25
Pack Mate
Chapter One
Scott McCall has been dealing with a life unlike that of any normal teenager. As he and his best friend Stiles, navigate the unknown territory of Scott's new werewolf existence, they forget that despite how self-absorbed American teenagers are, there are always those who listen in when no one else thinks they are.
Journal Entry 2356
I finally found one! After years of searching and numerous dead ends, I finally found one! Now I just have to work up the nerve to talk to him. Sigh. After spending most of my life trying to be invisible, how can make myself known? The last time I even attempted to talk to one of them, I failed horribly.
School had been much of the same challenges as Scott worked with Stiles to control his rage and emotions. Recently it had become harder and harder to maintain control whenever he was with Allison. Even her smell seemed to put every nerve on edge. Little did he know another surprise was literally waiting around the corner.
As Scott rounded the hall towards his locker, a hand shot out and grabbed him. He turned and was faced with a girl, in long, dirty clothes.
"Can I talk to you?" she asked.
"Can I help you?" Scott said.
"Not here, come." She led him around back away from the student body and turned to face him. It seemed to take a lot for her to look him in the face. "I heard you talking, to that boy, Stiles."
"Yeah, he's my best friend, we talk a lot." Scott's eyebrows went up. What is up with this girl, does she like Stiles or something?
"I heard you talking about werewolves."
The pit of his stomach dropped. She had Scott's full attention now. "That was a movie he had watched, some classic black and white."
"Liar," she whispered.
"What's your problem?" Scott turned to leave and she grabbed his shoulder.
"Please don't go. I need your help."
"Yeah right." Scott continued to walk and she ran in front of him and planted her feet.
"I need you to bite me," she stared at him. There was such a haunting need in those brown eyes as they looked out from behind her glasses. Scott's throat went dry and he pushed her aside.
"You're crazy. Just leave me alone," Scott said as he bolted down the hallway and way from the girl with the tangled hair.
Journal Entry 2358
Well, I failed miserably. Not as bad as with Derek but still, I think Scott believes I am off my rocker. So much for plan A. It is time to move to plan B. I am so nervous. What's the worst that could happen? I'm already as good as dead.
Scott made it class seconds before the bell. His extra speed made getting to class on time a success in the past few weeks. Stiles looked at him as Scott took his seat.
"Why'd you ditch me?" Stiles asked.
"There was this girl, she grabbed me," Scott whispered.
"What?" Stiles gave his best friend a sly smile.
"Not like that you pervert. She had overheard us talking about you know what."
Stiles paled. "No way."
"Yeah, she asked me to bite her." Scott could still remember her eyes, and how she almost pleaded with him. He shook his head. This girl had no idea what she was asking.
"What was she crazy or something?" Stiles asked.
"I guess. But we need to watch what we say at school from now on."
Stiles laughed. "Good luck with that one, you still struggle with your heart rate."
"I know." Scott hunched down behind his desk.
"What are you going to do?"
"Ignore it, I guess. I mean, why try anything unless she continues to bug me."
"I am about to start class, gentlemen. If it is not too much trouble can I have your attention," the teacher said.
"Yes sir," Stiles and Scott said in unison.
The rest of the day went by as normal. Jackson continued to threaten Scott with finding out his secret. Lydia kept trying to boss him around. But the strange girl never bothered him again. In fact he didn't even see her for the rest of the week. Besides Scott had other things to worry about, Allison was becoming more and more assertive with her advances and it was only a matter of time before Scott's choir boy behaviors were going to get him in trouble or before the wolf's instinct took over. Just the thought of it tied Scott's stomach in knots. Scott had almost lost her once, and winning her back had been tricky.
Journal Entry 2362
Tonight's the Full Moon. I have been following Scott for the last 3 days getting a feel for his patterns at night. His beast side apparently likes to roam around at night. I was almost caught once. Thank goodness for the wildlife research center scent killer spray. The guy at the Hunter's Rack had been dead on with this one. I have been doing the research. I must be the one to act before his bloodlust takes control. I am the alpha female. I must initiate the dance, at any cost, I must succeed.
Scott stood at the edge of the school field. Derek was waiting. The full moon was tonight and already Scott's blood was on the rise. He scanned the wood, hoping the alpha was still staying away. Scott could not understand why such a creature with a vendetta would suddenly just disappear.
"What are you doing here?" Scott demanded.
"Watching out for you," Derek said in his normal flat but ferocious tone. "Tonight's the full moon. Have you been practicing?"
"Yes." Scott hated asking Derek for advice, but it helped, despite the price Derek planned to take from Scott.
"I want you to come to the house tonight."
"Are we going to beat the crap out of each other again?" Scott asked. Derek looked at him and Scott struggled to meet his gaze.
"Tonight I am going to hunt the alpha," he poked Scott in the chest," While you stay somewhere safe and away from the hunting grounds."
Scott pushed his hand away. "If I remember correctly, your house was ground zero for the alpha."
Derek snorted. "No, I made sure you won't be disturbed and besides there is now a wolf's bane circle going around the house."
"Isn't that poisonous to us?" Scott remembered when he had dug up Derek's sister. Her body had been enclosed in a ring of wolf's bane that was woven into a rope that made a circle. It had nearly choked him to death when Stiles had brought the rope in his backpack after the police had cleared the scene. Derek moved in closer to Scott staring him in the eye. There was an intensity in his gaze that made Scott almost weak in the knees but he stared back at the werewolf in front of him.
"Yes, wolfs bane can be poisonous but it also can contain us. If you are in the house before sunset, before the moon rises, the circle will keep you confined to the house." Derek waited for Scott to absorb this.
Scott didn't like it, not one little bit. "What if I don't want to stay at your house?"
"Do you have a better idea? I spent a lot of time setting this up. Or would you rather end up at Allison's and have her father kill you? Or worse you kill her?"
Scott glared at Derek, but he was right. "Fine I will be there."
"Good." Derek nodded and walked away. Scott turned to his phone and saw that Stiles was calling. Thank goodness it was Friday night.
"Stiles, I need a favor," Scott said.
Scott walked up to the deserted house. Stiles had offered to come, but this was something he had to do on his own. Already Scott could smell the wolf's bane. This stuff was toxic. Just coming near it made his nose itch and his chest hurt. Looking in front of him small piles of the herb made a perfect ring around the house, even more than what had been woven into the rope. Scott stalked around the circle trying to find a place where the herb was a little less dense. How the hell did Derek set this up? Scott took several steps backwards. Since the bite he could leap further than any normal human being. Scott was just going to have to take a leap of faith that Derek knew what he was doing.
A howl broke through the air, and Scott spun around, eyes wide and burning yellow. His nose filled with something new and he felt the need to shift rise up within him, it was happening a good two hours earlier than last full moon. Scott bent down low to the ground letting the wind carry the scent to him and masking his own. The shift took him. His tongue ran across his fangs helping to draw in the scent on the winds, all thoughts of finding safety inside the decrepit house, fled his memory as he began to track of his prey.
Scott stalked through the trees, not running but a smooth pace that allowed him to follow the scent as it took him deep into the forest. The scent was growing stronger, calling him on, and pushing him forward. The moon rose full in the sky as he approached a small clearing in the wood. In the darkness, Allison stepped out into the moon light. She wore a short skirt and tiny tank top, barely covering her bra. Scott paced on the outskirts of the clearing. Allison raised her hand calling to him. Then she lifted her fingers to her lips and blew him a kiss.
Scott was racing towards her before he could even stop himself; she was in his arms kissing him, her tongue running across his fangs. He took a deep breath, and froze. This wasn't Allison. Her skin was rough and bumpy in places, like old scars and scabs, rubbing against his skin. Then Scott pulled back, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. The new scent that had drawn him into the woods hit him again and he was lost to his senses.
Stiles woke to the beeping on his phone. It was 4 AM and there was a message from Scott's phone but it wasn't from Scott.
Scott is out on Route 17, near mile marker 143. Pick him up – A friend
Stiles blinked back the sleep and grabbed his pants. Whoever had sent the message it could not have been for a good reason. We should have never trusted Derek. Stiles tried to call the number back but it was blocked. The last time someone had sent secret messages, the alpha had tried to force Scott to kill his friends. This could be a trap, but still he had to go. Scott might be dangerous but he still was his best friend.
The smell of mud and dead leaves filled Scott's senses, as a heroin's scream filled the air. Scott started awake and found himself in the nook between the roots of an old pine tree. His mouth was covered in something tacky and crumbly. He smelled blood and something else… something new. Reaching up to wipe the sleep from his face and down his chin, he came away with the flaky crust of blood. There's blood on my mouth….His heart began to race. Backing out of the roots and away from the trees Scott pushed himself up, his head swimming. There were flashes, of the dream he had been having. Allison was in them again, and they had been making out, only to become more intense, more animalistic. Scott flashed to remembering her under him; remembered her smell, the taste of her skin, how she struggled and how she said she wanted it. His eyes searched the ground, no bodies, and only a little blood. Scott grabbed his head, running now, trying not to remember. God it was so real! Just like before….
In a blind panic Scott ran, until his bare feet hit the pavement, a car screamed passed and swerved to a stop, Stiles jumped out. "Scott!"
"Stiles… help," Scott mumbled and fell to his knees.
Stiles had seen some really messed up things with Scott and his werewolf adventures; still this has to be one of the worst. Scott was a mess. The stains on his clothing, skin, and mouth looked like blood. Had the alpha forced him to kill? Stiles pushed the thought back in his head as be helped Scott to his feet and shoved him in the passenger side seat of the Jeep. Racing around to the other side, Stiles slid into the driver's seat and started the engine. Scott huddled in the seat, wrapping his arms around his chest.
"What happened?" Stiles asked.
"I don't know. All I remember is going to Derek's house and not being able to cross over the wolf's bane. I remember choking. And then there was this really weird dream."
Stiles' went on high alert. "What kind of dreams?"
"Allison was in it again." Scott pressed his head against the window. "It felt so real, like it actually happened."
"Why do I feel like we have been here before…" Scott jerked his head up and glared at Stiles. Stiles threw up his hands. "I'm just saying, that last time you told me a dream felt real, the bus driver ended up on the menu for the alpha."
Scott dropped his head onto the dash board. "She wasn't there. No one was when I woke up."
"So that's a good thing, right?" Stiles watched his friend. Scott looked defeated. Stiles licked his lips. "Scott, just remember Allison was ok last time, this time may be as well. Just tell me what happened." Scott blushed. "What is it?" Stiles pressed.
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Scott, I am your best friend. You can tell me. What did you finally get to second base with Allison?" Stiles had meant it as a joke, but Scott remained silent. "Third base?" Scott looked away and out the window. "No way man, you had a dream that you went all the way…"
Scott's head shot up. "Just shut up, Stiles!"
Stiles stifled a wicked giggle. "Well that explains the stains of your shorts…"
Scott punched him, "I said drop it." His eyes beginning to glow gold.
"Ok, ok. I'm sorry, calm down," Stiles said, eyes darting between Scott and the road.
The two friends sat in silence as Stiles drove. Scott focused on his breathing bringing his heart rate down, and focusing so he would not shift. Scott could hear Stiles' own heartbeat slow as well. The smell of what had happened last light filled his nostrils. Scott's scent he recognized, but the other… female? But not Allison, there was no scent on his body that was even close to what she smelled like. Did I hurt someone? Raped someone? What about the blood on my mouth? Scott's heart began to thunder in his chest again, but this time his mind was filled with guilt and shame. He blinked back the tears having nothing to do with his more animal instincts. God I don't want to remember.
Stiles pulled up to Scott's house. His mother's car was not in the driveway, she had already gone to work. Scott said a small prayer of thanks that she would not see him come home like this.
"Hey man, you ok?" Stiles asked.
"Yeah, I'll see you at school." Scott crawled out the car and started to head to the front door until he realized he didn't have his keys, or his phone, or anything.
"Scott, we need to talk about last night…" Stiles started to say.
"Stiles, just wait until I've made sure Allison is ok." Scott headed towards his window but was stopped by Stiles standing in front of him.
"Dude, wait. Aren't you even a little bit curious how I found you this morning?"
"What? I can't think about this right now." Scott grabbed the railing and began to pull himself up towards his window through the route Stiles loved to use. "I will just see at school."
"Wait," Stiles shouted but Scott was gone. Stiles needed to tell him about the message and he wondered what would do once he realized he lost his phone and lost his ties to Allison and everyone else. Scott seemed really messed up after last night and Stiles hated to being in the dark in the latest trauma in Scott's wolf infested life. Stiles shook his head at the quiet house and headed back to the jeep. "Fine. See you in class."
Journal Entry 2374
My whole body aches, but in a good way. I left him in the forest last night. He looked so peaceful. I hate the way I used him, but I needed it. Bandaging my left shoulder last night had been a pain. Not that I am not used to a little pain by now. The bite hurt more now than when it had occurred. Endorphins are awesome. Already I feel different. One month, then things really change. I have to give him his phone back though…
Scott handed his tardy slip to the teacher and took his seat near Stiles. The hour long hot shower had taken off all the scents save for the DOVE for Men body wash. Even cleaned up I feel dirty. Next class at least he would be sitting next to Allison again. Stiles, kept trying to bug him but Scott ignored his pestering questions. When the bell rang it was like a siren screaming in the night. Scott bolted from his seat and was out the door. He made it to Allison's locker before the masses of the teenage student body poured into the halls. Scott stood searching the faces in the crowd, all his senses straining. He took in a deep breath through his nose, and caught the smell of something familiar, something from last night… then it was gone, and Allison's perfume filled the air. Scott opened his eyes as she walked up behind him.
"Hey, Scott."
Scott turned around, a smile filling his face. "Allison."
Before she could respond, he kissed her.
"What was that for?" she said breaking out into a smile.
Scott smiled back. He would give anything to see her smile forever. "I just missed you."
"Aw you're so sweet. Ready for class?"
Scott shook his head. "As ready as I will ever be."
As they headed to class, Scott turned and looked around. There was something in the air, but it was gone again. With Allison under his arm, Scott flashed back to his dream, her kissing him and stroking his chest. He shut his eyes forcing himself to forget.
"Scott you, ok?" Allison asked.
"Yeah, sorry, just a headache." Scott gave her a smile as they went into their English class.
Somehow Scott made it through class. His head had stopped pounding and all he could think about was Allison. Being with her made everything good in the world. Nothing else seemed to matter and he could even put up with Jackson and Lydia and they joined Stiles at their lunch table. Amiss the joking, talk of animal attacks and lacrosse strategy, Scott caught that smell again. He looked around. There were so many people, so many bodies. It was impossible to pin point where it had come from.
"Scott, you ok?" Stiles asked.
Everyone at the table looked at Scott. He wanted to ignore the scent, wanted to forget, but it was there, hanging in the air tormenting him. This was all too distracting.
"Yeah," Scott said, eyes still searching, trying to find what his nose already had found.
"Scott?" Allison asked. Scott looked down at her and tried not to frown.
"I'll be right back." Scott stood and left the table.
Allison and Stiles exchanged a look.
"What's his problem?" Lydia asked, tossing her hair to the side.
"I'll go find out," Stiles said and before Allison could offer to help, Lydia grabbed her arm and shoved the latest Homecoming magazine at her.
"Allison I think I would look great in this dress…." Lydia descended into a level of analysis that would have impressed the most noteworthy scientist.
Scott could hear them as he followed his nose but with all his concentration on the hunt he soon stopped paying attention even as Stiles wove his way through the pulse of teenagers trying desperately to keep up.
In the empty hallway Scott stopped and took another long breath through his nose. He was getting close.
"Scott what is going on?" Stiles said coming up behind him, out of breath.
"I smell something, something from last night." Scott nose was better at remembering than he was. His mind flashed to the taste of skin under his tongue and he shuddered.
"Blood?" Stiles asked. Scott nodded his head.
"Maybe the person I hurt." Whoever this was, she was definitely female. The smell of blood was old, but still it was the same as what he had scrubbed from his boxers before coming to class.
"Really? Why would they come to school?" Stiles asked looking around. There weren't too many people in the hall now and Scott was still moving forward. People paid them little attention as they walked on.
"Why did I?" Scott looked at Stiles.
"Right," Stiles said. "Then maybe they are ok." Stiles watched as Scott continued to pause and take deep breaths of the air. They had slowed down and he looked a little lost. "Well are you sure the scent is fresh, I mean this is high school man."
"Of course I am sure," Scott growled.
"Well, lead on." Stiles made a sweeping gesture with his arms, and Scott shook his head resenting that he was nothing more than a blood hound. They wandered through the school coming to the remote access stairs. Scott opened the door and they walked in. The stairs were empty and dead silent.
"Well, l don't see anyone," Stiles said. "Let's head back to the cafeteria."
"Damn it," Scott growled. He had been so close. Scott slammed his back into the brick wall and slid down to the ground. Stiles watched his friend, frustrated by his silence and the implications of the attack meant more werewolves for the Alpha to control.
"Look man, ya gotta tell me what happened, or at least what you remember."
Scott's mind was racing. The scent was here, and it was almost like he could feel someone watching. Despite his heightened senses Sc ott could only hear Stiles' heartbeat which drowned out other noises from the background school commotion. Stiles stood there patient as always, or at least as patient as Stiles could pretend to be. Scott took a deep breath.
"Remember the dream with the bus driver?" Scott said.
"Yeah." Stiles did not like where this was going.
"Well last night was like that."
"But with the full moon last night…"
"Do you want to hear this?" Scott growled.
"Shutting up, now," Stiles said hands up in the air in surrender.
"I got to Derek's house and the moon rose," Scott hung his head. "And then Allison was there. Like before, she was so really hot, but really aggressive."
"In a good way?" Stiles asked. He had to get his thrills some way. Girls just seemed to ignore him at every turn.
"Yeah, I mean I never…, I mean in the dream, I was changed and she didn't care. She just kept coming on to me. Pressing her body to mine pressing close, biting and clawing me, I mean she isn't like that in real life. I couldn't tell you this morning. It made remembering even worse. I wanted her so badly. Things kept getting more and more intense, I tore her shirt off and her skirt got shredded but she kept… she wanted it even as she struggled in an aggressive way? I can't explain it, but one thing led to another. She was biting me, and I … I bit her back, on the shoulder I think when we…" Scott held out his hands and Stiles could put two and two together easily enough.
"Then what?" Stiles said sitting down on the nearest stair.
"I'm not sure." Scott pounded his head back against the wall. "I tasted blood and I woke up with blood on my mouth, but no one was there and I was in a hole at the base of the tree."
"You were in a den." Stiles was certain of it.
"What?" Scott looked up at him confused.
"Wolves make dens when they are gonna mate." Stiles explained.
"You're telling me I did it with a female wolf?"
"Maybe. Hey do you think the alpha could be a female?"
Just the thought of it made Scott sick to his stomach. "No way."
The silence hung in the air.
"Stiles, what if I raped someone? Bit them and made they like me." Stiles could almost taste the grief and shame in those words as they hung in the air. Stiles looked at his friend, who looked almost defeated.
"No way. You've already shown that you are not a killer. There is no way you are a rapist. Trust me."
"I'm not sure I can trust myself." Scott grabbed his head. "I'm a monster."
A sigh cut through the air, the sound did not come either of the boys. Scott and Stiles jerked their heads up.
"You're not ..." A voice whispered coming from about near the roof top access door.
Scott and Stiles were on their feet looking up the stairwell.
"Whose there?" Scott said.
Pulling from the stairwell and out of the shadows, a large girl emerged. She was as tall as Scott, and covered from head to toe in bulky clothes. Her brown hair hung in tangles around her shoulders, and her eyes were hidden behind large framed glasses, that had more than their fair share of scratches and the left side of her glasses had a piece that looked to be made from a different pair of glasses that slid over her ear. The girl's eyes darted around never holding a gaze as Scott and Stiles stared up at her. Now that she had moved down into the stairwell Scott was hit with her scent again. It almost staggered him but he hid his reaction.
"Who are you?" Stiles asked. Scott didn't need an answer, she was the girl who had asked him to bite her over a week ago and his nose knew her. She had been the one from last night.
"Megan," she said looking at the ground as she walked down the stairs towards them.
"What are you doing here?" Stiles asked.
"Hiding," Megan whispered.
"From me?" Scott said, looking afraid.
Megan took a step forward shaking her head. "No, not really. I always hide at school."
"What are you hiding from?" Stiles asked.
"Everyone," Megan said, but then a crooked smile crept across her lips. "I guess it was kinda stupid of me to think I could hide from a werewolf."
"Wait…you know what he is?" Stiles looked in shock.
"Of course." Megan had reached the base of the stairs and stood within reach.
Scott could smell the blood, her blood. He couldn't see the bandage, but he knew it was there. What did I do to her? His breath was coming out in gasps.
"You're ok?" Scott managed to ask.
"I'm better than ok," Megan started to say, but the bell rang for all students to return to class. "We better get going."
As she turned to leave, Scott grabbed her arm. A startled sound escaped her lips as she began to pant in pain, and fell to her knees. Scott dropped her arm in an instant.
"Careful man!" Stiles was by her side in an instant. "Scott what did you do?"
"No, … no, it's my fault, it's ok," Megan said. For the first time Stiles could see her eyes, they were hazel shifting from brown to green. She stared back at him.
"How can you say that? It's not OK! I hurt you." Scott felt his world was crashing down. I never wanted anyone to go through what I am going through. I did not want this!
"No more than I wanted." Megan held her arm and massaged away the pain as Stiles helped her to her feet.
"Stop it! How can you say that!" Scott snarled. She was acting so damn calm about everything.
"You really don't remember do you?" Megan asked. She searched his face. Scott's eyes were filled with so much pain, it almost melted her heart, but she bit the inside of her cheek, using the pain to focus.
"Remember what?" Scott said walking her into the wall. She smelled so familiar, something set his pulse racing and he pushed it away. I love Allison. With that thought the urgency subsided and he was hit by the smell of blood on her breath, her blood which confused him.
Megan just shook her head. "Look we have to go to class. I will explain after school."
"Class doesn't matter," Scott said. He wasn't about to let her walk out as if nothing happened. His heart was racing but he felt more like a claw was clenching down on his chest. He was responsible for her. She was going to need him like he had and still did, need Derek. Just the thought of explaining this to Derek brought on a new wave of dread. Still Megan was trying to leave. She put her hands on his chest and with her right hand forced his head up to look at her.
"Scott, you just ripped my bandage, I need to go change it before class. I will heal just like you did. We need to keep up appearances and I need my grades to be good even if you don't."
That last comment hurt. Scott's grades had just been pulled up to a C average thanks to a lot of help from Stiles. Still he couldn't focus on something as trivial as grades. But he took a step back. Megan's hands dropped to her side.
"Maybe she has a point Scott," Stiles said. Scott gave him a harsh look.
"Oh," Megan said dipping into her pocket. "This is yours." She handed Scott his cell phone. He had three missed calls and four texts from Allison. That alone brought him back to the importance of school. "You should call her."
Just looking at Megan, reminded Scott of his betrayal of Allison. How could he have… did they even? So many questions flooded his mind as his guilt racked his brain. It hurt more to see that Megan was so cool and composed. She should have been terrified. What was wrong with her?
"You sent the message last night?" Stiles asked.
"Yeah, I didn't want Scott to wake up alone." Megan held open the door.
"Why was that important?" Scott managed to ask.
"Trust me, I've been there," Megan shook her head she wanted to say more but suggested something else instead. "Let's meet there after school."
"Fine," Scott said and Megan pushed past him and ducked down the hall and was gone.
"How the hell does she do that?" Stiles asked. He couldn't remember ever seeing that girl, and yet…maybe he had. She was even a bigger loner and outside than he and Scott had been. There was something about her, besides her being a werewolf. From what Stiles could see she still was semi-normal. Scott on the other hand seemed about to have a nervous breakdown.
"Stiles, I attacked her…" Scott said looking lost.
"I know, man. But she seems ok with it." Stiles wasn't sure if his comment helped or hurt Scott more.
"That's what worries me." With that the last bell rang. "Well we are late to class again, let's go."
The last two classes came and went. Scott could not focus. He hardly heard the teacher and even Stiles was silent. How could I have done that? I am a monster… and now so is she. Derek is gonna kill me.
The final bell rang and Scott headed to his locker. Thankfully there was no practice today. He knew Stiles would drive them, but what was he going to say. There was no way to fix this; just like that his life was getting worse. He opened his locker letting the smells of his uniform, textbooks and papers fill him with familiarity. Two arms wrapped themselves around his chest as Allison's perfume filled the air. He let his head drop as he leaned into her embrace.
"Hey handsome." Allison laid her head on his back between his shoulder blades. Her warmth seemed to sooth some of the ache in his heart. What if it had been her? A dark voice inside whispered.
"Scott, are you ok?" Allison asked.
"Yeah," Scott turned and Allison still held on as he turned around to face her transitioning her hands to his. Scott looked up at her. "I know we were to meet up right after school, but something has come up, can we meet later tonight instead?"
"Sure, what is going on?" Allison asked. "You aren't going to lose your phone again?"
Scott had spent the breaks between class catching up and apologizing to Allison for not calling or texting her back. He told her that he had left his phone with Stiles and wormed his way back into her good graces in no time flat.
"I need to help Stiles with something for his dad and I kinda forgot about it."
"You have been doing that a lot lately," Allison scolded. "Care to meet for coffee at say five?"
"Five is great." Scott smiled.
"All right," Allison jumped on tip toes and gave Scott a kiss that melted him down to his toes. "See you then tiger."
"Ok." Scott watched Allison head to her car. Stiles came up behind him. Under his arm were several papers and a yearbook. He seemed excited. Scott didn't have the heart to tell him to get lost, though he had been dreading the end of school since class got out.
"So I spent a little time doing some research," Stiles said flipping through the year book.
"What kind of research?" Scott asked.
"I found out who that girl is."
"Really?" Now he had Scott's full attention.
"Yeah, she's been going to this school as long as either of us, and we even have had a few classes with her in the past."
"What?" Scott racked his brain. He couldn't remember ever seeing Megan, let alone having a class with her. Was she really that invisible?
"I know, it is like she's a ghost or something, but thanks to my dad and his connections I learned that her full name is Megan Donahue. See here is the only picture I could find of her in the yearbook." Stiles pointed to the black and white photo of Megan, hiding behind layers of clothing, a scarf and those same glasses. "Megan is seventeen but is a sophomore because of her birthday being in December. She has almost perfect grades, and attendance, but is not involved in any school activities. She doesn't even have any friends or anyone who really knows her either."
"What?" Scott couldn't believe it.
"Yeah. It is like she is trying to stay off the radar. But the few things I did learn is that she never changes for gym in the locker room and wears only long sleeves, long skirts or pants, even in the summer."
"Why would she do that?" Scott was becoming more curious by the moment. Knowing who Megan was a person might explain why she was so cold, so weird.
"No clue, I thought you could tell me." Stiles ran his hand over the stubble of his hair.
Scott shook his head. "Let's get out of here."
Scott headed over to his bike to unlock it to throw in the back of Stiles Jeep. The sound of a motorcycle came up next to him followed by the smell of Megan. She killed the engine as she pulled up next to him. Removing her helmet, she faced him.
"You still coming?" Megan asked.
"Yeah." Scott looked her up and down, the baggy clothing was now covered in a long leather jacket, and matching gloves.
"You know we could just forget the whole thing. You live your life and I live mine, and go our separate ways," Megan offered.
She's trying to ditch me? "No, I want to know."
Megan frowned. "Knowing the truth is not always a good thing, Scott."
"I don't care."
Megan looked at him and frowned. "OK, see you there." With that she plunked the helmet down on her head and with a flick of her wrist the motorcycle came to life and she was speeding away. Stiles appeared only moments later and Scott threw his bike in the back of the Jeep.
"Was that her?" Stiles asked.
"Yup," Scott said taking shot gun seat in the Jeep. "Floor it."
Megan had already left them in the dust. There was no sign of the motorcycle on the highway. Pulling up to mile marker 143 on route 17, Stiles killed the engine as he pulled off to the side of the road where the old motorcycle was leaned up against a tangled pine tree. The helmet and leather jacket were draped over the back of the bike. Scott got out of the Jeep, followed by Stiles.
"Where is she?" Stiles asked.
"This way," Scott mumbled and walked into the woods. The trees became denser for a moment but after walking a few minutes they came to a small clearing where the sun broke through the branches above. Megan was standing there in the sun light. Her glasses were gone, her hair free and her hoodie pulled back. A white bandage creeped up her shoulder and was barely visible as Scott and Stiles entered the clearing. Megan turned around.
"Do you remember this place?" Megan asked Scott as she turned around to face them.
"Should I?" Scott asked. He actually did remember, it was where he had woken up only hours prior. Behind Megan he could see the hole that Stiles had called a den.
Megan shrugged. "It is where I first saw you."
"You said you would tell me what happened," Scott said. It was hard to keep the bitterness out of his voice or a growl. I have to know…
Megan nodded. "I did." Reaching up, she pulled the zipper down on her hoodie and removed her jacket.
"What are you doing?" Stiles asked.
"I find visual aids are more helpful. You should be honored I haven't shown my body to anyone voluntarily since I was ten."
Scott and Stiles exchanged a look. Stiles looked flabbergasted. As Megan peeled away the layers of jackets and shirts it was apparent she wasn't as overweight as they had thought. Megan still had curves, but now as she revealed a baby girl black t-shirt, Scott and Stiles watched the bruises, the cuts and most of all the scars that appeared lining her arms, neck, and sides. There was a large set of four that looked like healed claw marks on her upper left arm. Even that layer came off. A large white bandage was clearly visible under her faded red spaghetti tank top on the right side of her neck. The tank was short and revealed her stomach. White crosshatch scars covered her muffin top. The boys stood speechless staring at her. Megan reached down, and pushed her skirt down revealing a tiny set of biker shorts. Her legs were covered in scars and bruises as well; she turned to step out of the skirt revealing what looked like a brand across her back. The burns were crud and the word MINE was scrawled visible for anyone to see. It was apparent several different items had been used to make those marks. Something like a knife blade, a lighter top and things neither Scott nor Stiles could identify.
"Jesus Christ," Stiles swore. Scott could just stare. Megan wasn't necessarily pretty and it was obvious that she was curves moving toward being plump, but no one deserved to have that much damage done to them. She had been tortured. Still Scott's eyes could not leave the claw marks on her arm or the bruises on her legs. Megan wrapped her right arm around her body holding her wrist as she grabbed her good shoulder and looked up at them.
"What happened to you?" Scott managed to say.
"It's in the past." Megan traced a set of cigarette burns which trailed down her arm.
"Bull shit!" Scott said, clenching his hands into fists. The outrage over what had been done to her welled up inside him without explanation. Megan seemed to react to his emotional rush with her own body language of a different type of outrage. She looked Scott dead in the eye.
"Scott, this is why I wanted the bite, Scott. I need to be stronger." Megan dug her fingers into her scars leaving red marks but not breaking the skin.
"Who did this to you?" Stiles demanded. His face was full of rage. The wheels were turning in his head; he needed to tell his dad. Why hadn't she told anyone? Scott walked forward and reached out to touch her arm where his claws had given her a new set of scabs.
"That's my business; there is nothing to be done now."
"How can you say that?" Stiles asked.
"See cuts are already half way healed. I am sure I will have healed by tomorrow. How long did it take your bite to heal?" Megan asked looking at her arm.
Scott gently touched her arm. Flashes of the dream came back but this time Megan stood where Allison had been in the dream. He fell backwards panting. "I attacked you…" Why the hell is she not afraid of me?
"No, that happened when you rolled me over onto my stomach, before we…" Megan swallowed the last words when she saw the disgust and fear on Scott's face.
"What happened?" Stiles demanded.
Megan took a deep breath and blew it out pushing the hair out of her face. "I set a trap."
"A trap?" Stiles asked.
"Yeah, since Scott had already told me that he would not give me the bite when his human nature was in control, I figured I had to appeal my case to his other nature." Megan began to collect her clothing and fold it up.
"What?" Scott asked. He could not believe what he was hearing.
Megan rolled her eyes. "I figured out how to talk like a wolf. A wolf in heat, case in point."
"That worked?" Stiles asked.
"Well duh." Both Scott and Megan stared at Stiles.
"How do you set a trap for a werewolf?" Scott asked.
"I knew that during the full moon a werewolf's bloodlust would be at its peak," Megan said to Scott.
"That's because you read the same books I did," Stiles said. Scott and Megan looked at him. "I used my dad's computer to look at the library records. She checked out all the books I did. But wasn't that like years ago."
"Yeah, I've been researching werewolves for about five years now," Megan said pulling skirt back on.
"So you could make this trap?" Scott asked.
Megan shook her head. "That came later, I wanted to be stronger, to protect myself, to deal with this."
"Why me?"
"Derek, turned me down and he is better at control than a newly bitten wolf. Did you know he was born a werewolf?" Megan said this as if was no big deal.
Scott nodded his head, this didn't answer things it just gave him more questions. He was so frustrated. Megan was so cavalier like she didn't care that dealing with him was a chore.
Megan plopped down in a pile of leaves. "Sit, make yourself comfortable." Stiles turned around and leaned against a tree.
Scott looked at the two of them and shook his head. "Why did you bring us here?"
"To help you, Scott, remember. I told you this is where we met up last night." Megan reached out and touched the ground in front of her.
"I'd just like to point out, that you never explained who the hell has been hurting you," Stiles said.
"Lots of people have liked hurting me over the years." Megan grabbed a pile of leaves crushing them with a loud crunch as she closed her hand into a fist as if remembering something painful. "It is what happens when your mom is a junkie. Let's just say she likes to bring home a number of interesting individuals."
"And she let them hurt you?" Stiles asked.
Megan shrugged and bit back a bitter smile. "Sometimes she helped."
"God that is horrible." Scott looked at her.
Megan tried to smile. "I just go away inside when it is happening, most of the time. Pain can only be ignored for so long. It hasn't happened in a while, but that is because I rarely go home if I can help it."
"Why haven't you run away?" Stiles asked. "I mean there are people who could help you; I mean my dad."
Megan shook her head. "Not gonna happen. My uncle would never allow it. He controls my mom and she controls me."
"What does he want?" Scott asked.
"My father's money, it is in a trust fund till I am 21. Most of the monthly stipend ends up in my uncle's pocket or up my mother's nose."
"Wait a minute, is that why you wanted to be a werewolf? So you could rip their throats out or something?" Scott asked, looking horrified.
"I thought about, hell I wished for it when I was a kid. Especially when he was in my mother's life."
"Who?" Scott asked.
"All I know is that his name was Mac. He was a possessive, evil, SOB. He's the one who gave me that scarification tattoo that says MINE across my back. But thankfully he had shot me up with morphine he had acquired beforehand. I don't remember him doing it, but let's just say the next few weeks were hell when wearing clothes. I never thought he would leave us alone. It was the only decent thing my uncle ever did for us was having him arrested."
"That's awful." Scott looked at her. This girl had been through more horrors than he had even as a werewolf. Despite all the horrible things he had seen and done or almost done, Scott had only a taste in his life of the terrible things people could do to one another. How was Megan able to talk about her trauma with such detachment? Scott had never been able to put aside his feelings on anything, especially after he was bitten.
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Stiles asked. "This doesn't make any sense. Why would you allow yourself to take such abuse?"
Megan glared at him, and then her face crumpled. "I told you. I'm weak. She's still my mom. I couldn't leave her."
"We'll help you," Scott said kneeling next to her.
"You already have Scott." Megan bit her lower lip as Scott's eyes clouded with shame and guilt. He looked so lost and Megan grabbed his hand. "You didn't do anything wrong."
"What did I exactly do to you last night?" Scott managed to ask.
"I told you, I manipulated the situation and made a trap for you, something your wolf side could not resist." Megan let go of his hand and pulled back since being close and touching Scott only seemed to provoke more reactions of shame and sadness when their skin connected.
"Like what?" Stiles asked.
"I made a mixture of rhodium, oil of fenugreek, oil of cumin, and flour of sweet fennel. For some reason this is like catnip to wolves and hunters have been using it for years to lure them into traps and snares." Megan reached down into her jacket and handed a vial to Stiles. He looked at her and popped the top to take a sniff.
"That's foul." Stiles put the lid back on. "I doubt Scott would be attracted….Whoa!" As Stiles looked over at Scott, Scott's eyes turned golden and he began to pant.
"Put it away," Scott growled.
"Ok, I see you made your point," Stiles said tucking the vial into his pocket.
Megan withdrew another vial and removed the lid, then leaning over towards Scott she made to place it under his nose.
"NO!" Scott bolted back.
"Scott this is a scent killer, also used by hunters to mask their scent when stalking deer. But it also gets rid of other smells." Scott stared up at Megan as his teeth and claws began to grow along with other things. "Trust me," Megan said and Scott reached up with claws extended and took the vial. Drawing it to his nose, he took a deep breath in. Something inside seemed to unclench. Scott closed his eyes and felt his body return to normal.
"See? All better." Megan took the vial back and sat back down.
"That was like super cool," Stiles said and Megan handed him the vial.
"It only works with scent triggers it won't help if you are super pissed off or anything but any pheromone driven changes can be redirected using that."
"You sound more prepared for this than I was or am," Scott said.
"Five years study will do that, but it is no comparison to actually experiencing it." Megan gently stroked her clawed arm.
"I am so sorry," Scott started to say, but Megan cut him off.
"Save it, you did NOT do anything wrong. I manipulated you, so you did not have a choice, if anything I should be apologizing to you."
"But…" Scott started to say but Megan glared at him, her eyes like ice.
"Remember the bloodlust, where you can't remember anything? There is a reason I choose that time of the month."
"But he could have killed you," Stiles added.
"You forget an important part of the word bloodlust. The LUST part is what matters, especially with teenage boys," Megan said with almost a cruel smile. "I used that and the mating urge that exists in all mammals to drive you into my trap. "
"How?" Scott asked.
"Human beings forget how powerful body language is, and this is more so in the animal kingdom since animals cannot rely on words to convey how they feel." As if to exemplify this Megan leaned back on her hands and stretched like a bored cat.
"So what, you just walked a certain way and that was all it took?" Stiles asked.
"In a manner of speaking." Megan played with her cuts again. Watching her do so bothered Scott.
"Wait a minute, I remember in the dream, Allison was acting strange but it was like a …huge… turn on …for me." Just saying that made him feel dirty, sick, and ashamed, but it made sense. For Scott certain things that had been happening with Derek, the alpha, even other people like the other players on the lacrosse field began to make sense. Things that should not have bothered him before, now grated on his nerves. Was it just body language? Was he picking up on signals that he hadn't noticed before?
"Exactly, I was talking to the wolf side of your brain. Different behaviors of aggression at just the right moment, along with tenderness at the right moment can have a powerful affect."
"We've all seen that happen, even with normal people," Stiles said.
"I stood before your wolf side, without fear, making all the right signals and following your lust, feeding it so that you wouldn't tear out my throat." Megan looked at Scott, really looked at him. Her hazel eyes seemed to burn. "Plus I made certain not to talk."
"Why?"
"Humans key into voice, wolves not so much. Wolves rely on sense of smell over every other sense."
Stiles shot Scott a look, they were thinking the same time, Allison's voice was like an anchor for Scott to keep his humanity in tack and avoid the Shift. This girl somehow had figured that out.
"That was it?" Scott asked.
Megan bit her lip and blushed. "There was a moment when I almost lost your interest, but I was able to change your mind…I urinated."
"Why? That's gross," Scott scoffed.
"Nice turn on," Stiles teased.
Megan rolled her eyes. "In the wolf kingdom that is like the go signal to the male from the female during intercourse. Think of it like when a girl nibbles your ear or sticks her tongue down your throat. There are just certain things that click with the animal side of your brain that don't make any sense in any part of the normal routine."
"Ok…" Scott looked doubtful. He felt sick. He didn't want to believe her, but she wasn't lying, it was as if he could tell. But she was so blunt. It wasn't even hard for her to talk about it.
"Let's just say once I did that, you gave me these," Megan gestured to her arm. "Then you flipped me on my stomach and bit my shoulder and let's just say Mother Nature took over, for both of us."
Scott felt sick. Not that Megan wasn't a nice person; well she still had yet to prove she was a nice person. But she did explain things better than Derek and had given him that scent killer stuff. Then again she had gotten what she wanted. Scott felt so used. Still, his first time, and he couldn't even remember it. He felt dirty and sick. Megan seemed to sense his feelings. She moved towards him and with a soft hand, lifted his chin to look her in the eye.
"I am so sorry Scott for what I did. Now. Breathe."
The air he had been holding inside came out. Scott took a deep breath. He took in her scent, her real scent, not that concoction she had made. She smelled safe, familiar, like home, like his mom almost but different. Nothing stirred below his belt and he let her draw him into a hug. The smells drew him down, into his memories. He saw that night, her taking his clawed hand in hers, taking him as he was and offering herself to him, without fear all her scars in plain view. Even last night the sight of them made him angry. He had been almost as afraid of her as she was supposed to be, of him. Everything she had told him was true; the memories came flooding back to him as she held him.
"I raped you," he whispered.
"No."
"How can you say that?" Scott shouted pulling away. "I remember what I did to you. It wasn't human."
Megan raised an eyebrow at him and gave him a crooked smile. "Trust me, what we did was totally human and was not that different than any other red blooded all American male."
"But…" Megan placed her finger on his lips stifling the questions.
"Scott, it was just sex. Trust me, I wanted this, that night, it was all according to my plan."
"How can you say that?"
"I was raped more times than I care to remember. The first time was when I was eleven."
"My god…" Scott whispered.
"I told you, I was my mother's party favor." Megan pulled back. " I was lucky I knew how to protect myself at least from pregnancy. I've been on the pill for years."
Scott felt his stomach drop. The whole experience last night took on whole new implications. Megan must have read the concern on his face.
"I'm clean Scott. I get checked out each month just in case, and I have a nice stock of the morning after pill."
"Well, that's good, I guess," Stiles said.
Stiles had managed to keep his big mouth shut through the entire discussion. Megan's words seemed to shred Scott to the core, but she wasn't being cruel on purpose. Stiles could feel his own outrage at her situation. He and Scott were more upset that Megan appeared to be. This act she was putting on, couldn't be how she really felt? Most of his life as the sheriff's son had been filled with the excitement of a murder and the mayhem that followed. Stiles had even gotten his wish to a degree with Scott becoming a werewolf; I mean who wouldn't want a superhero as a friend? But with Megan telling her horror story, he didn't feel excited, he was angry. What she had been through was worse than his darkest imaginings of what their small town could offer.
"Scott," Megan said forcing him to meet her eyes again, "You can't rape the willing. But I did take something from you, and I had forgotten how devastating that can be."
Scott reached up and touched her hand.
"Now what?" Scott asked.
"You don't love me. And I don't love you, but I knew that going in. I am sure you wanted your first time to be with Allison," Megan said giving his hand a squeeze.
Just hearing her say Allison's name was like a punch in the stomach. He felt as if he had betrayed her. Even now, being close to Megan felt good, but she was right, there was no love connection.
"Why do I feel like this?" Scott asked.
"Like what?" Stiles asked. He was seriously concerned that his friend had been bewitched or something.
"I feel it too, you feel safe, familiar, like family," Megan said. "At least what my family felt like before my mom turned to drugs."
"Yeah, family." Scott looked at her. She was right that is what it felt like.
"Well that makes sense," Stiles said. "I mean didn't Derek say that the bite from a werewolf makes you from the same pack?"
"I guess," Scott said. "But I don't get any warm fuzzies from the alpha."
"Maybe it's because he is the alpha," Megan pondered. "But I think it is time to go, it's getting dark."
"Wait, where are you gonna go? You can't go home," Stiles said. Scott looked at Megan as she smiled.
"I'm not afraid to go home anymore, Stiles." Megan putting the last of her clothing back on.
"Let us help you. I can get my dad; he'd know what to do." Stiles looked so concerned it almost melted Megan's heart but she shook her head.
"Give me a month and I will take you up on that offer." Megan brushed back her hair and threw on her jacket.
Scott and Stiles shared a look. "But that's after the full moon," Scott said. "You have no idea what's it like."
"Oh, I think I have an idea," Megan said lifting an eyebrow. "Besides the full moon is not the only reason to wait. I have been filing for emancipation as a minor. In a month I will be able to evict my mother, hopefully get her into a treatment facility and access some of my money for the first time in my life. I will finally be able to stand on my own. The bite you gave me, Scott, will ensure that no one can take that away from me."
"What about the hunters?" Stiles asked. "Trust me, if you go on a killing spree they will be after you."
Megan had to smile. "I am not planning on killing anyone."
"You may not get a choice," Scott said. "Derek said the alpha can call me out against my will. Who's to say he won't do the same to you?"
"I can't say that, but after what I have lived through, that is the least of my worries."
Scott and Stiles could not say anything to counter that, though the fish mouth Stiles was making sure indicated that he wanted to say something.
Megan turned to Stiles. "When I take back my home, I will have your dad come to help me, I'd really like if you would be there to stand by me, but I understand if you cannot."
"Oh, we'll be there. Count on it," Stiles said.
Scott touched her arm. "In the meantime, you should check in with me. I want to make sure you are doing all right."
"Like you check in with Derek?" Megan countered and Scott flinched.
Scott pressed on. "It's just, I was alone, when I first changed, and I don't want it to be like that for you. I mean I was almost killed by the hunters." Scott still remembered the flash-bang and the wooden shaft of the arrow that had pegged him to a tree. Derek had saved him, but he could have prevented the attack. Of so Scott liked to think.
Megan stood up and offered Scott her hand. He took it as she pulled him to his feet.
"You're almost too sweet to be a werewolf, Scott. Don't lose that. No matter what happens hold on to who you are." For the first time real warmth filled Megan's face as she smiled and walked towards her motorcycle. Stiles jumped to his feet and followed her and Scott back to the road. As Megan threw on her coat and helmet, Scott grabbed her hand.
"What about you?" he asked.
Megan gave me a sad smile. "The good person I was died when I was thirteen." She untangled his fingers as she turned on the ignition. "Don't worry about me."
The bike roared to life and as Scott stepped back she drove off. Stiles looked sheepishly at Scott. In silence they headed to the jeep and climbed in.
"Why do I think we just opened up another bag of worms with that one?" Stiles asked.
"I know exactly what you mean," Scott said. "Let's go home."
They headed towards the Jeep. Scott's phone had been charging in the port while they had been talking. Scott checked his phone and saw three missed calls from Allison. It was almost seven o'clock. "Damn it."
"What is it now?" Stiles asked turning on the car.
"I forgot to meet Allison."
"Dude I think this was a hell of a lot more important. Besides Allison will forgive you, she has numerous times already what's one more." Stiles always liked walking the knife's edge with his jibs. Scott glared at him. Stiles hid a smirk and drove home.