When Quinn boldly revealed her werewolf nature to Scott, Isaac, and Stiles, the fallout was immediate, though not entirely as she'd expected. While all three were stunned, it was Ethan—who had been quietly on watch duty nearby—who witnessed the entire event unfold. Unlike Aiden, Ethan had no qualms about Quinn's decision to expose herself, even though it was earlier than Deucalion would've approved. In fact, he felt a surprising swell of pride seeing Scott and Isaac's dumbfounded reactions. Stiles didn't faze him much; the human boy was more amusing than threatening in Ethan's eyes.

Ethan decided to keep what he saw to himself. Telling Aiden, who was already on shaky ground with Quinn, would only stir up unnecessary drama. Instead, he chose to sit back and let the situation play out, curious to see how the three friends would navigate the revelation.

On the bleachers, the trio tried to process what they had just seen. Stiles leaned forward, his eyes never leaving Quinn as she resumed her practice on the field. Scott and Isaac sat beside him, struggling to find words for the bombshell that had just dropped.

"She's a—" Isaac started, his voice trailing off as though finishing the sentence would make it more real.

"Yeah," Scott replied, his voice barely audible, as if speaking louder would shatter the fragile silence around them.

Isaac turned his gaze skyward, a deep, gnawing guilt settling in his chest. Memories of Quinn flashed through his mind—her laughter, her unwavering loyalty, and the promises they had made. Promises he had broken. He'd thought keeping her out of the supernatural world was the best way to protect her. But now, seeing her on the field, her golden eyes flashing, he realized how wrong he had been.

Scott seemed to sense the direction of Isaac's thoughts. "It's not your fault," he said softly, though the words felt hollow even to himself.

Quinn, who could hear their conversation with her enhanced senses, let out a quiet, derisive huff. Of course, Scott would say that she thought. Always the voice of reason, always trying to absolve everyone of their guilt. But she didn't want Isaac absolved. She wanted him to feel the sting of his choices, the pain of his broken promises. Kali's voice echoed in her mind, urging her to stand firm.

"Forgiveness is a luxury, Quinn," Kali had said. "Make him earn it. Make him feel what he put you through."

Quinn couldn't deny it. She wanted him to suffer. She wanted him to understand what it felt like to be left behind.

Isaac's shoulders sagged as he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "I already feel bad enough," he admitted, unaware that Quinn could hear every word. "I left her, Scott. I kept her in the dark, thinking it would protect her. And now she's... she's one of us." His voice broke slightly at the last words, the weight of his regret crashing over him.

Stiles, ever the pragmatist, shook his head and clicked his tongue. "I said it before, and I'll say it again. We should've told her. Keeping her out of the loop didn't keep her safe—it just left her vulnerable. At least if she'd known, she could've been prepared."

Quinn couldn't help but smile at that. Trust Stiles to be the only one with a lick of common sense, she thought. In all their time as friends, he'd always been the one to push for transparency. Even now, knowing what she'd become, he still defended her.

"I know," Isaac muttered, his voice thick with emotion. "I screwed up. I broke every promise I made to her."

Hearing those words, Quinn's smile faded. The satisfaction she'd felt moments ago was replaced by a pang of something she didn't want to name. Regret? Sadness? Whatever it was, it made her chest tighten. She paused mid-movement on the field, her back still turned to the bleachers, as if freezing in place could stop the flood of emotions threatening to overwhelm her.

Isaac's words lingered in the air like a confession, heavy and raw. Stiles shifted uncomfortably, unsure how to respond. Scott, ever the optimist, opened his mouth to offer some reassurance but stopped short when he saw the distant look in Isaac's eyes.

Meanwhile, Quinn closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to steady herself. He broke our promises, she reminded herself, clutching onto her anger like a lifeline. He doesn't deserve my forgiveness.

But no matter how much she repeated the mantra, a part of her couldn't ignore the sincerity in Isaac's voice. For the first time since she'd joined the Alpha Pack, doubt began to creep in. She shook it off quickly, forcing herself to focus on the routine in front of her. There was no time for second-guessing, not when she was so determined to show them all just how strong she'd become.

Quinn's golden eyes flickered toward the bleachers, her heart pounding with a mix of defiance and satisfaction as she observed the three boys' reactions. Their stunned silence was almost palpable, like a heavy fog that had settled around them. Isaac and Scott, still processing the weight of her revelation, couldn't seem to shake the shock off their faces. And Stiles, ever the observer, appeared to be piecing everything together, but there was a clear hesitation in his usual sharp demeanour.

She wasn't sure why, but seeing their discomfort brought her a strange sense of power. It was as if, by revealing her true nature, she had pulled the rug out from under them, shifting the balance of their world just enough to make them question everything they thought they knew about her. It felt right, in a way, to have them reevaluate their perceptions of her. After all, she wasn't just Quinn—the girl they once knew. She was more than that now. And she wasn't going to hide who she was.

Behind her, Ethan leaned against a nearby fence, his arms crossed with a look of quiet amusement. His smirk deepened as he watched the trio struggle to wrap their minds around what they had just witnessed. The confusion and shock that had overtaken Scott and Isaac were evident. Stiles was the only one who seemed to have some clarity, but even he couldn't mask the underlying tension that now hovered between them all.

Ethan knew Deucalion had planned this all along. The Alpha Pack had been pushing the boundaries of their power, testing their influence. And Quinn, with her mix of fierce independence and unpredictable nature, was the perfect pawn in their game. She was playing her role flawlessly, drawing out the reactions they wanted, creating the cracks in Scott's world that Deucalion had envisioned.

For Ethan, this was just another step in the larger plan. His job was to observe and support, ensuring that Quinn's actions didn't disrupt the pack's greater goals. She had revealed herself, and now the seeds of doubt had been planted in Scott and Isaac's minds. The next steps would be crucial. Ethan's job was to stay in the background, waiting for the inevitable fallout to unfold.

Quinn's focus shifted back to the field, her thoughts momentarily drifting from the boys to the reality of her situation. She knew there would be consequences for what she'd done. Ethan's warning had been clear: revealing herself so soon could cause unnecessary problems. Yet, there was something almost exhilarating about pushing their boundaries, challenging them to reconsider her place in their world.

As she moved through her routine, the adrenaline of her decision surged through her. She didn't regret it. Not one bit. The way Stiles' eyes flickered with understanding, the way Scott and Isaac's uncertainty weighed on them—it was all part of the plan. And whether they realized it or not, they were now part of her world, not the other way around.

She glanced back over her shoulder one last time before continuing her practice, the sound of their hushed voices barely reaching her ears. It didn't matter. The game had changed, and for the first time in a long time, Quinn felt in control.

Ethan's smirk remained as he watched, his eyes never leaving her. He knew how dangerous this moment was. But for now, he was content to watch it all unfold, confident that Deucalion's strategy was working perfectly.