"SCOTT, I'M NOT GOING TO YOUR ROOM TO WAKE YOU UP!" Hazel called out as she made her way downstairs, her bag slung over her shoulder.
When no response came, she paused in frustration and tossed her bag by the door. Sighing, she stomped back up the stairs to check on her brother.
The window in Scott's room was wide open, curtains billowing softly in the breeze. Hazel froze, her heart skipping a beat.
"What the hell...?" She muttered, her eyes scanning the room. It was empty. Scott was gone.
âââââââ༺༻âââââââ
Later that morning, Hazel stood by her locker, swapping out her English and math books. The clamor of the hallway faded into the background until a familiar voice broke through, sharp and tense. Turning her head, she spotted Jackson pinning Scott against a locker, their faces close enough to spark a confrontation.
Hazel frowned, closing her locker with a decisive slam. She waited until Jackson walked away before making her way over to her brother, concern etched on her face.
"Hey." She greeted softly, her eyes scanning him.
"Hey." Scott muttered, his tone distant.
"What did he want?" She asked, crossing her arms.
Scott hesitated, then sighed. "He's suspicious. He's asking how I went from mediocre to... whatever that was yesterday. He wants to know what's happening to me."
Hazel's jaw dropped. "You told him?"
"No!" Scott blurted, quickly backtracking. "I mean, not the whole truth. I just said I've been feeling different lately. That's it."
"Scott," Hazel said, her tone sharp. "If Jackson finds out, he'll tell everyone. You know what kind of person he is! Don't give him an inch." She stepped closer, her voice softening. "Look, I can't make it to your game today, but promise me you'll be careful, okay? No showing off."
"Why not?"
"I have some... research to do." Hazel gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and grabbed her bag. "Good luck. Love you."
âââââââ༺༻âââââââ
In the quiet of the library, Hazel sifted through dusty books, her curiosity fueled by the strange changes in her brother. One book mentioned wolfsbane, a plant said to weaken or poison werewolves. Another theorized about the possibility of hybrid creaturesâpart vampire, part werewolfâcreated through simultaneous bites.
She frowned, leaning back in her chair. "Vampires?" She whispered to herself. "Do they even exist?"
She shook her head and flipped to another page, determined to understand what was happening to Scott.
âââââââ༺༻âââââââ
That evening, Hazel and Scott arrived at Stiles' house. Stiles yanked the door open, his expression a mix of urgency and excitement. "Get in. You gotta see this."
Hazel flopped onto Stiles' bed, bouncing slightly. "Still the comfiest bed ever," she teased, smirking.
"Focus," Stiles shot back, his attention already back on his computer. "I've been up all night readingâwebsites, books, everything I could find about werewolves."
"Me too." Hazel chimed in, sitting up.
"How much Adderall have you had?" Scott asked, giving Stiles a look.
"A lot," Stiles admitted. "Doesn't matter. Listen to this." He spun around in his chair. "Remember the joke about wolves howling? Not a joke anymore. When a wolf howls, it's a signal to the pack. If you heard one, Scott, there could've been more. Maybe even a whole pack."
"A whole pack of wolves?" Scott asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No," Stiles said, dead serious. "Werewolves."
Scott groaned, standing up. "I don't have time for this. I have a date with Allison tonight."
Stiles jumped up, blocking his path. "Scott, the full moon is tonight! Don't you get it? You're cursed. The change won't just be physicalâit'll mess with your mind. Your bloodlust will be at its peak."
Hazel's stomach turned. "Bloodlust? Stiles, that's not helping."
"It's true!" Stiles insisted before turning back to Scott. "Your heart rate, your emotionsâanything that spikes your pulse could trigger the change. And you know what raises your pulse? Allison." Stiles grabbed his phone. "I'm calling her. You have to cancel."
"What are you doing?" Scott snapped, lunging for the phone. He shoved Stiles against the wall, his movements unnaturally fast. Hazel gasped, frozen in shock as Scott's breathing grew heavier, his hands trembling with anger. Then, just as suddenly, he stepped back, guilt flashing across his face. "I'm sorry." He whispered before storming out.
Hazel placed a comforting hand on Stiles' shoulder. "He's never like this," she said softly. "Something's really wrong."
âââââââ༺༻âââââââ
Hazel arrived at the party later that night, her eyes scanning the crowd. She spotted Scott by the pool with Allison and moved closer, intending to keep an eye on him.
Before she could reach them, a low growl caught her attention. Turning, she froze. Derek Hale stood in the shadows, his piercing gaze fixed on Scott. A dog growled at his feet, its teeth bared.
Hazel's heart skipped a beat when Derek's eyes shifted to her. His stare was intense, unreadable. Hazel quickly looked away, her pulse racing.
Why was he here?
Her attention snapped back to Scott just in time to see him collapse against the wall. Allison helped him up, her face etched with worry. Hazel followed them outside, calling out just as Scott jumped into his car and sped off.
"Hey," Hazel said, turning to Allison. "I'm sorry. He hasn't been feeling well."
Before Allison could respond, Derek appeared. "I'm a friend of Scott's," he said smoothly, his eyes flicking between the two girls. "I can take care of him. Let me drive you home."
Hazel hesitated, but Allison nodded, and they climbed into Derek's car.
The drive was quiet, tension hanging in the air. Hazel kept her eyes on the road, but Derek's presence was hard to ignore.
There was something dangerous about him, something that made her heart race for all the wrong reasons.
"You're thinking too much." Derek said suddenly, his voice low and smooth.
Hazel blinked, startled. "Not really." She lied.
Derek smirked faintly, his eyes briefly meeting hers. "Scott will be fine." He said, his tone almost reassuring.
Hazel looked away, her cheeks warming. She hated how effortlessly he could rattle her. When they reached her house, she mumbled a quiet 'thanks' and stepped out, shutting the door behind her.
She ran inside and headed straight to Scott's room, knocking softly. "Scott? Are you here?" No answer.
With a sigh, Hazel retreated to her own room, collapsing onto her bed. Her mind raced with questions, but exhaustion finally won.
It had been the longest day of her life.
S/T: We only good for the nighttime
âââââââââââââââââââââââââââââ