NOTE: don't forget to join my Patreon.com/Argonaut007 to get access up to 10+ Advance chapters.
------
Weeks had passed since the fall of the Argent hunters.
Inside the Argent household, the morning felt unusually quiet. Sunlight streamed through the dining room windows, illuminating the table where Chris, Victoria, and Allison sat, plates half-touched.
The silence didn't last.
Chris sighed sadly, setting down his fork. "Weeks have gone by… and we're still alive." He glanced at both of them. "I think obeying the code gave us that leeway."
Victoria's hand tightened around her glass. Her voice was sharp, laced with anger. "Leeway? Our family was slaughtered, Chris. Your father… my sister… gone." Her eyes hardened. "Those monsters dared to kill our blood."
Allison immediately looked up. "Mom, that's not fair to say that."
Victoria snapped, "Not fair? You think this is about fairness?"
"It is," Allison shot back. "Because I saw what happened. Hunters killing werewolves who weren't even attacking anyone. That's not justice." Her voice steadied. "That's hunting for pleasure."
"i tried to convince them, the hale to stop what are they planning... but Grandpa's sin is too much. they can't tolerate him any longer"
The tension in the room thickened.
Chris leaned back slightly, watching the exchange, his expression heavy.
Victoria scoffed. "You're defending them now?"
"I'm defending the truth," Allison replied firmly. "They didn't deserve what was done to them."
Victoria slammed her hand lightly on the table. "They are monsters!"
"They're not!" Allison fired back. "They're humans with abilities. Monsters are the ones who kill innocent people."
Chris finally spoke, his voice calm but firm. "Enough."
Both turned to him.
He exhaled slowly. "What's done is done. We follow the code. We do our job as hunters—nothing more, nothing less." His gaze hardened slightly. "Or the code will come for us."
Allison nodded slightly. "Those who hunt… will be hunted." She looked directly at her mother. "I hope you learned that lesson."
Victoria's expression softened, but only slightly. "Allison…"
"I don't want you to die," Allison continued, her voice lowering. "I saw them, Mom. The Hale estate… that wasn't just a pack." She shook her head. "They're like an army. Organized. Disciplined. Strong."
Chris closed his eyes briefly. "I know."
Victoria hesitated, then sighed. "I know, sweetie… you've warned us."
The room fell into silence again—this time heavier, more uncertain.
Across town, inside the Hale Biotech Facility, the atmosphere was entirely different.
Clean. Controlled. Advanced.
Soft blue light glowed from a cylindrical container at the center of the lab. The liquid inside shimmered like liquid sapphire, faint particles drifting within it like stars in a night sky.
Talia stood beside it, her expression calm but proud. "Arthur," she called.
Arthur entered, his presence commanding as always. His crimson eyes immediately locked onto the container.
"The serum is complete," Talia said. "Fully stabilized."
Arthur stepped closer, observing the glowing liquid. The soft blue radiance reflected in his eyes, giving him an almost otherworldly look.
"Beautiful," he muttered.
The serum pulsed faintly, like it was alive—energy contained, refined, perfected.
"We can now strengthen the pack," Talia continued.
Arthur nodded. "Good. Begin with you, Laura, Derek… and the elites. Only those loyal to the pack."
Talia inclined her head. "Understood."
Moments later, inside the injection chamber—
Laura rolled her shoulders. "Let's see what this thing can really do."
Derek stood beside her, arms crossed. "If this fails, I'm blaming you."
Laura smirked. "You're always blaming me."
Talia stepped forward, holding a vial of the glowing blue serum. "This will enhance your natural abilities. It will not change who you are—it will refine what you already possess."
Arthur leaned against the wall, watching silently.
"Ready?" Talia asked.
Laura didn't hesitate. "Do it."
The injection was quick.
For a second—nothing.
Then—
Laura's body tensed.
Her eyes flashed gold, then deeper—brighter. Her muscles tightened as energy surged through her veins.
"Damn…" she whispered, clenching her fists. "I can feel it…"
Derek stepped forward. "What do you feel?"
"Everything," Laura replied, her voice low. "Faster… sharper… stronger."
Derek nodded. "My turn."
One by one, the pack elites received the serum.
The effects were immediate:
Movements became sharper, more precise
Reflexes heightened to near-instant reactions
Strength surged beyond previous limits
Regeneration accelerated dramatically
One beta tested his arm after a controlled cut—healed in seconds.
Another inhaled deeply. "Wolfsbane… it's not affecting me."
"Silver too," Derek added, gripping a blade experimentally. "Minimal reaction."
Talia nodded. "Resistance to poison, immunity to mountain ash, silver, and wolfsbane… all functioning as intended."
Laura grinned. "We just became monsters to monsters."
Arthur finally pushed himself off the wall. "No." His voice was calm but firm. "You became better."
He looked at all of them. "But power without control is useless."
Derek crossed his arms. "So what's next?"
Arthur's lips curved slightly. "Training."
Laura groaned. "Of course."
Arthur smirked faintly. "You'll need to relearn your limits. Because right now… you don't have any."
Beacon Hills High School—
The hallway buzzed with noise, but one conversation stood out.
Stiles leaned against a locker, talking animatedly. Scott stood beside him, listening, while Lydia and Jackson lingered nearby.
"I'm telling you," Stiles said, waving his hands, "this is not normal. Like, at all. People don't just drop dead across town with zero explanation."
Scott frowned. "It's been weeks, and there's still no suspects."
"Exactly!" Stiles pointed at him. "Weeks. You know what that means? Either the world's worst criminal mastermind… or something supernatural."
Jackson rolled his eyes. "Or maybe the police just don't know what they're doing."
Stiles gasped dramatically. "Blasphemy! My dad is a professional, thank you very much."
Lydia crossed her arms. "Then why does he look like he hasn't slept in days?"
Stiles paused. "…Okay, that's a fair point."
Scott sighed. "Your dad's really struggling with this, isn't he?"
"Yeah," Stiles admitted. "He's got FBI breathing down his neck, reports piling up… and zero clues." He leaned in slightly. "You know what that means, right?"
Jackson groaned. "Please don't say it."
Stiles whispered dramatically, "Cover-up."
Lydia rolled her eyes. "You've been watching too many conspiracy videos."
"No, no, hear me out," Stiles insisted. "Mass deaths, no evidence, no suspects… either someone's hiding something, or something is way bigger than we think."
Scott shifted slightly, uneasy. "You think it's… connected to us?"
Stiles gave him a look. "Dude. Everything weird in this town is connected to us."
Jackson scoffed. "You're both insane."
Lydia smirked. "Says the guy who's obsessed with lacrosse and himself."
"At least I'm consistent," Jackson shot back.
Stiles clapped his hands. "Focus, people! We have a mystery. Dead bodies, no answers, stressed-out sheriff—this is prime investigation material!"
Scott rubbed his face. "Or… we stay out of it?"
Stiles blinked. "…Wow. You've changed."
(AN: stiles is stiles, he is brave when mystery arise, but cower when danger arrives)
Lydia tilted her head. "Or maybe he's just being smart."
Stiles sighed dramatically. "Fine. But when the truth comes out and I'm proven right, I expect apologies. And maybe snacks."
Jackson smirked. "You always expect snacks."
"Because snacks are essential to solving mysteries," Stiles replied seriously.
Scott couldn't help but laugh.
But beneath the humor… tension remained.
Because deep down—
they know what really happened.
They just didn't expect to be this big of a mess. hundreds of people died. a whole several family was killed as long as they are connected to Gerard.