A/N: I don't own anyone but my OC's…though I wished I owned the rest….*sighs*
I apologize for this delay but I found a break between flights here in Minneapolis to finish and update! I am aiming for another chap tonight!
The third pot of coffee brewed through the cheap motel coffeemaker as the files and photos were scattered about the narrow rectangular table. Brooklyn poured over the old drawings and notes accumulated over the centuries, hoping to find a way to stop the Argents dead in their tracks. With Kate now in the fold it was going to make tracking the Alpha that much more difficult for her and Derek.
The last time she looked up at the clock ancient timekeeper read four fifteen but the hunter always had a habit for losing track of time when she delved into research. She knew Argent was French for silver so she started with old French legends or myths that may provide a clue. Most would write such things off as simple fairy tales to keep the village youth in line but for those such as Brooklyn, the stories were as real as the stories of Jamestown or Salem.
The thick aroma of Arabica settled in the air, alerting the sleepy hunter her pick me up was ready. She poured the delicate brew into the cheap Styrofoam cup letting the ribbons of steam caffeine and Arabica awaken her senses. Derek had taken off somewhere and Brooklyn didn't expect the werewolf to be her babysitter 24/7. The marks on her back were fading further still, part in thanks to the little fact she was Derek's mate.
Letting a loud sigh exhale from her lungs, her eyes returned to the book patiently waiting for her return. Brooklyn rubbed her eyes then looked back down at the open pages.
"Alright here we go," she put her reading glasses back on and started at the middle of the page.
Loup-garou
One legend that continues to survive to the modern era is that of the Beast of Gevaudan. Beginning in 1764 as series of unexplained animal attacks ravaged the countryside of the Gevaudan province of France, more specifically the Margeride Mountains. The victims would be found with their throats slashed as if with claws or teeth. Many tried and failed to track down the creature responsible for the attacks, including the Army, huntsmen, conscripted workers, and several nobles. But King Louis XV, having received news of the ruthless attacks, dispatched one of his personal guards to kill the creature. By then the number of dead was pushing 100 and the villages around the province were paralyzed by fear and suspicion.
Many harbored suspicion towards their neighbors creating an atmosphere of hysteria amongst the towns. The king's guard arrived in 1765 with his son along with several bloodhounds to sniff out the beast. It was the time of the Winter Solstice.
Brooklyn paused and took a drink. She had heard of this legend before but it was in passing. Every hunter had been told some version or another of this story but then again they all knew it wasn't something devised from a creative imagination. The hunter sighed and continued on.
The hunter continued for several weeks, finding wolves but none that could walk upon two legs. It wasn't until the full moon of January 1765 that the loup-garou met its violent end. The guard returned to Paris amidst a grand parade and adoration of the people. The king was so pleased he bestowed the man with a generous estate, ensuring the Argent family could continue to keep the people safe.
"Well at least I know how they got their wealth," she shut the book with disgust. A thump from outside the window made Brooklyn shoot her head up. She grabbed her gun and quietly padded across the carpet. The hunter carefully drew back the corner of the curtain, scanning the tiny but vacant lot only to see her car parked out there. Brooklyn began to let the curtain slip from her fingers when a shadowy figure darted beneath the closest street light. It was too small to be the Alpha but it didn't mean she was about to let her guard down.
Closing the door behind her, Brooklyn darted in between the shadows, never letting her target leave her sight. Whoever it was was doing a decent job at staying concealed.
It heard the human approaching from behind. The strong scent wasn't difficult to detect as the powerful essence of another wolf covered her aura. It had detected the stronger scent before but couldn't remember where or when. It continued to listen to the encroaching footfalls but it wasn't concerned if the human caught up as it could lose her in the blink of an eye. It had seen her around Beacon Hills and knew she was a hunter.
Brooklyn could make out the outline of the figure ahead. It would stop every so often and listen as she would freeze and observe. She watched as it spun around then sped off on all fours.
"Damn it," Brooklyn quickly sprinted through the woods, finding she was further within the heavy blanketed groves than she had thought. The hunter raced for the edge of the woods, unaware she was being pursued.
It ran parallel to the hunter, giving chase to its prey. Unlike the Alpha, it enjoyed toying with her, watching the fear lighting up her soft shades of grey. The thundering of her heart was music to its ears as her frantic steps ripped through leaves and twigs before splashing through a puddle or narrow stream. It was game and nothing more. As long as she never learned of its human identity it would harbor no reason to kill her.
Brooklyn continued charging through the woods, knowing if the Alpha was out there it could hear her hurried pace. But the Alpha was nowhere to be found as it was only her and the other. Despite no attack or strike against her, the hunter wasn't about to take any chances and lifted her legs higher through the brush. Her muscles screamed in wild protest as she leapt over the rocks and slapped away the branches hanging low enough to ensnare her. She didn't have to look back to know it was still there, watching and pursuing her.
Ahead the gentle aura of the city's lights finally came into view, infusing Brooklyn with a boost of adrenaline as she propelled her body to heights of physical torment. Her calves were starting to cramp threatening to destroy her momentum but the hunter shook it off as she was now feet away from making it to the safety of civilization. Her lungs were burning as she burst from the woods and into the parking lot. Brooklyn didn't stop as she spun around with gun aimed at whatever it was that was coming from behind. Her heart was pounding so furiously that she swore it was going to explode in her chest as her body rapidly inhaled the fresh cool air.
"Come on," she waited. "I know you're out there."
It stood in silence observing the hunter as she remained in her attack stance. When it figured out Brooklyn was a hunter it was intrigued by her presence as she was after the Alpha some of the others had discussed in hushed tones. It knew this Alpha was a threat to its own existence and had no success in tracking it down. It had eluded them all but eventually one of them would catch up to it. With one final breath it took off, leaving the hunter alone in the empty lot.
Brooklyn waited and watched for what felt like several agonizing moments before figuring if whatever had followed her wanted to attack her it would've done it in the woods or at the very least by now. Feeling her anxieties begin to subside, she made a hasty retreat for the room.
She locked the door behind her then slid down to the floor with the hand holding the gun pressed against her forehead. If it wasn't the Alpha out there it had to be Scott…..Right? But Scott would've at least hollered out it was him and not chase her….wouldn't he?
No, if he was in wolf form the teen may not have the sense to realize it was her. The possibility was very real that he would've attacked her.
There must be another one out there…But who?
With Derek still AWOL, she picked up her phone and dialed. The time was five thirty.
"Hel-" Stiles started growl. Who the Hell was calling him at this ungodly hour?
"Stiles," Brooklyn was on the other line. Instantly the teen was wide awake. She was calling him? His mind had to register the fact that she, Brooklyn, was calling him and not looking for Derek!
"Brooklyn is everything alright?"
"No, I don't think so," she confessed.
"What's going on?"
"Is Scott with you?"
"No, he's at home. Why did something happen to him?"
"I don't know. Maybe you should swing by the room."
"Brooklyn it's five thirty," Stiles reminded her. "My dad is home and…."
"Fine," she wasn't angry. "But as soon as you can get your ass here. And bring Scott too."
"Sure," he yawned and hung up.
Brooklyn held the phone from her ear and looked at it strangely as Stiles had hung up on her. Shrugging she set the phone aside and decided it was time to dig deeper into the victims of the Alpha. What had she missed? The connection was there, she knew it was!
The hunter pulled up her laptop and took a deep breath. She had to clear her mind for a moment before thinking of where to start. Derek had mentioned the driver had recognized him and called him by his last name before passing out.
With pen and paper she hastily scribbled that down along with the date of the attack. Then she looked back at the articles and police files she had swiped from the local law enforcement agency and hoped there was some minute detail that she could have overlooked. Frustration was looming as she finished off the second cup of coffee and went straight for the third. The hunter leaned back in her seat and rubbed her eyes then looked down at something she had completely forgotten about.
The blood had dried upon the parchment, leaving in its wake a crisp but chilling ribbon of sangria. Her finger lightly followed the thin curling line, remembering the haunted look in Derek's eyes when they found it on her car. Faint shivers reverberated down her spine as life connected with death.
Suddenly she got an idea.
Brooklyn took a photo of the symbol and started looking for any other incidents where this had appeared. It didn't take long to have a hit.
The article was about 3 months old and lengthy which was strange considering the nature of the crime. On the front page was a sprawling photo of a dead buck with the same spiral blazoned on its side. The sheriff didn't offer a plausible explanation about who or rather what caused the markings but the "official" cause of death for the animal was a cougar.
Right…Cougar my ass!
It was then she put the pieces together and realized the Alpha had been in Beacon Hills longer than she originally thought. Whoever it was had intimate knowledge of the town and everyone within it which was why it was such a bitch trying to find this bastard. And now with a possible second werewolf aside from Scott running loose things were getting messier by the day.
"Brook," Derek was standing by the door. A rush of relief washed over her as she raced towards the werewolf.
"What's wrong?" He felt her clinging fiercely to his body as she took a deep breath and looked deep into those soulful emeralds.
"We may have a problem."
Yet another curveball... ;)