Jackson Whittemore was the top athlete at Beacon Hills High School and was in a long term relationship with Lydia Martin. Since learning he was adopted (by the wealthy Whittemore family), he has laboured under self-imposed unrealistic expectations, causing him to pressure Derek Hale (an Alpha werewolf) into letting him into his pack. His past troubles and inner turmoil cause his transition from human to werewolf to go sour, and he becomes an almost unstoppable murderous creature called a Kanima. As the Kanima, Jackson is controlled by fellow high school student Matt. Jackson was born via caesarian section after his biological mother died in a car crash.