Game Day

—(Mark)—

Once the school day ended, I had swim practice, which meant I didn't have time to check on Scott. As soon as the last bell rang, I headed straight to the pool's locker room. I greeted Michael and Kadin as I entered, both of them already changing for practice.

"Hey, Mark! Guess what? Kadin told me you've been made co-captain!" Michael said excitedly.

"Yeah, Kadin broke the news yesterday at the party," I replied, pulling off my shirt and reaching for my swim trunks. "It's a big responsibility, but I'm ready for it. At least that's what Kadin thinks, but I think he's got a screw loose."

Kadin grinned at me from across the room. "I know you are, Mars. You've got what it takes."

As I continued to change, I noticed Charlie approaching. He had a look of disdain on his face as he confronted me. "So, the freakishly large kid gets to be co-captain, huh?" he sneered, trying to intimidate me.

I couldn't help but laugh. Charlie was a foot shorter and wasn't even that muscled compared to the rest of the guys. "Really, Charlie? You got a problem with me being co-captain?" I said, stepping closer to him. I crowded him until his back was up against the lockers, then lowered my head to whisper in his ear. "Get better times than me, and I'll gladly step down. Oh wait, that will never happen."

The rest of the team watched, not getting involved. They were tired of Charlie's attitude. It was about time someone put him in his place, and this was only our second time meeting.

Coach Harris walked in and blew his whistle to get our attention. "Alright, team! We have a swim meet this Friday. I expect everyone to be there on time and ready to compete. No excuses!"

Practice went on as usual after that. We focused on our drills, perfecting our strokes and building endurance. By the end, we were all exhausted but satisfied with our efforts.

As I began to change back into my clothes, Michael approached me. "Hey, Mark, can I get a ride to the meet with you?" he asked. "I don't have my license to drive yet, and my parents are busy that day."

"Sure thing, Michael. No problem," I said, pulling on my jeans. As we left the locker room, I remembered that the lacrosse team had a game today. "Mind if we swing by the field first? I want to check something."

"Yeah, no problem," Michael agreed. We headed to the lacrosse field, and as we approached, I spotted Chris Argent in the stands.

I saw an opportunity and decided to take it. "Hey, Chris," I said as I walked up to him. "Do you have a moment?"

Chris looked surprised to see me. "Mark. What's up?"

"I was wondering if you could help me with something. I know your family has archives. Do you know anything about the Ambrose family in the supernatural world?" I asked, hoping to glean some information.

Chris nodded thoughtfully. "I've heard of them. I'll look into the family archives and see what I can find."

Just then, I spotted Scott on the field. My stomach dropped as I saw his expression—anger was simmering just below the surface. "Damn it," I muttered under my breath.

Chris noticed my reaction. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing," I said quickly, not wanting to get into it. Scott was losing control again, and I needed to keep an eye on him.

Despite his growing agitation, Scott managed to channel his anger into the game, ultimately leading the team to victory. As soon as the game ended, he stormed off the field and headed into the locker room.

I followed him, my heart pounding. "Scott, wait!" I called out, but he ignored me. Just as I reached the locker room, Scott tackled me from behind, taking me by surprise.

Using my size to my advantage, I quickly pinned him down. "Scott, get a grip!" I shouted, trying to snap him out of it.

Once Scott calmed down and shifted back, I tore into him. "I told you not to play today! You could have lost control and hurt someone!"

Scott glared at me, defiant. "You're not my alpha, Mark. You can't boss me around."

Anger flared inside me, and I nearly lost my temper. My fist clenched, and my eyes shifted to their red-yellow color. Just as I was about to hit him, I heard the locker room door open, and I let my eyes shift back before anyone stepped in. Allison walked in, her eyes wide with shock.

Thinking quickly, I pretended that it was nothing more than a hug. "Congrats on the win, man," I said loudly, leaning in close. "But we're going to handle this tonight," I whispered fiercely.

"I also think that you're in the wrong locker room. This is the boys," I said, Allison blushed a bit.

I quickly left the locker room, and I saw Derek standing outside as I did. He gave me a nod of approval. I still needed to question him about what he knew, but now wasn't the time for it. I also needed to drop Michael home since he needed a ride today.

As we left the lacrosse field, Michael and I headed to my truck. The sun was setting, casting a warm, orange glow over the school grounds. We climbed in, and I started the engine, pulling out of the parking lot.

Michael sat quietly for a few minutes, seemingly lost in thought. Finally, he broke the silence. "Hey, Mark, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what's up?" I replied, keeping my eyes on the road.

"Why don't you talk much to people? I mean, you're always quiet, even around the team," Michael said, glancing at me.

I sighed, knowing this question would come up sooner or later. "It's not that I don't like people, Michael. It's just… complicated."

Michael looked at me curiously. "Complicated how?"

I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words. "I've been through a lot, you know? And sometimes, it's easier to keep to myself than to risk getting hurt."

Michael nodded slowly, absorbing my words. "I get that. But you've got friends, right? Like Scott and Stiles."

"Yeah, I do. But even with them, it's hard sometimes. They do stupid shit, and I almost snap," I admitted. "There are things I can't talk about, things that are too personal."

Michael was silent for a moment before speaking again. "Is it because of your family? I've heard that you live by yourself."

I clenched the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white. "Not really. They're great, actually. They support me as much as they can. It's… it's..."

Michael noticed the tension in my grip and the edge in my voice. "Hey, are you angry about something? You seem kind of on edge."

I exhaled slowly, trying to calm down. "Yeah, I guess I am. A lot has been happening lately, and it's been hard to deal with. I'm trying to keep it together, but it's not always easy."

Michael nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I understand. Everyone has their own stuff to deal with. But, for what it's worth, I think you're a good guy, Mark. And the team respects you, even if you don't talk much."

I smiled slightly, appreciating his words. "Thanks, Michael. That means a lot. I'll try to be more open, but it's going to take time."

"Take all the time you need. Just know that we're here for you," Michael said, patting my shoulder.

I nodded, feeling a bit lighter. "Thanks, man. I appreciate it."

We drove the rest of the way in comfortable silence, the weight of the conversation settling in. By the time we reached Michael's house, I felt a sense of camaraderie that hadn't been there before.

"Thanks for the ride, Mark," Michael said as he got out of the truck.

"Anytime, Michael. See you at practice," I replied, giving him a small wave as he headed inside.

As I drove away, I realized that maybe opening up wasn't so bad after all. I still needed to deal with Scott today though, so I had to get myself ready for something that I didn't want to do but needed to be done.

Once I was home, I waited for Scott to arrive. When he finally pulled up with Stiles, I dragged him out of the car. "Let's go," I said, my tone leaving no room for argument.

Stiles followed, worried but determined to stay with his friend. I led them into the forest, far from prying eyes. "Shift," I ordered Scott while I threw him to the ground.

He hesitated but eventually complied, his body transforming. I shifted too, and then the real lesson began. What followed was a thorough beatdown, me teaching him the hard way about control and discipline and what happens if you don't follow what I said.

After it was over, I looked down at Scott, his body bruised and battered. "I may not be your alpha, Scott. Hell, I'm not even a full alpha, but I'm more of one than you are right now. Remember that. Next time you do something I say you can't, you won't go and do that said thing, got that?" I knew that they would be fine

 by tomorrow.

Exhausted and battered, Scott nodded. I shifted back to my human form and helped him up, hoping that tonight's lesson would stick. I knew that this would fray the friendship with Scott, but it needed to happen. I would need to talk to Lyla about this feeling of regret I had.

I called it a day and showered before finally heading off after the long day.