SIX
"What the hell was that?" I cautiously took my hands down and searched around for the source.
"That would be your brother's attempt at a howl." He shook his head and cast his face up towards the sky, like he was begging God to put him out of his misery. I for one, wasn't the type to believe in an old, all powerful white man.
In the harsh light of the lamppost I could make out the day old stubble that covered the straight lines of his jaw. It crept down his throat, which is where my gaze travelled. I drew in a long breath, suddenly even more uneasy than a few seconds ago.
"Well, at least I know where to find him now." I said as I turned to march straight to the main office. That's where he must be if he "howled" over the loudspeaker.
But before my foot had the chance to lift off the ground, a deep howl burst through the air. I felt the vibration surround me like a blanket, making my whole body tremble. Hell, making the ground tremble!
Is that coming from Scott? Is that giant beastly noise coming from my 16 year old, boy-band haircut, little brother?
"Shit." Derek hissed from behind me. His fingers suddenly clasped around my bicep and spun me back around to face him. "You need to go."
The sudden feel of his hand on my arm hurled my mind into a different moment, just as it had at the animal clinic. A moment from years ago, when that hand belonged to someone else. To someone whose goal was to hurt me. I wasn't in Beacon Hills. I wasn't outside of the school. I was back in the tiny kitchen of my old studio apartment.
Stiles's blue Jeep.
One.
The blue laces winding through my white sneakers.
Two.
The blue Beacon Hills High School sign plastered to the brick building.
Three.
"Don't!" I tried to shout the word but it came out as more of a croak. I ripped my body away from him and stumbled back a few steps from the force. "Don't touch me." I elaborated once there was a good five feet between us.
Those green eyes of his, the ones I knew could change into a blinding shade of blue, were glued to mine. The hand that had latched onto me was still hanging in the air, palm facing me as if in a show of surrender. He acted as though I were a frightened animal, one about to dart away at the slightest movement.
Maybe I was.
"Chelsea?" Scott's voice finally pulled Derek's attention away from me. I turned to find him and Stiles walking down the sidewalk towards us. "Chelsea! What the hell are you doing here?" he asked upon realizing that it was, in fact, me.
"I…" Why was I here again? "Left my phone in my last classroom/" I recalled the reason. "I came to grab it and ran into..." I hitched my thumb casually back at Derek, as if nothing had just transpired between us. "Just in time to hear that first pathetic meow of yours." Stiles laughed from beside him.
"I'm gonna kill both of you." Derek threatened from behind me. I watched Stile roll his eyes, clearly used to the abusive language. "What are you trying to do? Attract the entire state to the school?"
"Sorry." Scott huffed, a sheepish grin on his face. "I didn't think it would be that loud."
"Yeah, it was loud." I nodded.
"And it was awesome!" Stiles sang the last word.
"Shut up." Derek snapped
"Come on, don't be such a sour wolf." Stiles responded with his adorable shit-eating grin. It was difficult not to laugh at their exchange.
"What'd you do with him?" Scott suddenly asked as he ran closer to Derek's car and crouched down to peer through the window..
"What?" Derek whipped around to follow and bent to look in the same direction. I wasn't sure what they were talking about, but I was starting to get used to being out of the loop. It probably wasn't a loop I wanted to be in anyway.
"I didn't do anything." Derek stood straight, his head shaking from side to side in confusion.
A small squish like sound brought my eyes back up to Derek. At first, I couldn't understand what I was seeing. What was that thick red liquid coming from his mouth? Why was he getting taller? Why was he coughing like that?
It wasn't until I heard the heavy breaths that I noticed the monster behind him. The monster that had his claws buried deep into Derek's back. The beast lifted him off the ground and threw him across the sidewalk as if he weighed as much as a loaf of bread. Derek's body hit the brick wall of the school with a sickening thud before he dropped to the ground.
Scott and Stiles took off towards the school, and they must have assumed that I followed. But my feet had automatically turned towards my car. Luckily, I hadn't locked the doors and easily slid in. Since walking with my keys between my fingers had become a habit, they were readily available to start the engine. When I looked up again, the… whatever it was, was staring back at me. It's eyes glowed red like laser beams in my direction. But it didn't come towards me. Instead, it turned and followed my brother's path towards the school.
Scott's head turned back and our eyes met for a brief second before he closed the heavy metal doors behind him. But just before the doors locked into place, he yelled out for me to go.
My options played out in my head like a racing slide show. I could get out and run to my brother, which was more likely to get me killed than to be any help. Or I could speed to the sheriff's station and get Stalinski over here, though I'm not sure he could do much against a… whatever it is. Or I could lay on the horn and draw the creature away from Scott and Stiles…. And right to me.
I slammed my fist against the steering wheel. How was I supposed to leave my brother here? It's the logical thing but it just didn't feel right. My eyes followed the beam of light projecting from my headlights. Coincidentally, they landed directly on the heaping mass of Derek's body, as if putting him in the spotlight. Briefly, I thought about going to him, but I shook my head clear of the thought instantly.
"No." I chide myself aloud. "He's dead, just leave him and go get help." I talked to myself as I crept out of the parking lot. I could no longer see the beast… (was it a Werewolf? Could Scott transform into THAT?!) so I assumed he went around the building in search of another way in. When the car was parallel to Derek's unmoving form, I couldn't stop myself from looking over at him. Was he really dead? There was a big difference between leaving a dead body behind versus leaving a living breathing human, sorta, behind. Especially one that's on death's door.
God, what was it with this guy and nearly dying?
I hit the breaks with an exasperated grunt. I couldn't leave him. Not unless I knew for sure that he was dead.
I glanced around the area slowly, making sure I hadn't missed the big mut coming back. When I was sure the coast was clear, I hopped out of the car and sprinted towards my target. His cheek was resting against the grass and the back of his jacked was riddled with blood. Four distinct holes pierced the leather from the monster's claws.
"Derek!" I whispered as I slowed my approach. There was a slight rise and fall to his back that told me he was breathing and I was shocked by the relief that suddenly overflowed through my muscles and mind. "Okay. Okay." I repeated the word to myself as I ran through what to do next.
Get him to my car.
How?
He was massive. I didn't think I could drag him even if I tried. But I had to try, right? Hurriedly, I put the entire weight of my body behind rolling him onto his back, cringing when his injuries connected with the earth. This was definitely going to hurt. I linked my elbows under his arms and began slowly marching backwards. Inch by inch, draining every muscle in my legs, we made it to the car. Propping him up against the back tire, I searched wildly for something that could help me get him INTO the car.
I used my sleeve to wipe away the layer of sweat on my forehead. It was by no means hot outside, but the exertion of dragging a lifeless man through the grass really took a toll. How the fuck was I supposed to lift him into the car?
"Derek." I nudged his shoulder with my foot. "You have to help me out here. Please." I could feel the frustrated tears stinging behind my eyes. I couldn't get him in on my own. But I was too far along to leave him. As if on cue, he let out a slow groan.
"Where is he?" his voice was barely audible so I had to lean in close to understand.
"Scott?" I peer back towards the front door of the school. "He ran inside."
"No, the Alpha." He corrected. Is that what it had been? An Alpha? I wasn't an expert in Lycanthropy, but I got the basics of a wolf pack. An Alpha was the leader, the one in charge, the strongest of the group.
"I don't know." I confessed hurriedly. "Get in the car." I opened the rear door beside him. He tried to shake his head, like he was going to argue with me. "I can't get you in on my own and I don't know when that thing will be back. Get in!" I rushed the words out in a desperate attempt to make him understand the urgency in our situation. On the last word, his eyes clicked to mine, holding me captive as I waited for him to move.
After another second, he began to push himself up and all but crawled into the back seat. Just as his feet cleared, I slammed the door shut and ran to the driver's seat. I heard him grunt as I pushed the pedal down and the car lurched forward out of the parking lot.
Well, Chelsea met the Alpha! What do you think is going to happen next?