After leaving the ranch, Scott drove to a café and met his father, Rafael McCall, after not seeing him in years.
Scott sat across from Rafael and asked. "So, what do you want to talk about?"
Rafael looked awkward and guilty, clearly struggling with what to say. "How are you?" He finally asked.
"I'm fine." Scott replied simply.
"How's your mom?" Rafael continued.
"She's great. She's even dating someone now."
Rafael hesitated before saying. "I went to look for you at the house you used to live in, but I found it empty."
Scott leaned back in his chair. "We bought a ranch and moved there. But I'm sure you already knew that."
Rafael nodded. "Yes, I do. And I also know you have a lot of money in your bank account. How did you get it?"
Scott smiled knowingly. "I'm sure you investigated that too."
"I did." Rafael admitted. "And I found that everything is legal, but…"
Scott cut him off. "Are you here as my dad or as an FBI agent?"
Rafael sighed. "I'm sorry. I just don't want you to get into trouble."
"Don't worry about me." Scott said.
Rafael looked down at his hands. "Even though I'm a bad father, I still worry about you. And I really wish I hadn't left."
Scott asked. "Why did you leave, anyway? Why did it take you more than ten years to come back and see me?"
Rafael said. "I was scared… scared of hurting you again."
Scott narrowed his eyes. "Again?"
Rafael hesitated before asking. "Didn't your mom tell you?"
Scott shook his head. "No. She never told me why you left."
Rafael sighed heavily. "I had a drinking problem. It got worse over time, and one night, I got into an argument with your mom. We were in the upstairs hallway, and you came out to see what was going on. I… I grabbed you by the arm to lead you back to your room, but you struggled. In my drunken state, I lost control and accidentally pushed you down the stairs. You hit your head so hard that you dented the floorboards. You were unconscious for almost half a minute. But when you woke up… you didn't remember a thing."
Scott listened in silence, his expression unreadable. "I see… but why were you an alcoholic in the first place?"
Rafael sighed. "You know what kind of job I have. I see so much death, so many tragedies…"
Scott listened to his father's heartbeat and immediately knew he was lying. His eyes narrowed. "That's not the truth, is it? Tell me the real reason."
Rafael hesitated, his fingers tightening around his coffee cup. "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you. You'd probably think I'm crazy and hate me even more."
Scott said. "Try me."
Rafael exhaled deeply before finally speaking.
"When you were two, I was investigating a case of missing people. I followed a lead to a house and snuck inside… and that's when I saw them. A man and a woman… eating human flesh."
Scott's brows furrowed. "Human flesh?"
Rafael nodded. "Yes. They were sitting at a dining table with all kinds of dishes, each one made from human body parts. But that wasn't the scariest thing. Their eyes… and their teeth…"
Rafael stopped, looking haunted by the memory.
Scott urged him to continue. "What about their eyes and teeth?"
Rafael met Scott's gaze, hesitating before he spoke. "Their eyes were white… glowing. And their teeth were sharp and jagged, like something out of a horror movie."
Scott's expression remained calm. "What did you do after that?"
"They attacked me." Rafael said, his voice strained. "But luckily, I snapped out of my shock in time and shot them both. I thought it was over… but after they died, their eyes turned back to normal. Their teeth did too. I never told anyone about it. I was afraid people would think I was crazy."
Scott said. "So you started drinking after that night."
Rafael nodded. "Yeah."
Then he looked up at Scott in surprise. "You don't seem too shocked. Do you think I was just seeing things? That I was scared and started imagining it all?"
Scott met his father's eyes. "No. I don't think that."
Rafael stared at him. "So… you believe me?"
Scott nodded. "Yes."
Rafael frowned. "The look on your face tells me you've seen something like what I just described before."
Scott leaned back in his seat. "Before I tell you about that, can you answer something for me first?"
Rafael hesitated. "What is it?"
"You've been in the FBI for a long time, so I'm sure you've seen more than just the cannibals you mentioned. Can you tell me about any other... strange things you've encountered?"
Rafael asked. "Strange how?"
Scott said. "Anything unusual, out of the ordinary. And don't worry, you can tell me, no matter how absurd it sounds."
Rafael wasn't sure why Scott was suddenly so interested in the bizarre cases he'd witnessed over the years, but he was just grateful his son was talking to him. He thought for a moment before speaking.
"Once, I shot a suspect, thought I killed him. When I called it in and went to check, I saw his wounds heal right in front of me. Then, he stood up. I swear his eyes were glowing blue. He growled at me like an animal and was about to attack, but I shot him again. Then, he stopped and just gave me a look, like I wasn't worth the trouble and ran. And I've never seen anyone move that fast."
Scott nodded. "Anything else?"
Rafael hesitated. "Over the years, I've seen people with glowing eyes, people who were impossibly fast, and others who had inhuman strength."
"And you never told anyone about it?"
"I did, once. But my superiors sent me to therapy, and I wasn't allowed back to work until the therapist convinced me I was just imagining things."
Scott thought to himself. 'The higher-ups definitely know about the supernatural world. They just don't want too many people to find out.'
Rafael pulled Scott from his thoughts. "Scott, why are you asking me all of this?"
Scott looked him in the eye. "What would you say if I told you the supernatural is real?"
Rafael tensed. "What do you mean by supernatural?"
"I mean creatures with abilities beyond human limits. Creatures from myths, shapeshifters, vampires, beings with powers beyond logic."
Rafael was silent for a moment, then exhaled. "I don't know, Scott. But... I'm willing to listen if you want to tell me what you know."
Scott nodded. "Let's go to the ranch. I'll explain everything there, this isn't the place to talk."
As they walked out of the coffee shop toward their cars, Rafael glanced at Scott's Camaro and smirked. "Did you like the car I sent you?"
Scott ran a hand over the sleek black surface, smiling. "Yeah. I love her. Thank you." He looked at Rafael, his smile fading. "But that doesn't mean I forgive you for leaving."
Rafael sighed. "I know. I don't expect forgiveness overnight. But I'll try to earn it. And I promise, I'll visit more often."
Scott nodded. "Let's go."
When they arrived at the ranch, they walked into the pack house and found it empty.
They sat down in the living room, and Scott spoke first. "Before anything else, let me tell you about the cannibals you mentioned. They're called Wendigos, shapeshifters that feed on humans."
Rafael frowned. "Wendigos? Like in the myths?"
Scott nodded. "Yeah. And they're real. As for the guy you shot who healed, he was probably some kind of shapeshifter, like a werewolf."
Rafael stared at him. "Are you serious, Scott? Have you seen a werewolf before?"
Scott met his father's gaze. "Yeah. I've seen plenty." He took a deep breath. "Because I'm a werewolf too."
Before Rafael could react, Scott's eyes glowed a deep red, and his claws extended.
Rafael shot up from his seat, his body tense with shock and fear.
Scott let his features return to normal and held up his hands. "Relax. I'm not going to eat you."
Rafael sat back down slowly, still trying to process what he had just seen. "I… I don't even know what to say. You know, I had convinced myself that all the strange things I saw over the years were just my imagination. But now..."
Scott chuckled. "Yeah. Ignorance is bliss, huh?"
Rafael exhaled, then looked at Scott seriously. "Before you tell me anything else, I need to know about you first. You're a werewolf, does that mean you lose control during the full moon? Please tell me you don't hurt people."
Scott shook his head. "Don't worry. I don't lose control."
Rafael sighed in relief. "That's good to hear."
Scott leaned forward. "Alright. Now, let me tell you about the real world."
He spent the next two hours explaining the supernatural side of the world, the existence of werewolves, hunters, and other strange creatures. He told Rafael about the Nemeton and how most of the violence and death in town were caused by supernatural creatures. He also explained that he and his pack had been protecting Beacon Hills, doing their best to keep people safe.
Rafael sat back on the couch, rubbing his temples. "That's… a lot of information to take in."
Scott said. "By the way, I heard from Uncle Noah that you came back to investigate him. Now that you know the truth, you should go easy on him. The guy solved all his cases, he just doesn't know how to put it in a report without sounding crazy."
Rafael sighed. "I may have taken the task to investigate Stilinski, but that's not why I came back. I came to see you, Scott. So don't worry, I'm not going to make him lose his job."
Scott nodded. "Alright. If you want to learn more about the supernatural, I have some books you can read." He paused before adding. "And… I could give you the Bite if you want."
Rafael's head snapped up. "You'd do that for me?"
Scott raised an eyebrow. "You look like you're ready to take the Bite."
Rafael shrugged. "Well… if I won't lose control, and I'll have a connection with you, then I don't mind. Besides, surviving all those encounters with supernatural creatures so far has just been dumb luck. I wouldn't mind getting stronger to protect myself."
A moment of silence passed between them before Rafael spoke again. "You know… I didn't even think you'd agree to meet with me, let alone talk. I thought you hated me."
Scott looked at him, then shook his head. "I don't hate you, man. Am I still angry? Yeah. But I don't hate you." He smirked. "Now, let's not get all sentimental. Give me your arm."
Rafael hesitated for only a second before rolling up his sleeve, and Scott gave him the Bite.
As Rafael pulled back, looking at his arm, he said. "I promise I'll be involved in your life from now on, Scott. And… I'm sorry. Again."
Scott nodded. "I hope so."
Rafael suddenly remembered something. "By the way, a guy named Chris Argent called me a few months ago. Said he was your girlfriend's father. That was an awkward conversation." He cleared his throat. "I didn't tell you because, well… I was ashamed I didn't even know you had a girlfriend."
Scott laughed. "Oh, I know. I was the one who gave him your number."
Rafael scowled. "That's not funny. That was really awkward."
Scott stood up, still grinning. "Alright, I need to get to my shift at the animal clinic."
Rafael got up as well. "Can I take some of those supernatural books with me? I'll bring them back tomorrow."
"Sure."
With that, they left the ranch, Scott heading to the clinic, and Rafael returning to his hotel.
To be continued… 😊