I slid the black tank top over my head and pulled my hair back into a ponytail.
Shit was about to go down, and I was to meet Chris Argent and the pack in thirty minutes. I snagged my keys and made my way down to the vet's office to meet up with everyone. We were going to discuss the plan, then off our separate ways to do our assigned jobs.
Theo, Liam and Cora were there upon my arrival, and Argent pulled in just as I did. We were only missing Corey and Mason.
I got out of the car, finding Theo's eyes first and he winked at me. I smiled and came to his side, watching as Chris unloaded heavy artillery from the backseat of his car. There were all sorts of odd gadgets I saw him grab.
"Okay, so Deaton will be back day after tomorrow, and he should have some insight on this creature. Until then, we have to do what we can to stop it from killing anyone else." Liam spoke as Argent approached. "Agreed, so what's the exact plan and who is going where?" I asked.
"Theo, Cora and I are going to go track down, find and lead this creature back to the abandoned bank vault. Here's the address," Liam said, handing a slip of paper to Argent, "You and Cassia go straight there and lay down traps. Cass," He looked to me, "this is where we'll need you. Argent will give you the mountain ash when you arrive. He'll also instruct you on how to use it."
I nodded and met Argent's eyes for confirmation and he nodded also. "Liam," he spoke, "as soon as you get within five hundred yards of the vault, you need to howl, roar, anything. When the wyvern comes in through the entrance, I will use flash bolts to guide it into the open room and Cassia will seal it off. You must be careful not to get bitten or scratched by it in the meantime. You've seen what it can do."
"Alright," Theo said, "so we find this thing, and we provoke it. Shouldn't be hard." "Wait, what are Mason and Corey doing?" I asked. "They're out searching right now. With Corey's ability to turn himself and Mason invisible, we're hoping they can perhaps find a sign of it quicker than us just running around in the dark. Don't worry, they're perfectly safe." Liam replied.
"So, let's get to it." Theo said. Liam and Cora began to walk off, and I started walking toward Argent's car when Theo's hand gently grabbed my forearm, turning me to him.
He pulled me close and put a hand to my cheek, looking into my eyes and I gave him a light smile. "Just…be careful, okay?" He said.
"I will be. You try not to get yourself killed, yeah?" He rolled his eyes then backed up and ran off with Cora and Liam.
"Impressive." I heard Argent say behind me. "What?" I asked, turning.
Chris was reloading a machine gun, almost mechanically, like he'd done it a million times. Come to think of it, he probably had.
"Theo Raeken isn't the soft type." He said, not looking at me as he pulled a box of bullets from his jacket pocket. "And?" I asked.
"He must care for you a lot more than he lets on. Anyway, are you riding with me or following me?" "I'll follow. Doesn't seem like a good idea to leave my car in the open alone."
He nodded again, threw the gun into the passenger seat and climbed in. Just as he pulled out to leave, I did also and followed him to a huge, isolated and decrepit bank. An odd logo stood out on the front of the building.
I climbed out of the car, staring a little longer at the old place until I noted Chris's almost amused look and sheepishly walked to him. "Enjoying the sightseeing?" He asked with a smile. I blushed and shook my head, "Sorry, just a little creepy."
"Look," he said, waiting until I met his eyes to go on, "this is a dangerous thing we're doing, and it's your first time. If you want to back out, I, and the others, will understand."
I gaped.
"No," I said, "these are my friends and the town I love depending on me. I'm not going to run away when it gets a little frightening." "You don't seem to understand that you could die, or at the very least, get hurt." Chris said, sounding slightly bitter as he faced away from me to load an arrow with a strange arrowhead on top onto a crossbow.
"Sometimes sacrifices have to be made." I responded, looking to the ground, and I heard him chuckle darkly. "You sound like a hunter." He said, then pulled the loaded gun from the seat and slung it over his shoulder.
I quieted, then followed behind him as he walked into the building, holding his bow up suspiciously to scope the place out.
"All clear. Here's the open vault." He said, heading toward a huge bank vault door, dusty and slightly damaged. Inside, there were a few shelves and some windows up at the top of the back wall. A pillar stood near the back left and right walls.
There were dents, scratches and holes in the walls, like there had been a war.
Walking inside, I brushed my fingers over the crumbling enclosure, looking to the traces of black dust on my fingertips as I stroked the surface. Deep in thought, I startled when Chris's voice rang out in the quiet.
"I'm surprised Cora was willing to come back here." He stated, pulling an odd stick-like contraption from his bag. "Why?" I asked, facing him.
"She must not have told you," he murmured, "Cora's first visit back here several years ago ended up inside this very vault. As you can see, reuniting with her brother caused some…trouble."
"Cora was trapped in here?" "Held hostage by another Alpha and his pack. She was going to be used as bait to force her brother to join their ranks." "Why hold her here?"
"It's secluded, and the walls are made with a mineral called hecatolite. You might know it as-" "Moonstone." I answered. Chris looked up at me and nodded, "Yes, and moonstone scatters moonlight. The Alpha held her here and she didn't shift for three full moons. She went insane, tried to kill her brother and Scott."
I shook my head, feeling terrible for Cora.
"Alright, I've got everything loaded. Now comes your part." He stood and took a glass bottle with a glittering black substance that resembled sand in it. "This is mountain ash. It creates a barrier to either hold it or keep out supernatural creatures. All we can hope is that it works."
"Why wouldn't it?" I asked, taking the bottle from his extended hand. "Sometimes the rule doesn't apply to certain…creatures."
I gave him a questioning look. "If they're all supernatural, then how could-"
My heart jumped when I heard a wolf's howl. They'd found the creature, and were too close! We hadn't expected them to find it so soon!
"Quickly!" Argent said, snatching his bag and bow and racing toward the front door of the building, "Put it in a line around the room with a small break at the vault door! I'll keep it busy as long as possible!"
Panicked, I took the cork from the top and began pouring it in a line around the walls. I tried not to run and make the line too thin, but I wanted to.
Seconds later, a loud roar echoed through the entire vault, making shivers go down my whole body, and I hurried along with the ash a little more.
"Stop it!" I heard Liam shout from outside, and a bright flash lit the room outside the door from my place. "Keep it busy for just a second more," I murmured, biting my lip as I hurried to finish up the line.
"Don't let it claw you!" Theo yelled. I had no idea what was going on out there, which scared me, and another blinding flash illuminated the room.
"CASSIA!" Liam shouted, "You need to get out of there now!"
I had just finished, leaving a little break in the line, and decided to go for the door. Halfway to the door, I kicked a big piece of hard rubble on the floor, and fell to the floor. The glass bottle with the small bit of ash we still needed flew from me, and shattered in a small pile of powder and glass on the floor.
"No, damn it!" I shouted, "Guys, the bottle-"
Another flash, this one so close it made my eyes burn, and I ducked, shielding my stinging eyes.
"Cassia!" Theo shouted, and as I looked up, I did not see Theo, or anyone.
In front of me, blocking the only exit, was the huge creature. It's silver, reptilian eyes glared at me, and it hissed. A thin plume of green smoke drifted from its nostrils, and it hissed. Without thinking, I backed up.
The guys were yelling their heads off, but all I caught was Argent's name and a few other meaningless words.
The wyvern stepped forward menacingly, knowing I was at its mercy, and from the sound of it, my friends were either hurt or trying to find a way to stop it. The creature's scales shimmered in the dim light of the room, its claws razor sharp and teeth poked out from two corners of its mouth.
It was even taller than I had remembered.
Terror ran through me, and I took another dangerous step backwards. It hissed again, then tromped forward. I saw it raise its hand, claws ready to rip me to shreds.
It happened in slow motion.
I watched as the hand swung forward, and I exhaled deeply, awaiting death. Soundlessly, it came toward me, and all I could think about in that last split second was my parents, Theo, and Beacon Hills. In a way, people were right. Death was the peaceful part.
Just as the claws nearly struck my head, Theo barreled into the creature's side, knocking it away. Just as I formed a scream, fire ignited just above my right hipbone.
Groaning, I fell down to my knees, holding my side. I shook when I felt sticky wetness. Blood.
Had I been cut by the claws? If so, I was dead.
"Theo," I grunted, but he couldn't hear me. He was fighting the creature, black and red blood alike spilling on the floor.
"Seal the barrier!" Theo screamed, still not having seen me.
My side screamed in pain, and I fell on my side, unable to curl up as my side burned in misery.
"Theo…"
I wanted to scream for him, but could only manage a whisper. I had never felt pain like this before.
"LIAM!" Theo shouted, "Come help me!"
Like a bolt of lightning, Liam and Cora came in and held the creature.
"Shit!" I vaguely heard Liam yell. "Cassia!" Cora screamed, and I watched as Theo turned, noticing me for the first time.
His golden eyes went brighter, and he shoved the creature, pushing it away and holding it to the best of his ability.
"Someone get her out of here!" Theo said. "You're the only one that can cross the barrier once it's sealed," Liam said, "Argent's down and no one else can touch it."
The creature spun against them, breaking free of their grasp and they acted fast. Liam intercepted its path toward the door and Cora brought it down. Theo delivered a series of blows to its back.
I bit my lip as my side protested again, and I looked down, horrorstruck to see my own blood pooling around my midsection on the floor.
"Guys!" A new voice shouted from the front door.
Mason.
"We brought some help!"
From the vault door, Doctor Deaton appeared. "Wolves, get out of here now!" He bellowed. In one movement, Cora and Liam sprinted for the doorway, and the doctor connected the mountain ash line, sealing us in.
"Theo, NOW!" Liam screamed.
So fast I almost missed it, Theo was crouched beside me. He lifted me, producing a shocked, agonized scream from me as he disturbed my lacerated flesh. I heard the roar of the creature again and the whoosh of its upcoming attack.
Theo rushed to the doorway, soaring over the line of mountain ash like it was nothing. I heard a zapping sound right behind us, snatching only a glimpse of the creature bashing against a bluish barrier.
It had worked. The creature was sealed inside.
"Guys," Theo said, looking down at me.
Liam and Cora came over. Liam had a hard look on his face, and Cora had her mouth covered in shock.
"Get her to my office, now. I'll be right behind you." Doc Deaton's voice floated over.
When Theo took another step, air hissed through my lips. My side was pressed against his stomach, and I could feel that my blood had already soaked the front of his shirt as well. "Theo," I said with a groggy, rough voice, feeling a red hot tear slide from the corner of my eye.
"Shh, try not to talk," he murmured softly, and gently tightened his grip on me. "Come on, get in her the car." Liam said, ushering him toward the vehicle. "Where's Argent?" Theo asked him, smoothly climbing into the backseat, still holding me.
"Corey rushed him to the hospital. Melissa is going to watch over him."
In a matter of seconds, the car was in motion. Theo brushed the moisture from the corner of my eye tenderly, then constricted his grip as we went over a bump and I squeezed his forearm, grunting audibly.
"Sorry, Cass," Cora whispered from the driver's seat.
I took short, somewhat steady breaths, and took Theo's fingers in mine. "You're going to be okay, Cass," Theo said under his breath, his eyes staring into my own. I groaned as pain seared through my side again, and kept a hold on his hand. "You say that like you know for sure," I panted, attempting a smile.
His worried face frowned harder, and he brushed the hair from my forehead lightly and stroked my cheek with his thumb.
After what felt like an eternity, we made the familiar turn into the doctor's place. Once the car stopped, Theo opened the door and tried not to jostle me too much as he got out. I reached for my side, sucking in a breath as my fingers met slippery, torn flesh and cloth.
I felt the cold of the air conditioned room as he stepped through the doorway. "Lay her here, carefully." Doc Deaton said, and Theo reluctantly obeyed.
I held my breath, trying not to make him feel any worse, as he laid me down on the icy, steel operating table as gently as he could. I took a look at the damage I'd done to his shirt.
I hoped he didn't like that one too much.
"Cassia, breathe slowly. I need to assess the severity of your wound." Doctor Deaton stood over me, his kind face blocking the sharp light in my face. I nodded and took a slow, painful breath.
I felt his chilled hands on my side, and he cut the fabric away from my skin slowly. Liam, Cora and Mason stepped outside, leaving Theo alone with us.
"That's deep, and unfortunately, you're not going to heal like they do. I'm going to have to stitch you up."
"Green veins?" I mumbled.
"No, no green veins. It caught you with its tail. Deceptively dull looking, but like a razor blade. You're lucky, it's the only place that doesn't secrete toxic venom."
I saw Theo put his hands over his face and shake his head roughly before composing himself again. He braced up against the table in the corner, watching every move that the doctor made.
"Theo." I requested, holding my left hand out to him. He made his way over and took my hand. I cleared my throat and spoke, "This isn't your fault. It's no one's fault, okay?"
He nodded, and I smelled antiseptic as the doctor brought forth a bottle of alcohol, a hooked needle, thread and bandages. "Lidocaine," the doctor said, producing a needle, and I gritted my teeth.
When the needle first pierced the skin, fire erupted throughout my aching side, and then it vanished. Confused, I looked up slightly to see what the doctor was doing, and he hadn't stopped.
Then I looked over to Theo, whose breath was shuddering, and the grip on my hand tensed. I watched as blackness inched up into his hands, arms and neck and it dawned on me: he was taking my pain.
Feeling barely anything at all now, I grew suddenly very sleepy. Talking against my heavying lids, I found the strength to murmur his name.
"Go to sleep, Cassia. I'll be right here when you wake up."
**Loving this side to Theo! Cassia is going to be just fine and they have the creature sealed away, but what can they do to make it change? Will it, and who could it be if it does? Thanks for reading guys!**