Power of the Moon
Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf
Tattoo
Her name was Artemis Moon.
Her life had once been a simple one, filled with the ordinaries of a regular teenager's life. But her life was anything but normal now. On the eve of her junior year of high school, Artemis Moon was bitten by an Alpha werewolf and became a lycanthrope. In the time that followed, Artemis struggled to control her inner beast with the help of her childhood friend and fellow lycanthrope, Derek Hale, while trying to find a cure for her curse. During that time, they learned the Alpha's identity and why he was killing people—he was Derek's uncle and taking revenge on those who'd slaughtered his family in the infamous Hale Fire, but not before he killed Derek's sister, Laura, to become an Alpha wolf.
Against Derek's wishes, Artemis befriended the youngest in a long line of werewolf hunters, Alison Argent. While trying to balance her new double-life, Artemis had sought a cure for her lycanthropy (which was rumored to be killing the Alpha that bit you) and also had to deal with her growing feelings for Derek and discover how she was suddenly able to feel his emotions and see into his memories. Later it was revealed that Alison's Aunt Kate had been the one to disregard the hunters' code and commit genocide. Kate had been killed by Peter in a final act of revenge as a result and Alison was brought into the supernatural world.
However, when the time came for Artemis to get the cure she sought, she refused it as no one knew for sure if Artemis killing her sire would remove her lycanthropy and Artemis feared it would just make her like Peter. So, Derek killed Peter to keep him out of their lives and to help Artemis better. Following that, Derek revealed that the link he and Artemis shared meant they were true mates, as werewolves only truly love one person once in their lifetimes. They professed their love for one another and chose to face the world together as werewolves.
For a brief time, there had been peace in Beacon Hills among the werewolves and the hunters, but then that peace was shattered.
In an effort to increase their strength, Derek had turned three of Artemis's classmates, Erica, Isaac and Boyd, into werewolves. They'd joined the pack out of their own free will and enjoyed being part of it as now they were stronger and even better, they'd all gained close friends and a family.
Artemis and Alison had been forced to end their friendship publicly as Alison's mother, Victoria, had threatened to kill Artemis with a gun full of wolfsbane bullets, if she came near Alison again. Chris had no problem with his daughter's friendship as Artemis had yet to do anything to get herself hunted, (at least in his opinion as he followed the hunter's code) but Alison and Artemis had agreed to fake the ending of their friendship and were secretly continuing it behind Victoria's back as they refused to let anything stand in the way of their friendship.
The situation worsened when Alison's grandfather, Gerard, came to Beacon Hills and declared war between the hunters and werewolves out of a desire for revenge for Kate's death. Things worsened further when Jackson, who'd found a vial of Peter's werewolf venom in his locker and used it to turn himself into a werewolf. The plan backfired as Jackson had some problems in his past that resulted in him turning into a kanima, a creature sworn to take vengeance on murderers on behalf of its master.
While trying to stop Jackson and learn his master's identity, Derek and Lydia were the victims of Peter's backup plan. When Peter had bitten Lydia, he knew the bite wouldn't kill or turn her because she was immune. For weeks, he tormented Lydia from beyond the grave until she finally gave into his demands and used Derek to resurrect Peter. He was just a weakened Beta wolf now, but no one trusted him and he was kept on short leash.
Jackson's master was eventually revealed to be Matt, a boy from Artemis's school with a heavy grudge against those that that had wronged him and an obsession over both Artemis and Alison. Matt was eventually stopped, but Gerard became the kanima's master and tried to use him as a way of controlling Artemis. It was revealed that Gerard had terminal cancer and sought to become an Alpha wolf in order to cure himself and grant himself power. But Artemis tricked him into taking werewolf venom laced with mountain ash, which stopped him for good.
With the combined efforts of Lydia, Derek and Peter, Jackson was freed of the kanima's curse and became a blue-eyed Beta wolf. The war between werewolves and hunters ended and things became somewhat quiet.
But even with the kanima gone and the war between hunters and werewolves over, trouble was on the horizon yet again in the form of an Alpha pack and the potential for a future Artemis had no idea she had.
XXX
The night was cold and dark as Isaac was dragged through the crappier part of Beacon Hills by a young girl. He was out cold and greatly injured—practically on the verge of death. But that was the least of their worries. If Isaac wasn't woken up, their pursuers would find them and destroy them.
After laying Isaac on the ground, the girl took a car's jumper cables and touched them to Isaac's chest to wake him up, like a doctor would use a hospital's paddles.
Isaac let out a gasp of pain at the feeling of the electricity zapping his chest as he was returned to consciousness. He then became aware of all the pain he was in from his injuries, which wasn't at all pleasant.
"Quiet!" hissed the girl.
"Ugh…" moaned Isaac. He felt his chest, which was burning from the jumper cables and bleeding from the wounds he'd sustained from the Alphas. "Who are you?"
"My name's Braeden. I'm trying to help you. Now, focus!" she hissed.
Without waiting for a reply, Braeden slung Isaac's arm over her shoulder and helped him to walk over to her motorcycle.
"Stay with me, Isaac. We're almost there," said Braeden.
Isaac nodded and tried to stay conscious, but it was quite difficult due to his wounds. He reached up and touched the back of his neck, which was throbbing with pain and marked with claw marks that were like puncture wounds.
"What'd they do to my neck?" asked Isaac.
"When a werewolf pierces the back of someone's neck with their claws, they can implant, share or extract memories," explained Braeden.
"Must be why I can't remember much about what happened," said Isaac. But what little he could remember wasn't good.
Boyd and Erica had been missing for the past three months. They'd gone a patrol one night and hadn't returned. They hadn't left of their own free will because Erica had been talking to Artemis on her cellphone right before Erica and Boyd had gone missing. When Erica dropped her cellphone, Artemis had heard the sounds of a fight and screams of protest before the phone had been smashed to bits.
All efforts from the pack and the police to find the two Betas had been fruitless, but they weren't about to give up. All they really knew was that Erica and Boyd's kidnappers were the members of the Alpha pack that Peter had warned them about them.
Isaac had gone on his own search for his pack mates that night and apparently, he'd run into a load of trouble. He faintly recalled bits and pieces of the Alpha pack, but the majority of his memories of that evening were a blank.
They came upon Braeden's motorcycle and got on. Braeden wrapped Isaac's hands around her waist.
"Listen to me, no matter what happens, you hold on tight and don't let go of me, okay?" said Braeden.
"Okay," said Isaac.
Isaac held on as tight as he could as Braeden put on her helmet and zoomed off.
For a while, Isaac stayed awake and held on as they drove through Beacon Hills, but then he frowned when his enhanced senses picked up on the sound of two heartbeats and the sound of two people running towards them.
"Braeden, someone's coming," said Isaac. "I hear them."
Isaac turned and looked behind them and saw not one, but two identical teenage boys running straight towards them at a speed only a werewolf could accomplish. They got close to the motorcycle and swiped at it with their claws as they glared at Isaac with bright red eyes.
"Drive faster!" yelled Isaac.
Braeden, having already spotted the two Alphas via her rearview mirrors, increased her speed and did many twists and turns, trying to throw them off. She nearly got them hit by a semi in the process and when she came upon a dead end, she was forced to turn around and drive straight through the two Alphas.
"Whoa!" yelled Isaac, as Braeden then drove through a large glass window.
But instead of crashing, they got through it and Braeden continued driving through the large warehouse. But Isaac's strength was nearly gone and he found himself falling back into unconsciousness.
"Isaac, stay with me!" yelled Braeden, when she felt his grip loosening. "Isaac!"
But Isaac didn't reply as he succumbed to unconsciousness for a brief moment and they crashed. Isaac fell off the bike and landed in a pile of junk while Braeden lay on the floor, having barely escaped being pinned by her motorcycle.
Isaac returned to consciousness, but his vision was blurred and he could barely move.
The two Alpha boys then entered the building. They slipped off their jackets and then one of them got onto the floor while the other plunged his hand into his back. Then, much to Isaac's shock, they merged into one giant, powerful Alpha.
Using what little strength he had left, Isaac crawled over to Braeden to try and protect her by covering her with his body. She'd saved his life. He owed her the same.
But Braeden came prepared. "Isaac, duck!"
Isaac did as commanded, and Braeden pulled out a military level stun gun from out of nowhere. She fired it at the combined Alphas. The stun gun zapped the living daylights out of them and forced them to separate. Then suddenly, they disappeared into thin air and the sounds of police sirens were heard.
Isaac and Braeden were both breathing hard and exhausted at this point. The look on Braeden's face was mixture of gratitude and impatience.
"I thought I told you to hold on!" she said.
Isaac's only response was to pass out just as the authorities arrived.
XXX
Meanwhile, across town, Artemis was out with Derek.
They were having a date night and had just gone out for dinner at one of their favorite restaurants. Now, they were taking a drive around town, just talking and enjoying each other's company while listening to music.
"Huntress, you okay?" asked Derek, concerned. She'd been upset that day and though most of it had faded, he'd felt her sadness increase when a certain song was played on the car's radio.
Artemis, who'd been quiet for the past few minutes and staring out the car window, snapped out of her thoughts and nodded.
"Yeah, I'm okay," said Artemis, as she wiped her eyes of the tears that had fallen. "I'm sorry. It's just…this was her favorite song and it got me thinking of her, that's all."
Ten years ago on that very day, Artemis's older sister had run off in the middle of the night and disappeared. Efforts to find her had been fruitless. What they did find was her sister's duffle bag and other possessions in the woods either torn or bloody and there were signs she'd been attacked by an animal. Eventually, she was declared dead by the authorities and Artemis's father arranged for a gravestone for her sister to be placed in the cemetery.
Artemis had been devastated, for she'd greatly cared for her sister and wanted her back very badly. Every year, on the anniversary of her sister's disappearance, Artemis visited the cemetery with her mother. They'd lay a bouquet of her sister's favorite flowers on the grave and then Artemis would spend time with her mother before going off to try and distract herself from her feelings of grief and sadness.
Derek, having known what the day meant to Artemis, had taken her out in an effort to make her feel a little better. Artemis appreciated her mate's kindness as his efforts had taken Artemis's mind off her sadness for a while.
Derek reached over and squeezed her shoulder. "You don't have to explain. I get it. I feel the same way on the anniversary of the Hale Fire."
If anyone understood grief and loss, it was Derek. He'd lost his family in a fire and was estranged from his uncle. He was good at burying his grief, but sometimes it got to him like it would anyone else.
Artemis smiled at him, grateful for his understanding. "I love you."
"I love you too," said Derek. "So, has Isaac checked in yet?"
When Isaac had gone off on his search for Erica and Boyd, he'd promised to check in every few hours, to let Artemis and Derek know if he was okay.
"No. I haven't heard from him," said Artemis, worried. "Should we call the police or search ourselves?"
Artemis was already worried sick about Erica and Boyd. If Isaac disappeared too, she didn't know what she'd do.
Derek frowned and then sighed. "Give him a little more time. If he hasn't checked in by dawn, we'll call the police and search."
"Okay," said Artemis.
What harm could a little more time cause?
Derek pulled up to a red light and then Artemis saw Jackson and Lydia pull up beside them. Judging from their attire, they were on a date night, same as Artemis and Derek. When Lydia saw Artemis, she waved and the two girls shared a smile while Jackson groaned and buried his face in his hands.
Apparently, he didn't like continually running into Derek and Artemis.
Since Jackson was a Beta Wolf and no longer a kanima and had found his true mate in Lydia, Jackson's life had settled down somewhat. Under Derek's tutelage, he'd gotten his werewolf side under control and was part of the pack. He hadn't formed any deep, binding friendships with the others as he was still working on earning their trust, and he was bearing this with astounding patience and had become a different person.
Jackson was still sarcastic and hot-headed at times, but he was slowly becoming less of a jerk than he used to be.
Lydia, on the other hand, was adjusting far better than one would've expected. She was still unsettled by the supernatural world at times, but she was proving to be stronger than most people gave her credit for. She was still feisty, clever and the school's Teen Queen, but far less of a snob and she was even good friends with Artemis.
When the light turned green, Lydia and Jackson drove along the almost empty road as Derek and Artemis followed from behind, until they were forced to come to a screeching halt when a large deer came out of nowhere and went through the windshield of Lydia's car window.
Lydia screamed in terror as she hit the brakes and got out of the car. Jackson got out and tried to calm Lydia down while Artemis and Derek pulled over and got out.
"Are you guys okay?" asked Artemis, concerned.
"We're fine," said Jackson. He was holding Lydia in his arms and trying to calm her.
Lydia shook her head. "I'm not okay! I'm totally freaking out! How the heck did that deer just run straight into us?"
Artemis frowned. Lydia had a point. Normally when there was a car accident involving a deer, the deer didn't just run head first into the car like that. Deer were shy, easily frightened creatures, but this was a bit much. This couldn't be normal.
"I saw its eyes just before it hit us," said Jackson. "It was like it was crazy."
Derek frowned as he looked over the deer and smelled it. "It wasn't crazy. It was scared to death."
"What could've scared it that badly?" asked Lydia.
"Best guess? A werewolf," said Derek, grimly. "Most likely, one of the Alphas."
Jackson and Lydia looked worried.
"What do we do?" asked Lydia.
"For starters, relax until we get more intel," said Artemis. She was worried too, but she was forcing herself to stay calm. "I called a tow truck and the police. They're on their way. Do you guys want a lift or stay here?"
"We'll stay. If anything happens, we'll call," said Jackson. He could protect Lydia if something came at them and if he needed backup, he knew who to phone.
Derek and Artemis accepted this, and then they departed.
XXX
Meanwhile, at the Beacon Hills hospital, Isaac and Braeden were being brought in for some much-needed medical treatment.
When the police had investigated reported by some concerned citizens, they'd found Isaac and Braeden in need of help, so they'd called an ambulance. Fortunately, Melissa Moon was on call and was able to help.
"Wait, hold on a minute, I know this one," said Melissa, as Isaac was wheeled in. "What happened, Isaac? Why aren't you healing?"
"It's not important right now," said Isaac. His wounds had yet to heal as Alpha-caused wounds took longer to heal than others. He knew it was a risk to be at the hospital as it would cause suspicion when he finally healed, but he couldn't have cared less at the moment as he was more worried about Braeden. "Braeden…the girl…she's worse. Please, help her."
Melissa nodded. "Okay, I will. Just try and heal up, okay? I'm going to call Derek."
Isaac nodded and then he was taken away.
Melissa then spoke to Braeden, who was in poor shape as well and kept muttering something about finding someone. "Hey, Braeden, is it? You're going to be okay, I promise." To comfort the poor girl, she held Braeden's hand in hers and Braeden responded by tightly gripping Melissa's hand.
"I have to find the Alpha," moaned Braeden.
Melissa frowned. "What do you want with Derek Hale?"
Melissa had become aware of Artemis's lycanthropy and the wolf pack some time ago and while she wished Artemis could have a normal life, she was protective of her daughter and the pack, including Artemis's mate. At the moment, Derek was the only Alpha wolf in town. What could the girl want with him?
"Not Hale. His mate," she said, as she winced in pain. "Moon. Artemis Moon. The True Alpha. I have to find her and tell her…"
Melissa's heart skipped a beat. The knowledge of Artemis's True Alpha potential was kept in a small circle. How could this girl know of Artemis's secret and what did she want with Melissa's daughter?
But Braeden said nothing more as she had passed out and was taken away.
XXX
The following morning, Artemis headed to school.
With Gerard gone, there was a new principal. A normal, sane human principal, which was a relief as Artemis hadn't enjoyed having to constantly be on her guard from the school's superiors.
The day promised to be an interesting one. The weather was nice, Alison had returned and was going to meet Artemis at the school with Lydia, Stiles was researching vehicle accidents involving deer to find a connection between them and last night's accident, and Artemis was going to meet Derek at the hospital later. Isaac had turned up and they were going to get him out of there as soon as they could.
As usual, Artemis received a few stares and envious looks as she rode into school on her new motorcycle. After saving for months, she'd purchased it as splurge reward for getting through the kanima and werewolf-hunter war. She loved riding it as the speed and wind in her hair made her feel so free.
As she parked, she couldn't help but notice two new motorcycles that were identical and way more expensive than hers.
New students, she decided. She frowned at the scent that hit her nose. New werewolf students. Two new werewolves in the school? This couldn't be good.
"Arty, over here," said Stiles. He was waving at her from the front steps.
"Hey, Stiles," said Artemis. "So, how'd the search go?"
"Honestly? Badly. Do you have any idea how many car accidents involve deer?" said Stiles. "Two hundred and forty-seven thousand."
Artemis grimaced. "Yikes. But there has to be some way of narrowing it down, right? Deer-related car accidents usually involve the deer crossing the street. This one hit Lydia's car windshield head on."
"I know. I'm still searching. If I find anything, I'll let you know," said Stiles.
There had to be some kind of explanation for the deer's behavior, but what?
"Arty!"
Artemis spun around to see Alison, looking fabulous and happy as she ran over to her with Lydia at her side. They shared a tight embrace, enjoying their reunion after so many months apart.
"Hey, Ally!" said Artemis, as they broke apart. "I've missed you so much. It's wonderful to see you. You look great. I take Europe was good to you?"
After the loss of Victoria, Alison's mother and the business with Gerard and the kanima, Chris had taken Alison on a trip to Europe to give her a break. They'd retired from hunting and were trying to live normal lives now.
Alison nodded. "Yeah, it was great. I've got so much to tell you and Lydia about it. My dad even took me to visit Paris. It was so amazing. I wish you could've been there to see it."
"Tell me about it. Do you know how long I've been dying to go to Paris? Years," said Artemis, enviously. She'd been longing to visit Paris since she was five years old.
"Speaking of France, did you date any hot French guys while you were there, Alison?" asked Lydia.
Alison shook her head. "No."
Lydia looked disbelieving. "Come on! You're telling me you were in Europe for four months and didn't date even one hot guy?"
When Alison nodded, Artemis forced herself not to laugh at the look on Lydia's face.
"You seriously need to get into dating, Alison, or all the good guys will be taken by the time you get to college," said Lydia, shaking her head.
"Cut me some slack. Besides, not all of us are lucky enough to get a gorgeous, devoted werewolf boyfriend like you and Artemis," said Alison.
"She's right. Besides, we're all young and still in high school. There's plenty of time for dating," said Stiles.
"True," admitted Lydia. She looked over her shoulder and then grinned. "But here's your chance to at least try to date, Alison. Two gorgeous guys are headed this way."
Lydia was right.
Two good-looking twin brothers dressed in dark-colored clothes and leather jackets were walking by them and looking at the girls. They were smiling and winking, causing Lydia and Alison to blush, but Artemis stiffened.
"Not good," she murmured.
"What is it?" asked Stiles.
"They're not just twin brothers. They're also my kind," said Artemis. She could smell it on them.
Stiles looked concerned. "Are they part of the Alpha pack?"
"Most likely," said Artemis. An Alpha pack comes to Beacon Hills, kidnaps Boyd and Erica, Isaac's most likely attacked by Alphas and now these two show up at the school? No way, this is a coincidence.
Alison frowned in confusion. "Alpha pack? What Alpha pack?"
Artemis and Stiles winced and exchanged looks. They'd forgotten Alison didn't know. Alison had left for her trip before they'd found out about the Alpha pack and Artemis's True Alpha potential and they couldn't risk the information being intercepted over the phone or computer, so Artemis hadn't told her.
"It's a long story. I'll explain on the way," said Artemis. The bell rang, signaling the time for class. "Come on."
As they walked to class, Artemis filled Alison in.
XXX
At the hospital, Derek was with Melissa, looking over Isaac's wounds.
Melissa had called him as soon as Isaac had been brought in, not just because he was Isaac's Alpha. With Isaac's birth parents both gone, Derek was Isaac's legal guardian and emergency contact.
"You're healing well," said Derek, as he replaced the bandage on Isaac's wound.
Isaac's wounds were still there, but already they were smaller and slowly disappearing.
Melissa raised an eyebrow. "Healing well? I know I'm still relatively new to all this, but shouldn't he be healing faster than this?"
"Normally, yes. But wounds caused by an Alpha take longer to heal than others," said Derek. He took a vial out of his pocket. "Drink this. It'll help with the pain and speed up the healing."
After Artemis nearly died of wolfsbane poisoning, Derek had talked to Dr. Deaton and the vet had provided Derek with a few things in case of an emergency.
Isaac took the vial and drank it, wincing at the vile taste as he did so. But already it was producing the desired effects as he began looking better than before. He reached out and took Derek's hand and held it tight.
"I'm really glad you're here," said Isaac. He'd been scared to death earlier, and having Derek here made him feel safe and unafraid.
Derek couldn't help but smile as he squeezed Isaac's hand. "You're part of the family. I look after my family."
Isaac nodded and then looked concerned. "Derek, there's something I need to tell you. Alone."
Derek nodded and then turned to Melissa. "Melissa, I'm going to have to sign Isaac out A.M.A. before they get him into surgery. Could you get the paperwork?"
Melissa nodded and left the room, leaving the two werewolves free to talk.
"Isaac, what's wrong?" asked Derek.
"I didn't want say this in front of Melissa, in case I was wrong. But I think one of the Alphas is part of Artemis's family," said Isaac.
Derek frowned. "What makes you say that?" Last time he checked, Artemis was the only lycanthrope in her family.
"I don't remember what happened when I got hurt, but I think I took something from one of them. The scent on it kind of smells like Artemis's except it's also different. It's in my jacket pocket."
Derek rose up and searched through Isaac's jacket, which lay on a table in the room. What he found in one of the pockets unsettled him.
"Isaac, I'll be right back," said Derek.
He had to get Artemis at the hospital and fast. Something this big couldn't be told just through their link. He had to tell her in person.
XXX
By the time English Literature came around, Alison was completely filled in on everything she'd missed since she'd left. She wasn't at all pleased to have been left out of the loop for so long and even though she and Chris were retired as hunters, Alison promised to help Artemis and the pack in any way she could.
Artemis had just taken her usual seat in class when her cellphone and everyone else's went off. There was a text message that looked more like a quotation from a book. Artemis's guess turned out be right when the new English teacher, Miss Jennifer Blake, came in and recited it.
"'The offing was barred by a bank of clouds and the tranquil waterway, leading to the utmost ends of the earth, flowed somber under an overcast sky seemed to lead into a heart of immense darkness,'" said Jennifer. "Hello. I'm your new English teacher, Jennifer Blake. What I just sent to you all is the last line of the book we're going to read. Can anyone tell me what it is?"
Artemis raised her hand. English was her best subject and for the past few months, she'd extended her literature.
"Yes, Miss—?"
"Moon. Artemis Moon. The quote is from the book, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad," said Artemis.
Jennifer looked pleased as she nodded. "Correct. Now, Heart of Darkness is a tale of…" She went on with the lesson and soon had the students take notes. This stopped when the principal came in and whispered something to her.
"Miss Moon, could I see you for a moment, please?" asked Jennifer.
Wondering what this could be about; Artemis grabbed her bag and went into the hall with Jennifer.
"Is everything okay?" asked Artemis.
"I'm not sure. It seems your mom's called you out of school and is requesting you come to the hospital immediately," said Jennifer. She looked concerned. "Artemis, I know we've only just met, but if there's anything I can do for you, don't hesitate to let me know. I'm aware of your record and I'd hate to see anything bad happen to such a good student."
Artemis nodded and faked a smile. "Yeah, sure. But I'm sure it's nothing too serious. Well, I'll see you around."
Jennifer nodded and then Artemis left the school.
While driving to the hospital, Artemis contacted Derek through their link.
Derek, what's happening at the hospital? asked Artemis. Is Isaac or my mom in trouble?
Quite possibly, but I'm not sure yet, said Derek. Anyway, that's not why I had Melissa get you out of school. There's something I need to tell you and I'd rather do it in person because I don't know how you're going to take it.
Artemis bit her lip in worry. Is it bad news?
Honestly, I don't know. But it's important. Just get here and I'll tell you, said Derek.
And with that, Artemis increased her bike's speed and got to the hospital. She wasted no time getting inside and locating Derek. He was waiting for her in the lobby and she could feel his agitation and worry.
"Derek, what's wrong?" asked Artemis.
For a moment, Derek didn't reply as he pulled her aside. "Huntress, your sister…did they ever find her body when she was declared dead or her necklace that you said she always wore?" he asked, hesitantly.
Artemis looked confused. "No. Why?" Her sister's body was never found. Her grave was empty. And the necklace that her sister loved so much that she never took it off had never been found either.
Derek sighed and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a necklace, which he placed in Artemis's hands.
Artemis couldn't believe her eyes. It was a round silver locket with a picture of the full moon on the front. Inside was a picture of Artemis and her sister from years ago. Engraved on the back were the words, "Sisters of the Moon."
"Where did you get this?" asked Artemis, hoarsely. This was her sister's. Artemis had given it to her sister for her birthday years ago.
Derek sighed again. "Isaac pulled it off one of the Alphas that attacked him last night. I'm sorry, Huntress. I had no idea. I swear I didn't."
Artemis's breath caught in her throat. One of the Alphas had had this? But that meant that her sister was…
"No, no, no!" said Artemis. She pocketed the locket and forced back the tears that stung her eyes. "No. This isn't possible. My sister is dead. She's not—she can't be…this isn't happening!" Artemis wanted to have her sister back alive and well, but not like this. If Artemis's sister was an Alpha, that meant she was alive and had let Artemis think she was dead. It also meant she'd taken a life, had a hand in what happened to Artemis's pack mates, and had probably became a murderer.
Derek held Artemis and rubbed her back for a few moments, trying to calm her down. Artemis buried her face in Derek's shoulder, grateful for his comforting presence.
They broke apart when Melissa approached them.
"Glad I found you," said Melissa. "Listen, we've got a problem. Isaac's missing."
Derek's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean he's missing? He's in his room, isn't he?"
Melissa shook her head. "I just checked. He's gone and so is the girl he came in with."
Oh, crap. Isaac was missing. Could this day get any worse?
"Mom, call security. Derek and I will split up and search the hospital to try and find him," said Artemis. She would tell Melissa about her sister later. Right now, she had to help Isaac before it was too late.
And with that, they split up and searched the hospital.
XXX
Artemis's search led her to take the elevator up the floor of Isaac's room.
The elevator was just closing when a blind man's cane poked in. Artemis grabbed the elevator door and forced it open. There was a tall blind man with blond hair, pale skin, dark purple colored sunglasses, and nice-looking dark colored clothes.
"Thank you," he said. His accent was British. "Would you mind hitting the button for the second floor, please?"
"Sure," said Artemis. She hit the button and the elevator took off. Soon, they arrived. "We're here."
"Good. Excuse me for asking, but would you mind helping me for a minute?" he asked.
Normally, Artemis wouldn't have refused to help someone in need, but there was a bit of an emergency going on. Before she could think of a polite refusal, he placed his hand on her shoulder, causing her to stiffen.
Werewolf scent emitted from his skin.
He's a werewolf. Oh, great. But how can a werewolf be blind? She could tell he wasn't faking his blindness, but it still left her baffled and worried. The werewolves were popping up everywhere. First the twins, then possibly her own sister and now this. What was next?
"Sure. I'll be happy to," lied Artemis. She wanted nothing more than to get away from him, but she couldn't do it just yet.
Derek, I haven't found Isaac, but I think I found one of the Alphas, said Artemis. He's with me right now, but he's not doing anything suspicious.
I'm on my way, said Derek. What is he doing?
He's using me for a guide. He's blind. How is that even possible? asked Artemis.
She then felt a great deal of anger and fear emitting from Derek.
He's blind? said Derek, sharply.
Yeah.
Huntress, you need to get out of there now! That's Deucalion! said Derek. That's the Alpha pack's leader, the Demon Wolf!
Artemis's blood ran cold and she forced herself to stay calm. The leader of the Alphas, the Demon Wolf who was a power-hungry nutcase, was with her and most likely had the advantage. She had to get away from him, but how?
Before she could do anything, however, Deucalion's cane tapped against a bench that was seated outside one of the hospital rooms.
"Miss, you can leave me here," said Deucalion. "This is my stop. Thank you for your assistance."
Artemis bit back a sigh of relief as she helped him sit down. "You're Welcome. Nice meeting you, sir."
"Pleasure's all mine," said Deucalion, smiling.
Deucalion's smile sent a chill down Artemis's spine that she forced herself to ignore as she resumed her search for Isaac.
Before long, she saw Isaac in a wheelchair, obviously heavily sedated and being taken into an elevator by a nurse. Except, she wasn't a nurse. Artemis could tell because no nurse went barefoot on duty. One of the Alphas was taking Isaac.
Quickly, Artemis wolfed out and let out a roar as she ran into the elevator. She got in it just as the doors closed. She landed on the floor and faced the Alpha, who had also wolfed out and looked shocked to see her.
"Kalika?" gasped Artemis.
"Artemis," said Kali, shocked.
It had been ten years and she'd aged, but Artemis always recognized Kalika, or Kali as she was more commonly known as. How could she not recognize her own sister?
Artemis quickly stood up and the two sisters encircled each other.
Kali was taller, her hair longer and her skin darker, but she was still Artemis's sister. Her eyes were glowing bright Alpha red, there were fangs in her mouth, her claws on her hands and feet were painted with black nail polish and there was a wedding ring on Kali's left hand.
Artemis couldn't deny it any longer. Kali was alive and she was an Alpha.
"You're really here. I can't believe this," said Artemis.
"Long time no see, little sister," said Kali. "I see you've been well. Though I've got to say, I didn't imagine you'd ever be one of us. So, can I assume that the rumors I've been hearing about you are true?"
Artemis scoffed. "Small talk. Really? You know what, I can't believe you! You've been alive all this time and you didn't tell me?" Artemis was hurt and angry. She'd spent ten years grieving for Kali and it had all been for nothing. "And not only that, but you're part of the Alpha pack! Kali, what the heck happened to you?"
Kali had always been ambitious, fierce, brave, loyal to what she believed in and strong. But faking her death and becoming part of the Alpha pack? What could've happened that would make her so cold and ruthless?
"Let's just say I had to undergo a few changes the night I left," said Kali, smirking as her red eyes glowed even brighter. "Like it? I'm stronger, faster and more powerful than ever. Nothing can touch me."
Artemis growled in anger. Power. Was that all Kali cared about?
"I searched for you!" she hissed. "I searched for months and I grieved for you for years after you disappeared! Do you have any idea what losing you did to me and Mom? You were my sister. I loved you. I looked up to you! You swore you'd always be there for me. Do you have any idea how much it hurt when I thought you were dead? Did I really mean nothing to you?"
Artemis knew people changed and hearts could be corrupted. She knew how cruel people could be, even to their own blood-kin. But she'd never thought that Kali would be one of those people. How could Kali let her family think her dead and become a monster?
Regret flickered across Kali's face for the briefest of moments before it vanished. "It's in the past. Nothing I can do about it," she said, not sounding the least bit sorry.
Artemis growled again. "Then let's focus on the present. What're you doing with Isaac?"
"I'm just following orders," said Kali. "Your little pack mate was snooping around where he shouldn't. Deucalion wants him dealt with. That and I want what he stole from me."
Artemis knew what she meant. She stood protectively in front of Isaac and tossed Kali her locket. She caught it with ease and put it back on her neck.
"Keep the locket," said Artemis. Even though you don't deserve it. "But you don't have to take Isaac. You don't have to do this." She didn't want to have to fight her sister, but if she had to do it in order to protect her pack, then so be it. "Don't take him, Kali. You won't win if you try."
Kali smirked. "Oh, really?"
Before Artemis could react, Kali grabbed her and flung her into the walls of the elevator several times and even tossed her into the ceiling before grabbing her by the throat and holding her in the air.
"You can't beat me, little sister," said Kali, smugly. "I'm an Alpha."
Suddenly, the Alpha doors opened and Derek appeared. He plunged his claws into Kali's back, forcing her to release Artemis.
Derek looked furious. "I'm an Alpha and she's my mate," he hissed. No one hurt his Huntress and got away with it. Not even her own sister.
Derek tossed Kali into the hallway where she was met by shocked looks from the hospital staff, including her own mother, Melissa, before she ran off, leaving Derek and Artemis to deal with the aftermath.
XXX
Meanwhile, the school was in a mess.
Stiles had found out animals were going berserk all over Beacon Hills, and he suspected that meant something big was going to happen. The last time animals had gone crazy like this was when Peter had gone after Artemis and terrorized Beacon Hills. Animals tended to pick up on dangers like that.
Stiles was right about the animals, as an enormous flock of crows attacked not long after Artemis had left. The crows that hadn't smacked headfirst into the windows broke through the windows and attacked Jennifer and the students.
Other incidents were reported throughout the school building and the rest of the day's classes were cancelled for the rest of the day as a result.
"Is it just me or is Beacon Hills turning into a beacon for the totally bizarre and the supernatural?" asked Lydia.
She, Jackson, Alison and Stiles were walking to their vehicles. Alison, Lydia and Jackson were headed home and Stiles was going to Derek's to meet Artemis and the other wolves.
"It's not just you," said Jackson. He was getting a little freaked out by it all.
Just then, Braeden came up to them. She'd snuck out of the hospital and was trying to find Artemis.
"Excuse me," she said, catching their attention. "My name is Braeden. You're Artemis Moon's friends, right? Do you know where she is?"
They all stared at her in confusion and slight distrust.
"Uh, she's at her boyfriend's place. Why?" asked Stiles. "Do you want a lift there?"
Braeden glanced at the crowd of departing students and looked terrified. "I don't have that kind of time. Just get this to her and tell her that big sister's here." She handed Stiles a slip of paper and then she ran off.
"What was that all about?" asked Alison.
"I don't know. But she's definitely crazy," said Jackson.
"What makes you say that?" asked Alison.
"Because Artemis's older sister Kali died ten years ago," said Lydia. "She went into the woods one night and never came back. Her stuff was found in woods all torn apart, like she'd been attacked by an animal or something."
They all stopped in their tracks at this and stared at each other in horrified realization.
"Oh, crap," muttered Stiles. An animal attack in Beacon Hills most likely meant a werewolf attack and in Kali's case, a turning. "I've got to talk to Artemis."
And with that, Stiles got into his jeep and drove to Derek's place.
XXX
Down in woods, lying on the ground fatally wounded from her fight with the Alphas was Braeden. She'd wanted to go with Stiles to speak with Artemis, but she'd seen three of the Alpha pack—Ennis, Kali's mate, and the twins Ethan and Aiden—watching her. Unwilling to risk their lives by going with them, Braeden had fled from Artemis's friends and tried to fight off the Alphas on her own.
She'd failed and now she was paying the price for it.
"Leave us. I want a word with her alone," said Deucalion. "You've all done well. I'll handle the rest."
Kali and the rest of the pack reluctantly obeyed and left the area as Deucalion knelt down in front of Braeden.
Braeden cringed as Deucalion's fingers brushed against her face.
"Beautiful," he crooned. "But you're rather defiant, aren't you? Not the most attractive trait in a woman."
Braeden glared at him. She knew what was going to happen and she wasn't afraid, but she felt nothing but disdain and disgust towards Deucalion.
"I'm defiant because I know you're afraid of her. You're afraid of Artemis Moon," hissed Braeden. She knew he was afraid, despite his efforts to conceal it.
Deucalion laughed. "You think I'm afraid of a teenage girl?" The idea of a powerful Alpha afraid of a teenage Beta she-wolf was preposterous.
"You're afraid of the woman she'll become," said Braeden. "And what'll happen between her and Kali."
Deucalion was silent for a moment. Kali's relation to Artemis Moon was a complication that he hadn't foreseen, but he'd never had any reason to question Kali's loyalty.
"Kali's one of my most loyal Alphas. Why would there be a problem between her and Artemis?" asked Deucalion.
"Because they're sisters. That kind of bond doesn't just go away," said Braeden. "Kali won't stand by you when she finds out what you have planned for Artemis. Are you aware of what she'll do to you if you go through with your plans?"
Kali didn't know Artemis was Deucalion's target. If she did, she might not have been so quick to obey Deucalion's orders.
Deucalion leaned in closer to Braeden. "I'm aware of a certain potential threat, yes. But then, someone once taught me a very smart way to eliminate a threat—get someone else to do it for you."
Artemis Moon was a threat and one way or another, she'd be dealt with, of that much he was completely certain.
A/N: A special thanks to reviewer mfmxxx, who suggested there be something between Kali and Artemis. Your suggestion got me thinking and gave me my idea for their relationship.