[A/N: Hey guys! Updating as much as possible, and I'm trying to stalk up on chapters while I can. Let me know how I'm doing by hitting that itty bitty little review button! A special thanks to all those who put me on their alerts or listed me as a favorite author. It makes me feel so epic! Also, I am inventing an imaginary day here, and then will hop back on with Magic Bullet.
Second A/N: This has now been edited.]
Wolfs Bane
By wolfgal97
Chapter 2
I knew what I was supposed to do. I was told to go and find the werewolf boy. To find out what he knows, and to find the other wolves in the area. I didn't care about doing any of those things. What I was interested in was finding the wolf who had killed my friend Laura Hale. If there is a monster running around hurting people, I had to make sure it ended. If it is this boy, I would deal with it.
How many boys were noticed for their acrobats on the lacrosse field? Something was up with Scott McCall.
Still, even if he was the werewolf, I wouldn't be able to betray him to Kate. As a Bloodhound, the hunting dogs of hunters that Kate had created, it was my job to turn him in when I found him. Still, couldn't do that. If he had been the one to kill Laura, though, I would end him.
He wouldn't be my first.
As my class continued, I thought more about being a Bloodhound. Out of a group of fifteen werewolves that had been snatched from across the country seven years ago, I was the only one still breathing.
The rest were dead, and it hadn't been pretty. Sometimes, I think I should've died with them. And there are I even times when I wished I had.
I closed my eyes hard, trying to get rid off the memories of screams and howls. But they would always stay with me. Until the day I do get the gift of death, I will never be able to forget the blood and the death and the fear. Not even the fear of pain, but the fear of living another day to suffer.
I myself have nothing really to live for other than a hope. No family or friends. Only two people I knew were still alive. All the other people I loved are dead. Laura and the rest of the Hale's are gone. All thanks to one hunter and a loco werewolf.
The only two people I could hope for to still be alive are Peter and Derek Hale. Peter may not have survived the fire. The last time I saw him, he was being rushed to the emergency room for burns. And the last time I saw Derek . . .
The bell to signal the end of my first day at school rang, killing my ears again. I shook away my memories and grabbed all my stuff. I tossed my unwanted things into my locker. I didn't have homework today, so I left everything. I didn't have to go back to base until the deadline. Until eleven tonight, I was free.
I was walking out of the school when I saw Stiles. He's a nice guy. Funny too, and not that bad looking. He noticed me, smiled like a Cheshire Cat and waved at me, asking me to come over to him. I trotted my way over to his little jeep, my comfy black boots padded gently.
"Hey," I said lightly, "What's up? Did Scott tell you we are going to that diner?"
"Yeah, he did. Are you getting a ride from your step-mom?" he asked.
No, because I really don't have a step-mom. I'm a werewolf sent to track down other wolves so that hunters can kill them, so I have no friends. Boohoo me.
"No, she has to work. I was just going to walk," I said aloud.
"A lady like you walking around by yourself when someone just got killed? I would be a horrible person if I let that happen," he said dramatically. "Do you want a ride? Scott is biking there, so I have an open seat."
He was so sweet, I couldn't say no. And I didn't feel like walking, either. "Sure. Actually, that would be great. Thank you," I said when he opened the door for me. He closed it gently, bowing with flare, making me giggle.
I hadn't felt this light in years. The "training" Kate kept calling was nothing more than torture of a prisoner over all the years. Being held captive to do a sadist's work was a horrible thing, and I was going to push it away tonight.
Stiles drove well, and kept easy going sarcastic humor going on. Something I loved. We talked easy for a little while when we came silent, running out of light topics like his father being with the cops.
"Do you mind," I asked, pointing to the radio. He shook his head and told me to go for it. I grinned, wanting music so bad. It was my passion. I loved music, and had always dreamed of being a singer before the day the life of Zeva ended and she became Number Thirteen for years.
Some female started singing. The radio said her name was Lady Gaga and that her song was called "Just Dance." I felt Zeva wake up inside me, somehow still existing in the shatters of my soul.
I bobbed my head to the beat and let it fill my ears and heart. I was laughing and enjoying it all. Stiles looked at me with curiosity. He didn't seem freaked out, but impressed.
"I have never seen anyone car dance like that," he laughed as he pulled into a parking spot.
I just shrugged. "I enjoy music. I always have."
He grinned and came over to let me out. We went inside and got a table while we waited for Scott to get here. Stiles sat down across from me and when we ordered drinks, he shot me with the straw wrapper. I played dead for a second and retaliated with fire of my own. We kept shooting each other with paper wads and laughing until a tired looking Scott came and sat in the booth next to Stiles.
"Hey man, are you ok?" Stiles asked, worried for his friend.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired. I still have that meeting tonight."
"What meeting? With who," I asked, my curiosity picking up. Scott and Stiles gave each other a look.
"Uh, it's a thing I got to do with my boss."
"I thought you said you had the night off," I pressed. I saw his face blank in an, "Oh crap," expression.
"Yeah, well, he called me back. So why don't we order?" I left it alone. For now. We ordered our food, myself opting for the bacon burger. It was the first food I had even thought about eating that was fresh and good. Kate isn't a very good cook, especially when it's for her dog.
The warm juices dribbled down my throat, and it burned in a pleasurable way. I had to concentrate hard to not let my fangs grow out. I also chewed slowly, to make sure I looked normal. Stiles kept looking my way and then quickly switching to look back at Scott. Scott's eyes just followed me, and for a moment, it looked as if they burned a golden color. Wolf.
I could read it all over him. In that moment, I felt his communication through emotions. He was suspecting me of being odd, and I knew what he was. Scott McCall is the werewolf.
I put my burger down. My eyes held his for a long time, trying to take in what I could. Stiles looked at us, and I could feel emotions of jealousy from him. I looked his way and smiled, trying to cheer him up. I was going to hurt only those necessary, and Stiles was not at all in that category. At least, not at the moment.
"Hey Scott," I start in a friendly way, "what was Jackson talking about with the gymnastics crap at lunch today? Tell me about that." I saw him grow cautious, and Stiles' bubbly personality also dimmed.
"It was a one time thing. I made a good shot, and he's been all over me for a while over it."
"It was a great shot," Stiles added, "He flipped over two guys to make it."
"Hmm, well, I'm sure it was an adrenaline rush or something. Right, Scott?"
"Yeah, some kind of rush." I felt him become withdrawn, and knew this little git together was coming to an end. "Stiles, I got to go to that meeting. Are you coming?"
Ooh, inside conversation, are we? Don't I feel loved? I thought to myself.
"I would, but I drove Zeva here. I should take her back home." Poor guy didn't know my current residence was a prison for werewolves. I wonder if he even knows about his friend, Scott.
"No, it's ok. My step-mom will come get me. Thanks anyway. I'm going to use the pay phone out front." It was getting late, and I knew I had to talk to Kate, no matter how much I hate her. I was playing a dangerous game of chess, and I had to play like I was always In Check.
"Ok, but call her on my cell then. No use on waisting money," Stiles offered. He began digging for his phone in his pockets.
I didn't want Kate to have his number. The less she knew, the better. "No, really. Like I said, she's controlling and doesn't like me hanging out with guys. I would like to see you guys again, so I don't really want her to think I have a boyfriend or something on my first day. Thanks again, but no thanks. Night guys," I said, grabbing my jacket and getting up.
I slipped out the front door and popped a little money she gave me to keep tabs with into the machine. She didn't trust me with a cell phone. It rang two times before she picked up. "Kate." I rolled my eyes at her tone.
"It's me," I said. The less is better.
"Number Thirteen, what news do you have? Do I need to put a group together?" Her voice was eager for action. I felt sick thinking about hunters getting together to hunt a wolf down.
"No ma'am. Actually, step-mother, I'm checking in. I would like to hang out with some new friends. I'm going to be a little late. May I break... curfew?"
This was all code stuff for, "People are listening so lighten up. I'm letting you know I'm playing guard dog tonight, and am letting you know now so you don't come to shoot my brains out."
I knew she got it too. "Yes, Pet, that's fine. I will be waiting for you at the house by midnight. No later."
Code for, "If you're not back at base my midnight, I'm coming for you."
"Ok, thank you. See you at midnight." I hung up, not wanting to listen to her anymore. I shivered at the sound of her deadly yet pleasant voice. I kept the phone to my ear so I could pick up the conversation of the two boys I was now dealing with.
"Stiles, I know you don't think so, but there's something wrong about her. I don't know what it is, but something is not right." Scott's voice caught my ears easy, though they were now both inside the Jeep, his bike in the back.
"What could be wrong about her? She's pretty, funny, and easy to hang out with. What on earth could be wrong with her?" Poor Stiles was wrong, but sweet to stick up for me.
"I don't know, man! But something is off."
"Oh, yeah. The wolf boy can pass judgment about someone being weird. What do you think is? A vampire? Mermaid? Oh, I know! BIGFOOT!" Wolf boy? That confirmed my evaluation. And it also proves that Stiles does know wolves and was able to handle it without spazzing out. Interesting.
"Whatever, dude. We're going to be late. I'm supposed to meet Derek in ten minuets and your little crush has made me late." The car started up and they began the drive to where ever they're going. One thing out of that statement caught me the most.
Derek. My heart pounded in my chest.
I only knew about one Derek in this area. I knew I had to follow them, but something told me I knew where they were going, and if I was right, I knew my way there blind.
I checked my watch, showing that it was 9:30. I had a few hours until I had to be back. I jogged after the car, my wolf speed kicking in a bit, making me able to stay in ear shot of the Jeep's soft buzz. It felt wonderful to run again, but my mind stayed focused.
I soon recognized the area from years before and knew where I was going. When the Jeep pulled into the long driveway of the Hale house, I didn't see the black charred home or the broken windows, or even the fact the entire back of the building was gone.
My memory saw a clean white painted home. It saw a happy family enjoying each other's company. It saw a tire swing hanging from the green tree in front of the house that I used to play on. I found myself grinning like a mad person until I blinked and the vision away and saw what a fire had done.
My smile disappeared and I was overwhelmed with sadness. I was back at the night of the fire. I heard the screams of people trapped and dying. The smell of burning flesh and hair. She sound of wood breaking into splinters. I fell to my knees, and sat there in misery.
I wanted to cry, but I hadn't done that in years. I don't even think it was possible for me to cry anymore. Crying was a sign of weakness, and only the strong survived.
I pushed myself up off the floor, brushing the dirt off of my pants. The wind blew my hair out of my face, and I caught the sent of the two boys. I was down wind, so Scott wouldn't be able to detect me that way. I moved with the silence of death into the woods to get cover in the shadows.
My wolf sight was put to use tonight. I saw Scott get out of the car and he walked up to the front of the house. Why would Derek meet them here of all places? I would think being here would be too hard for him. He was never a weak child, but he had always been kind to me.
"Derek! I know you're here!" Scott called out to him, and I felt my body crane to get a glimpse of him. I wonder if he grew as much as I had. I wonder if he still had that dark hair and those stormy grey eyes. I just wanted to see him one time.
From deep inside the house, lithe footsteps echoed to my ears. The knob of the door twisted, squeaking and the door opened to darkness. And then, after so many years of hoping, of him being my hope of living in that hell for years, I saw him.
He stepped out onto the porch, and man, had he grown! He had gotten tall, and had filled out as well. He wore a form fitting grey shirt that showed perfect muscles, pale and beautiful. His eyes didn't catch the light, but was like their own light, almost silver. His hair was still spiked and black like the darkness around me. My fingers twitched to feel it. Other than filling out, the only thing different from looks about him was the little stubble on his chin. I frowned, thinking about how much he changed from a kid to a man. But that's what happens when you go missing for years, I guess.
But I was just happy to see him alive. To see him untouched. I wanted to see him up close. To speak to him. To see if he recognized me after so long. If I had really changed that much, though I knew I had.
As a child, I had been softer, sweeter. I liked to prove myself, to please people. Now, I survived. I had grown muscle as well. I had filled out with a woman's body. A picture of me now compared to then would look like two different people.
"Why did you bring him," Derek asked in a new deep voice, referring to Stiles.
"Because I can't stay tonight. I'm not doing well in school and need a little study time. I can't be coming here this week." So Derek is training Scott?
"How many times must I tell you? You need-" the wind picked up and blocked out the rest of what he was saying. I leaned forward, trying to hear better, when I miss-placed my foot on a stick. A little snap happened, and I bit down hard in frustration. Derek's face shot in my direction, and I pushed myself against the tree as hard as I could.
"What are you looking at?" It was Scott.
"I heard something," Derek mumbled.
"It was probably a rabbit or something," Scott dismissed, but Derek wasn't having it. He walked over to wood line, not ten feet from me. I held as still as possible, not even breathing. I heard other steps of Scott and Stiles, who had gotten out of his car.
"Do you smell that?" Derek asked. "I smell, bacon?" I mentally kicked myself for the dinner earlier. It was stupid to not wash the smell off. "And, something else. Lilac? I haven't smelled that in forever . . ."
Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap! Why did I forget that Derek always knew I smelled like lilacs?
I saw him tense, fingers balling into fists. I stood totally still, waiting for him to figure it was me.
"Come out," he growled.
Used to following orders, I did as told, heart pounding in my chest. I could see his silver eyes taking me in, trying figure me out. I could see recognition in them, but confusion as well. It was if he knew me, but he couldn't place where I was from.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" he barked.
I was about to answer him when Scott came up to me and growled. "Why are you here? Did you follow me or something?"
Scott sounded mad, which wasn't an unusual thing. Stiles looked unhappy, and had a deep frown on his face. This, for some reason, bothered me intensely.
"I didn't really follow you. I came to pay an old friend a visit if he remembers me," I shot back. Scott backed up, still puffing.
"You still didn't tell me your name. And who is it you're looking for?" Derek asked.
I smiled sadly. He didn't remember me. The only light in my darkness didn't know me.
"I'm a bit surprised you don't remember me. All those years we were friends. You, Laura and me. It's me, Derek. Zeva Creed. I guess I did get a little taller."
His jaw loosened and I thought it was going to drop. His eyes shown in the darkness, wide and full of wonder. I could hear his breath leave him in a quick gasp.
"Derek, you know her?" Stiles asked, totally confused. Scott looked at me with the same question on his face.
"I, uh, yeah. . . A long time ago. We played together as kids. What are . . . Why are you here? After all these years, what made you come back?" Derek was at a lost for words. I could see that whatever had caused him to pull on his black leather suit of armor was slowly fading as he watched me.
"Wait? You were kids together? You're as old as him?" Stiles asked with disappointment in his tone.
"No, he's a little older than me. Laura was the oldest, and Derek is a little older than me. Speaking of her, may she rest in peace. I heard about what happened. I would have come to the funeral but I was... tied up."
"So you know the hunters killed her?" And the armor was back on. Venom had seeped it's way into his tone. Waves of pain and guilt rolled off Derek. Scott couldn't sense it because Derek was trying to hide it. But me, I had always been gifted at reading emotions.
"I heard it may have been hunters. I also heard it may be an Alpha."
"Woah! How do you know about hunters and Alphas? Unless . . ." Stiles trailed off.
"That's right. I'm a werewolf, too. Sorry to not fill you in, but I didn't know you already knew everything."
"I suspected you were a wolf. At the diner, we kind of had a conversation in body language. Your eyes changed color, too." Scott ran a hand through his hair.
"Yours did as well. I like the gold," I said sweetly.
"Anyway," I continued, "it's getting late, and I just wanted to see if you were still here. It's good to see you again, Derek. Scott, Stiles, I'll see you tomorrow at school. I have to go." With that, I turned and ran, silver eyes and ghosts of flame chasing after me.
I ran fast, my time coming to an end. It was twenty until midnight, and I would like to not press Kate on the first day. Deep in the woods, I saw it. The abandoned hospital that was falling apart more and more each day. It was as if when it's purpose, to heal, was turned to something evil, it gave up like the rest of us wolves did.
I slowed down, and walked up to the front doors, the ever watching security cameras following my every move. I walked up to one and looked at it. I knew she would be waiting.
"I'm back." I proved my identity by pulling back the hair from my neck on my left side. Just behind my ear was the mark. The branding the group of hunters here had burned into my flesh to mark me as theirs. My fingers grazed over it, feeling the intricate pattern of the mark. The image of a paw print with chains wrapped around it, binding it down. We all had got one, but I was the only barer of it still alive.
The doors opened, and I instantly looked down so not to look at the hunter letting me in. Rough hands grabbed at my wrist and slapped cold metal around them behind my back, reminding me that this is where I am forced to live. I walked next to the male hunter and he lead me through the halls.
Each room of the hospital now had a different setting. One room was for the hunters to take breaks, while others were holding cells. There was a room that held weapons, and more than one room that held unspeakable things.
The man led me to an interrogation room that I knew well. I knew the drill of being questioned, and I allowed him to shove me through the doorway to the metal chair in the center of the room. I quickly sat in it and leaned back so he could lock on more restraints. There was no point in fighting anymore like I had a hundred times before. I had been broken and I knew it.
He wrapped the metal restraints that fastened at my waist and around my arms. It had become a normal thing, so I didn't flinch anymore. I kept my head down, my hair covering my face. I heard the door open and a woman walked in. I could tell by the heel on her boots. She stood in front of me, her shadow entering my vision. "You can go," she said to the other hunter that brought me here.
"Number Thirteen," Kate started, "tell me everything that happened today. Don't leave anything out." I felt my body burn, knowing I was supposed to tell her about what Scott is. I didn't want to. He seemed like an ok guy. I knew I had to tell her about Derek, but the very idea caused my stomach to twist in agonizing ways.
"I went to the school. I met some knew people. None seemed very suspicious." I tried to say as little as possible.
"Tell me the names of the people you spoke to the most." Ooh, this was going to be fun. She would love to know her niece had sat in the same area as a werewolf. I smiled, my face hidden.
"Jackson Whitmore, Lydia Martin, Stiles, some guy named Scott, and Allison Argent." I made sure I said the last name with care. I wanted her to hear it. Suddenly, her hand was on my face, gripping it with force, making me look at her.
"I want you leave Allison alone. Don't be around her unless you have to."
"She doesn't know, does she? About the family business, that is." Force came hard onto my cheek, and my teeth tore the flesh in my mouth, making me taste my own blood. I kept the smirk on my face. I had buttons to push, and nothing to lose.
"You don't ask questions. Who did you see after school?" She had lost any playfulness in her tone. I felt the gash in my mouth close and continued.
"The Stiles kid." I like Stiles, and didn't want to say anything about him, but I couldn't say anything about Scott. My loyalty had to be to my kind.
"Is he the wolf? What's so special about him?"
"No, I don't think so. I don't know of any wolves in the area. It's just the first day. I figured he would know what's going on in town, with his father being a sheriff."
"What did you do with him?"
"We went to dinner, so I could gain his trust." Kate looked down at me, her eyes boring into my skull. Then came the two questions I didn't want to answer.
"Is that the only place you went? Was that the only person you saw?" If she caught me lying, she wouldn't kill me, but she would make me wish that she had. I debated whether mentioning anyone else. Stiles, being human, is safe. Scott and Derek are not. Though I didn't know Scott like I knew Derek, I had to protect him. They are still free and I wouldn't be the one to end that.
"Stiles went home after that and I came here. That was it. I saw no one else." I could feel her frustration flowing from her body. She had wanted more than I had brought.
"Very well. It is the first day. Gage! Come take it to it's cell. I have to go see my brother now." With that, the guy came back in and dragged me out of the room half standing. He took me down the pitch black hallway where prisoners are kept to the last room. He unbolted it and tossed me in. I hit the wall broadside, my vision challenged by the sudden change of bright lights to dark. I backed up to the door so he could free my hands for the night.
As soon as he did, I went and sat in the corner of my prison, my thoughts not belonging to the dark as they usually did, but to grey eyes, black hair, and the smile from years ago. I had seen my hope to live, giving me strength to go on. Now, I didn't just want to live to see him one more time, but I wanted to live to protect him from the hunters that were coming for his blood.
I wasn't able to cry anymore, but a sorrowful howl escaped my throat, sounding like the wolf I used to be when I was free. The wolf the Hales knew. The girl who would always love him until the day something strong enough came by to kill her.