It had been a week since Scott and his pack dealt with the vampires. Now, it was Saturday, and they were patrolling the Beacon Hills Preserve.
Scott glanced at Stiles and asked. "Is your dad and Agisa not coming back yet?"
Stiles replied. "Dad said they'll be back on Monday."
Lydia chimed in. "By the way, where did you say they went?"
"Rio de Janeiro, Brazil." Stiles answered.
Lydia smiled. "Oh, that sounds like a fun place. How about we go there in the summer?"
Allison said. "Why not? But I'm only spending a week there. I need to go back to France with my parents and Malia for two weeks. After that, Scott and I plan to spend a month in Japan."
"Japan, huh?" Lydia said, intrigued. "By the way, Kira, have you been there before?"
Kira nodded. "Yeah, I've been a few times. It's really nice."
Lydia turned to the group. "Then girls, how about we all go and spend a week with Allison there? What do you think, Allison?"
Allison looked at Scott, smiling. "I have no problem with that. How about you, Scott?"
Scott shrugged with a grin. "They can come, but only during the last week. I know if Lydia comes in our first week, she'll stay the whole month, and I want some alone time with you... without Lydia trying to drag you shopping every day, and without creepy Stiles hanging around."
"Hey, man, I'm not creepy!" Stiles protested. "Besides, Malia and I are going to Africa for a safari. Maybe do some hunting too, you know how much Malia loves hunting. So we're not going to Japan."
As they continued walking deeper into the woods, Stiles sighed. "There's nothing out here. I was hoping to find some weird creature again."
Kira asked. "What kind of weird creatures are we even looking for?"
"Animals with superpowers." Stiles said. "Or anything like that."
Aiden raised an eyebrow. "Animals with superpowers? You've found something like that before?"
Scott nodded. "Yeah. We found a huge boar, a giant frog that could attack with soundwaves, and a big hairless coyote."
"And don't forget the Fiend!" Stiles added. "That stinky monster."
Boyd said. "Speaking of the Fiend, I still haven't settled the score with you and Isaac yet."
Stiles blinked. "What are you talking about?"
"You two made me fight that disgusting thing alone." Boyd said.
Isaac smiled innocently. "Because you were stronger than us back then."
"That's bullshit." Boyd said flatly. "You two just didn't want to fight that disgusting monster. Don't worry, one day, I'll make you pay for that."
Scott laughed, then turned to Cora. "By the way, Cora, you lived near the woods when you were a kid. Didn't you or your mother's pack ever encounter creatures like that?"
Cora thought for a moment. "I only know about one. When I was six, my mother and some of her pack brought back a large black bear... but it had bone-like shields growing around its body."
Stiles leaned in. "What did your mother think it was?"
"She said it was just a normal black bear that mutated from living near the Nemeton tree."
Stiles said thoughtfully. "You know what I've always wondered? How hidden is the supernatural world, really?"
Erica tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
"I mean." Stiles continued. "Do you guys think the government knows about the supernatural?"
Scott answered seriously. "They definitely do. And probably a lot of the higher-ups are supernatural themselves, like vampires, demons, witches, creatures who can compel or charm others. Not just here, but all over the world. They help keep the supernatural hidden from ordinary people."
Allison nodded. "Scott's right. And there are probably organizations too, ones that either protect normal humans or hunt supernatural creatures for experiments... or even hunt and sell them on the black market."
Erica shuddered. "That's a scary thing to think about."
Scott added. "Organizations like that definitely exist. And even worse ones too. That's why we need to grow as strong as we can, strong enough that anyone who hears our names would be too scared to even think about hunting us."
He looked around at his pack. They were all thinking deeply about his words, some worry showing in their expressions.
Scott smiled reassuringly. "Okay, don't think too much about it. We're strong, and we can defend ourselves. Besides, even knowing those organizations exist, would you really want to give up what we are and go back to being normal humans?"
Erica was the first to speak. "No. I don't want to go back to being the sick girl." She said firmly. "I love my life right now. I love you guys. I don't care who it is, I'll kill anyone who tries to take this away from me."
Isaac took her hand and said. "Same here."
Boyd smirked darkly. "Let them come. We'll just absorb their powers and grow stronger. I just hope they're strong enough to give us a real challenge."
Stiles added. "Besides, don't forget we have Lydia. She'll warn us if any real danger is coming."
Lydia smiled proudly. "Yeah, you guys are lucky to have me. You should appreciate me more."
Scott chuckled and said. "Alright, guys. Looks like we won't find anything today. Let's head back home."
---
As Scott and the pack approached the ranch, he suddenly stopped. "Guys." He said, sniffing the air. "Do you smell that?"
Malia sniffed too and nodded. "Yeah. I smell fear... and blood."
Scott narrowed his eyes. "Follow me. Let's see what's going on."
He led the way through the trees, with the pack close behind. Soon, they found the source: a man and a pregnant woman resting under a tree. The woman's stomach was bleeding, and the man had dried blood on his forehead.
Allison took in their scent and said. "They're shapeshifters."
Scott nodded. "Yeah. But I don't think they're hostile. Let's check it out."
The pack stepped out from behind the trees. The couple immediately sensed that Scott's group were also shapeshifters. The man stood up quickly, positioning himself protectively in front of his wife, and began to shift. Fur sprouted over his body, his head transformed into something cat-like, and his golden eyes glowed fiercely as he growled at them.
"Wow." Stiles whispered. "A bobcat shapeshifter."
Seeing how scared they were, Scott stopped and raised his hands in a non-threatening gesture. "Relax." He said calmly. "We mean you no harm. Your wife's hurt, we can help."
The man, still wary, said. "Thank you, but we're fine."
But as he spoke, the woman tried to stand and immediately collapsed, screaming in pain.
"Jean!" the man cried, rushing to her side. "Are you okay?"
Lydia stepped forward urgently. "She's not okay! Let us help you, or you're going to lose her and the baby."
Still hesitating, the man looked torn. Scott's eyes flashed red as he stepped forward and said firmly. "Believe me, if we wanted to hurt you, there's nothing you could do to stop us."
The man froze. "You're... an Alpha." He said.
Scott nodded. "Yes. Now pick her up and follow us."
Without waiting for a reply, Scott turned around and summoned a portal using his shadow ability. A swirling shadow gate opened in front of him. Scott stepped through, and the pack followed without hesitation.
The man and his wife stared in shock. "David." The woman said weakly. "Let's follow them. If they wanted to hurt us, we couldn't stop them anyway. And if we stay here... we'll lose the baby. If there's even a chance they can help, I'm willing to take it."
David shifted back to his human form, his expression hard but desperate. "Okay." He said, lifting his wife carefully in his arms.
Together, they stepped into the portal.
---
At the animal clinic, Deaton and Melissa were talking when the shadow portal suddenly opened. Scott and the pack emerged.
Melissa immediately stood up. "Kids, what's going on? Is something wrong?"
Scott said. "We found a couple in the woods who need Deaton's help."
Deaton frowned and asked. "Where are they?"
Stiles said, glancing behind them. "Still deciding whether to follow us or not."
Just then, the couple stepped through the portal. When Deaton saw the woman's bleeding belly, he quickly said. "Bring her in, follow me!"
David rushed after Deaton, carrying his wife into a room inside the clinic. He gently placed her on a table. Deaton placed his hand over her wound, and a soft green light glowed from his palm. Slowly, the bleeding stopped, and the wound healed completely.
The couple stared in shock. But after seeing Scott open a shadow portal earlier, they were already somewhat prepared for strange things. David hugged his wife tightly, relief and happiness flooding both of their faces.
Deaton let out a sigh and said. "I healed her, but she still needs proper nutrition. You should also go to the hospital to check on the baby."
David nodded gratefully. "Thank you. I'll take her to the hospital right now."
Before he could leave, Scott spoke up. "Before that... can you tell us what happened?"
David sighed and said. "We moved into this town about a week ago. We rented a house—a nice one, cheap too. The owner was an old lady who lived in the house next door. The first two days were normal. But on the third day, we started hearing this clicking sound coming from her house. Last night, the old lady invited us over for dinner. Afterward, when we went back to our place, we felt really tired and just went straight to sleep."
Jean added, her voice trembling slightly. "I think she drugged us."
David nodded. "Yeah, I think so too. Otherwise, we would've heard her sneaking into our house."
Stiles asked. "What happened after you fell asleep?"
David's face darkened. "I woke up in the middle of the night and found this ugly monster sitting on top of Jean. It had sickly dark skin, thin lanky limbs, and a long black tongue... and that tongue was stabbed into Jean's belly. Even though I was weak from whatever the old lady drugged us with, I managed to punch it off her and fight it. It hit me hard on the head, but I scared it away. After that, we ran out of the house and spent the rest of the night in the woods."
Lydia asked. "You think the monster was the old lady?"
David said firmly. "Yeah. No doubt about it. She smelled exactly the same."
Deaton's expression grew serious.
"Was the old woman Asian?"
Jean nodded. "Yes, she said she was Filipino."
Deaton's eyes narrowed. "Then she's an Aswang, a shapeshifter from the Philippines. They stalk pregnant women and consume their unborn children to extend their own lives."
"What? That old bitch!" Melissa exclaimed, her voice filled with fury.
Jean said. "That's why she rented the house to us so cheap. She said it was because I was pregnant. We didn't think much of it. We were just happy to find such a nice house at that price..."
David hugged Jean tighter and said. "Well, I'm just glad she didn't get what she wanted. Now, we need to get to the hospital."
David turned to Scott and his pack, bowing his head slightly. "Thank you all so much for your help."
Scott smiled warmly. "You're welcome. But before you go, can you give me the old lady's address?"
David blinked. "Sure... but why?"
Scott's eyes hardened. "I can't let a child-eater live in my territory."
David nodded. "Okay."
After writing down the address and handing it to Scott, David picked up Jean carefully. Before leaving, Jean turned back and said softly. "Goodbye, and thank you. Please... make sure you kill that old bitch."
Scott smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. She won't live past tonight."
When the couple had left, Melissa turned to Scott, her eyes blazing. "Give me that address. Victoria and I will handle that old hag tonight."
Scott nodded and handed her the paper.
---
Later that night, Melissa and Victoria left the ranch together, heading straight for the address David had given them.
Arriving at the house, Melissa and Victoria stood outside, listening carefully with their supernatural hearing.
"She's definitely inside." Melissa said.
Victoria nodded. "Let's deal with her quickly inside the house. We don't want to alert the whole neighborhood."
Victoria knocked on the door. A moment later, an old woman answered, peering at them suspiciously. "Can I help you girls?" She asked sweetly.
Without warning, Melissa shoved the door open, grabbed the old woman by the arm, and threw her back into the house. She stepped inside as Victoria followed, shutting the door behind them.
The old woman scrambled to her feet, only to freeze when she saw Melissa's glowing red Alpha eyes. Fear flashed across her face. She knew she couldn't win against an Alpha. Desperately, she tried to play dumb.
"What do you want from an old woman like me? I don't have much money, but you can have it!" She pleaded.
Victoria's voice was cold. "Stop pretending. We know you're an Aswang."
The woman cursed under her breath. 'Damn it... it was that couple. I should've killed them when I had the chance.'
Then, without hesitation, she shifted into her Aswang form, a hideous creature with long limbs, sharp claws, gray sagging skin, and glowing white eyes.
Hissing in rage, the Aswang turned and bolted toward the back window, moving with unnatural speed. But Victoria was faster. She appeared behind the creature, grabbed it by the back of the neck, and slammed it hard against the wall.
Melissa stepped forward without hesitation, delivering a series of brutal punches to the Aswang's face. After a few hits, the monster slumped unconscious and shifted back into its human form.
Melissa quickly read her memories. Then, without mercy, she broke the Aswang's neck, ending her life instantly.
Victoria asked calmly. "What did you see?"
Melissa frowned. "She's been living here for fourteen years. Since she came to Beacon Hills, she's eaten three children." Melissa shook her head, disgusted. "I didn't want to see how many she killed before she moved here."
Victoria's expression hardened. "Is she alone? Does she know any other creatures like her in Beacon Hills?"
Melissa shook her head. "She's alone. She didn't know of any other supernatural beings in town."
Victoria nodded. "Good. Let's call Parrish to clean this up."
After contacting Parrish, the two women left the Aswang's house and returned to the ranch, satisfied with the justice they had delivered.
To be continued... 😊