Chris felt frozen to the spot. Scott was cradling his daughter in his arms. It was clear she was injured and the fight appeared to be over, but no one looked happy. If anything they appeared to be upset. A sick feeling started to burble in his stomach. Something was wrong. Something was wrong with Allison. He drew his gun, assessing the yard as he ran towards his daughter. Stiles and Lydia weren't present, a concern quickly diminishing in value as he approached Scott. Tucking the weapon away he assessed his daughter's injuries, his eyes immediately drawn to the blood spreading from her abdomen. He looked up to her face, pale and pinched, her eyes had taken on a glassy look. But when he said her name she heard him and looked over, attempting to smile.
"Allison," he whispered, cradling her cheek in his hand. She was surprisingly warm.
"Dad," she breathed out.
He pulled out his phone. An ambulance could be here in minutes. He quickly dialed, placing his other hand over her wound, trying to stem her blood, willing it to clot.
"Tell me what happened." He tried to keep his voice steady, his breathing rhythmic. When Scott didn't answer he looked up at the young man, only to find tears in his eyes.
"She says it doesn't hurt. I don't know what to do." His voice, pleading with Chris who had no more answers than Scott.
Despite his training Chris could feel that calm facade starting to melt away, like so much ice under a spring sun. That sudden flood of adrenaline, a cool rush that made him shiver in fear. They wouldn't arrive in time. It was too dark to see but Chris could guess that her blood was on Scott and the ground beneath him. His mind started to race. He had medical supplies in the car but surely she would need a transfusion. The hospital was too far and-
"911 do you need police, fire or ambulance?" A terse dispatcher on his phone interrupted his thoughts. Chris swallowed thickly and took a quick breath.
"Yes I, my daughter was choking on a hamburger in our car but she was able to cough it up. We won't be needing an ambulance."
"You're sure you wouldn't like us to dispatch someone?"
"Yes." The conversation couldn't end soon enough. He felt tears on his cheeks and in the back of his mind he knew. If he wanted her to live, to even have a chance he knew. He looked down at his daughter who had closed her eyes and was having trouble breathing and then up at Scott, almost wanting to laugh out of desperation that it had come to this.
"Scott you have to bite her." He tried keeping the emotion out of his voice.
"What?" Scott could barely register what Mr. Argent was saying. He couldn't bite Allison. Not after everything with her mom. Her family, they were hunters, not werewolves.
"You have to bite her." He sighed. "I know what I'm asking you to do. If there was any other way I wouldn't have brought it up but she won't make it to a hospital." He tried ignoring how wet his hand was, covered in his daughter's wound as he tried to keep it from draining out of her body. There was no turning back now.
Scott looked at him, still stunned. If someone had told him one day he would be here, in this situation, he would never have believed them. He didn't dare look down at Allison. Would she want this?
"Scott if you don't bite her, she'll die."
"She could still die even if I do!" His grip on Allison involuntarily tightened. Derek had said the bite was a gift and now he was the only one who could bestow it one anyone. The scent of her blood was overwhelming but underneath he could smell Mr. Argent's fear and growing anger.
Chris grabbed Scott's shirt with his free hand. Was he desperate enough to consider making threats? Could he hold a gun to the kid's head and make him do it? Would it make a difference if he did? I can't lose her too.
"She doesn't have time for you to think about this Scott! I'm begging you."
"I don't know. Would she want this?" Scott said to Chris, his voice cracking. He didn't want to lose Allison either. He loved her, maybe more than he cared to admit now that he and Kira were growing closer. And he didn't want anything to happen to her, but he knew what the bite had done to him. It wasn't a fate he would wish on anyone.
"I know she wouldn't want to leave you or Lydia or Isaac or me. She'd want to stay if she could. And I think we owe it to her to try." He felt the tears stream down his cheeks as he looked over to his daughter, his only child. Her breathing was shallow now as he brushed his thumb over her cheek.
"Please Scott. I can't lose her." He bowed his head, his shoulders shaking as he sunk into himself, trying to force out thoughts of what life would be like without her.
Scott looked down at Allison. Her heart had slowed, its constant thump-thump sluggish like an overfed pet. She was unconscious and in any other situation would appear to only be sleeping. Please don't hate me for this. Taking a deep, shaky breath he pulled up her jacket sleeve, ignoring everyone around him. Reaching within himself he pulled out the wolf, his eyes turning red, his fangs growing out. In the distance he could have sworn he heard yelling. He took hold of Allison's arm, limp and pliant in his hand. He closed his eyes and brought his mouth down on her soft skin, sinking his teeth into her flesh.