| CHAPTER FIVE, All Roads Lead To? (The Packs) |

Meanwhile…

"Remind me why we're not taking the back roads?" Isaac asked Scott, driving behind Derek's SUV.

"Danielle's parents live in Lindsay. They wanted to check their home, see if they could find them." He paused for a second. "In any condition."

"Great," Isaac said sarcastically. He looked back in the rear-view mirror to Allison asleep on her sleeping brother's shoulder. Gage was awake and staring down nervously at her out-of-service cell phone and Reid was looking out of the rear passenger-side window he was seated against.

Scott rested his hand on Isaac's covering the gear shift. "We're gonna' make it," he said optimistically, trying to stay strong for the both of them.

Isaac made a half smile but sighed nonetheless. "I know," he said, though sounding very unsure of his own words. It took them only another ten minutes before they pulled into the smaller city and even sooner they were pulling up to Danielle Carter's parents' house. The entire street was deserted, even most of the cars vacant even in the driveways. Everyone—except for Deaton—exited the cars, not wanting to get caught with their pants down should a fight break out.

"Reid," Scott began, "keep guard of the cars. Make sure none of 'em get close…especially not to Deaton." Reid nodded and all of the betas made a circular perimeter around the cars and the front door. Scott and Isaac followed Derek into the house, Danielle couched between the couple. Silently they crept in, the only sound that had been made was from the turning of her key.

They walked narrowly through the hallway and when Derek took his first step into the kitchen Scott tapped his shoulder. Derek looked back at Scott and the younger alpha jerked his head to the left, his eyes bulging in signal that there was sound coming from their west. Derek began head that way while Scott turned right, making his way towards the dining room. Scott only took another step when a zombie burst through the door Derek had careful opened. It lunged at him while a second darted past the two. It charged at Isaac, by-passing Danielle who was closer and it speared him to the ground. While Derek dispatched the first one with ease, Isaac had less luck as the zombie dug its teeth into his shoulder right before Scott tore it off in a two-step motion, the second involving driving his claws through the throat and jaw of the attacker. Derek rushed to Danielle's side while Scott helped Isaac to his feet, watching carefully for any signs of transmission. When nothing happened, Scott began to wonder…

"Those are the neighbor's sons," Danielle said, recognizing them after a second look. She covered her mouth and began to sob, her tall boyfriend pulling her into his chest.

"We'll go check upstairs," Scott said, jerking his head at Isaac to follow him. They made their way to the second level and began to cautiously check each of the rooms. After finding no one, Scott joined Isaac in one of the two smaller bedrooms and pulled him into a hug. "You okay?"

"A little shaken that he got to me," Isaac began, "but I'm alright."

Scott pulled back and looked down at his shoulder wound that was healing faster than a normal wound would have. "The question is how," Scott said, looking back up into Isaac's face. It took Isaac a moment to register the implication but then nodded. "I mean, look at this, you're healing at a faster rate than normal. You'll be healed up by the time we get back outside."

"So we're immune?" Isaac more stated than asked, only looking for Scott's opinion to back it up.

"Maybe more," Scott said, slapping Isaac's upper arm before walking out of the room, giving his boyfriend a reassuring smile right before he did so.

— | WWZ | —

"That's my parents' car!" Danielle yelled, pointing off to the left in a shopping center. "Derek, pull over."

"Need to get far enough of the swarm, first," he said, leaning hard on the accelerator. "Hang on." He braked hard and turned the SUV so it skid on the road to a full 100°. He sped off down the road, circling the back of the shopping center and then pulling right into it. Isaac's BMW pulled up right next to them and the werewolves and Reid all hopped out in an effort to brace themselves for the 50 or so zombies in only that small portion of Lindsay, California. "Here they come," Derek announced right before the crazed once-humans came sprinting at top speed around the backside of the shopping center. Their growls were the same signature noise that could be heard all over the world: a wheezed shrieking-growl that no other creature on the planet made.

Reid attacked first, a blink of his blackened eyes starting all the cars in front of them and snap of his fingers causing each of them to explode, wiping out a great number of the charge. The werewolves charged head on into them, claws swinging wide and fierce into the zombies' upper extremities: throats, jaws, sides of heads. After his little stunt, Reid picked up a large piece of metal from one of the cars and began to connect it with as many zombies as he could swing it into, the sharper end opposite his hands providing a great help in his effort.

But the two packs underestimated the numbers, and soon more were swarming in from the nearer surrounding areas. While most of them charged at the werewolves, and then at Reid—who turned the rest of the parking lost into a flaming warzone with another two-motions—a few of them broke off and began to assault Derek's car. "Danielle!" he screamed, too preoccupied to go to her aid. As three of them tried to get into the driver's side of the car, she kicked the one who broke into the window in the face before exiting the vehicle, Deaton right behind her. They tried to run for the building, but one of them caught up to Danielle and tackled the brunette to the ground. Derek was right upon them, his raging instincts having kicked into overdrive. He cut across the back of the zombies head only to find his girlfriend spazzing on the concrete beneath her.

"Wait, Derek!" Scott yelled as his fellow alpha was about to mercilessly kill her, his arm up like a recharge. He turned and then killed the two zombies charging at him, the same two that were assaulting his vehicle. Danielle clambered out of the body on top of her and began her own assault. "Bite her!" Scott yelled, killing one of the final three zombies that he was dealing with.

"What?" Derek called back, now evading everything Danielle was throwing at him.

"Trust me!"

"But, Scott—" Derek began, all of his doubts returning about having Paige turned from all those years ago.

"Just trust me!" Scott urged, bringing a set of claws down vertically down a zombie's face after having jumped up into the kill.

Derek managed to catch both her swinging arms, spun her around, and sunk his alpha fangs into her neck. After releasing his bite, he pushed her forward and watched. She writhed on the ground, spazzing even harder than when she had turned into a zombie. Her veins appeared through her skin, black like the goo they'd seen many times before. The rest of the zombies were down and everyone gathered around to watch as her bulging eyes turned from deadened grey to her natural brown, only to light up in that magnificent yellow. Derek rushed over to her and coupled her head. "You're okay," Derek said, tears actually building behind his eyes. She only continued to breathe, smiling up at him as he knelt beside her.

— | WWZ | —

"Is my mom okay?" Scott said into the short-wave radio.

"Everyone's fine, Scott," Chris Argent replied. "Stiles took care of your mom."

Scott sighed with relief, looking over at Isaac. They both exchanged a look of relief and Scott spoke into the black object once again. "We should be there soon. We had to stop and see of Derek's girlfriend's parents were alive. No luck finding them."

"I haven't heard from my brothers," Chris said.

"If they're anything like you, I'm sure they're fine," Scott said, trying to reassure his former enemy.

"Thanks. So we'll see you in 30?"

"Will do. Keep the gates open for us."

"Copy that." The radio never expelled anymore sound and Scott stowed it between his legs.

"You haven't heard from your dad, have you?" Isaac asked, knowing the answer to that question.

Scott only shook his head. "To be fair, I haven't heard from his for months." Isaac didn't respond to that; Scott's dad has been a sore subject for quite some time now, since he walked out on them again. "Anything from Caleb and the others?"

"Nothing."

"Not even Caleb's face in a cloud?" Scott teased.

"Funny," Reid replied. "I thought I saw him in a flame, but it was just a cooking zombie."

Scott grinned and shook his head. "You're horrible."

"I know."

"That was rather awesome, though," Scott said, thinking back to the firestorm Reid caused in the lot.

"I can fix 'em just as easily."

"Good to kn—what the…" Suddenly, Derek's car swerved left and Isaac followed, both avoiding a Jersey-barrier that had rocketed out in front of them. All but the drivers turned in their seats to see what caused it, and Scott immediately recognized the tall brawny frame running behind them. And he was being followed by another swarm. "Isaac, pass Derek and roll down your window." Isaac nodded and shifted gears, leaning heavily on the accelerator. "It's Aiden and Ethan!" Scott yelled out after Danielle opened her window. "Pop your trunk…we don't have room in ours!" Derek huffed but nodded just the same. Isaac pulled in front of them just as Derek popped the trunk.

The large form of Kale caught up to the car, pulling a vacant one he past behind him to obstruct the swarm a little more. The large fused werewolf hopped into the back on top of Derek's pack's luggage and closed the door from within. The two boys began to diffuse and they both breathed out heavily. "Thanks," Aiden said first, looking at Deaton's delighted face to see them.