Chapter 606 - Ch: 160-165

Teen Wolf: Dragon Among Wolves] Chapter 160: The Wyrm

April 7

A few days passed. Jacob and Allison skipped school and were now in Serendell on his yacht, relaxing and snuggling on the sun deck as the calm lake waters gently rocked the yacht.

Cogman suddenly appeared before them. "Sir, the S.D.E.S. has located the monster that has been sinking fishing boats and cargo ships near Alaska."

Jacob sat up, his interest piqued. "What is it?"

"A wyrm, sir. A type of dragon."

Allison raised an eyebrow. "Dragon? Is it like Jay?"

Cogman shook his head. "No, my lady. Wyrms are a different classification of dragon—wingless and legless, characterized by long, serpentine bodies. They have thick, scaly hides, formidable jaws, and immense physical strength. There are several varieties. Some live near volcanoes and breathe fire. Others inhabit forests and control plants or earth. River and ocean wyrms command water or ice. And some possess venomous breath."

He paused, then continued. "Wyrms are frequently associated with death, decay, and chaos. They hoard and guard treasure. A wyrm is a relentless guardian of its domain. Few who enter their territory live to tell the tale."

Jacob leaned forward. "And what kind of wyrm appeared near Alaska?"

Cogman said, "There are four types of aquatic wyrms. Glacial Wyrms inhabit arctic regions, frozen lakes, and glaciers. River Wyrms live in rivers. Merwyrms dwell closer to coastlines and coral reefs. These three are smaller, maxing out at twenty meters." He paused. "But the creature near Alaska is an Oceanic Wyrm—the largest of their species. They live in the open ocean and deep-sea trenches, can grow over a hundred meters long, and control the water element."

With a thought, Cogman sent images to Jacob's phone. "I've just sent you the pictures the S.D.E.S. took this morning."

Jacob pulled out his phone, and Allison leaned in to look.

The first image showed a colossal sea serpent, only part of its body visible above the churning ocean. Metallic silver-blue scales covered its massive form, sharp spines ran along its back, and its head was unmistakably dragon-like—jaws built for crushing, eyes gleaming with ancient intelligence.

The second image captured the wyrm attacking a large cargo ship, its enormous head slamming into the vessel's hull.

The third image showed the wyrm using its water breath—a pressurized blast that cut through the ship like a blade, splitting it in two.

Allison said, "It's not attacking them for food."

Cogman nodded. "I believe it's defending its territory. Most likely, there is a treasure hoard at that location—it's the same area where all previous attacks have occurred. The S.D.E.S. shares that theory."

Jacob put his phone away. "How big do you think it is, Cogman?"

Cogman calculated. "Based on the images and comparing its size to the cargo ship, I estimate eighty meters or more. It must be over a hundred years old to reach that size."

Jacob was quiet for a moment. "So. What do you think? Should I kill it or subdue it?"

Allison tilted her head. "Can you actually subdue it?"

Jacob shrugged. "Probably."

She considered this. "Well, killing something that big and old seems like a shame. Try to subdue it if you can. Bring it here—make a new lake for it in Serendell. Fill it with fish so it can feed."

Cogman added, "You should also retrieve whatever treasure it's guarding and place it in the lake for the wyrm."

Jacob's eyes narrowed. "What? Then forget it. I'll just kill it."

Cogman looked confused. "Why?"

Allison smiled knowingly. "Did you forget what Jay is? He's a dragon. He already has his eyes on that treasure and doesn't want to share it with the wyrm."

Jacob crossed his arms. "Yes. As a dragon, I want to hoard treasure too. If other dragons find out I have no gold and no treasure, they'll laugh at me."

Allison's smile widened. "If you subdue the wyrm, it will be your pet. Why not share a little bit with it? Just a little."

Jacob frowned. "That's very hard for me to accept. I'd rather just kill the stupid wyrm and eat it."

Allison raised an eyebrow. "Since it's a type of dragon, would eating it be considered cannibalism?"

Jacob waved a hand. "Fine. I'll just burn it to ash."

Cogman interjected, "How about you contact the S.D.E.S. and ask them to pay you in gold to deal with the wyrm? Then you can share some of that treasure with it when you bring it here. It would still be yours, after all."

Jacob's expression shifted to consideration. "That's actually a good idea." He paused. "But do they really need help? Can't they just blow it to shreds with a mini-nuke or a non-nuclear bomb?"

Cogman shook his head. "They considered that. But the President of the United States refused to authorize it. The location is too close to Russian waters. They don't want to start an international incident—or a war."

Jacob nodded slowly. "I see."

Allison frowned. "What about the Director of the S.D.E.S.? What are they? Can't they kill the wyrm? Or don't they have someone strong enough?"

Cogman's lips curved into a slight smirk as he glanced at Jacob. "The Director of the S.D.E.S. is a woman, sir. And she is actually a type of dragon."

Jacob's eyebrows shot up. "What? How come dragons are popping up all of a sudden like stray dogs and cats?"

Cogman shook his head. "Although she is a dragon, she is considerably weaker than you, sir."

Jacob leaned forward, curiosity piqued. "What is she, exactly?"

Cogman explained, "She is an Amphiptere—a winged serpent that lacks limbs other than its wings. There are many varieties. Some have feathered, bird-like wings; others have leathery, bat-like wings. Like true dragons, Amphipteres are born with elemental power control. Some control fire, some lightning, and some possess dual elemental powers. Their full forms range in size from three meters to fourteen meters."

Jacob's eyes narrowed. "What's her name, and what element does she control?"

Cogman consulted his internal database. "Her name is Maria Argyros, from an old Greek family. According to S.D.E.S. files, she controls both earth and wind elements. As a serpent, she can also produce venom."

Allison asked, "Can't she deal with the wyrm herself?"

Cogman shook his head. "No, my lady. The wyrm is far stronger than her. Moreover, the wyrm can hide in the ocean depths. Even if she wanted to fight it, she would have to engage underwater—which would be suicide. The ocean is the wyrm's domain."

Jacob asked, "What other strong supernatural creatures does the S.D.E.S. have?"

Cogman listed them efficiently. "The ones worth mentioning are her husband—a griffin, and also the Vice Director. There is an ancient vampire, various witches and wizards, five manticores, several lamias, different types of kitsunes, and a few varieties of fairies. However, most of their agents are simply shapeshifters who can turn into animals." He paused. "They also have some elite agents who are off the records—their identities protected from hackers like me, kept as trump cards. I don't know what they are." He concluded, "None of them are strong enough to deal with the wyrm. Not even their elite agents."

Jacob said, "Alright. Contact that agent we met—Frank. The one we spoke to after I killed the yeti. You can get his number, right?"

Cogman nodded. "Give me a moment." He teleported to the palace and returned with a phone, handing it to Jacob. "Here, sir. Use this phone from now on to contact people you don't want to have your personal number. It can also alter your voice. I've already loaded Frank's number. You can call him. Don't worry—they can't track this phone, even if you're outside Serendell. You can also make the call anonymous if you prefer."

Jacob took the phone with a satisfied nod. "Since they can't track it, let him keep my number. In case he wants to call me to help with something they can't handle—for a price, of course."

He dialed Frank's number.

---

Aboard a Large Naval Ship – Pacific Ocean

In a conference room, a group of agents gathered around a long table, deep in discussion about how to deal with the wyrm. Their attention was fixed on the woman at the head of the table. Screens lined the walls—some displayed still images of the creature, while others showed real-time sonar scans of the ocean depths, satellite imagery, and looping footage of the wyrm's brutal attacks.

Director Maria Argyros was a blonde woman who appeared to be in her forties, though her eyes held the weight of centuries. She wore a tailored gray blazer over a white blouse, her posture commanding and unyielding. She was mid-sentence when a phone rang.

Frank, an African-American man in his thirties sitting near the middle of the table, fumbled nervously for his phone as the director's gaze landed on him.

Maria's voice was cool. "Do you need to take that?"

Frank declined the call. "No, ma'am. Sorry." He switched it to silent, mumbled, "I'll put it on silent," and shoved the phone back into his pocket.

Maria nodded and opened her mouth to continue—but Frank's phone vibrated, the buzz cutting through the tense silence.

Maria sighed. "Take it. It might be important."

Frank checked the screen. "I don't even recognize the number, ma'am. It's probably not important. I'll turn it off."

A man sitting to Maria's left smirked. He wore a striking red and black suit, with thick, dark-and-gray shoulder-length hair and a heavy beard that framed his sharp features. "Take it, Frank. Put it on speaker. Let's all hear."

Maria nodded. "Take it."

Frank sighed, answered the call, and put it on speaker.

A deep voice came through. "Hello, Agent Frank. You finally answered. I was thinking I might need to call your boss, Maria, instead."

Everyone at the table exchanged uneasy glances. Frank's voice was cautious. "Who is this?"

"I'm the man who killed the yeti-like creature in California a couple of months ago."

The room went silent. Every agent there had seen the reports—the corpse of the yeti, the footage of the battle's aftermath. They all knew the man on the phone was powerful. Dangerously powerful.

Frank's jaw tightened. "I don't remember giving you my number. Or telling you my boss's name."

"Don't worry about that," the voice said smoothly. "I don't mean you or your organization any harm. I just want to make a deal."

Maria leaned forward, her voice cutting through the silence. "I'm Maria Argyros, Director of the S.D.E.S. I'm curious—what kind of deal?"

Jacob got straight to the point. "I'm willing to deal with the wyrm for you. For a price, of course. As they say—if you're good at something, never do it for free."

Maria's eyes narrowed. "First, tell me how you know my name and how you know about the wyrm."

Jacob's voice was calm, unapologetic. "To be honest, I hacked the S.D.E.S. Not because I was targeting you specifically—but for my own safety. Don't worry, I've hacked every organization related to the supernatural side of the world, not just yours. After all, we both know that some organizations love to hunt supernatural creatures—to sell them, experiment on them, harvest their body parts and blood." He paused. "Like your S.D.E.S. You experiment on people too."

Maria's voice was measured. "We only experiment on criminals. To grow our strength to fight against criminals and dark forces."

Jacob acknowledged, "I know you're not a completely evil organization. You're a necessary evil to keep the world in balance. Otherwise, I wouldn't be talking to you. Now, tell me—do you want to make a deal or not?"

Maria asked, "Are you sure you can kill the wyrm?"

Jacob's confidence was unwavering. "Yes. To you, it's a powerful monster. To me, it's just an oversized sea snake. But I don't want to kill it—I want to keep it as a pet."

There was a pause. "Keep it as a pet? Are you sure you can control something that powerful? Can you guarantee it will not harm innocent people?"

"Yes."

Maria was silent for a moment, then asked, "What's your price?"

"Five billion dollars' worth in gold."

Maria's voice tightened. "That's too much."

Jacob countered smoothly. "An empty cargo ship is worth between one hundred and three hundred million dollars. When loaded, it carries cargo valued anywhere from five hundred million to over a billion dollars per trip. The wyrm has already sunk two. If you don't deal with it, more ships will sink, and normal humans will learn about the wyrm. Panic will follow." He let that sink in. "Five billion to deal with the wyrm isn't too much to ask."

Maria tried to negotiate. "Can you lower the price a bit?"

Jacob considered, then said, "Fine. Let's consider this a gesture of goodwill—making friends. Three billion worth of gold. That's my bottom line."

Maria's tone shifted. "Making friends? Does that mean you're willing to help us again in the future?"

Jacob confirmed, "Yes. As long as you pay me a satisfactory price, I'll help. But only with creatures like the wyrm and the yeti I killed before. I'm not free to deal with normal threats. If you need me, contact me through this number."

Maria said, "Okay. Give me a few minutes to make some calls. I'll call you back."

Jacob ended the call. "Alright."

---

Maria looked around the conference table. "Before I call and ask for the gold, I want your opinions. Should we accept the help of this mysterious man?"

The man in the red and black suit beside her—Cassian, an ancient vampire—leaned back. "He sounds dangerous. And he probably knows all our information by now. But if he can deal with the wyrm, I think we should accept his help. Let's see if he's as strong as he claims." His eyes glinted. "If he's badly injured after the fight, we may as well deal with him—kill him or plant a curse on him."

Before Maria could respond, Frank spoke up. "I advise against that, ma'am."

Maria turned to him. "Why?"

Frank's expression was grave. "Even if he's injured after the fight, he's not alone. When I met him, he was with six other people—like I told you before, ma'am. They're probably strong too. They flew away with no wings, no wind—they just flew. You all know how rare that is." He paused. "And after his fight with the yeti, he wasn't injured. Neither were his people. I didn't smell blood on any of them."

A woman sitting next to Maria nodded. "He's right, Maria. We should not make enemies of someone that strong. After I used that yeti's blood in potions, I created some powerful concoctions—even I was scared by their effects. That means the yeti was terrifyingly strong when it was alive."

Maria tapped her nails on the table, thinking. After a long moment, she said, "I never planned to make enemies of him or his people. But I'm not going to lie—I'm nervous about the fact that he hacked us and knows everything about us." She looked at Frank. "Tell us everything you know about him and his people."

Frank shook his head. "I don't know much. When we met him, he could tell we were shapeshifters—and he didn't care at all. As for his people, I could only tell that one of them was a werewolf. I couldn't identify the others." He frowned. "Before they left, he felt like an ordinary human. The most ordinary human I've ever met. But when they flew away, I felt this terrifying feeling from him—like nothing I've ever experienced. All my instincts screamed at me to run. But when I looked at my team, they didn't feel a thing, so I thought I was overthinking it." He shrugged helplessly. "That's all I know, ma'am."

Maria nodded slowly. "Alright. Let's hope he's not an evil person—and let's make friends with him." She stood. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to talk to those bloodsuckers in the White House and see if I can get the gold." She glanced at Cassian with a wink. "No offense, Cassian."

Cassian smirked. "None taken. Compared to me, those politicians are the real vampires."

---

Back in Serendell, Jacob waited.

An hour passed before his phone rang. He answered. "So. Do we have a deal?"

Maria's voice was tired but resolved. "Yes. I'll give you three billion worth of gold—but it will take a week to arrange."

Jacob said, "Then I'll come to your ship a week from now to deal with the wyrm and collect my gold."

Maria hesitated. "Can you come tomorrow? The wyrm is attacking more frequently now. We don't know what damage it might cause in a week. I promise you'll get your gold within a week—even if I have to pay it from my own pocket."

Jacob considered for a moment, then said, "Alright. I'll be there tomorrow."

Chapter 161: The Wyrm pt. 2

April 9

That evening, Jacob gathered his wives in their private living room. The fire crackled softly in the fireplace, casting warm flickering shadows across the walls as he told them about the wyrm, the S.D.E.S., and the deal he'd made.

After he told them everything, he looked at Lydia and Allison. "Give me the two senzu beans I gave you before. I'm going to subdue the wyrm, not kill it. But I'll probably hurt it badly during the fight. I need to heal it afterward."

Allison took a senzu bean from her ring and tossed it to him.

Lydia followed suit, a hint of worry in her eyes. "Here. Try not to need them yourself."

Jacob caught both beans and stored them in his pocket dimension. "I'll be fine."

Malia stretched on the couch. "So, are we coming with you?"

Jacob smirked. "Sure, but you will not fight. You'll just watch from a distance." He looked around. "Where's Saphira? I haven't seen her since yesterday."

Malia said, "She went hunting deer as usual. She is as big as a horse when I saw her this morning. She is growing fast."

Jacob nodded. "That's natural, since her strength is linked with mine. She'll probably be as big as my full dragon form in a few months. I'm looking forward to it."

Allison tilted her head. "She'll start talking too. But will she talk to us, or only to you?"

Jacob said, "She'll probably be able to talk to all of you telepathically."

---

The next morning, Jacob gathered everyone in the main dining room—Allison, Lydia, Malia, Melissa, Kitty, Stiles, Scott, Cogman, Chris, Victoria, Natalie, and Noah—and told them again about the wyrm. Everyone decided to go with him to watch the fight, their faces a mix of curiosity and concern.

Jacob said, "I'm heading to Alaska first. Once I'm there, I'll open a portal to Serendell."

Stiles raised a hand. "Question. Are we wearing masks? Or are we going in looking like ourselves?"

Jacob said, "Masks. We don't know these people well enough to trust them."

He put on his nano mask and activated it. The nanites shifted, flowing across his features—and settled into the unmistakable face of the Joker. Pale skin, red lips, green hair, and a manic grin.

Lydia's eyes narrowed with immediate disapproval. "What do you think you're doing?"

Jacob's Joker smile widened. "I'm going as the Joker."

"No, you are not."

"Why not?"

Lydia crossed her arms. "First of all, whenever you put that face on, you start acting crazy like the real Joker. Second, did you forget what happened in Vegas? Who do you think had to clean up that mess you caused and convince people the Minotaur you fought was just a guy in a costume from a movie shoot?"

Jacob's grin faltered. "Probably the S.D.E.S."

"Exactly." Lydia's voice was sharp. "Are you planning to make friends with these people or enemies?"

Jacob sighed. "For now… friends."

"Then you cannot go as the Joker. You'd be slapping them in the face by showing them you're the one who caused the Vegas chaos."

Jacob's shoulders slumped. "Fine. Then how about I go as Batman?"

Allison snorted. "No. You get way too carried away when you wear a disguise. You'll turn into Pete Holmes' bad Batman—the one you love so much—and start doing crazy things. Like grabbing one of the S.D.E.S. agents and beating them while yelling 'WHERE IS SHE?' or 'HARVEY DENT—CAN WE TRUST HIM?!'"

Jacob avoided her eyes, a sheepish look on his face. "I—I wouldn't do that. I promise."

Allison fixed him with a stare. "Look me in the eyes and say that again."

Jacob met her gaze—and immediately smirked, unable to help himself. "Come on, it would be fun to mess with those guys as Batman."

Allison shook her head, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "No. Just make your mask turn into a skull or something. Hide your identity and act normal for once. You can be Batman another time, when we're dealing with actual bad guys."

Jacob sighed in defeat. "Fine."

His nano mask shifted. The Joker's face melted away, replaced by a smooth, white skull mask.

He teleported out of Serendell.

---

Jacob flew through the sky using his telekinesis, then started teleporting randomly in the direction of Alaska, skipping across the landscape in great leaps—he had never been there before, so he couldn't go directly.

He arrived above Alaska within minutes, then teleported again, this time over the waters of the Pacific Ocean. He followed the coordinates Cogman had loaded into his phone, tracking the naval ship where the S.D.E.S. had set up their command post.

The ship appeared on the horizon—a massive vessel bristling with antennas, radar dishes, and what looked like non-lethal weaponry.

Jacob teleported one final time and appeared on the deck.

He pulled out his phone and called Agent Frank.

Frank answered. "Hello?"

Jacob's voice was altered, deeper, unrecognizable. "I'm on your ship."

---

Moments later, Frank emerged onto the deck, followed by Director Maria Argyros, the ancient vampire Cassian, and another woman.

They looked at Jacob, who was wearing a black hoodie and a white skull mask, and approached him cautiously.

Maria extended her hand with a careful smile. "Hello. I'm Maria Argyros, Director of the S.D.E.S. It's nice to finally meet you in person."

Jacob shook her hand firmly. His voice was calm, measured. "Likewise. You can call me Alec."

Maria gestured to Frank. "You've already met Agent Frank."

Jacob shook Frank's hand. Frank nodded, saying nothing, though his eyes betrayed his unease.

Maria continued. "This is Cassian."

Jacob took Cassian's hand—and squeezed. Not hard enough to break bone, but enough to make a point. Cassian's eyes widened slightly, a flash of pain crossing his features.

"I don't like your kind," Jacob said flatly, then released him.

Cassian flexed his fingers, shaking out the sting. "I'm not going to claim I'm a good vampire—I'm not sure such a thing exists. But since we're trying to make friends here, I'll assure you: I've never killed anyone who didn't deserve it in my eight hundred years of life. In the past, I drank only from my enemies. Now, I drink the blood of criminal supernatural creatures, or the S.D.E.S. provides me with blood bags." He met Jacob's gaze. "I don't prey on the innocent."

Jacob studied him for a long moment. "Eight hundred years. I'm very interested in your memories. How about you let me read them?"

Cassian's jaw tightened. "That's a no. But we could talk sometime over a drink, if you'd like. I'll tell you what I've seen."

Jacob nodded slowly. "Maybe someday."

Maria introduced the last member of her team. "This is Rachel."

Rachel extended her hand. Jacob didn't take it.

"I don't like your kind either," he said coldly. "And I will not shake hands with a witch."

Rachel withdrew her hand, unfazed. "I respect that. But for the record—I don't practice black magic."

Jacob's tone was skeptical. "If you say so." He turned to Maria. "Where is the wyrm?"

Maria pointed toward the horizon. "Approximately two miles ahead of us. Are you ready to fight it?"

Jacob said, "Give me a moment," then teleported.

---

He reappeared back in Serendell. "Alright, everyone. Put on your masks. Let's go."

They pulled on their nano masks, concealing their identities. Skulls, wolves, cats, simple geometric patterns—each chose something different. Cogman's face shifted into a featureless silver plate. Kitty didn't wear a mask; she was just a cat, and no one would care about her.

Jacob teleported back to the Pacific, this time a mile away from the S.D.E.S. ship. He hovered above the water, supported by his telekinesis, and opened a portal to Serendell.

One by one, his family stepped through. Jacob used his telekinesis to keep them all floating beside him.

The S.D.E.S. ship watched from a distance.

"He brought his people," Maria murmured.

Cassian stood beside her, his eyes glowing red as he scanned the masked figures. "I don't know what they are. I can't even tell if they are shapeshifters or not—except one who seems to be a werewolf. But I can tell they're not ordinary. I can feel the strength of their blood from here."

---

Back with Jacob and his group, he looked at Allison. "Freeze the water beneath us. Give yourselves something solid to stand on."

Allison nodded. He lowered her toward the surface, and the moment her feet touched the water, she released her ice ability. Ice exploded outward in a crystalline wave, freezing two hundred meters of ocean in seconds. The ice grew, rising into a small mountain.

Jacob lowered everyone onto the ice, then turned to Lydia. "Create a sound barrier. I don't want the S.D.E.S. overhearing you talking. And when I fight the wyrm, there will be waves. Make an energy shield around everyone, or you'll get soaked."

Lydia raised her hands. A shimmering sound barrier enveloped them, stopping anyone outside the barrier from hearing them. Then she and Melissa combined their energy shields, creating a protective dome over the group.

Jacob surveyed his family one last time. "Alright. I'm going now."

He teleported back to the naval ship.

---

Maria watched him appear on the deck. Her gaze flicked to the distant ice mountain where the masked figures stood. "Are they going to help you fight the wyrm?"

Jacob shook his head. "No. They're here to watch."

Maria nodded slowly. She pointed toward the horizon. "Two miles that way. That's where the wyrm usually appears. Make a commotion—I assume since you're confident enough to fight it, you have an attack powerful enough to provoke it."

Jacob didn't answer. He teleported.

---

He appeared two miles away, hovering over the churning grey water. He circled the area, his senses reaching deep into the ocean, searching.

Soon, he felt a powerful presence—ancient and vast—coiled in a deep trench far below.

Jacob dove.

The water pressure increased as he descended, but his enhanced body barely noticed. He followed the presence until he could see it—a massive serpentine shape, its silver-blue scales gleaming in the faint light filtering down from the surface. The wyrm lay coiled in the trench, its size almost incomprehensible.

Jacob released a fraction of his aura.

The wyrm's eyes snapped open. Giant, glowing orbs locked onto him—first confusion, then rage. A creature had entered its domain. It uncoiled with terrifying speed, its massive jaws gaping open to swallow him whole.

Jacob teleported.

He reappeared directly above the wyrm's head and released a lightning ball from his palm. It struck the creature's snout. The attack wasn't strong enough to do real harm—just enough to annoy, to provoke. He needed the wyrm to follow him to the surface.

The wyrm roared, a deep, resonating sound that shook the water around them. It surged upward, chasing him.

Jacob swam toward the surface, leading the beast. But soon, he felt the pressure change—a powerful current grabbed him, trying to drag him back toward the wyrm's waiting jaws.

Jacob smirked. He teleported out of the current, sent another lightning ball at the wyrm's head, and swam upward again.

They broke the surface together.

---

Jacob shot into the air, hovering above the ocean. Below him, the wyrm rose from the depths like a living mountain. Water cascaded off its silver-blue scales. Its spines gleamed. Its dragon-like head turned toward him, and its ancient eyes burned with territorial fury.

Jacob stared down at the creature. "What a magnificent beast."

The wyrm roared and attacked.

Jacob, still in his human form, launching himself at the wyrm with superhuman speed. He struck its snout with a punch that could shatter concrete—but the wyrm's scales barely dented. He kicked its jaw. He slammed his fist into its eye ridge. Nothing.

Jacob's eyes narrowed. 'This thing is tougher than I thought.'

The wyrm retaliated, swinging its massive head like a wrecking ball. Jacob dodged by teleporting away.

The wyrm opened its massive jaws and unleashed a pressurized blast of water—a cutting beam that could slice through steel. Jacob teleported aside again just in time. The water jet carved a trench in the ocean behind him.

'The wyrm's scales are too thick, too tough. In my human form, I can't hurt it at all unless I use my elemental powers—but it's too soon for that. I'll shift—just a little bit. I don't want the S.D.E.S. knowing I'm a dragon just yet,' Jacob thought.

His body began to change. He didn't go all the way—no full dragon transformation. Instead, he partially shifted. His arms thickened, fingers elongating into razor-sharp claws covered in black scales. Scales spread across his torso and shoulders under his hoodie. His wings tore through the back of his clothes, spreading wide—massive, leathery, intimidating. Horns pushed through his hair. His eyes glowed red, but his face under the mask remained human.

His aura exploded outward in a visible shockwave. A wave of primal terror washed over the ocean, slamming into the wyrm and the distant watchers alike.

The wyrm recoiled, its instincts screaming at it to flee. Its massive body slid backward through the water. But it didn't flee—this was its territory, its hoard. It would not retreat.

Jacob attacked again.

This time, his claws managed to wound the wyrm. He slashed across its snout, tearing through scales, drawing blood. He punched its jaw, and the wyrm's head snapped sideways. He kicked its throat, and the creature coughed seawater and thick saliva as its head snapped back from the blow.

The wyrm fought back. It swung its massive body, trying to hit Jacob with its head or swallow him whole. It blasted water from its mouth like a pressurized cannon.

But Jacob was too fast. He clung to the wyrm's scales, raking his claws across its body, leaving bloody wounds. He dodged its attacks with contemptuous ease, teleporting short distances to avoid its jaws.

But even so, the claw marks he left on the wyrm's body were too shallow to truly hurt it. The punches and kicks, even though they seemed to affect the wyrm, didn't cause much damage.

'Time to change tactics,' Jacob thought.

---

On the S.D.E.S. Ship

The agents watched in stunned silence.

Frank stared at Jacob, his hands trembling. "It's that terrifying feeling again. And I'm sure I'm not overthinking this time. What… what kind of creature is that guy?"

Cassian's eyes were wide. His composure, honed over eight centuries, had cracked. "I don't know. I've never felt anything like that aura. Not from any creature I've encountered before."

Rachel trembled. "His body has a terrifying amount of energy. Like nothing I've ever seen."

Maria said nothing. She stood at the railing, trembling slightly, her glowing red eyes locked on the winged figure tearing into the wyrm. Her knuckles were white.

Cassian turned to her. "Maria. Is he like you? An Amphiptere?"

Maria took a breath and steadied herself. Then she shook her head.

"No," she said quietly. "He's not an Amphiptere. He's something else. Something much stronger than me. Something much more… ancient." She watched Jacob dodge a blast of pressurized water and rake his claws down the wyrm's flank. "I think… even the wyrm is afraid of him."

Frank squinted at the distant battle. "What is he, then? Some kind of demon? Or some kind of dragon? I've heard of creatures called Drakes…"

Cassian cut him off. "Drakes don't have wings. And like real dragons, no one has heard of them in a long time."

"Maybe he's some kind of dragonoid shapeshifter like Maria," Rachel said, her voice shaky. "A weredragon, maybe?"

Cassian shook his head. "His aura doesn't feel like a weredragon. I've encountered one before. This is different. This is… primal."

Frank's mind raced. "What about a Kanima? I've read reports—they can grow wings when they reach Alpha status."

Rachel dismissed that. "A Kanima doesn't have an aura like that. And a Kanima is a slave to its master. He answers to no one."

Maria finally spoke, her voice steadier now. "Stop guessing. You're wasting breath. Whatever he is, he's on our side. That's all that matters."

Rachel's voice was barely a whisper. "For now."

Maria shot her a sharp look. "We're going to keep him on our side. Remember that. All of you."

To be continued… 😊

__________________________________________

I was planning to do a double chapter today, but I barely managed to write this one. I'm a bit under the weather these days. Anyway, let me know if you find any mistakes in the chapter or anything that doesn't make sense, because I don't feel like proofreading it. I just want to sleep right now. Good night, guys. Talk to you later.

Chapter 162: The Wyrm pt. 3

April 12

Jacob used his telekinesis to lift the wyrm's entire body out of the water, suspending the massive serpent in the air. The wyrm struggled hard, and Jacob used his electricity to shock it, but even so, the wyrm roared and kept struggling.

Jacob raised his head and roared at the sky, sending a bolt of lightning from his mouth into the clouds above, activating his Storm Call ability.

The sky darkened instantly. Thick storm clouds rolled in, swallowing the sunlight. Heavy rain began to fall, and then lightning started raining down on the wyrm—strike after strike, shocking the creature relentlessly for ten full minutes.

But the wyrm didn't lose consciousness. It thrashed and struggled, its massive body convulsing, trying to break free from Jacob's telekinetic grip.

Jacob smiled. "You're really tough, which is to my liking. Only a strong creature like you deserves to be my pet. But although you are strong, you can't give me a good fight. You're too slow. I think it's time to finish this."

Jacob kept the wyrm floating above the water and flew higher into the sky. He raised one hand and created a giant meteor ten meters in diameter using his earth ability, then wrapped it in roaring flames. With his telekinesis, he dropped it toward the wyrm like a falling star.

The wyrm, fighting with every ounce of its strength against Jacob's telekinesis, managed to raise its head. It opened its jaws and unleashed a pressurized water breath, a torrent of force that slowed the meteor's descent.

But Jacob kept pouring energy into the meteor, refusing to let it stop. He roared and added more power to his telekinesis, pushing harder. The meteor began to win against the water breath, falling faster and faster toward the wyrm.

It struck the wyrm directly on the head.

The impact was devastating. The wyrm's head snapped down, fire and force tearing across its scales. It sank into the ocean, badly burned and wounded. The shockwave from the collision created a giant tsunami-like wave that radiated outward in all directions—toward the S.D.E.S. ship and toward Allison and the others.

Rachel, the witch from the S.D.E.S., along with several other witches aboard the ship, raised an energy barrier just in time. The massive wave crashed against it, and the ship held steady.

On the ice mountain, Lydia and Melissa had already combined their energy shields. The wave slammed into their dome and parted around them, leaving the group completely unharmed.

Jacob dove into the water and brought the unconscious wyrm back to the surface.

---

On the S.D.E.S. Ship

Everyone was shocked and just watched in silence.

Then Frank spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "Did… did that guy just drop a meteor?"

Rachel, who had dismissed the energy shield with the other witches, stared at the distant figure hovering over the wyrm's body. "He combined earth and fire elements to create it. I felt the massive amount of energy he used from here."

Frank shook his head slowly. "And that lightning storm… he called it down like it was nothing."

Rachel's voice was hushed. "The energy required to do what he just did… I can't even calculate it. He should be exhausted. He should be drained. But look at him."

They watched as Jacob landed on the wyrm's head, seemingly unaffected by the massive expenditure of power.

Cassian's eyes were wide. "I've seen a lot in eight hundred years. I've never seen anyone do anything like that. I've only heard about old legends—dragons, phoenixes, wyverns, hydras, and other creatures that are now only myths—who could make such powerful attacks and have such vast amounts of energy."

Maria stood at the railing, her red eyes locked on Jacob. "I didn't believe him when he said he wanted to take the wyrm as a pet, but now I do." She straightened, forcing her composure back into place. "Whatever he is, we need to keep him as an ally. Not an enemy." She looked at her team. "And we need power of our own to fight against something like him. Since he exists, I'm sure other powerful creatures like him exist too."

Frank said, "A nuke could still kill him, right? I mean, hypothetically. If he ever became a problem."

Maria shook her head. "He can teleport, remember. First, we would need to stop him from teleporting. Then we would need to see if a nuke would even harm him."

Cassian offered, "What about mountain ash? Could that block his teleportation?"

Maria shook her head again. "No. Mountain ash can't contain something that strong." Her voice hardened. "Enough. Stop planning how to fight him. He's our ally. I said we need our own strength—not to use against him, but to face whatever else is out there."

---

Jacob stood on the wyrm's massive head and reached out to the system. 'System, can you help me make a contract with the wyrm?'

[Just use the tattoo on your palm that I gave you before. Place your hand on the wyrm's head. It would have resisted if it were conscious, but since it's unconscious, it will be easy.]

Jacob nodded. First, he inserted his claws into the back of the wyrm's giant neck and read its memories—flashes of deep ocean trenches, treasures, centuries of solitude, and territorial battles with other sea creatures: a kraken, some kind of giant sea turtle, a giant snake with three heads, something kraken-like but with a shark head, and something the wyrm didn't even dare to fight—it had left its old home as soon as it felt that creature's presence.

After reading the wyrm's memories, Jacob sighed. 'The ocean is filled with dangerous creatures. I wonder what kind of creature scared this big guy away from its old home.'

Then the tattoo appeared on his palm, glowing faintly red. He pressed his hand against the wyrm's head.

A flash of red light. A new screen appeared before his eyes.

[Contract Successful. The wyrm now cannot disobey your commands. It will also grow stronger as you grow stronger, Host.]

Jacob smiled in satisfaction. He took out a senzu bean and used a small jolt of electricity to wake the giant wyrm.

He flew next to the wyrm's eyes. The creature's eyes snapped open. Fear flashed in them when it saw Jacob—then confusion, then something else. A connection. It could feel Jacob now, the bond between them. It closed its eyes, as if refusing to look at him.

Jacob laughed. "Okay, stop sulking. I'm sorry I beat you, but I was curious about your strength. Now open your mouth and eat this little thing. You'll heal."

The wyrm hesitated, then opened its massive jaws. Jacob tossed the senzu bean inside. The wyrm swallowed. Within moments, its burns faded, its wounds closed, and its strength returned.

Jacob patted its snout. "Wait here. I'll be right back."

---

He teleported to Serendell. Closing his eyes, he focused on his connection to the realm and created a large, deep lake a few miles behind the palace—big enough to house the wyrm comfortably.

Then he teleported back to the Pacific Ocean. He dove into the water and opened a massive portal directly to the new lake, filling it with seawater. He swam through the ocean several times, opening portals each time, sucking in all kinds of sea creatures—fish, whales, crabs, squids, octopus, shellfish, plankton, even coral reefs—to populate the lake.

When he was satisfied, he teleported back to the wyrm, placed a hand on its head, and both of them appeared in Serendell, hovering above the new lake.

The wyrm splashed into the water and sank beneath the surface. A moment later, it emerged again, its massive head breaking the waves. It took a deep breath of Serendell's magically charged air—and seemed pleased. Its eyes, once hostile, now held something like contentment.

Jacob contacted Allison and the others telepathically. [Come back to Serendell.]

Allison and the others teleported from the ocean, leaving Maria and her people—who were already shocked when Jacob disappeared with the wyrm—even more stunned that all of Jacob's people could teleport, not just him.

In Serendell, Allison and the others appeared next to Jacob, who was standing by the new lake, watching the wyrm swim. They took off their masks, and Jacob removed his mask too.

He turned to the wyrm and said, "These people are my family. Don't you dare attack them."

Stiles eyed the massive creature warily. "Are you sure it won't attack us?"

Jacob nodded. "Yes. She will never attack Malia, Allison, Lydia, Melissa, Kitty, Cogman, or Saphira—they have a connection with me. As for the rest of you, she won't attack because I ordered her not to. But it's better not to get too close to her."

Lydia raised an eyebrow. "She's a female?"

"Yes."

Cogman added, "I forgot to mention—like snakes, wyrm females grow larger than males. While oceanic wyrms can reach over a hundred meters, only the females actually grow to that size. Males only grow to about forty meters, and they are much weaker. They often get eaten after mating with the female."

Stiles winced. "Poor guys." He looked at Jacob. "Does your new pet have any kids?"

Jacob shook his head. "According to her memories, no. She's actually over three hundred years old. She lived deep in the ocean until something scary chased her from her territory about eight or ten years ago." He paused. "And before you ask—I don't know what it is. She didn't fight it. She just felt its presence and ran."

Allison tilted her head. "You should give her a name."

Jacob shrugged. "I don't know what to name her. How about Ocean?"

Lydia made a face. "That's too lame. Let's name her something that means ocean or sea—but not just plain Ocean."

Natalie suggested, "How about Meredith? It means protector of the ocean or sea lord. Or Iara—a Brazilian name meaning lady of the lake or mother of waters."

Jacob murmured absently, "Lady of the lake…" A perverted look crept onto his face as he stared at the wyrm. 'I wonder… will she turn into a beautiful, mature woman someday? Maybe the system will give me a reward to turn Kitty, Saphira, and her into women. I can't wait.'

Melissa nodded approvingly. "I like the name Iara."

The girls started discussing, and finally agreed on the name Iara.

Allison looked at Jacob, who was lost in thought, staring at the wyrm with a perverted look. "Jay, do you agree?"

No response.

Lydia shook him. "Earth to Jacob. What are you thinking about with that perverted look on your face?"

Jacob snapped back to reality. "I—I wasn't thinking about anything. I was listening to you girls."

Allison crossed her arms. "Then what name did we agree on?"

Jacob's eyes darted to Stiles for help—then he thought better of it. Stiles would only make things worse. He looked at Scott instead.

Lydia smirked. "Don't look at Scott for help. Tell us the name."

Malia grinned. "I don't think he was listening. I know that perverted look all too well. It's the same look he gives me every time I shift into my wereco—"

Jacob clamped his hand over her mouth. He reached out telepathically to Melissa. [Mel, help me out. I wasn't listening at all. Please tell me what name you agreed on. Allison and Lydia are glaring at me and probably planning revenge.]

Melissa's amused voice echoed in his mind. [Tell me what you were thinking about first.]

Jacob replied shamelessly, [I was thinking about you. My birthday is only a few days away, and I finally get to make love to you. All night. Until you pass out.]

Melissa blushed. [We agreed on the name Iara, you little pervert. And I'm looking forward to your birthday too.]

Lydia tapped her foot. "Go on. We're listening."

Jacob released Malia and smiled. "Iara. I like it too." He looked at the wyrm. "And I think she likes it."

Lydia glanced at Melissa and Malia. "Okay. Which one of you traitors helped him?"

Jacob waved a hand. "No one helped me. I was absent-minded because I was thinking about Iara's treasure hoard. I'm going to get it right now." He put his mask back on and teleported out of Serendell.

---

He appeared on the naval ship.

Maria couldn't help but ask, "What kind of creature are you, exactly?"

Jacob's voice was calm. "Maybe I'll tell you another time. Now let's talk about my gold."

Maria sighed. "In a week, come back to this ship. Your gold will be ready."

Jacob nodded and teleported to the spot where he had fought the wyrm. He dove deep into the ocean.

Cassian watched him disappear beneath the waves. "What does he think he's doing?"

Maria turned away. "He's taking the wyrm's treasure hoard."

Cassian's jaw tightened. "That wasn't part of the deal."

Maria snorted. "If you're not satisfied with him taking the treasure, go stop him." She walked back inside the ship.

Cassian remembered Jacob's power. He shivered. "I'm not suicidal." He followed Maria, the other agents close behind.

---

Jacob dove deep into the ocean and found the treasure. It was enormous—gold and jewelry from old lost ships, gathered from the ocean floor.

He wrapped everything in his telekinesis and teleported it near the lake in Serendell, where everyone was still standing, watching Iara swim in her new home.

Everyone stared at the small mountain of treasure in shock. Gold bars, gold coins, silver bars, silver coins, cups, chalices, plates, candelabras, goblets, ornate chests, crowns, scepters, jewelry boxes, and all kinds of objects made of gold and silver. There were diamonds, pearls, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and even some huge raw gold ore.

Jacob turned to Cogman. "How much do you think this is worth?"

Cogman surveyed the hoard. "There are more than two hundred metric tons of gold by my estimation. Considering the current price of around seventeen hundred dollars per ounce, that would be worth approximately twelve billion dollars—not including the other treasures and jewelry."

Stiles whistled. "That's a lot of money."

Allison looked at Jacob. "Are you really just going to put it in a room and sleep on it?"

Jacob smiled. "Not really. Sure, I'll put it in a treasure room and take a nap there from time to time. But we'll use it if we need it. You all know that in the summer, we're traveling to another world. And we don't know which world yet, so we might need gold there."

Stiles stared at Jacob. "Wait—hold the phone. Travel to another world? Why didn't anyone tell me?" He turned to Scott. "Did you know?"

Scott shrugged. "Nope. This is the first I'm hearing about it. We talked about traveling to other worlds before, but no one told me we could actually do it."

Allison looked at her parents, who were staring at her with questioning eyes. She sighed. "Jacob told us a month ago, and we decided to go in the summer vacation. He probably forgot to tell everyone. And since we're not going until summer, we thought we'd wait before telling everyone."

Stiles's excitement returned. "So which world are we going to?"

Lydia said, "Weren't you listening? Jay just said we don't know which world we're going to yet."

Iara swam closer and looked at Jacob, then at the treasure. She let out a soft roar.

Jacob smiled. "I'll share some with you."

Lydia suggested, "How about you build a treasure room inside the lake and put all the treasure there? That way, the treasure stays in Iara's home, and you can just teleport there whenever you feel like taking a nap."

Jacob nodded. "That works too." He looked at Cogman. "I'll build the structure with my earth element. You finish it and turn it into a nice underwater palace."

Cogman bowed slightly. "Consider it done, sir."

Jacob dove into the lake. Using his connection with Serendell and his earth powers, he built an underwater palace. He used his connection to Serendell to create an energy barrier around it, keeping the water out.

He teleported back to the surface. "Cogman, I've already built it. You can do the rest."

Cogman nodded. "Should I start right now, sir?"

Jacob waved a hand. "No hurry. Take your time. The treasure isn't going anywhere. Now go cook a feast for us. I'm starving."

Cogman nodded and teleported to the palace kitchen.

Jacob looked at Allison and all the women. "Ladies, go ahead. Pick anything you like from the treasure."

Allison, Lydia, Melissa, Victoria, Natalie, Malia, and Kitty—who had been eyeing the treasure with shining eyes since she saw it—walked over and began searching through it. They found necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, tiaras, brooches, and all kinds of jewelry. Malia, however, was only interested in the daggers and swords scattered among the gold.

Jacob also walked to the treasure and said to Stiles and the others, "Come on, guys. Take whatever you want."

Everyone started rummaging through the small mountain of treasure.

Chapter 163: Maria's Message

April 14

A week had passed since Jacob dealt with the wyrm. Now he was in Serendell, in the garden, after having breakfast. The morning sun cast a warm golden glow over the manicured hedges and blooming flowers. He was playing with Saphira, who had grown and was now a little bigger than a horse. Her scales shimmered in the sunlight, and her wings stretched wide as she bounded around him like an overgrown puppy.

As he played, tossing a large rubber ball for her to chase, Cogman suddenly appeared in front of him and handed him a phone. "Sir, the Director of the S.D.E.S., Maria, sent you a message."

Jacob took the phone and read the message from Maria:

---

[Your gold is ready. You can come and pick it up, but there are some things you need to deal with.

I sent the footage of your fight with the wyrm to the President. After watching it with some of his people, they want to meet you. Some of them are on my ship right now—the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the General of the Army. They brought their people with them. I can tell you that first they want to recruit you, and if you don't agree, they are ready to force you or capture you. You should be prepared. They brought high-tech sonic weapons with them.

Teach these stupid politicians a lesson so they will understand that there are creatures they shouldn't mess with.

I have no part in this. I advised against it. They didn't listen.

I'm telling you this because I really want to make friends with you.]

---

Jacob smirked and looked at Cogman. "Did you read the message?"

Cogman nodded. "Yes, sir." His lips curled into an evil smile. "Do you need me to go with you? I could kill anyone who dares to attack you."

Jacob shook his head. "No. I'll go alone."

With that, Jacob put on his mask—the smooth white skull—and teleported out of Serendell. He appeared high above the Pacific Ocean near Alaska, the cold wind whipping around him. Then he teleported again, this time landing on the deck of the S.D.E.S. naval ship.

The moment he appeared on deck, several men in military uniforms and others in black suits raised their guns at him.

Jacob didn't care. He raised his voice, deep and commanding through the mask's modulator. "Maria, I'm here for my gold."

Maria and Agent Frank emerged from inside the ship. Maria glanced at the men pointing guns at Jacob and said sharply, "Put your guns away. They won't work against him."

She walked to Jacob. "Your gold is ready, but first, some people want to meet you in the conference room."

Jacob crossed his arms. "I'm busy. Just give me my gold. If someone wants to meet me, tell them to come out here."

Maria nodded. "Give me a minute." She went back inside. Frank followed her.

Jacob walked to the railing, leaned against it, and gazed out at the endless grey ocean while he waited. The waves lapped against the hull. Gulls circled overhead.

Soon, Maria returned with two men in expensive suits and another in an army general's uniform, followed by several soldiers and black-suited agents.

Jacob turned to face them, leaning back against the railing. He said nothing, just watched them with an unreadable expression behind his mask.

The Secretary of Defense stepped forward. He was a stout man with a florid face and cold eyes. "I am Secretary of Defense Williams. This is Secretary of Homeland Security Brennan, and General Corwin."

Jacob said flatly, "What do you want from me?"

Secretary Brennan, a thinner man with wire-rimmed glasses and a nervous twitch, asked, "Are you an American?"

Jacob nodded. "Yes. And before you ask more questions—I have no malice toward my own country." He looked at General Corwin, a broad-shouldered man with a crew cut and a chest full of medals. "And I will not participate in attacking another country or in politics. I only care about fighting strong monsters."

Secretary Williams's voice hardened. "As an American, it is your duty to use your powers to defend this nation. To serve your country—"

Jacob cut him off. "The only duty I have is to protect myself and my loved ones. I owe nothing else to anyone."

Secretary Williams tried another angle. "We can pay you generously. Give you a high rank in the military."

Jacob shook his head. "Not interested."

Secretary Williams's jaw tightened. "Then at least reveal your true identity to us. And tell us what kind of supernatural creature you are."

Jacob's voice was cold. "That's not happening." He looked at Maria. "It's time for me to leave. Where's my gold?"

General Corwin gestured toward the back of the ship. "It's on the helo deck. Fifty-six tons of gold. You can get it yourself."

Maria mouthed silently, without the others noticing: 'Be careful.'

Jacob smirked behind his mask and walked to the back of the ship. There it was—a massive pile of gold bars stacked on the helo deck, gleaming dully in the overcast light. He also noticed an open mountain ash circle hidden nearby, the dark powder forming an incomplete ring on the deck. He didn't care. He walked to the gold, placed a hand on it, and stored it all in his pocket dimension in a single heartbeat.

The moment he did, someone slid the final segment of mountain ash into place, completing the circle and creating a barrier to trap him.

Jacob turned around slowly. He looked at Secretary Williams and the others. "Are you sure you want to attack me? Because it will not end well for you."

Maria stepped forward. "Don't do it."

Secretary Williams ignored her. He looked at Jacob with cold determination. "Since you won't work for your country, you are a threat. A creature as powerful as you needs a leash—or to be put down." He raised his hand. "Do it."

Maria sighed and stepped back, moving to stand with Cassian, Rachel, and Frank, far away from Secretary Williams and his group.

The soldiers and agents opened fire—not with bullets, but with tranquilizer darts. The darts struck Jacob's skin and simply fell away, unable to penetrate his enhanced flesh.

Secretary Williams shouted, "Use the gas!"

Thick clouds of sleeping gas billowed from canisters, enveloping Jacob in a dense fog. He stood there, completely unaffected, his immunity to all poisons rendering the attack useless.

General Corwin muttered, "What a monster." Then he ordered loudly, "Use the sonic weapons!"

Soldiers aimed acoustic cannons and sonic emitters—weapons designed specifically to disable supernatural creatures with enhanced hearing. The first wave of sound struck, vibrating the air.

Jacob raised a hand and activated his Quen shield. A shimmering white energy barrier snapped into place around him. The sonic waves crashed against it and dissipated harmlessly, the shield holding firm.

General Corwin's face reddened. "Heavy machine guns! Now!"

Two heavy machine guns opened fire from the upper deck. Bullets slammed into the Quen shield and stopped dead, flattening against the barrier and falling to the deck in a hail of lead.

Cassian shook his head. "What a bunch of idiots."

Frank looked at Maria. "Do you think he'll attack them? And what should we do if he does, ma'am?"

Maria's voice was calm. "We will not help them—even if he kills them all. I already spoke to the President. I told him the S.D.E.S. will not interfere, no matter what. I also advised him not to attack. He and his politician friends didn't want to listen." She nodded toward the masked Jacob. "Now let them deal with the consequences. That guy is about to make his move."

Jacob raised a hand and made a choking gesture with his telekinesis. Secretary Williams's eyes bulged. He gagged, clawed at his throat, and rose into the air, his feet kicking uselessly.

Then Jacob teleported him.

In an instant, Secretary Williams appeared directly in front of Jacob—but outside the Quen shield. The machine guns were still firing. The bullets tore into Williams before anyone could react, shredding his expensive suit and the flesh beneath.

By the time the guns stopped, it was too late. Secretary Williams was dead, his body crumpled on the deck.

Jacob used his telekinesis and threw all the men who had been attacking him into the ocean—soldiers, agents, everyone who had raised a weapon against him. He didn't kill them. He just sent them splashing into the cold water, their shouts and splashes echoing across the waves.

Then he walked to the edge of the mountain ash barrier. He didn't burn it. Instead, he drew back his fist and punched it. The barrier shattered like glass, the mountain ash scattering across the deck.

He teleported directly in front of Secretary Brennan and General Corwin. His voice was low and deadly. "This is a warning. Attack me again, and I will kill you—and your entire families."

He paused. Then he looked at Secretary Brennan and noticed the dark stain spreading down the man's leg, pooling at his shoes.

Jacob wrinkled his nose in disgust behind the mask. "Gross." He waved his hand, and Secretary Brennan flew into the ocean with the others, screaming until he hit the water.

He turned to General Corwin. "I'm not your enemy. Don't make me one." His eyes glowed red through the eyeholes of the skull mask. "I don't have the habit of sparing my enemies. This is your only warning, General."

Then Jacob teleported to Maria.

He said, "You can call me if you need my help in the future. Friend."

Maria smiled, genuine warmth in her expression. "Thank you. And I added an extra twenty kilos of gold to your payment. We used the yeti you killed to create some very powerful and expensive potions. I can give you some of them if you'd like."

Jacob shook his head. "I appreciate that, but no. I don't need them." He turned to leave. "Alright. Time for me to go."

Maria nodded. "Goodbye, friend. And thank you for not killing all of those idiots."

Jacob nodded once, then disappeared.

Maria sighed and turned to Frank. "Go fish those idiots out of the ocean."

Frank nodded. "Yes, ma'am." He hurried off to order the S.D.E.S. agents to retrieve Secretary Brennan and the others from the frigid water.

Maria walked to General Corwin, who was still trembling, his face pale, his hands shaking at his sides. "I warned you not to mess with him. You didn't want to listen. And just so you know—he didn't even use a fraction of his power just now." Her voice hardened. "Stop provoking him. He seems like one of the good ones."

General Corwin let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He forced his shaking body to still, clenching his fists. "Are you sure he's a good guy?"

Maria snorted. "If he wasn't, all of you would be dead right now." She turned away. "Now take your people and get off my ship."

She walked back inside with Cassian and Rachel behind her.

Chapter 164: The Kludde

April 16

After retrieving his gold, Jacob teleported back to Serendell and continued playing with Saphira.

After a while, he headed to the kitchen. The vast room was quiet, the only sound the soft clink of utensils. Cogman was the only one there, methodically polishing a set of silverware.

Cogman looked up. "Did you get the gold, sir?"

Jacob nodded, chewing a piece of roasted meat. "I did. I'll put it with the rest of the treasure in the underwater palace when you finish it."

Cogman inclined his head. "I am making good progress, sir. The underwater palace is nearly complete."

After eating, Jacob teleported out of Serendell and appeared in the garage of his Beacon Hills mansion. He took his Camaro and drove aimlessly through town.

His phone rang. Noah.

Jacob answered. "What's up?"

Noah's voice was grim. "Can you come to the station? I need your opinion on something."

Jacob changed direction and drove to the Beacon Hills Sheriff's Station. He walked inside, nodded to the deputies he passed, and went straight to Noah's office.

Inside, he found Noah and Stiles. And an old Asian woman.

Jacob recognized her immediately—Satomi. But he acted like he didn't know her.

He greeted Noah and Stiles, then sat down and nodded toward Satomi. "Who's she?"

Stiles raised an eyebrow. "Don't you recognize her?"

Jacob shook his head. "I can tell she's a werewolf, but I've never seen her before."

Stiles said, "She's Satomi. I thought you knew her. After all, you're the one who told me about her."

Jacob kept his expression neutral. "I know about her. But I haven't met her before." He looked at Satomi and inclined his head. "Nice to meet you, Satomi."

Satomi studied him with sharp eyes. She nodded back. "Nice to meet you too, kid." She glanced at Noah and Stiles, then back at Jacob. "Why were we waiting for this kid? He's just a normal human."

Noah smirked.

Stiles pointed his thumb at Jacob. "Him? Just a normal human? Yeah, right."

Satomi frowned and gave Jacob another look, her senses reaching out. "Am I wrong?"

Stiles grinned. "You couldn't be more wrong."

Jacob ignored the exchange and looked at Noah. "Alright, tell me why you asked me to come here."

Noah leaned back in his chair, his expression turning serious. "We found two students dead in a stream in the Beacon Hills Preserve four days ago. There were claw marks on their bodies. And someone hit them with a chain." He paused. "I thought it was a normal crime but Satomi just told me it wasn't. She said it was a werewolf."

Jacob turned to Satomi. "How do you know?"

Satomi's voice was calm. "The two kids who died were friends with my children, Lori and Brett." She folded her hands on her lap. "Three days ago, Lori and Brett went to the woods to try to catch the smell of whoever killed them. They thought it was just a human. They wanted to help the police capture him—bring justice to their friends." Her jaw tightened. "But when they got there, they realized that what killed their friends was a werewolf. They ran. But the werewolf was there. It found them. Followed them through the woods." She exhaled slowly. "Lucky for them, they escaped and returned home."

She continued, her voice growing heavier. "The next day, they were coming home from town at night. They caught the werewolf's scent again. When they looked back, they saw a humanoid wolf following them. They said it was terrifying. Their instincts screamed at them to run—and so they did. But it was too fast. It caught up with them. Slashed them with its claws. Beat them. Broke several of their bones." Her eyes flickered with anger. "Then it stopped. Moved aside. Watched them heal. And laughed at their pain."

Jacob's expression remained neutral, but his eyes narrowed slightly.

Satomi continued. "After Lori and Brett healed, they ran again. The werewolf followed them—keeping its distance. When they ran faster, it ran faster. When they slowed down, it slowed down. It herded them all the way home. Then it disappeared." She looked down at her hands. "When I went looking for it with the rest of my pack, we couldn't find it. We followed its scent to the river downtown, and there we lost it."

She looked back up. "It appeared again yesterday. But this time, we were ready. I asked Lori and Brett to walk alone at night—to lure the werewolf out. It worked. It appeared and followed them again. But when it saw me and the rest of my pack ambushing it, it didn't attack. It laughed. Then it shifted from a humanoid wolf into a wolf with wings and flew away—still laughing. Making a weird noise."

Stiles spoke carefully, his voice low. "That's why we called you, Jacob. It can shift into a wolf with wings. And apparently, it's a trickster—it likes to play with its victims. Just like someone we know."

Jacob frowned. "Do you think it's Malia?"

Stiles's eyes widened. "Of course not! Satomi said the werewolf's eyes glowed blue—but not like a normal werewolf's eyes. Like two blue flames. And its fur is black." He shook his head. "I'm sure it's not Malia. And even if Satomi told me it was Malia who did it, I wouldn't believe her." He paused. "Sure, Malia is a bit scary. But I'm seventy to eighty percent sure she isn't a cold-blooded murderer."

Jacob raised an eyebrow.

Stiles shrugged. "She says some scary and heartless stuff from time to time. Especially to me. She creeps me out more than Cogman sometimes."

Jacob smirked. "Fair enough. But she would never hurt innocent people."

Stiles nodded. "Anyway, I thought it might be someone related to her. Maybe her cousin or something."

Jacob shook his head. "No. She wasn't born with wings, Stiles."

Stiles caught on. "I see. It was you who gave..."

Jacob cut him off and looked at Satomi. "I think I know what kind of werewolf we're dealing with. But can you try to remember the weird laugh it made when it was flying away?"

Satomi closed her eyes, concentrating. "It was something like... cloudy. Or couldeh. Something like that."

Jacob asked, "Did it have chains wrapped around its body?"

Satomi's eyes snapped open. "Yes. There were black chains wrapped around it."

Jacob nodded. "Then that's definitely a Kludde."

Noah frowned. "What's a Kludde?"

Jacob leaned back. "It's a winged werewolf. I read about it in the bestiary with Malia when we were looking at wolf supernatural creatures with wings."

Stiles was already pulling out his phone. "Let me search for it." He opened the bestiary app. "How do you spell its name?"

"K-l-u-d-d-e."

Stiles typed it in. "Found it."

Noah said, "Read it aloud."

Stiles cleared his throat and read:

---

[Name: Kludde

Type: Werewolf subcategory / Supernatural Predator / Trickster

Description: A shapeshifter that takes two distinct forms. The first is a massive black wolf with leathery, bat-like wings and iron chains wrapped around its body. The second is a humanoid wolf—upright, muscular, with the same black fur, leathery wings sprouting from its back, and chains wrapped around its body. In both forms, its eyes burn with cold blue flames.

Tell-Tale Sign: Known to shout its own name—"Kludde, Kludde!"—in a rasping, mocking shriek while fleeing or retreating from a fight.

Behavior: A cruel and patient tormentor. It does not kill quickly. Once it locks onto a victim, it stalks them for days, appearing at windows, standing at the foot of beds, howling just beyond the tree line. It feeds on fear, growing bolder as its prey unravels. The chains are its primary weapon—it lashes out to trip, ensnare, or drag victims through dirt and stone. When the Kludde finally grows bored of the chase, it wraps its chains around the victim and drags them to the nearest body of water, holding them under until they drown.

Weaknesses: Shares the same weaknesses as werewolves. Fire forces it to keep its distance. Breaking its chains weakens it significantly, though the chains regenerate with time. A victim who shows no fear can confuse it long enough to escape.]

---

Satomi said, "That sounds exactly like the creature that has been following my children."

Stiles pocketed his phone and looked at Jacob. "So, what's the plan?"

Jacob shrugged. "Since it's already killed two people, we should kill it."

Stiles asked, "Should we do it tonight?"

Jacob nodded. "The sooner the better, I guess."

Stiles grinned. "Great. I'm going with you. And I'm fighting this time."

Jacob smirked. "Sure."

Noah sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "Another case closed. But I'm going to write it up as unsolved. My career is going to shit."

Stiles patted his father's shoulder. "You can always retire. Spend more time with Natalie. Maybe give me and Lydia a few siblings."

Noah snorted. "Yeah, maybe. But it's too soon for retiring. And definitely too soon for children. I don't want to scare her away."

Stiles shrugged. "Well, you don't have to work so hard. We're rich now. Jacob let us take some gold—we just need to sell it."

Noah shook his head. "I don't only work for the money, Stiles. I actually like my job."

Stiles smiled. "As long as you're happy, I guess." He turned to Jacob. "So, how are we going to find this Kludde?"

Jacob looked at Satomi. "We don't have to find it. It will find us. We'll borrow your children—since they're the Kludde's targets."

Satomi's expression hardened. "I'm coming with you. I don't know if you can keep them safe. And it's the full moon tonight. Lori and Brett can control themselves, but I don't know if they'll lose control if they're scared."

Jacob smirked. He released a fraction of his aura—just enough to press against Satomi's senses.

Satomi's eyes widened. Her own eyes flickered red involuntarily. Her breath caught. She stared at him, her voice barely a whisper. "What… what are you?"

Jacob's smirk widened. He stood, slung an arm over Stiles's shoulder, and guided him toward the door. "Meet us before dark at the entrance of the preserve. Bring your children."

Stiles waved back at his father. "See you later, Dad."

They walked out of the office.

In the hallway, Stiles said, "How about we go to the arcade?"

Jacob nodded. "Sure."

They got into Jacob's Camaro and drove to the arcade. They spent the afternoon there—racing games, fighting games, shooting games—until the sky outside began to darken.

An hour before sunset, they left. Jacob drove to the entrance of the Beacon Hills Preserve. He parked the Camaro, then stored it in his pocket dimension.

They didn't have to wait long.

Satomi arrived with Lori and Brett. The two teenagers looked at Jacob with a mixture of curiosity and unease.

Jacob ignored their stares. "Let's go take a walk in the woods."

Satomi frowned. "Are you going to use Lori and Brett as bait? Should we hide and let them walk alone?"

Jacob shook his head. "There's no need. The moment the Kludde appears, I'll sense it. Even if it doesn't show itself."

They walked deeper into the preserve, the canopy overhead blocking the fading light. The air grew cooler. The only sounds were the crunch of leaves underfoot and the distant call of birds.

As they walked, Satomi moved alongside Jacob, studying him. "By the way, kid—how do you know about me?"

Jacob kept his eyes forward. "I did my research when I moved into town. I know about you and your pack. I know about the Hales. I know about Deucalion and his Alpha Pack—though he doesn't live here anymore."

Satomi's eyes narrowed. "Do you know about the Argents?"

Jacob nodded. "Yes. They're my in-laws. And they've quit hunting."

Satomi's expression flickered with surprise. "Is it true that Gerard Argent is dead?"

Jacob's voice was flat. "Yes."

Satomi let out a slow breath. "That's a relief. That man was evil. He was the reason Deucalion became the Demon Wolf." She looked ahead, her voice distant. "Before he met Gerard, Deucalion was a good man. A pacifist. But after what Gerard did to him… he went insane. He killed his entire pack. And I heard he forced Kali and Ennis to kill their packs too."

Jacob glanced at her. "I wonder why he didn't come after you and Talia Hale."

Satomi smiled—a sad, knowing smile. "He respected Talia too much to attack her. As for me… he knew I'm a pacifist. He knew I would rather die than kill my own pack. So he didn't bother."

Jacob nodded. "I see."

They kept walking, the conversation fading into silence. The sun dipped below the horizon. Shadows lengthened. And they waited for the Kludde to appear.

Chapter 165: Stiles vs. The Kludde

April 17

While Jacob, Stiles, Satomi, Brett, and Lori were walking aimlessly through the woods, the quiet of the evening was suddenly broken by the sounds of roaring and fighting. They followed the noise and emerged into a clearing where Derek and Peter were training Boyd, Jackson, Isaac, and Tracy—pushing them hard to maintain control under the full moon.

Derek's group stopped and turned toward the newcomers.

Jacob greeted Derek and Tracy, then looked at Peter with a lazy smile. "How about a spar, Peter?"

Peter took a step back, his expression wary. "No. I'm good."

Jacob turned to Satomi. "Let's wait for that thing here. I'm hungry." He moved to the edge of the clearing, found a fallen tree trunk, and broke it apart with his bare hands. He stacked the wood into a neat pile and snapped his fingers—flames leaped from his palm, igniting the bonfire.

He pulled out a generous amount of Sker Buffalo meat from his pocket dimension, sprinkled salt and seasoning over the raw cuts, and began roasting them over the fire.

Satomi sat beside him, watching him with quiet curiosity.

Stiles, meanwhile, looked at Jackson, Boyd, and Isaac. "How about we spar? The three of you against me. And you don't have to hold back."

Before Isaac or Jackson could refuse, Boyd—who still remembered having his wrist broken by Stiles—stepped forward. "Sure."

Stiles smirked. "Great. Remember—don't hold back." He glanced at Tracy. "You should sit this one out. I don't want to beat you and then hear Scott complain about it tomorrow."

Tracy stepped aside. "I wasn't going to help them anyway."

Boyd attacked first. He lunged with supernatural speed—but Stiles was faster. A single kick sent Boyd flying backward, crashing into a bush.

Isaac and Jackson charged together. Stiles sidestepped, caught Isaac by the arm, and hurled him into Jackson. Both tumbled to the ground in a heap.

The three betas rose and attacked again. And again. Each time, Stiles dealt with them effortlessly—dodging, countering, sending them sprawling.

Derek watched his betas get thrown around like rag dolls. He shook his head and walked to the fire, sitting down with a resigned sigh. Peter and Tracy followed. Even Brett and Lori stopped watching the spar and gathered around the warmth of the flames.

Satomi glanced at Jacob. "Aren't you worried about your friend? Those three betas have completely lost control."

Jacob flipped the roasting meat. "The one who should be worried is Derek. Stiles might beat his betas so badly that they develop trauma and never want to shift again."

Derek's jaw tightened. "They'll be fine. Pain is the fastest way to teach them control." He looked at Satomi. "I remember you. You used to visit my mother."

Satomi nodded, her gaze drifting toward the dark trees. "Yes. Talia was a good friend of mine. It's a shame what happened to her and her pack. She didn't deserve that." Her voice grew softer. "When I got the news, I was heartbroken. I lost control for the first time in years that day." She looked at Derek. "I'm sorry for your loss."

Derek's expression softened. "Thank you."

He turned to Jacob. "You said you were waiting for something. Can you tell me what?"

Jacob explained about the Kludde. Satomi filled in the details about how it had been stalking Lori and Brett, tormenting them, feeding on their fear.

They talked as the meat sizzled over the fire. When it was ready, Jacob shared with everyone—but he took five large pieces for himself, piling them onto a plate he produced from his pocket dimension.

Stiles, who had been relentlessly beating Derek's betas, caught the scent of cooked meat. He came running, his hand reaching toward Jacob's plate.

Jacob growled.

It was a low, deep sound—primal, dangerous. It echoed through the clearing, and everyone froze.

Stiles's hand stopped mid-reach. He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I thought that was mine."

Jacob growled again.

Stiles withdrew his hand and sat down quickly. "Okay, okay! Stop growling already!" He grabbed a piece of meat from the fire and began chewing.

Derek looked at Jacob. "I don't know how you pulled that meat out of nowhere, but… you wouldn't happen to have a Coke, would you?"

Jacob smirked. "I do." He produced several cans and passed them around.

Stiles saw his chance. While Jacob was distracted, he snatched one of the large pieces from Jacob's plate and wolfed it down in three massive bites.

Everyone noticed. Even Jacob.

But Jacob didn't stop him. He just watched, an unreadable expression on his face.

Stiles swallowed the last bite, burped, and grinned. "That was delicious."

Jacob's smile turned cold. "Did you enjoy eating my share of the food?"

Stiles swallowed hard. "You… you saw that?"

Jacob's eyes gleamed. "What's the most important rule of our family when it comes to food?"

Stiles's face paled. "Never… never take food from your plate. Or Malia's. Or Kitty's."

"So you do remember."

Stiles sighed and stood up, spreading his arms wide. "Okay. I'm ready. Just… be gentle, please."

Jacob took a bite of his own meat, chewed slowly, and said, "Have a nice flight."

He wrapped Stiles in his telekinesis and teleported him high into the sky—then let him go.

Stiles plummeted.

Peter looked around. "Where is he?"

Jacob pointed upward. "There."

Everyone looked up. High above, a tiny figure was falling, arms and legs flailing, screaming at the top of his lungs.

Derek's eyes widened. "He'll die if he falls from that height."

Jacob took another bite. "He'll be fine."

Stiles tried to teleport to Serendell—and couldn't. "Of course he won't let me escape!" He fell faster, the ground rushing up to meet him. "OH MY GOD, I'M GONNA DIE! I'M GONNA DIE! JACOB, I'M SORRY! PLEASE DON'T LET ME HIT THE GROUND!"

He kept screaming, kept falling—and when he was inches from impact, Jacob teleported him back into the sky and dropped him again.

For twenty minutes, Stiles fell. Again and again. Each time, Jacob caught him at the last second and threw him back up. Stiles screamed the entire time—raw, terrified, desperate.

Finally, Jacob stopped. He caught Stiles a meter above the ground and let him drop.

Stiles hit the dirt, hugged his knees, and trembled. "That… that was so terrifying…"

After a long moment, he stood—still shaking—and walked back to the fire. He sat down heavily. "You are so evil, man. You know that? The fear of hitting the ground from that height was probably worse than actually hitting it. And you kept me living that fear for twenty minutes."

Jacob smiled serenely. "That'll teach you to eat my food."

Stiles looked at Boyd, Isaac, and Jackson, who were sitting with Derek, eating and grinning at his misery. His eyes narrowed. "How about we continue our spar?"

Boyd shook his head. "Nope. I'm good, man."

Isaac and Jackson spoke in unison. "Me too."

Stiles turned to Peter. "How about you? Want to spar?"

Peter shook his head firmly. "No."

Satomi had watched the entire display in silence. She was surprised by Jacob's powers—the teleportation, the telekinesis. But she didn't ask. She simply observed.

The group finished the meat. Derek, Peter and Satomi began talking—about Talia, about werewolf politics, about the old days. The others listened, drawn into stories of a time before the fire.

Two hours passed.

Then Jacob felt it.

A presence. Moving toward them from the opposite direction of the wind—so they wouldn't catch its scent. But Jacob felt it. Getting closer. Closer.

"It's here," he said quietly.

Stiles straightened. "Really?"

Jacob nodded. "Yeah. Are you ready?"

Stiles cracked his knuckles. "Yes."

Jacob looked to the far side of the clearing. He raised a hand and waved it lazily. From behind a bush, a man in his forties—wearing a dark leather coat and black jeans—was yanked into the air, floated across the clearing, and dropped in the middle of the open space.

He scrambled to his feet, panicked, looking around wildly.

Jacob gestured. "He's all yours."

Stiles stood and walked toward the man, an unsettling smile spreading across his face. "I just got abused, so I really want to abuse someone. So prepare yourself." His smile widened. "And since you feed on fear… I hope you like the taste of your own."

The man barely had time to react. Stiles punched him hard, sending him crashing to the ground. Then a kick to the ribs, breaking them with a sickening crack. The man flew into a tree trunk and slumped to the forest floor.

He rose, blood dripping from his mouth. His wounds were already healing. His eyes glowed blue—not the soft blue of a normal werewolf, but harsh, burning, like small flames.

His body shifted. His clothes ripped apart as he transformed into a massive black wolf with leathery wings, the membranes tattered and full of holes. Chains rattled around his body.

He snarled at Stiles—then spun around and tried to flee, launching into the air with a rasping, chilling shriek. "Kludde, Kludde! Kludde, Kludde!"

Stiles smirked. "Not so fast, you creepy bastard." He raised a hand. Lightning gathered above his palm, swirling into the shape of a weasel. He sent it after the Kludde.

The lightning weasel caught up in seconds. It struck the creature mid-flight, electrocuting him. The Kludde convulsed, crashed to the ground, and lay there smoking.

Satomi raised an eyebrow. Lori and Brett stared at Stiles in shock.

Boyd and Isaac exchanged glances. They realized now that when Stiles had been sparring with them, he hadn't been serious at all.

Jackson clenched his jaw, envy burning in his eyes.

Derek and Peter glanced at Jacob, knowing full well who had given Stiles those powers.

Jacob smirked at them and continued watching the fight.

Stiles waited patiently for the Kludde to heal. He was in no hurry.

When the creature's convulsions stopped, he rose. No longer trying to flee. He shifted again—from wolf to humanoid wolf. A monster covered in black fur, standing 2.3 meters tall. Leathery wings sprouted from his back. Chains wrapped around his body. His head remained a wolf's head, jaws dripping with saliva.

He roared in fury and pointed both hands at Stiles. Two chains shot from his palms, streaking toward Stiles.

Stiles caught both chains with one hand and wrapped them around his arm. Then he yanked hard.

The Kludde flew toward him, helpless against the pull. Stiles punched him in the snout—a devastating blow that shattered bone and sent teeth flying in all directions.

The Kludde whimpered in pain.

Stiles unwrapped the chains, grabbed them with both hands, and spun the creature like a flail. Once. Twice. Three times. Then he slammed it into a thick tree trunk—and its bones cracked on impact.

Stiles let go of the chains and stepped back. "Time to end this."

He raised his hand and summoned the lightning weasel again. This time, he poured more energy into it—creating a weasel the size of a horse, crackling with raw power.

Jacob raised his own hand and created an energy shield in front of everyone.

Just in time.

The lightning weasel struck the Kludde. It didn't just electrocute him—it exploded on impact, like a lightning bolt hitting the ground. The Kludde's body burst apart, pieces flying in every direction. The tree behind him exploded. The ground caved in, leaving a smoking crater.

Stiles was caught in the blast of his own attack. He wasn't hurt—but he was covered in pieces of the Kludde. He turned aside and began dry heaving.

Jacob dismissed the shield and walked toward Stiles, leaving everyone else frozen in shock.

He waved a hand, casting a cleaning spell. The gore vanished. Stiles straightened, wiping his mouth. "Thanks, man."

Jacob crossed his arms. "Did you have to use that much energy?"

Stiles shrugged. "I figured since he was a shapeshifter, I should use more power. I didn't think my attack would explode like that. I thought it would just shock him to death."

Jacob smacked the back of his head. "Didn't you use your lightning weasel before during training? Didn't you see what happens when you pour too much energy into it?"

Stiles rubbed his head sheepishly. "I did. But I thought it would only explode when it hit the ground—not when it hit a target." He shrugged again. "Anyway, let's just say it was a learning experience."

Jacob nodded toward the group. Everyone except Peter, Derek, and Satomi was staring at Stiles with wide eyes—and more than a little fear.

"You scared the shit out of them," Jacob said.

Stiles glanced at them and shrugged again. "I scared myself too."

Jacob looked at Satomi. "Well. It was nice meeting you." He turned to Derek. "See you around."

He put a hand on Stiles's shoulder, and they vanished.

---

They reappeared in Noah's office.

Noah, who had been reading a report, nearly jumped out of his chair. "Jacob! You have got to stop showing up like this! What if someone was here with me?"

Jacob waved a hand. "Don't worry too much." Then he teleported away, leaving Stiles alone with his father.

Noah stared at his son. "Do I want to know?"

Stiles dropped into a chair. "Probably not."

---

Jacob appeared in his mansion. It was empty. He teleported again—this time to Serendell.

He found his wives in the shared living room, along with Cogman, Kitty, Natalie, Chris, and Victoria. They were all gathered around the large screen, watching something.

Jacob walked in, kissed each of his wives, and sat down on the couch. Kitty immediately climbed into his lap, rubbed her cheek against his, and went back to playing on her phone.

Jacob looked at the TV. The news was on. A reporter was standing outside a government building, speaking in a somber tone.

"—Secretary of Defense Williams has tragically died in a fishing accident off the coast of Alaska. The Department of Defense has released a statement expressing their deepest condolences to his family—"

Jacob smirked. "At least they're smart enough not to blame me for his death." 

Allison turned to him. "Was it you who killed him? Cogman told us that he was on the S.D.E.S. ship when you went to pick up the gold."

Jacob shook his head. "Technically, it wasn't me. He got shot by his own people when I teleported him in front of me."

Melissa leaned forward. "What happened when you went to pick up the gold?"

Jacob told them everything—Maria's warning, the politicians, the attack, the mountain ash, the sonic weapons, the machine guns. The secretary's death. The warning he gave to the others.

Lydia shook her head. "Seriously? They saw the video of you fighting a giant sea serpent. They watched you drop a meteor on it. And they still tried to attack you?" She sighed. "Human stupidity has no bounds."

Malia crossed her arms. "You should have killed all of those idiots."

Jacob shook his head. "Maria warned me in advance. She genuinely wants to be friends with me. I spared those idiots as a favor to her."

Malia sniffed the air. "You smell like barbecue. Where have you been? And why didn't you take me with you?"

Jacob told them about the Kludde, and Stiles's explosive finale. Then he smiled. "How about we have a barbecue party outside?"

Malia and Kitty both shouted, "Yes! I'm in!"

Cogman stood. "I'll make the preparations." He teleported to the kitchen.

Jacob and everyone else teleported outside the palace. Soon, Noah, Stiles, and Scott joined them.

The night was warm. The fire crackled. Meat sizzled on the grill. Laughter echoed across the magical fields of Serendell.