Allison, Lydia, and Malia, who had finished absorbing the Hulk Serum and were testing their new, incredible strength by lightly punching boulders into gravel, froze at the sound.
They turned as one toward the distant mountains, from where the earth-shaking roar had originated.
Lydia smiled, a sense of awe in her expression. "It seems he got stronger, too."
Malia nodded. "If I didn't know that was Jay, I'd be running for the deepest hole I could find right now. And that's just from the sound of him." A fierce, proud grin spread across her face. "But luckily, I'm his wife. That roar… instead of scaring me, it just makes me feel stronger."
"Me too." Allison and Lydia said in unison, feeling an unexpected surge of confidence and power resonate within them, a reflection of their bond.
As they spoke, a dark shadow appeared in the sky of Serendell, growing larger as it descended. With a rush of wind, Jacob landed before them, his massive claws digging into the soft earth. He folded his wings against his scaled back, his crimson eyes looking at them.
"What do you think, girls?" he asked, his voice a deep, resonant rumble that vibrated in their chests.
Allison's eyes were wide with admiration. "Wow. You look… majestic."
The girls approached, circling him. They ran their hands over his hard scales, marveled at the size of his claws, and stared up at his powerful draconic form.
Cogman descended from his flight around Serendell to hover at their side. He gave Jacob's new draconic form an appreciative once-over. "Now you look like a proper dragon, sir. A little small, perhaps, but you look good nonetheless."
Jacob's voice rumbled deeply. "My full dragon form will grow larger. By the way, did you manage to fuse the Mark 85 with your body, or are you just wearing it?"
"Completely fused, sir." Cogman confirmed.
"Show me." Jacob said.
"As you wish." Cogman's human-like nanotech skin dissolved, revealing his true form beneath—a sleek, silver-and-gold robot, far more advanced than his original body.
Then, his form began to shift again. "I can also assume a bestial combat mode. I chose a werelion form." His frame reconfigured, becoming more predatory, transforming into a powerful silver-and-gold robotic werelion with a glowing blue triangle on his chest.
"Man, you look good." Jacob said, a note of envy in his thunderous voice. "I kind of want my Iron Man suit back now. I could turn it into a weredragon mecha and wear it."
Cogman's robotic lion head tilted. "You cannot have it back, sir. It is now a part of me. However, I could make a weredragon mecha for you to play with, if you wish."
Jacob chuckled. "Sure. That would be fun." He then turned his crimson gaze to Lydia. "Take a few pictures of me. I want to see how I look."
Lydia happily obliged, pulling out her phone and snapping several photos of his majestic, full dragon form from different angles.
Then, Jacob concentrated. His massive form shimmered and shrank, morphing into his hybrid form. In this state, he was a humanoid dragon—three meters tall, powerfully muscular, and covered in black scales.
After Lydia took a few more pictures, he shifted back completely, returning to his human form. It was only then that the girls noticed his eyes.
"Jay, your eyes!" Allison exclaimed.
"What's wrong with my eyes?" Jacob asked, blinking.
Lydia moved closer, her hand resting on his bare chest as she stared up at him. "They're glowing red."
"Oh!" Jacob smiled. "I guess that's normal. When a supernatural creature evolves to an Alpha status, it means they're connected on a much deeper level to their true nature. Since I can now access my full dragon form, it's natural that I've become an Alpha." He flexed a hand, feeling the power thrumming within. "It's not just the transformation. I can use my elemental powers more efficiently now. And I've gained access to something called a Fire Domain. It makes my fire element exponentially more powerful and destructive. I haven't used it yet—it seems to consume a massive amount of energy"
Lydia, who was now tracing the lines of his abs, asked. "How do you know about it if you haven't used it?"
"The knowledge of the Fire Domain came with the ability to shift into my full dragon form." Jacob explained.
Allison asked. "What about your other elements? Electricity, earth, magma… can you use a domain with those, too?"
Jacob shook his head. "Not yet. Fire is my original, innate element. That's why the Fire Domain unlocked. The other elements I acquired as external abilities. I'll need to train to see if I can manifest domains for them." He looked at Allison and Malia. "You two might develop your own domains when you become alphas. Allison, a Wind Domain. Malia, a Lightning Domain."
Lydia pouted playfully. "What about me? Can I use a Sound Domain?"
"Probably not, because sound isn't an element." Jacob said, then smiled reassuringly. "But don't worry. I'll give you an element someday." He then caught her mischievous hand, which had begun wandering lower. "Stop being naughty. We have a group of cultists and a powerful monster to deal with."
Lydia winked but didn't let go, clinging to him.
Jacob shook his head fondly. "Did you girls get used to your new strength?"
Malia flexed her arms. "Yes, but I think I still need training. I feel so strong I don't even know my own limits."
"Me too." Allison agreed. "I can move without accidentally breaking everything I touch now, but I'll need a few more hours to have complete control. On the plus side, I can fly using wind manipulation now."
Lydia nodded. "I can fly as well, and my teleportation range probably increased, too, but I need to test it outside Serendell. The spatial rules are different here."
"Let's deal with the threat in the woods first." Jacob decided. "Then we'll come back here, and I'll help you master your new strength the best way I know how—by sparring with you."
Lydia's eyes lit up with competitive fire. "Can we gang up on you?"
Jacob smiled, a confident, dangerous glint in his glowing red eyes. "Don't get too excited. Even if all three of you come at me together, you won't stand a chance of winning."
"We'll see about that,." Lydia shot back.
"We'll see." Jacob echoed.
Allison brought up another point. "By the way, Jay, why did you become an Alpha after drinking that serum, but I didn't?"
"I didn't drink the Hulk Serum." Jacob clarified. "I drank a Dragon's Blood Essence Potion, specifically designed to awaken a dragon's true potential. That's what triggered my Alpha evolution."
Lydia looked thoughtful. "Then why don't you drink the serum, too? Wouldn't it make you even stronger?"
"No." Jacob said. "My body is already at a level where the serum's effect would be negligible. It wouldn't add anything."
Then, he reached into his pocket dimension and retrieved three magnificent feathers. They glowed with an inner, warm light, as if crafted from gentle flame. He handed one to each girl.
"These are Phoenix Feathers." He explained. "Also called Phoenix Downs. From a fantasy world. A single feather can restore a dying person to full health. Most importantly, they can cure injuries inflicted by dark magic or curses, and can be used as a potent weapon against dark creatures. Keep them safe in your rings. Use them only in a true emergency. To activate one, simply will it, and it will dissolve into healing flame." He met each of their eyes. "I only have fifteen in total, including these three."
The girls carefully stored the luminous Phoenix Feathers inside their spatial rings, treating them with the reverence they deserved.
Next, Jacob produced three large, futuristic-looking energy weapons and handed them out. Before he could explain, Allison's eyes widened in recognition. "I know what this is! It's the Spartan Laser from Halo. Is… is that world real, too?"
Jacob shrugged. "I have no idea. Maybe the Halo universe is real, or maybe someone just loved the design and made a functional replica, and whoever stocked my pocket dimension bought them." He tapped the side of the heavy weapon. "The important thing is, these aren't like the game version. They have no cooldown between shots—you can fire the moment you pull the trigger. And they possess unlimited internal energy. You can blast away to your heart's content."
Intrigued, Malia turned, hefted the laser, and fired a test shot toward the distant lake. A thick, crimson energy beam lanced across the garden and struck the water's surface, sending a massive geyser into the air.
"So strong!" Malia said with a fierce grin, lowering the smoking weapon. "I like it."
"Alright, put that away for now." Jacob said, amused. "Let's take a quick shower. We're all a bit sweaty from the power-ups."
With that, the girls vanished, teleporting directly to their respective rooms in the palace to wash off the lingering effects of the serum.
Jacob didn't bother with the palace. He simply teleported straight to the vast lake and plunged into the cool, clear water. As he swam, he focused internally. 'System, merge the Telekinesis and Heat Vision abilities into my body.'
[Are you sure, Host?]
'Yes.'
The process began. First, he felt the Telekinesis ability integrate into his mind. A sharp, splitting headache bloomed behind his eyes, lasting for a few minutes before subsiding.
Next came the Heat Vision. A sudden, burning ache filled his eye sockets, making him grit his teeth. It lasted for a full minute before fading.
[Telekinesis and Heat Vision abilities merged successfully.]
Jacob treaded water for a moment, getting a feel for the new powers. He closed his eyes, focused, and then opened them.
Two thin, concentrated beams of brilliant red thermal energy shot from his pupils, streaking up into the serene sky of Serendell before he quickly shut them off, leaving faint trails of heated air.
'Cool!' He thought with satisfaction.
Next, he turned his attention to Telekinesis. He focused on his own body. With a gentle mental push, he lifted himself out of the water, hovering several feet above the lake's surface. A grin spread across his face. He flew smoothly toward the palace, reveling in the effortless movement.
As he approached, he spotted Cogman standing near the grand entrance. A mischievous idea struck him. With a casual wave of his hand, he enveloped the butler in a telekinetic field and lifted him off the ground, spinning him gently in a slow circle.
"Sir." Cogman's voice came, laced with dry annoyance. "Is this your doing?"
"Yes." Jacob called out, laughing. "It's fun, right?"
"No, it is not." Cogman stated flatly. "It feels as though a giant, invisible hand is gripping my entire body. I cannot break free. Release me."
"Use all your strength and try to break free." Jacob challenged, increasing the grip slightly.
Cogman used his full strength. He activated the powerful thrusters in his palms and feet, glowing blue energy flaring as he pushed against the unseen force with all his mechanical might. Jacob felt the resistance strain against his mental hold. Intrigued, he poured more power into the telekinesis, tightening the grip.
After a moment of intense struggle, Cogman went limp. "Sir, stop! I give up!"
Jacob immediately released the telekinetic hold. Cogman dropped unceremoniously to the ground, landing face-first in the soft grass with a dull thud.
"Sorry." Jacob said, not sounding very sorry at all and then he flew into the palace, a thought crystalizing in his mind. 'This telekinesis is insanely strong. What a fantastic ability.'
He dressed in practical, dark clothes: black cargo pants, a black hoodie, and sturdy hiking boots. Ready for action, he teleported out of Serendell.
He reappeared in the mansion's living room, startling Stiles and Scott, who were sitting in tense silence.
"Where did you come from?!" Stiles yelped.
"My other home." Jacob said calmly. "I had some final preparations to make."
Stiles said. "When are you going to invite us there?"
"Let me think about it." Jacob replied.
"What's there to think about?"
"In case you've forgotten." Jacob said, raising an eyebrow. "I have three wives. I have to ask their opinion first." He smoothly changed the subject. "Is Erica asleep?"
"Yeah," Stiles said, his worry returning. "The moment she lay down, she just managed to tell me to be careful before she passed out. Are you sure she'll be okay? What if her body rejects the bite? Like Derek's girlfriend…"
"Don't worry." Jacob reassured. "She'll be fine." He then turned his gaze to Scott, who looked deeply troubled. "What's wrong with you?"
Stiles answered for him. "He's stuck in a moral loop, trying to decide if he can help us kill people or not."
Jacob walked over and placed a steadying hand on Scott's shoulder. "Scott, you don't have to kill anyone. I'll handle it. If I can't, the girls and Cogman will help. You and Stiles just watch from a safe distance."
Scott sighed. "Okay."
Stiles said. "I'll stay with Scott, but if you need me, I'll help."
"I appreciate that." Jacob said sincerely.
Just then, the air shimmered. Allison, Lydia, Malia, and Cogman appeared in the living room, all dressed for combat.
Jacob straightened up. "Alright. Time to move. Everyone, put your hands on me."
They all gathered close, placing a hand on Jacob.
In a blink, they vanished from the mansion.
They reappeared at the edge of the Beacon Hills Preserve.
Jacob said. "Lydia, lead the way."
Without a word, Lydia took off, sprinting into the deep woods with supernatural speed. Jacob, Allison, Malia, and Cogman followed immediately, though they consciously slowed their pace enough for Stiles and Scott to keep them in sight.
To be continued… 😊