I DON'T EVEN KNOW I was going to write fluff but then the last episode happened and messed up all of my plans and this fic is basically as jumbled as the ep was, so I hope it makes sense. I honestly don't know what this is... slash? Pre-slash? Scott becoming Isaac's Alpha and Isaac realizing something's happening but not knowing what? Angry!panicked!Isaac, that is all. Okay, shutting up now.
Title from Mat Kearney's City of Black & White.
Don't own TW.
burning like a fire on the water
"He's – he's not healing."
And then Stiles goes back to trying to stall Finstock, Lydia's running towards the restroom, and maybe – maybe – Isaac wouldn't freak out if he couldn't smell the sheer panic rolling off of her in waves or hear Stiles' frantic heartbeat, but he can and he does, so, understandably, he freaks the fuck out.
.
.
.
"You're not going alone. Come on."
Isaac has a really bad feeling about this. He's not afraid per se – just worried, and he thinks he's completely entitled to feel this way, considering Scott wants to reason with a power-crazed Alpha who could literally rip them to shreds in under two seconds.
Then again, letting Scott do this on his own is not even an option, so Isaac wills his racing heart to slow down, wraps his arms a little tighter around Scott's waist while riding on the back of his motorcycle and tries to ignore the little voice whispering inside his head that he would follow Scott McCall anywhere, danger and consequences be damned.
.
.
.
Ethan chuckles suddenly, seemingly talking to Danny but looking at Isaac and Boyd, a smug grin on his annoying baby face. He knows. He must have heard what Stiles told them because now the fucker looks –
satisfied.
As if Scott had it coming, as if Scott actually deserves what is happening to him, and Isaac –
Isaac sees red.
.
.
.
Oh, lookie there, Deucalion's brought his minions along. Shocker.
At least Derek is here too, and so are Boyd and Cora. That's Isaac's pack; he thinks he should feel somewhat reassured now that they're here, should join them, prepare to fight because that's obviously what Derek plans on doing, but – he doesn't.
Doesn't move, doesn't wolf out yet, doesn't leave Scott's side.
Realistically speaking, they don't stand a chance against a pack of Alphas, but apparently Scott is the only one who cares about that anymore, because Derek, the reckless idiot, declares he's going to kill Deucalion and launches himself at Kali, Cora and Boyd are trying to fight Ennis off, and the twins –
The twins have become that monstrosity again and he – he? It? They? What even? – is looking at Scott, who still hasn't wolfed out, and that's when Isaac decides fuck it, self-preservation is overrated, he's not going to let anyone hurt Scott.
.
.
.
People – his schoolmates, Isaac's brain supplies – are screaming, yelling at him to stop; it's nothing but background noise.
All he can hear clearly is the blood pounding in his ears and the sound of bones breaking each time his fist connects with Ethan's jaw, over and over and over, blood coming out of the Alpha's mouth, blood on Isaac's knuckles, and Isaac enjoys every second of it.
There's something inside of him that won't let him stop, a visceral need to do this, to hurt – woundmaimkill – the enemy, to avenge his –
Scott.
scottscottscott
.
.
.
Isaac thinks he kind of fails at this whole protecting-your-loved-ones thing.
Scott is hurt.
Well, so is everyone else, himself included, and things could have gotten messy – messier – if Allison hadn't shown up, so Isaac takes a moment to thank whatever deity is available for her being a skilled archer and a loyal friend (and possiblymaybeprobably still in love with Scott). But then he starts panicking because Scott is on his feet again, still bleeding but growling, strangely intimidating, and all Isaac can do is watch helplessly as Scott and Ennis collide.
He tries not to whimper, because there is Scott, as reckless and wild as Derek, going up against an Alpha thrice his size and Isaac should be there too, fighting alongside Scott, helping him, he's supposed to help, but he can't move, can't do anything, paralyzed by fear and – something.
Something's happening, he can feel it. Doesn't know what but –
Something's changing.
And then, thankfully, blessedly, Derek is there, helping Scott and –
oh.
shitfuckshit
.
.
.
scottscottscott
Scott.
Scott wouldn't want him to do this, Isaac is sure.
But Scott is bleeding on a dirty bathroom floor because the twins hurt him and he's still not healing, so this? This is only fair. It's retaliation, it's rage and grief and terror all rolled into one. This is for Derek, for Erica and Boyd, for Isaac himself.
For Scott. Kind, loving, caring Scott, who means so much to Isaac that he can't bear the thought of losing him.
It's insanity, but it is was Ethan deserves.
And if Isaac wasn't out of control maybe he'd be terrified of how far he's willing to go to protect Scott. But he is out of control, can't think rationally, can't think at all, so just he keeps on punching Ethan.
.
.
.
Isaac doesn't see it happening, only hears the thud among too many frightened heartbeats.
What he does see is the look of pure despair on Scott's face, Scott leaning over the edge, maybe a little too much and – no. Not happening.
There will be plenty of time to freak out later, snap out of it, Isaac –
And suddenly he starts feeling his limbs again, starts moving and pulls Scott back from the edge, keeps his hand on Scott's shoulder.
This is – wrong.
Isaac knows he should be feeling something, that was his Alpha who just – or maybe not. Maybe that's it, maybe Derek isn't dead and that's why Isaac's wolf doesn't react the way Isaac thinks it should, maybe that's why he just feels numb.
It's not impossible, Derek is a Hale after all, and the Hales do have a tendency to not stay dead for long, so.
Yeah, that must be it.
It's the only explanation Isaac has for feeling almost calm in spite of everything, for feeling safe because he knows that Scott is safe.
He hasn't let go yet and Scott doesn't say anything but Isaac, somehow, understands what he's thinking, and immediately squeezes his shoulder in reassurance.
Not your fault, not your fault, Scott, please.
.
.
.
Something's off, that much he knows, a minuscule part of his brain suddenly working right again, because Ethan's an Alpha, stronger and faster and more experienced, and beating the shit out of him isn't something Isaac should be able to do, wolfed out or not.
Ethan is letting him do it because then Isaac will get into trouble, of course, Isaac is the one who started punching an innocent classmate for no reason whatsoever, and by now everyone on the cross country team must think he's fucking crazy, and he maybe he is, he is, he is.
Scott is dying for fuck's sake, Isaac's sanity is pretty much nonexistent at the moment.
It doesn't matter what they think, nothing matters, no one matters – get off me, Danny!
"ISAAC!"
He stops mid-swing, shaking, letting go of Ethan's shirt and turns around slowly.
For a second everything stops, time freezes, and Isaac just looks.
Looks at Scott standing in front him, slightly pale, wearing a different shit, not dying. There is no wound, not anymore.
Isaac feels so relieved he thinks he might start crying. But he doesn't, smiles instead, and he knows it's wrong, knows he shouldn't be smiling, knows he has absolutely no reason to smile after what he has done but –
Scott is fine. He's okay. He's not dying.
He's not leaving Isaac.