and a year plus later, i return.

I think my inspiration for this story has finally returned. Honestly at a pretty unfortunate time, I am so swamped right now. Oh well.

To Rose099: well, here's the update...over a year late. Sorry lol.

To skiescloud: once again, better late than never? maybe? Idk.

Disclaimer: I only own Loki.

Loki hung in her cell in Eichen House, her breathing shallow. She'd only been in Eichen a few days, since her botched attempt to rescue Lydia, but the air was already rank with the smell of her blood. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the black substance dripping slowly down her arm.

Grimacing, Loki twitched her head to the side.

A loud buzzing filled the air of her cell. It was her phone, left haphazardly in the corner of the cell with some of her other belongings. Loki cracked her eyes open, blinking blood away from her eyes.

She could see the contact name from the other side of the room. It was Ethan. The buzzing stopped, and Ethan's message played out loud, his voice echoing through the cell.

"It's me. Lo, pick the hell up. What's going on?" Ethan's voice was agitated. The girl hardly ever missed a call from the twins, and she had nevernot called back within the hour. "Call us back, please."

There was a click indicating the end of the message and Loki let out a low whimper. She leaned her head back, so she was looking at the ceiling, trying to release the strain of the chain in order to stop the tugging of the nails in her head. It worked a little, but the angle made her neck ache.

Grunting, Loki let her head dip forward again, wincing as the movement sent a thrum of pain through her head. She closed her eyes, one thought penetrating through the haze of agony. I should have left with the twins…

*FLASHBACK*

"Loki." The teenager tugged her earbuds off, looking up. Kali was at the door to her room. The elder female jerked her head back. "Duke wants you downstairs."

"What for?" Loki asked, following Kali to the lower level of the house they were staying in. Kali grunted, jutting her chin forwards.

"Them."

Loki followed Kali's gaze. Deucalion was standing in the center of the room below. Behind him were two young men, unfamiliar to Loki. Ennis was standing in the corner, looking at the two boys critically. Loki frowned, heading down the stairs.

"Who's this?" She asked disparagingly. She narrowed her eyes at the two boys in front of. They were her age, maybe a little older. One of them stood slightly in front of his brother. Loki's eyes flicked over the two of them.

The two boys were at the awkward stage on the cusp of adulthood – long, gangly limbs, skinny from a recent growth spurt. Both of them had a slightly unhealthy look, like they were underfed. Still, Loki could tell at a glance that they would be attractive someday soon.

Though the one standing in front of the other looked slightly more aggressive, she could tell on a glance that the one in the back didn't need protecting. Rather, the brother in front was merely a distraction, while the one in the back watched Loki's every move. She cocked her head to the side, observing with interest.

She could tell they were on edge. They felt out of their element.

"Loki," Deucalion said. She glanced back at her Alpha. He waved a hand towards each of the twins in turn. "This is Aiden and Ethan." Loki looked at the two boys again. They were clearly werewolves, but…

"They're not Alphas," she said, slightly surprised. Deucalion had a whole point to this pack, so why were these boys here? Deucalion chuckled lowly.

"Not yet," he agreed. Loki raised her eyebrows. Well, that'sintriguing. Deucalion beckoned Loki forwards, and she stepped forward obediently. She was only a few months out of Eichen, and she felt the incessant need to prove herself, time and time again.

Deucalion had saved her. She would do whatever he wanted.

"You're going to fight them," he told her. Loki nodded, turning to face the boys again. The one in front looked her up and down appraisingly, a small smirk on his face. It was clear he thought she was no match for them.

"Aiden," the other boy said, his voice low. It was a clear warning not to underestimate Loki. She grinned.

"You should listen to your brother," she told the boy in front – Aiden. Without any more warning, she struck forwards, hitting the first boy in the chest as hard as she could. She heard his ribs crack as he flew backwards, slamming into his brother. Both boys sprawled to the ground, and Loki straightened up triumphantly.

She cast a look at the other Alphas, an instinctive desire for praise. Across the room, Ennis chuckled. "Not bad, kid."

The two boys were already climbing to their feet. Aiden was holding his side, his face contorted in a wince. Loki smirked slightly. She expected the pretty boys to give up, assuming that they weren't used to taking hits. To her surprise, however, they both rushed at her in a choregraphed attack.

One of them – she couldn't tell which – caught her arms and pulled them behind her back. He was strong for a young Beta, and before Loki could break his grip the other one caught her across the face with his claws.

Disoriented and surprised, the boy got in a few more hits before Loki reacted. She jumped up, slamming her upper body backwards and wrapping her legs around her attacker's waist. She twisted in their grip, shoving out with her feet and pulling free from his grasp.

Loki flipped into the air, landing on the ground behind the two boys. She stumbled slightly on her landing, swiping blood from her eyes with a frustrated growl.

"Ethan. Aiden." The two boys glanced towards Deucalion. "Remember what I taught you." The twins exchanged a look and Loki frowned. She took a step forward, and Deucalion stopped her. "Wait."

In unspoken agreement, the two twins stripped off their shirts. Loki blinked.

"Woah," she said, her eyes wide. "Um…not sure I'm into this." Her statement earned her an irritated growl from both twins. She watched curiously as one of the twins knelt down, arching his back slightly.

The other boy took a deep breath, like he was focusing. Both of them had their eyes closed. The standing twin placed his hand on his brother's back, and Loki's eyes went wide as it sunk into the skin.

Her mouth fell open as the two bodies began to merge into one. The twins slid together slowly, forming into one huge werewolf. They blinked their golden eyes, snarling at Loki.

"What the fuck, Duke?" She asked in shock, staring at the monstrous form in front of her. The creature took a step forward, and Loki took a wary step back. This was way more than she had bargained for. "You could have warned me." Deucalion chuckled.

"This is training for you, too, Loki," he told the young Alpha. "Besides…I wasn't sure they would manage to do it." Deucalion's voice betrayed his surprise, but he seemed pleased. As if to prove Deucalion's point, the conjoined twins took another step forward and promptly stumbled.

Loki couldn't stop the snicker that rose in her throat, and the twins growled in anger. They took another step forward, steadying themselves. The twins snarled again, preparing to fight. Loki nodded.

"Alright," she said, holding her hands. She shifted into a defensive stance. "Let's go."

*END FLASHBACK*

An Eichen House security guard was at his usual position behind the locked gates. He shifted his weight, stifling a yawn. The walkie-talkie at his waistband beeped and then crackled. His supervisor was asking for a check-in.

"South gate clear, over," the guard responded, turning to face the stairs. As he lowered the walkie-talkie from his mouth, the gate behind him creaked. Frowning, the guard turned around. It had cracked open.

Unnerved, the guard stepped forward. He'd been positive he'd checked the lock and it had been latched securely…maybe he was so tired he'd forgotten. He might've chalked the movement up to his carelessness and wind, but the night air was still. He took another step closer, his eyes falling on a drop of viscous looking-liquid dripping from the latch.

"What the hell…" he muttered. He reached for his radio, about to call in for backup. Before he could, there was a loud snarl behind him.

Whipping around, the guard's eyes went wide. There was a girl behind him. Half of her body covered in scales, and she had fangs and claws. The guard scrambled for his walkie-talkie, but before he could call for help, she had slashed him across the chest.

His first thought was that didn't hurt that badly. I can barely feel it.

His second thought was wait, I can barely feel anything. Heart pounding in fear, the guard's legs collapsed beneath him as he went completely numb, unable to move an inch. He trembled with fear as the girl loomed over him.

The girl, Tracy, tilted her head to the side, and then stepped on his walkie-talkie. She brought her foot down hard, crushing the machine completely.

Her destruction of the device sent a wave of screeching static to the other machines on the same channel. Across the courtyard of Eichen House, a more seasoned security guard pulled out his walkie-talkie to turn it off.

As he clipped the device back onto his belt, the hairs on the back of his neck rose. Acting off instinct, he unclipped his cow prod and whipped around.

Electricity crackled around the device – it was strong enough to floor almost any creature, supernatural or otherwise. Surprise and terror flooded through the security guard as the boy who had snuck up behind him caught the weapon, roaring loudly as he easily absorbed the electricity harmlessly.

The boy's eyes glowed purple as he snarled, and the electricity began to flow the opposite way down the cow prod. The security guard's eyes rolled up into his head as his body began to jerk with the electricity.

As he fell to the ground, the electricity coursing through him, the boy turned away. Josh crossed the courtyard, regrouping with his pack mate. The two chimeras entered Eichen House, and their third pack member peeled off from where he'd been camouflaged by the wall.

"Visiting hours are well past over," the orderly at the front desk said in a bored voice, not looking up from the chart he was observing. Tracy smiled coldly.

"We're not here to visit," she said. The orderly looked up. He didn't appear to be at all shocked by the three teenagers clearly non-human appearances. He eyed them coldly.

The door opened again, and the orderly's expression shifted slightly. His eyes narrowed warily as the chimera pack's leader strode up to the front desk.

Theo Raeken smirked.

"We're here for Lydia Martin and Elizabeth Carter."

ok i know this chapter is super-duper short but it was kinda a test to see if i a) still have readers and b) see if i could get back in the grove of writing for teen wolf.

please let me know how i did! seeing the few reviews i got and the follows and faves really gave me the inspiration to continue with this story. i think i can finish it...just give me some feedback, please? pretty pretty please?

i would LOVE a review.