Chapter Fourteen - Something About Truth or Death

~ A Teen Wolf fanfiction collaboration between Miss E Charlotte and Sage Londyn.~

After washing her hands in the empty girls restroom Teagan dried her hands and slowly raised the side of her shirt looking at the dark bruise on her side.

Gently rubbing a finger over the sore skin she gasped in pain and dropped the soft fabric.

It hurt to touch, sometimes it still even hurt to breath. But maybe it was just a small price to pay for gaining the strength and knowhow to defend herself and help protect her friends.

When the ball rang signalizing the end of the school day she realized she'd left her books in the chemistry room, after quickly retrieving them. She stopped by her locker to switch them out, then headed for the exit.

By the time she got outside over half of the parking lot had cleared out. Not that she blamed them, school was one of the last places she wanted to be too. But her reasons were more important than just hating school.

In fact, her reasons were far from normal. Her boyfriend was a werewolf, in a very small pack who was being threatened by a group of enemies stronger than they'd faced before. She lived in a constant state of fear, which now that she thought about it was entirely valid. For over a year now, they'd been up against one hurdle after another.

It almost felt like every day brought some new danger to Beacon Hills and her and the ones she cared about the most were always in the middle of it.

Opening the door to the backseat of her car she dropped her books in, wondering what she was going to do to try and keep her mind off of what was happening.

Then she considered that if Isaac was going against the alphas risking his life, then she should be right there with him.

With that thought she started to take her phone out to call him, see what was happening, then she'd intended to call Avery and tell her she felt like they should be at the loft but before she could someone asked, "Where are you headed?"

Turning around she saw Ethan approaching her, her mind flashed back to the last time he confronted her by the bus outside of the motel; Ethan had warned her to stay away from their pack and to stop interfering.

"Home to study?" He pushed.

"And why would I tell you?" She said, looking around and realizing hardly anyone was left outside of the school.

"Fine, don't tell me. I'm just here to remind you to stay out of what's going on. It's Derek's choice… join us or die. The more people who interfere the more friends you're going to lose."

Her heart started to race, what was he talking about? It almost felt like he could read her mind and knew where she was planning on going.

"Well, thanks for the warning… but I'd rather not take advice from a psychopath who held my best friend captive all summer."

"Avery is fine." He reminded her.

Teagan rolled her eyes and started to get into her car but what he said next stopped her dead in her tracks, it felt like all the air had been knocked out of her.

"Too bad we can't say the same for your mom."

Sounds slowly faded away and it felt like she was moving in slow motion as she turned and looked at him, "What did you just say to me?"

Glancing up to the sun in the sky he repeated, "She didn't stand a chance against us. We're alphas."

Her mouth hung open in shock and she tried desperately to process what he was telling her, but she couldn't focus on what he was saying.

Maybe she was just trying to keep herself from breaking down in front of him, or maybe the reality of the situation hadn't fully hit her.

"And if she didn't stand a chance against us, how can you think that you and Derek's little pack will?"

"Why… my mom?" She managed to ask, her voice sounded alien even to her.

In that moment she didn't feel like herself either, it felt like she was a stranger watching a scene play out.

"Just do yourself a favor… stay out of it."

He turned to walk away and she called after him, "Why!"

But he didn't turn around. She wanted to run after him, chase him down and scream at him. Make him tell her why they'd killed her mom, she was innocent and certainly didn't deserve to die that way.

But her legs wouldn't move, she was surprised her knees were even strong enough to support her until she collapsed into the driver's seat of her car.

Not even bothering to put her seatbelt on she backed out of her spot without looking and drove off. She didn't have a destination in mind; she was only vaguely aware she was the one driving but she had to get out of there.

Get far away from what he'd just told her and the devastating pain that was finally starting to set it and crush her.

~()~

Many minutes later, Teagan sat behind the wheel of her car, in shock. Ethan's words repeating in her head. She couldn't believe the alpha pack was responsible for her mother's death.

After finding out werewolves exist, she began to wonder if her mother's death was by a werewolf, but she never imagined it would be the alpha pack. There was no way her mother could have survived that.

Ethan didn't give a reason why they went after her mother, but was there really a reason to give? The bottom line was her mother was gone and she was never coming back. She laid her hand over her mouth as a sob break free. She screamed out in agony, the pain of losing her mother still fresh in her mind. After hearing the information, it almost felt like it just happened again.

She slapped the steering wheel in front of her a few times, before collapsing against it as another wave of tears hit. She wasn't sure how long she had cried, when she heard her phone ringing from the passenger seat beside her. She let it ring until it stopped not making a move to answer it.

When it began to ring again, she finally reached over to grab it, not looking to see who was calling; instead she turned the phone off, before tossing it back into the seat. She rested her arms against the steering wheel then buried her face in her hands.

She took a few deep breaths, trying to stop the tears from falling. Once she was a little calmer, she raised her head and glanced around, realizing for the first time that she was in the parking lot of the cemetery.

Without another thought, she opened the door and stepped out of the car. As if in a daze, she walked through the cemetery, not stopping until she made it to the headstone. Her mother's headstone.

She stared at her mother's name, 'Alisa Claire Young', feeling tears fill her eyes again. Her vision blurred as she tried to imagine her mother's final moments. She could imagine her mother running through the woods, like the two had done so many times before, then skid to a stop when she saw a group of alphas standing in front of her.

She choked back a sob as she wondered if her mother tried to run, scream for help or did she stand there, already knowing what her fate would be and knew there was no point to fight it.

Teagan fell to her knees, crying out in pain as she imagined what her mother did while the pack viciously attacked her. She hoped it was quick; she hated the thought of her mom suffering.

Suddenly feeling drained, she laid out, keeping her head near the tombstone. She laid a hand on it, lightly stroking it, before she closed her eyes and within minutes fell asleep.

~()~

When Avery finally came to her eyes fluttered open and she realized she was being carried up a flight of stairs, she'd been flung over someone's shoulder.

With every step they took it jarred her already sore head, as she tried to take a breath she realized it felt like her throat was on fire.

Slowly the last few things that happened before she'd blacked out came back and she realized who had her; Aiden.

Rage flashed through her light brown eyes and her hands balled into fists as she started to beat them against his back and frantically kick her legs.

With a groan of pain he dropped her spun her around until she was standing in front of him.

Opening her mouth she started to yell at him, but then stopped when she heard voices and realized where they were.

"Then I remembered how you surround yourself with all these teenagers, hiding behind them. And I thought, 'What's a girl gotta do to get you alone?'"

A chill ran down her spin at the sound of Kali's voice, then it dawned on her why they'd brought her there. They were going to use her as a weakness against Derek.

Not again, she thought to herself. She'd already been down this route once before with Kate, and she wasn't about to go there again.

With a burst of adrenaline she raced past him towards the stairs, but had only managed to make it down a few when someone stopped her.

Her wide eyes focused on the person in front of her, and for a few moments she wondered how Aiden had gotten past her, until she realized it wasn't him.

Now she was trapped between two alphas, just like the day they'd taken her from the airport.

Before her brain was even finished processing what was happening, Aiden grabbed a fist full of her hair and pulled her back up the stairs. At his brothers side in an instant, Ethan held her arms down. Rendering her completely defenseless when Aiden extended his claws and put them against her already badly bruised neck.

"You were supposed to have already been here." He growled at his twin.

Keeping her wrists pinned with one hand, Ethan put another on her back and pushed her towards the open door to the loft as he argued, "I'm here now."

Avery wanted to scream out and tell Derek to run, but all she could manage was a weak cough, as she fought the dry burn in her throat.

As they pulled her inside of the loft, she looked up to see Derek standing in the middle of the room. His face fully transitioned and his eyes glowed red.

His eyes locked with hers and she could see he was remembering when Kate had used Avery against him. A tear slid down the side of her face as she mouthed, "I'm sorry."

With a satisfied smile Kali spoke, "You and me, Derek. Or they tear her apart. What do you say, you think you can beat me one on one?"

Keeping his eyes on where Avery was trying but failing to break free of the twins hold on her, Derek nodded for Boyd and Isaac to step to the side, agreeing with Kali's terms to save Avery.

Once they were out of the way Derek growled, "I'm gonna rip your throat out with my teeth."

Kali matched his words with a low, feral growl before charging at him.

Staring wide eyed at the fight, Avery couldn't even feel the pain from her bruised throat, or feeling the danger her life was in as Aiden's claws were pushing on her sore skin ready to kill her if given the order.

All she could do was focus on the fight playing out in front of her. For every time Derek managed to get a hit in or gain the upper hand, Kali struck him down.

Her heart sank as the female alpha knocked Derek face first into the flooded floor of the room, she knew this fight wasn't going to end well. And her worst nightmare was coming true again, even after all her training –everything that she'd learned, she was helpless once again.

Maybe she could hold her own against a werewolf, possibly even an alpha for a while, but she wasn't a match for two of them. But it still didn't stop her from struggling desperately in their arms.

She reacted to movement nearby as Isaac looked at his phone and then rushed toward her with Boyd right behind him.

Isaac had made it up on the steps, just out of the water when the electricity kicked back on, Boyd didn't make it in time and he fell down in the water.

The twins rushed forward but both came to a halt at the water's edge, they saw both Derek and Kahli getting electrocuted from it.

"Derek!" Avery shrieked, her voice hoarse as she tried to run to his aid, but Isaac quickly wrapped his arms around her, keeping her from the water as they both fell to the dry floor.

After a few moments the electricity was back out, and the other two alphas made their way into the water.

Her eyes were wide in terror as she sat on the floor now barefoot from all of her struggling to get away, with her back against Isaac who readjusted his hold on her in case she tried to take off again.

Kali rose to her feet when Derek wasn't able to and shouted at her pack mates, "Take him!"

Avery screamed out and tears flooded down her face as she thought the alpha was calling for Derek's death.

But instead they pulled him up to his feet, his body still shuddering from the electricity that had flowed through it. He wasn't even aware of what was happening to him, partly in a blind rage until Kali pushed Boyd's body down on his extended claws while the twins held him still.

Derek's face shifted back to human at the realization of what he'd done. Boyd made a pained noise, already feeling himself growing weaker by the second.

Walking towards the door, Kali called out "I'm giving you until the next full moon, Derek. Make the smart choice. Join the pack. Or the next time, I'm killing all of you."

Avery couldn't even budge as the alphas walked past her and out of the door.

She and Isaac just stared in horror and heartache as Derek apologized with tears in his eyes, but Boyd told, him "It's okay, Derek. The full moon, that feeling… it was worth it."

Her chin quivered uncontrollably and she slowly slid out of Isaac's arm, but didn't have the strength to pull herself to her feet.

Boyd asked him what would happen to werewolves on a lunar eclipse, but never got his answer as he faded away into the darkness as his body fell with a splash in the water.

Stiles and Cora rushed into the room, her eyes immediately landing on her fallen friend as she pushed past Stiles screaming out for Boyd and dropped to his side, mourning the loss of her pack mate.

Stiles slowly staggered closer to the gruesome scene, and Lydia rushed into the room.

"Are you okay?" She asked as she helped Avery to her feet.

All she could manage to do was point to where Boyd lay dead. She heard Lydia let out a gasp and clutch onto the door way in shock.

Her first instinct was to rush to Boyd the way Cora had, but he was dead now and there wasn't anything she could do to help him.

Hearing a few more small splashes she saw Stiles rest his hand on Derek's shoulder, trying to offer a little comfort to him.

Not even aware of the cold temperature of the water on her now bare feet, Avery started towards Derek. His entire body was shaking and he just kept looking down to his blood stained hands.

As Avery tried not to look at Boyd's body, she dropped to her knees with a splash in front of where Derek was knelt down.

Stiles took a few steps back, giving them some space. He couldn't imagine what Derek had to have been going through in that moment, and he'd known Avery had just watched a good friend get killed right in front of her eyes.

Clearing her throat Avery whispered, "Derek?"

He didn't respond to her voice, just kept staring at his blood stained, trembling hands. Replaying what had happened over and over again in his head; he'd killed one of his own beta wolves.

Rising up slightly Avery used the sopping wet end of her dress to quickly wipe the crimson from his hands. Once the blood was gone he slowly raised his head, realizing for the first time that she was beside him.

So many thoughts rushed through her head, she had so many things she wanted to say to him, but all she could manage to say was, "This isn't your fault."

He looked back down, away from her tear stained face and away from her words of understanding. Even when he'd literally just had someone else's blood on his hands, she didn't blame him.

Dropping back to the floor in front of him she leaned forward, gently holding onto him trying to give him some sort of comfort.

Looking over her shoulder her heart broke even more as she saw Cora crying uncontrollably over Boyd's body. Her own grip tightened on Derek, and she hated herself for how she felt; But there was a part of her that was relieved it wasn't Derek.

It wasn't until she realized that she was now clutching onto Derek's soaking wet shirt and crying irrepressibly, that she felt his arms close around her. Grasping onto him even tighter she closed her eyes and rested her head against him as her mind drifted back to her time being locked in the bank.

(Flashback)

"Hey, Avery… wake up."

Slowly her light brown eyes fluttered open and she stared at Erica who was leaning over, gently shaking her awake.

"What's wrong?" she asked, as she sat up so quick her head started to spin.

"Lunch time." Boyd answered as he sat down on the floor with them and handed them each a bottle of water a sandwich that looked like it came pre-packed from a gas station.

They slowly ate their food in silence, chewing each bite until it was almost liquid, trying to make the food last as long as possible.

"Here." Erica said as she tried to hand Avery the other half of her own sandwich.

She looked at her confused and glanced over to where Boyd was offering the last half of his drink to her.

"I'm not taking your food."

"You're human…" Erica argued.

"And werewolves need food too." She argued back stubbornly shaking her head at them.

After a small pause she quietly added, "Besides if anyone is going to be giving up their food, it should be me. I don't have a chance in hell of making it out of here, but you guys. You're strong, fast… if you can gather enough strength you might just be able to escape."

"No." both betas answered in unison.

It had been a few weeks since Avery had been captured by the alphas at the airport.

Glancing over her shoulder Avery looked at the other girl who was sitting against a far wall, staring down to the floor in front of her.

Picking up the forth sandwich and water, Avery slowly rose to her feet and crossed the room.

"Here." She said offering it to the female werewolf who hadn't spoken a word since she'd been dragged into the vault.

When she didn't respond Avery dropped down to her knees and said, "I know how bad this sucks, okay? I get it… but sitting over here sulking isn't going to solve anything. You can come talk to us, we don't even know your name."

The girl didn't respond as she reached out taking the food from Avery's weak grip.

"And all these years I thought you had nothing but ice running through your veins." Erica called out, a small smile on her lips.

With a laugh Avery looked over her shoulder and said, "Shut up, Erica. I guess being locked in this bank with you two losers has made me soft."

Boyd let out a small laugh as he drank down the last of his water and watched as Avery walked back over and sat down. The trio smiled at each other, appreciating the small moments that were just enough to make them forget about their grim situation and gnawing hunger pains.

With a heavy sigh Erica leaned her head back against the bars behind her and said, "I just keep replaying everything that's happened over and over in my head. I just keep asking myself what I did to get here. And was it all worth it."

"To me it is." Boyd answered, as he picked up his empty water bottle and crushed it flat in his hands.

"I know why Erica wanted to turn… but why did you?" Avery questioned as she tightened her jacket around her and tried to ignore how hard and uncomfortable the cement floor beneath her was.

After a pause he admitted, "I didn't want to eat lunch alone anymore. The bite came with the promise of a pack, of friends. I'd never had that before."

A pained look spread over Avery's face as she considered how many days she'd walked right past him at lunch never knowing he existed, or caring at all.

Motioning to the trash Erica tried to lighten the mood to no avail, "Well, you're not eating alone anymore."

Flashing him a weak smile Avery, asserted "You're eating lunch with Avery Dukate, half the people at our school would kill to be in your shoes."

None of them could really manage a smile that time. But even in the saddest of circumstances, they tried to make the most of it.

Trying to remain hopeful Avery said, "When we get out of here, you're both going to sit with me at lunch… at school."

"You mean if."

Letting out a small sigh at the female betas words, she responded, "I mean when. Along with shopping, we're going to go shopping when we get out of here. I know I never told you this before, I really like your style."

With a hand over her stomach, trying to ignore the hunger she still felt after the tiny meal Erica admitted, "Probably because I modeled it after you."

"Really?"

"Don't sound so surprised, it's no secret that people want to be like you."

"If they really knew me, they wouldn't." She whispered as she wrapped her arms around herself and looked down.

Hearing plastic crinkle they looked over to see the nameless beta finally opening her sandwich and eating an entire half in just a few bites.

"If you eat it slow, chew it for a long time… you'll feel fuller." Boyd offered, but the other wolf didn't even look up at them.

Seeing Avery was staring at him with tears in her eyes, Boyd asked, "What?"

"I don't know if we're gonna make it out of here alive, or what these alphas have in store for us. But just in case I never make it out of these walls… I just want you to know that I'm so sorry. It was such a bitch move to call you a guard dog, I didn't mean that. And maybe if I'd taken the time to sit with you at lunch, I would have saw what a great person you are and you wouldn't have thought you needed to be a werewolf to have friends. Because you're actually a really great person."

Boyd nodded and replied, "And I'm sorry I almost attacked you on the lacrosse field… and tried to kill Lydia."

Turning her attention to Erica, she opened her mouth to start apologizing but Erica cut her off.

"Don't… just don't. We were both really terrible to each other, but it's over now. turns out you're not a cold hearted bitch. You're really great."

Avery's lips curved up into a small smile at her words, "Still, I'm really sorry for how I treated you. You don't deserve to be in here."

"Neither do you." She quickly said back, then added, "You're not even a werewolf, what do they even want with you?"

Shrugging Avery admitted, "I don't know… I just guess it was all kind of over for me the moment he kissed me."

Immediately Erica said, "I'm sorry about rubbing it in your face that I kissed Derek, that was a bitch move."

Avery laughed at Erica using her own words back to her, "It's okay… we were broken up, it's not like you were cheating behind my back or something."

"It doesn't matter. I made it into something a lot more than what it was… just to try and hurt you…"

Avery waved her hand to silence Erica, but something else stopped them all in their tracks.

"Derek Hale?"

They looked over to see the other beta wolf now standing a few feet away as she repeated, "You said Derek, are you talking about Derek Hale?"

"Yeah, do you know him?" Avery asked her, thankful the girl was at least speaking to them now.

"I'm Cora Hale, Derek is my brother."

Avery's eyes widened in shock, "Oh my god…"

(End of flashback)

A/N - Thank you all so much for reading! You're guys' support truly means so much to us and gives us both inspiration to keep working on this story and keep the updates coming.

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