"I walk the streets, moonlight hanging above me,
haunting it's way through these dreams and you've told me so many times
that this is the place we lose our minds."
chapter two:
wild ones
It was half past midnight and Simone was dreading the less than six hours of sleep he would get before having to get ready for school. Recalling the events that had happened a couple hours before, in light terms, Simone had a rough night. The one secret she had hoped on keeping wasn't a secret anymore. But considering the situation, she doesn't regret it. If it meant helping save someone's life, why should it matter?
Marcus hadn't texted back in an hour and Simone was still stuck waiting outside the hospital, even after the staff began to switch shifts. She had took residency over a bench outside the hospital, which was currently digging painfully into her side. Simone shouldn't be complaining though, considering her past living conditions. She sucked it up, shoved her backpack under her head, and relaxed. God knows how much longer it would take for Marcus to show up. It made her worry honestly, how MIA he was being so late at night. He had even texted her that he was on his way, but that was—Simone glanced down at her phone—an hour and forty minutes ago.
Plus, Scott had pretty much abandoned the hospital soon after the incident, and with Liam. Simone couldn't lie about how suspicious it was that Scott, for better words, knocked Liam unconscious and threw him over his should like a limp and lifeless body. Though, it was probably safer with Liam being unconscious. Simone was sure he would've ran. So it probably wasn't the wisest choice for Scott, but most likely the safest. Simone only hoped that he would be fine. Or, at least survive.
She had witnessed plenty of unfortunate people dying because their bodies just weren't compatible with the bite. It was a tragic and incredibly painful way to die. Simone always tells herself that's why she's never turned another human as an alpha, but at her age and mind state, she also doesn't feel like she would be able to care for a beta or be a good enough alpha. In some cases that might be true, maybe not for Scott, but for Simone.
Ding!
Simone felt her heart jump out of her chest. She fished her phone out of her pocket and pulled up her messages. It was from Marcus.
I'm here.
Simone furrowed her brow in annoyance at his lack of words. But sure enough, he was pulling up seconds later.
"Took your sweet ass time, I see." Simone buckled her seat belt, greeting Marcus with an overwhelming amount of attitude.
"I had to take care of something." He says briskly, pulling out of the parking lot.
Simone gave Marcus a side glance, pushing the subject.
"With Deaton." He says finally, "It was important."
"Oh." Simone responded curiously, crossing one leg over the other and resting her hands in her lap. "Mind sharing?"
Simone earned a smirk at that, followed by a scoff. "Yes."
"Well, I'm glad to know my well-being and education is a real top priority for you."
"You know I care." Marcus told her, "But there's lot more going on than what I'm letting you in on, and you're not ready for any of that yet. You're barely sixteen."
It was weird hearing Marcus be all touchy with Simone and his feeling. Yeah, it made her a little uncomfortable because Marcus didn't get emotional with her this way, but she was still sympathetic. Even if she didn't fully understand.
"Fine." Simone didn't care enough to fight him like she usually would, but that was probably for the best.
Marcus pulled into the driveway of their townhouse when Simone's phone went off for the second time that night, except this time she didn't recognize the number.
Got time? We need to talk. It's Scott.
Simone disregarded the text for a brief second, stepping out of the car. She closed the door, leaning her body up against it. She reviewed the text again, wondering how the hell Scott got her number, or if it was actually even Scott. She sent a brief text back.
Yes? I'll be waiting at the school.
She got a reply almost instantly.
I'll be there in 5.
Marcus didn't seem to notice her odd behavior, seeing as he had already wondered inside. Figures. He was probably tired, anyways. But god, so was she. Though, she knew if she didn't take the time to talk to Scott, she may never get the chance to explain everything. There was no sense in lying now, Simone already knew. Like they say, the truth will set you free. Well, at lease she hoped that was how it would go.
Scott had showed up exactly when he promised. With a plus one. Of course it was Stiles. These two were together every waking moment it seemed. Simone stayed silent as she climbed into the Jeep.
"So," Simone clapped her hands against her thighs before taking a small breath, "What's so important that we need to talk at"—she pulled her phone from her pocket, checking the time—"one in the morning?"
"I'll explain when we get to my house." Simone could hear the quiver in his tone, like he was unsure of himself. But, she couldn't pinpoint the exact reason for it.
They arrived a few minutes later, and thankfully, their neighborhoods weren't too far apart. So it would be too long of a trek home from his house.
"Like I said, I told my dad everything I could." Stiles explains, gesturing with his hands.
"But you didn't tell him about Liam?" Scott asked, leading the way upstairs.
Simone was suddenly feeling completely out of her element.
"You barely told me about Liam." Stiles pointed out, "And her." He added, gesturing towards Simone with an outstretched arm.
"You told him?" Simone asks, filling with rage.
Scott rubbed his forehead nervously, shrugging his shoulders in defeat. "It wasn't intentional."
"He didn't tell me." Stiles interrupted, "I figured it out, more or less."
Simone looked Stiles over, wondering how much this kid already knew.
"What did you do with Liam, anyway?" Stiles asks, ignoring the more pressing subject at hand for Simone.
"He's upstairs." Scott said, stopping at the foot of the stairs.
"Doing what?" Simone asks, her nose scrunching up in wonder as she looked up at Scott.
"Lying down."
"Oh my god."
Simone stared down at the boy, Liam, who was currently duct taped and sitting in the bathtub of Scott's bathroom. She could see the annoyance on Stiles' face, which she might have mistaken for disappointment. But she didn't really care. Almost how Stiles didn't seem to care about Liam as he slowly drew the current closed, ignoring the persistent whimpers coming from Liam.
The three gathered in the bedroom, Scott and Stiles taking a seat on the bed while Simone continued to stand.
"So you bit him." Stiles says, stating the obvious.
"Yeah." Scott said softly, nodding his head.
"And you kidnapped him?" Stiles pulled his lips into a tight line, glancing up at Simone.
"Yeah." Scott repeated.
"And brought him here."
"I panicked." Scott exhaled, looking over at his friend.
"This isn't gonna end with us burying pieces of his body out in the desert, is it?"
Simone grimaced in disgust at the thought of how morbid that would be and could feel how terrified Liam was as his whimpers grew louder from the bathroom, eventually ending in a loud grunt that had them all turning their heads.
"This is why I always come up with the plans." Stiles told his best friend, "Your plans suck."
"I know." Scott agreed, "Which is why I called you."
Simone sighed, leaning against the wall behind her. She was worn out and the floor was looking better and better by the second as she felt like she could probably pass out at any second.
"Alright," Simone intercepted their conversation, scratching gently at the side of her face, "Why am I here?"
"Well, for one, you know about Liam." Stiles assumed, looking over at Scott.
"And you're a werewolf." Scott told her, "An alpha."
Simone nodded her head tentatively, "I think we already established that."
"Look, we've had problem with other packs coming to Beacon Hills—meaning they've literally tried to kill us all—"
"I don't have a pack." Simone told them honestly, taking a seat on the floor.
"But you're an alpha." Stiles looked at her with a curiosity she had seen on him numerous times since they had first met. "You had to have a pack before that."
"They're all dead." Simone replied coldly, "My alpha killed them—when she tried to kill me, I killed her. I was turned when I was younger, which is risky—but I had nothing else. No one else. I didn't know what to do. I was always taught to kill or be killed, so when I saw my opportunity I took it."
There wasn't a word from either of the boys, just a dead stare.
"I promise I'm telling the truth. I wouldn't try to harm any of you—or anyone at all, in fact." Simone adds, and Stiles finally broke.
"The necklace," He stared, pointing towards her with his index finger. "It's a Celtic symbol, right?"
"The one my pack identified with. Yeah, I still stick by it. Always have."
"I knew I had seen it before." Stiles replied, brow furrowing in thought.
"It means truth, most of all." Simone pulled the necklace from under her shirt, "Everything I told you is completely honesty, I swear."
Stiles eyed her suspiciously, but it disappeared after a few seconds. Scott hadn't spoken a word to her, but he seemed enthralled. She understood what he was going through, as an alpha, because she had seen it so many times before him. She knew she could help.
"So," She exhaled finally, "What are you doing with Liam?"
The chair slammed onto the ground, earning a few grunts of anger from Liam. She could see the intensity in the way he look at them, even her for a moment. But, she knew it was mostly directed towards Scott and Stiles.
"Liam," Stiles said calmly, "We're gonna take the tape of your mouth, if you scream it goes right back on, if you talk quietly it stays off. Got it?"
Liam stared at them through half hooded eyes, his usual crystal blue eyes had turned a faint green.
"Okay." Stiles said, gesturing at Scott to take the tape off.
But, Scott gestured back at Stiles, which turned into about thirty seconds of them fighting over who was going to take off the tape.
"Fine." Simone sighed, throwing her hands up in defeat, "I'll do it."
She stepped in front of Liam with apologetic eyes as she grabbed his jaw gently, grabbing the edge up the duct tape that had peeled from his mouth. She felt him nod before their eyes drew together, a silent agreement between the two. Simone ripped the duct tape off like a bandage, quick and fast, leaving Liam rubbing tenderly at his face.
"Alright, I know you've seen a lot of confusing things tonight," Stiles started, "More confusing things are going to happen because of the confusing things that happened tonight. Do you understand?"
"Not really." Liam said quietly through clenched teeth, obviously still brooding with anger.
"I didn't understand that either." Scott replied honestly, seeming just as confused as the rest of them.
"Maybe you should tell him." Simone pointed towards Scott and Stiles nodded in agreement, seeing as it was probably for the best of everyone.
"Tell me what?" Liam's voice grew louder, more persistent.
"Liam what happened tonight—what I did to you," Stiles explained calmly, making eye contact with Liam, "What I had to do in order to save you, it's gonna change you."
"Unless it kills you."
Simone couldn't contain sigh that escaped her. She looked up at Stiles in disbelief, suddenly making him realize what he had just said.
"Shouldn't of said that."
"What?" Liam's voice was soft, suddenly—but filled with worry.
"Uh," Stiles pointed at Liam, who was now sobbing quietly, "Is he crying?"
"Hey, hey—" Simone said softly, kneeling in front of Liam. "Liam, it's going to be fine. You're not gonna die."
"Probably not." Stiles added as both he and Scott kneeled down beside her.
"Stop it." Scott interrupted, seeming frustrated with his best friend
"Possibly."
"Will you two just untie him?" Simone asked, trying to switch the subject.
"Yep." The said in unison.
Liam's arms fell to his side as they ripped him from his restraints.
"Liam, you okay?" Scott asked, genuinely worried.
"We're really sorry." Stiles apologized.
Simone noticed something suddenly, as Liam turned his body to reach behind him.
"Watch out!" She yelled, ducking as Liam chucked the chair with an unbelievable force at Scott, sending him sprawling towards the floor.
"Liam, what the hell is your—" Stiles was cut short as Liam's fist made contact with his jaw. Stiles scrambled for his bearing, falling to the floor himself.
"Liam, wait!" Simone yelled out, jumping over both Scott and Stiles as Liam fled the room.
"Get him!" Stiles yelled as both Scott and him chased after Liam, barely missing Simone as they passed her.
They collided at the end of the hall, sending them all toppling down the stairs in a mess. Simone jogged towards the end of the hall and quickly made her way down the stairs, finding Stiles wrestling with Scott's leg.
"I got him! I got him!" Stiles shouted repeatedly.
"No. You don't." Simone told him, reaching down to help Scott up. Stiles let go of Scott's leg, pushing himself up from the ground.
"Your plan sucked too." Simone said as she stared out the open door, wondering how the hell Liam had gotten away so easily.
Simone rode the bus the next morning, seeing as how Marcus had already left, leaving Simone with more questions to ask when she would see him later. It wasn't out of character for him, because there had been periods of time when he would leave without telling her and arrive back at odd hours. It would probably be better to wait until he was ready to explain what was going on, rather than pestering him about it like she usually did.
"I'm not watching another movie on a Friday night." Garrett laughed, but meant what he was saying. "There's gotta be something going on."
"Dude, you remember we're freshman, right?" Mason asked, "We just got off a school bus. We're not exactly gonna be hittin' the clubs 'til four in the morning."
"Fine. Movie at your place. Nine." Garrett's girlfriend said finally, ending the discussion.
Mason shrugged before looking back at Simone, "You should come too. I'm sure Liam wouldn't mind having you there."
Simone laughed, a little unsure of herself. "Probably not."
Simone whipped her head around at the sound of incoming footsteps, it was Liam. He was covered in sweat and struggling for breath as he leaned up against a post under the awning of the school entrance.
"Hey," Mason turned towards his best friend, "Liam, why weren't you on the bus?"
"Uh, I-I ran." His voice trembled, still out of breath.
"You ran," Mason took a couple steps towards Liam, "three miles to school?"
"Just started running." Liam shrugged.
"I guess your leg's okay." Mason assumed, gesturing towards his now healed leg.
"What happened to your arm?" Mason asked, noticing the white bandage taped around his forearm.
Liam stared at it suddenly, cringing in pain. He looked up, his breath short and limited. She knew if she didn't get him away from all these people, and fast, that bad things were bound to happen.
"Dude, are you okay?" Mason asked, leaning over his friend as he fell against the railing.
"I'll—I'll talk to you later." Liam ignored his question, nearly racing towards the school entrance.
"Liam, hold on." Simone struggled to reach out for Liam's 'uninjured' arm, but she managed to pull him. "I'll walk with you."
"Why?" Liam asked, hinting a bit of anger. "Your friends send you to watch me?"
Simone pulled him to a stop as they reach a hall of classrooms.
"No one sent me to do anything." She snapped back just as furiously. "I want to make sure you're okay."
She saw him relax slightly, but tensed as soon as he caught sight of Scott and Stiles as they closed in on the two.
"Liam, hey!" Stiles skidded to a stop, shoes squeaking against the linoleum.
"We need to talk." Scott persisted, sending Liam to his breaking point.
"No, you need to back the hell up. Both of you."
"Can you just listen for one second?" Scott pleaded, "Please?"
After a few beats and an awkward silence, Liam shrugged, urging Scott to get to the point.
"Liam, we're brothers now."
"What?" Liam asked, looking at Scott in complete and utter confusion.
"Oh god, that's—"
"What are you talking about?" Liam snapped again, "We just met and you bit me."
"The bite," Scott began, looking and sounding unsure of his own words. "The bite is a gift."
"Scott, stop. Please." Stiles begged, pushing his friend back and away from Simone and Liam.
"You, you. We are trying to help you. You little runt." Stiles added, pointing at Liam.
"By kidnapping me?"
"He has a point." Simone interrupted innocently, her voice quieter than usual.
"Just to clarify. Scott kidnapped you, and I aided and abetted."
"Liam," Scott sighed, "I've gone through this before. Something's happening to you. Something big."
"Nothing's happening to me." Liam said, swearing to both himself and the three of them.
Suddenly, he was ripping the bandage from his arm, no wound in sight. Simone immediately looked at Scott and Stiles for reassurance of what she had just seen.
"Nothing." Liam said with finality, emphasizing his point by practically shoving his arm at them. He pulled his arm from Simone's grasp and turn the corner, leaving the three of them standing there in disbelief.
"So, who is—"
"Simone. This is Malia," Stiles pointed to the girl standing beside him, then to the strawberry blonde, "Lydia, and Kira." He finished, pointing at the girl standing beside Scott.
"Still doesn't explain why she's here." Malia replied bluntly, looking at Stiles.
"She can help us. With Liam, at least." Scott assured the group, though she knew they were all weary of the plan.
"Well, I'm not sharing my basement." Malia told Lydia, seeming to amuse Lydia even more than she already had been.
"Actually, it's my basement and my mom knows how you tore it up last time."
"Alright," Stiles cut in, rubbing Malia's shoulder comfortingly, "She's still learning."
"Well, we're gonna use the boat house for Liam. It's got support beams, we can chain him to one of them." Scott explained to them.
"How do we get him out to the lake house if he doesn't trust us?" Kira asks, making a valid point.
"I say if it keeps him from murdering someone, we just chloroform the little bastard and throw him in the lake." Stiles suggested, gesturing morbidly with his hands.
"I'm in." Malia added, raising her hand in agreement.
"We're not killing or kidnapping him." Scott disagreed, sticking to whatever plan he already had. "That's why I asked Simone to help us."
"Well, let's be smart about this. We tell him there's a party and invite him." Lydia suggested.
"So, you're gonna ask out a freshman?" Stiles asked.
"No, I'm done with teenage boys." She replied easily, nodding her head assuringly.
"Besides, Liam's a freshman—why not just have a freshman ask him." Scott told them, smiling hopefully at Simone.
"You're kidding?" Simone asks, looking directly at Scott, wide eyes and all.
"You can't look at me and tell me he'll say no to you, even you know that." Scott was right, that's for sure. Even with what's happened, as of late, she knew Liam didn't hate her. At least not as much as he did Scott and Stiles.
"Fine." Simone agreed, taking a small breath. "I'll do it."
Simone had been waiting outside Liam's class for over five minutes, racking her brain with ideas of how she was going to go about this situation. She may have been an alpha werewolf, but she was still a teenage girl. It's just as nerve-wracking as any other high school situation. Soon enough though, the class bell was sounding off and Simone was out of time. She fixed her composure and adjusted her outfit, trying and probably failing to look as sultry as she could. As Liam walked passed, she grabbed at his wrist, pulling him from the conversation he seemed to be having with Liam.
"Oh, Simone." He noticed her, though his tone didn't seem to change much at all. "Hey."
"Hey." She replied sweetly, catching a glimpse of Liam's crystal blue eyes as she looked down shyly, even she was exaggerating a bit, it seemed to be working.
"What's up?" He asks curiously, standing in front of her more comfortably now as he looked at her.
"There's this party tonight," Simone implored, her lips curving into a slight smile. "I was wondering if you wanted to go with me."
Liam grew a smile almost instantly, but he hadn't given her an answer. Maybe he was trying to be coy, but there was no ignoring how nervous he was.
"Yeah. Of course." He says coolly, attempting to hide the fact that he may be a bit more intimidated by Simone than he leads on.
"Great." She replies, rocking up on her tiptoes, "I'll pick you up at seven."
"Yeah." Liam says in a daze, like he wasn't actually listening to what she had been saying, more so just staring. "Sounds good."
"Alright…" Simone was a little confused, but more amused at his behavior. "I'll see you in class."
"I'm borrowing the car tonight." Simone told Marcus as she grabbed the keys from the counter.
"For?" He asks, looking up from the mug he was currently sipping from.
"It's a kickback." She lied, "With some friends."
"Friends?" She had a feeling Marcus was only trying to annoy her now.
"Yes." She says, turning the handle on the door, "I'll be home before curfew. Promise."
"Don't crash my car." He warns, glancing at her sternly as he walks past.
Simone scoffs offensively, turning her head to look over her shoulder. "I'll try not to."
Marcus stifled a small laugh around the edge of his mug, waving her away lazily. She smiled and bid her goodbye as she walked outside. She had asked Liam to meet her at the school at around seven, so she could pick him up. She thought asking for his address, at the time, may have been a bit evasive. But he insisted and gave her his address during their last class earlier that day. She wasn't surprised by the look of the other houses as she pulled up to his own; they were nice, surely expensive, and nothing like the one she was currently living in. Liam was a very privileged kid, Simone realized. His parents seemed to care a lot about him, which was foreign to Simone. She had always wondered what it would be like to actually have a connection with her biological parents and what kind of people they were. Simone didn't even know if they were like her, though she was bitten, there was a slight chance. It was something she thought about frequently, but it seemed nearly impossible for it to ever be true. But, maybe that was for the better.
Before she could even think about pulling her phone out, Liam was already jogging out to the car. He seemed antsy, maybe paranoid. Simone could feel it herself, but it was buried deep. It was a full moon, and honestly, Simone couldn't even remember how many she's had to endure. But, this was Liam's first, and she knew how difficult it would be for him.
"You alright?" She asks as soon as Liam is seated and she can finally drive off.
"Yeah." He answers almost instantly, though his tone would say otherwise. It was higher than normal, a little forced. "I'm fine."
After a while of driving in silence, Simone switched the radio on in hope of easing the awkwardness that was surrounding them like a blanket.
"It's Lydia Martin's lake house." Simone says, trying to start conversation. "I don't really know her at all, actually. But, she invited a bunch of people. So maybe it won't be a bust."
Liam nodded a couple times, not really making any effort to respond. Simone could see the discomfort on his face, the way he squirmed in his seat. She saw him grab the side of his head in pain, before finally breaking.
"Can you turn the music down?" He says suddenly, almost yelling.
She stared at him intently, watching as he made a realization. The music hadn't been loud at all, barely audible, if it hadn't been for the advanced hearing.
"You want me to turn it up?" She asks carefully, but he doesn't respond. She turns it up a few notches and glances over as he pulls out his phone.
"Who did you say was coming to this party?" Liam asks, leaning towards her slightly.
"Um, everyone." Simone forces out, hoping he believed her. She was a terrible liar, even she could barely believe half of the lies she told. But for his sake, she hoped he believed her.
"Where is everyone?" Liam asks as they both head toward the entrance to the lake house.
"They're here." Simone says, turning towards him. She smiles and gestures toward her door with her hands, "It's a small party."
"You said everyone one was coming." Liam replied, noticing how off things were being to seem. Simone laughed uncomfortably and grabbed Liam's hand.
"And they are." She says, smiling wider at Liam as he looked at her. "They're late. We're earlier, so we better hurry."
"Yay, party." Simone says in fake excitement as she opens the door.
Liam stops dead in his tracks as soon as he sees the others. Liam turned towards her immediately, but she closed the door.
"Sorry." Simone says, forcing in apologetic look.
"What the hell is this?" Liam asks, throwing his arms to his side.
"Think of it like an intervention," Stiles began, "You have a problem, Liam."
"And we're the only ones that can help." Scott added, taking a careful step forward.
Liam stiffened, rolling his shoulders back. For a second, Simone thought he might attack, but he didn't. He calmed himself and allowed the others to explain everything to him, including Simone. He might've still been a bit confused, but he nodded in understanding as he crossing his arms over his chest.
"So, werewolf?" Liam asks, pointing at Simone. Scott and Stiles had explained everything to the others, obviously, since they all nodded in return. Simone knew her secret was out, but it was safe, hopefully.
"Werewolf." He says again, pointing to Scott.
"Actually," Simone interrupted innocently, correcting him. "Alpha werewolves, if we're being technical."
Liam nodded calmly before looking at Lydia, "Banshee?" Lydia responding with a small smile and ticks her index finger in response.
"Werecoyote." He says to Malia who nods as well.
"Fox?" He asks, looking over towards Kira.
"Kitsune." She replies sweetly, "But, fox works."
"What are you?" Liam asks, directing his question towards Stiles.
"Uh, for a little while I was possessed by an evil spirit." He explains, "Very evil."
"What are you now?" Liam asked, nodding his head like he didn't seem to care at all.
"Better." Stiles uttered quietly, looking towards his friends.
"Those for me?" He asks, talking about the chains laying on the table in front of him.
"No, they're for me." Malia responds quickly, emphasizing her point as he eyes flashed a rich, blue color.
"How'd you do that?" Liam asks nervously, taking a small step back.
"You'll learn." Scott assured him. "But first you need to get through the full moon."
"The moon is already out." Liam replied angrily.
"And you're starting to feel something aren't you?" Scott asked.
Simone noticed the change in his heartbeat, how it changed on a dime. It was beating much faster now, harder than before.
"I feel like I'm surrounded by a bunch of psychotic nutjobs." Liam answered through clenched teeth, "I don't know how you did that eye thing and I don't care. I'm walking out the door right now and if any of you try to stop me, I swear to god I'm gonna—"
Liam nearly fell to his knees, grasping at the sides of his head. He wasn't yelling or screaming, but he was definitely in pain. He was breathing heavily, growling at times.
"What's wrong, Liam?" Simone asks, grabbing Liam's shoulder.
"You don't hear that?" Liam asks between breaths.
She and Scott both focused the hearing toward whatever it was that Liam was hearing, as well. But that wasn't necessary as headlights of a car pulled into the driveway. It must have been music he was hearing, maybe the other cars, but this wasn't what they were worried about.
Liam dropped to the floor completely, yelling out in pain again.
"Did you tell somebody about this?" Lydia asked, walking towards the window and peeking out through the blinds.
"My friend Mason," Liam growled out, "You said it was a party."
"And who did Mason invite?" Stiles asks.
"Everyone." Kira replied, looking back at Stiles nervously, the sound of kids gathering outside growing louder.
"The floors," Lydia blurted out, noticing Liam was starting to transform, "Get him of the floors."
He growled in response, bearing his teeth. His eyes turned a golden brown, causing Lydia to jump back.
"We need to get him to the boathouse now." Scott urged, signaling at both Simone and Kira to grab Liam.
"Stiles." Malia called out, dropping to her hands and knees in front of the table where her restraints were being held.
"Yeah?" Stiles didn't get much of an actual response, other than Malia growling at him. "Hey, yeah—okay." He said, helping Malia from the ground.
"Basement now. Now." Stiles says in a rush, gathering the chains.
"What am I supposed to do with the hordes gathering outside the door?" Lydia asks, knowing she was going to be left with the problem.
"Lydia, who throws the best parties in Beacon Hills?" Stiles asks.
"What?" Lydia asks, slightly offended. "Me. Obviously."
"Okay, then throw a party." Stiles tells her, before leaving her alone.
Lydia gasped out desperately before opening the door. Lydia froze at the—sure enough—hoard that had gathered outside.
"Hey, uh, are we in the right place?" Mason asked, followed by Garrett, "For the… party?"
"Absolutely." Lydia forced out, standing uncomfortably as the teenagers piled into the house.
"I got him! Get his hands!" Scott grunted out, struggling to hold down a thrashing Liam.
Kira and Simone both reached for his hands, but he managed to pull himself from their grasp, lunging towards Scott. Both of the girls panicked, pushing themselves up from the floor.
"Kira!" Simone yelled out, pointing to a boat paddle that was resting on the wall beside her.
She quickly took note, grabbing the paddle between her hands. Kira forced the paddle towards Liam with every ounce of strength he had, sending him sprawling on the floor and thankfully, knocking him unconscious.
"Oh god," Kira said, dropping down beside Liam. "I didn't kill him, did I?"
Simone noticed the twitch in Liam's lip as he took a shallow breath, "No. He's out cold."
"I hope Stiles is having better luck." Kira added optimistically, seeing as how all three of them slumped to the floor tiredly.
Simone nodded, taking a short breath before standing up. "I'm going to go check on Lydia."
"That's probably a good idea." Scott said, nodding as he was struggling to catch his breath, as well.
She stood from where she was practically lying now, against the boathouse floor. She sighed, looking down at Liam, who was still out cold.
"If you need the help," She says toward Scott, "Let me know."
Scott nodded, helping as Kira hoisted him up and against one of the support beams. Simone left before they started to chain him up, nearly sprinting back to the lake house.
"Okay, I didn't order a keg of beer." Lydia says knowingly, which was the first thing Simone heard as she walked through the door.
"Somebody ordered it." The guy, Demarco, Simone guessed as she read his name tag. "You tryin' to tell me no one here wants to drink?"
Lydia huffed tiredly, picking up a glass of wine that had been sat on her laptop. "Who put this here?" She asked, "This laptop is two thousand dollars."
"Oh," She said suddenly, grabbing a bottle from Garrett, "And that bottle of wine is four hundred."
"How much?" Lydia asked, he pulled a ticket from his pocket and handed it to her. Simone looked over Lydia's shoulder, before glancing up at him suspiciously.
"What's the extra hundred dollars for?"
"I call that the 'you do look twenty one to me' sir charge." He answered with a wink.
Simone rolled her eyes in disgust, followed by a scoff from Lydia. Lydia looked over her shoulder, noticing Mason had begun to wonder upstairs.
"Hold on, let me get you some change." She said suddenly, chasing after Mason.
"I should probably pay for this, seeing as how I opened the bottle of wine." Garrett offered, pulling out his wallet. He handed over a hefty wad of cash and Demarco left with no questions, leaving Simone extremely suspicious.
"Want some?" Garrett asks politely, handing over a cup.
"I'm good." Simone passed on the offer, knowing there was no point in trying to get drunk if she couldn't.
Simone huffed, brushing her hair back with her fingers. She didn't plan on staying around for long, since Lydia had inevitably left her alone. Eventually, Simone had wondered back down to the boathouse, noticing Scott and Kira seated on the floor in front of a chained up Liam.
"Everything alright?" Scott asks, watching as Simone took a seat beside them.
"Some kid ordered a keg." She laughed slightly, "Usual party drama, I guess. Not like I would know."
Scott laughed, nodding in response as he looked back over at Liam.
"He looks so young." Kira stated.
"He is." Scott replied, "He's only fifteen."
"We're gonna help him." Scott assures her, though it was probably more self-assurance.
"What if he doesn't want our help?" Kira asked.
"He will." Scott replies knowingly, "He'll need it."
"Even if he doesn't want it, he'll know." Simone said quietly, "You're his alpha."
"Is that what happened to you?" Kira asks honestly, seeming genuinely curious. Simone knew Kira meant no harm.
"No." Simone laughed, crossing her legs in front of her. "From what I was told, my parents—my actual parents. Actually, I don't know if it was my mom or my dad, or even both. I was abandoned when I was about four," Simone felt weird delving into the story, but it was necessary. She felt like opening up would help make a connection with her, and hopefully Scott. ", still don't know what happened, really. But someone found me."
"The one who bit you." Scott assumed, and he had assumed correctly.
"I was badly hurt—or so I was told. That's why she did it. Under any other circumstances, she said she wouldn't have. But I never believed that."
Simone hated thinking about her past, though it was a big part of who she was.
"She was dangerous, risky. I was scared of her." Simone continued as she felt her throat thickening. It wasn't emotional, mostly pent up anger and hatred. "But, she knew what she was doing. It's why I had become so good at controlling myself during full moons and just generally, I guess."
Kira nodded in understanding, looking over as she noticed Scott had spaced off.
"What?" She asks, breaking his daze.
"I can hear the music from the lake house." He smiles slightly.
"What are they playing?"
"Something electronic." Scott laughed easily.
"I wish they still played slow songs. I was always so much better dancing at those."
Scott's grin grew wider, it was almost sickeningly cute. "Come here."
The two walked towards the end of the boathouse just as Liam began to move around. It wasn't out of struggled, more so discomfort.
"Hey, Liam." Simone asks quietly, nudging his hand gently. His fingers twitched in response, but he didn't open his eyes. He moaned quietly, like he was about to say something. But instead, he growled, much lower than Simone was expecting. Simone scrambled to her feet, watching as Liam slowly came to.
"Uh, guys?" Simone says, watching Liam cautiously.
The three of them jumped as Liam began thrashing against the chains, now fully transformed.
"Are those chains gonna hold him?" Kira asked.
"Uh, yeah. I guess. Definitely." Not even Scott sounded sure of himself. "He can't be that strong."
Scott had spoken to soon as Liam made one last finally attempt to release himself from the chains, succeeding this time. He pushed Simone to the floor as he ran past, jumping straight between Kira and Scott as he lunged towards the window, breaking through.
"Scott." Simone called out, looking up at Scott through blood red eyes.
He didn't need Simone to say anything else, he knew that if he didn't get out there and find Liam, people were going to get hurt. He silently ran towards Simone and helped her from the ground, watching as the gash on her shoulder healed almost instantly.
"We'll find him." He assured her, looking back at Kira, who nodded and ran past the two, towards the lake house.
"Where is he?" Simone breathed heavily, leaning against a tree. Scott stood, glancing around, probably trying to catch a scent. But, it didn't seem necessary as soon as Simone spotted him. "There!" She yelled, and Scott practically flew past her to catch up with Liam.
Simone followed closely behind him, running for what seemed like miles before they lost him again. Simone sighed, exasperated, she pushed her hair out of her face. She couldn't help but have the heavy feeling of worry lingering over here, it was almost impossible to ignore. If Liam found his way to the lake house, there was sure to be a few, if not many fatalities. There was no other chose but to find him.
"Watch out!" Simone cried out as Liam tackled Scott, but it was too late.
She ran towards the two as Liam pinned Scott against a tree. She tried prying him off but he was too strong for his own good.
"This is all your fault!" He yelled and she could see the agony spread across Scott's face.
"Liam! Liam!" He yelled, trying to snap him back to reality.
"What did you do to me?" He yelled again, sounding angrier and angrier each time.
Scott nor Simone had time to respond as an arrow zipped past her head and into the tree above Scott. The light, the sound, it was excruciating. Simone had never actually came face to face with a hunter, and know, she was sure as hell glad that she hadn't. She dropped next to Scott, looking out towards the direction he was staring towards, noticing a man walking towards him.
"Scott." Simone said cautiously, pleading for him to get up.
"It's okay." He said quietly, "I know him."
The hunter, who Simone had no idea of, held out his hand toward her. She allowed him to help her up, and then did the same for Scott.
"How did you know?" Scott asked the man standing in front of them.
"I got your text." He answered, sharing a smile between the two. Simone had no idea what he was talking about, but surely Scott did. There was a strong sense of emotion between the two that Simone couldn't really pinpoint, but she knew it was a bittersweet moment.
"There's a clearing just north of here, all you have to do is corral him there." The man explained, "There rest is taken care of."
"What are you gonna do?" Scott asks.
"He's your beta, Scott. The better questions is, what are you going to do?"
"He won't listen to me." Scott tells him, though he knows it's possible.
"He will if you start using your own words." He replied wisely.
Simone heard Liam scream in the distance, shaking her to the core. It wasn't just a scream, it was a plea.
"Here," He said, handing something to Scott, "Go. Now."
Scott was off before she could react, but they came upon the forest clearing moments later. It was all familiar to Simone. She had grown up around the preserve and she knew this place like the back of her hand, but right now, all she could focus on was Liam. He was cowered against a tree, trapped in by the emitters. Simone had only encountered them once, so she knew the pain he was feeling. Scott and she were suffering just as he was until Scott used the remote that the man had given him, turning them off.
Liam went limp, his struggling stopped. He lifted his head, removing his hands from where they were covering his ears. She could see the fear on Liam's face, how hopeless he felt. She leaned down in front of him, as did Scott.
"They can't know about this," Liam says, "My parents, I can't do this to them again. I got kicked out. I deserved that." He continued to ramble profusely, like he couldn't stop himself. "The way they looked at me when they saw what I did to that car…"
"Liam, you're okay." Scott attempted to calm him.
"They can't see me like this," Liam pleaded, "Like—Like,"
"Like a monster." Simone finishes for him.
Scott closed his eyes, feeling her words. She rubbed his shoulder assuringly, because it wasn't true. They weren't monsters, though everyone made it seem like they were.
"You're not a monster. You're a werewolf." Scott told him, standing from the spot he had been kneeling in. "Like me. Like Simone." Scott's eyes flashes red, instinctively.
"How do you control it?" Liam asks through a choked sob.
"You find an anchor." Scott explains calmly, "Something that has meaning to you."
Liam growled, dropping his head. He dug his claws into the ground, no change was happening. Simone looked over at Liam, where she was still knelt in front of him.
"Liam," She said gently, barely pressing her fingertips against his arm. "Are you okay?"
He looked up at her then, his eyes fading back to their normal crystal blue pigment.
"Yeah." He told himself, pushing up from the ground. "Yeah, I'm good."
"You found your anchor?" Scott asks, though it didn't need to be spoken.
"Yeah." He nodded shakily, "I think I did."
Scott had stopped her before she left that night. He had suggested that Liam drive home with him and Stiles, rather than her. It was probably a good idea, for Liam's sake.
"You know what his anchor is, right?" Scott asks, a lingering awkwardness was holding between them.
"Don't say me. Please." She begged. Simone didn't want to hear it. As much as it was true, and how much she cared about Liam, she didn't want it to be true.
"He can't help that." Scott explains, she had a feeling he had gone through this before.
"We barely know each other." Simone answered, furrowing her brow.
"But he trusts you." She didn't know if that was actually true. "He sees something in you, I can tell."
"But—"
"Why do you think he stayed so calm with you through all of the stuff that Stiles and I did to him?" Scott asks, interrupting her. "There's something there."
"Maybe." Simone shrugged halfheartedly, unlocking her car door.
"You're his anchor." Scott says finally.
Maybe. Maybe it was true. But, Simone was refusing to believe it. She had never felt like this, like someone actually needed her. It scared her to death. She didn't want to hear it, or believe it. She just needed Liam to be okay, and for her life to go back to normal. Or, as normal as it could get for a teenage alpha werewolf.
I planned on getting this out a couple days ago, but I spent so much time re-plotting and I was trying to fit things in to make it seem more realistic. It's a pretty big chapter, way longer than I expected. I'm going to try to split up the next couple of chapters so they aren't extremely lengthy. I'm glad some of you are enjoying the story, and I'm really excited to write more. Keep reviewing and following the story, thanks guys! I'll try to push getting the next chapter out before the end of the week.