Strange Frequencies:
"I've seen way too many dead bodies for a typical eighteen year old." I muttered in disgust as I stared at the deceased body of the boy on the metal table in the examination room of the veterinarian clinic.
"Do you know him?" Stiles asked me in a strained voice from the other side of the table, his arms crossed over his chest and I pursed my lips to stop myself from grimacing as I looked over towards where he was standing next to Theo.
"His name's Josh. He was a junior."
"Which one did it? The one with the cane?" Scott asked knowingly with a dejected expression as he paced up and down the length of the room, obvious frustration in the lines of his face. The same discouraged frown that had been on his lips since Stiles and Theo had come running up to us in the hospital, announcing unceremoniously that they'd found the latest Chimera on the roof but were too late.
My eyes narrowed in suspicion when I noticed Theo and Stiles sharing a look on the other side of the table and immediately felt the subconscious part of me that equally hated and loved mysteries rear its ugly head. It seemed unlikely that they had some secret shared between them, since Stiles had been very vocal about his apparent hatred and distrust of the newest resident of Beacon Hills.
"Yeah." Theo answered after a moment too long as his hazel eyes flashed back to my brother, his expression one of complete sincerity and I crossed my arms over my chest with my head tilted to the side thoughtfully.
"What are we going to do with him? We can't just set the alarm and leave. That's how Tracy disappeared." Stiles intercepted when he noticed my attention was becoming sharper on that particular subject matter, his eyes darting away from my searching expression and pointedly staying on my brothers pacing form.
"All right, someone's got to stay here with him." Scott stated firmly as he came to a stop at the head of the med table and rested his hands on the edge, his shoulders slumped as though he was being weighed down by the weight of the world.
"I'll do it. It's not like I had a big Saturday night planned." Theo offered with a humble shrug of his shoulders as he crossed his arms over his chest and I glanced away when his eyes flickered in my direction.
"Well, unlike you, and this guy on the table, I actually have a life, so I'm gonna go." I told them with a tight smile as I waved my fingers mockingly while walking backwards and both of my brothers rolled their eyes at me simultaneously while Theo's expression became blank of all emotion.
Three loud beeps suddenly came from my cell phone indicating that someone had sent me a text message and I immediately frowned to myself as I came to a stop in the doorway to the examination room. I slipped my phone from my satchel curiously, my eyebrow furrowed as I read Liam's name on the ID and I leaned against the doorframe with a frown as I opened the message:
Liam: SOS! Need help. Found Chimera.
Sophie: Where are you?
Liam: Your house.
"What is it?" Scott asked in a concerned tone as he carefully moved to my side like I was a wild animal he was approaching and I rolled my eyes at him as I slipped my phone back into my bag.
"Liam found another Chimera. They're at our house." I explained to him as I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear with a worried frown playing on my lips and his dark brown eyes brightened considerably he realised that it meant we had a chance to get ahead of the Dread Doctors if we knew who we were meant to be saving.
"Come on, let's go." he urged in a rush as he grabbed my wrist tightly and began dragging me out of the clinic as Stiles hurried to catch up to our fast pace. I grumbled incoherently in protest as we exited the front of the clinic and a chill ran down my spine as the night air caressed my skin when we entered the parking lot.
Each of us ran to our respective vehicles, branching out across the parking lot and I scrambled into the driver's seat as I turned the key in the ignition. 'The Script' suddenly played through the speakers as I sped out of the parking lot after Stiles' jeep and Scott's motorbike, breaking about fifty traffic laws in the process. The route from the vet clinic back to our house was so familiar to me after all this time that I could have made the drive blindfolded.
The porch light was on as I pulled into the driveway next to Scott and the fleeting question of how to Liam got into our house crossed my mind as I climbed out of the driver's seat. Panic was clear on my brother's expression as he held open the door for me and Stiles to enter the house before closing the door behind us.
The sound of footsteps overhead drew our attention to the staircase as Liam appeared to the top of the steps with a panicked expression and he sighed in relief at the sight of us staring up at him. "Oh, thank God. I need help."
"Liam, what the hell is going on?" Stiles asked incredulously as his arms flung out to the side, his eyebrows furrowing together and I looked around the house for anything out of place, wondering if the Chimera had attacked and that's how Liam found them, but found nothing misplaced.
"It's Hayden." The Beta announced without preamble as he wrung his hands in front of himself with a cringe and I snapped my head back around to look at him in shock. Obviously the question was written plainly on my face because Liam nodded in confirmation and I exhaled slowly as my mind swirled together in a kaleidoscope of random thoughts.
"Where is she, honey?" I asked him softly as I climbed the stairs two at a time until I was next to him and he jerked his head towards my bedroom as I rubbed his upper arm soothingly. I plastered a kind smile on my lips as I lead the way into my bedroom but there was no one in there and I spun around to look at Liam questioningly as the boys entered the room behind me.
"Hayden? It's Scott. I know that you're scared, but we just... We want to help." Scott stated loudly in a calm voice as he approached the closed bathroom door and Liam shifted nervously on his feet as he clenched and unclenched his fists in an attempt to stop himself from breaking down the door.
"I can hear her heart beating. She's really freaked out. What happened?" I asked the younger boy as I sat down on the edge of my bed with a confused frown, tilting my head to the side curiously as my gaze flickered between each of the boys in the room.
"She was okay when we got here. I went to text you for two seconds and she locked herself in." Liam explained in exasperation with a sigh as he threw a hand towards the closed door and his jaw clenched angrily as he rubbed the bridge of his nose in between two fingers.
"Why?" Stiles asked incredulously in complete befuddlement, like he didn't understand why a seemingly human teenage girl would freak out when finding out she was apparently some kind of supernatural creature.
"I don't know!" he spat in frustration as he turned around from us while running his fingers through his hair and I frowned at him sympathetically because I knew he was angry at himself for not being able to help.
"She's definitely a Chimera?" I asked him gently as I folded my legs underneath me and he spun around to look at me with anger in his startling blue eyes. I quirked an eyebrow at him, warning him to be careful with what he said next and he seemed to deflate under my stern stare as he slumped his shoulders with a huff.
"She said she heard a voice saying, 'Your condition improves.'"
"Okay, that's unsettling." Stiles muttered under his breath with a disturbed expression as he shook his head and I watched in intrigue as he stalked towards the closed bathroom door, knocking on the wood loudly. "Hayden. This is Stiles. Your sister works for my dad down at the station. Look, just open the door, okay? You can trust us."
Liam dropped down onto the mattress next to me with a dejected expression when the door didn't open upon command and I linked my arm through his in an attempt to comfort him but not entirely sure how to do that. It must have worked somewhat because he leaned into my touch like a heat-seeking missile and I threaded my fingers through his so that he could squeeze them if his anger got too much to handle. It was something that we had worked on during our sessions, I figured it was better to have him break my bones than someone else's since I had the supernatural ability to heal.
"We just need to tell you the truth, Hayden. And that kind of thing usually is better face-to-face. Listen, either you're gonna unlock the door or I'm gonna have to break it open. It's okay if you don't want to talk, or if you're not ready to believe us. But I just... I gotta know that you're okay in there." Scott told her solemnly with his lips turned down in a frown, his forehead leaning against the door and I felt a wave of protectiveness flood through me for the girl in the small bathroom.
"Okay, all of you get out. She's probably suffocating on all the testosterone in here." I chided them gently as I stood up from the edge of the bed after detangling myself from the Beta and walked towards the bathroom door, shooing my brothers out of the way in the process.
"Sophie, I really don't think – " Liam started to protest weakly as he stood up from the bed but quickly feel silent when I shot him a look and Scott sighed in reluctant acceptance as he shepherded a objecting Stiles out of my bedroom. I noticed that the Beta lingered in the doorway, casting a wary glance towards the bathroom and I offered him a reassuring smile as I walked over to place my hands on his shoulders.
"Liam, I promise, I'll take care of her, okay? Just go wait downstairs."
"She's gonna be okay, right?"
"I'm going to do everything I can, but I need her to want my help, and I can't talk to her, make her comfortable if everyone is crowding her, okay, honey?"
"Sophie, I – she – "he fumbled for the right words with a desperate glint in his eyes and I stopped him with a hand on his arm, a knowing smile on my lips as I nodded my head in understanding. Tears started to pool in his eyes even as he looked away from me in embarrassment and I sighed heavily as I pulled him into my arms, allowing him to hide his face in my shoulder as he shuddered a breath.
"I'm gonna look after her, okay?" I murmured softly as I pressed a kiss to the side of his head, feeling my heart ache at the emotions emitting from my surrogate little brother and I tightened my arms around him for a moment before letting go completely. I cupped his face with my hands with a comforting smile on my lips as I forced him to meet my eyes and his lips twitched into a small smile as I pressed a kiss to his forehead before ordering him sternly, "Now, go downstairs."
Liam shot me a light-hearted glare as he exited the bedroom and I exhaled sharply as I closed my eyes for a moment, not totally sure how my life came to revolve around supernatural science experiments but confident that I could find a way to handle everything that came with it.
I released a huff of frustration as I strolled over towards the closed bathroom door and knocked gently as I leaned my shoulder on the doorframe, "Everyone's gone, Sunshine. Come out whenever you're ready. If you want to know what's going on, I'll explain it. If you want to leave without anyone seeing, I'll help you. I can't tell you how many times I've snuck out the bedroom window."
When silence was the only response I received from the girl, I sighed to myself in defeat and settled myself on my bed as I grabbed the copy of 'Wuthering Heights' in Russian from my bedside table. I figured that she might be a while and I needed to practice my Russian since I was still nearly to read it fluently. I could vaguely hear the boys turning on the television downstairs and the faint heartbeat of the girl locked in the bathroom, but I ignored it as I got comfortable with my novel.
Concern for the young girl behind the door outweighed my desire to read as I constantly found myself glancing in the direction of the bathroom, biting my lower lip nervously as I fought the urge to break the door down. It must have been terrifying to suddenly be thrown into the world of the supernatural, subjected the truths that had only ever been rumour, or to have a sudden change in your own species, to be confronted with the fact that she was no longer human when it was all she had ever known.
All I wanted was to hold her in my arms and tell her it was all going to be okay, but I couldn't do that if she didn't come out of the bathroom or more importantly because I didn't know if it was the truth.
It took five minutes – mentally counted to keep myself entertained – before I heard the faint click of the bathroom doorknob turning and I placed my book down on the bedside table. A familiar head of brunette hair peeked out from around the corner and I quirked an eyebrow at her with a soft smile on my lips
"Hi, sweetie. How's it going?" I asked her gently as I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and she snapped her head in my direction, her eyes glowing amber and her fangs elongated.
"They won't go away!" Hayden cried brokenly with tears in her eyes as she stared down at her claws in despair and I stood up from the bed slowly, careful not to make any fast movements that might startle her.
"I can help you. It's okay."
"Why won't they go away?"
I approached her slowly like one would a frightened animal and I took her hands in mine, ignoring her cry of protest as she tried to pull them away. I tightened my grip with one hand to stop her from moving as she struggled against me and used the other to cup her chin, tilting her head to meet my eyes evenly. "Hayden. Enough. I can help you, but you have to let me. What you are going through, it is scary, and confusing, and probably one of the hardest things you're ever going to have to go through, but you don't have to do it alone. I can help you! Now, calm down, and let me."
Hayden took a shuddering breath as she nodded her head jerkily with tears building in her eyes and I offered her a calming smile as I guided her towards the bed, sitting her down on the edge. I crouched down in front of her, keeping my hold on her hands and I demonstrated a breathing technique as I motioned for her to copy. Her eyebrows drew together in scepticism but after a moment she started to follow my movements and I grinned encouragingly as I held up her hands so we could watch as her claws retract.
Shock spread across her features as she stared at her fingers, wiggling them experimentally and I released my hold on her wrists as I sat back on my heels to watch her expression.
Pride flooded through my veins as she lifted her head to look at me with a grin and I couldn't help smiling back at her as I reached out to squeeze her hand reassuringly. "You did well, Sunshine. I'm going to help you, and you're going to let me, okay? We're in this together now."
A hesitant expression was still plastered across her face as she looked around the room and I sighed heavily in defeat as I rubbed my thumb over her knuckle before letting go. I couldn't practically blame her for not trusting me, she knew me only in passing, but it pained me to see it in practice for some reason. Her eyes kept flickering towards the closed bedroom door, an unsure frown on her lips and I realised that she was concerned about the others downstairs overhearing.
"Liam and your brother, Scott, they – they're like me, aren't they? They're – they're werewolves?" she asked shakily as she stared at the door as though it was going to fly open and Liam or Scott would suddenly attack her viciously before she could defend herself.
"Mm-hmm, yeah. Like you. Like me." I murmured quietly as I focused on transforming my eyes to their startling violet and Hayden gasped in shock with wide eyes as she took in the change in my appearance. "Different coloured eyes mean different things. Yellow – like yours – mean you're what's called a Beta. Everyone when they first turn is, but that can change. I'll explain more when you've had time to adjust, okay? For now, just relax, take some time."
"I – I – I can't, I – I don't want to be alone." Hayden admitted in a whisper as she brought her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs and my heart ached at the desperate plea hidden in the depths of her eyes as she looked at me with tears in her eyes.
"That's okay, hon. Is your sister at work tonight? You can stay here, take my room. Scott will be next door, Liam will be downstairs, and I'll be in the guest room. You won't be alone."
Silence overtook us as I tucked a strand of brunette hair behind her ear, my hand lingering on her cheek fondly and I offered her a small affectionate smile as she seemed to relax under my touch. Her lips twitched into a small grin almost like it wasn't in her control and a warmth spread through my chest, a slight tugging in my stomach that threatened to propel my forward, to wrap her in my arms so that she was safe and sound.
Nerves ran through my veins like static electricity as I stood in front of Jordan's apartment door and I didn't know the exact reason why because I'd been in the same position many times before. I balanced the two takeaway coffee cups as I used my elbow at knock on the closed door, taking a deep breath to calm down my racing heart as I waited for an answer.
A genuine smile spread across my lips when the door opened and Jordan stood on the other side with a subtle grin playing on his lips as he held the door open further for me to enter.
"I brought you a coffee. Medium Americano. Black." I told him sweetly as I held it out towards him when I strolled into the apartment and his smile widened as he accepted the coffee before closing the door.
"Thank you for the coffee but you didn't have to do that." Jordan said nonchalantly as he placed a hand on the small of my back and guided me into the kitchen/dining area. I sipped my own coffee innocently without replying because in all honesty, one of the main reasons for bringing him coffee was to ease my own guilt.
The 'transgression' with Theo the day before had been playing on replay in my mind and every time it left me feeling sick to my stomach. I knew logically that I had no rational reason to feel guilty because I wasn't technically dating Jordan, even though I knew he was in love with me and I knew that I had some type of romantic feelings for him. But that didn't stop me from feelings like I had betrayed him somehow.
"Well, you are doing me a favour, the least I can do is supply the caffeine." I said calmly with a smile on my lips as I spun around on my heel to survey the apartment, a pointed attempt to avoid his eyes.
"So, why exactly did I need to appropriate three cell phones jammers from work? You were a little vague on the phone." He stated in a jokingly accusing tone of voice as he sat down at the table and I spun around to look at him with a small smile as I took notice of the equipment set up in front of him.
"We're back to telluric currents. If the Dread Doctors didn't like coming into Eichen House because of them, maybe we can use them to protect Hayden." I explained hopefully as I strolled over to sit down next to him with a sigh, biting down on my lower lip nervously even though I had thought this plan out continuously since waking up that morning.
"Okay, so, besides Eichen, where's the strongest convergence?"
"The last place a teenager would want to spend the night."
Jordan's lips twitched into a confused frown but then comprehension dawned on him and his eyebrow lifted in surprise as he regarded me with a new light in his eyes. "You want to hide her in the high school? For how long?"
"If we have to, all night." I answered with a shrug of my shoulders as I took a sip of my coffee and I let the burning liquid remind me that this was in fact real, not some elaborate nightmare I was experiencing. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that I would do anything in my power to protect Hayden, even if it meant camping out in the high school for the foreseeable future. There was this unrelenting desire to keep her safe that I didn't understand, it was a compulsion like I'd only experienced three times before: once with Tracey and once with Lucas, and to a lesser extent with Theo.
"But it's just a school though. You know, it's not exactly a fortress."
"That's what the cell phone jammers are for. Lydia's got an idea for that. Remember how I told you Valack quoted Tesla?"
"Yeah, yeah, uh, frequency and vibration." He repeated from memory with a nod to himself as he sipped his coffee idly and I grinned proudly at him as I pointed at him in acknowledgement to correct wording.
"Tesla said, 'If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.' She thinks he wasn't saying that just to sound smart. She thinks maybe it was a clue." I explained to him in an amusement as I sipped my own coffee with a quirked eyebrow, silently pleased that we were discussing something neutral and apart from our non-existent relationship.
"To do what?" he asked in confusion as he stood up from his seat with his empty cup in hand and I watched him fondly as he walked over to drop it in the rubbish bin under the sink. A small smile played on my lips as I regarded him and I thought about teasing him for the borderline OCD when it came to cleanliness, a side effect from his time in the military.
"Disrupt their frequency. We can broaden their range of frequency." I said in an almost excited tone of voice as I stood up from the chair I was sitting on and perched myself on the edge of the table, a grin on my lips as I pointed towards the cell phone scramblers. "It's a long shot, but it's the best we've got right now."
"You're a little, way too excited about this." He pointed out in amusement as he leaned back against the breakfast bar with his arms crossed over his chest and I chuckled lightly as I looked towards the equipment on the table.
"I like planning illegal endeavours." I admitted sheepishly with a shrug of my shoulder as I remembered some of my other more illicit activities and he cocked an eyebrow at me in interest as I bit down on my lower lip. "Which is something I probably shouldn't say to a Beacon Hills sheriff's deputy."
"Aw, Sophie, is that all you see me as?" Jordan asked me teasingly with a hint of flirtation in his voice as he pushed himself off of the counter and I sighed slightly to myself as I slid off of the table without looking at him.
"You know it's not." I told him in a serious tone of voice as I wrapped my arms over my stomach and pursed my lips in slightly annoyance with myself, disappointed that I had breached the metaphoric wall I had built up in my mind to keep away from dangerous topics.
Advoiding the subject of our 'relationship' probably wasn't an ideal strategy but it was the one that might have a chance of keeping me sane. Luckily, if deflecting was an artwork, I'd be a prodigy and eligible for a PhD in the subject. It was just something that came easily to me after so many years avoiding any kind of emotional connection, any kind of tether to another person.
So much had changed in the last few years, including my ability to successfully bond with another person, and I wasn't going to belittle that change by hiding from the truth, but I wasn't beyond…neglecting it for a little while.
"Sophie..." Jordan trailed off in a concerned tone as he took a step in my direction and I plastered a fake smile on my lips as I shook my head slightly in dismissal.
"It's nothing. Just – just a lot on my mind." I skirted around the truth expertly as I picked up my empty coffee cup from the table and I sent him a fleeting smile as I passed by him to drop it into the rubbish under the sink.
"Anything you want to talk about?"
"Nope."
"Because if you do…"
"You're there. I know." I finished for him with a small genuine smile as I stood on the opposite side of the counter from him and he flashed me one of those heart-wrenching grins that made me want to melt into a puddle in front of him. A renewed sense of guilt flushed through me at the sight but I kept my smile from faltering and spun around from him abruptly so that I didn't have to look into his eyes. There was something about his green eyes that almost compelled me to speak my mind. They were open and honest, no deceit to be seen in their depths and it only increased the guilt that had slowly been growing in my stomach since the day before.
The fake smile on my lips faded as I wandered over to the window that overlooked the street below and I leaned my shoulder against the frame as I basked in the warmth of the sunlight refracting through the glass.
"You know, the pensive staring out the window thing, it doesn't help illustrate your claim that nothing is wrong." Jordan commented in amusement as he strolled over to stand on the other side of the window and I tilted my head to look at him with a small honest smile on my lips as he copied my position.
"Maybe I just look good in the afternoon light." I quipped in a light tone as I fluttered my eyelashes at him and he chuckled as he turned his attention out the window with a soft smile.
"Well, that goes without saying." he murmured under his breath but I heard him anyway as my lips twitched slightly, there was something even more flattering about someone complimenting you when they thought you couldn't hear them. "But something tells me it's not that simple."
"Nothing is ever that simple, Jordan." I told him honestly in a sober tone as I turned my body to face him with my head tilted back against the window frame, my arms folded over my stomach as I looked at him.
"Maybe not. But it doesn't have to be that hard if you have someone to bear it with you." he countered in the same time of voice as he lifted an eyebrow at me and I swallowed roughly as I turned my attention out the window without saying a word. I heard him sigh heavily as he shifted closer to where I was standing and my head snapped around to look at him when I felt his warm hand slip into mine, squeezing it gently.
I felt like I was at a crossroads, a turning point in our relationship and whatever I did now would define every future conversation, every disagreement, every argument, and every future aspect of our potential relationship.
"I made out with someone yesterday!" I blurted out before I could stop myself, before my brain had caught up to my mouth and I instantly pulled my hand away from his in embarrassment as I blushed. I directed my gaze to the floor, actively avoiding his gaze as I moved away from the window, away from him and away from the scrap of my dignity I had just abandoned at his feet.
"Oh." He murmured quietly, so low that I almost missed it even with my supernatural hearing and I closed my eyes tightly in an effort to block out the faint hint of pain in his voice as I ran my fingers through my hair. "You didn't have to tell me that."
"Urgh, I know. I just – "
"No. I mean, - "he cut me off before I could start babbling incoherently as I turned around to face him with a frown and he regarded me fondly as my frowned deepened in confusion. " – You didn't have to tell me that. Sophie, you don't owe me anything."
"That may be true, but it doesn't stop me feeling guilty. And I freaking hate it, okay? Do you know that last time I felt guilty? I don't even remember! It's horrible. I've felt nauseous since yesterday afternoon. Last night, I ate an entire roll of uncooked cookie dough in shame. I've done some very questionable things and never felt an ounce of guilt, but one measly make out session with someone I don't even like and I feel like am I coming apart at the seams! It sucks, Jordan. It just sucks." I ranted angrily as I flung my arms around without consequence, my foot actually stamping like a toddler having a tantrum but I was too invested in my frustration to be embarrassed.
My annoyance only grew when I noticed Jordan trying to hold back a laugh at my expense and I narrowed my eyes at him with my head to the side with my hands planted on my hips. "Are you laughing at me? I'm feeling horrible, and you're laughing at me. That's nice."
"I'm sorry, truly. It's just that – well, you're kind of adorable."
"'Adorable'?" I repeated indignantly with a scowl, silently daring him to continue that line of thought and he laughed out loud as he ducked his head to hide the grin on his lips. "I'm a grown woman. I am not adorable. I have an attitude, opinions, a very loud voice. And one hell of a right hook. Adorable is one adjective I am not!"
"Oh, trust me, I'm aware of your…womanly attributes." He murmured with a chuckle as he crossed his arms over his chest, a heated glint in his green eyes and I quirked an eyebrow at him challengingly as a small smile playing on my lips. "I know how strong you are. You feel deeply and love fiercely. Your tears flow just as abundantly as your laughter. You're both soft and powerful, both practical and spiritual. You're hard headed, not hard hearted. You may be stubborn and sassy and…rude at times, but you have a big heart and care about people. Probably more than you should. You can go from sweet and gentle to cold and intimidating very quickly. I would probably go insane trying to understand you. And yes, you're adorable."
I felt tears stinging my eyes as I stared at him with my lips parted in astonishment, unable to comprehend that he thought so highly of me. One of my arms wrapped around my stomach as the other draped limply at my side and a single teardrop escaped my eyes as I whispered brokenly, "I can live with being adorable."
"Good." Jordan said nonchalantly with a smile as he pushed himself off of the window frame and approached where I was standing, setting his hands on my upper arms. I didn't fight it as he pulled me closer to his body, the warmth from the sun radiating off of his skin and I found myself gravitating into the enclosure of his arms despite wanting to stand my ground. "Do me a favour, don't sugar coat anything. I want to hear the truth, no matter how raw or blunt. I want to know your thoughts and if something's bothering you, I want to know, okay?"
"You being so awesome is just making me feel worse." I admitted softly as I crossed my arms over my chest with a small pout on my lips and he grinned charmingly as he rubbed his hands up and down my arms.
"My feelings are my feelings, okay? You aren't responsible for them. But it's sweet you're concerned for me." he assured me gently as he bent down slightly to catch my gaze and my chest constricted with affection for the man in front of me as I tried to suppress a smile.
I sighed heavily as the tight knot in my stomach loosened, slackening the guilt that had built up side of me and a smile spread across my lips as I stood up on my toes to wrap my arms around his neck. His arms instinctively curled around my waist, tugging me closer towards him and I couldn't help acknowledging the hard planes of his stomach as I melded against him. There was something so alluring about scent that drew me in, something fresh and clean but also the scent of gun powder gave him a dangerous edge.
My eyelids fluttered closed as I buried my head in the crook of his neck, feeling relaxed for the first time in a while and I felt him press a kiss to the top of my head as his arms tightened around me protectively.
"I'm telling you, Bruce Springsteen is a music icon!" Jordan argued with a laugh as he pulled the truck into the high school parking lot and I rolled my eyes at him playfully with a smile as I rested my elbow on the window frame.
"Maybe, but – unlike you, Grandpa – I was born in the age of iPod's, social networks, and videos of cat's riding vacuum cleaners." I quipped in amusement with smirk on my lips as I quirked an eyebrow at him and he laughed out loud as he drove around the back of the school towards the staff parking lot.
After our awkward conversation, or rather my emotional breakdown, the two of us had spent the afternoon transfiguring the cell phone scramblers and when that was over we sat on the couch watching movies until we had to leave. It was nice to just hang out without worrying about the supernatural, without being concerned that someone was waiting around the corner to slaughter me or my friends. Being in Jordan's presence seemed to make everything easier to handle, something about him soothed the chaos that lived inside of me, the hurricane that no one else to be able to tame.
The entire parking lot was empty except for what I recognised as Lydia's car parked on the far side of the lot and I noticed the strawberry blonde standing with Malia near the backdoor of the school as Jordan pulled to a stop in front of them. I sent the man next to me a smile as I opened the passenger side door and he returned it warmly as he followed my lead when I climbed out of the truck.
"Finally." Lydia snapped impatiently with a purse of her lips as she tapped her heeled foot on the ground and Malia looked at her in confusion with a frown as her eyebrows drew together.
"We're only five minutes late." I protested with a laugh as I strolled over to give her a hug in greeting and I knew she was rolling her eyes at me as she reluctantly returned the embrace.
"Yes, and we've been waiting five minutes."
"You're alive. You're fine."
"We might be late but we have the cell signal jammers." Jordan told them with a smile as he opened the back of his truck to reveal the three pieces of machinery and we crowded around as he handed the closest one of them to Malia, settling it into her arms carefully.
The werecoyote scrutinised the metal contraption with a deep frown on her lips but otherwise didn't object to it being shoved into her arms and lifted her head to glance around at us as she asked sceptically, "We're betting our lives on these?"
"I think we're betting Hayden's life on them." I grumbled in frustration, the protective urge inside of me almost overwhelming with the need to keep the younger girl safe and Jordan shot me an empathetic look as he handed Lydia one of the remaining cell phone jammers before giving me the remaining one.
"Yeah, well, I'm glad I brought my gun." Jordan said drily with a sigh as he slammed the trunk shut, my eyes automatically glancing at the holster strapped to his hip and I couldn't help internally scolding myself for not bringing my own weapon just in case something went wrong.
"Alright, Malia and I are going to place these in the library and the cafeteria, and then I'll meet you in the boy's locker room while Malia patrols the halls." Lydia informed us firmly as she balanced the cell phone jammer in her arms and I nodded in understanding as I tightened my arms around my own scrambled when it nearly fell.
The banshee shot me a wink with a sly grin as she started leading Malia towards the school and the werecoyote seemed confused by the action but nodded in my direction before following the strawberry blonde. I rolled my eyes at both of them, slightly annoyed that my private life was on display for everyone in the pack, exactly like it had been when I was building a relationship with Aiden and Derek. Sometimes it felt like I was living in a fishbowl and anyone could watch my life play out in front of them, anyone could offer their opinions on my decisions.
I exhaled slowly to calm my already frayed nerves as I locked my gaze on the school and I plastered a impassive expression on my features as I buried the worry I felt for us all deep within myself so that it didn't affect my decision making abilities.
I could feel Jordan's eyes on me as I spun around to face him with a fake smile on my lips and he cocked an eyebrow at me questioningly as I balanced the cell phone scrambler in my arms.
"Thank you for offering to do this on your night off. I know it's probably the last thing you want to be doing." I said to the man standing beside me as he leaned back against his car with his arms over his chest and he offered me a smile as he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Really. I appreciate you doing this for us."
"It's kind of me job to protect people." He reminded me teasingly as he leaned towards me with a smirk on his lips and I rolled my eyes at him with a faint smile played on my lips subconsciously. "I had to take an oath and everything."
"Nonetheless, officer, - " I shot back mockingly with a tight smile on my lips even though my eyes were dancing with mirth and he chuckled in amusement with a grin as I quirked an eyebrow at him. " – as a thank you for taking time out of your busy, busy schedule, how would you feel about going to breakfast tomorrow morning? I might not be the most coherent after staying up all night waiting for the literal boogieman, but…I'll pay?"
A wide smile spread across his lips as he nodded in agreement to the offer, the chemo signals almost overwhelming with happiness and love. I couldn't help smiling back at him as I nodded once in response and then hurried towards the school without a backwards glance, afraid that he would see the happiness practically seeping from my expression.
It was kind of creepy to be in the school so late at night, especially after the last couple of times I'd been there at night: when Peter terrorised us in his Alpha form and the night we finally defeated the Nogitsune, the same night that Aiden died at the hands of the Oni. A chill creeped up my spine as I slowly made my way down the empty hallway, my heels clacking loudly on the ground and that only added to the horror movie-esque atmosphere.
Instead of taking my time to take in the scenery, I quickened my pace to the locker room where I was meeting Lydia, Scott, Liam and Hayden because I didn't want to stick around for something bad to happen. My pulse was racing by the time I reached the locker room and I quickly slipped into the room before kicking the door shut behind me since my arms were full.
"Here, let me give you a hand." Scott offered helpfully when he noticed me entering, hurrying over to take the cell phone scrambler out of my arms and I almost sighed in relief when the weight was lifted.
"Thanks. You can just put on top of the lockers." I told him with a smile as I walked past him into the main section of the locker room where the sophomore's and Lydia were waiting in an awkward silence. "Hi, kiddies. What's happening?"
"Well, from what I've gathered from the two minutes I've been here, the tension in the room is, like, sky high." Lydia explained sardonically with a terse smile on her lips as she crossed her arms over her chest and Liam shot her an annoyed glare while Hayden frowned in confusion at the dynamics of our pack.
"You're spending too much time with Stiles." Liam snapped in irritation as he gently cupped Hayden's elbow and started leading her to the other side of the room. I rolled my eyes at him as I exchanged a grin with my best friend, her green eyes sparkling with mirth and I laced my arm through hers as we walked over to where Scott had just finished setting up the scrambler.
A sigh escaped me as I turned around to look at the sophomore's standing near the sinking, speaking quietly to one another and I cringed guiltily at the sight of the happy smile on Liam's face and the shy one on Hayden's. I frowned deeply to myself as I turned to face my brother and lowered my voice so that Liam wouldn't overhear if he wasn't focusing his hearing as I asked him seriously, "Is it me or is Liam not aware of the second part of the plan?"
"I'm still not sure if there's going to be a second part." Scott countered with a cringe as he adverted his eyes from my condemning gaze and I rolled my eyes at his logic as I tilted my head to the side.
"Or if it's going to work." Lydia added cynically with a quirked eyebrow as she pursed her lips and I nodded in agreement with her as my brother groaned in a mixture of frustration and annoyance. A thoughtful expression overtook the banshee's face as she cocked her head to the side and her lips turned down at the corner as panic glaze over her eyes. "Scott? I was just thinking since we can't use our phones, we can't check in on Stiles and Theo."
"I didn't even think about that." he admitted sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck with a wince and I noticed him glance at the door quickly like he was considering leaving to check on his best friend and maybe, sort of, potential pack member.
"Me either. So we're standing here waiting for guys in masks and breathing tubes to show up. But who or what are Stiles and Theo waiting for?" I asked in confusion, not really expecting an answer from either of them but secretly hoping that one would pop up out of nowhere so that I could prepare for what was to come.
Life had a way of testing a person's will, either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen all at once and that seemed to fit the perverse, deranged sense of humour of whatever god or spirit or demon that controlled Beacon Hills. There was always going to be some 'evil villain' we needed to confront, there was always going to be a next time, it was a symptom of an activated Nemeton. But if we were lucky, we got a few weeks in a row of peace, of quiet, of recovery time before we started to get restless and paranoid that everyone we met was trying to kill us.
In the prolonged time off from amateur supernatural fight club slash mystery crime solving I made sure to keep myself up to date in my training, even going as far as to force a reluctant Liam to join me. Meditation and physical exercise were more of a mental discipline, a way for me to focus my mind and direct my built up anger and adrenaline and hurt into something positive and useful. I solemnly believed that self-control was a strength, right thought was a mastery, calmness was power and once you learned those attributes, you could master anything you set your mind to.
I shook my head to knock out the negative thoughts that had crept into my mind and exhaled harshly as I reached up to straighten my ponytail, a reflex I had developed over the years. I looked around at the people surrounding me as I nibbled on my lower lip anxiously: Scott, sitting on a bench as he kept a watchful eye on the door. Lydia, twirling a strand of hair around her finger nervous as she leaned against the locker beside my brother. Liam, sitting against the lockers on the other side of the room as he looked down at the girl beside him with adoration in his eyes. Hayden, sleeping peacefully with her head on Liam's shoulder as she trusted us to keep her safe.
Adrenaline pulsed through my veins as I anxiously tapped my fingers on my forearm, everything inside of me ready for a fight if that's what it came down to and I knew would, I would fight until my very last breath.
"What were you going to do with these?" I heard Liam ask in confusion on the other side of the locker room and I snapped my head around with a frown as I immediately started walking in his direction to see what was happening. My eyes widened slightly I saw him crouched beside a black duffel bag full of chains and he frowned in perplexity as he slowly lifted one of the metal chain links out of the bag.
Scott stood up from the bench with a look of dread on his features and he glanced quickly in my direction as he took a deep breath before turning back to face his Beta with an impassive expression. "Brought them just in case."
"In case of what?"
"In case we had a chance to catch one of them. If we can't make the school a fortress, then maybe we can make it a trap."
"They're coming for her, doesn't that mean she's the bait?"
"Liam, we brought her here to protect her." I assured him firmly as I approached them with my hands up in surrender, the compulsion to keep the younger girl safe creeping through my veins like electricity.
"And now she's bait." Liam snapped in a deadpanned voice, a murderous glint in his blue eyes that I had never seen directed at me and I narrowed my eyes at him slightly but didn't say anything because I knew that he was processing.
"Am I?" Hayden asked in a soft voice as she approached hesitantly, her eyes wide with terror as she looked between all of us for answers and I felt an ache in my chest at the frightened expression on her face as she stopped next to me.
"No. No one's bait." I told her gentle as I caught her hand in between mine, squeezing it gently to reassure her that she was safe and then I turned my head to meet Liam's eyes unflinchingly as I addressed my next statement towards him, "But we can't be bodyguards to everyone every night."
"Then why aren't we talking to Stiles' dad? Why aren't we doing something better than hiding in a school?" he demanded to know in an angry tone as he waved his arm towards the door in illustration and I wrapped an arm around Hayden's waist supportively as she leaned into my side for comfort.
"Because we still don't know anything about them or what they want, okay? They're winning and we don't even know what the game is." Scott reminded him loudly in a defeated voice as his dark brown eyes shone with sadness, his voice tinged with just a hint of hidden Alpha authority but not enough to effect the tension in the room.
"What if they come in here and those things don't work? What if you have an asthma attack again? What are we gonna do?"
"I don't know."
"This plan sucks!" Liam shouted angrily as his blue eyes flashed with fury, striking hard and fast like lightning before morphing back into their diluted natural state. I glanced over my shoulder at the door nervously, slightly concerned that the noise might have drawn attention to our location.
"You got a better one? Kids are dying! And she's next. So, somebody has to do something. Somebody has to save everyone. So somebody's got to be the bait!" my brother shouted back at him in an uncharacteristic display of anger and I was so surprised that I actually flinched before I could stop myself, sharing a wide-eyed look with Lydia as she stepped back slightly shock. Scott seemed to snap back to himself as he blinked in surprise, a frown playing on his lips as he took a step back from the younger boy. Hayden cringed into my side with a frightened expression as I squeezed her tighter against me and I gently guided her away from the disagreement, not wanting her to get caught up in a fight if one broke out.
I watched discreetly from the corner of my eye as a tense Liam stepped closer to my brother and lowered his voice so low that I couldn't hear him without my focused hearing. I decided to give them a moment of privacy as I turned my attention to the girl beside me and I gave her a small smile as we both slid down the wall of lockers to sit on the floor. I grasped one of her hands in both of mine, squeezing gently in reassurance and she forced a smile in return as she brought her knees up to her chest.
"I'm sorry you have to go through this, Sunshine." I told the sophomore genuinely as I leaned my head back against the metal locker and she rested her head on her knees as she sighed heavily. "If it helps, I think you've handle it amazingly well. So much better than Liam."
"Really?" she asked softly with a grin on her lips as mirth danced in her eyes and I nodded in acknowledgement with a smile, pleased that I was able to get a positive reaction out of her.
"Oh, yeah? At first he didn't believe it when Scott told him, so we held an intervention. It didn't work out so well. Liam's already explosive anger issues coupled with the full moon? Not good. For anyone." I said sardonically with a smirk on my lips as I cast a fond look at the Beta on the other side of the room, watching him quietly whisper to my brother and best friend.
"He's different than he used to be." She murmured thoughtfully as she followed my gaze to the boy in question with a soft smile on her lips and I hummed in agreement as I nodded slightly at the observation.
"All that rage has a purpose now. I've been helping him learn how to channel it into fighting the bad guys."
Hayden was quiet for a moment, a contemplative frown on her lips as she gazed blankly ahead and then she slowly turned her head to look at me with a fierce glint in her eyes. "Will I be able to do that? Fight bad guys, I mean?"
I deliberated thoughtfully as I turned my head slightly to study her expression for sincerity through narrowed eyes, wondering about her reasoning behind the desire to suddenly become a vigilante. A wave of pride swept through me at the determination hidden in the depths of her eyes and a smirk pulled at the corner of my lips as I leaned towards her to whisper conspiratorially, "You know, strong women don't play victim, they don't make themselves look pitiful or point fingers. They stand, and they deal with their issues. They stand up for themselves. But even stronger women, stronger people, they stand up for others. It takes a lot of courage to put yourself on the line for strangers. You should really think about it before committing. It's a lifestyle, not a hobby."
Silence settled over us as she nodded in contemplation, gazing out in front of her without really seeing anything and I tucked my knees up under my chin as I allowed her the space to think it through on her own. Joining the pack was a massive undertaking, something to be carefully considered and every avenue explored before making a final decision. The basic principles of being a werewolf hadn't even been explained to Hayden, and yet she was willing to risk herself to protect the town. I wasn't going to let her make that sacrifice her life for something she didn't fully understand. If she still wanted to join the cause after she gone through supernatural training, then I would stand by her decision and fight alongside her with pride but I didn't want her to be uninformed before making that choice.
"Oh, no…Um, Sophie?" Hayden drew my attention nervously as she bit down on her lower lip and I immediately shifted my attention towards her in concern as she looked up at me with wide eyes. "I don't have my pills. They're for a kidney transplant I had a few years ago. I have another bottle in my locker though."
"No worries, Sunshine." I told her nonchalantly as I climbed to my feet with an easy smile on my lips and then I extended a hand to help her up off the floor. We kept our hands linked together as I led her towards the guys since she appeared nervous to approach, afraid that she would be interrupting an argument. She glanced at me for guidance, an unsure expression on her feature but I just offered her a reassuring smile and gestured with my head towards the others.
"Guys..." she called hesitantly as she bit down on her lower lip and everyone turned to look at her with slightly apologetic looks as she shifted on her feet nervously before continuing, "I think I might need a little help right now. I forgot my pills. I have a bottle in my locker. I can get them, but..."
"I'll get them. What's your combination?" Scott offered instantly as he took a step forward, apparently eager to do anything in his ability to make the situation easier for the young girl after subliminally using her as bait. Hayden quickly went about jotting down her locker combination on a piece of paper before handing it to him and he nodded in her direction as he was leaving the room.
As the door slammed behind him, I rushed over to lock it behind him and then sighed heavily to myself as I turned around to lean back against the door. Lydia offered me a sympathetic smile as she sunk down onto one of the benches and Liam stood next to Hayden protectively as she wrapped an arm around her stomach like a barrier from the world.
I decided to give them a moment to themselves as I went and sat down beside my best, wanting to seek comfort from one of the only people able to give it to me. I immediately linked my arm through hers as I leaned my head on her shoulder with a pout on my lips and she smiled down at me as she rested her head on top of mine.
"He likes her, doesn't he?" Lydia murmured knowingly with her gaze locked on the couple sitting across the room from us and I hummed in agreement, not in the least surprised that she had figured it out. "Ah, young love. I miss that feeling."
"You can have mine. I'm starting to hate it." I told her quietly as I closed my eyes in frustration over my own feelings because I wasn't sure whether or not what I said was true and it bothered me that I was so conflicted. I felt her press a kiss to my forehead, perfectly understanding what I was feeling without me having to vocalise my inner monologue and that realisation alone made me smile faintly at the one constant thing in my life: Lydia Martin.
A tense silence settled over the spread out group, the ominous atmosphere punctuated with the fact that we were essentially waiting for our death but no one pointed out the obvious. I didn't want to feel this way, like I had to spend my life looking over my shoulder because a life lived in worry and tension and fear was a life half lived.
"Scott's been gone a while." Lydia murmured softly in a concerned tone of voice as she glanced worriedly at the door he had disappeared through and I bit down on my lower lip as my own apprehension grew. The banshee huffed quietly to herself as she rose to her feet with a purse of her lips and I quirked an eyebrow at her in question as she planted her hands on her hips decisively. "I'm going to go check on him."
"Lyds, I don't think…" I started to protest with a shake of my head as I stood up from the bench and she immediately held up a hand to stop me with a sad smile on her lips.
"Soph. I know you worry about me, but I'll be careful."
"I don't like it. No offence, Lyds, but you can't protect yourself like we can."
"I know, but Scott and Malia are both out there if I need them. Anyway, you need to stay here and protect Hayden. That's the mission right now. You know what you need to do."
The pleading glint in her green eyes caused me to ignore the dread in my stomach and I nodded reluctantly as she reached over to squeeze my arm in assurance. I crossed my arms over my stomach as I watched her leave the locker room with a frown on my lips and everything inside of me wanted to stop her, to pull her back to safety.
I almost jumped in surprise when I felt someone place a hand on my back and I spun around defensively, only to come face to face with a concerned Liam. I smiled reassuringly as possible even though it came out more like a grimace but he sighed knowingly as he pulled me into his arms and I couldn't help smiling genuinely at the action. After all the time he'd spent with the pack, with me over the summer, he understood my relationship with Lydia nearly better than anyone and he knew how hard it would be for me to send her out without any backup.
"Thank you, Scrappy." I whispered honestly as I pulled back to press a kiss to his cheek and then reaching up to wipe the lipstick away with my thumb as he grimaced playfully in disgust.
"Stop that. No. Gross." Liam protested with a scowl as he moved away from me, dodging my touch and I laughed at his expression as he glanced towards Hayden in embarrassment but she was watching the interaction in mixture of amusement and confusion.
"Aww…You don't like my kisses? Come here." I cooed mockingly as I wriggled my fingers at him teasingly with a smirk and he immediately shook his head with wide eyes as he stepped back out of my reach. "Come on, Liam."
"Sophie, seriously!" he hissed at me in annoyance as he batted my hands away from him and I giggled freely in amusement as I stopped playing with him, content with the small glimpse of humour in the an otherwise dreary situation.
Liam narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously as he slowly walked backwards, watching me intently in case I made a sudden move to attack him with kisses and I raised my eyebrows innocently as I tried not to smile. I held up my hands in surrender as I rolled my eyes at him and he finally relaxed his defensive stance, knowing me well enough that that meant I was giving up.
I patted him on the arm fondly with a half-smile when I walked over to where he was standing next to Hayden, the latter immediately slipping her hand into mine and I squeezed gently in reassurance. The anxiety wafting from her was almost overwhelming but she seemed to be putting on a brave face in front of Liam, not wanting to show vulnerability.
"Sophie, Hayden, did you hear that?" Liam asked abruptly in a panicked tone of voice as he spun around to face the locked door and I immediately stepped protectively in front of both sophomore's as I focused my hearing in the distance. The faint familiar sound of clunking metal boots, the fuzzy sound of static penetrated my ear as I felt my blood run cold with horror and I let out a breathy gasp as I focused on my immediate surroundings.
"They're here, aren't they? They're in the school." Hayden stated in a whisper, her voice tinged with fear as she frantically gripped my hand and Liam placed a protective arm in front of her as he stood defensively at the ready for a fight.
"Come on." I murmured quietly as I guided them both to the back of the locker room, trying to put some distance between us and the Dread Doctors. I shoved them both into the corner when I heard the lock on the door snap and then the wood splintered into pieces as it was pushed open. The ominous sound of metal boots approaching echoed throughout the room and Hayden latched onto Liam's arm, her nails digging into his skin as she tried to mask her fear.
The Pathologist stepped into view as the sound of his breathing tube reminded me vaguely of 'Darth Vader' and I fleetingly congratulated myself on the reference, thinking how proud of me Stiles would be. I pushed the sophomore's behind me protectively with a determined expression, my veins flooding with adrenaline and my eyes narrowed in purpose as I clenched my hands into fists at my side.
The Surgeon lumbered into the locker room, a menacing ambiance surrounding him as he knocked down the frequency jammer from on top of the lockers with his cane and he stepped on it with his metal boot causing it to smash underneath the pressure. "We are on a frequency you can't possibly imagine."
The sound of its voice sent a chills down my spine as I purposely positioned myself in front of the younger two and inadvertently gained the notice of the Dread Doctors as they robotically turned their heads to look at me.
The Surgeon seemed to tilt his head to the side thoughtfully as he regarded me and I stiffened at the attention I was receiving as he spoke one sentence that frightened me to the very core, "Subject accomplished. Further experimentation required."