Frayed
The sky was dark and thunder rumbled, marking the beginnings of what was going to be a powerful storm and it was no different inside the Beacon Hills school bus that was driving down the seemingly endless road.
It had been a few days since the Darach's last attack and the meeting with Deucalion. Much had occurred since then.
At the moment, the lacrosse and cross-country teams were on their way to a mandatory cross-country meet and there was tension all around. It didn't help that they'd been stuck on the bus for hours and Coach Finstock made it clear that the bus wasn't going to turn around or stop unless it was a big emergency.
Boyd and Isaac were sitting across from Ethan and Danny and kept shooting him glares when Danny wasn't looking and Ethan was returning them. Jackson was finding it difficult to keep his inner wolf hidden due to his anger. And in the very back seat, Stiles and Derek were seated with Artemis.
Despite his and Artemis's relationship being known to the public, Derek had managed to "persuade" Coach Finstock into allowing him to accompany the team to the meet as a chaperone. But in truth, he was there to keep an eye on his pack and take care of his mate. He was concerned about all of them, especially Artemis.
Artemis was resting her head against the glass of the bus window with her eyes closed. She was trying to block out the pain that was emitting from her abdomen and conceal it from her friends.
Suddenly the bus hit a large bump in the road, causing Artemis to wince and gasp in pain as she clutched her abdomen.
Derek and Stiles immediately looked at her with concern.
"You okay, Arty?" asked Stiles.
"I'm fine," lied Artemis, as she breathed through the pain.
"You're not fine, Huntress!" said Derek, sternly. "I can smell the blood and I can feel your pain. Your wound's still not healed. You should be at Deaton's office, healing. Not on this stupid bus headed to a stupid cross-country meet. Especially after what happened last night!"
Derek didn't mean to be harsh, but he was worried about Artemis. Everyone else in the pack had already healed from their wounds, but Artemis hadn't. Judging from the smell, her wounds were getting worse.
"He's right, Artemis," said Stiles. "You should've healed by now."
"Guys, calm down. I know it's bad, but wounds caused by an Alpha take longer to heal. You know that," said Artemis. She wanted to believe that was the only reason she wasn't healed already, but deep down, she knew it wasn't.
"That's not it and you know it. If it was just because an Alpha had done it, then why're the others healed while you're not?" demanded Stiles.
He had a good point. Everyone else was healed up, save for Artemis and that wasn't good, because it meant there was something seriously wrong.
"Huntress, we need to get you out of here and to Deaton's," said Derek. "I'm going to talk to the coach and—"
"And what? Leave the rest of the pack here alone with Ethan?" interrupted Artemis. "I don't think so. It's too big of a risk. I don't want to think about what he might do if we're not here to help the others. There's safety in numbers, Derek. You know this."
Derek sighed, knowing he'd been beaten. "Then will you at least let me see it so I can try and do something to help?"
Artemis reluctantly agreed. She carefully lifted her jacket and shirt, allowing Derek to see the bloody claw marks on her abdomen and ribcage. They looked nasty and the sight of them increased Derek's worry. Artemis hadn't thought to bandage her wounds because she thought she'd be healed by now and there hadn't been time before she had to leave for the meet with the others.
"Dang," he muttered.
Artemis made no reply save for the whimper of pain that emitted when the bus hit another bump in the road.
"Derek, she's in agony. She can't keep going like this. Can you give her something for the pain?" asked Stiles.
"Give her something? No." Derek's emergency supplies had accidentally gotten placed in Artemis's luggage, which was locked up in the bus's compartment, which he couldn't access. "Take some of her pain away? Yes."
Werewolves could take away pain from illnesses and injuries if they knew what they were doing. Artemis's wounds were hurting badly and even just a little relief from the pain would help her greatly.
Derek carefully placed his hand on Artemis's wounds and within moments, black veins appeared on Derek's hand and disappeared up his arm as some of Artemis's pain left her.
Artemis let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks."
"No problem," said Derek. She still had a lot of healing to do, but for the moment, she would be okay. "Try and get some sleep."
Artemis was exhausted due to a lack of sleep over the past few days, so she didn't argue with Derek's request. But she did make one of her own.
"Derek, will you hold me?"
Derek didn't hesitate to agree. He wrapped his arms around Artemis and held her close as she rested her head on his shoulder and fell into a deep slumber.
XXX
Meanwhile Alison and Lydia were secretly or rather, not so secretly following the school bus that was transporting their friends. Their friends knew that Alison and Lydia were following them, but Coach Finstock didn't.
After what had happened the previous night, neither Lydia nor Alison were letting the werewolves out of their sight.
"Am I getting too close? I'm getting too close, aren't I?" said Alison. She was trying to keep up with the bus and yet also maintain her distance.
"That depends," said Lydia. "Are you trying to follow the bus or are you planning to mount it at some point?"
Alison immediately slowed down and let the bus get further ahead.
"You know, you shouldn't drive when you're this nervous," said Lydia.
Throughout the entire drive, Alison had had a death grip on the steering wheel and she kept double-checking her mirrors and babbling when she spoke.
"I can't help it. I'm worried about them," said Alison.
"I know. So am I. But we're not any good to them if we're nervous wrecks," said Lydia. "And who knows? Maybe they're fine and we're worrying for nothing."
Alison shook her head. "After what happened last night, I seriously doubt it. You didn't see the look on Artemis's face. She was really hurting." And by hurting, Alison didn't mean just physically.
The expression on Lydia's face became somewhat sad. She was well aware of what had gone down the previous night, having been informed by Jackson. "Yeah, I know. Gads, I hope she's okay."
XXX
Two nights ago…
Artemis and Alison were driving to the Beacon Hills hospital.
Artemis was bringing her mom some dinner and Alison had offered to give her a ride. They turned the lift into some quality time together so they could talk.
"So, are you going to ask me?" asked Artemis.
"Ask you what?" asked Alison, feigning ignorance.
Artemis raised an eyebrow. "Alison, come on. You've got that look on your face. There's something you've been dying to ask me for days, but you've been afraid to actually say it. So, just out with it. What do you want to know?"
Alison sighed. "Okay, you caught me," she admitted. "I wanted to ask you about Kali."
Artemis tensed at the mention of her sister. "My sister? What about her?"
"Well, it's just…you never talk about your sister," said Alison. Up until Braeden's appearance at the school, Alison had had no idea that Artemis had even had a sister. Alison had once heard Artemis refer to Alison as the sister Artemis had never had. Why would she do that if she had Kali? "What happened between you two?"
Artemis sighed and looked away. "I didn't talk about her because even now sometimes it hurt too much. I was trying to move on."
"I'm sorry," said Alison. She regretted bringing it up now. "You don't have to tell me…"
"It's fine," interrupted Artemis. "Besides, you might as well know." Now that Kali was back in town and an Alpha, it was probably best that Alison know what she was dealing with. "Before Kalika disappeared, she and I were close. Despite the huge age gap between us, she looked after me, she protected me, cared for me and she was one of my best friends. She had one heck of a temper problem, but she never took her anger out on me. Anyone who ever bothered me, however, did. No one messed with Kali. No one sane, anyway.
"Growing up, I looked up to her. She was gifted, fearless, stubborn, brave, fierce and no one could ever make her do anything she didn't want to do. She didn't have a lot of friends, but she would tell me that didn't matter to her because she had me and I was better than any friend she could ever have. We were the 'Sisters of the Moon,' as she called it."
"She sounds like she was amazing," said Alison.
Artemis nodded. A small smile crossed her face as she thought of those times long ago when she had been a normal, happy, carefree girl with her sister. Artemis and Stiles had always been close and she cherished her friendship with him so much that she considered him her brother, but sometimes Artemis needed a friend of her own gender. For the longest time, Kali had been that friend she craved.
"Anyway, ten years ago, my parents got divorced. To be honest, Kali and I didn't care that much. Neither of us cared for our father. He's not like Isaac's father was, but he's still a world-class jerk and we were just glad to be rid of him. But when Kali found out that our father had gotten custody of her and I was the one who was going to stay with our mom, she was furious. She argued against it, but there wasn't anything to be done. So, Kali took matters into her own hands. A few days before Kali was to move out with my father, I woke up one night and found her sneaking out of the house," said Artemis.
"She decided to run away, didn't she?" guessed Alison.
Artemis nodded again. "Any life, even one on the streets was better than one with my dad, at least in Kali's opinion. Anyway, when I saw Kali that night, I asked her what she was doing. She told me she was just going out into the woods for stargazing or something like that. She swore to me that no matter what our father did, she'd always be there for me and said she loved me. I was to tell no one she was gone because she was going to be back by morning. Being young and naïve, I believed her. I let her go and I didn't say anything to my parents."
"I'm sorry," said Alison, sadly.
"It's not your fault. So, anyway, when I didn't see Kali the next morning, I thought maybe she'd gotten home but was sleeping. I didn't say a word until I got home from school. By then my parents found out she was gone and they were frantic. I got scared for Kali by that point so I told them what had happened the previous night. They called the police and before long, Kali's stuff was found in the woods and there was evidence suggesting she'd been attacked by an animal and was probably dead. We searched for months before my father decided to end it and declare her dead. I was devastated. No one blamed me for what happened to her. No one except myself," said Artemis, as tears came to her eyes.
Alison reached over and gave Artemis's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "I'm sorry for what happened to you. I wish there was something I could do to change it. But you've got to know that it's not your fault. Kali made her own choices."
"I know," said Artemis. She knew it even if her heart didn't agree. Even now, Artemis regretted not telling anyone about Kali. She blamed herself for her sister's fate. If she'd spoken up earlier or not let her sister leave, things might've been different. "The worst part of it was, that morning when my parents discovered she was missing, they were going to tell her that my mom had persuaded my father into letting Kali stay with us instead of him."
Alison looked sympathetic.
"So now you know why I said you were the sister I never had, Ali," said Artemis, as she finally looked into her friend's eyes. "Unlike Kali, you've always been there for me, you've never lied to me, you've never betrayed me or tried to hurt me, and in some ways, you're better than she ever was." Artemis would always love Kali, but sometimes Artemis wished that Alison had been her sister by blood.
Alison felt touched by this and smiled a little. "Thanks."
Artemis smiled back as they pulled into the hospital's parking lot. "Wait here. I'll just be a few minutes." She got out of the car with her mother's meal and went inside.
After dropping off Melissa's food, Artemis entered the elevator so she could head out. She'd just set foot inside it when a voice said, "Going down, Miss Moon?"
Artemis looked up and saw Deucalion was in the elevator. His sunglasses were gone, revealing his blind, Alpha-red eyes. He was without sight, but he was still able to make the elevator move and he was smirking at her with an evil glint in his eyes.
XXX
Two hours later, the storm had passed and the sun was shining, making the day bright and clear. But it was in contrast to the werewolves' moods.
Artemis had yet to wake up, but she was still in bad shape. By now her breathing was becoming labored, she was sweaty and showed signs of a fever.
"Derek, she's bleeding again," said Stiles.
Fresh blood stains were appearing Artemis's shirt and it stank of infection.
"Dang it," muttered Derek. "She's getting worse."
Artemis's wound wasn't taking longer to heal. It wasn't healing at all. One of the Alphas had done something to Artemis when they wounded her and if she didn't get help soon, she might die.
"Derek, there's something else. I think Ethan's listening," said Stiles.
Derek looked up and saw that Stiles was right. Ethan kept his ear towards them and he was glancing at them out of the corner of his eye. He was definitely listening.
"Is he going to try something?" asked Stiles.
"Not in front of so many witnesses," replied Derek.
Ethan was a powerful Alpha, but he'd be pretty stupid to try anything in a bus full of so many witnesses.
"What about the three ticking time bombs that're sitting right near him?" asked Stiles. He was referring to Boyd, Isaac and Jackson, who looked like they might do something incredibly stupid on Artemis's behalf.
Derek shook his head. "No. Not here, at least."
"And if they do, then what? Are you going to stop them?" asked Stiles.
"If I have to," said Derek.
If need be, Derek would order the three Betas to stay in their seats and they would have no other choice but to obey their Alpha.
Suddenly, the bus jerked to a stop due to a traffic jam. Stiles checked his phone for any information and found out that the traffic jam was caused by a jackknifed trailer a few miles ahead of them.
The sudden stop caused Artemis to awaken from her slumber. "Are we there already?" she asked, as she yawned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.
"No. It's just a traffic jam," said Derek. "How're you feeling?"
"Lousy," she admitted.
Stiles and Derek exchanged worried glances. If Artemis was admitting her pain, then it was worse than they thought.
Artemis then sat up and narrowed her eyes at Boyd. "Crap. Boyd. He's going to do something."
"What? How do you know?" asked Stiles.
Artemis didn't reply as she rose up and began walking over to Boyd's seat, despite the protests from Stiles and Derek and the throbbing pain from her wounds. She reached Boyd's seat just as he extended his claws and she put a death grip on his hand.
"Let go, Artemis!" growled Boyd.
"I know what you're going to do, Boyd," said Artemis, as she narrowed her eyes. "Tell me your brilliant plan and I'll let you go. What're you going to do? Kill Ethan right here and now? And then what? What're you going to do after that?"
"As long as he pays for what he did, I don't care!" hissed Boyd.
He tried to leave his seat, but Artemis's grip on his wrist tightened and Isaac grabbed the back of Boyd's shirt, holding him in place.
"I do," said Artemis. "All of us care about you, Boyd! We're your family. You think any of us could stand it if something happened to you? Do you really think that Erica, your mate who loves you more than life itself, could bear to lose you?"
Boyd hesitated and was quiet for a moment as he contemplated this.
Isaac then looked worried when he saw the blood stains on Artemis's shirt. "Whoa, whoa, you're still hurt."
Boyd's eyes flickered downward and he too, became concerned at the sight of Artemis's still unhealed wounds.
"I'm fine," lied Artemis. She didn't take her eyes off Boyd. "Look, Boyd, I know how much you want to stop the Alpha pack, how angry and hurt you are over what they did to you and how much it hurts to not be able to do anything. I felt all of that when Peter turned me and tried to use me to further his plans for revenge. Just like you, I had to make a choice. If you take Ethan's life, if you cross that line and take revenge, there's no going back. So, what's your choice? Revenge or your family?"
Boyd's face softened and he retracted his claws. "I choose my family." Artemis had gotten through to Boyd. Boyd wasn't going to do anything stupid. He was going to stay put and work with the pack to sort out the Alpha pack without taking revenge or lives.
Artemis gave him an approving nod before she slowly walked back to her seat. She then sat down and got back into Derek's arms. Both of them were looking at her with admiration and pride.
"Arty, that was awesome," said Stiles, in awe.
"You did well, Huntress," said Derek, smiling.
Artemis just smiled back in reply.
Truth be told, Artemis hadn't even known what she was doing. She'd just sensed it somehow and had reacted purely on instinct. She'd looked after Boyd and given him a chance to make a better choice than the one he'd been prepared to make. She'd done just what a leader should do.
"Well, now that that crisis is adverted, we've got another one to deal with," said Stiles. "Ethan's checking his phone every five minutes like he's waiting for some kind of message. He's all anxious and stuff."
Derek's eyes narrowed. "What could he be waiting to hear about?"
"I think I know," said Artemis, grimly. She was looking at her phone as she'd just received a text message from her boss. "Dr. Deaton's just left me a message. It's Ennis."
XXX
Two nights ago…
Artemis instinctively extended her claws, bracing herself for a potential fight.
Deucalion just shook his head at her. "Put those away, Artemis. There's no need for that. I only came here to talk."
Artemis snorted in disbelief. "And why should I believe you?"
"Because if I was going to fight you, we wouldn't be standing here talking about it. Also, I'd have to be blind, deaf and quadriplegic for you to be an actual threat," he said. But they both knew that was a lie and a half. "Or maybe you'd care to take a chance and rise to the occasion? Risk and reward, I believe are the terms. You risk your life to become an Alpha by killing one."
"I'm not interested in becoming an Alpha," said Artemis, coldly. Despite knowing what she was going to become and having her own authority in her pack, Artemis had never once sought power. "So, if you're just here to try and goad me into taking a life and becoming an Alpha, you can save your breath. I'm not interested."
Deucalion chuckled. "Indeed not. But then again, one who's truly destined for power doesn't seek it—at least, not at first and not always intentionally. Hmm, can you sense that?" He stepped back and closed his eyes as he listened to the sounds around him. "Listen to that. Your heartbeat's so steady. You may smell of fear, but you're controlling your fear. Impressive."
"I've had a lot of practice in confronting and controlling my fears," said Artemis, coldly.
It was true. After facing down Peter, hunters, the kanima and much more, most of Artemis's fears had been conquered.
Deucalion smiled. "I'm aware. You've gained quite the reputation, Artemis. Not a lot of Beta wolves can do what you did. You defied and took down your own sire, ended the war between the hunters and our kind and even stopped a kanima. Not only that, but you've taken an Alpha for a mate and you share the strongest bond I've ever seen in our kind. You've established yourself as his equal and your own authority in your pack, maintained a friendship with the hunters, and yet in spite of all you've faced, you've retained your humanity and never once took a life even at the risk of your own."
"Maybe you haven't heard, but unlike you, I'm not in business of taking lives, no matter how I might benefit from it," snarled Artemis. She hadn't taken Peter's life when it could've meant the cure for her lycanthropy or Gerard's when it meant getting rid of the threat he posed to her. Why would Deucalion think she'd take a life to acquire an Alpha's power?
"So I've heard," said Deucalion. "But surely you know that sometimes, in order to protect a life, you have to take one. Surely your mate, Derek, taught you this when he killed Peter in order to become an Alpha and protect you?"
"Yes, I'm aware. But I don't care," said Artemis. She knew the circumstances back then had forced Derek to take Peter's life for the sake of them all, but he hadn't taken a life since and nor did he intend to do so again unless it was in self-defense or he was protecting her or the pack. "I'm not like you. I don't kill people, period."
"Not yet," said Deucalion. "But that can easily be changed."
"I seriously doubt it," said Artemis. Peter had tried to make her take lives and join his pack. He'd failed miserably at it. Why would that change?
"I don't share those feelings and in time, you'll come to share my own point of view on them," said Deucalion.
"And why would I?"
"Because, I've seen it happen before with your sister. You see, Kali was much like you when she was first turned, but she changed her ways because she knew what needed to be done in order to survive in this world," said Deucalion.
Artemis nearly wolfed out in anger at this. "Don't bring my sister into this!" She didn't want to hear from Deucalion about what her sister had gone through when she ran away from home. Deucalion may have corrupted Kali, but he wouldn't succeed with Artemis. "Why don't you cut to the chase, Deucalion and tell me what this is about?"
Artemis saw through Deucalion's lies about not seeing her as a threat. She knew the danger she posed to him even if he wasn't willing to admit it.
"Very well," said Deucalion. He fixed his frightening gaze upon her. "I want to see what you're made of. Come to Peabody's Mall at midnight tomorrow night and come alone. I presume you know where that is?"
"Yes." Peabody's Mall had been abandoned years ago after an earthquake left it decimated. Artemis knew its location from having driven by it and explored it a number of times over the years. "But what makes you think I'll show up?" She knew a trap when she saw one. Why would she go to Deucalion's stupid meeting knowing that?
Deucalion got right into her face. "I think you know what'll happen if you don't. Or do I need to remind you of what I and my pack are capable of, what lines we're willing to cross to get what we want?"
Knowing she had no other option, Artemis was forced to agree. "No, you don't need to remind me. I'll show up. You have my word."
"Good girl," said Deucalion. The elevator then dinged as the doors opened. "Oh, Artemis, there're two things I almost forgot to mention. I heard what you did to Gerard Argent. For that, you have my gratitude. I would've preferred him to be dead, but considering how he is now, I guess letting him live is a far better punishment for his crimes."
"And what's the last thing?" asked Artemis.
Artemis had no love for Gerard, but she didn't care for Deucalion's opinion on what fate had befallen him thanks to her and nor did she care for Deucalion's gratitude.
"Tell no one about our meeting here or about tomorrow night," said Deucalion.
"Fine," said Artemis. "I won't."
Artemis left the hospital and as she promised, she said nothing. She didn't like this one bit, but she had no other option. She couldn't risk the lives of her family and friends. All of this was happening because of her. Lives of those she loved were in danger because of she was and the paths she'd chosen. This was her fault.
If need be, she'd give up her life for everyone else's.
XXX
Meanwhile back in Beacon Hills, Cora and Erica were searching through Peabody's Mall.
Cora was looking over the broken escalators where Peter and Ennis had fallen the previous night.
"Anything?" asked Erica. She was waiting at the top of the broken escalators.
"Nothing," said Cora, as she rejoined her friend. "And that's what worries me. Peter and Ennis's bodies are gone. Bodies don't just vanish."
"I agree," said Erica. She looked worried. "So, the question is, were they carried out for burial or did they somehow find the strength to just walk away?"
Cora shrugged. "I don't have the slightest clue." She didn't see how anyone, even two strong werewolves, could survive such terrible injuries like Peter and Ennis had and then survive a huge fall. "Personally, I hope it's the former."
"You and me both," agreed Erica.
Ennis had been one of the girls' captors and had held them prisoner for months. Peter had been a psychotic murderer that no one liked or trusted, not after all he'd done.
"But either way, we need to make sure," said Erica. "The last time everyone thought that Peter was dead, he used Lydia and Derek to resurrect himself."
"So, where the heck do we go now?" demanded Cora.
They'd been searching for hours and had found nothing that could tell them if Ennis or Peter had survived their fall or not.
Erica thought for a moment and then it came to her. "Not where. Who. Dr. Deaton. Come on."
And with that, the two girls left for Dr. Deaton's office.
XXX
Downtown at the veterinary clinic, Dr. Deaton was hanging up some x-rays to examine when he heard the bell at the front desk ring.
"Coming!" he called.
Dr. Deaton went up to the front desk and his face fell when he saw who was there. His sister, Miss Marin Morrell, along with three of the Alphas—Aiden and Kali were supporting Ennis, who was badly injured and barely conscious.
"Hello, Dr. Deaton," said Kali. "Long time no see."
"It hasn't been long enough, Kali," said Dr. Deaton, coldly.
Dr. Deaton had always suspected Kali hadn't died when she'd disappeared, but he'd never had any proof until the Alpha pack came to Beacon Hills. Even then, he'd lacked the courage to tell Artemis of what he knew as he feared the knowledge of what Kali had become would only hurt her.
"You can get reacquainted later. We need a little help, Alan," said Miss Morrell.
Dr. Deaton didn't budge. "Try the hospital."
"Open the gate, Alan," said Miss Morrell. Her tone was both demanding and impatient.
"No," said Dr. Deaton, flatly.
Aiden let out a growl as he extended his claws and flashed his red eyes at Dr. Deaton. "Do it or I'll kill your sister," he growled, as he held his claws at her throat.
"Not here, you won't," said Dr. Deaton, coolly. He was right, for Aiden resumed his human form right after that.
Dr. Deaton wasn't afraid and nor was he one to give in to threats and blackmail. His clinic was protected with mountain ash. It was in the building material as well as the gate that separated him from his sister and the werewolves. It also kept Aiden from hurting him or Miss Morrell and as long as Dr. Deaton kept the gate closed, the Alphas couldn't cross it.
"I suggest you leave. Don't make me insist," said Dr. Deaton, sternly.
At this point, Kali approached Dr. Deaton with eyes full of tears. She looked desperate and pleading.
"Dr. Deaton, please, I know I hurt my sister and I've made a lot of choices that you don't agree with," said Kali, as tears slid down her cheeks. "But I am begging you to put that aside for Ennis's sake. Ennis is the only reason I didn't die the night I disappeared. He is my mate, my life, my love and it'll kill me if I lose him. Please, help him."
Dr. Deaton hesitated.
Kali was being truthful, and Dr. Deaton knew very well of the emotional damage a werewolf endured when they lost their mate. He'd witnessed it firsthand before and wished he could forget it. It was something he wouldn't wish on anyone, not even Peter.
"Alan, you know what'll happen if he dies," whispered Miss Morrell. "You know what Deucalion and the others will do. They'll go after the others in Artemis's pack to take revenge, they'll find them, and she'll get in the middle of it all just like she always does. She'll get killed, Alan!"
Knowing Miss Morrell was right and realizing he had no other options; Dr. Deaton sighed and then opened the gate, allowing them entrance. He switched the 'open' sign to 'closed' so they could remain undisturbed while he helped Ennis.
XXX
Half an hour later, Artemis's condition was no better and they were still stuck in traffic as Coach Finstock still refused to pull over for love or money because he was determined to make the meet. Worst of all, because Dr. Deaton was busy taking care of Ennis, he couldn't pick up his phone to answer their calls.
Derek was growing more frustrated with the coach's idiotic stubbornness and more worried about Artemis by the minute. He was on the verge of decking Coach Finstock and hijacking the bus, but wisely restrained himself from doing so.
"Stiles, we need to get Artemis out of here," said Derek.
"How? Coach Finstock won't pull over!" said Stiles. "We can't reason with him or explain why we need to pull over without exposing her or the rest of you."
Derek was quiet for a minute before he spotted Jared, one of the students who was very car sick and was fighting the urge to toss his cookies. Throughout the entire drive, Coach Finstock had been practically threatening the kid not to lose it or else as the coach tended to be rather…sympathetic when it came to illnesses.
"Stiles, why don't you have a little chat with Jared?" suggested Derek.
Stiles looked confused for a moment before he caught on. With an evil grin on his face, Stiles rose up and sat with Jared and chatted with him. The result was almost instantaneous.
Jared's car sickness finally won the battle and Coach Finstock had the bus pull over at the nearest rest stop. Once the bus doors were open, the students ran out of the bus like there was no tomorrow while Coach Finstock had the bus cleaned and disinfected.
With accompanied by Stiles, Lydia and Alison, Derek carried Artemis bridal style out of the bus and into the restroom, which was devoid of any human life. He then placed her on the floor and helped her sit up against the wall.
"I got her bag like you asked," said Alison, as she placed Artemis's luggage on the bathroom floor. "What's wrong with Artemis?"
"She's not healing," said Derek. He began rummaging through the bag until he found what he was looking for.
"What do you mean she's not healing? How can she not—oh, gads," gasped Alison.
Derek had rolled up Artemis's shirt and used one of her hairclips to hold it in place, revealing her wound, which was worse than ever. There were black veins on her skin and her blood had turned into a disgusting black color.
"Stay with me, Huntress. Stay with me," murmured Derek.
Artemis just moaned a little in response and winced from the pain she felt.
Derek cleaned Artemis's wounds of the blood with hot water and a clean rag before he began treating it with what little medicinal supplies he had. But it had very little effect on Artemis's wounds. Worse, her eyes remained close and she barely reacted at all to Derek's treatments.
"This doesn't make any sense. Artemis should be better by now. She's healed a lot quicker from injuries worse than this," said Alison.
"We don't know. But we can't call an ambulance with risking exposure and if she doesn't start healing, like now, she could die," said Stiles.
Lydia, who'd been quiet with worry, suddenly spoke up. "You know, it could all be psychological, like somatoformic. Artemis could have a physical illness from a psychogenic cause."
Derek looked up from his treatment of Artemis and frowned in realization. "Meaning it's all in Huntress's head. She's not healing because she's subconsciously refusing to heal and she doesn't even realize it."
Lydia nodded. "Exactly."
"But what could make her choose not to heal?" asked Alison.
Stiles sighed as he figured it out. "Last night with the Alphas. Artemis is blaming herself for that and for her psycho sister, and she probably feels responsible for all the crazy crap that's been happening since Peter turned her. It's guilt, pure and simple."
"The question is, how do we snap her out of it?" asked Lydia. "Stitch up her wounds and make her think she's healing so that she actually will?"
Alison shook her head. "It won't work. Artemis needs to really believe that she's not to blame for what's been happening. We need to convince her it's not her fault."
"How? Artemis is the most stubborn, self-sacrificing person I've ever met," said Stiles. He remembered all too well Artemis's early days as a werewolf. She'd been so afraid of what she was capable of that she'd even asked Stiles to kill her so that she wouldn't hurt anyone. It wasn't something Stiles liked remembering. "And even if there is a way to do it, which of us do you think can get through to Artemis?"
"I can," said Derek, startling them. He'd been thinking it through and had decided that he was the only one who could get Artemis to heal. "I can get through to her."
"You sure about that?" asked Stiles.
Derek nodded. He and Artemis were mates. They were in love and they shared a bond that was stronger than anyone else had ever seen before. If anyone could help her, it was him.
"Just make sure the bus doesn't leave," said Derek. "Go."
And with that, Stiles, Lydia and Alison left the bathroom, allowing the two werewolves some time to themselves.
Derek knelt down in front of Artemis and gently patted her cheek to awaken her. "Artemis, wake up. Wake up."
Artemis stirred and her eyes fluttered open. They were still beautiful as always, but they were also glassy and dull from her pain. "Derek…"
"Huntress, we need to talk," said Derek. "Listen to me, I know why you're not healing. You're not letting yourself heal."
Artemis tiredly frowned in confusion. "How is that possible? I didn't think it was possible for our kind to do that."
"It's rare, but it's not unheard of for our kind," said Derek. "But that's not important. You've got to let go of this guilt you're feeling or you're going to die." He'd been sensing guilt and pain from her for a while now and he felt terrible for not recognizing the reason behind her feelings sooner. "What happened last night was not your fault and you are not to blame for what we're going through right now and that includes Deucalion's arrival."
"Derek, I can't…" began Artemis. "You could've all been killed last night. If I hadn't agreed to meet Deucalion—"
"Listen to me!" interrupted Derek. His tone wasn't harsh, just desperate and pleading. He could almost feel her slipping away from him. "It's not your fault! You've got to believe me, Huntress. No one blames you. If you want proof of just how much you mean to us, to me, just let me in and I'll show you."
Artemis hesitated for a moment before agreeing.
Derek touched Artemis's temples and showed every memory he had of her, every good and beautiful memory that showed Artemis the kind of person she truly was and how much she was loved by her friends and family. And most importantly, Derek showed and allowed Artemis to feel the depth of his love for her.
When it was over, Artemis was crying in Derek's arms. "I love you. I love you so much, Derek," she said. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I love you."
"It's okay. It's okay. I love you too," said Derek. "I love you so much, Huntress. I love you."
When they broke apart and stood up, Artemis's wound was fully healed and it looked as if she'd never been wounded at all. She was going to be just fine now.
XXX
Last night…
At twenty minutes to midnight, Artemis's house was quiet, save for the sound of her mother's snoring from her bedroom.
Quietly, Artemis slipped out of the house and walked her motorcycle until it was safe enough for her to use it without waking her mother. She then drove off to Peabody's Mall and arrived with a few minutes to spare.
Artemis parked her bike and entered the building. Deucalion said he wanted to see what she was made of, which probably meant he wanted her to fight either him or one of the Alphas in the pack. She wasn't planning on doing that, but she would if she had to. She hoped that she would be able to talk to Deucalion and convince him to leave her and her pack in peace.
"Artemis," crooned Deucalion. He was standing on a broken escalator in the middle of the main room of the mall. "So glad you could make it."
"I said I'd come, didn't I?" said Artemis.
"Yes, you did," said Deucalion, nodding. "But you also didn't come alone as I asked."
Artemis frowned in confusion. "What're you talking about? I…" She cut herself off as she sensed Derek's presence and inwardly groaned in frustration. She turned around to see Derek and the rest of the pack, including Peter, were all around her. They were wolfed out and looked ready for a fight. "What're you doing here?"
"You didn't really think we'd let you do something like this alone, did you?" asked Isaac.
"How did you even know what I was doing?" she demanded.
Artemis had been careful not to let the slightest indication of her plans make themselves known to Stiles, Alison or anyone in the pack. She'd even blocked the information from her telepathic link with Derek and thought she'd been careful when she'd snuck out of the house.
"You're not as sneaky as you'd like to believe, Artemis," said Peter, smirking. "Derek was on his way to see you and saw you sneaking out of your house. When you blocked him out, he figured you were going to pull something noble and stupid like this, so he called the cavalry and followed you here."
Artemis should've known. She'd thought her attempt to sneak away to her secret rendezvous had been too easy.
"How could you not tell me about this, Huntress?" demanded Derek. "We're a pack. We handle threats together, not alone."
Artemis sighed. "I didn't have a choice. And even so, how was I supposed to tell you? I knew you'd do something like this, and that's why you've got to leave. I'm not going to risk your lives for this. This is my fight, my problem. Not yours." Deucalion was after Artemis, not her pack. "You're only going to get yourselves killed."
Derek shook his head. "No. We're not leaving you and if anyone dies, it'll be Deucalion."
Deucalion just laughed. "You think so, Derek? Then explain to me how that's going to happen. I wasn't the only one who brought backup tonight."
As he spoke, the other Alphas made their appearance.
Kali used her claws to slide down a pillar and looked scarier than any Alpha ever seen before. Ennis came up another escalator and thundered around like an ogre. Ethan and Aiden leapt down from one of the upper levels and they were merged into one large Alpha before they hit the floor.
Artemis cast a pleading look at Kali. She had to try at least once more to get through to her sister. There had to be some good in her. Kali's desire to punish Peter for what he did to Artemis and her previous actions had shown that.
When Artemis was leaving the school the day of the Darach's latest attack, Ethan and Aiden had gotten her alone and tried to attack her in retaliation for her involvement in the bike incident. Kali had shown up out of nowhere and forced them into submission. What was more, Kali had threatened Ethan and Aiden, telling them that unless they went into battle or it was on Deucalion's orders, they weren't to harm so much as a hair on Artemis's head. She'd ordered them to retreat and they'd obeyed. Kali had then fled before Artemis could question her sister and it had left Artemis feeling conflicted and confused about her sister's character and motives.
"Kalika, please," said Artemis. "Don't do this. It doesn't have to be this way. You're my sister. Our father's gone and Mom knows about you, about all of this. She's waiting for you. We can be a family again. Just come home."
Artemis wouldn't hesitate to protect her pack and other loved ones from even Kali, but that didn't mean she desired to fight her own sister. She just wanted Kali to come home. She just wanted her sister back.
There was a hint of regret in Kali's eyes but no hesitation. "We all choose sides, Artemis," she murmured. "You've chosen yours and I've chosen mine."
Artemis's heart broke at this and she felt her eyes burn with tears, but she forced them back as she took a fighting stance.
"So be it, then," said Artemis.
It was hurting her to have to do this, but she had no choice. She had to protect her family; even it meant protecting it from her own kin. No matter how much it hurt, Artemis's mate and the pack had to come first.
"Get them," said Deucalion.
And with that, the biggest werewolf battle began. Everyone except for Deucalion lashed out at each other. The wolves in Artemis's pack fought one of the Alphas with another's aid. Jackson, Derek and Peter fought against Kali, who matched them in fighting skill. Boyd and Erica fought against Ennis and despite the wounds they sustained, they managed to hold their own against him. Isaac and Artemis struggled against Ethan and Aiden in their merged form.
Despite those in Artemis's pack aiding one another and outnumbering Deucalion's pack, those in Artemis's pack sustained great and terrible wounds and it became clear that Artemis's pack was losing. Soon, the battle ended.
Artemis's pack mates were either lying on the ground trying to heal their wounds or were being held down by the Alphas.
"Kill them," ordered Deucalion.
"Wait, stop!" yelled Artemis. Everyone froze at this and stared at her as she spoke. "Just stop, please. We both know it's me you really want, not them. Let my pack go and take me in their place. My life for theirs."
The rest of Artemis's pack, minus Peter, all looked horrified and distraught by this.
"Huntress, no! Don't!" yelled Derek. But he was silenced by a blow to the head from Ennis that rendered him unconscious for a moment.
Deucalion was smiling as he descended the elevator. "Well, you heard her. Let her pack go."
The Alphas obeyed and Artemis's pack was released. Then Ethan and Aiden grabbed Artemis and held a threatening claw at her throat. They didn't strike as they were waiting for the order from Deucalion to do so.
"I am greatly impressed, Artemis. You rose to the occasion just like I hoped you would. I can see your potential for greatness is even more than what I was promised to believe," said Deucalion.
Artemis frowned in confusion. Promised? Who would've promised Deucalion anything, let alone known about Artemis's True Alpha potential? Was there someone else she needed to worry about, a mole she wasn't aware of?
Suddenly, shots were fired from an upper level. Alison was there, firing flash grenade arrows which blinded the Alpha pack due to them not covering their eyes. Derek had called her in as their backup in case things went badly with the Alphas.
Artemis and her pack took the chance to retaliate. Those who were too badly wounded to fight were taken away and those who could still do battle, fought the Alphas. Artemis delivered a swift jab into Ethan and Aiden's ribs, causing them to release her before she grabbed their arm and threw them over her shoulder.
Ennis then charged Artemis and the two of them collided. But instead of being knocked off her feet, Artemis felt a surge of power like she'd never felt before that allowed her to land gracefully onto her feet. As she did so, her golden eyes turned red yet again. This time she felt it and knew it had occurred before her eyes resumed their normal gold color. She was getting closer to becoming the True Alpha. It wouldn't be long before the ascension would be complete.
Ennis roared and was about to attack Artemis again when Peter attacked him from behind. The two of them fought each other hard until their battle led them to the edge and caused them both to fall.
Despite knowing what both men had done, Artemis couldn't bear to let her sister suffer the grief of losing her mate and nor was she one to let someone die when she could stop it. She ran over to the edge of the floor and tried to grab at least one of them, but to no avail.
Peter and Ennis fell and landed many, many stories below onto another set of broken escalators. Both men were back in their human forms and they were unmoving as they lay upon the broken escalators. They appeared to be dead.
Kali let out a roar of grief and had to be restrained by Ethan and Aiden while Artemis was pulled away from the edge by her mate.
"It's time we left," said Deucalion. Judging from his tone, he wasn't at all pleased by these turn of events. "Let us depart."
Ethan, Aiden and Kali obeyed and began to follow Deucalion out of the mall. Kali stopped in her tracks when Artemis spoke to her.
"Kali, wait. Please…" Artemis held out her hand for her sister to take. She'd already found it within herself to forgive Kali for her actions. Kali just needed to accept it. "Please…"
Kali just shook her head and departed with the other Alphas.
The look of devastation on Artemis's face would not be forgotten by those who saw it.
XXX
When Artemis and Derek left the bathroom, Artemis was the picture of health like usual and wearing a clean shirt.
Within moments, Stiles ran over to them both. He was looking panicked as sounds of fight hit their ears.
"Stiles, what's happening?" asked Artemis.
Upon seeing his best friend alive and healthy again, Stiles looked relieved. "Oh, dude. I'm so glad you're okay. But we've got a problem. The others wanted to know what was wrong with you, so I told them, but then they got mad and now Jackson and Isaac are beating the crap out of Ethan. Boyd and I tried to stop them, but they're not listening."
"I'm going to kill them," grumbled Derek.
But in all honesty, no one could really blame them for doing it as it had been Ethan and Aiden who had inflicted Artemis's wound in the first place.
They ran over to where the fight was taking place. Jackson had Ethan's hands behind his back and Isaac was punching him. They were ignoring the coach's orders to stop and had even fought off attempts made by other students to stop.
"If she dies because of you, I'm going to—" snarled Isaac.
"JACKSON, ISAAC, STOP IT!" yelled Artemis.
Her yell caused everyone, even the crowd, to fall silent and Isaac and Jackson ceased their actions as they stared at Artemis.
"Guys, I'm okay," assured Artemis. "Let him go. I'm okay."
When they saw that Artemis was no longer wounded or on the verge of death, Jackson released Ethan and stepped back from him while Isaac hugged Artemis tight and she returned the embrace. They were both immensely relieved to see that she was okay. (More on Isaac's part than Jackson's)
With the fight settled and Artemis back in good health, they resumed their journey onward. Having been caught by the coach, come so far and being unwilling to leave behind their friends, Alison and Lydia ended up accompanying the teams to the meet.
With any luck, they wouldn't have any more problems on their journey.
XXX
Meanwhile, trouble was stirring in Beacon Hills.
After Ennis's wounds were treated by Dr. Deaton, Ennis had been on the road to recovery.
Before Dr. Deaton could tell Kali and the others of this, however, Deucalion had shown up and decided to punish Ennis for not healing on his own. Deucalion killed Ennis and absorbed his power. As a result, Deucalion lied to Kali and the others about Ennis's death, claiming that Dr. Deaton's efforts had been fruitless and the injuries Ennis had sustained from his fight with Peter had killed him.
Kali was devastated at her mate's death, for she had felt him die and she felt as though she had died with him. She didn't know that Deucalion had lied regarding her mate's death. Desiring vengeance, she swore that if Peter was alive and they encountered him, she would make him pay dearly for his actions.
Little did she know…
Far across town, Jennifer had just finished running errands and was about to get into her car to drive home when Peter scared her by grabbing her shoulder for dear life. He was alive, but badly injured and barely hanging onto consciousness.
After her scare, Jennifer grabbed Peter and held him in her arms before he could collapse and then she drove him away to safety.