1. ZENITH ᵈᵉʳᵉᵏ ʰᵃˡᵉ

wolf moon

1

wolf moon

Alycia McCall stares at the stacks of textbooks sprawled across her small desk in her room. The walls were decorated with colorful posters of famous scientists and inspiring quotes, a reflection of her passion for learning. At just 19 years old, she was already known as one of the brightest students in her neuroscience program, with an IQ of 187 that often left her peers in awe.

Every day, she buried herself in her studies, fascinated by how the brain worked and how it controlled everything from thoughts to emotions. She loved exploring the mysteries of the human mind—why people behaved the way they did and how memories formed. Her dream was to help others understand their minds better and find ways to heal them from psychological trauma.

Despite her academic success, Alycia often felt like she was living in a bubble. While her friends enjoyed typical college experiences, going to parties and socializing, she spent most nights in the library, lost in research papers and scientific journals. Sometimes, she wished she could connect more with her younger brother, Scott, who was just starting high school. He looked up to her, and she wanted to be a role model for him, but she often felt distant, wrapped up in her world of neuroscience.

On weekends, Alycia would try to unwind by going for long walks in the forest near her house. The fresh air helped clear her mind, and she found peace in watching the nature. She also loved observing the people around her—their smiles, laughter, and even their moments of sadness. Every interaction sparked new ideas, and she often jotted down notes for her research in a small notebook she carried everywhere.

Suddenly, her thoughts are interrupted by Scott, her younger brother, bursting into her room without knocking. He stands there, wide-eyed and breathless, his messy hair falling into his face. Alycia furrows her brows, slightly annoyed.

"Come in, I guess," she says, rolling her eyes as she sets her pen down.

"There's someone outside," Scott blurts out, urgency lacing his voice. He doesn't waste time with pleasantries.

Alycia raises an eyebrow, intrigued yet skeptical. "What do you mean, someone's outside?"

"Someone's trying to break in, Al," Scott mutters, his eyes darting nervously toward the window. Alycia glances over and notices the baseball bat in his hands, gripped tightly as if it's a lifeline.

"Okay, first of all, why do you need that?" She studies him with a raised brow, her expression a mix of concern and disbelief. "And second of all, it's probably just the wind."

"No, I'm serious, Al! Someone's outside!" Scott insists, his voice rising slightly in panic. He takes a step back, his instincts kicking in. Without waiting for her response, he hurries out of her room.

Alycia's eyes widen, and her heart races at the thought of Scott heading into danger alone. "Hey! Where the hell do you think you're going?!" she calls after him, her voice dropping to a whisper-yell, trying not to panic. She quickly follows him, her mind racing as she considers the possibilities. What if there really is someone out there?

They reach the porch just in time for Alycia to see a figure hanging upside down from the tree branch, swaying slightly in the breeze. The sight startles both siblings, and they scream in unison, their voices echoing in the quiet night. The figure above lets out a yelp of surprise, mirroring their shock.

Alycia's heart settles as she recognizes her brother's long-time best friend, hanging awkwardly in the branches, his face red with embarrassment.

Stiles Stilinski.