I never found the guys and since no one returned my texts, I was forced to go dress shopping with Lydia and Allison. I wasn't the only one who didn't seem totally thrilled with the upcoming dance.
"Was Scott okay?" Allison asked with the air of someone who was trying not to care, but was failing miserably.
"Don't know," I shrugged, feeling quite annoyed with my supposed best friends, "I haven't seen them since the SAT's."
"Oh..." Was all she said before turning back around. Lydia looked at Alison with her mouth wide open.
"Oh, come on, Allison!" She laughed, "Will you just admit that you want to get back together with Scott?"
"I told you, Lydia. It's not that simple." The brunette sighed, setting her head back on her head rest.
"Why not?" I pushed. Allison groaned and glanced out the window.
"After you guys left, things got weird. Stiles was beside himself with worry just when we all needed his bad jokes and then Jackson fell screaming to the ground, clutching his neck." She explained, Lydia grimaced remembering too.
"Wait—what?" I breathed. "What was wrong with him?"
"I guess he got scratched by something and it was just hurting him for some reason." Lydia shrugged, but she seemed a little worried, if that was something Lydia was capable of being.
"They were weird," Allison went on, "He covered them up and wouldn't let anyone see them or tell us what happened but from what I could see is that it was a little 'X'."
"And he didn't tell you how or when he got them?" I questioned.
"No. And you would think he would tell me since I'm his girlfriend after all but no. I'm pretty sure he's had them since that night he got attacked by that wild animal at the video store." Lydia said, pulling into a parking spot at the Mayfield Mall.
That was the same night I got scratched by the Alpha, too...
"We're here!" Lydia chided, shutting her car. "Anyway, Allison, just give Scott another try, or I might sneak in on that nice piece of—"
"Lydia!" I couldn't but laugh at her inappropriateness or the look of shock on Allison's face.
"He locked us in there for Derek to get us." Allison mumbled, looking close to tears. "If that even was Derek, which is another reason I can't take him back, no matter how many times he calls or texts."
"But it was Derek." I lied, "I was there when it started, it was definitely Derek."
"Then what was that thing in the hall? Unless Derek can turn into some—some sort of animal—then it couldn't..." Lydia trailed off, laughing nervously. Allison seemed to be deeply considering this out put.
"Oh, come on, Allison! It was a joke! People don't just turn into dogs or cats!" Lydia chortled, heading into our first dress destination.
"I'm still not convinced," Allison sighed, picking through colorful dresses.
"Trust me, Allison. Everything Scott did was to make sure you were safe." I promised.
"What about me?" Lydia whined, causing Allison and I to stare blankly at her.
"That's what Jackson was there for." Allison laughed as Lydia handed her and I a handful of dresses and pushed us towards the dressing rooms.
"Maybe the dance is too soon to reconcile with Scott, but he loves you and really misses you. I know you feel the same and maybe once you guys talk, you can work this out. You guys are my best friends, I don't wanna see things fall apart between you." I said earnestly. Allison sniffed and smiled appreciatively, locking herself in a dressing room. Lydia pushed me inside mine.
"Enough about Allison's love life," I heard Lydia call over the doors, "What about that kiss with Stiles?" I dropped the dresses I was holding.
As I scurried to pick them all up, I called, "What do you mean?"
I could hear Allison and Lydia giggling. "Allison told me that your madly in love with him."
"Allison!" I cried, "You promised you wouldn't tell anyone until I told Stiles!"
"Well, you kissed him and ran off with Scott, leaving him there all confounded and Lydia and Jackson confused even more about what was happening so I had to say something!" Allison called defensively. I torn my shirt and jeans off, getting ready to put my first dress on when I noticed something in the mirror.
"What did you say? And I hope to God for your sake that Stiles didn't over hear you!" I said distractedly, turning my back to the mirror and stifling a gasp. Smack dab in the middle of my back where the Alpha had scratched me was a huge 'X'. Just like the one on Jackson's neck.
"What the fuck?" I mumbled, scrutinizing my unhealed wound. It had been a month since that night and neither of our cuts had healed. Was this what it meant to be marked? Did that mean Jackson was marked too?
"—And she won't tell anyone! She wants to help get you!" I heard the end of Allison's little spiel. Without really knowing what I was saying, or agreeing to, I said, "O-okay, sounds great!"
Lydia and Allison squealed in delight.
"I'll talk to him for you." Lydia offered.
"Y-yeah. Awesome." I said, hurriedly putting on a dress to show the others.
"Okay, come out girlies!" Lydia demanded.
Without looking at myself, I opened the door and stood out in the bright lights of the dressing rooms.
Lydia clasped her hands over her face, "Oh, my God! You look amazing!"
"Wow, and this is just the first dress," I joked, feeling awkward with them staring at me.
"It's gorgeous and it will look even better with Stiles on your arm." Allison winked, adjusting her dress. It was a bright yellow color that didn't suit her well. "As for me, this is definitely not my dress."
"Absolutely not," Lydia agreed, scrunching up her face to look at it, "Next!"
Allison and I turned back into our respective rooms and shut the door. I took this opportunity to take in the dress. It was a pretty, pale purple that cut off a few inches above my knee. It was a little low cut than what I would usually wear, but for one night, I decided it could be me. It was flowy and I felt pretty in it. If I was going to have to go to this dumb dance, I might as well feel good about myself.
I took the dress off and slid my clothes back on, trying not to look at my back, and then picked up the rest of the dresses and set them outside on the rack.
"You getting the purple one?" Lydia asked knowingly. I nodded as I held it closer to me. "Good choice. Even if Stiles won't go to the dance with you, plenty of hotter guys will wanna get with you."
I didn't know if that was something I wanted but I didn't argue. The few hours we spent together were (and I couldn't totally believe this myself) actually not bad. Allison was right, Lydia was good when it came to advice on love and fashion, even if it was a little sexist and crude.
We left the mall with Allison's and I's complete Homecoming outfits. Allison bought herself and beautiful, sleek emerald cocktail dress and black pumps to match. Lydia bullied me into buying my first pair of heels: four inch white pumps. They made my legs look longer but just trying them on made my feet ache.
Lydia made the plan for Homecoming. Allison and I would go to Lydia's early on Saturday to all get ready together. Our dates (assuming Allison and I got some by then) would show up at five for pictures and then we would head out to some fancy restaurant for dinner. Then we would reach our final destination: the dance.
I agreed to everything Lydia had in store for us, mostly because it gave me something to think about other then Scott and my crumbling relationship with Stiles.
Lydia and Allison dropped me off after dusk, and I walked into a deserted house. All the lights were still off and my dad's Mercedes wasn't in the driveway. I found it odd that he would make me have a police escort to school but didn't bother to lock the doors and be home waiting for me.
I closed my bed room door, set my bags in my closet and turned on the light.
"Mason," A gruff voice commented. I was so frightened that I choked on my scream and fell slightly into the wall. Sitting on my bed, surrounded by Scott and Stiles, was none other than Derek Hale.
"Y-you're—you're alive?" I coughed, rubbing my eyes to make sure they weren't deceiving me.
"He's alive," Scott said, understanding my confusion.
"And Scott blamed you for what happened at the school..."
Derek glared at the two boys and nodded curtly.
"Hey! You two went along with it!" Scott defended.
"Besides, dude," Stiles piped in, "We thought you were dead!"
"Well, I'm not, and now I'm in deep shit, thanks to you three." Derek growled, his eyes flashing bright blue for a second. He shot up, wincing and turned to look out the window, hold his chest tenderly.
"Are you okay?" I asked timidly, he looked at me from the corner of his eye, grunting his reply.
"Fine."
I glanced over at Scott to fill in the blanks. "It's great and all that you're alive and relatively well, but I'm not sure how well my dad's going to take it when he finds out the most wanted man in Mayfield is hanging out in my room. Not to mention he's a werewolf."
"I lost control a little during the SAT's and when I ran out, Stiles followed me into the forest and we ran into Derek during a high speed car chase between the hunters, the police, and Derek. He figured we had something to do with it and he dragged us into it with him." Scott informed me. I took in a deep breath, shaking my head.
"We told him about what happened after the Alpha attacked him. About everything from the janitors death to you somehow channeling the Alpha's possession over Scott." Stiles continued, looking uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry," I laughed humorlessly, "The Alpha's what?"
Derek crossed him arms, and faced me in my dimly lit room, "Those scratched on your back weren't an accident. Do you remember when I told you that you had been marked?"
I nodded.
"Well, I was only guessing, more hoping I was wrong," He went on, "But now the Alpha has officially marked you, and apparently your annoying lacrosse friend—"
"Jackson?" Stiles asked, his voice was an octave higher than usual. "You forgot to mention this part earlier."
"Yeah, well, we were a little preoccupied, don't you think?" Derek shot back, wincing again.
"Really, Derek, are you sure your okay?" I asked again.
"The Alpha's attack to another wolf is a little like wolf's bane. It takes longer to heal." He said tiredly.
"Oh," I said lamely.
"Anyway, since the Alpha has officially marked you, I think it's time you all learned something about a wolf's pack." He didn't remotely sound like he wanted to be speaking to us about this. "There are usually five to a pack: The Leader, The Fighter, The Scout, The Punisher, and The Seducer. The Alpha can add more to his pack if, and when, he pleases, but they will be disposable. The Leader is obviously the Alpha. Scott's The Scout, I'm The Fighter, and I'm assuming that Jackson is supposed to be The Punisher—"
"That leaves—" I started but was cut off by Derek.
"The Seducer, which will be your job." He nodded again.
"Wait, I thought you were going to protect me!" I cried, jolting upward in shock. "You promised that as long as you worked together, he wouldn't be able to touch me! What the hell is this? Did you guys just decide you were tired of protecting me and decided I'm going to join his pack?" I spat, tears building up in my eyes as I glared at the three people in front of me.
Scott came over, setting me on my bed, "No! Of course not! Derek just has a terrible way of explaining things!"
"I just want you to be aware of whats coming. In case we can't prevent it..."
"But we will!" Stiles assured me.
"We'll try our best." Derek said.
"Not helping!" Scott yelled at the oldest wolf. I was trying to breath and remain calm but it wasn't going so well. I knew that I was a goner. The Alpha was just too powerful and with Derek hurt and Scott's mind stuck on Allison, there was no one to stop him. I had given up. I had half a mind to call the Alpha to my room so he could change me now instead of fucking with my mind, but then I remembered the sick little twist the Alpha had to this all.
"Scott's the one who'll change me?" I croaked.
"The Scout is usually the one who find possible recruits if the pack doesn't have a Seducer yet. If the Alpha is satisfied with them, The Scout's job is to change them." Derek interjected.
"But I wont!" Scott reassured me hurriedly. "I promise I won't bite you or touch you near the full moon—"
"Or ever!" Stiles put in, "You are off limits from touching Mason, as of now." And he pushed his way between Scott and I on my bed.
"You can't promise me that." I said quietly, feeling too afraid to blush over the over protectiveness of Stiles or that he was sitting so close I could feel his body heat radiating off of him.
Scott looked at me helplessly, "Why not?"
"Because if you don't do it willingly before the full moon, the Alpha'll make sure you do it under his command." Derek muttered, glancing out at the bright, yet somehow sinister, moon.