The Lacrosse game finally ended and Katrina bolted from her seat towards the boy's locker room in search of Scott. Everyone was crowded in the hallway, congratulating the team on the win and for advancing to the State. Katrina pushed her way through the mixture of sweaty players and assorted fans; even being stopped by a random player who was consistently chanting "state, state, state" over and over. With a roll of her eyes, she caught sight of Scott. She could feel her nerves growing as she got closer to talking to Scott.
"Hey, did you hear the Hunters before the game?"
"Yeah." Scott's tone sounded completely defeated.
"I can't believe they think…" Scott gave Katrina a look that stopped her comment.
"I know. I just don't know what to do about it." He dragged a hand through his sweaty hair while looking around the hallway. Katrina realized that one important person was missing out on the new information, Stiles.
"Scott, where's Stiles?"
"I have no idea," he sighed.
"What are we going to do about Jackson?"
"I don't know. I'll talk to Derek." Scott turned to enter the locker room but Katrina grabbed his arm.
"You mean we will talk to Derek. Even if I don't trust him fully yet. Just because Jackson doesn't know about me, I'm still a part of this." He gave her a small smile.
"Glad to see you warming up to teamwork Kat. I'll be right back, just stay here." Scott finally entered the locker room leaving Katrina alone in the hallway.
"Katrina." Her head perked up at the sound of her name. Standing a few feet down the hall was Derek. Katrina visibly relaxed at the fact that he was there. She started to walk towards him.
"Oh thank God. Where have you been?" Something seemed off with Derek, he wouldn't look her directly in the eyes and stood even more rigid than normal. Katrina felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as she felt someone approach her from behind that wasn't Scott. She slowly turned around to see who was behind her.
"Oh my God, it's you." The Alpha stepped forward as Katrina took a staggering step backward, her eyes filled with realization and fear. She knew what he was capable of doing to her and Scott. Katrina flipped around to face Derek.
"What are you doing? Why the hell are you helping him?" Derek knew Katrina was angry at the alliance but said nothing to her. While her back was turned, the Alpha grabbed her, putting a hand over her mouth.
"I'm sorry sweetheart. Don't make a sound, you won't like what happens if you do." Katrina gave one last frightened look at Derek before the Alpha dragged her into the locker room. The Alpha removed his hand from her mouth seeing that she was behaving. She could hear Scott calling out for Danny who must have been the last player to leave.
"Oh thank God!" Katrina realized that Derek must have revealed himself to Scott. Katrina gave a sideways glance at the Alpha, deciding that she needed to be brave.
"Scott! Run! Get Out!" She shouted before the Alpha slapped her across the face, then preceded to pick her up and threw her down the row of lockers, ending up in Scott's view. Katrina could feel the blood trickle from her healing split lip.
"Kat!" Scott rushed forward to help her up but Katrina pushed him back to keep him away from the Alpha. He disregarded her attempts and pulled her upright, bringing her away from the Alpha.
"I don't really get lacrosse." The Alpha stepped into view, carrying a lacrosse stick. Scott had the same look Katrina did when he realized he was in the presence of the Alpha. The only difference is that Scott knew exactly who he was.
"It was you…."
"When I was in high school, we played basketball. There's a real sport. Still, I read somewhere that lacrosse comes from Native American tribes and that they played to resolve conflicts. I have that right, hmm?" The Alpha swung the stick up in the air and Katrina slightly flinched backwards; she did not want to be hit across the face again. "I have a little conflict of my own to solve Scott, Katrina, but I need your help to do it." Katrina and Scott both tensed as they stood their ground.
"We're not helping you kill innocent people." Scott said firmly and was backup by a swift, confident nod from Katrina.
"Well, I don't want to kill all of them. Just the responsible ones. And that doesn't have to include…" He trailed off and looked at Derek for help. Derek raised his eyes to meet the teens.
"Allison." Katrina and Scott turned to face him.
"You're on his side?" Scott stood there stunned as Katrina stalked forward. She shoved Derek as hard as she could but he barely moved, so she chose to yell at him.
"Are you forgetting the part where he killed your sister?"
"It was a mistake." Both Scott and Katrina looked confused before replying in unison.
"What?"
"It happens." Katrina backed away from Derek, shaking her head slightly in disbelief and disgust before returning to her place at Scott's side.
"Scott, Katrina, I think you're getting the wrong impression of us. We just want to help you reach your full potential."
"By killing our friends," Scott said.
"And my family." Katrina set her jaw as she straightened up her spine ready to fight the Alpha and his blind new follower if need be. She could feel the growl beginning to form at the back of her throat.
"Sometimes the people closest to you can be the ones holding you back the most." The Alpha moved forward towards the teens, neither noticing his claws slowly unsheathing.
"If my family and friends are what keep me from turning into a cold-blooded psychotic murder like you, I'm perfectly ok with that. And I'm certain Scott feels the same, right?"
"Right." Scott and Katrina held firm but the sick smile creeping onto the Alpha's face was deeply unsettling. As he stalked forward, Katrina instinctively took a step backwards to keep the distance between them.
"Maybe… you could try to see things, from my perspective." The Alpha had closed in on the teens while talking and swiftly stabbed his clawed hands into the back of their necks.
Katrina whimpered at the pain and seemed to fall in slow motion to the ground. She felt too hot, almost as if she was on fire. Writhing on the locker room floor, Katrina was sucked into a set of images. She realized that these were the Alpha's memories. She witnessed how the fire had actually started at the Hale house. How the murders around town were all connected to the fire. She could hear the screams of the innocents who died that night and could feel the flames lick her skin as she watched the Alpha become the only survivor of the fire. She witnessed the Alpha seemingly awaken from his coma with his redheaded nurse observing him. How she used the hospital computer to lure her cousin to the school. She watched as the Alpha killed Derek's sister. Peter. That was his name and he was related to Derek. She witnessed Scott being bitten and finally saw through Peter's eyes, her own attack. Katrina woke up from this trance with a startling gasp while clutching the back of her neck.
Katrina and Scott were seated on the bench of the locker room in silence. She made no comment about how Scott was just in a towel in her presence; they just sat and mulled over everything they had just seen. The locker room door burst open and Stiles came sprinting towards where they were seated.
"Dude, we have a huge problem." Scott looked over at Katrina who was staring at the floor, bouncing one knee.
"Trust us, we know."
Once she left the school, Katrina had no desire to return home straight away. She hopped on her bike and drove to the one place she knew she could be alone. The woods. Katrina hadn't been out there since before school started, since before all of the werewolf drama started. She drove fast down the familiar path, headed towards the last reminder of her past life.
Katrina walked up to the tree, seeing the carving etched in the worn bark. Trailing her fingers down Kyle's writing, she wondered what her life would have been like if he hadn't gone missing. Her parents would pay attention to her and not hate her. She wouldn't have had her keys taken away, resulting in her escaping to Lydia's. She wouldn't have gone to the video store with her and Jackson nor would she have been attacked, transforming into this monster. Katrina wouldn't be a werewolf meaning she wouldn't hate Derek or Peter like she does and she wouldn't have gotten close with Scott or Stiles. She wouldn't have tried to kill Derek the night of the full moon or the group of teens trapped in the school.
The more she thought about it, the more Katrina realized that she wouldn't be herself. While so much good came out of her being bitten, she would trade it all just to have her brother back.
After leaving the preserve, Katrina ended up driving next to Scott and Stiles. Once they had both stopped at a red light, she removed her helmet to greet them.
"Hey boys."
"What's up Kat?" Stiles stuck his head out the window, a smirk gracing his face.
"You're in a good mood despite being almost attacked by the Alpha." Scott suddenly perked up before Stiles could reply.
"Wait, Kat do you hear that?" In the distance, the sound of a pounding heart flooded her ears. Katrina slammed her helmet back on and followed the directions she could hear Scott giving Stiles. Speeding behind the jeep, Katrina saw that they were approaching two cars in a parking lot. She recognized Jackson's porche and Mr. Argent's large red SUV. Coming to a halt next to Stiles' side of the car, Katrina used the jeep to hide her presence.
"Yo." "What's up?" Scott and Stiles said in greeting. Scott got out of the car to check on the situation.
"Everything okay?"
"Hey Scott, your friend here was just having car trouble. We're just taking a look." Katrina rolled her eyes at how obvious it was that Mr. Argent was tracking Jackson.
"There's a shop right down the street. They should have a tow there."
"Yeah you want a ride?" Scott opened the door to the jeep, allowing for Jackson to get into the back if he wanted. "Come on Jackson, you're way to pretty to be out here all by yourself." Katrina snickered from her hiding place and had to bite her lower lip when Stiles gave her an amused glance before trying to keep her quiet.
Jackson nodded in agreement to the offer but was stopped by Mr. Argent.
"Hey boys," Mr. Argent called as he opened the drivers side door and turned the key in the ignition. The car roared to life as he said, "told you I knew a few things about cars." He returned to his own car and proceeded to drive away.
"What, are you following me now?" Jackson turned to Scott, demanding answers since Argent was gone. Katrina jumped up on the ledge of the driver's side of the jeep, folding her arms to rest on the open window. Scott slammed the passenger door shut, stalking towards Jackson.
"Yes you stupid freaking idiot! You almost gave everything away right there!" Katrina sighed at the brewing fight, hoping off the car and walking around to Scott.
"What are you talking about?"
"He thinks you're the second male beta!" Stiles had joined the group standing in the parking lot, standing by Katrina.
"I'd be worried if he thought he wasn't. Unless Jackson is really a Jacqueline underneath." Katrina whispered her comment to Stiles who shook with silent laughter. Her comment went unnoticed by Jackson and Scott.
"What?"
"He thinks you're me!" Scott turned and punched the jeep.
"Dude, my jeep."
"We could hear your heart beating from like a mile away, literally. Now he thinks there's something wrong, and now I have to keep an eye on you so he doesn't kill you!" Scott turned to punch the jeep again before Stiles stopped him.
"Woah, okay, okay, how about we just step away from Stiles' jeep."
"You know this is your problem," Jackson said, pointing a finger in Scott's face. "Not mine. Okay, I didn't say anything, which means you're gonna be the one who gets me killed. Okay, this is your fault." Jackson shoved Scott into the jeep.
"Can we stop hitting my jeep?" Stiles' plea fell on deaf ears as Scott shoved Jackson right back. Katrina knew that they were about to break out into a fight so she put her hands against the boy's chests, pushing them away from each other.
"Hey let's all calm down, all right?" Jackson finally noticed Katrina and gave her a confused glance before turning his anger back on Scott.
"When they come after you, I won't be able to protect you. We can't… we can't protect anyone." Katrina took Scott's words to heart and gave Stiles a sad look. She was beginning to realize that protecting the people she now considered friends was going to be the hardest thing she's ever done. Scott was also looking at Stiles, feeling the same as Katrina.
"Why are you looking at me?" Stiles was confused as to why the pair of teen wolves were staring at him. Before he could get an answer, Jackson interrupted.
"You know what, now you have to do it. Get me what I want and I'll be fine protecting myself."
"Wow, you are the biggest idiot I have ever had the privilege of knowing." Katrina said while slowly rubbing her temples.
"No you won't. Just trust us, all it does is make things worse."
"Oh yeah really? You can hear anything you want and run faster than humanly possible. Sounds like a real hardship McCall." Jackson scoffed at Scott, not wanting to hear anymore of his opinion.
"Yeah we can run really fast now, except half the time, we're running away from people trying to kill us. And I can hear things like my girlfriend telling people that she doesn't trust me anymore right before breaking up with me. I'm not lying to you! It ruins your life!" Scott was panting slightly when he finished his little speech but the look on Jackson's face proved it did nothing.
"It ruined your life. You know, you had all the power in the world, and you don't know what to do with it. You know what it's actually like? It's like you turned sixteen and someone bought you a Porche when they should've started you with a nice little Honda. Me? I drive a Porche." Smirking, Jackson walked back to his car and drove away leaving Scott, Stiles, and Katrina standing there.
"Again biggest idiot I have ever had the privilege of knowing. Is he just that stupid to not realize that you constantly kept saying 'we' when you spoke?" Katrina pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a frustrated sigh.
Scott shrugged his shoulders with a slight chuckle, "I guess so."
Katrina had decided to just spend the day driving around so when the sky turned dark, she didn't mind the cooler night air nipping at her skin as she sped down the road. Her phone kept buzzing constantly in her back pocket, causing an annoying vibration to slightly shake her seat. Pulling over to the side of the road, Katrina swiftly removed her helmet and retrieved her cell phone. Noticing it was Scott, she answered quickly to stop the buzzing.
"Ciao Scooby."
"Katrina, where are you?" Scott sounded awful panicked over the phone with his demand.
"Out driving, why, what's wrong?"
"Do you know where Lydia is right now?"
"No, I'm out by the preserve. Scott, what is wrong, tell me."
"Peter's trying to turn my mom to get me to join the pack and he was…" Katrina cut him off already knowing what he was going to say.
"He was going to turn Lydia." Katrina took a deep breath to calm down. "Okay, so what do you need me to do?"
"Just make sure Lydia is all right. Stiles and I got Peter and my mom."
Katrina hung up the call with Scott quickly and proceeded to call Lydia. She mounted her bike again, prepared to drive away if need be. Katrina's whole body was screaming 'danger' but hearing Lydia's voice before putting herself through a panicked breakdown was probably the safer option. The phone rang a few times and when Lydia finally picked up, Katrina let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding.
"Lyd-"
"Kat, what's up?"
"Where are you?"
"What?"
"Where are you right now?"
"At home, why is something wrong?" Katrina's shoulders slumped in relief. Hearing that she was safe at home caused Katrina to start her bike and drive while trying to talk to Lydia at the same time.
"No, nothing's wrong. Just stay there, okay? Please." Katrina was driving double the speed limit towards her own house. She had the feeling she was going to need the sidecar to her bike tonight.
"Whatever. You coming over to get away from your parents again?"
"Maybe later yeah if that's all right?" Katrina made it to her house in record time, pulling up along side her sidecar, ready for attachment.
"Always. Later." She leaned on the sidecar in relief that Peter hadn't gotten to her cousin. Her relief was short lived when she received a text from Scott.
Peter and Derek after Jackson. I don't know if I can make it to him in time.
Katrina felt anger course through her; why would Derek go through all of this? Shaking her head, she wrote a short reply. Where?
Has to be Derek's house
I'll be there OMW now
You'll need help
Without replying to Scott again, Katrina attached the sidecar and sped off towards the preserve for the second time this week. Instead of taking comfort and dwelling on her past at her special tree, she was on her way to Derek's.
Speeding through the woods, Katrina tried her hardest to get to Derek's house before anything could happen to Jackson. Knowing that Derek would be able to hear her bike from a mile away, she parked it far from the house, tossing her helmet into the sidecar before sprinting to the Hale house.
She was able to catch up with Scott who she saw running ahead of her. The two split up once they reached the house, Scott going around the back allowing for Katrina to sneakily slink through the front busted window. Katrina could here Derek talking to Jackson as she approached the window. Climbing in, she crept up behind Derek, going virtually undetected by both males.
"Look around you! Wouldn't there be someone here trying to save you?" Katrina smirked silently at how wrong Derek was. "There's no one here. No one cares that you drive an expensive car. No one cares that you have perfect hair. And no one cares that you're the captain of the Lacrosse team!" Derek's shouting had Jackson terrified and cowering against the staircase.
"Excuse me." Katrina looked up to see Scott standing at the top of the stairs. "Co-captain." He leapt down the stairs, landing in between Jackson and Derek in a crouched position. Jackson looked at Scott in surprise and his shock became even more apparent when he noticed Katrina standing stoically behind Derek. The older werewolf followed the teen's gaze to see Katrina at the fiercest he's ever seen. She was standing how he normally would to intimidate someone, slowly allowing the glowing blue color to take over her normal honey hazel iris'. Once fully transformed, Katrina allowed herself to look at Scott, who mirrored her own appearance but with haunting golden eyes. Derek had shifted his features quickly in rage of the teens ruining his plans.
"Move." Derek's voice came out as a growl as he tried to command Scott.
"No."
"Fine. I'll kill you too. Both of you." Derek turned to hold Katrina's gaze, ready to fight her first. She smirked in confidence at him, getting into a defensive position, and taunting him with two fingers in a 'come and get me' gesture.
Before Derek could advance, he heard the whizzing sound of flying arrows in their direction.
"Cover your eyes!" He shouted ducking over by the wall. Doing as she was told, Katrina slammed her eyes shut as a flash-bang arrow blew up nearby them. Being so focused on keeping herself protected from the light, she didn't notice the sound of gunfire until after it had started.
The first bullet pierced her through the back causing her eyes to fly open as she gasped in pain. Turning around, the next two bullets hit her stomach, one shooting clean through and hitting Scott. The pain from the bullets caused Katrina to shift back locking eyes with Scott. She fell to her knees as another bullet hit her right shoulder, the purple steam rising from her wounds. Katrina raised a shaky hand to her stomach to quickly pull it back seeing it completely covered in blood. She could feel the blood dripping from her mouth as she turned her terrified eyes towards Derek. The look on the older werewolf's face was one filled with emotion that Katrina did not think he possessed.
"Scott! Katrina! Go!" Derek shouted at them, he had made up his mind in this situation. Neither of the teens were moving to get out, so Derek took matters into his own hands. He grabbed Scott by his arm hauling him up as he slipped one of his own arms around Katrina's waist to get her standing. Passing the girl off to Scott, he pushed them towards the backdoor. "Run!"
Katrina spared one more glance at Derek, hoping he could see her gratitude in her eyes. Meeting his gaze, she swore she saw a small uplifting of his lips in a sad smile before he nodded, running back to the front hall.
Scott and Katrina were running as fast as they could through the forest as they clung to each other in support. Soon Katrina's wounds became too much for her to handle. She squeezed Scott's hand before she felt herself falling to the ground. As soon as she hit the ground, she grew even weaker. The pain became too much for her and the last thing she heard was Scott mutter Allison's name before Katrina slipped into unconsciousness.
Katrina couldn't tell where she was but whatever she was lying on was cold and uncomfortable. Her eyes fluttered open, feeling one of the bullets being removed from her body. She looked up and saw the face of Scott's boss Dr. Deaton appear before her.
"Don't move yet." He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder as he went back to work. Turning her head, she saw a much better looking Scott sitting in a nearby chair.
"Where am I?"
"My job. Don't worry, I'll explain later." Katrina gave him a weak smirk before allowing her eyes to close again.
"You better."
Here's the latest chapter! I've been so caught up in planning ahead with this story that I forget to actually post chapters. *face palm* But 3B! OMG! So scary and suspenseful ah! As always, let me know what you think! ~Kathryn