Curious World pt.4 (Resume)

Several months had passed. The relative peace that followed the battle with Gerard Argent quickly dissipated with the arrival of a new enemy.

Allison had gone to France with her father, where they had a residence, to handle some family matters. However, Allison was insistent on returning to Beacon Hills; it was there that Lydia, her friends, and her life were.

The new school year began, bringing with it fresh concerns for Scott and his friends. One evening, Isaac Lahey, a young werewolf who had found refuge with Scott and Derek, arrived injured and terrified. Isaac, exhausted and marked by a brutal confrontation, was barely able to whisper the names of his friends, Erica and Boyd, two werewolves who had been missing for weeks. Isaac had been captured and tortured by a mysterious group of werewolves, but worse still, he had seen Erica's lifeless body with his own eyes. The loss of Erica hit Scott hard, reminding him of the harsh reality of their world.

The culprit was a pack of werewolves. But this was no ordinary pack. Every member was an Alpha, more powerful and dangerous, and at the head of this pack was Deucalion, a seemingly simple werewolf, a blind and gentle man, but without a doubt the most dangerous and powerful of the group. It appeared that he was there for Derek, wanting to invite him into his pack. All Derek had to do was what each of his members had done: massacre his own pack.

In a desperate attempt to find Boyd, Scott, Derek, and Isaac entered an old, abandoned bank. There, they discovered their friend and beta, imprisoned in a vault, hungry and furious. To their great surprise, another figure awaited them in the darkness: Cora Hale, Derek's long-lost sister, whom he believed dead. But there was no time for a reunion. Boyd and Cora had become uncontrollable. Deucalion had deliberately kept the two betas isolated from the full moon's influence for several months, keeping them on edge, loading them like one loads a firearm, and had lured them precisely on this full moon night. He arranged to block all exits and left them there, wanting them to kill each other.

Allison, who had been investigating on her own, arrived just in time to clear the blocked exit with rowan wood, potentially saving Derek and Scott's lives, who did not want to kill their loved ones. But now, there were two uncontrollable werewolves loose in Beacon Hills.

They wasted no time and set out to hunt, trying to find the two people who were more wild beasts than humans that night. They managed to find them and save innocent lives just in time, but losing time and focus while saving civilians caused them to lose sight of the werewolves again, continuing the cat-and-mouse game.

And the troubles did not stop there. Lydia Martin also felt the changes. Unexplained events were happening around her. Sounds only she could hear, screams she perceived in her head, drew her to macabre places, placing her unwittingly at the heart of the tragedies striking Beacon Hills. This is how Lydia discovered the first bodies: people horrifically mutilated, killed in the same systematic manner. Her banshee powers, which she did not yet fully understand, led her involuntarily to these deaths, forcing her into a role she had never asked for.

The first victim was a young man found in the public pool, drowned but with no signs of struggle. Lydia, as if in a trance, had gone to that exact place. She did not know what to do and called Stiles, but she had no explanation to give him. The weight of these visions began to weigh on her mind, isolating her from those who wanted to help her. But Stiles refused to let her fall into despair. He was always there by her side, even when she was lost in these new and terrifying powers.

Stiles called Scott, who was with Derek and Isaac at that time. They all thought that the person found dead was Boyd or Erica, despite the distance separating them. The young redhead, Stiles, and the crime scene were on the other side of the woods.

Despite the strangeness of the situation, Scott, deeply disturbed, decided to seek help from the best person he knew in the field of werewolf hunting: Chris Argent.

He went to see him, but Chris refused. The supernatural world had taken his sister, his father, his wife, and he only had Allison left before losing everything.

But when Chris saw with his own eyes that innocent lives could be at risk, he decided to make an exception and took up the case for one night.

After many mistakes and attempts, they managed to lure Boyd and Cora to the high school, where they were able to trap them in the basement for the rest of the night, winning that battle. But Deucalion was too great a threat; he had earlier found Erica's decaying body in one of the bank's rooms.

The danger was not only physical; it was also psychological. Lydia, haunted by her death visions, began to doubt her own mental health. Scott, though still a novice in the role of leader, felt the weight of responsibility growing heavier on his shoulders. His friends were counting on him, and he could not disappoint them.

After the grueling reunion with Boyd and Cora, school resumed for Scott and the others. But it was difficult to focus on classes with the shadow of the Alphas constantly looming overhead.

Ethan and Aiden, twin Alphas infiltrated at the school, sought to provoke Scott and his friends, playing with their nerves, testing their limits. They knew Scott was the key, but to reach him, they first had to weaken his surroundings. However, Scott, though tempted to respond to their provocations with violence, strived to keep his calm, remembering that strength does not only reside in fists but also in self-control. He decided to outwit the twins, playing their own game.

The two enraged brothers decided to go after Scott and Isaac this time, with no more games. They used a strange technique, never before seen, that only they could use. They could merge to become a giant, superpowered werewolf. But Deucalion appeared and calmed them. Scott saw Deucalion before him, and it wasn't the first time he had seen him; he had encountered this person by chance several times before, without knowing it was Deucalion. Scott didn't realize that Deucalion was interested in him.

Yet, Deucalion was not the only danger lurking in the shadows of Beacon Hills. A series of ritualistic murders began to shake the town. The victims were found mutilated, their bodies forming strange patterns marked by macabre symbolism. These barbaric acts were the work of a mysterious criminal. It seemed that this was the person responsible for the murder at the pool.

At first glance, these crimes appeared non-supernatural, but Stiles, as always, noticed that these murders were strange. They were not just killings but sacrifices. He went to see the person who always seemed to know more, Deaton. The veterinarian told him that these murders were indeed human sacrifices, seemingly someone imitating druidic practices.

While speaking with Deaton, Stiles received a call from Lydia, who seemed to have discovered another crime scene. They joined her at the high school and gradually discovered that it wasn't just someone imitating dark druidic practices. No, it was a Darach, a dark druid, a true druid who had lost their way on the path to power.

After a trip outside Beacon Hills, the situation became critical. The Darach, the mysterious druidic entity orchestrating the ritual sacrifices, was becoming increasingly audacious. The victims were piling up, each selected according to specific categories: warriors, healers, philosophers, and more. The sacrifices were not random; they followed a precise pattern. The victims were all connected by a common thread: each had a strong link with a particular type of knowledge or power.

The Darach sought to complete a final ritual that would grant them immense power. If released, this power could plunge Beacon Hills into chaos.

The Darach proved to be a formidable enemy, using manipulation and magic to achieve its goals.

The air in Beacon Hills grew heavier. The mysteries surrounding Deucalion, his pack of Alphas, and the Darach began to weigh on Scott and his friends. Derek, who had often been silent about his past, realized it was time to reveal some truths. The answers to their questions might be found in events from years ago. Derek then told a story from his adolescence, explaining how he and Deucalion had ended up where they were.

Derek began by recounting the tragic past of his family. He explained how, as a young werewolf, he had witnessed a bloody power struggle between his mother, Talia Hale, and other powerful werewolves in the area. At that time, Deucalion was not yet the corrupted being he had become. He was a respected Alpha, seeking to maintain the balance between the packs. However, a fateful encounter with Gerard Argent changed everything. Gerard, seeking power and revenge, set a trap for Deucalion, blinding him in a brutal ambush. This betrayal, combined with the loss of his sight, shattered Deucalion's spirit and transformed him into a ruthless being, convinced that the only way to survive was to become the ultimate predator.

This story allowed Scott and the others to better understand Deucalion's motivations and Derek's complexity. Their enemies were not simply monsters; they were beings broken by their own tragedies. But this realization did not change the fact that they had to stop them, no matter the cost.

The situation became even more critical when Sheriff Stilinski, Stiles' father, discovered damning evidence linking all the recent murders. Despite the dangers, he continued the investigation, determined to uncover the truth. This stubbornness made him the next target of the Darach. As he continued digging, the sheriff fell into a trap set by the Darach, who kidnapped him, leaving Stiles and Scott desperate to save him.

This blow to the heart of the group left Scott disoriented. Stiles, usually the voice of reason, was devastated at the thought of losing his father. For the first time, he found himself doubting, wondering if they had any chance of defeating this invisible and elusive enemy.

Meanwhile, Lydia continued to be haunted by her Banshee powers, which guided her to scenes of death before they occurred. At a high school party, Lydia was inexplicably drawn to another macabre scene. She discovered that one of the victims was Professor Jennifer Blake. However, as the episode unfolded, the truth emerged: Jennifer Blake was actually the Darach. She had used her powers to conceal her true appearance and intentions.

Jennifer Blake, formerly a powerful druid named Julia Baccari, had been nearly killed by Deucalion and his pack of Alphas, including Kali. Disfigured and left for dead, she barely survived thanks to her druidic powers and began to prepare her revenge. Using human sacrifices, she gradually strengthened herself, absorbing the power from the sacrifices to become the Darach, a corrupted entity seeking vengeance against the Alphas.

As the confrontations between Scott and Deucalion intensified, a dangerous game of manipulation and betrayal was unfolding. Despite his cruelty, Deucalion seemed to see a glimmer of hope in Scott, a potential to exploit. He wanted Scott to embrace the power within him, hoping to make him his ally.

Deucalion had not come to Beacon Hills for Derek but for Scott. There was a legend about werewolves, a legend that evoked both admiration and fear among supernatural creatures. The position of Alpha is generally achieved through strength, often by killing another Alpha to take their place. However, the True Alpha is an exception to this rule. The legend tells of a werewolf who becomes an Alpha not through physical strength or violence, but through the purity of their heart, their courage, and their indomitable will to protect others. This Alpha rises above the others without needing to kill or defeat another Alpha. This transformation is extremely rare, to the point where many believe it to be just a legend.

The legend says that a True Alpha forms when a werewolf shows exceptional character, refusing to yield to corruption, power, or violence even in the most desperate moments. This werewolf demonstrates such a powerful will that it transcends traditional pack laws. Their power emerges from their sense of justice and altruism.

Scott was one of the few who had the potential to be a True Alpha. Deucalion, initially wary of his power and fearful of his potential, had tried many times to push Scott to kill. This was what he hoped would happen when he locked Derek and Scott with Boyd and Cora, who were bloodthirsty at the bank.

Scott found himself in a delicate position when he was forced to temporarily ally with Deucalion to counter Jennifer. Deucalion, although ruthless, saw Jennifer as a threat to his own power. He hesitated about what to do until the Darach's latest actions pushed him into Deucalion's arms.

Jennifer was preparing to perform her final sacrifice ritual, which would give her the power to defeat the Alphas once and for all. She planned to capture the parents of Scott (Melissa McCall), Stiles (Sheriff Stilinski), and Allison (Chris Argent) for her final sacrifice.

Lydia, increasingly disturbed by her visions, began to understand that her Banshee powers might be the key to stopping Jennifer, but she still didn't know how to fully control them.

As the time for the ritual approached, Scott made a decision that changed everything: he agreed to temporarily ally with Deucalion to stop Jennifer, but he vowed to destroy him once she was defeated.

Jennifer sought refuge in a sacred place for druids, the Nemeton, an ancient tree imbued with powerful energies. This was where she planned to complete her final ritual under the influence of the lunar eclipse, a time when werewolves temporarily lose their powers.

Scott, Derek, Stiles, and the others raced against time to prevent the ritual from finishing, but they were also unaware of where their parents were. It was Lydia who helped them. For some time, she had been drawing trees during her free time, the same tree over and over, tirelessly drawing the same tree until, with Stiles' help, she realized it wasn't a tree but roots. Derek knew the place; he had mentioned it before. They knew where their parents were.

At the Nemeton, Jennifer tried to use the lunar eclipse to her advantage to complete her ritual and become invincible.

Her plan was now reaching its climax: she had captured Scott, Stiles, and Allison's parents, who were the necessary guardians for her ritual. This final sacrifice would give her ultimate power to destroy the Alphas, avenge her past, and impose her dominance over all who had betrayed her.

But the final confrontation was taking place in a sacred place, the Nemeton, an ancient tree imbued with powerful and mysterious energy. Jennifer, empowered by her new abilities, lured Kali, one of the Alphas who had participated in her assassination attempt years ago. This moment was particularly emotional for Jennifer, as she saw Kali as a representation of all the betrayals she had suffered. In a fierce battle, Jennifer unleashed all her anger and hatred, using her powers to manipulate the elements around her. Kali, despite her strength, was overwhelmed. Jennifer finally achieved her vengeance by killing Kali, an act that freed her from one of her greatest demons.

After killing Kali, Jennifer turned against the other members of Deucalion's pack. Despite their strength, they were overwhelmed by Jennifer's assault, which neutralized them one by one. Some were struck by direct attacks, while others were trapped by her illusions and psychic manipulations. The speed and violence of Jennifer's attacks left the Alphas powerless.

Finally, Jennifer faced Deucalion himself. Although he was the Alpha of Alphas, he was weakened by his blindness and the betrayal of his own senses against Jennifer's powers. She humiliated him, pushing him to the limits of his abilities. Deucalion fought as best as he could but was forced to admit that he was at Jennifer's mercy.

She was too strong, with psychic manipulation, fear manipulation, and element manipulation; she had so much power.

She was about to end Deucalion's life when Scott intervened. He told her that he had never seen her pain. Jennifer, whose real name was Julia, had been disfigured by Kali under Deucalion's orders years ago, but he had never seen what had been done to her face or her pain.

Jennifer listened to his words, and they resonated throughout her body. It was true; he had never seen her pain. She couldn't kill him without making him see all her suffering. She did something that took immense strength without considering the consequences: she healed Deucalion's eyes.

And Deucalion, for the first time in years, was able to see again. But the first thing he saw was Jennifer's horribly disfigured face. She smiled at the horror she saw on his face, preparing to end Deucalion's life when she suddenly felt a weakness spreading through her body. Healing Deucalion had drained almost all her strength.

A consequence Scott had anticipated. Jennifer was now weakened, and worse, the lunar eclipse was about to end in a few seconds, and werewolves would regain their full strength.

Seeing her plan disintegrate, Jennifer resorted to a final defense. She took refuge behind a barrier of rowan wood, a formidable protection against all supernatural creatures. Rowan wood is known for its ability to repel werewolves and other magical creatures, creating an impassable boundary.

But Scott did not want to let her leave in peace. He took a step into the barrier, pushing himself through. Jennifer told him it would be useless. But Scott took another step. His whole body trembled, but his eyes were determined and increasingly glowing red, turning scarlet with each step he took. He took a third step, and the barrier began to crack. The impossible was happening; someone was breaking through the force field.

Deucalion himself watched from a corner, unable to believe his new eyes.

With a final cry, Scott crossed the force field, shattering the entire rowan wood wall. Being Scott, he did not harm her and spared her life, but the same could not be said for Deucalion, who rushed at her and slit her throat with his claws, much to Scott's disapproval.

Derek and Scott decided to spare Deucalion's life. He had once had a peace ideal that had turned into a desire for power when he lost his sight. With his eyes restored, they hoped he would regain that ideal, but if not, they would be ready.

Derek decided to leave the town with his younger sister, and Peter also disappeared. Derek knew the town was in good hands; Beacon Hills had a new Alpha.

Scott McCall had grown, not only as an Alpha but also as a leader and friend. He knew other challenges awaited him, other forces seeking to disturb the fragile peace he had fought so hard to achieve, but he and his pack would be ready...

[Author's Note: Finally… the summary chapters are finished. The story will continue in the next chapter.]