SUCCUMB

CHAPTER XVI - SCOTT

The school bell rang.

Scott winced inwardly and grabbed his stuff littered across his desk and shoved it all into a messy pile inside his backpack. He groaned as his head pulsed with a splitting migraine and glared as he walked past through the students in front of him, barely muttering audible apologies for basically shoving the poor and unknowing freshmen out of the way.

The news of his break up with Allison spread around the school like it was wildfire.

"You know," a voice piped up behind him. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that Allison was the one who broke up with you and not the other way around." Lydia appeared beside him all of a sudden. Scott sighed, knowing well that Lydia Martin's ability to come and go as she pleases is a wonder even the supernatural world couldn't explain.

"Well," Scott began, clutching the strap of his backpack tighter, "you do know better, Lydia, so can you lay off my case?"

Lydia smiled mischievously. "Now, where's the fun in that?" Scott groaned and rolled his eyes. "With the way you're acting lately, just get a nice Porsche and you and Jackson could finally be friends." The name rang in his mind and Scott paused thoughtfully. He wondered how Jackson was doing.

Scott stopped in his tracks and turned to face Lydia, who raised her brow expectantly. "Fine." He said, exasperatedly. "What do you want, Lydia?" he asked, fighting off a yawn.

Lydia smiled victoriously before the grin faded from her face, a more serious expression taking place. "You two were finally together after months of pining, Scott," he groaned when he realized where the conversation was heading. "I mean, you're both sulking miserably." She pointed out.

Scott scoffed. "Hold on, we're not sulking-"

Lydia cut him off. "Yeah, you're not fooling anybody." Scott frowned and Lydia hummed. "Not with that face." She sighed and gave him a concerned look. "Listen, Scott, this isn't good anymore and whatever noble reason you have for deciding to call it quits with Allison—" Lydia glared at some random sophomore who gave Scott a flirtatious wave, "—is obviously not for the best."

Scott's face softened. "Lydia, I appreciate this but it's not even a break up." He nervously fiddled with his backpack strap. "I need to keep this pack safe and when I'm with Allison, I keep on forgetting about the fact that she can take care of herself. I'm divided, my priorities aren't straight." He looked down, feeling guilty that he had to hear from Lydia to know how Allison was. "But with the nogitsune, I can't be divided and I can't always have her in my mind, worrying my head off everytime he'd take the people I care about."

Lydia sighed and placed her hand on Scott's shoulder, pulling him into a hug. "Scott," she said when he took a step back. "I'm a harbinger of death, Allison's from a hunter family who chose to align and protect werewolves, and you're the first true alpha in the continent for a century—we'll never be out of danger." She sighed wistfully and gave him a sad smile. "But it's really comforting knowing you're with the people you care about, the right people."

They walked out of the building and into the parking lot.

Scott felt an arrow of guilt hit him in the chest as Lydia looked away. Scott's eyes landed on a parking spot near a tree and remembered the blue jeep that seemed like a fixture there. "You're right." He confessed, earning a surprised look from Lydia. "But I can't be distracted. Not now." Scott faced Lydia, his expression earnest and apologetic. "But I promise you, Lydia. I'll make things right with Allison. I just need time to deal with everything first."

"Or you could deal with it now and get over your dramatic ass and get back together with Allison."

Scott groaned, "Please!"

Lydia caved in and gave him a tight smile. "Alright. Fine. I believe you," she said quietly. Lydia looked around, checking if anyone wad near them before asking in a hushed tone, "How's Stiles?"

Scott's face fell and remembered his friend and his shift at the clinic. "Actually, I'm heading there right now, do you want to go with me and check on him?" he asked Lydia and second after, her chemo-signal spiked. Scott breathed out. She was worried, not knowing what she'd even see. "Of course, you don't have to come if you don't want to." Scott offered as he felt guilty, not sensing her nervousness.

But to his surprise, Lydia nodded and pursed her lips. "Can you drive me there?" she asked, and Scott looked down and saw her fingers trembling when her eyes widened. "Oh, wait. Your bike."

Scott shook his head. He fished his phone from his pocket and held it up. "Just give me a second, I'll call Isaac to pick it up after he gets back from his trip with Argent." He sent a quick text to his beta as Lydia's eyebrows shot up in curiosity.

"What trip?" she asked as they got in her car.

Scott looked up in surprise. "You mean, Allison didn't tell you?"

Lydia shook her head. "Tell me what?" she asked as he revved the engine and started backing the car up, and drove out of the school's parking lot.

Scott looked at the road, giving Lydia passing glances. "So, uh, when Argent finished his hunter training, Gerard—" Lydia gave this dramatic shoulder shudder and he smiled at her attempt to lighten the mood. "Anyways, Gerard sent him on this mission with the Japanese mafia and that was when he first encountered a nogitsune."

Lydia looked at him, her eyes wide with shock. "You mean, he's dealt with this before?"

"Yeah."

Then, as he was driving through the road. "How'd he get away?"

Scott let out a breath of air as he took a turn. "Well, with the nogitsune? It was easy—he wasn't the target so he never really faced the nogitsune." Scott says, his tone had this edge of bitterness, wanting the same for his pack but that was never the case. "As for the shadow figures, onis, Argent has a theory." Scott held the steering wheel with one hand and revealed a necklace with a cloudy silver ingot. "Argent thinks that the onis can be defeated with silver."

He handed over the necklace to Lydia. She studied the metal. "Why?" she asked.

"Argent told me that when a hunter finishes training, they're given this ceremonial smelting thing." Scott saw from the corner of his eye that Lydia turned the ingot around. She traced the logo of the fleur de lis. "See a hunter would have to smelt an ammo or an arrowhead from silver as a sign that they've finished training."

Lydia nodded, her chemo-signal filling the car. Scott knew she's caught on. "And Argent managed to take escape alive." Lydia managed to sum up and Scott nodded at her.

"Exactly." He said. "So, Argent took off with Isaac and Allison to find the mafia who dealt with a nogitsune all those years ago." A smile crept up his face when he remembered something. "The best part? Argent has a plan to meet up as an arms dealer and since he's a familiar face, Isaac's going to do the negotiating. He's even wearing a suit!" Scott laughed and saw Lydia flash a smile as he took another turn and parked near the backdoor entrance of the clinic.

Getting out of the car, Scott grabbed his back and took out a key. He unlocked the door and went inside, smiling at the dogs who recognized him. "Hey, buddy!" Scott said to a husky puppy in a cage who jumped enthusiastically at him.

Scott looked over his shoulder and smiled at Lydia who was cooing over a chihuahua. "Hey," she said, her attention undivided as she placed her hand on the glass. Scott laughed as the chihuahua licked the glass where her hand was.

Scott heard Lydia's heart beat and she smiled to himself. "You feeling better?" Lydia snapped up and looked at him. She nodded and she walked across the boarding kennels and caught up to him. "I'd always pass through the kennels when I feel down." He confessed, reaching for the light switch to before leaving the room.

"Thanks for that, Scott," Lydia breathed out. "I honestly didn't know how I'd feel with everything happening." Her face fell and when Scott got a whiff of her chemo-signal, her mood slightly dampened. "With Stiles," she whispered quietly as if she didn't want anyone to know how she felt.

Scott gave her a tight and brave smile. "Hey, we can get through this. I know we can."

Lydia nodded and went on to the reception area. Scott settled for the desk, trying to find the key for the basement as Lydia fiddled with the "Sorry we're closed" sign that hung on the door. "Hey, why is the clinic closed?"

Scott felt his fingers collide with something cold and small, a key that had a familiar lining and scent. When he looked up, instead of answering Lydia's question, he held the key in the air for her to see. "Because of this." He said as she went inside the examination and surgery room and made a beeline towards a door in the corner and unlocked it only to reveal a poorly lit flight of stairs.

Scott began his decent down the stairs when Lydia caught up to him. "Yes, interesting. Keys open doors but it really doesn't answer questions, now does it, Scott." She said, sarcasm dripping from her tone as his muscles tensed as he felt danger lurk in the shadows of the basement as the floor boards of the stairs creak with their weight.

When Scott finally reached the ground, he went over to a small spot near the stairs and flipped the lights witch on and the sound of electricity buzzed. Slowly, the light bulbs flickered on and illuminated the basement. Lydia, who was still at the last step of the stairs, gasped as the basement revealed its secret.

It was Stiles, heavily taped and tied to a chair with rope that reeked of salt and mountain ash. The chair he sat in was screwed to the ground and around the chair was a large insignia that consisted of some writings, a star, and a circle painted with white acrylic.

"What's that?"

Scott crossed his arms as he watched Stiles, whose head was bowed down. He heard his breathing, steady and controlled as his heart beat. Scott gritted his teeth and slowly let out a breath of air. Stiles was asleep.

"This is the reason why I was absent for a few days and why the clinic is closed today." Scott remembered the feeling of rope burning his skin and winced at the pain knowing it was caused by someone who eerily looked like his best friend thrashing around and mocking him.

Lydia remained silent, her hand pressed against her lips at the sight of her boyfriend tied down like an animal.

"For the first few hours, knowing that we couldn't hurt the nogitsune without hurting Stiles, we had our hands full. We needed a way to keep Stiles locked and put away without breaking free every five minutes." When Stiles' head twitched, Scott felt his nails dig into the palm of his hands. "So, Argent called some backup who specialized in dealing with demons."

Lydia squirmed uncomfortably. "Demons?" her voice was an octave higher. "Like angels-and-demons demons?" he nodded and pointed at a telephone that hung on the wall. Lydia walked towards it and saw a number with a name scribbled across it.

When Lydia opened her mouth to ask, Scott had beat her to it. "They're the Winchester brothers. They've been dealing with the supernatural their whole lives and apparently, it's like hunter royalty even when compared to the Argent family." Scott cleared his throat with a cough and soon, Lydia stood beside her, fear radiating off her body. "But anyways, they specialize with demons and ghosts."

Lydia's brows furrowed. The scent of her fear was replaced with a different chemo-signal, confusion. "But this is a nogitsune." She stressed the word, pointing to Stiles with her hand. "A dark kitsune."

Scott nodded. "Yeah, but according to their archives in their bunker, a nogitsune is a demon trickster fox spirit." Scott pointed at the insignia painted on the ground. "And with that, there's no way Stiles would get out."

"What is that anyway?" she asked, examining the insignia.

"It's a Devil's trap. Think of it like a mountain ash circle but for demons." Scott explained and Lydia nodded. "Though it doesn't keep them from going in." Scott mentioned offhandedly.

Lydia fidgeted as she saw a part of the sigil that had thinning paint. "What happens if the line is broken?" Scott's eyes had been focused on Stiles, watching hos every move as Lydia examined the Devil's Trap.

"Same thing that happens to a mountain ash circle—it becomes useless." Scott sighed and uncrossed his arms as Lydia stood outside the edge of the Devil's Trap. "That's why Deaton went out to find a garden where a nogitsune had been killed. He says that a rare poison would be there, a type of lichen called letharia vulpina or something like that."

Lydia remained near the edge. "You mean fox poison?" she asked.

Scott moved his eyes from Stiles to Lydia, sensing something different with her tone and her chemo-signal. To Scott, it felt emotionless, almost like barren. "Yeah, I mean, we can't rely on a Devil's Trap forever. Deaton said that a dose of letharia vulpina can weaken the nogitsune without hurting Stiles and that's good." Scott said, his tone hopeful, trying to get a reaction from Lydia.

"We could finally help Stiles and beat this thing."

But there was still nothing.

Instead, as he tried to get closer, Lydia slammed her foot on the paint and erased the line, breaking the line. "Lydia, what did you do?!" Scott nearly yelled and when he reached her, the moment his hand landed on his shoulder, Lydia turned around and instead of seeing his friend, he was Stiles, the nogitsune standing in front of him.

The nogitsune stood in front of him, painful memories flood through his brain as he saw Stiles' face. Scott didn't want to hurt him. "Oh, Scott," Void began, his tongue clicking and voice raspy. Void pointed to the chair that was mangled and a mess of torn duct tape and snapped rope segments remained on the ground. "Did you really think that tape and rope is going to keep me caged? Keep me from escaping?"

Scott stood still and he didn't move a muscle. "Okay, we can do this the easy way, Stiles or Void or whoever you are!" he yelled, breathing deep as he dug his nails into his hand. "Go back inside the Devil's Trap."

Void playfully tapped his chin. "And why would I do that?" Scott gritted his teeth and slowly, in front of him, Void changed appearance and morphed into Allison.

"I asked you, Scott," somehow, Allison's clothes reeked of other people's sweat, of beer, and of a lizard that smelled like Jackson. His eyes widened. The Kanima during the rave. The fight they had, the one that caused everything to fall apart because he didn't listen to her. "I asked you what you wanted me to do because I can fix it but you didn't listen to me." Suddenly, Allison had a cross bow and aimed it at him.

She fired and he felt pain. He screamed in agony as it burned. There was probably wolfsbane. "What do you want me to do? I can—I can fix it. Please, please, Scott." The memory of Allison begging him to listen was replaying itself over and over again.

And he just left her. "Just stay out of the way." He said coldly as he left her in the ocean of people, alone with Matt Daehler.

"So, that's what I'm gonna do, Scott." Void's voice morphed back into Stiles' and when he looked up, he saw his best friend's face, all pale with redness enveloping his eyes. "I'll stay out of your way because you won't be in the way." Void said as if it was simple enough to understand. "I'll kill you."

Scott watched as Void grew claws and stabbed him, his stomach bleeding black and fast. There was so much blood.

Pain.

Then, as Scott had his hand over his bleeding wound and continued to apply pressure, Void morphed into Stiles. The real Stiles.

"You left me!" Stiles spat out the minute any trace of Void was gone. "You just left me alone to find our parents, choosing to give your life up!" Scott shook his head and when he opened his mouth to answer back, to defend and explain himself, his voice was lost. "I fucking mourned you and all you could think about was Allison!"

Scott shook his head. "No, no, that's not true. I care for you, too. You're important to me, Stiles, you're my brother!" but Stiles had none of it.

"Then who did you want to find when the nogitsune took Allison? Your best friend? Or your stupid girlfriend who turned on you and things went bad? Your girlfriend whose mom almost suffocated you with poisonous wolfsbane?"

Scott's throat felt itchy. "I needed to find her, Stiles. She was injured and I can't lose her, not again." Scott tried to explain, going on defensive.

But Stiles exploded in anger. "See?" Stiles pointed at him and he felt guilt and anger. "It's always Allison, it's always your girlfriend and not your best friend—your brother—who stood by your side in every waking minute of this werewolf shebang! You chose the girl who broke your heart a million times," Stiles' anger reached the boiling point and glared at him as his voice broke. "You chose to worry about her when Gerard had me kidnapped and tortured! You chose Allison and not the person who stood by you when your father walked out of your dumb and pathetic life!" Stiles spat her name out like it was poison.

Scott couldn't control his anger. "At least she didn't get me bitten by some random werewolf!"

Stiles scoffed at him. "So, that's how we stand, eh?" he said as Scott glared at his friend. "It's always Allison and it's never dear old Stiles." Scott had enough of the taunting as he curled his fingers into a fist and tried to punch Stiles but he missed, his fist passing through his form like it was a mist of air.

Strife.

Somehow, Stiles managed to get the upper hand in the fight by hitting him in the head before he was kicked him to the ground. Someone was screaming in the background, crying, though Scott didn't know who it was and he didn't care enough to find out as Stiles' foot came kicking on his stomach where the wound was still tender.

He cried out in pain as he heard footsteps and floor boards creaking. There was yelling and more shouting and there was a gunshot. Scott felt his body lose control and limp as long brown and shaggy hair met him.

"Come on, Scott, snap out of it. Get up, get up." Then, all of a sudden, the basement was filled with people. Scott could sense their chemo-signals and recognize their scents. He even heard the sound of their breathing and their heart beats. Scott was confused as he was grabbed unto Sam Winchester's hand to get up.

"What are you guys doing here? When did you get here?" Scott couldn't believe that people managed to get in the basement without him knowing. He glared at the nogitsune who watched everyone with a smirk. "You!" Scott wanted to charge up to Void and beat him senseless but Sam held him tight and Dean yelled at him.

As he calmed down Deaton went to him and pressed a cold compress on his head. Scott winced when it stung. "Calm down, Scott." Deaton said gently but firmly. Scott felt his chest lighter and he began breathing normally. "Listen, you've been hit, Scott." Deaton held up his flashlight, as if asking for permission to use it. Scott gulped and nodded. "Okay, so you have a slight concussion and I need you to rest tonight, okay?" Deaton placed a supporting hand on his shoulder. "You're going to be okay."

Scott looked confused and his eyes landed in the corner of the stairs were Lydia stood, her knees trembling and her fingers shaking. Then, every memory came rushing back to him and as swiftly as he remembered, he felt guilt. "Lydia, I'm so sorry." But she looked away as she dropped the metal baseball bat that had blood on it. His blood.

Lydia dropped the bat, fingers still shaking and eyes shining with unshed tears. She left and went upstairs in a hurry, not bothering to muffle the soft cries that escaped her. Scott locked eyes with Isaac and he nodded, running after Lydia to make sure she's safe and taken care of, with someone to look after her.

Scott was left with Argent, Allison, the Winchesters, Dr. Deaton, Noshiko, Ken, Kira, and the Sheriff.

There was an awkward silence until Argent coughed to try and ease the heavy atmosphere. "So, Scott, what do you remember?" suddenly, everyone was looking at him.

Scott squirmed uncomfortably as he met Allison's worried glance. "Not much really." He confessed taking the cold compress from Deaton. "This doesn't help, actually." Scott said with a small chuckle to try and lift everyone's mood but it failed. He cleared his throat and breathed in deep. "I guess I remember Void playing tricks with my mind, making me see people and then, somehow, he got out and started beating me up."

Everyone exchanged worried looks.

Scott didn't miss the gesture shared by those around him and as his brows furrowed in confusion. "Scott," Allison began, showing him a video on her phone using an app that synced it to the CCTV camera of the clinic. Scott took the phone out of her hands and clicked the play button and watched as he went crazy and began hitting himself and inched closer to their Lydia before she grabbed a bat and when Sam stopped him from killing himself. "This is all you."

"What?" Scott shook his head and looked at Void who smirked at him.

"Oh, believe her, Scottie." Void taunted. "The visions if your dearest Allison shooting you with a crossbow and Stiles mocking you? Got to say that it was my trick but the whole fight club sequence?" Void chuckled darkly and grinned maniacally. "That was all you, buster. A thousand applause, Scott."

Scott shook his head and glared at Void. "No, you're playing tricks on me again. I know it!" he yelled and looked expectantly at everyone to believe him but no one did until Deaton took a step forward with an injection filled with green liquid.

Scott balked and took a step back. His body moved with fear and although he has no idea what it was, it felt like poison to even look at.

"Let's finish this chapter once and for all." Deaton said before turning around to face the nogitsune, whose smirk had fallen off his lips. "Dean, Samuel, shall we?" Deaton gestured towards the nogitsune. Void scrambled and started squirming when the Winchester brothers held him down while Deaton delivered a dose of the green stuff in the crook of Stiles' neck.

Letharia vulpina, a small voice whispered to him. Scott turned around to see if anyone said that but nobody did. Instead, Allison gave him a worried look and asked him if he was okay. Instead of asking around, Scott just gave her a tight smile as he turned back to watch as Void was screaming in pain. Stay away from the poison, a snake like voice hissed at him.

"Aah!" Scott yelped and hissed in pain as his hand flew to the crook of his neck. People looked at him again and he shrugged. "It's a mosquito." He said and as he opened his hand, he found a dead firefly.

Then, the screaming stopped and Scott looked at Void. He was no longer pale and sickly. There was a healthy shade of pink on his skin and the Sheriff smiled and gave a teary laugh. "Stiles!" Sheriff said as the man in the chair looked up, the familiar whiskey eyed boy looked up.

"Dad?" Stiles said groggily as he looked around. "What's happening?"

Noshiko stepped forward and took her knife out and Sheriff Stilinski's eyes narrowed and held his hand up. "Hold on, hold on, is this really necessary?" Noshiko waved him off and broke the knife with her bare hands. A few seconds passed and suddenly, a shadow started to form beside Kira.

"Don't worry, Sheriff Stilinski, this knife is not for your son." She said grimly as the oni went straight for Stiles and stared long at him. Scott had this urge to yell the oni, wanting to tell it to do something about Stiles, to warn the people about the nogitsune because Void is still there.

Scott gritted his teeth as he tensed up because he could still feel the shadows, he could still see the darkness and the people around him did nothing as the oni, by some force of nature, wiped off the paint and broke the Devil's Trap.

Then, there was a hand on his shoulder. Scott turned around and saw Allison giving him a smile. "How are you holding up?" she asked as the oni left Stiles on the ground sleep talking, muttering something about popping one too many Adderall.

"Something's wrong." He said immediately and Allison's eyes landed on his head injury.

"Yeah, you're still bleeding." She noted, worry evident in her tone when, in front of them, Noshiko gave a everyone a solemn look, her lips pursed and sighed.

"Your friend's cured." Sheriff Stilinski sighed and went over to hug Stiles.

"About time you're all fixed, Stiles," Sheriff muttered as he helped his son up.

Scott remained on his spot and saw Noshiko and Dr. Deaton exchange a look when Allison stood in front of him. "Aren't you going to greet him?" she asked and he sighed, shaking his head as a response.

"I'm kinda feeling dizzy, actually." He said. It wasn't a lie, though. Scott did feel his head splitting into two. "I want to head home," Scott gave Stiles and his father a passing glance. "I'm heading home, you want to catch a ride with me?" Scott asked, barely masking an edge to his voice.

Stiles looked like he wanted to but Dr. Deaton spoke up. "Actually, if it's not too much trouble, I'd like to do a series of examinations, to make sure that he's alright." Sheriff nodded and thanked Dr. Deaton as Argent muttered his agreement. "But you're free to go, Scott. In fact, with that concussion of yours, I'd recommend that you rest."

"Alright." Scott said, heading upstairs when Allison caught up with him.

"Hey, you need a ride?" Scott cursed under his breath when he remembered that he drove Lydia to the clinic in her car. He left his bike at school. "It's no trouble, Dad and I can drop you off," she offered but he shook his head.

Scott scratched the back of his head nervously, unsure of how to approach her offer. "I was thinking of catching a ride with my Mom." Scott's eyes widened. "Oh, shit! Mom. . .oh, she's gonna be so worried," Scott tried to find his phone around the clinic when Allison stopped him, placing a hand on his chest.

"Don't worry, we filled your mom in on the situation. She's at the hospital finishing her shift." Scott started breathing normally and closed his eyes, a stinging feeling greeting him. "Come on, it's okay. Let's get you home."

Allison's car was parked in front of his house. "Thanks for the, uhm, ride." Scott fidgeted with his seat belt awkwardly and breathed out.

Allison gave a breathy laugh. "You know, you don't have to be so awkward around me, Scott," she said, her heart beat telling him that it's genuine, that she meant it without any malice. "You broke up with me," there was this heavy atmosphere again and Scott looked away until he noticed her chemo-signal.

Allison felt guilty.

"I mean, I broke up with you once, too." Scott shook his head and removed his seat belt, leaning in to pull her into a hug.

"Listen, that's not your fault, Allison. Don't beat yourself up because of it." Allison gave him a sad smile and unlocked the door.

"Go get some rest, Scott." He smiled at her and pressed his lips against her temple and took in her scent, relaxing him and giving the strength and sanity to continue on his crusade in defeating the nogitsune even if it's fooled everyone.

Scott got out the car and Allison revved the engine when he turned around. She rolled down one of the windows and he smiled. "Just to be clear, we didn't break up." Allison smiled wistfully and looked at him fondly. "And besides, this mess? The nogitsune and all that? It'll be over soon." He promised as Allison shook her head.

"Rest." She said and pointed at the house. "Go."

Scott waved goodbye and waited until Allison had disappeared over the curb. He slowly made his way into the house, staring deeply into the windows as if he was waiting for something to appear.

Eventually, Scott went inside and into the kitchen. He wrapped a clean kitchen towel around a plastic bag filled with ice cubes. "Aah," he sighed in relief as he pressed it against the aching spot near his eye. He left a note and posted it on the refrigerator door with magnet for his mom to see before heading up.

Scott watched the shadows and continued walking until he reached his room. He plopped down on his bed and stared at his ceiling, everything around him was quiet. "I know you're there, Void." Scott said to no one in particular before a shadow-y figure emerged from the corner of his room.

Void smiled, his face eerily similar to Stiles. "Hey, Scottie." He grinned maniacally. Scott closed his eyes and cried, his breathing rushed and uneven. "You've given me chaos, strife, and pain. Thanks for that."