The urge to stay and listen to the howls and screams of the Alphas inside the bank vault was tempting. A year ago, the pride in him might have held him there to do just that, and cost them the entire plan.
"Time to go," he turned to Jackson, slapping the kid on the shoulder as he hurried by.
"Why don't we just run and get the hell out of here?"
"Because this whole plan was Caroline's idea and she's up on the roof with Deucalion," Tyler lead the way to the main entrance.
It was going to be nice walking out the front doors of this place finally. Sure, he'd gotten out, crawled up through a hole in a wall, then right back down and in again through another on the other side of the building. The cool night hair hit his face and he almost wanted to smile. It was the same air he had breathed breaching that hole up on the roof, but somehow this felt better.
"And Stefan," Jackson rounded on him, doors swinging closed behind them. "They can take care of themselves against one Alpha."
"That wolfsbane is only going to keep the rest of the Alphas down in that vault for so long. They can crawl out, same way I did. And when they do, we need to be as far away from here as possible. All of us. I'm not leaving until I know Deucalion is down and Caroline is safe."
"Is that so?"
Jackson was still in front of Tyler when he turned around at the sudden voice. His eyes were still rounding, his mouth gaping, when the attack came. The young werewolf went sideways, flailing through the air and crashing into a crumpled pile of limbs on the ground. Tyler watched it all happen with fear, and then anger. He charged before Deucalion could move toward him, the Alpha blocking the first two punches, but missing the third. Seizing his opening, the hybrid tackled the Alpha to the pavement. The pair rolled and roared as Jackson used the side of the building to climb to his feet. Shaking off the pain and the shock, the werewolf jumped in and joined the fray. It was a mess of claws and teeth and just as Jackson dug his canines into the Alphas carotid, Deucalion flung him, swiping the werewolf's chest as he fell. Deucalion hit his knees, hand coming up to cover the already healing wound on his neck while Jackson tumbled and landed a few yards away, cursing and groaning, clutching at the angry red lines that slashed through his shirt and skin. Tyler moved to help the teenager up.
"I - don't need - all of Derek's pack - alive," Deucalion growled as he stood, eyes red and features sharpening until he was something - else.
The hybrid stepped in front of the werewolf.
"Go," Tyler pushed the kid away, "run!"
The pair turned and took off into the tree line, the Alpha not far behind them.
"No matter what happens, you go straight to the doc's," Tyler barked between breaths. "They can't get you there."
"That wasn't part of the plan," Jackson vaulted a fallen tree.
"Neither was this."
"Your girlfriend's plan sucked."
"Try not insulting my girlfriend when I'm saving your life!" On this last word, the hybrid turned on his heel, crouching low and then leaping to meet Deucalion as he charged after them.
The Alpha jumped, meeting Tyler midair and the two crashed together, landing against a tree that cracked against their weight. It fell and Jackson spun around, diving out of its way. He stood there, stunned as he watched the pair rip each other apart. Deucalion wasn't fighting to kill, though, just to get by. To tear through Tyler and get to him. The Alpha knocked the hybrid back and lunged for the werewolf, claws missing Jackson's throat by less than an inch when Tyler caught him by the waist, twisting him back around and tossing him into a trunk.
"I said run!" Tyler shouted back at him.
It took Jackson's brain a second before the teenager swallowed, nodded, and turned tail, sprinting through the woods without looking back.
The Alphas weren't exactly at full strength when they clawed and crawled their way up and out of the bank vault. Then again, neither were the two vampires laid out unconscious, empty needles still sticking out of their necks. On hands and knees and still coughing, Ennis made his slow way over to Caroline's body.
"They're needed alive." Kali cut in, trying to stand.
"How alive?" Ennis loomed over the girl. "Beaten and broken and bleeding but still breathing is alive, isn't it?
"Where's Ethan?" Aiden gasped as he emerged from the hole.
"We have more important things to worry about right now," Kali helped him up and through.
"He's my brother," Aiden shook her off of him and slumped over.
"And Deucalion is our Alpha," she snapped back. "We have our orders. As much I'd love to peel the bitch's undead flesh from her bones while she screamed, we're not harming her. Either of them. Get them in the vault and pump them full of more vervain, then seal this hole up." She rested a foot on Stefan's chest, turning his head to each side with her toes. "Shame. This one's pretty. I could have fun with him."
Ennis growled low, Kali turning to smirk at him.
"What?" She cocked her head and then looked back down at the vampire. "Jealous?"
"I am."
There was the sound of a heavy thump and Kali swung around as Ennis' body finished falling, revealing a grinning vampire behind him.
"Oh, and make no mistake, sweetheart," he stepped over the heap of a werewolf, "I'm the fun brother."
