XIV
UNMASKED
There was no wind or sound, for a brief second she forgot she was alive, she was in peace with herself for the goal she just achieved, it was stupid to think about it as a whole major thing, but it was, no human being was able of the things she was, well that wasn't completely true, her dad was able of such unbelievable feats.
Who is she? She has been asking herself the same question for the past three months and every time the answer changed. Once she was a normal teenage girl, then she became the daughter of a criminal, later the girl who found out a whole new world hidden within ours, then the girl of a liar, this morning she was the girl who couldn't take it anymore and now… Allison doesn't have an answer this time for who she is, she is lost and confused, well not completely confused she knows what she wants in her life, she wants Derek dead, but… what then?
She wants her dad to pay for lying to her for hiding from her who she really is and what she is capable of, hundreds of questions come to her mind while she walks toward her home, luckily no one at school saw her coming through the playing field, what is she going to do now with her skills? Will she keep learning from the book, will she leave home and become a demon's hunter like her dad? Will she ever trust her father ever again?
What now? Should she drop School? How much Stiles knows? It is too much, she wish she could get some rest, to lay on her bed and forget the whole thing at least for a couple of hours, but she knows she won't get any rest, she's too tired but she won't be able to sleep if she knows Derek is still out there and her dad stills believes she is just a frightened little girl, she must face them both, and it has to be today.
….
"How much time I got left?" Stiles says with hoarse voice, his throat is dry and is tearing raw.
He feels like the day they told them his mom condition was irreversible.
"I'm not sure…" Dr. D. starts not daring to look at Stiles in the eye, "I would say months, but with death you never know, it may come for you tonight, or in a year or in eighty years"
"Then why did you just say months?" Stiles demands furious, this is so pathetic, he's afraid of dying he's a scared little boy fearsome of his eventual death.
"Everything is starting, things are moving, there are decisions being made, soon you will understand everything"
"I want to know now!" Stiles screams, "Tell me! What's going to happen? How can I stop it, you said there were always possibilities, give me some"
"Die before time" Dr. D replies dryly. "If you die things will calm down, Derek and Scott will die in their attempt to stop the Fenrir and the world will be saved"
"What if I don't die in the right time?" He swallows hard, this is stupid, he can't be seriously negotiating the day of his own death.
"There will be a war" Deaton says sternly motioning him to get back to the town.
Stiles starts pacing up while he keeps talking, his hold body shakes, and he has to do a big effort to hold his tears back, he's going to die… soon.
"What if…what if I don't die… what if…?" Stiles mutters with his head down.
"That won't happen, there are things that can't be stopped" Dr. D cuts him short.
This is not fair, this is so fucking unfair!
What is he going to do know? What about his dad? What about Scott? Who will tell Derek the truth? If he dies… fuck! And he is still a virgin! He is a loser even to die!
He feels his phone buzzing against his thigh in his pant and he stops, he shoves his hands in his pocket and tugs it out, who could it be? He unlocks it and stares at the screen, he has tons of missing calls from Scott's mom, oh Jesus! Just what he needed more problems and… An incoming call from Lydia! Shit.
"Hey Lydia" He says trying to sound cheerful.
"Hi" She replies listless.
"Are you…?" He starts but she cuts him off.
"I just… wanted to apologize for last night, I mean I was really drunk I don't know what I was thinking, I think I might have even slept with you if you would had come" She says with a hurtful voice.
"Lydia, don't say that, I totally get it, you were having some problems"
Dr. D motions Stiles to cut the call, and then the idea of Erica and Vernon looking for Scott in the woods freezes him, he almost forget, he can't do any more noise or they might find him.
"Anyway, I just wanted to apologize" She says with sadness almost cutting the call.
"Wait" Stiles begs, not sure of what he's doing, "Are you still going to Sadie Hawkins dance? I mean I know that after everything that happened you probably won't but… I mean…"
"Actually… Tackler came in the morning to apologize and…um... I…" She explains.
Oh fuck!
"Lydia don't! You can't do this to yourself!" Stiles grunts.
"I gotta go" She says with sadness, cutting the call.
Deaton stares at him with his brow crested "That girl…" The man starts with a tone of sorrow on his voice.
"What?" Stiles asks.
Dr. D shakes his head, "Nothing" says and then continues with his walk.
"Wait" Stiles follows him.
"There must…"
"There is nothing you can do Stiles, some decisions must be made and they don't concern you"
"But they affect me" Stiles says balling his hands with anger.
Dr. D nods, "I'm so sorry, I know it sucks but there is nothing I can do about it"
"Tell me something" Stiles wonders calming down a little, maybe the death will comes for him in eighty years as Dr. D said, it doesn't have to be today or tomorrow, maybe it won't happen in a long time.
"What if hypothetically I don't die, Scott will die still? There will be a war after all?"
"I don't know" Dr. D admits with some embarrassment in his voice. "Many things might happen"
Stiles stops then, that's it! "Then I won't die" He says defiantly.
"Stiles…you"
"I don't care what you say, I won't die… I won't let anyone decide whether I live or not and chase me to drive me insane, I'll live and I'll stop the war, I'll do something! Anything! And all this will be over" He says furious, his fingernails digging in his skin as he presses his fists, but he's right he's going to do it, he is determinate.
There is a long pause in which Stiles can't see Dr. D's reaction, the man just stands there in silence, both stopped walked as soon as Stiles said his resolution and now there is an awkwardness growing between them.
"You have determination but it isn't enough Stiles" Dr. D says dryly, "This is not one of your books, and you're not the chosen one, actually you're quite the opposite"
He didn't just say that!
Stiles has to get out of there, he can't stand Dr. D anymore, he is so stubborn, there must be another way, he knows it.
They pace in silence the rest of the way, for seconds he feels like the anger is finally fading, but then the man's hard words come back to his mind and the fear and desperation take over him again. After ten minutes he starts to devise his jeep in the horizon, he wants to go home, get some rest, checkup Scott and Lydia, oh that girl was so lost! He can't actually believe she is back with Tackler after he cheated on her and threated her like shit.
His phone rings.
Lydia?
He tugs it out of his pocket, it is his dad… oh fuck! He hesitantly rises it to his ear.
"Hey dad!" He say faking happiness.
"Stiles! Thank god!" His father says through the speaker with an agitated voice.
Why he is so agitated? What is going on?
His hands start to shake "Dad what's going on? Is grandpa okay?"
Oh no, grandpa, what would have happened? He knew he should have went with his dad, but now Scott and Derek! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Grannie, what will happen with her? Oh God!
"Are you okay?" His dad says with hitched breath, his voice is about to crack.
"Dad!" He snivels.
Dr. D. Suddenly stops and stares at him, Stiles looks around, he can't scream, he knows he can't, the wolves might come but… his dad, he is…
"Where are you?" His dad demands hastily.
"I'm with Mr. D what's going on?" The boy begs him, feeling the tears climbing to his eyes.
Fuck, he doesn't want Deaton to watch him cry, another funeral, it is too soon, his mom, oh God his mom! His grandparents! He's losing it, he is losing it, he can't breathe, his mind is clouding.
"Have you seen Scott or Melissa?" His dad asks and Stiles jerks up, why is asking about them? "Have you seen them today?"
"Dad! What's going on?" He asks one last time, before losing his mind and probably faint.
"They just called me, something happened at their house, there was a lot of noise and cries, they think something might have happened to them" His dad explains, "Didn't you hear anything?"
Oh no! No! No! No! No!
"No I…" Shit he can't think straight, there are tons of questions in his mind he can't concentrate to made up a lie about where he have been the last twelve hours.
"Its okay son it is not your fault" His dad reassures him. "You're at Deaton's right?"
Stiles nods, then he recalls he's on a phone call.
"Yes but…" He starts but his dad cuts him off.
"Listen to me, tell Deaton to take you home to get your stuffs, don't go by yourself you hear me? Don't go by yourself, the police is on their way but I don't want you to be at home alone, pack everything up and tell him to drive you to the bus station, text me when you're on your way"
This is so confusing.
"Dad but grandpa…"
"He's alright, but I can't come back yet, and you can't stay in there on your own" His father explains with sorrow.
"But dad, Mrs. M and Scott…"
"The police will look for them, I'm sure they are fine, they're probably just scared hiding somewhere, they said they saw a bear or something, no one is sure but now I just need you to come here, you hear me?"
Stiles looks around, His dad doesn't know what's going on, he doesn't have any idea, a bear? What the hell their neighbors saw? No please don't!
"Dad..." He tries.
"I won't discuss this Stiles, I'll pick you up in a couple of hours at the bus station" His dad grunts and cuts the call.
Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!
There is another ring, but the tune is different from Stile's phone, it isn't his…
Dr. D takes his phone out of his pocket.
"Oh Hey Simon" The man says politely to the phone.
Fuck!
Stiles scoots back and looks among the naked trees, he knows what's about to happen.
"He's alright" Adds with a grin.
Stiles slowly starts to turn on his heels.
"I'll make sure he takes the bus" Deaton affirms and cuts the call.
Stiles has already started running, but before he can't reach his jeep Dr. D takes him by the collar of his shirt.
"I might not be a hunter but I'm still faster than you" Deaton says with a mock on his face.
Stiles whirls on his place to break free, but Dr. D grasp on his shirt is tight.
"Leave me alone, I need to go!" Stiles reproaches trying to break free.
"Your dad commanded me to take you to the bus station and I'll do so" Dr. D says sternly.
"I don't care what he says, Mrs. M might be in danger" Stiles cries with rage.
"Stiles you need to calm down, everything will be alright just go to see your grandparents and…"
"No!" He yells letting go from his grip.
Stiles pushes back Dr. D and starts striding toward his jeep.
"This is your chance Stiles" Dr. D says calmly without following him "If you want to live, leave all this behind and go with your dad"
Stiles stopped short, his eyes wide open, suddenly the snow glow was hurting his pupils, was there a chance?
"You're not the chosen one or anything like it, stop thinking you can do something about it, stay out of all this" The man advises at his back.
Stiles shakes his head.
"I don't care if my destiny is not to be a hero, that won't stop me from trying to do the right thing, I can't just go and let them die" He objects and then continues his dash toward his jeep.
Once he's in the car, it takes him a minute to calm down, he takes a deep breath and let it out slowly which only make him feel dizzier but he need to control himself, or else he might get an accident, he needs to think positive, they are alright, they are alight, Dr. D said that if you believe in something then it is real so maybe if he keeps thinking everything will be alright it will eventually do.
He turns on the engine and hits the gas, first starts driving slowly while his body warms up and his senses wake up, if it wasn't because he is so fucking scared and preoccupied he might drift away by exhaustion and have and accident.
As he drives by the streets the icy-cold air rushes in through the window, and the road turns into a long stele, it seemed to stretch for ever, he's pretty sure he has been driving for hours but he still doesn't get home, will Dr. D look for him? He's not sure, that's why he must be quick just in case.
When he takes the last curb the patrol's lights almost blind him, they are outside the McCall house, how he feels? He doesn't know, it have been the second longest day of his life, where he have experimented all kind of emotions and feelings, so now… He just want to find Mrs. M and confirm that she's fine, he knows he might be losing precious time right now but… he can't just assume that something really happened, he wants to believe that all this is a misunderstanding.
There is police tape all around the entrance, some cops are outside trying to keep neighbors behind the barricade line, Stiles approaches, passing by some of his neighbors who stare at him as if he were a ghost or something, he's not strong enough, he's not, he needs to run to get in there and find Scott's mom with a crisis telling that a bad guy tried to rob her, he would rather that than…
"You can't come in" A police officer says beckoning him to stay outside the line.
Why is there a line anyway? It isn't a murder scene… right?
Please God don't! He thinks, what else he can do? He needs to get in there.
Think Stiles, think! That's it! His house.
He scoots and turns on his heels and approaches his house, he just hopes they don't try to stop him, considering that his house is next they might consider searching in but there is no one trying to stop him, good! He comes through the lawn in long strides and hurls himself inside as quickly as possible, just in case they might change their mind on following him inside.
Ok there is no time! He knows Scott's mom was about to find out something big about the murders, that Patrick guy and Scott's picture on his email, what was it anyway? Well Mrs. M is a cop she isn't dump she knew what she was looking for from the beginning which means that she might have find out at least a part of the mystery, which was bad, because that meant that Scott might be in trouble, she would definitely want to talk to her son about why a dead guy got a picture of him and died that same very day, she doesn't know where is Scott, good! Well he's not so sure Scott might be in the same place, he used a silver chain but… what if? No it is impossible but then… how does he explains all this mess? There must be an explanation, there has to be.
He crouches before the kitchen's sink and slowly rises his head up to get a look through the window, from his point of view he can see the police expecting some spots of the living room, he can see some upside down furniture and wood splinters, up he can see Scott's window opened and his curtains dancing in the wind.
He makes sure no one is watching and climbs up the stairs, he knows this is crazy but he needs to get in there, he needs to see what happened with his own eyes, he is running out of time and he have to do something, so he comes into the spare room which is stacked with boxes and old trinkets and moves them aside, they never use it so it is full of dust and cobwebs, he dodges some spiders on his way to the other side of the room and squints through the filthy window, gosh that place is really messy, he needs to clean it up when all this crap is over. As he expected Scott's window is still open, okay this is his chance.
He opens the windows and steps back, oh god! He can't believe he's actually doing this. He gets some air, sprints and before he can't think twice, closes his eyes and jumps through the gap, his stomach plunges down as for a scarce second he feels the void of emptiness beneath. His fingers clutch to the windowsill of Scott's room and he opens his eyes.
Slowly gets himself up wrenching his body through the window's gap, curtains tickling his face while he crawls inside. When his thighs are in he pulls with his arms and the rest of his body falls him down as he strikes his face against the floor, crap! That hurt! He hears some steps in the other room and hurries to hide beneath the bed, and it is when he finds the first claw marks, they are in the bed's leg, the wood in the marks is pale and splintery, so it means that the marks are new. When the steps stop Stiles comes out of his stash dumfounded.
Scott… No, it can't be Scott…maybe… maybe it is Erica… she's tired of looking for Scott and she came after his mom, that bitch! She is going to pay for what she did.
"What are you doing here?" Says a voice from the door.
Stiles' heart skips a beat, in front of him is the largest police officer he have ever seen, with broad shoulders and square jaw, has eyes dark as pits and a ridiculous mustache.
"I…I" Stiles starts unable to find a lie to save himself.
"Answer me!" The man yells.
Stiles scoots, there is something feral in his eyes that makes Stiles want to run away, it's like staring a rabid dog.
"I… I just came because I'm their neighbor"
The man takes him by the arm brusquely and jerks him out of the room, his palm is burning it almost makes him scream in pain.
"Sheriff Sir" A man says when Stiles gets out of Scott's room.
Behind them there is another police officer, this one seems as scared as Stiles probably is right now.
"What?" The sheriff replies sharply.
"The blood sir" The officer starts thoughtful "The blood has been dried for hours" Explains.
Stiles stares down and almost chokes when he gets sight of a long line of dried brown liquid that comes from Scott's room and climbs down the stairs or climbs up the stairs to Scott's room?
"Whatever was this thing that attacked agent McCall was already wounded when it got inside the house" The officer explains with a shaky voice.
Seriously, this guy was a cop? Wait a second, wounded? What the fuck? Something doesn't make sense here…
"Take him downstairs and make sure he doesn't come in again" The sheriff said letting go Stiles.
He brushes his arm where he grabbed him, his skin is soft and hot and a little red, it hurts him as if the man just grasped him too tight.
The officer beckons him to follow him downstairs which is stupid considering that he should be the one guiding him. It is a little disturbing to watch all that blood on the steps, what the hell happened there?
He can't get an answer because before he realizes, they are outside and the police officer is pushing him behind the barricade line, they won't let him in again, but it doesn't matter, Mrs. M isn't there and he must find her before it is too late.
There is no time to lose, Stiles pushes his nosey neighbors aside and runs to his jeep, he climbs up and hits the gas, his not to end day is getting larger and larger and the full moon is only five hours away, he feels like he will fall unconscious any time and will wake up in a world where everyone he loves is dead just… just like the dream he had last night.
As he drives to the towns outskirts he pass by more and more cars going to his neighborhood, seems like the whole time is concerned by Mrs. And Scott or at least they can't hold back their gossip asses out of trouble they are probably fearing for their lives now, it is supposed that the creature in the woods was a dog that is now dead, fuck Derek and his stupid plans now the police will be searching back in the woods in matter of time.
When he's reaching the wood line in the entrance of the town he slows down, far ahead he can see the creek, he takes the driveway to head to the mill and see that Scott is there fine, he just need a second to see that everything is fine, it has to be fine… Scott… he wouldn't hurt his mom not his mom it doesn't matter if he's a monster he wouldn't.
He gets to the creek, stops the engine and hurries to climb down of the car to dash toward the mill to find Scott and confirm that everything is okay, the problem is… that there isn't a mill anymore.
….
She opens the door and gets inside her house and suddenly it doesn't feel like her home anymore, she can put it in words but is like the world structure just changed, she feels like a hundred years passed since the last time she came inside that drawing room, when she left the house last night she was hopeful to see her dad do his job now she comes back almost wishing he wasn't her dad so she could shot an arrow straight to his head for being a bastard motherfucker.
There is something odd about the living room, or is it the whole house? It's like being in someone else's home? It doesn't feel right to be there, maybe because she wants to be right now with Derek watching him die but… it is unsettling, she doesn't want to be in that home anymore but where she can go? She can't just leave, right? Where is she going to go? What is she going to do? She doesn't know anything about the binders, she doesn't even know if there is more of them apart from Stiles her dad and her… wait a second… Her dad was chatting with someone the other night, he was waiting for someone to come to help him with Derek and the rest of the wolves, maybe that's it, other people like them, she needs his laptop.
Allison climbs up the stairs and runs to her dad room, as usual it is a total mess, she would have smiled but… she is not sure how she feels about the man anymore, his bed messy and the closet is all opened, now she knows why he likes so much to wear black, he's used to come one in the night to kill things.
His laptop is closed over the nightstand, she takes it and quickly opens it while she sits on the bed, it starts booting and loading the OS, her stomach groans and she feels a pang, she's starving and her dad's bed feels so warm and cozy, god! She can't seriously be thinking about taking a nap right now, what's wrong with her?
She takes the laptop while it still loads and gets in her room, she is not sure if her dad is on his way already, how long can take him take down the other werewolves? She's not sure but if better she hides it while she finds what she's looking for.
She hides the laptop next to the Binding's book below her pillow and takes off her boots, god! Her feet are killing her, she lets the quiver and the bow below her bed and puts on her slippers, she can't fight the hunger anymore, she better gets something to eat, the less she needs is to die of starvation before killing Derek, okay maybe she's overreacting a little, she got a beagle just a couple of hours ago, but she can't think straight when she's hungry so she gets down and addresses the kitchen.
She's not in the mood to make a fancy meal, she just want to get full her stomach get a quick back and come get out of that place, she doesn't feel ok, it's like shadows, yeah shadows, are hunting her, the ghosts of her life, which is stupid because she doesn't really remember much about her mom, but she can't help imagining her right in that kitchen, taking the bread slices in the toaster, that' what she would have done is she was alive.
She chops a tomato and takes some lettuce's leaves, and gets the just toasted bread slices, spreads cheese over the surface of one hot slice and watches it slowly melt with delight, finishes preparing her sandwich and takes a huge bite, then she cries, she cries as a little girl who needs her mom, she cries for her dad who doesn't love her, she cries because she feels lost and scared, she mourns because her life crumbled and the pieces are scattered all around the floor and she doesn't know what to do with them, she can't crave for a life, but it is all what she ever met.
She finishes her sandwich and wipes the tears away from her eyes, washes her hands in the sink and climbs up the stairs to take a bath. She gets in the shower and turns the hot water's valve while she undresses, her body resents the cold air while she awaits the air to become steamy to get inside.
When the water touches her skin she lets out the breath she has been holding for what feels like ages, she doesn't have more tears to shed so now just stays there below the shower head, feeling the scorching cascade tearing her skin apart, she's cleaning the old Allison away from herself, she feels how the smiling naïve girl slips from the tips of her toes and is swallowed by the drainage, what remains now is something fierce and determinate, something merciless and furious that has only one goal in life.
When she's done takes a towel and cleans her body, gets out of the shower and gets in her room, she doesn't know if Derek got better after all but if he is a werewolf and Stiles and that man really got to save his life he must be healed already which means that she will need be fast and comfortable.
She takes legging pants and a light blouse so she can be more agile in case she must chase Derek like her dad did, she puts on her boots and then it happens, it is so fast that she doesn't have time to respond, her back is bathed by a rain of glass and a thunderous crack makes her jump on her place, Allison quickly turns on her heels.
In front of her is the reason all this started in the first place, the monster that chased her that night in the woods in the rave, the same creature that haunted her in her dreams, the werewolf that have been murdering everybody in the town.
It is enormous, its body has brown fur, it's is big and the muzzle large with rows and rows of sharp snarled fangs.
Allison's lip wobbles and she lets out a cry of horror, it's furious red eyes fix on her body as she falls on her butt in front of it, it launches itself over her and she quickly dodges under the bed, taking an arrow and the bow as she comes out from the other side of the bed, some pieces of her broken window sting her in the back and arms, she bits her lips to not let out another cry.
The monster is back to her, she quickly stands feeling how the blood starts running down her wounds, she tights bow's string with the arrow and aims to its head, it is pure silver, she just have to hit it in the heat and it will die, she just… need to calm down FUCK! Why? Why? She can't aim
right? Her hands won't stop shaking she's so… so fucking scared, she had done this before, she just did an hour ago, but…
She shots and misses.
The werewolf turns to her on its massive hind legs and charges against her, it is over.
….
This is pointless, he has been running in circles for hours, he wishes he could be like Jeremy and bind more often he would have found them already, but he isn't and now he lost his track, it is three pm and there isn't a hint of where the wolves might have went.
Damn it!
It is full moon day, he can't let them run free in the town, not again! But what else he can do? And he can't turn off his radio, there is something disturbing about what they said a couple of hours ago over speaker, apparently an officer was attacked in his house? He wasn't paying much attention, but it must be definitely related to the deaths in the town, and the unknown werewolf, who is he? Why are they hiding him? Whoever he is definitely isn't with the ones he following right now.
Chris climbs down on steep terrain, fuck if it wasn't for this snow he would found them already!
He bends next to a rock, there is something dark on its surface maybe it is blood, he reaches his hand to touch it and his phone starts ringing.
Damn!
He takes it out of his pocket and looks at the screen, but it isn't a call… or text message, it is… an alert! Someone… or something…. Just broke in in his house.
Maybe they, played the fool with him to… to
Oh no Allison!
….
Maybe he isn't in the right place, maybe he was so concerned he took the wrong way by mistake, but no… he is not mistaken, or else there wouldn't have been any debris and there are. The mill façade's is just a couple of feet away from him.
Stiles hesitantly walks to the ruins feeling how his hearth's rate quickly rises, the walls are fallen, what remaining pieces that time didn't take from the mill were now broken sprawled on the floor, all the structure collapse, it is hard to see through the thick cloud of dust that rises before him.
"Scott!' He cries reaching the debris.
There is no response.
"Scott!" He repeats.
No, no, no, no! This can't be happening.
Stiles jumps inside the dust curtain covering his mouth with a hand, Scott needs to be there unconscious by the collapse of the structure, yeah he have to! Or else, or else it will means that Erica was right, that Scott was dangerous… but dangerous enough to kill his own mom?
A shiver runs down his spine, and he kicks away a piece of a rotten joist. It looks like… it is the joist where he left Scott tied, so… He rummages in the floor pushing aside massive wall's pieces focusing on finding something a clue of what might have happened though it is pretty clear.
He moves aside another piece of concrete and something sparkles through the layers of dirt on the floor, he slowly lowers his hand and takes it, it is a piece of silver, of a silver chain to be more accurate, crushed by the wall pieces…so this is how Scott got to escaped, he made the structure collapse.
This is not happening! Scott, a feral werewolf is out there by his own on a full moon day and he attacked and probably… murdered his mom.
Mrs. M Stiles thinks with sadness feeling sick to just to the thought of finding her body dismembered in the woods as happened with the lacrosse player.
Stiles puts the piece of chain in his pocket and then an unspeakable force pulls him by the back of his hoodie and tosses him away from the debris.
Stiles holds his breath while the world spins around him making him want to puke, suddenly his back lands in a bank of snow, the impact makes him gasps and a handful of ice gets inside his mouth, he spits it away and rises his head as he stops rolling on the floor, the first thing he sees is the woods in front of him, he's almost inside the forest which means he was thrown at least five hundred feet, gosh! He can't believe he's actually alive.
"Where is he?" A female voice roars at him as a bare foot stamps him in the floor.
Stiles looks up, Erica is staring at him with a grimace, her beautiful face is rosy and dirty, there is dried blood on her blouse and her pants are all shredded.
Stiles moves his neck an intense pain makes him pant, shit what is he going to do know?
"Tell me where is he!" She growls.
"I don't know, I… don't know" Stiles moans unable to move a muscle without feeling like minced meat.
"You're lying, I heard you calling his name!" She points out with a smile, her eyes are out of focus as if she is close to lose her mind, "It is all his fault! We got almost killed, because the hunters think we are the murderers and it is all his fault!" She lets out in a high pitched yell.
The sound pierces Stile's ears but he isn't able to stand, he is too sore to fight back, but he needs to get out of there, he needs to break free and escape from Erica.
"If you don't tell me where is he then I'm gonna have to use you as a hostage until he shows up" The she-wolf threatens, bending to Stiles by the collar of his shirt.
The boy grimaces in pain. There must be something he can do, he shoves his hands in his pocket maybe his phone… something pierces him in his thumb and he recalls it, he just got the remaining pieces of his mom's silver chain.
"You need to understand that he is dangerous, that we can't do anything about him, he needs to be put down" The girl tries to mediate with him. "It is only matter of time before he hurts you or someone else he care, he killed a girl a couple of days ago, they hadn't even find the body yet" Her voice is soft and full of resentment.
Stiles slowly takes the pieces of the silver chain taking the pointy ones between his fingers, preparing to…
Shit! He thinks, there is something unsetting about her words, besides the fact that she's talking about murdering Scott there is the problem that he… thinks that maybe she's right… Scott hut his mom? He killed her, god please don't! But what if he did?
No! She's wrong Scott is not bad Scott is not a bad person!
"He came after your friend" She says with anger.
Friend? What friend?
He holds tight the pieces of silver hurting himself a little though not as much as it will hurt Erica.
"Her dad almost killed us, but he got an alarm from his home, Isaac went after him and saw it, he destroyed her room"
Allison? He thinks as the spark burst in his chest and lets out short whimper, takes the chain and fastens it against Erica's cheek he feels how the pointy pieces dig into her skin as she lets out a high pitched cry and shoves him away.
Stiles falls on his back, struggling to breath but it doesn't stops him from quickly standing and running away from the she-wolf.
"Come back here!" Erica shrills.
Stiles hears her clumsy steps in the snow, he looks back and spots her just inches from him with a hand on her face, the shadow of a tree darkens her face for a brief second and an idea crosses Stiles' mind.
"What were you thinking? That you could just run away from me?" Erica mocks and stretches a clawed hand to take Stiles.
"Actually I do"
Please work, please work, please work! Stiles think hoping that Deaton casted back the protection before leaving the woods.
Stiles feels Erica's finger brushing the material of the collar of his shirt but he was already gone, when he opens his eyes he is in a random place of the woods, sweating cold while his face sways.
Panting he crawls over the snow trying to reach the nearest tree, when he is there he hugs himself to the trunk and gets some fresh air, steps makes him jolt, he looks around and muffles a cry.
Scott, well not actually Scott-Scott but his monstrous self is just feet away back to him, Stiles tries to slowly scoot back but his legs turn to jelly, fuck he was thinking about Scott the moment he decided to play his trick, and now here he is, in front of the creature that has been terrorizing the whole town, one of the most important persons in his life turned into a monster, an evil half-human being that murdered his own mother and the girl he loved.
Stiles grimace as the tears fills his eyes, that is not Scott that is a beast with no feelings or regrets, Erica is right she has always been right, Scott is dangerous he needs to be put down for the sake of everyone, it is the best even though it means to kill his own friend.
His phone rings.
Shit I thought it was on buzz! He thinks gasping taking it out to discover it is his dad Shit! Shit! Shit! The monster turns on his hind legs and stares at him, its red eyes filled with fury and rage.
Were-Scott lets out a loud growl, and Stiles falls on his butt, there is nothing he can do now… he will die… he will die just like Dr. D said, the death might come after him any time has been chasing him all this time it even killed his mom in its attempts to reach him, it is… over?
Stiles stands with big effort as the creature furiously charges against him, Stiles looks back and gets it all now, behind him is the cliff, the place from where he fell on Halloween, the place where Scott wouldn't have followed them because… because Dr. D said that werewolves' molecular structure is pretty heavy, the shock of the intense coldness against their natural hot body mixed with their heavy bones might…
Stiles launches himself upward and starts running, he can't use his trick anymore, Derek and Deaton warned him already he might die in his attempt and he have already used it multiple times in the last twelve hours.
He's going to die, he knows it now, fate brought him to a dead, but he can't die trying to escape if his Dr. D is right and his death is inevitable he is going to die fighting, for releasing his friend from his curse and also himself from his, he won't die on Allison's arms maybe the fate will change now that Scott and him will die right now.
He runs faster though his body aches violently with every stride he feels like he's being ripped in pieces on the floor and can almost feel Scott's breath on his neck but he won't give up, he won't, he had made a decision and maybe he's going to die but will on his own terms and not just because death's twisted caprice.
The only thing he regrets is being forced to do this without being able to see his dad one last time and tell him how much he sorry this, to tell him that he will tell him that he doesn't have to crumble and mourn for him, to tell him that he has to live and continue with his life that his mom and him will take care of him wherever he goes, but he doesn't have time left the cliff is only steps ahead and Scott is already on his back.
Stiles stops to a halt in the edge of the cliff and turns on his heels just in the moment Scott launches himself toward him, Stiles jumps and surround Scott's brown furred body with his arms fastening himself tight to him while he whirls in the air as his friend's strength takes them both of the wood.
There is a second where his stomach jumps on his insides and them plunges down, the emptiness fills him as the strong breeze of their fall disorient him, his falling to meet his dead, but at least he's doing it with his friend, he's happy to be with Scott in his last moments, it gives a new level to the phrase together until the end he only regrets his friend is conscious of what is going to happen in just milliseconds.
The lake's frozen shallow cracks with a glass-like sound and then the icy water swallows them both, it is so cold that Stiles lets out a cry of pain when his body sinks in, feeling it's pressure all over his body, knocking the air out of him, his head starts aching and his back. Scott is twitches like a headless snake, throwing his massive arms and legs in all directions. Stiles approaches him and surround his friend's neck with his hands, he's crying while he's doing it, he can't believe things were going to end like this, but there isn't another choice.
It takes all his remaining strength to keep Scott down it his attempts to break free and get air, Stile's lungs are burning and he has to fight back the urgency to give up and swim up, he craves for air, he needs it so desperately but he can't do it, he needs to be strong and put an end to all this, it will be over soon.
A leg comes out of nowhere punching Stiles in his stomach and he's thrown back by his amazing force, the back of his head hits the hard rock of the cliff, he feels something warm on the hurt spot and then everything becomes black.
….
Something cold and tiny hits her in her forehead and she grimaces, it slips down her cheek as a bitter tear, slowly opens her eyes and squints, everything is dark and she lays over a stark surface. Melissa jerks up and her crown hits the roof, she bits her lip and fights back her tears, where is she? How she ended up here? She can't remember anything, next to her something moves and she holds her breath, it is a body.
She slowly reaches her hand at her left, there is person next to her, the body is scarcely warm and moist as Melissa's clothes, actually the whole ground is wet and cold as if she were lying in a bed made of ice, black ice, she can see a light ahead in the form of a misshaped door a guttural entrance.
She crawls to the person next to her who lays facedown, has long black and curly hair, it is a girl, there is something familiar about her… Melissa carefully makes her roll on her stomach to take a look of her face below poor light that comes from the entrance.
It is longshot's daughter, which was her name? She can't remember now, her mind is too cloudy and she still struggles to recall something, anything that might give her a hint of where they are and how they ended up in there, but there is nothing, it is all blank.
"Hey" She says with a raspy voice shaking the girl's shoulder.
She's breathing, she can feel it but… she can't stop feeling uneasy, what if she is wounded? She won't be able to see any wound in this darkness, maybe she should drag her near the entrance to make sure she is alright.
"Hey" She repeats shaking her again, oh god! What the hell happened?
Her hand goes to her belt, her gun is in its sheath but she can feel her radio anywhere nor her phone, if she could only remember…
She moved! Longshot's girl moved!
The girl slowly rises a hand and takes her face where she brushes her eyes before opening them, thank god!
"Where? Where am I?" The girl says in a mutter, her eyes swaying as if she has a contusion.
"I'm not sure" Melissa says with sadness.
Longshot's daughter suddenly jolts and Melissa can her a thud, then the girl gasps, she must have hit her head too. They are on an uneven dark place with a low ceiling and an odd entrance ahead, the ground is stark and dirty she knows this is impossible but there isn't another explanation, they are in a cave, but how?
"I think it is a cave" She explains her theory reluctantly.
"A cave?" The girl says with fear in her voice, "How did I get… You… you are Scott's mom!" Almost accuses.
Melissa nods, "Can you remember anything?" Asks hoping the girl might give her a clue of how in the hell they ended up here.
"I'm not sure, I remember I was at home taking a bath, nothing more"
"What is your name?" Melissa says a little embarrassed.
"Allison" The girl replies tiresome.
Right Allison, she remembers now, "Alright, Allison do you have your phone with you?"
The girl slowly jerks making sure to not hit her crown again and quickly checks up her body, "I'm sorry, I don't"
Damn!
"It is alright, we're getting out of here, someone must be looking for us already, for now we need to know where we are and see if we can find a way out"
The girl nods and both get squat, slowly moving toward the light, there are drops of cold water falling from the ceiling in every spot it only serves to confirm Melissa's idea that they might be inside a cave. The entrance is a short misshaped square from where she can see snow in the ground outside.
She turns to Allison and puts her hand in her sheath.
"I'll make sure we can come out, if I tell you to run get out and run as fast as you can from here you hear me?"
The girl shape's nods.
Melissa takes a deep breath and tugs her gun out of its holster before getting her head out to the light.
The first thing she can see is the snow, white snow everywhere then a grayish surface that makes her realize they are in the lake, a cave near the lake? She didn't know there was a cave in here, the sky is stained with red so the night won't last to fall over the town.
Melissa shoves a hand back in the cave and beckons Allison to come out, she feel the girl showing up back to her while she makes sure that they are alone, her gun always she looks at the lake and both sides.
Allison lets out a muffled cry.
Melissa jolts and cranes her neck toward the direction where the girl is looking, it takes her a minute or so to get what she's looking for, it is a little far so she has to squint to get a better view of two shapes in the shore of the lake, Melissa hurries to run toward them with her gun in hand.
None of this makes any sense, whoever kidnapped them why didn't take out her gun? The last thing, the last thing she remembers is… her home… blood on the stairs and Scott… Scott.
"It is Stiles!" Allison cries pointing ahead.
Melissa pants as the air is dragged out of her lungs by the impression, Stiles is lying on his back just feet away from them, there is blood on his face all his body is drenched as if he were swimming in the lake and in top of him… is a shockingly large black wolf with glowing amber eyes and its head bent over the boy's face while it licks Stiles' crown.
It is… a monster… just like the white one she saw with Stiles last night, and now Stiles is… Stiles is… Oh god!
Melissa rises her gun high, points at the wolf's massive head, and pulls the trigger.
….
Something wet and warm brushes his forehead and an orange light pierces his eyelids, Stiles grimaces and opens his eyes almost lifeless, on top of him there is a blurry dark shape with the form of a dog, not half-breed beast but an actual… wolf with… with amber eyes.
"Scott?" He asks in an unintelligible voice even to himself, he can feel a stunning cold breeze in his crown even colder than the snow where he lays.
A thunder cracks making his ears whistle.
Stiles jerks up suddenly while he hears a wail and the creature that threats his wound scoots.
Before them are the shadows of two women, one of them is pointing at them with what looks like a gun, it takes a second to recognize her, is… Mrs. M? She is alive, a wave of relief takes over him and Stiles has to fight back the tears he's so dizzy, the memories start coming back to his mind, they were dead, then he tried to murder his best friend, they should be dead they should be, but they are not and Scott now is a wolf and real wolf not a feral half-beast but a…
There is another shot and the wolf behind him lets out a loud whimper.
Stiles looks a Mrs. M, she looks as shocked as he must be right now, even Allison doesn't look like herself, when their eyes meet the spark makes Stiles whirl in pain as his chest burst and he falls on his knees, it is getting stronger.
"No" He gasps in a mutter, his eyes swaying, fuck! He is not strong enough, he feels lifeless and fatigued.
Another shot, this time the wolf's voice crack almost humanly as scoots even father wailing.
"No!" Stiles screams, it is so awful he can't stand it, she is hurting him.
Stiles looks back, his friend is bleeding, his now wolf's black head is splattered with blood though he can see how the bullets pop out of it while the wound quickly heals it is something amazing and sad by the grimace in Scott's face –If that really is Scott of course-
Stiles looks at Mrs. M, her mouth is gaping as she looks stunned at the bullets coming out of his son's head almost as if they were bouncing balls thrown at him.
"No!" Stiles screams louder, standing again feeling how his body fights to stay conscious.
"Stiles!" Scott's mom cries hesitating before stepping closer to him "Come here!"
"No!" Stiles yells, "Leave him alone! I promise he won't hurt you, he won't hurt you!"
"Stiles!" Allison intervenes, there is something in her eyes he can't place what, recognition? Fear? Anger? Pain? She is a puzzle the only thing he can clearly see is her utter concern, she's worried about him, he knew, he knew Dr. D was wrong, she won't hurt him, ever.
There is another shot and Scott falls to his side, Mrs. M and Stiles exchange confused stares, she didn't fire that one, they are both sure of it.
A man's shadow quickly comes out of Stiles' back from the top of the cliff and lands over Scott's body.
Stiles turns on his heels as fast as he can, his head spinning and he almost faints.
"No!" He yells.
The man who wears a long black coat shoves a hand in one of his pockets and then places it in the back of the wolf's hear, there is an ear-piercing moan and a buzzing, Stiles has to cover his ears to protect them though he can clearly hear the whistling in his hear mixed with unintelligible cries coming from Allison.
Suddenly everything stops and Stiles looks at the man who pin's the wolf's contorting body on the floor, it is Allison's father with his face sweaty and dirty his clothes are all shredded and wet.
"Dad!" Allison cries.
"Leave him alone!" Stiles launches himself over the man but he quickly spins on his place and stamps a kick in the pit of Stiles' stomach making him fly backwards while the air is dragged out of his lungs and he falls on his back.
"Longshot!" He hears Scott's mom voice say. "What are you doing here? What is all this?"
"Get out of here!" The man orders with a harsh command, but from his point of view Stiles can see that none of them move.
Stiles stands panting, feeling how his eyes open and close constantly, but he can't let him hurt, Scott if he poisons… Scott.
"Leave him alone" He cries again charging against the man.
There is a growl that mixes with the wolf's moan and another dark shape jumps from the same spot from where Chris Argent came falling over the man, both rolling on the ground.
The women cry things, Stiles cranes his neck, Scott's mom grip on the gun is tight but she can't hold her aim, she's losing it. Stiles looks again at his back where Chris Argent struggles with Derek?
Derek grunts and pushes the man away running toward the wolf's whirling body but there isn't an overgrown wolf laying on the floor, instead it is a naked human, a naked Scott McCall.
Chris Argent stops short and Stiles looks at his left, where Melissa McCall is standing still with her eyes wide open and openmouthed.
Her gun falls from her hand and she crumbles on the floor, quickly her breathing hitches and she starts gaging, tears coming out of her eyes in rivers while she stares in horror at her naked son.
Allison steps back, her whole body trembling until she stumbles with a rock and falls to the floor her eyes are out of their orbits, it looks like her head is about to explode.
No, this can't be happening, this can't be happening!
"Him?" Chris Argent's voice takes everybody out of their dismay. "He is just a kid! You son of the bitch!" The man cries furious shooting against Derek.
The pack leader dodges the shots and quickly appears behind the binder throwing him back with a kick.
Stiles takes his chance to approach Scott, as his friend already opens his eyes and rejoins his face crisped in pain.
There are more shots, Stiles takes Scott from his arm and uses all his strength to pull him away from the fight.
"You are okay, you didn't kill them Scott! You didn't" Stiles says with happiness as the tears fills his eyes.
"S…Sco…Scott?" Allison mumbles from her place watching them both.
Oh god! What the hell are they going to do? Fuck!
"Take him out of here!" Derek orders dodging more gun shots.
More easy to say than do it.
Stiles drags Scott as near as his mom as he can, while the woman just lays there on her knees staring at them in silence without moving a muscle, it is so hard to watch her in such state.
"Hurry!" Derek growls.
Stiles feels a hand pulling them back, he cranes his neck and his eyes meets Allison's father furious face watching him with despise, as he takes his gun with his free hand and points at Scott.
There is a white noise sound and then a voice comes out of the man's belt, and everybody suddenly jerks up listening to the voice that comes out of the radio.
"All the units, I need reinforcements, I just have been attacked at maple Street by an unknown creature there is a dead boy, repeat there is dead boy I need reinforcements"
Everything suddenly stops, even Allison's father grasp loosens, and Derek and the hunter stare at Scott openmouthed, and then Stiles gets it.
"It wasn't you" Stiles says shocked, "It never was you, it was all a trap!"
"What?" Chris Argent says confused, "If it wasn't him, then… who murdered those boys?"