Stiles wasn’t sure why he came. Maybe for the stale punch and a chance to judge how badly everyone else had aged. Maybe just to prove to himself he could come back to Beacon Hills and survive the night without a supernatural incident. He hadn’t expected to feel this awkward. Or to still be this skinny. Or for Jackson Whittemore’s teeth to be that white. What the hell was that man brushing with? Liquid diamonds?
He adjusted the collar of his too-tight dress shirt and slid along the bleachers, trying to be invisible. Ten years later and Beacon Hills High still smelled like gym socks, disappointment, and floor wax. Some things never changed.
And then Danny Mahealani walked in, and suddenly, everything changed.
“Holy shit,” Stiles whispered under his breath.
The man who stepped through the gym doors was not the quietly confident goalie Stiles remembered. This Danny looked like he’d been carved out of sun-drenched marble. Golden skin, wide shoulders stretching the seams of a crisp white linen shirt, chest so thick the buttons looked like they were working overtime. His arms—God, those arms—thick and veiny and casually folded as he scanned the crowd. His thighs were tree trunks, clearly visible even through tailored navy pants. Every step he took made his shoulders roll and flex. Stiles was unwell.
Danny caught his eye almost immediately.
He grinned—soft, knowing, a little amused—and made his way across the room like a man who knew how many eyes were on him. Stiles froze. All the blood in his brain relocated south.
“Stilinski,” Danny said, voice low and warm, a little deeper than Stiles remembered. “Still pale, still twitchy.”
Stiles laughed nervously. “Still hot, still obnoxiously perfect.”
Danny raised an eyebrow. “That a compliment or a cry for help?”
“Both,” Stiles muttered. “Definitely both.”
Danny chuckled, and Jesus, even his laugh was toned. “You look exactly the same,” he said, eyes lingering. “Maybe a little taller?”
“You look like you ate the old you. And then bench pressed him.”
Danny grinned, easy and smug. “Occupational hazard.”
“Fitness modeling,” he said. “Mostly athletic wear. I do a few protein commercials. Some surf stuff. And I’ve gotten into triathlons. Did Ironman Kona last year. Third place.”
Stiles choked on his own spit.
Danny casually flexed his right arm, running a hand through his hair—and holy shit, was that a vein snaking up his bicep?
“It’s wild, honestly,” Danny continued, as if Stiles wasn’t trying to pretend he wasn’t full-on staring. “I do yoga every morning on the beach. Sunrise vinyasa. Helps with recovery. Then strength training. I’m prepping for a show next month. Classic physique. Trying to push into heavyweight.”
Danny grinned wider. “You okay there, Stiles?”
“I—yeah. Just—processing.”
“Want to feel?” Danny asked, lifting one arm and flexing again. He wasn’t even subtle about it. The peak of his bicep looked obscene.
Stiles made a choked sound but stepped forward, reaching out with trembling fingers. His palm met warm, dense muscle. It twitched under his touch, hard and alive. He’d touched werewolves before—Scott, Derek, Isaac—but Danny didn’t feel supernatural. He just felt… real. Like effort and sun and protein shakes and discipline. Like power.
Danny leaned in. “It’s even bigger when I pump up. You should see my leg day routine. I squat over 500 easy. But I kinda prefer bench. Something about the stretch across my chest. You know?”
Danny’s smile turned sly. “You wanna get out of here?”
“Yes,” Stiles blurted. “God, yes.”
Danny tilted his head, pretending to think. “You free tomorrow morning? You could come by the beach. Watch me do yoga. Maybe I’ll show you a few stretches.”
Stiles swallowed hard. “Do they end with you flexing again?”