Chapter 39: Divide And...
"Derek's sister ?" Jeremy swore into the phone as he hopped a fallen tree, tracking the werewolf with a crossbow in one hand and cell in the other. "Yeah - yeah. I'll try not to kill her, but Elena, she's so far gone she could rip the whole town apart without breaking a sweat - they both could. You sure this plan of theirs to lure them out is gonna work?" He waited a beat to listen, and breathe. "What do you mean a real hunter is helping them? I am a real hunter!" He stayed with the tracks when they diverted suddenly to the side. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Just - thanks for the vote of confidence, sis. Wait."
Jeremy halted abruptly, staring down at the prints and broken foliage that had been guiding his path.
"Oh, shi -"
Both the phone and crossbow flew from his hands, and the wind from his lungs, as the wolf dropped down from the tree. She wrapped her legs around his torso, arms flailing and claws slashing at his neck and face. The wooden stake that shot out of his wrist holster made her howl as it pierced her shoulder, but didn't do much else to stay her murderous efforts. Another knife, this one from his waistband, into her thigh, slowed the wolf just enough that he could ram her back against the very tree she had been laying in wait in. She slid off of him but didn't pause before lunging forward. Grabbing her arm, Jeremy pulled the wolf forward, snaking his leg around hers when she stumbled off-balance, and bringing her down underneath him.
A dozen different kill moves danced at the edges of his mind. Memories of the mark. Of the dead vampires and wolves and hybrids. It would be easy. Too easy. And - according to what he'd just been told ten seconds ago - this was Derek's sister. Derek's thought-to-have-been-dead-sister. The only family the Alpha had left was some psychotic uncle. Jeremy knew the loss of family all too well. He couldn't take her away from Derek.
And then he looked at her. Really looked. Raving, hungry - but afraid. In pain. And there was something else - something -
The wolf stopped struggling for the smallest of seconds, head snapping to the side. It was enough of a surprise to catch the hunter off guard so that when she threw him off of her, he wasn't ready and went rolling backwards, skull smacking a stump.
He shook off the daze, but she was already long gone. He could vaguely hear his name being called out and hurried to collect his cell and crossbow, calming Elena.
"I swear, I'm fine. Really. Yeah, it must've worked. She just took off toward the school. I'll meet them there."
"You're actually going to go help?" Elena sat up straighter, a single eyebrow lifted in the werewolf's direction.
"Correction," Peter stalked past her without so much as a glance her way, "I'm going to go attempt to talk some sense into my nephew's thick head. You really think I'd waste getting these hands dirty for Boyd or -"
"Or your niece ?" Elena stood. "Oh, wait, I forgot. They told us. You killed your other one."
"And I'll kill this one too," Peter spun toward her, "because just like I wasn't myself when I attacked Laura, Cora isn't herself right now. She's a rabid beast that needs to be put down."
"How can you be so heartless?" Elena shook her head.
"And how can you be so naive?" Peter leaned in closer.
"You are gonna be so dead in about two seconds if you don't back away from my girlfriend," Damon stepped forward. "And trust me, I am dying to rip somebody apart."
"Interesting," Peter tilted his head. "So quick to judge and lecture me, yet you claim him as your partner. I've heard the stories of Damon Salvatore. Not the Ripper like his brother, but then again, you loved that monster too."
"Leave," Damon moved between them. " Now ."
"Oh, I'm going," Peter sauntered toward the door, "but when all this is over, you all should stick around. I really want to see how this whole unhealthy little love triangle plays out. And, oh, don't worry," he shot Damon a wink, "I'm rooting for you ."
"You could leave now," Deucalion rounded on the Betas. "Live out the rest of your very short lives."
"Why are you doing this?" Isaac backed away.
"Let's call it tradition," the Alpha smirked behind his glasses.
"Or how about insanity?" Jackson swallowed, his tone not quite hitting the mark he had intended it to.
"The two of you are not meant to die by my hand," Deucalion positioned himself in front of the hole he had only moments ago thrown Caroline into. "But I'm afraid there are plenty of ways to bring a disobedient dog down without killing it."
The Alpha heard the noise just a moment too late. He was quicker, quicker than anyone else would have been, turning in time to meet the attack, but not block it. He felt the force of the hit and the sudden sensation of leaving the ground before he was sent toppling over the side of the building.
"Like that?"
Jackson and Isaac looked from the edge of the roof, to the panting and bleeding blond vampire.
"Are you okay?" Isaac hurried toward him.
"Not really," Stefan straightened. "And he'll be back. Derek and Scott made it out with Boyd and the other one. More like chased them out. They're not in control and their heading toward town."
"What, did you have time to take a phone call during this mess?" Jackson scoffed.
"I can hear," Stefan rolled his eyes. "Just like I can hear Tyler and Erica need our help inside. None of the Alphas went after Derek and the others. They're all still here. I just had to get through the twins to get up here."
"You fought the twins, alone?" Isaac gaped.
"The Alphas just let Boyd go, after keeping him for so long?" Jackson shook his head.
"It's part of the plan," Isaac swore. "Like Stiles said on the phone - and - and at the animal clinic. He had it right. They wanted Derek trapped with them. Werewolf thunderdome, remember? That's what it is, but it isn't meant for them to kill each other. It's to kill Derek, or the other way around, I - I don't know. We have to go. We have to help."
"Derek and Scott can handle two werewolves, and Jeremy's heading to meet them." Stefan placed a hand on the Beta's chest when Isaac started for the edge of the roof. "Erica and Tyler can't face the entire Alpha pack alone. We get them out and we retreat, got it?" He waited for both boys to nod. "Okay, good. Now, where's Caroline?"
