After Scott had gathered his wits and Stiles jerked back into consciousness, the two of them wasted no time in scarfing down whatever food they had on hand and guzzled energy drinks to make the exhausted feeling they were feeling go away. Then when they were content and sated, everyone- including the Winchesters who had just recently met them- started to notice that Stiles and Scott seemed less weighed down. Whatever burden they shouldered was no longer there.
The smiles were more carefree and the laughter was a whole lot more genuine. And before Castiel could take his leave after his job was done, he was bombarded by hugs from the present McCall pack and snickered at by Dean who found Cas' awkward pats on the back rather hilarious. Allison then took Castiel off to the side, she finally thanking him personally for all that he's done for her and her friends, and he seemed a bit more at ease with her. Even Chris got to thank him and then Castiel took his leave after wishing everyone well.
The McCall Pack left soon after the sun had fully set, but not before Lydia could tell Allison and Charlie to clear their schedule for the following day because it was going to be a girl's day out.
"You're really going to leave me all alone?" Sam had murmured later that night as they laid in bed together.
"Don't be a baby," she cooed. Laying on her side with one arm draped over his chest, Allison peppered kisses along his jawline. "Stick with my dad if the pack isn't the company you're most at ease with. Scott's got a level head on his shoulders, but since Stiles works nights, he'll be there to cause some trouble during the day."
Sam grins and angles his head to the side to give Allison more room to reach. "I like the pack just fine," he murmurs. "There's just.. too many male egos." He quietly groans when Allison scrapes her teeth against his throat.
She giggles. "I find it funny that you can keep a conversation going while we're doing this." Allison nips a littler harder and Sam groans louder, she snorting and slapping her hand over his mouth. "Shh! You're going to wake Dean and Charlie."
He licks the palm of her hand, but when she merely snorts in amusement Sam pushes himself to roll over atop of Allison and pins her wrists on either side of her head. "I'm a multi-tasker," he smirks and then leans down so his lips are barely brushing hers. "And I'm not the one who has trouble keeping quiet."
Allison smirks as Sam chastely presses a kiss to her lips, she then groaning aloud when he ducks down even further and bites into the juncture where her neck and shoulder meet.
"I take it back," Charlie sleepily grumbles which causes the couple on the bed to freeze. "You two aren't cute. You're that annoying couple who tries to stealthily have sex with others in the room, but fails miserably. Go to sleep, you heathens, or go have sex in Dean's car."
The following morning, Charlie barges into the bathroom while Allison's getting ready, the brunette blushing as she tries to hurry and cover the mark Sam oh-so-conveniently left on her neck. Charlie's quite smug the whole morning, and after dressing in a maroon scoop neck skater dress with a thin black belt cinching the waist and a cropped leather jacket thrown over it, Allison grabs Charlie and marches her out the door before the redhead could tease her in front of Dean. The last thing Allison wanted was Dean teasing her 'cause then she'd never live the previous night down for at least several weeks.
The two girls take Charlie's yellow AMC gremlin to meet Lydia, Malia and Kira- Hayden being the only one who couldn't get away for the day to join them. Lydia then makes Charlie leave her car at her house and the five girls squeeze into Lydia's Toyota Prius. They drive to the neighboring town and set their sights on the mall.
"Don't you think nine is too early to be at the mall?" Malia glowers, still cranky for being woken early on her day off.
"Just keep in mind the food court," Lydia sighs. "We'll hit up one side of the mall, grab some lunch and finish the other side. I definitely need some new boots, especially after seeing Allison's."
Everyone glances at Allison's leather and suede boots that stop at her calves, and the girl in question sheepishly smiles. "Present from dad, actually," she chuckles. "You'll have to ask him where he got them."
"Oh, I will." The sudden look of determination on Lydia's face is enough to send the other girls into laughter.
xXx
"Where.. do they put.. all that food?" Charlie asks, nibbling on a fry as she watches Malia and Kira go to town on a couple trays of food.
Allison can only gape and Lydia snorts. "It's their metabolisms. Sometimes I'm envious I can't put away as much food as them. A banshee's metabolism doesn't quite match that of a coyote's or a kitsune's."
"Speaking of," Charlie suddenly turns her attention to Lydia, "were all of you born into the supernatural world? I know Allison's story, but not any of yours."
The question catches both Kira and Malia's attention, but it's Lydia who answers. "I think it's safe to say we were all born into it," she says as the girls nod in agreement. Then lowering her voice, Lydia explains her story. "My powers were actually dormant until I was attacked by an alpha werewolf. The bite didn't turn or kill me like it was supposed to do, but it did awake, the banshee within. It took several months to figure out just exactly what I was."
"That's awesome," Charlie breathes in awe. Then at Lydia's raised, challenging eyebrow, she backpedals rather quickly. "Terrible, but awesome. It's.. it's terrible you were attacked. Really, it is, but-"
"Banshee powers." Lydia nods, an amused grin quirking up the corners of her lips. "Yeah. Now that I have them, I like being able to hold my own instead of cowering and waiting to be rescued."
"Yeah." Charlie's eyes glaze over slightly and then she's blinking quickly and looking elsewhere. "What about you?"
Kira blinks owlishly and wipes the ketchup from her upper lip. "I, uh, I was born into it?" She says. "Yes, I was.. I was born this way, but my powers only started showing when I moved to Beacon Hills and was kidnapped. Nearly being electrocuted is terrifying, but given that I can manipulate electricity, it's not so bad now."
"Jesus H. Christ," Charlie blurts and then looks at Malia. "Please tell me your coming out story doesn't entail some traumatizing event." Malia grimaces and the table goes quiet. "What? What did I say?" She asks and not even Allison will meet her gaze.
"I was just a little girl when I first shifted," Malia mumbles. "I was in the backseat with my little sister while my adoptive mother drove. For years.. for years I thought I was the reason for the wreck that killed my mom and sister, but as it turns out-" She pauses briefly, just long enough to gulp and clear her throat. "As it turns out, my biological mother was still around and tried killing me. She was standing in the middle of the road and shot at our vehicle which is why my mother wrecked, not because I was screaming in pain and my bones were shifting to accommodate a different body like I originally thought."
The girls don't know what to say after Malia's somber confession and it takes them several minutes to even start the conversation again.
"W-what about you?" Kira finally asks, eager to get the spotlight off of her pack. "We all know Allison's story, but you're a newbie."
Charlie mockingly gasps. "I am not a noob!" Then at Kira's confused expression, she laughs and waves her off. "Nevermind. I, uh, I was an IT expert for Richard Roman Enterprises once upon a time. I was asked to decrypt a hard drive by the main boss and when I did, I found all sorts of files about monsters and unsolved mysteries and it was- it was a nerd's wet dream, really," she scoffs. "But I- I thought the boss was just a closet nerd," she then frowns. "I didn't know he was a monster in disguise and desperately needed what I had.
"The Winchesters found me soon after. They helped me, I helped them and then I went on my merry way."
"You went on your merry way continuing the hunting ways on your own?" Lydia asks, brow furrowed.
"No." Charlie pauses briefly to sip her drink. "I went into hiding and when Dick Enterprises went bankrupt and the boss man was killed, I came out of hiding under a new name. Only then two of my coworkers mysteriously died and it gained the Winchesters' attention, and we met up once more. I helped them with their case, made out with an honest to blog fairy- seriously, she was so hot- and then went on my way once more only I secretly kept my nose in the hunting world after that."
"I.. seriously don't know what to say to that." Malia blinks owlishly before shrugging, she finishing her food without a second thought.
"Fairy?" Allison blurts. "I need that story and I need it now."
Smirking, Charlie obliges. Malia and Kira chuckle at Charlie's rather enthusiastic demeanor, and no one notices the way Lydia's smile falters or the way she nervously fidgets in her seat as her attention turns elsewhere as if someone were calling her name.
xXx
For the rest of their shopping trip, Lydia's a little more subdued and distracted. The girls take notice almost immediately, but the banshee is quick to paste on a smile and wave off their concern. She knows what the feeling is leading up to- she has a hint of what's coming- but the urge isn't strong enough yet, so she tries to focus on the rest of their day and have a good time before it all goes to hell.
Everyone leaves the mall with at least two outfits each, plus a pair of shoes- Allison and Charlie owing thanks to Chris for giving them the money to enjoy themselves. Dinner is a rather quick affair seeing as Lydia's grown even more uncomfortable, Charlie being the only one truly worried at Lydia's whimpers and grimaces of pain.
"I'm driving," Allison blurts when they head out into the parking lot. "You're not looking so good and it's not a good idea to be so distracted behind the wheel."
Without an argument, Lydia hands over her keys.
The entire drive is quiet and Lydia sits hunched over in her seat with her hands over her ears. She's mumbling to herself and though they try to make out what she's saying, they don't figure it out in time. Allison softly calls out to her and Lydia jerks away in her seat, her mumbling getting faster and faster. Then the second Allison pulls up to a stop outside of Lydia's home, the banshee sits straight up in her seat, her hands plant themselves on the dashboard and she wails.
Charlie jumps in her seat as Kira and Malia groan simultaneously, the both of them clamping their hands over their ears and clenching their teeth against the banshee's scream. When the scream finally tapers off, Lydia gasps and tries to control her breathing. "No, no, no," she mumbles.
"What? What is it?" Allison asks.
"They're not safe. They shouldn't- they shouldn't have been there."
"Who? Who's in danger, Lydia?"
As the banshee turns her gaze to the huntress, Allison stomach just drops at the pity she sees staring back at her. "Sam and Dean."
Allison bites back a whimper, steeling herself and taking a deep breath. "Switch me seats. Drive us there. Now." The two girls quickly unbuckle themselves before climbing out of their respective doors and race around the car to switch places. Once situated, Allison turns in her seat to meet Charlie, Malia and Kira's concerned gazes. "Call anyone and everyone. See who's where and see if they can meet us wherever it is Lydia takes us."
Lydia starts driving and Allison worries as she pull out her own phone to dial Sam. Of course he doesn't pick up, but it doesn't stop her from calling over and over.
"Dean's not answering," Charlie speaks up from the back seat. "I'll try Sam."
"Don't bother. He's not answering either." Allison peers over her shoulder and can see the same concern she's feeling being directed at her from Charlie's gaze. "Don't worry. We can still get there in time. A banshee's wail doesn't necessarily mean certain death."
Malia and Kira continue to quietly carry on rushed conversations with whoever they've reached on the phone, and Lydia's hands tighten on the steering wheel until her knuckles turn white.
Lydia soon pulls up to a warehouse of sorts, the girls all looking out their windows. "We're here," the banshee mumbles.
As they climb out of the car, Lydia directs them to the trunk. Though shaky, she's quick to push aside all their purchases inside and pull up on a strip of thick fabric that opens up the secret compartment that hides the spare tire. And beside the spare tire, where Lydia points to, Allison finds a crossbow and a handful of arrows.
"You're a life savior," the huntress sighs in relief while retrieving the weapon and loading it.
"Well, I guess it's just us girls for now," Malia says. "Stiles and Jordan are stuck at work, and Scott and Liam were with Chris, so Chris is driving them. I texted them our whereabouts."
"So we got a crossbow and a few arrows," Charlie gulps. "What are our chances of walking away alive from this?"
"I'd say pretty good." Malia smirks and she flicks her wrists out by her sides, her claws appearing with a soft click! and eyes glowing blue.
"Yeah. We're not totally defenseless." Kira unhooks her belt, she sliding it easily from her belt loops and flicking it out to her side only for it to stick straight and making a rather intimidating sword.
"Well I don't have any cool tricks, but I do have this." Bending down, Charlie pulls out a small pouch from her boot. "Mountain ash is one of my favorite secret weapons. If need be, I can make a protective barrier while we wait for back up."
Allison smiles warmly at her group of friends. "Okay. Lets do this."
Allison leads the way with Malia at her side, Kira and Lydia flanking Charlie behind them. They enter the ominously quiet warehouse, adjusting their eyesight against the pulsing light of some sort of silent alarm. As they get further towards the back, voices can finally be heard. Someone's panting and groaning in pain, another is swearing and the other is giving a rather smug speech.
Just as they breach a hanging plastic sheet, Allison has to keep her feet from rushing to Sam's aide. He lies, nearly unconscious, in his brother's arm- the both of them beaten and bloodied. Sam's holding his very bloodied abdomen and Charlie gasps at the sight of the two men who have become brothers to her.
The female monster standing over the Winchesters roars suddenly, angry at being interrupted and whirls in the direction of where the group of girls stand. Allison gulps and lowers her crossbow to really get a good look at the monster terrorizing her boyfriend and her boyfriend's brother, and Lydia gasps.
"Oh no. It's Kate."