Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf nor its affiliates.
Chapter three The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend so Help Me
One week. Half of that week, I was up all night but I never changed locations. I got up, made Dad a healthy breakfast full of oatmeal and orange juice, went to school, avidly avoiding the Pack from throwing me their puppy eyes, and went home. I stayed home all day, researching. I knew it was going to take more than words to intimidate an Argent, unless you're Allison, so I went to work. If my printer was a person, it would be pissed on how much paper I went through in that week alone.
On the third day, I had all the info I could use from the internet but I knew it wouldn't be enough. One day after school, instead of going home, I drove to the station instead. I knew Dad was on patrol cause I texted him. I walked in and let Jess, the new receptionist, know I was there and gonna wait for my dad. She almost didn't let me through but one of the deputies vouched for me. Soon as I got into his office, I closed the blinds and access the police records. I teared a little when I discovered Dad's passcode was Mom and his' anniversary but I sucked it up. I printed all the police records related to what I found on the web and put it in my backpack. All of a sudden, I heard my dad's voice in the hallway, talking with one of his deputies. I rushed to erase all the material I looked up and deleted the printer's history. Right when he walked in, I was chowing down on the Chinese food on the other side of his desk. He never suspected a thing.
On Friday, the bell rang and signaled the weekend had begun. As I was at my locker getting my homework for the weekend and the last of the documents for Argent, I heard the pack down the hall coming closer. My heartbeat began to race but I didn't want to give the satisfaction so I took a couple of deep breaths to calm myself down. As they came closer, I could hear Erica and Isaac going back and forth; those two, I swear. They're brother and sister in every way except blood.
"I'm just saying, could you lay off Derek? You know he's been touchy lately and if you keep bugging him, he's gonna go off on ALL of us, Erica. Especially this weekend since we're going to Peters in Washington."
"Shut up Isaac. Someone needs to stand up to him since-"
"Shh!"
I could feel their eyes on the back of my head as they walked past but I never faltered. Eventually, I finished gathering my things and turned around. They were all at Allison's locker. Isaac and Scott were looking down at the floor with their classic kicked puppy look, Boyd look emotionless as per usual, Erica had her bitch face on but she kept looking my way, Lydia and Jackson were off to the side, looking bored but with Jackson holding Lydia's overnight bag, and Allison pulling out an overnight bag as well with an apologetic look on her face. I simply inhaled and concentrated on my heartbeat as I walked past them. Once I got to my jeep, I hurried and drove home. My heartbeat was racing like a horse. Judging from the girls' bags and the conversation I overheard, the pack was leaving this weekend. Time to visit a Hunter.
As I approached the threshold, my palms started to sweat. I knew the pack had really left since I did a flyby of the charcoaled house earlier on my way over. When I rang the doorbell, my heartbeat was racing like a horse. I knew it was only Chris Argent home and that could probably take him, at least enough for me to escape but that didn't help. I am about to threaten a Hunter! How Derek and Peter do it is beyond me. I heard footsteps come down the stairs inside. I took a deep breath to calm myself down and quickly wiped my hands on my jeans. Slowly, the door opened.
"Good morning Mr. Stillinski. Allison isn't here so you can pass your message between her and Scott some other time."
"No, Mr. Argent, I'm here to see you."
He looked at me with curious eyes, widening slightly. "And what can I help you with?"
"So, you know how we got a pack of self-righteous Alphas running around, right? Well I'm sure you do. You're a Hunter. It's kind of your life to know these things. Not that that's a bad thing! Well the…the pack is doing what they can but we both know that a pack of teenagers, a creepy undead alpha, and D-…Derek won't be able to take them down. Even you won't be able to, which is why you're letting the pack handle it and not interfering, right? Well, I came up with a solution." Taking another deep breath and looking him square in the eye, "I need you to supply and instruct me on how to take down and kill an Alpha."
"…No," he replies and begins to close the door. "Fine, then I guess I'll tell my dad about the family of eight in Wisconsin, which resulted in an orphaned child 2 years ago."
Argent looked like he wanted to punch me right then and there. I knew it was dangerous to threaten a man who was confused about his life but I didn't have a choice. "Get in," he replies. I quickly walk in and wait as he closes the door. He turns and walks down the hall, past the living room. Wouldn't it a meeting be best there? I follow him, slightly cautious as he approaches a door that I knew all too well. Proving that my life was under the Gods' amusement, he stopped at the basement door and opened it. "After you."
I walked down first, entering the dark and dank room that I recently housed me for Gerard's twisted pleasures. Chris most likely didn't know about his dad kidnapping me so I wouldn't hold it against him for meeting down here. As I descended the stairs, my breathing became heavy. My heartbeat began to jump with each step, and I hitched a breath as my foot reached the floor. Chris quickly followed me down the stairs, moving past me to turn on the light that would chase away the darkness. He must have hit something because all of a sudden, I heard a clang. That brought me to hyperventilate, remembering that night. I could suddenly feel old weathered hands around my neck, garbled voices demanding answers. At this point, it felt as if my heart was gonna burst out of my chest and my brain explode. I couldn't breathe and my eyesight began to get foggy. I tried to remember what my old therapist told me when having a panic attack; "Breathe. Focus on your breathe and remind yourself that nothing can hurt you. Breathe and focus." One hand held onto the stairwell whereas I used my other to dig my nails into my thigh, that brief pain bringing me back to reality. I closed my eyes and tried to control my breathing; inhale, exhale. Just as Chris found the switch, I managed to get my heartbeat down and wiped the sweat from my forehead. He turned and looked at me, as if he knew I had a panic attack.
The basement was not what Stiles remembered. Of course, Erica and Boyd weren't hanging from the ceiling with electric boxes at their feet. The table that was covered in small knives and, what I could guess were surgical knives were gone. Instead, there was a couch, a tool box in the corner that looked like it weighed a ton, cabinets with locks on them, and a map that covered the surface of the table. Argent went around the table and leaned,
"So, Mr. Stillinski, please explain to me why I should not only supply the Sheriff's son with dangerous elements that will provoke animals he surrounds himself with but with knowledge of how to defeat a threat that is much bigger than he is?"
God this guy really likes the sound of his voice doesn't he?
"Well, like you put it, I am constantly around werewolves. I think they will never hurt me intentionally and you think that's naïve of me. Well, you may be right. On more than one occasion, both friendly and non-friendly wolves have threatened my life or injured me in some way. All I got in my arsenal is my quipping banter and hope that someone will help me. I'm tiring of hoping. I want to be able to defend myself. Besides, I'm surprised you're having a problem with this. You're always warning me about being around Derek and them. I come to you for supply on defending myself and you question it? You certainly are an enigma Mr. Argent. Anyone ever tell you that? Besides, maybe this way you'll stop bugging me about being safe knowing I will have what I need to be safe. Isn't that what you Hunters want anyway?"
I started to dig around and pull out the files from my bag that I printed out last night. I threw half of the pile onto the table.
"Plus I have these."
"And what, pray tell, are these?"
He grabbed the nearest case file and started skimming through it. I knew I didn't have to explain what they were since his eyes narrowed as he started to understand.
"Now see, I may just be a teenger but trust me when I say no one can research like good ol' Stiles Stillinski. In each of these case files are obviously cases about past crimes, horrible crimes that is. Now, all I know are what in the reports but that's all I needed. Each of these are connected to the Argents. There are some serious charges too. Assault & battery, murder, arson, kidnapping, aid & abetting, the list goes on and on. Although I researched that you had a brother who was a lawyer so glad to know not all of the Argents are blood thirsty hunters. Anyway, you guys cleaned up pretty good, erasing all trace that was you were there. However, not everything's perfect. I have EVIDENCE that puts an Argent at the crime scenes of all of these incidents. Since you and your brother are the last remaining ones, how will that look? I mean, you were just in the media's eyes after's Kate's pyro habits came to surface. What will happen when all this gets out?"
As I was speaking, Argent was scrunching up the case file in his hand, kind of like how Derek is when trying to calm him. Ugh great, now he's in my head.
"Look, Mr. A, I'm not here to threaten. I'm just doing what you do; strong arm people into getting what I want. I don't want to make your life a miserable mess any more than it already is. Help me, and all this goes away."
Argent's narrowed eyes were on me, no doubt searching for a good reason to hit me. Finally, he closed his eyes and breathed. Ha, just like a werewolf. Ooh if I made that joke right here, he'd probably beat me on principle alone. He opened his eyes and smirked. "Never cease to amaze…" He turned and unlocked the cabinet. Then, he pulled out two cases and opened them. Inside were knives, grenades, gun clips, and small wooden boxes. "I can give you these. I have holsters for the guns and knives so you don't have to carry them in a bag or box. The clips and grenades are already loaded with wolfsbane. In case you need more, here is a box of wolfsbane bullets. I'm only giving you two grenades; one ordinary one that's filled with wolfsbane and one flash grenade. Pull the pin, throw the grenade, and count to 10. Be very careful with these. Same with the knives. Now, as I'm sure you know, these clips will only fit a certain type of gun. Let's go to the garage." I hurried and gathered the papers on the tables while Argent put all he was giving me in one of the suitcases. As we were done, we walked back up the stairs and into the basement.
We snaked our way through his house, entering the garage from the side door in the kitchen. There, I saw his maroon truck parked and along the wall was an array of guns, locked up of course. So This is what Scott was talking about…He unlocked it and pulled two handguns off the wall. "These will fit the clips I gave you. I assume you being the Sheriff's son that you know how to clean and shoot?"
"Yes sir."
He nodded and locked up the gate again. Instead of going back into the house, he went to the cabinets alongside the gun rack and pulled out two leather harnesses. "This one is for the knives. It wrapped around your thighs and is adjustable. Same with this one. It is for the two handguns and will allow them to sit on your hips."
With that, we walked back into the living room, with me carrying all the new material and of course, Argent not offering to help. When I sat down, I mentally recounted what all I got from him; a set of knives, one flash grenade and one ordinary grenade filled with wolfsbane, two clips full of wolfsbane bullets with a supply of more, two handguns, and two leather harnesses for the knives and guns. Still not the full list though…
"Uh Mr. A? What about the info I asked on how to take down an Alpha?"
Mr. Argent was quiet, looking down at his hands that he was wiping back and forth, as if he was trying to wash blood from it.
"Look, Mr. Stillinski, I gave everything thus far to help protect you from the dangers that you choose to be around. I would hate myself if I turned you away today and learn you got hurt in the future, threats notwithstanding *chuckles.* However, I cannot help you quicken your death. To take on the Alpha pack alone…it's suicide. I'd hate to say this but you need to let Derek and the pack handle it. It's their problem for the Alphas being here in the first place."
I sat silent, contemplating about pulling out my ace with the hunter. I was glad I didn't need it but he's leaving me with no other choice. With my mind set, I started to dig around my bag and pulled out a new case folder, with Argent's picture on the top. I threw it in his lap.
"I didn't want to do this Argent, but you forced my hand. In this case file are your crimes specifically, trailing back to what I'm assuming were your training days. You may have been good at getting rid of evidence today but that requires practice from the past. I have you linked to four counts of arson, three charges of restraining order violations that ended fatally for the other party, seven counts of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree murder. The charges alone will put you in jail for at least a year. Then, you'll be charged and sent to prison for twenty five to LIFE. Allison is underage. She'll have to leave and go into the foster system till she's 18. Not to mention everything you've done will come to light and push you even farther away from her."
I looked across and saw that he was back to being like Derek. He was practically shaking with rage and his eyes narrowed, practically throwing daggers as it is. Crap, I'm gonna die right here, killed by a human. Hey that's not that bad. At least I'll die a normal death, not by being bit or torn to pieces. Oh but he's probably gonna hide my body, therefore putting my family through grief and anguish. This bastard! Oh wait, I'm overthinking it again.
"…You never cease to amaze me Mr. Stillinski. I was sure you would be the most innocent of your little group."
"I never claimed I was innocent, nor am I saying I'm not. Being labeled the fragile and 'weak' one sort of came with the innocent title. You made that assumption all on your own. I don't think I need to tell you what assuming means, do I Mr. A?"
He laughed. Well that's a good sign. "Hold on." He got up and walked away, though I could hear him going back downstairs, into the basement. Now that I think about it, I don't think he or even Allison knew I was tortured by the Grandpa from the 7th level of Hell. If he did, he would never have led me back down there. He comes back up carrying a folder and oddly, a dummy that I recognized from the CPR courses I took during health class.
"To take down a werewolf, you need to be cunning and swift. Obviously, they're stronger and faster so you need to be quick on your feet." His tone was gruff, coarse. "To take down an alpha, you need to be even more so. They rely on their senses too much. That's why when we attack a pack, we blind them with flash grenades, neutralizing their sense of sight. The more experienced ones, normally the alpha, will not be as fazed but it will give you a chance to take down a beta. An alpha with no pack is a weak alpha. To take down an Alpha, start with them. Take down the weakest first. To kill a werewolf, dismemberment and beheading have worked in the past. However, cutting the trachea will also be effective. If you prefer the slow death, lace the knives with wolfsbane and aim for the major arteries. This will prevent the advanced healing long enough so they will bleed out to death or drown in their own blood. Stop the heart or stop the brain. Each hunter has their own preference but those are the crude techniques you may want to consider."
He pulled up the dummy and stood it tall alongside him. He then started pointing at certain points on the body.
"As I'm sure you're aware, these are the major arteries to aim for. Tendons are effective with humans but do not put your hopes in it for werewolves. Their healing can put a dampener but if you are quick enough, that may be the opening you need. Always be aware of their claws, teeth, and strength. That is all I can tell you right now. To be sure you retained all of the information; I would recommend practice and repetition. Now if you could so kindly get out of my house."
I definitely pissed him off. I pulled out all the info I brought and left it on the coffee table. I stuffed as much as I could into my shoulder bag and began walking to the front door. Remembering, I stopped and turned. He was walking behind me, no doubt making sure I did leave. "I'm sorry if I offended you. I just want to be free. I know this may be a lot to ask but can you not tell Allison or mention to anyone about today?"
He nodded and walked around me, opening the door. I exited and heard the door slam behind me. Not knowing I was holding it in, I deeply exhaled. I survived the Argent house! I walked to my jeep and put all my new toys into the backseat. Now with just a few days of practice and reconnaissance, I can take my last few steps towards freedom. Argent is now crossed off the list. Next, the Alpha pack's death at my hands. God I'm going to need some supernatural therapy after this.
End Note: And the sun has set! I hope it is still catching you guys' interest thus far. I have begun working on the next chapter but still rough. I will try to post as soon as possible but no promises. Spoiler Alert: the next chapter title is "The Sheep Vs. the Wolves"