CHAPTER 120

Tristan was silently thankful that Satomi came back a few days later after Elias had informed her of a pack of Alphas currently in Beacon Hills.

He had expected it to a certain degree but seeing how serious Satomi looked upon hearing about it had him painting what he already knew and conjectured in darker shades. 

If it escalated into a full blown fight that forcefully dragged them into the chaotic fray, Tristan was unsure of how it would come out. 

Sure they had an overwhelming number advantage but the other side had four Alphas and one who was strong enough to suppress four Alphas under him. The very thought of it made him apprehensive, making him hope it was just his mind overreacting. 

Tristan had no clear idea of the difference between Alphas and no, his fight with Peter didn't count as a basis for a qualitative analysis on Alphas. 

Even killing Peter took the combined effort of him, Derek and Malia to put down; a trio that were clearly above the average beta in strength, speed and killing efficiency – and yet they still struggled against Peter. 

It's not as if everyone in their pack were master fighters or even good at it. So yes, it genuinely worried him especially after seeing Satomi's apprehension. 

All she had told Tristan along with the others was the pack's Alpha, Deucalion, who became vengeful after Gerard killed his pack in an ambush when he had come for a peace treaty. 

Apparently, all this happened during the time of the Hale pack back then and there was a lot of tension back then after a Hunter had unjustifiably killed an Alpha's beta, the situation further devolving until two packs were wiped out and those Alphas chose to follow Deucalion than Talia Hale. 

So not only were they stronger, older and more experienced Alphas, they might or might not have a bone to pick with the Argents. 

"Honestly, the Argents have been nothing but trouble." Tristan gave his heartfelt unbiased opinion of the resident Hunting family. 

Satomi smiled wryly, not outright denying his words. "The progression of time brings out different types of people, both good and bad. The current Argent patriarch and his daughter are good examples." She pointed out. 

Just because Gerard and his daughter were unprincipled in their actions which had resulted in a long line of deaths which eventually led to theirs doesn't mean that the Argents as a whole were bad. 

"The father is constantly ensuring he doesn't breach the code, while the daughter is passionate and moral. The greatest quality even you would want your enemy to have." She said but Tristan just mumbled some incoherent words under his breath that she failed to catch. 

"The Argents constantly messing things up aside, what are we to do if we come across this Alpha pack?" Brett asked, leaning against a wall while munching on a plate of cereals. 

"For now, we react. We don't know what brought Deucalion back to Beacon Hills and while he seems to have business with Derek Hale, we are currently unaware why. I owe a debt to Talia so I will extend a helping hand if he ever needs it, as long as it doesn't endanger you all. Having Deucalion as an adversary is a worrying concept."

Elias nodded to Satomi's words. "He's a natural leader, having the capabilities and strength of one to greater degrees. His plans are the main thing we need to look out for." The older man complimented. 

'All this talk for just one man, and we know next to nothing about his pack and the Alphas in it.' Were Tristan's thoughts after Satomi's recap on past events and further advice of caution when coming across the Alpha pack. 

It wasn't a great starting point but then again who else had recruited Alphas into his pack instead of betas? 

Even after everything, nothing concrete was known concerning the current Deucalion. 

"I can't believe this." Tristan got tired after listening to a two hour long narration of past events and need for caution yet no one knew anything about the pack. 

"Seriously man, at this point I really want to bundle up the both of you and bring you out of Beacon Hills to Devenford." Brett said as he came beside Tristan who was scrolling through his phone. 

He seriously thinks that in the whole of Beacon Country, Beacon Hills in particular was cursed. 

It is not as if there were no other Alphas in Beacon County, they were in considerable numbers, but their territories or their part of town in general doesn't become a genocidal spot every two weeks. 

Tristan sighed, looking downcast while sending out the text he had typed. "Tell me about it. It's been months after months since I started that damned school."

Brett laughed, drawing a few eyes to them before they left them to themselves. "It's funny every time I see you cursing more and more with every passing day."

"And what do you think is to blame?" Tristan grumbled as his phone vibrated as he received a text. 

Brett stretched his neck to see who Tristan was texting and 'hmm-ed' in surprise as he saw the recipient of the string of texts being exchanged.

"Never knew you talked this much with the Argent girl, Allison, was it? Yeah, Allison."

"I don't. Sometimes talking to her or just listening to her talk helps me pass time." Tristan said while typing out his reply and sending it. 

"Yeesh, at least don't let her know that." Brett said with a fake wince but Tristan just ignored his playful antics. 

"She's coming in two days. That's good news, if any at all." Tristan offhandedly commented which Brett clearly caught and teased while wrapping a hand over Tristan's shoulders. "Is that longing I hear in your voice, Trist? You miss her this much huh."

Tristan exhaled loudly, exasperation and tiredness evident in his breath. "I want to see if her dad knows anything about Deucalion or his pack. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Guh! Damn man, you're heartless! And here I thought you were an empath." Brett could only give up and leave Tristan to himself, thinking somewhere in the back of his mind that maybe Tristan was hiding it, but shook his head and dropped it after remembering who Mr. Lack-of-social-cues was. 

Getting himself a cup of freshly dripped blood, he took small sips from it and idly chatted with Allison while wondering about the connection of what he felt that night and the arrival of the Alpha pack.

'It's been a few days and they still have yet to find Erica or the Alphas. Those Alphas must be great at masking or diffusing their scents given that I couldn't even tell what I was smelling.'

He had a lot to ponder on but as he was getting nowhere regardless of how long he thought on it, he delegated to do it another day and spent the night at Elias' place instead of returning home. 

And the result of that decision, though he realized too late, was that he couldn't have sex within the walls of a house full of werewolves, mostly hormonal teenage wolves. 

'The full moon is a day or two away. Isaac won't have any semblance of control due to his present state of mind so Derek will have his hands full. Hopefully Erica has the same help Isaac will be getting since she's being held by a group of Alphas.' Tristan thought idly as his naked body hugged Malia's under the blanket and cold winds, closing his eyes to a good night's sleep. 

…. 

[Allison Argent POV] 

Allison turned around on her bed, lying sprawled out, as she spoke with someone over the phone while watching the full moon. 

"Well, I talked with Malia and Tristan a few days ago and apparently none of them bothered with telling me that Erica has been kidnapped by a bunch of big bad group of Alphas-" 

".. Pack of Alphas."

"Oh, sorry for interrupting you, Allison, and also for using the wrong slang. Does cult or confraternity sound better?" Lydia's voice came in sharp sarcastic hysteria which brought out a laughing fit in Allison. 

"Stop being dramatic, Lydia. It happened a few days ago and I wouldn't have known if I hadn't asked either. Anyway, it seems things are about to become hectic again in Beacon Hills." Allison said softly, slowly losing herself in the resplendent rays of the moon. 

"… Yeah, and people will start dying, right?" Lydia said in a tiny voice. 

"Lydia?" 

"I can feel it, something, it's at the tip of my tongue but I can't seem to say it out loud… Do you think Erica is going to die?" Lydia asked in an uncharacteristically low quivering voice. 

Allison sympathized with Lydia's plight, a lot more than people thought she did. "… I really hope not, Lydia. I really hope not. "

She heard Lydia's despondent chuckle followed by a string of wistful words she strongly resonated with. 

"Y'know, I never thought this was how my high school life will turn out to be, least of all me turning out to be a creature from horror story times, a banshee of all things."

"Right? And I'm being trained to kill people, supernatural people with powers, who abuse their strength and kill defenseless humans. A Hunter or whatever you call it, I'm being groomed to be the next best killer in my family. This was nowhere in the list of things I considered when starting high school." Allison said with a laugh at the end as if she just heard a joke's ironic punchline. 

"I mean, tell me about it? What bullshit even is this in the first place?" Lydia asked and they both laughed for sometime before stopping for Lydia to continue. "What did you plan on not doing in high school?"

"Hmm, first was trying to make lasting friends in case we ended up moving again. I also decided against falling in love or having a romantic relationship for the same reasons. That and maybe a few others, I don't know. They seem so foreign now that I think about it." Allison said. 

"Yeah." Lydia agreed, and started. "But it's also funny how you failed all of them."

Allison thought of it but slowly shook her head. "Nah, I think I managed some. I mean, I haven't gotten a boyfriend or gotten into any relationships yet."

"True… but you currently have feelings for someone, right?" Lydia questioned with a knowing tone. 

"Huh, wait what?" Allison was flabbergasted. 

"I'm proud and self-centered, Allison, not dumb."

"…"

"Yeah, thought so. I won't be saying anything in regards to that, so relax you pointy tits, princess. That also means no wishing you luck or telling you to give up, non."

Allison was speechless that she had a hard time forming coherent words but she managed. "… Isn't that a bit heartless?"

"You tell me, you're the princess here, aren't you?"