Condition Terminal Part One:
My pulse pounded in my ears furiously as I raced into the sheriff's station, the only thing I could hear was the 'whoosh, whoosh' of blood sloshing through my veins. I barely recognised the sound of footsteps thundering behind me as Scott, Stiles, Theo and Deaton followed me into the main office area of the station. The scent of blood invaded my senses, sending a fresh wave of panic through me as I immediately changed direction towards the rustic smell. The heels of my boots echoed throughout the near silent building until I froze in the doorway to the sheriff's office with a horrified gasp escaping me when saw what awaited inside.
Strawberry blonde hair splayed across the ground as Lydia's pretty face twisted in a pain filled grimace, her already pale skin drained of colour as she writhed in agony. Bright red blood drenched her lower abdomen, saturating her shirt in the process and her light green eyes locked onto my own dark brown orbs as she whispered weakly, "Sophie…"
The relief in her voice as she spoke name knocked me out of my shocked state and I immediately rushed over to kneel by her side, barely noticing Kira was in the same position next to me. My body was incredibly tense as I tried to gather thoughts, knowing that I had to be at the top of my game if I wanted to help my best friend. My hands were shaking slightly as I gently plied the sticky fabric of her shirt back so that I had a clear view of the wound on her abdomen where I assumed the blood was coming from. A sharp exhale escaped my parted lips as I took in the deep cut across her porcelain skin and I lifted my head to look around, trying to find something that work as a tourniquet.
"Theo! I need your belt. Now!" I ordered sternly in a quivering voice as I held out my hand expectantly and he immediately rushed to my side as he removed his belt in the process. He crouched next to me as I accepted the accessory from him and tied it around Lydia's torso in an effort to stop the bleeding. My breath was coming out in short pants as I pressed down on her side, keeping pressure on the wound. I blinked rapidly as I roughly brushed away a stray tear that had escaped my eye, smearing my cheek with my best friend's blood in the process but I had more important things to worry about.
The sound of heels fast approaching caught my attention momentarily and I lifted my head so fast my neck nearly snapped to see Natalie Martin standing horrified in the doorway with tears in her eyes, one of her hands covering her mouth in dismay as she stared at her daughter. A muffled gasp escaped her lips before she hurry over to kneel on the opposite side of Lydia, capturing her outstretched hand in between both of hers.
"Stiles. Stiles. Stiles, come on." Scott urged gently from the doorway, trying not to break the melancholy atmosphere of the room and my gaze flickered towards the human boy standing frozen where he stood staring at the strawberry blonde with tears in his eyes.
"Stiles, I'm fine. Help Tracy. Find Tracy." Lydia insisted weakly as she attempted to smile reassuring but it came off more like a grimace as tears streamed down her cheeks and he made no move to leave as his eyes flickered to her face. "Go."
It was in that moment that I realised how much Lydia Martin had grown in the last few years, how much she had changed for the better since becoming a banshee. She now wore her skin as though it was armour. We were made of flesh but we must live as though we were iron. She wasn't born brave, she wasn't born strong, but the universe had decided that she would have grit and fire and steel in her blood. She would face trial after trail, be broken and damaged in countless ways, but she was born to fight.
"It's okay. She's all right." I breathed out, more to reassure myself than Stiles as I forced myself to smile slightly when he glanced over at me and I nodded my head marginally in promise that she would be safe with me.
"Come on, Stiles." Scott urged him softly as he placed a hand on his best friends arm, his dark brown eyes understanding the need to protect the ones you cared about. Stiles lingered for a moment longer before allowing my brother to lead him down to the basement of the sheriff's station.
I noticed that Natalie had disappeared out of the office to call an ambulance and I felt a rush of blaring hot rage flow through my veins as I turned my head to glare at the kitsune next to me, "What the hell were you thinking coming here on your own?!"
Kira shrunk back in shock at my sharp tone, her eyes widening as she opened her mouth to respond but then quickly snapped it closed without uttering a word. Her cheeks reddened with a blush as she dropped her gaze in shame and I shook my head at her as I subconsciously tightened my hold on Lydia's abdomen.
"Not. Her. Fault." Lydia whispered breathlessly as her face scrunched up in agony with the effort it took to speak and she let out a pained whimper, causing me to cup one of her cheeks as I turned her head towards me.
"When you're better…I'm going to kill you."
"Looking. Forward to it."
Sirens could be faintly heard coming towards the station as I gripped my best friends hand tightly within my own and I leaned my forehead against hers as she chuckled weakly through the pain. I feel a tear leak from my eye as I closed them tightly in despair and I sniffled delicately as I tried to control the fury of emotions running wild inside of me. I calmed myself by listening to the rhythmic patter of her heartbeat and I couldn't stop myself whispering the words that circled around my mind, begging to be released. "I can't lose you, Lydia. Because if I ever did, I'd have lost my best friend, my soulmate, my smile, my laugh, my everything."
"Love. You too." She whispered back in a faint voice as she squeezed my hand in acknowledgement and I choke out a laugh as I tears drip down my cheeks uncontrollably.
Multiple footsteps hurried in our direction as I lifted my head in anticipation for their arrival and several paramedics rushed into the office with a gurney being pulled between them. I clung to my best friends hand as the myriad of voice swarmed through my mind and I vaguely felt someone gently tugging me away so that they could work on Lydia. Strong arms wrapped around my middle, holding me against a firm chest tightly so that I couldn't break away from them without alerting everyone to the supernatural. I slumped into their embrace with tears streaming down my cheeks as I watched the paramedics examine the strawberry blonde.
"It's okay. She's going to be okay." Theo whispered soothing in my ear as he tightened his hold on me like he was the only thing keeping me together and I turned around in his embrace, burying my face into his chest as I clung to the fabric of his shirt. He ran his hand down my spine to comfort me, sending strange chills through me but I was too distracted to try and decipher why I felt so weird around him.
"No, no, where are they taking her?" I asked pathetically as I pulled myself out of his arms when I saw the paramedics rolling Lydia out of the office with Natalie trailing after them.
"It's okay. They're just taking her to the hospital." Theo assured me gently as he placed a hand on my shoulder with a sympathetic expression and I nodded absently as I continued to stare at the doorway she'd disappeared through moments ago.
Footsteps came thundering up the stairs from the basement moments before Stiles appeared in the doorway with a panicked expression and his eyes glanced around the office frantically, searching for something. His amber coloured eyes locked onto me, a range of emotions fighting for dominance, as he stepped one foot closer before stopping and asking in a hoarse voice, "Where is she?"
"On the way to the hospital." Kira answered tearfully from the side of the room and I nearly jumped in surprise because I had forgotten that she was even there. The sound of her voice jolted me back into the present and I rushed out of the room without a backwards glance. The cool night air encompassed me as I exited the sheriff's station and I was running my car when someone grabbed my elbow, jerking me to a stop in the middle of the parking lot.
"What?!" I snapped harshly as I spun around to glare at whoever dared try to keep me away from my best friend and Theo held up his hands in surrender as he offered me an understanding look.
"Let me drive you, okay? It won't do anyone any good if you crash on the way to the hospital." He said in a light tone of voice, and I appreciated that he wasn't being condescending while at the same time being concerned. I glanced over his shoulder in consideration as I bit down on my lower lip and saw Deaton loading something into the backseat of his car while Stiles, Scott, Malia and Kira followed John to his squad car.
"Fine." I murmured quietly as I started walking backwards towards my car and he flashed me a charming smile as he strolled around to the driver's seat. I tried my best to ignore his presence as I slipped into the passenger seat and rested my elbow on the windowsill as he sped out of the parking lot.
Whenever I closed my eyes Lydia's face, her skin drained of colour and her green eyes begging for help, pleading with me to do something to ease her pain. A wave of helplessness washed over me as a fresh batch of tears filled my eyes and I twisted my lips in an attempt to stop myself from crying.
One of my hands was suddenly covered in warmth and I glanced down in surprise to see that Theo had placed his over mine where it rested on my lap. I lifted my gaze to look at him in shock but his hazel eyes were still facing out the windshield, not paying me the slightest bit of attention expect for the hand enclosed around mine. I quickly snapped my head around to look out the window, not wanting to be caught staring at his profile, but I gently squeezed his hand in gratitude for the small amount of comfort he offered.
The rest of the drive to the hospital passed in silence and the moment we arrived I threw open my door without waiting for him to come to a complete stop. My feet pounded on the concrete as I raced into the lobby of the hospital, some people glancing at me in surprise but no one stopped me as I run towards the front desk.
"Sophie!' a familiar voice called out to me from the other side of the lobby and I immediately turned towards them as Stiles, Scott, Malia, Kira and Theo ran into the hospital after me.
"Mommy." I cried softly as I rushed into her arms, closing my eyes as they circled me tightly and I basked in the warmth and safety my mother's embrace offered me. I sniffled delicately as I pulled back to look at her and she gave me a gentle smile as she brushed the tears off of my cheeks with her thumbs. "How's Lydia?"
"They've taken her up to the third floor."
"Is she gonna be okay?"
"I hope so, honey. I hope so." She murmured quietly as she soothed my hair back like she used to when I was little and I tried to smile back at her but I was sure that it fell flat. I felt someone place their hand on my back so I looked over my shoulder and saw my brother standing there with our friends, looking just as miserable as I felt. "Come on, I'll take you all up there."
"I just – I need a moment. Alone." I told them sternly as I backed away from the group with an unreadable look and I nearly flinched at the pitying expressions that crossed their faces. I forced a small smile so they didn't suspect anything before spinning around and dashing towards the bathroom marked 'female'.
After a quick check to make sure the room was empty, I practically collapsed against the sinks with a tired sigh escaping me, my hands wrapped around the empty of the counter until my knuckles turned white under the strain. My head was bowed so that I didn't have to look in the large mirror in front of me, I didn't want to see the defeat written all over my face because I knew I wouldn't be able to lie and tell myself everything was okay if I saw proof it wasn't.
I loosened my hold on the counter as my gaze landed on my hands, on the dried burgundy blood that coated them and I swallowed the bile that rose in my throat. I quickly turned the tap on, letting the water run freely into the sink and I shoved my hands under the stream of water. I gasped out loud in pain as the scolding hot water flowed over my skin but I didn't remove them, instead I welcomed anything other than the dull ache I had felt since seeing my best friend lying prone on the sheriff's station floor. I roughly scrubbed away the blood, not wanting anything of it remaining as evidence and I didn't even realise I was crying as I watched the blood mix with the water in the basin until it disappeared down the drain. My hands were scrubbed nearly raw when I pulled them out of the water and I turned off the tap with a wince as I lifted my head to look in the mirror.
The girl in the mirror was almost unrecognisable. Her skin was pale, her dark brown eyes were dull and lifeless, her brunette hair a tangled mess atop her head, a smear of dried blood across her cheek. She was a complete mess.
"You are Sophie McCall. Kickass werewolf, badass Druid. Certified genius, expert marksman, fluent linguist, trained martial artist. You're not this weak. You are a survivor." I scolded my reflection harshly with a scowl on my lips as I glared at the woman in the mirror and I was pleased to see fire flare to life in her dark brown eyes.
The door to the bathroom swung open, startling me out of my thoughtful state and I snapped my head around to see an unfamiliar woman strolling into the room. She looked slightly startled by the presence of someone else but managed a small smile and I flashed one in return as I hurried out of the room to give her privacy.
The overhead lights flickered as I exited the bathroom and I roughly tried my brunette hair into a knot on the top of my head as I walked back into the lobby. There were some random people milling around the reception area but I ignored them as I headed towards the elevator and silently wished that I could change out of my blood stained clothing.
"Sophie!" a familiar voice called out to me as I pressed the button and I turned around to see Liam rushing towards me with an anxious expression. I forced a smile onto my lips so that I didn't alert the younger boy to my current mood, trying to appear more positive than I felt in an effort to buoy his spirits.
Despite being initiated into the pack, despite being a werewolf himself and dealing with the fallout of the Deadpool, the Berserkers and Kate, Liam was still an innocent in my eyes. He was strong, physically and emotionally, he was inquisitive and intelligent, more than capable of handling himself, but I still felt the need to protect him. I felt the need to protect everyone affiliated with the pack, but that desire was heightened when it came to the young Beta. There was something fraternal about him that flicked a switch inside of me and made me want to cover his eyes and ears until all the bad things had disappeared.
"Hey, sweetie. How'd it go?" I asked him as brightly as possible as the doors slid open and I stepped inside as he ran to get in before they closed on him.
"Never mind that. How's Lydia? How are you?" he asked rapidly in a concerned tone of voice as he looked at me with his forehead creased and my lips twitched downwards slightly but didn't fade as I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly.
"I'm fine. I don't know about Lydia yet. My mom said they're getting her ready for surgery. I'm going up there now, I'll find out some more." I told him in a strained voice, the false cheerful tone setting my nerves on edge and Liam narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously but didn't comment on the obvious lie. "So, did you find anything?"
"Yeah, yeah, we found something. Brett didn't recognise Tracy, but once I looked at her yearbook photo, I recognised the necklace she was wearing. So we hiked back out through the preserve, trying to find same hole I fell in last time. But get this – they weren't sink holes like I thought they were. They had handprints and dirt along the edge."
"Tracy was buried?"
"In a hole. Buried alive. Crawled out. But the one I fell in was closer to the bridge. We found another hole today."
"Who was buried in that one?" I asked incredulously even though I knew he didn't have an answer, my lips twisted into a confused frown and we walked out of the elevator once it reached the correct floor.
"I don't know, but I think we're gonna want to find out." Liam stated with a weary sigh escaping him as he shook his head and I scoffed a little in agreement as I nodded slightly. I could feel him glancing at me from the corner of his eye as we walked down the corridor but he didn't ask the question that must have been on the tip of his tongue and I was thankful for that. Instead he silently threw his arm over my shoulder, drawing me into his side protectively and I accepted the act of comfort and support with a small smile as I wrapped an arm around his waist.
We entered the small waiting area where the other members of the pack and Theo were standing together huddled in a group, expect for Stiles who was pacing the length of the room anxiously. His eyes flickered to the 'staff only' door every few seconds, his hands clenched and unclenched by his side, everything about his posture screamed 'distressed' and I could smell the overwhelming nerves coming off of him in waves. My eyebrows creased together as I detangled myself from Liam's arms and quickly started across the room towards him, my footsteps causing him to stop pacing as he turned to look at me. Once I was directly in front of him, I didn't hesitate to throw myself into his embrace, my arms slinking around his waist as he wrapped his own around me in return. I felt a shudder run through him as he buried his face in the crook of my neck but I ignored it politely as I embraced him tighter in response and I fought the urge to cry of his sake, my sake, and all our sakes.
If there was anyone in the world who loved Lydia Martin a fraction of what I did it was Stiles Stilinski. He had spent the last ten years being in love with her, crafting a fifteen year plan to make her fall in love with him in return. A love like that never vanished completely, maybe it faded, maybe it weakened, but it left irreversible scars on your soul. In that moment, with Lydia's life hanging in the balance, Stiles with the only one who could relate to what I was feeling, who could understanding the contending pain and numbness that evaded my entire being.
"Sophie. Stiles." I heard my mother say softly to get our attention and I sniffled slightly I pulled out of the embrace to face her as I wiped a stray tear off of my cheek discreetly.
"How bad is it?" Stiles asked instantly in a worried tone as he straightened his shoulders, trying to appear more in control of himself then he really felt but no one could bring themselves to call him out on it.
"Could have been worse. Soph, Theo, nice going on that tourniquet. You probably saved her life." She told us in a proud tone of voice as she shot me a small smile and I felt my lips twitch but couldn't manage a full smile. I risked a glance over my shoulder at Theo, only to find him already looking over at me and I smiled a little when we made eye contact, grateful for his help saving my best friend. "All right. She's about to go into surgery. So it's going to be a while. Any other supernatural details that I need to know about or do we just stitch her up and hope for the best?"
"It was the tail." Kira interjected in a concerned voice as she crossed her arms over her stomach, her lips turned down in a frown as she shifted on her feet uncomfortably. "Tracy cut her with the tail, if that makes a difference."
"Okay." Mom said in understanding with a nod as she reached over to squeeze my arm supportively and I tried to smile gratefully as she started heading back through the door marked 'staff only'.
The moment the door swung shut behind her, I slumped down on the nearest chair in exhaustion and covered my face with both of my hands as I stifled a groan. My muscles were suddenly feeling far too tired to stand on my own, the events of the evening weighing me down.
"But it wasn't just Tracy. There were the others. The guys in the masks." Malia cried almost defensively from the other side of the room, causing me to lift me head to look at her in confusion. I'd been so concerned about Lydia that I hadn't even thought about asking what happened down in the basement of the sheriff's station.
I looked over at my brother, about to ask the question that was on the tip of my tongue but then I saw the expression on his face and the witnessed the look he shared with his best friend, so I held back my curiosity. They both looked torn between being worried about the possibility of masked strangers and not believing they actually existed in the first place. A feeling of dread erupted in my stomach, slowly ebbing throughout my entire body, but I pushed it to the side and decided to focus on Lydia's health.
"It's a school night." I murmured quietly as I stared blankly at the furthest wall and everyone turned their heads to look at me in surprise as I slowly stood up from my seat. "It's a school night. There's nothing we can do here. Go home. Get some sleep. Something tells me it's going to be a busy day tomorrow."
Silence followed my declaration, everyone unsure whether or not I was serious, until Scott cleared his throat to get their attention and he nodded solemnly in agreement, "Sophie's right, everyone. It's been a long day. We're all tired. Time to get home and get some sleep."
"Come on, Liam. I'll give you a ride." I murmured softly as I waved a hand in the direction of the exit and he glanced towards his Alpha for guidance before nodding in acceptance when he received a nod of approval from my brother. I tried not to be offended by that fact as I headed towards where Theo was standing leaning against a wall with his arms crossed over his chest and he lifted his head to meet my eyes in confusion when I stopped in front of him. "Do you need a ride?"
"I'm good. Thanks." He replied quietly with his eyes locked on mine as though we were the only two people in the room, a faint smirk playing on his lips and his hazel eyes sparkling with amusement. I gritted my teeth in annoyance as I nodded once before I started strolling towards the corridor that led to the exit, ignoring everyone's concerned gazes that burned into me.
Hurried footsteps chased after me as I pressed the elevator button impatiently and Liam appeared at my side moments before the doors slid open. We rode the elevator down silently to the ground floor, me nibbling anxiously on my lower lip as I avoided his gaze and him continuously stealing concerned glancing at me from the corner of his eye when he thought I wasn't looking. I was glad that he didn't feel the need to ask me how I was or try to get me to open up about how I was feeling, because nothing I said would adequately describe how I was feeling in that moment.
It was drizzling rain when we strolled out to the nearly empty parking lot and I found my car parked near the front where Theo had left it. I slid into the driver's seat as I turned the keys in the ignition and American Authors played quietly from the speakers as we drove out of the hospital parking lot.
"Hayden and I went to Junior High together." Liam stated abruptly from the passenger side of the car and my eyebrows furrowed at the sudden topic but didn't say anything to derail the conversation. "Sixth grade, it wasn't the best year for my anger management issues. There was a... This fight in the hallways. Me and this other guy. Hayden sort of accidentally walked into it. I accidently punched her in the face. She ended up having a massive black eye in that year's yearbook photo. Everyone made fun of her for it, teased her, mocked her. I've done some bad things because of my anger issues, but what I did to Hayden? It's the worst."
I parked in front of his house, turning off the ignition as I twisted my body around to face him and I could easily see the shame displayed on his features as he played with his fingers while looking down at his lap. Affection for the young boy coursed through me as I reached over to cover one of his hands with mine and he froze for a second before threading his fingers through mine.
"Maybe. Maybe that's the worst you've done, but that just means you can only do better in the future. Maybe that's your rock bottom, and everything you do now is to make up for it. Maybe that's how you know how far you've come, and you can only climb higher and higher from now on. The things you've done since I've known you? Liam, you've saved lives. The people of Beacon Hills might not know about the danger they face, but we do, and we protect them with our lives. Every day we wake up not knowing what supernatural creature we're going to face that day, if we're going to be going to school or fighting for our lives. Whatever you've done before, you're making up for it now."
Liam turned his head towards the window as he processed my words and I noticed a few tears roll down his cheeks in the reflection of the glass but didn't do anything other than squeeze his hand tighter. I knew what it was like not to want anyone to witness your vulnerability, to not want anyone to see you weak, but sometimes you just needed to know that someone out there knew you were struggling. And so, I held on to his hand, anchoring him to the present and letting him know that I knew, that I understood, that I could relate.
A heavy silence settled over us but it was a comfortable stillness and I glanced towards his house to make sure that all of the lights were out upstairs because it was getting late. I turned back to the younger boy with a playful smirk on my lips as I leaned over to punch him lightly in the bicep to get his attention, "And if that all fails, just man up and apologise."
"'Apologise'? That's your big advice?" he asked incredulously with a choked laugh as he wiped his cheek roughly and I hummed in achievement as I nodded my head in answer to his question.
"Yep, apologise. And mean it. You'd be surprised how far a sincere apology will go. Let me give you a little glimpse into the mind of a woman, alright, Liam? Every cliché says all a girl wants is a white knight to come riding by on a white horse, but most girls don't need to be saved. They need to be found and appreciated for exactly who they are."
"Hayden and I…We aren't like that."
"But you want to be." I stated with a quirked eyebrow, silently daring him to argue the point with me and he breathed out a chuckle as he ran a hand through his hair with a bashful smile. "You've never been in love before. I have. Twice. The first time, Aiden died. One day he was here, and the next? He was just gone. I'll always love Aiden, he's a part of me. And Derek – I don't even know what to say about him. I had a love that burned in every fibre of my being, that drove me to be a better person, and that made me feel like I was floating. Even though he's gone, I still love him. Been away from him it feels like I'm missing part of myself, like it's been ripped away. The knowledge that he's out there somewhere, living his life, meeting other girls, it kills me a little bit with every passing day. I'm in agony from the moment I wake up in the morning, it hurts to breathe. But, even knowing that it would end like this, I wouldn't change a thing that happened. It was perfect in the most imperfect way, and it was worth the pain and the heartache. And I'd do it again. If you have the chance, take a chance. It might end, but it might also end up being the best thing you ever did."
I couldn't help comparing reality to a scene straight out of a movie, the moonlight shining through the car window, the music played softly in the background of my speech and the melodramatic atmosphere. A small chuckle escaped me as I ducked my head with a slight smile and I looked over at Liam with a soft smile as I tilted my head to the side, "You should go inside. Get some sleep."
"Yeah." He whispered in agreement with a nod as he turned to open the passenger side door and then paused momentarily with one leg out the door before turning back to face me with a concerned frown, "Are you going to be okay?"
"I'm always okay." I told him almost sadly with a wane smile as I leaned my head back against the headrest and his frown deepened as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion but I just shook my head at him, "Go inside, Liam. Get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."
The Beta waited a moment to see if I would elaborate but when I didn't, he sighed in defeat and climbed out of the passenger side without another word. I watched protectively as he entered the front door to his house and then rested my head on the steering wheel for a moment with my eyes closed. I let the music washed over me for a minute as I cleared my mind of everything and I exhaled slowly as I lifted my head with a defiant stiffening of my shoulders, silently daring the world to throw something else at me to deal with.
The engine rumbled to life as I pulled onto the road and I drove the distance home in complete silence, losing myself in the lyrics and music so that I didn't have to think about anything real. I almost sighed in relief when I parked in front of my house, the only light coming from the kitchen in between the cracks of the curtain and I assumed that Scott was waiting for me to come home.
"Aw, I just want to sleep, Scott." I complained out loud even though he most likely wasn't listening to our front yard and I turned off the ignition as I climbed out of the driver's seat with a sigh. I didn't bother being quiet as I opened the front door, dumped my satchel on the table near the door and sat down on the stairs as I tugged off my boots.
"Sophie?" my brother called from the kitchen in a concerned tone of voice and I rested my head in both of my hands for a moment with a sigh passing my lips, wanting nothing more than to go upstairs to my bed.
"Yeah, it's me." I called back at him as I stood up from the stairs and made my way into the kitchen where Scott was waiting for me at the table. "Hey, brother."
"Liam get home okay?" he asked in a worried voice with a frown in his lips as he watched me steadily and I shot him a tired smile over my shoulder as I strolled into the kitchen.
"He's fine. Hot chocolate?"
"Sure."
"Kira home, safe and sound?" I asked him teasingly with a smirk on my lips as I started preparing to make hot chocolate and he shot me a reprimanding glare without actually answering but a blush made its way to his cheeks. I chuckle a little at him with a shake of my head as I continued to move around the kitchen and I was actually a little surprised that he didn't pressure me into talking about how I was feeling, I wasn't sure what I would say if he did.
Once I was done making our beverages, I set a mug down in front of my brother and took the seat next to him at the table with my own drink. He sent me a grateful smile as he lifted the cup to his lips and I brought one of my knees up to my chest as I sipped the warm liquid. Silence fell over the two of us as we drank, mutually seeking comfort from each other and basking in the knowledge that the other was safe and unharmed.
"Sorry to interrupt." A familiar voice interrupted our reprieve and I jumped slightly, startled by the intrusion because hadn't heard the backdoor opening or footsteps approaching. I turned my head around as I set my half empty mug down on the table and Deaton offered us a faint smile as he rounded the table to standing at the opposite end. One of my eyebrows rose when he set a jar containing a familiar set of pale blue claws on the tabletop, the same claws that came from the creature that tried to absorb Scott power the night of the Senior Scribe.
"A werewolf with the talons of an eagle. Possibly a shape-shifter, known in eastern mythology as a Garuda," Deaton explained in the same voice he used whenever he was delivering a lesson and I propped my head on my hand as I listened intently to his teachings. He set another jar next to the other, this one containing a set of claws which are unmistakably werewolf and he rubbed his jaw with a deep frown on his lips. "Tracy's claws. The unmistakable claws of a werewolf... But... A werewolf who also bears the venom and the scales of a Kanima."
"What do you even call that?" Scott asked in a mixture of confusion and horror, his eyebrows furrowing slightly as he leaned back on his chair with a frown.
"Personally, I call it terrifying." I remarked drily with a purse of my lips as I reached to grab my mug, wanting to keep my hands busy so that I didn't break something.
"But at the moment, I'm more interested in how Tracy was able to get across the mountain ash." Deaton told us solemnly in a slightly befuddled voice as he placed a hand on the table and I felt my lips twist in frustration as I ran my finger tip around the rim of my mug.
"I thought nothing supernatural can do that. Other than me, with a lot of pain and nausea."
"As did I."
"So if Tracy was able to cross the mountain ash and no one supernatural can do that... Tracy's not a supernatural."
"Exactly. If she wasn't born and she wasn't bitten, she had to have been made." Deaton suggested with a casual shrug of his shoulders and I felt my heart drop to my stomach, my lips parting in shock as my eyes widened in horror.
"Made?" Scott choked out the question in a quiet voice as he looked between the two of us with wide eyes and I touched my lips with my hand as I thought over everything that I witnessed since school started. The power-absorbing claws on one of the werewolves, Tracy suddenly turning into some werewolf-Kanima hybrid – something wasn't naturally about the occurrences and it was a terrifying prospect.
"Someone is trying to make supernatural creatures with non-supernatural means. And whoever they are, they're somehow managing to blur the lines between science and the supernatural." I explained in a serious tone of voice as I sat back against my chair, the tension in the air causing me to sit up straighter. "But there's more. Liam said he found another hole out in the woods. Burying them could be part of their process, a kind of incubation."
"What are we supposed to do?" Scott asked in a firm voice as he stood up from his seat with his arms crossed over his chest and a determined expression settled over his features, looking every part the Alpha he was.
Deaton levelled him with a knowing look, a faint smile playing on his lips as he looked at the two of us fondly and his eyes held an amused glint like he was privy to something we weren't as he recommended, "Same thing you've always done. Protect your friends. Protect each other."
I turned my head to meet my brother's gaze with a small smile on my lips and his dark brown eyes shone with affectionate as he returned the gesture. Scott had been my other half since birth, he'd been by my side for as long as I could remember, and I knew without a doubt that I would risk my life, my sanity, my everything to keep him safe from harm.
"What about someone like Tracy?" I asked the emissary in a worried tone, my voice cracking slightly as I remembered the scared brunette girl who asked for my help only days ago. If someone was experimenting on teenagers, it was most likely without their consent and that made them innocent victims of the supernatural.
"I wish I could tell you. Hopefully, I'll have more answers soon. I'll be gone a few days."
"You're leaving?"
"Just a few days."
"How scared should we be?" I asked him in a small voice as I pulled both of my knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around them tightly, resting my chin on one of them as I looked over at my mentor.
"I've lived in the world of the supernatural a long time. But I'm still a doctor. Still a man of science. Something like this happens, it rattles the foundation of everything you believe. Something like this shakes you to the core." Deaton explained in a sober voice as he shook his head slightly with a frown and I felt tears prickle my eyes as I closed them before anyone could see them, everything inside of me screaming to make a run for it.
"Something like what?" Scott asked in confusion as he tilted his head to the side with a frown and I opened my eyes as I turned my head to look at him with a sad smile on my lips.
"The rules..." I trailed off in a quiet voice, almost whispering because I didn't want to speak the words out loud and have them become a reality. But in the back of mind, I knew it was too late for that kind of hope and I forced myself to make eye contact with my brother as I told him softly, "The rules have changed."