of Ross dragging Chris out of his house and throwing him around in the woods, demanding to know where Kate is keeping Derek.
Thank you again for your support and feedback. I truly appreciate every comment and suggestion. My regards to all of you, and I promise to get the story back on track as quickly as I can!