Late August – Beacon Hills, California
The convoy rolled through Beacon Hills just after noon, three black SUVs carrying Lucien, Sam, Lucy, Jake, and enough luggage to furnish a small army. Lucien watched the town pass by through tinted windows, comparing the reality to his memories of the show.
It was smaller than he expected. Quaint, almost. Tree-lined streets, local shops, the kind of place where everyone knew everyone else's business. The perfect cover for a supernatural nexus.
"This is it?" Sam asked from the back seat, sounding distinctly unimpressed. "This is the big, dangerous town you've been preparing us for?"
"Don't let appearances fool you," Lucien replied. "Beacon Hills has more supernatural activity per capita than anywhere else in the country. It just hides it well."
The SUVs turned off the main road onto a private drive that wound through dense forest for nearly a mile before opening up to reveal the compound. Lucy pressed her face against the window, eyes wide.
"Holy shit."
The mansion rose from the clearing like something out of a movie, three stories of modern architecture and classical elegance, all stone and glass and sharp angles. The main building was flanked by two smaller structures that Jake had designated as barracks for the security team. A twelve-foot wall surrounded the entire property, topped with cameras and motion sensors that Lucien could see even from the car.
"Home sweet home," Lucien said with a satisfied smile.
Jake had outdone himself.
They pulled through the main gate—solid steel that could stop a truck—and parked in the circular drive. The security team was already there, six men in tactical gear standing at attention. Professional. Ready.
"Mr. Vale," their leader, a scarred veteran named Morrison, stepped forward. "Welcome to Beacon Hills. The compound is fully operational and secure."
"Good work," Lucien said, shaking the man's hand. "I want a full perimeter check every six hours. No one gets in or out without my knowledge."
"Yes, sir."
Inside, the mansion was even more impressive. Hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of the forest. The furniture was already in place, modern pieces in blacks and grays that matched Lucien's aesthetic. There was a state-of-the-art kitchen, a gym that rivaled professional facilities, a library, and enough bedrooms for twice their number.
"I call the room with the balcony!" Lucy shouted, already racing up the stairs.
"There are three rooms with balconies!" Sam called after her, following at a more sedate pace.
Lucien let them explore, making his way to the master suite on the third floor. It was perfect, a massive bed, a walk-in closet, a bathroom with a rainfall shower, and a tub that could fit four people. But what caught his attention was the view. From here, he could see most of Beacon Hills spread out below, the preserve stretching dark and wild to the west.
Somewhere out there, the Hale pack was in ruins. Derek was probably already in New York, hiding from his past. Peter was still comatose, burned, and broken. Laura would be alpha, trying to hold together what remained of her family.
And in a year, Scott McCall would get bitten, and everything would go to hell.
But not yet. For now, Beacon Hills was quiet. Peaceful.
Lucien had time.
Two Weeks Later – Beacon Hills High School
The first day of school arrived with the kind of nervous energy that Lucien remembered from his previous life. Sam stood in front of the bathroom mirror, adjusting his shirt for the third time.
"It's fine," Lucien said from the doorway. "You look good."
"Easy for you to say. You could wear a garbage bag and still look like a model."
It wasn't entirely wrong. Lucien had grown over the summer; he was six-foot-two now, still had another inch to go, and his white hair drew attention everywhere he went. Combined with the supernatural confidence and predatory grace, he stood out whether he wanted to or not.
Lucy appeared in the hallway, her own nervous energy practically vibrating through the pack bond. "Do I really have to wait until next year? I could start freshman year now if you'd just forge some documents."
"No," Lucien said firmly. "We discussed this. One more year of homeschooling to master your control. I'm not having you shift in the middle of algebra class because someone pisses you off."
She pouted but didn't argue further.
The drive to school was quiet, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Beacon Hills High was exactly as Lucien remembered from the show: brick buildings, too many students, and the familiar chaos of the first day.
They parked the Corvette, dark blue, because Lucien couldn't resist, next to a silver Porsche that could only belong to Jackson Whittemore. Right on schedule.
"Here we go," Sam muttered as they got out.
Every eye in the parking lot turned to watch them. Lucien had expected it, new students in a small town were always curiosities, and they weren't exactly subtle. He caught whispers as they passed.
"—white hair, is that natural?"
"—probably rich, look at the car—"
"—think they're brothers?"
They made their way to the administration office, where a tired-looking secretary handed them their schedules without much ceremony. Lucien scanned his, mostly AP classes, as expected. Sam's was lighter, regular Sophomore-level courses.
"Looks like we're only sharing lunch," Sam observed.
"You'll survive," Lucien said. "Just keep your head down, don't start any fights, and for god's sake, don't let your eyes flash."
"Yes, Dad," Sam replied with an eye roll.
They separated at the first hallway junction. Lucien found his first class—AP Biology—and slipped inside just as the bell rang. The teacher, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes and graying hair, looked up from her desk.
"You must be Mr. Vale. Welcome to Beacon Hills. Please, take the seat next to Miss Martin."
Lucien followed her gesture to an empty seat beside a beautiful girl with strawberry blonde hair and sharp green eyes. Lydia Martin. One of the smartest people in Beacon Hills, currently hiding behind a facade of vapid popularity.
"Hi," Lucien said, sliding into the seat. "I'm Lucien."
Lydia barely glanced at him. "Lydia." Her tone was dismissive, the practiced indifference of someone who'd been hit on by every guy in school.
Fair enough. Lucien pulled out his notebook and focused on the lesson.
But he could feel Lydia's eyes on him throughout class, quick glances when she thought he wasn't looking. Curiosity, maybe. Or just cataloging the new student. Either way, Lucien ignored it. He wasn't here to play high school romance games.
The rest of the morning passed in a blur of introductions and syllabi. By lunch, Lucien was ready for a break. He found Sam in the cafeteria, already sitting at an empty table with a tray of questionable-looking food.
"How's your day?" Lucien asked, sitting down.
"Boring. You?"
"Same."
They ate in comfortable silence, watching the cafeteria's social dynamics unfold around them. The popular kids at their table by the windows, Jackson Whittemore holding court, Lydia at his side looking bored. The lacrosse players scattered among various tables. The outcasts and loners at the edges.
And there, sitting together near the back, were Scott McCall and Stiles Stilinski. Still human, still innocent, with no idea what was coming.
Lucien felt something twist in his chest. Guilt, maybe. He knew what was going to happen to Scott. Knew the pain and chaos that the bite would bring. And he was just going to let it happen because changing too much might have unpredictable consequences.
"You okay?" Sam asked quietly.
"Yeah. Just thinking."
"About?"
"The future."
Sam accepted that without further questions. That was one of the things Lucien appreciated about his beta, Sam understood boundaries.
The afternoon classes were more of the same, and by the time the final bell rang, Lucien was exhausted in a way that had nothing to do with physical tiredness. High school was just as tedious as he remembered.
They met back at the Corvette, where Lucy was waiting with Jake in one of the SUVs.
"How was it?" she asked eagerly.
"Educational," Lucien replied dryly. "You're not missing much."
As they drove home, Lucien's mind was already racing ahead. School was just a cover, a way to blend in and monitor the situation. The real work would happen outside these halls.
He needed to establish connections with the Satomi pack before everything went sideways. Needed to build his reputation carefully, strong enough to be respected, not so strong that he drew unwanted attention. Needed to prepare for Peter's rampage, for the Alpha pack, for everything that was coming.
But for now, he had time.
For now, Beacon Hills was quiet.
He'd enjoy it while it lasted.