Stiles and Scott pulled up in front of Jacob's mansion and parked the Jeep.
Moments later, Jacob stepped outside, opened the iron gate, and walked toward them. "Hey guys. So, Scott, you decided to come."
Scott nodded. "Yeah. I don't want to hurt anyone, so I have to learn control."
Jacob gave him a wicked smile. "Alright, then. Let's start right away."
Scott raised an eyebrow. "I don't like that smile of yours. What are you planning?"
"I'm trying to help you, of course." Jacob replied innocently. "Now, I want you to run as fast as you can to the front door of my house. I want to see how fast you are."
Still suspicious, Scott asked. "Why do you want to test my speed?"
"In case you lose control and try to run away." Jacob said, crossing his arms. "I need to know if I can catch you or not. Now stop asking stupid questions and run."
Scott sighed, then took off running at full speed. But just as he was about to cross the iron gate, he slammed into an invisible barrier and bounced back violently—flying past Jacob and Stiles before crashing to the ground.
Jacob burst out laughing uncontrollably while Stiles stood there, wide-eyed. "What was that?!"
Scott groaned, blood dripping from his nose. He got up, stormed toward Jacob, and grabbed him by the collar.
"You bastard! You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
Jacob was still laughing even as Scott shook him. Enraged, Scott tried to punch him, but Jacob dodged, slipping out of his grip and hiding behind Stiles.
Wiping tears from his eyes, Jacob grinned. "Sorry, I wanted to test if the barrier around my house actually works, and you're the only supernatural creature I know."
"Explain." Scott demanded.
"As you just saw." Jacob said. "There's a barrier around my house that keeps out supernatural beings. Don't ask me how it was put there or who did it—I don't know. But since I inherited the house, I can control the barrier. So without my permission, no supernatural creature can enter my house."
"A magical barrier?" Stiles blinked. "So… magic is real too?"
Jacob shrugged. "I guess so. Anyway, go ahead and drive the Jeep in."
Stiles got back into the Jeep and drove it through the gate. Jacob looked at Scott, who was still angry and said. "Come on, man, let's go in."
Seeing that Scott was still standing there, Jacob added. "Don't worry, you can get in now—the barrier won't stop you."
Jacob walked inside the iron gate and called back. "Close the gate behind you."
Scott hesitated for a moment before following. The barrier didn't stop him this time. He sighed, shut the iron gate, and walked over to Jacob and Stiles, who were waiting for him in front of the mansion.
"Hey Jacob." Stiles asked. "Are your parents home? Are they like you?"
"No." Jacob said casually. "I live alone. I'm an orphan. My parents died eight years ago, and I inherited this mansion from them."
"Oh, I'm sorry..."
"Don't worry about it." Jacob said, cutting him off. "Now, let's head to the backyard to train Scott."
As they walked, Scott asked. "Jacob, can I set up a barrier like yours around my house?"
"I don't know about a barrier like mine." Jacob replied. "But there's another kind called a Mountain Ash barrier. You have to keep it open and only close it when you want to trap a shapeshifter or keep them out. Unlike mine, you can't control it at will."
Stiles said. "What do you mean by keeping it open?"
"You make a circle—but leave a gap. You only close it when you need to." Jacob explained.
Scott frowned. "Where do we even get Mountain Ash?"
"You can buy it from a druid." Jacob said. "Or make it yourself. Just find a Mountain Ash tree—also known as a Rowan tree—burn it, and collect the ash. We can go looking for one in the woods later and make a simple circle around your houses. If you want something more professional, though, you'll need a druid."
"A druid?" Stiles asked. "Is that like a mage?"
"Sort of." Jacob said. "They're healers and keepers of balance between the supernatural and human worlds. They know about supernatural creatures, magical herbs, rituals, and stuff like that. That's about all I know about them."
"And where are we supposed to find one?" Scott asked.
Jacob thought to himself. 'Deaton is one, but I'm not telling them that.' Then he shrugged. "No idea."
---
In the Backyard
Scott, Stiles, and Jacob stood in the wide backyard of Jacob's mansion.
Stiles glanced around and asked. "What if your neighbors hear Scott when he loses control and starts howling, growling, or… whatever werewolves do?"
Jacob shook his head. "Don't worry. The houses around here are far apart—and most of them are empty anyway. Now…" He grinned wickedly. "Let's start beating the dog."
Scott frowned, already regretting this. "Hey, I'm not a dog. I'm a wolf."
Jacob smirked. "Same thing."
"No, it's not." Scott looked at Stiles and added. "By the way, stay away. In case I lose it and attack you."
Stiles nodded and backed off. Scott turned to Jacob, sighed, and said. "Alright. I'm ready. So, what do I do?"
Jacob cracked his knuckles and grinned like a supervillain. "You're going to try shifting. And when you lose control, I'm going to beat you until you either master your new powers… or die trying."
Scott blinked. "Wait... what?"
Stiles gave Jacob a thumbs-up. "Don't go easy on him. I'll be watching the show from the side."
Scott turned to him. "I thought we were friends."
Stiles shrugged. "We are. This is for your own good."
Jacob clapped his hands. "Alright! Step one: try to shift."
Scott asked. "How do I do that?"
Jacob replied. "I don't really know. For me, it's like moving a hand or blinking. It's instinct."
Stiles raised an eyebrow. "It's that easy?"
Jacob nodded. "Yeah. Scott, don't overthink it—just let it happen."
Scott concentrated for a while, but nothing happened. Frustrated, he said. "I can't."
Jacob smirked. "Then it's time for Plan B."
Scott narrowed his eyes. "What's Plan B?"
Jacob lunged forward. "I beat your ass until you shift."
He punched Scott in the face—not hard enough to knock him out, but enough to hurt. Then he followed up with more strikes and kicks. Scott tried to block, but he was too slow. Pain and adrenaline started bubbling up—his eyes glowed, he began to growl, and finally, he shifted and fought back.
After a few intense moments, Jacob paused. "Scott, are you in control?"
Scott didn't answer. He attacked again.
Jacob countered with a strong punch to Scott's chest, sending him crashing to the ground. "How about now? Can you hear me, Scott?"
Scott growled louder, his fangs and claws growing out. He charged again.
From the side, Stiles winced. "I guess that's a no."
Jacob rolled his shoulders. "Time to knock some sense into him."
He dodged Scott's swipe, kneed him in the gut, and when Scott bent forward, Jacob grabbed his head and slammed a knee into his face.
Scott whimpered and stumbled back. Stiles muttered. "That's gotta hurt…"
Jacob looked at him calmly. "Can you hear me now, Scott?"
Scott wiped the blood from his nose. "Yeah… and did you have to hit me that hard? You almost broke my nose."
Jacob shrugged. "Don't worry. If it broke, it would've healed in a few seconds. Super healing, remember? Besides, we're just getting started. I'll hit you harder next time."
Scott groaned. "Can I quit?"
"Nope." Jacob said. "Now, retract your claws and fangs, and turn your eyes back to normal."
Scott focused, and after a moment, he shifted back to normal.
Jacob nodded. "Good. Now practice shifting back and forth until it becomes second nature—like moving your hand or blinking."
It took Scott about an hour to gain smooth control over his shift. He looked at Jacob and Stiles who were sitting and talking a short distance away, and said proudly. "I did it! I can shift on command now!"
Jacob folded his arms. "Show me."
Scott's eyes glowed yellow, his claws and fangs appeared, and then he smoothly shifted back.
Jacob smiled. "Nice. Now let's take it a step further. Grow your claws one finger at a time. Like this."
He held up his hand and demonstrated—growing and retracting each claw individually.
"I can choose which finger grows claws and which doesn't." Jacob explained. "It's easy once you get the hang of it."
Scott tried. He struggled at first, but after about half an hour, he got the hang of it.
While Scott was practicing, Jacob leaned toward Stiles and whispered. "Tell me, what makes Scott really angry?"
Stiles tapped his chin. "Let me think... Oh, I got it. You could make fun of his mom—that'll do it. He's super protective. He loves her a lot."
Jacob smirked. "Perfect. You might wanna step back. I'm about to seriously piss him off."
Stiles backed away.
Jacob walked over to Scott and asked. "You done playing with your claws?"
Scott nodded. "Yeah, I can do what you showed me now."
"Good." Jacob said. "So… I trained you. How are you gonna thank me?"
Scott tilted his head. "Wait, are we done? Does that mean I won't lose control anymore? What about the full moon—am I actually safe now?"
Jacob shrugged. "We're done with your first lesson. You've still got a few more days of work before you're in full control. As for the full moon, just crash at my place. If you lose it, I'll activate the barrier. You won't be able to get out."
Scott sighed. "I was hoping I'd be fully in control by now. Anyway, what kind of thank-you do you want?"
Jacob grinned mischievously. "Well… I like older women. And I heard your mom is hot. And single. So how about this—you set me up with your mom. Who knows? Maybe you'll become my stepson."
Stiles burst out laughing from the sidelines. "Dude! You went too far!"
Jacob just kept going. "What? I was thinking I could give him a little brother or sister."
Scott stood frozen in disbelief. Then his face twisted in rage. He snarled, eyes glowing yellow, claws extending as he lunged at Jacob.
Jacob ducked under the wild swing and casually punched Scott in the stomach, sending him flying into a bush. "Too slow."
"Scott, think about your mom!" Jacob shouted.
Scott crawled out of the bush, growling. "I AM!"
"Not how hot she is, you perverted freak!" Jacob smirked. "Think of her hugs! Her smile! Something emotional! Make her your anchor!"
Stiles couldn't stop laughing, and that only pushed Scott further over the edge. This time, he roared with fury. Fur began to grow along his jawline, his face starting to shift, twisting with rage.
"Shit." Stiles muttered. "He's completely gone."
Jacob sidestepped Scott's attack and swept his legs, slamming him into the grass with a heavy thud.
"You're too weak." Jacob said coldly. "You can't even control yourself. So how are you gonna protect your mom?"
Scott growled and attacked again. Jacob caught his arm, twisted it behind his back, and said. "What if that Alpha who bit you comes after her?"
Then Jacob kicked Scott away and said firmly. "If you can't control yourself… if you're not strong enough… she could get hurt. Or worse—she could die, Scott."
Scott blinked, panting, something in his mind flickering back to reality. But before he could fully calm down, Jacob smirked again and added. "So why not let me date her? I can protect her."
Scott lost it again. He roared in pure rage, so angry that fur spread down his arms, his skin darkened, and it began taking on a dark gray color.
Jacob looked at him with a smile and thought. 'Damn, I might have made this Scott stronger than the one from the show. I've never seen him like this before—except when he was tearing through those hunters in season four.'
For the next two hours, the cycle repeated. Every time Scott calmed down, Jacob—or Stiles—would find a new way to provoke him. When Scott lost control, Jacob would beat him down until he regained it.
Eventually, Scott stood panting, shirt torn, dirt smeared across his face. His eyes were still glowing, and his claws were out—but he wasn't attacking anymore. He just stood there, glaring at Jacob.
Jacob raised an eyebrow. "Are you finally in control?"
"I think so." Scott replied. "I thought of my mom…"
Jacob cut him off. "Nothing dirty, I hope."
Scott growled low in his throat.
Jacob chuckled. "Oops. Guess I still need to beat you some more—you're clearly not in control yet."
"No." Scott said firmly. "I'm in total control."
Stiles walked up behind Jacob, eyeing Scott cautiously. "Then why are your eyes still glowing? And why are your claws still out?"
Scott's expression darkened. "Because I really want to kill you two bastards."
Jacob grinned. "Alright, I think he's in control."
Stiles backed up a step. "Are you sure? I don't like the way he's looking at me."
Jacob shrugged. "He's angry, and he wants to hit someone."
Stiles said. "Then why is he looking at me? He should beat you—you're the one who wants to date his mom!"
Jacob shrugged again. "Weren't you the one who told me to use his mom to make him angry? Besides, he can't beat me. I'm stronger than him."
Scott cracked his knuckles and started walking toward Stiles.
Stiles yelped and took off sprinting toward the mansion. "Jacob! Help! I think he's losing control again!"
Jacob laughed as he watched Scott chase after him. "He's not losing control—and Scott, don't hit him too hard. He's just a normal human, after all!"
To be continued... 😊