Mason was talking to Liam about what could be the new creature that had been responsible for last days' events.

"I was saying that if we're talking about some sort of mythical creature that's so powerful the only safe place to put it is in the Wild Hunt, then we have a serious problem," Mason apprehensively said.

Liam didn't look anxious like Mason. He was only focused on lacrosse. "Can we figure it out while I'm running drills? Brett's meeting me to help the freshmen that wanna make First Line."

Upon hearing Brett's name, Mason looked at Liam suspiciously while pointing his index finger at him. "Brett? Incredibly hot Brett with the eight-pack abs?"

Liam scoffed. "Pretty sure his name is just Brett."

"He has an eight-pack," Mason stated dreamily. "Do you - do you know how hard it is for the human body to have an eight-pack? God."

Liam stared at his best friend blankly as he stared off into space.

"Wait, why is he helping you?" Mason asked.

"I couldn't get anyone else to volunteer."

Mason turned around to looked at all other lacrosse players, who were also getting ready for drills. "Well. Yeah, that's because there's no way any of 'em are gonna make First Line. I mean, no one does before junior year."

Liam grimaced. "Scott did and so did I."

"Yeah, with little supernatural help."

•

At the Beacon Hills lacrosse field, Brett just scored a point, and his teammates applauded him as he basked in the glory.

"That's called a perfect hitch," Brett said, cocking a sly grin at Liam.

Liam sighed and rolled his eyes before heading back to defense. Corey, as the goalie, was also ready to defend. Brett took the ball and managed to easily pass Liam and scored again, causing his friends to cheer.

"Perfect split dodge," Brett informed.

Liam hit himself in the helmet with his lacrosse stick to psych himself up. Brett scooped the ball up. Liam was able to put himself in front of Brett, but Brett rammed into Liam's shoulder. Because of Brett's strength, Liam and his stick fell to the ground, and Brett scored yet again.

"Perfect rocker," Brett mocked.

Liam stood up and turned to the freshman students playing, demonstrating his ability of being a future captain.

"Just remember to cover your back, especially if your opponent's a dick," Liam informed.

Brett looked at Liam with an agonizingly doubtful expression. He didn't think Liam had the necessary skills to replace Scott as the new team's captain.

"You got some pretty big cleats to fill with Scott leaving. You ready for all this?" Brett asked.

"I managed all summer," Liam retorted.

Brett smirked. "Summer's over."

Brett took the ball, pushing Liam to the ground. Brett scores once more, leaving his friends dazzled. Liam hit the ground in frustration before heading back to his position. Brett chuckled in amusement. Mason, Lorilee, and Zia just arrived at the stands to watch the drills.

"Corey's been training all summer to play goalie. He's actually gotten really good," Mason told the two girls.

Brett shot the ball, and Corey tried to defend but he missed and fell to the ground. After witnessing the opposite of what Mason said, Lorilee tried to encourage him.

"The season doesn't start for at least a week," Lorilee encouraged.

Mason shook his head. "Thank God."

"Is that what humans call good?" Zia questioned, earning a jab from Lorilee.

"I'm sorry, who are you again?" Mason asked curiously, shuffling closer.

"I'm Zia."

"Okay, but...what's your relationship with Lori and Brett?"

"She could be our new alpha," Lorilee whispered. "Satomi kept this journal and she wrote about Zia. Our pack could get back together, Mason."

"Are you a werewolf?" Mason asked.

Zia shook her head. "I'm a mermaid."

He stared at her, then laughed, flashing his white teeth. "That's funny. That's really... Why aren't you guys laughing with me?"

Lorilee gave him a look. "Zia isn't lying."

"Holy... Just...wait. I need to - I need to tell Kim." Mason ran away from the two girls and across the field, running up to a redhead.

She was obviously telling him off for bothering cheer practice. Mason was feeling quite attacked. He started waving his hands around, then pointed right at Zia.

"Hold on. That hot Latina is a mermaid?" Kim questioned. "Are you shitting me? That is so the drama. Does Liam know?"

"No, he's a little occupied with practice and getting his ass beat," Mason retorted.

Kim looked over Mason's shoulder in time to see Brett pushing Liam back with his strength, flying through the air and ramming into Corey, piling up in the goal.

"I TOLD YOU TO KICK HIS ASS, NOT GET KICKED BY HIS ASS!" Kim shouted angrily, hands cupped around her mouth.

Zia winced at the sound of bones cracking. "Was that Liam, Brett, or Corey?"

Lorilee looked worriedly at her brother. "I think that was all of them."

"Ouch," Zia whispered.

Brett got up and looked at Liam in disappointment. Liam glared at him as Kim stalked over angrily.

"You're losing it, dude," Brett insulted.

Brett moved back to his position and Liam got up from the dirt. Kim was patting him and making sure he was alright. She glared at Brett and walked over to him, hand raised. Before she could slap him, Zia stepped in and took the slap. The sharp sound caused lookers to gasp, including Kim and Lorilee.

"Oh my - Jesus," Kim hissed. "I'm so sorry. That is not feminist-like of me. I was honestly aiming for the dickhead behind you."

Brett was watching in shock. Zia's head was sideways, but when she turned to look at Kim, her eyes turned green. Brett's eyes widened. He covered her eyes with his gloved hand.

"Tell your girlfriend to watch it, Dunbar!" Brett shouted. "If this wasn't a lacrosse field and people weren't looking, I would have done something about her."

Liam's anger reached its limit. The claws on his left hand's claws extend and drove through the glove's tips. His animalistic growls caused Kim to look over at him in concern.

"Move, Kim," Liam ordered. "I don't want you to get hurt."

She moved slowly, not wanting to argue with her boyfriend when he was close to the brink of destroying the whole field. Brett checked that Zia's eyes were back to normal, then ushered her back toward Lorilee.

"Don't do something like that again," Brett whispered. "That was stupid of you."

Zia pouted. "You're stupid," she said, before walking away.

Liam grabbed a ball forcefully before throwing it at Brett. Liam firmly grabbed his lacrosse stick and used his superhuman strength to twist the stick's metal shaft. Brett scooped the ball up. The ball was tattered with marks from Liam's claws. Brett made the first move by running toward Liam, who got under him and flipped him over. Brett's friends gasped in shock. Suddenly, Liam took the ball and ran toward his own team's goal while growling and panting simultaneously. Corey was nonplussed by what Liam could do. Liam shot the ball with incredible force toward Corey's head, but Corey luckily ducked before the ball could hit him. It tore a hole in the goal. Brett got up from the ground and ran toward Liam. He looked happy by the fact that Liam was acting how he used to when he attended Devenford Prep.

"There he is. That's the I.E.D. I know," Brett said mockingly. "What's it stand for? Intermittent Explosive Disorder? What's it gonna take for you to explode, Liam?"

Liam stomped away, his eyes glowing a bright yellow, but Brett stopped him.

"I'm trying to help you. You're not in control, and if you don't fix it, someone's gonna get hurt," Brett said.

Liam stared at Brett with his yellow eyes, then nodded and walked out of the field to calm himself down.

In the school parking lot, Monroe was getting ready to go home, but a lacrosse ball on the ground caught her attention. She picked it up. It was the ball Liam marked with his claws. She looked toward the lacrosse field, eyes focused on Brett launching another ball at Corey, and Corey getting thrown backward because of the force. Brett removed his lacrosse helmet, revealing his face to her unintentionally.

"I'm not actually invisible right now, am I?"
Corey asked, wincing painfully.

Brett put his helmet back on and helped Corey get back up. Monroe noticed that Brett had powerful skills beyond human capacity He was her next target after Halwyn.