After dropping Allison off at her house, Jacob drove back to his mansion. When he arrived, he found Stiles sitting just outside the barrier, and Scott sitting inside it, both of them leaning against the iron gate.
Jacob pulled up and got out of his car. "Stiles, what are you doing here?"
Stiles grinned. "Just came to check on Scott… and to tell him I kissed a girl at the party."
Jacob smirked. "So basically, you're here to make him lose control."
"Something like that." Stiles said with a smile.
Jacob opened the gate and looked at Scott. "So? Did you lose control when you saw the moon?"
Scott shook his head. "I almost did at first, but I calmed down quickly. The full moon doesn't really make me lose control—it just makes me feel stronger, full of energy. Like I drank a bunch of energy drinks. At least, that's what it felt like."
Jacob nodded. "So you're not worried about losing control even in the full moon?"
"Yeah." Scott said. "Thanks for helping, by the way. Even though you made me want to kill you and Stiles… still, thank you."
"You're welcome." Jacob said casually.
Stiles leaned forward. "Hey Jacob, does the moon affect you too?"
Jacob shook his head. "No. The moon doesn't do anything to me at all."
He looked between them. "So, are you two staying here tonight or heading home?"
"I already told my mom I'd be crashing at a friend's place." Scott said.
"I'll call my dad and let him know I'm staying here too." Stiles added.
"Alright." Jacob said. "Then drive your car inside and close the gate behind you."
Jacob got back into his car and drove through the gate, parking outside the mansion. Stiles followed in his jeep, and Scott closed the gate behind them.
After grabbing a quick bite in the kitchen, the three of them settled into the living room.
"By the way." Stiles said. "After you left the party with Allison, Jackson wanted to call the cops. Said he'd make sure you ended up in jail. But I stopped him."
Jacob scoffed. "Then I guess you saved his ass. I joke around all day at school, but I'm not a pushover. If he provokes me again, I'll make him regret it."
Scott raised an eyebrow. "Regret it how? You're really gonna hurt him?"
Jacob shrugged. "Of course. I'll send his ass to the hospital, or worse."
Stiles blinked. "What's worse than the hospital?"
Jacob grinned darkly. "A morgue."
Stiles stared. "Are you actually saying you'd kill Jackson if he pissed you off enough?"
"Relax, I'm just joking." Jacob said, laughing. "I'm not going to kill that idiot."
Stiles still looked uneasy. "Okay, but… let's say someone really made you angry. Would you actually kill them?"
Jacob's smile faded slightly. "Look, I'm not a murderer. But if I had to kill to survive, I would. And I consider you two and Allison my friends. If I had to kill someone to save you, I wouldn't hesitate."
Stiles sipped his soda. "Uh… thanks? I guess. I always knew you were a bit scary, but I didn't realize you were kill-a-guy scary."
Jacob chuckled. "Stiles, my world is full of supernatural creatures. Some are good, some are bad… but there are some that are truly evil."
"Like what?" Stiles asked, curious.
"Wendigos." Jacob said.
Stiles blinked. "Wendigos? What are those?"
"Cannibals. Shapeshifters that survive by eating humans."
Scott and Stiles both stared at Jacob, stunned.
"Wait… is there really a shapeshifter like that?" Scott asked.
Jacob nodded. "Yeah. Wendigos are real. And they're not the only ones. Some supernatural creatures are cannibals. Some eat babies. Some sacrifice humans to gain power. And some just enjoy killing and spreading chaos."
Stiles shivered. "Well, I don't think I can get a good night's sleep from now on."
Jacob gave a half-smile. "This is my world. And whether you like it or not, you two are part of it now."
Scott frowned. "Still… I don't think I could kill someone. Evil or not."
Jacob shrugged. "No one's forcing you to. But you need to understand something—being kind to your enemies can be cruel to yourself. And more often than not, you won't be the one who pays the price… your loved ones will."
Stiles scratched his head. "Isn't there, like, a supernatural jail or something?"
Jacob shook his head. "Not that I know of."
Scott said. "Well, what about the hunters? If we run into something evil, we could tell them."
Jacob's expression darkened. "If you want to get hunted too, be my guest."
Stiles frowned. "Didn't you say hunters have a code? They don't hurt innocent shapeshifters."
Jacob nodded. "I did. But I also said not all of them follow the code. So don't trust them blindly."
Just as Stiles was about to reply, Jacob suddenly tilted his head, like he was listening to something far away. Scott did the same.
"What is it?" Stiles asked, looking between them.
"You don't hear that?" Scott asked.
"Hear what?"
Jacob smirked. "A howl. Sounds like the Alpha is calling Scott."
Stiles glanced at Scott. "So? Do you feel some weird urge to go to him or something?"
Scott shook his head. "No. Nothing."
Jacob grinned. "Then how about we go to him and fight him, Scott?"
Scott gave him a look. "How about… no."
Jacob laughed. "You're going to have to fight him eventually."
"Eventually." Scott agreed. "But not now."
"Alright." Jacob said. "How about we go play some games? I'm done talking about the supernatural for today."
Stiles perked up. "Now that sounds fun. I'm in."
"Me too." Scott added.
The three of them headed to the game room and spent the rest of the night playing video games until late. Eventually, Jacob showed them to two guest rooms, then went to his own to sleep.
---
The next morning, Jacob woke up around 10:30 AM. It was Saturday—no school. He sat up in bed and said in his mind. "System, sign in."
[Daily Sign-In Successful. Rewards Obtained:
-Random Panty Collection – Today's belongs to: Nami (One Piece)
-Captain Jack Sparrow's Dirt Jar – A literal jar of dirt (Pirates of the Caribbean)
-Ten Rotisserie Chickens]
Jacob groaned. "Seriously? Again with the perverted rewards? And what am I supposed to do with a jar of dirt? But at least the chickens look good…"
He got up, took a shower, then headed downstairs to the kitchen. After frying some eggs and sausage, he found a pancake recipe on his phone and made a big batch. Then he pulled five rotisserie chickens from his system inventory and placed everything on the table.
Not long after, Stiles and Scott wandered into the kitchen, following the smell of food.
Scott looked at the table overflowing with food and asked. "What's with all this? Do you have guests we don't know about?"
Stiles raised an eyebrow. "You fried way too many eggs and sausages. And what's with all the pancakes? And where did those chickens even come from?"
"I ordered the chickens this morning. You guys can eat as much as you want." Jacob smiled. "And don't worry, there will be no leftovers. You boys are about to see something special. Now sit. I'm starving."
Scott and Stiles exchanged a shrug and sat down to eat. But it didn't take long for them to realize why Jacob had cooked so much food.
They watched in stunned silence as Jacob devoured three whole chickens, followed by most of the eggs, sausages, and pancakes on the table.
Jacob glanced at the one and a half chickens still untouched. "You guys done with the chicken?"
Scott blinked. "Yeah…"
Stiles held up his hands. "All yours, man."
Jacob proceeded to eat the remaining chicken, then helped himself to more eggs and pancakes. By the time he was done, the table was completely empty. He let out a loud burp and said. "Ahhh, that hit the spot."
He noticed Scott and Stiles staring at him in disbelief.
"What?" Jacob asked. "Why are you two looking at me like that?"
Stiles leaned back. "Do you eat like this every day?"
Jacob nodded. "Yep. Why?"
"Why?! That was enough food to last me a week!"
Jacob chuckled. "If you're shocked by this, wait until you see my lunch and dinner. I could probably eat a whole cow if I wanted to."
Scott frowned. "Where do you even put all that food? Your stomach doesn't even look that big."
Jacob shrugged. "Ever since I awakened and became a shapeshifter, I've needed a ton of food. Whatever I am, I think I'm going through some kind of growth phase. My body's burning through energy like crazy."
Stiles squinted at him. "You're not… an Ouroboros, are you?"
Jacob blinked. "A what now?"
Stiles explained. "It's a mythological snake that's so greedy and hungry, it eats its own tail. At least, that's how I understand the Ouroboros myth."
Jacob laughed. "No, I'm not whatever that Ouroboros thing is, I don't even think I'm a snake."
Scott asked. "So, when exactly did you become a shapeshifter?"
"Not long ago." Jacob replied. "Maybe a week or so."
Stiles leaned forward. "Then how do you know all the stuff you told us about the supernatural?"
Jacob thought to himself. 'Because I watched the Teen Wolf show, obviously… but I'm not telling them that, let's give them a convincing answer.'
He replied. "It's all in that book I gave you the other day. But you two cowards were too scared to read it. Also, a friend of my parents told me about the hunters and other stuff."
"So… your parents were shapeshifters too?" Stiles asked.
Jacob nodded. "Yes. I wasn't turned by the bite of an Alpha. I'm a shapeshifter by inheritance."
Stiles asked. "Didn't you ask your parents' friend what they were?"
Jacob replied. "I did, but she said they didn't know what they were exactly—just that they were shapeshifters. Anyway, I'm not too concerned about what I am. I'll find out eventually."
After chatting for a while longer, Scott and Stiles eventually left.
Jacob cleaned up the dishes, then stepped outside the mansion. He walked over to the gazebo in the garden and sat down in one of the chairs. Reaching into his pocket dimension, he pulled out the Bestiary and started reading.
To be continued... 😊