Chapter 13
Thomas shifted slightly in his bed as the morning sun broke in through window - he had forgotten to close the blinds last night. It was Autumn, yet unusually sunny for it. Reason why he had forgotten about his blinds came back as he felt grip around his waist holding him in place, while trying to reach up and close the blinds. It was Saturday and he wanted to sleep in. Thomas turned his head and silently gasped – he traced the arm back to Jonathan who was there, soundly asleep. He… stayed the night! Thomas flushed scarlet and tried to snuggle back comfortably against Jonathan.
- 'I've been awake for past 10 minutes or so and no, you did not wake me.' He suddenly heard Jonathan mutter. Thomas rolled his eyes – grogginess in Jonathan's voice spoke otherwise as it was proof enough he had just awoken.
- 'Sorry.' Thomas said silently. Jonathan chuckled and pulled Thomas closer to him. Thomas rested his arm on Jonathan's and intertwined his fingers with Jonathan's, enjoying the moment in silence. Completely ignoring the sun, he turned his head once again to kiss Jonathan. Jonathan didn't object and kissed Thomas back.
- 'I could get used to this.' Jonathan smirked and Thomas gave him elbow in his stomach. Jonathan laughed.
- 'Hey, Jonathan.' Thomas began, using the moment to turn and look in Jonathan's eyes.
- 'Hmm?' He replied as brushed lightly Thomas' hair on his forehead to one side.
- 'Does this mean… we are boyfriends?' Thomas asked, slightly embarrassed with himself. Jonathan looked in Thomas' eyes, smiling. He leaned in and kissed him again.
- 'Definitely.' Jonathan whispered and hugged Thomas. Thomas gave in and rested his head on Jonathan's chest as Jonathan had shifted so he was lying on his back.
That whole Saturday Thomas spent with Jonathan. Mostly, he spent it with Jonathan's pack, meeting his Alpha and rest of the werewolves. No one objected Jonathan dating Thomas and Jonathan revealed that's due to Scott's 'request' of no unnecessary bites in beacon hills. Even although they all were on truce with the Hunters, even Jonathan's pack had the scars with them from the last meeting of Hunters-gone-rogue which basically are the Hunters, yet without code. That meant full on assault, traps without sparing anyone. Thomas even remembered Allison mentioning how her -their- grandfather was ruthless. Thomas never met him, as far as he remembered nor he cared.
Thomas felt gentle squeeze from Jonathan's palm and he brushed off the flooding memories. He focused back to present and leaned in Jonathan as they sat side by side and watched how Alpha trained his pack. They all were relatively new to being werewolves and still needed to get their self-control together, especially as Thomas remembered making a mental note of the date – tonight, two events were happening. First, was lacrosse game against school team from another town. Thomas promised to attend as Jonathan was playing and knowing Scott and Stiles are playing too, rest of his friends would be there too. He knew no matter what, they wanted to keep an eye on Thomas. He didn't object. Second, and forewarning event that was to happen – full moon.
No one from Alpha's pack said anything to him about reassurance but he could see in all of their eyes something. Tonight, they were expecting something, on this full moon, it even alarmed Thomas as he recognized it as lust, crave and excitement for a fight. He even could see it Jonathan's eyes, even though he was putting the most 'cool' attitude up along with the rest of the guards, he could see past that the glow in his eyes. And then, there was something else. Thomas saw worry in Jonathan's eyes as he noticed the quick glances at him when Jonathan thought Thomas wasn't noticing. He said nothing and it drove Thomas more anxious.
- 'It's time.' Jonathan whispered in Thomas' ear and he slightly jumped. He hadn't noticed how sun had already gone low and it meant that it was time for Jonathan's lacrosse practice before the game. Thomas said byes to the rest of the pack and sat on Jonathan's motorbike, behind Jonathan and they drove off to school.
Stands slowly drifted full with people from Beacon Hills, as Thomas already was there, having witnessed the practice. He had chuckled as the rest of the team kept it together while Stiles was gasping for air, exhausted from the practice. Coach just shook his head in utter defeat as the weakest member of the team could be a downfall to the rest of them if was let on the field. Thomas felt sorry for Stiles in a way because only his friends knew how much he had gone through whereas everyone thought of him as of weakling. In truth, he had been there for Scott countless times, as for the rest of them and proved his theories truth about the creatures and people in their everyday life. And when it mattered the most, rest of them were there for him too. Thomas knew Stiles knew this too but to the outside world, without any superhuman powers he was nothing, just smart gone bad. Stiles needed confidence and Thomas was there on sidelines. Malia sat next to him on his right, whereas Kira on his left. That proved his suspicions – they were protecting him. Thomas looked up in sky and saw moon slowly taking its place up there as sun disappeared.
- 'Hey.' Someone said behind Thomas. He jumped and looked back as noticed Stiles sitting behind him, not in lacrosse form.
- 'Stiles, aren't you playing?' Malia asked, confused. Thomas mirrored her confusion with just his expression.
- 'Oh, uhh, coach said I am off the team tonight.' Stiles shrugged. Malia frowned. Something about Malia's expression made Thomas alert.
- 'So, you came to watch it from stands.' Thomas offered continue of the words. Stiles looked at him and smiled. Thomas smiled back and yet-
- 'Actually, I wanted to borrow you for a moment. There is something I wanted to talk about. I found a lead on why Nogitsune is following you.' Stiles said.
- 'Stiles, the whole reason we all are here-' Kira began but Stiles laughed nervous laughter.
- 'Come on, trust me Kira. I will be right behind stands.' Stiles winked at Malia and stood up. Thomas frowned, but followed Stiles. Malia and Kira exchanged looks but said nothing.
Thomas followed Stiles in silence but noticed as he was not stopping to turn behind the stands. Instead, he was leading him away from the stands altogether and voices from the field became more and more quiet.
- 'Stiles, where are we going?' Thomas asked. Stiles didn't say a word but kept leading him. They were going towards school and just about at the back entrance Thomas heard faint rustling in the bushes.
- 'Oh, you couldn't stay quiet just for few more minutes.' Stiles said, and Thomas heard a muffled scream. His head instantly snapped towards the bushes and noticed a leg out of the bushes. Thomas rushed to the bushes and pulled on the leg, noticing another Stiles tumbling out of the bushes, tied up and his mouth stuffed with a rag.
- 'Stiles?!' Thomas exclaimed and Stiles screamed in rag, trying to say something. Thomas jumped up, ready to run but as he turned, the other 'Stiles' blew some dust in his face and in just matter of seconds everything went blurry and Thomas' eyes rolled in back of his head and he fainted, hearing a quiet laughter from fake Stiles. It must've been only one creature possible – Nogitsune itself.
Next thing Thomas remembered was him running through empty halls of the school and someone following him, laughing and the laughter echoing through halls; cold, and empty, humorless. He wanted to shout for help but he knew he would be just giving up his location to Nogitsune. The team must've been already on the field and it would be only later when Scott would notice Stiles missing, as the real Stiles must've lagged behind, catching breath and Nogitsune had used the opportunity to snatch him. Thomas rolled eyes at himself, as he was running, yet calculating in his mind how Stiles got replaced.
He ran, quickly falling short of breath, as fear made him gasp for even more breath than usual. Nogitsune was leading him, herding him and Thomas knew that, yet faint glimmer of hope made him think that somehow he could gain enough time for someone to notice Stile's and his disappearance. Thomas ran up, skipping stairs two at time, feeling Nogitsune closing in on him more and more. He gave in to his fear.
- 'Sco-' he wanted yell, as he slammed his arm down on roof access doors but something slammed in him from behind, throwing him through the roof access doors.
- 'Oh, no use screaming, Thomas. You know Scott can't hear you. You aren't special. You aren't part of his pack.' Nogitsune laughed, scooping Thomas off the roof footing and throwing him into fence that separated them from roof generator.
Scott glanced at the bench where the extra players sat. He still could not see Stiles sitting there, even though his best friend had promised he'd just 'catch a breath'. He ran through the field, avoiding the opponent team from getting the ball from his lacrosse stick and focusing at the goal, yet anxiously thinking where Stiles was. He lost his focus and didn't notice someone ramming in him from side, making him to lose balance and the ball falling out of his stick's net. Spectators groaned but Scott gasped for breath as he got himself up. Accidentally, he glanced at the stands and saw Malia and Kira, with anxious faces, the spot between them empty – Thomas was not in the stands. Without looking back, he dropped his lacrosse stick, and sensing trouble, he ran off the field, ignoring his coach's yells.
Scott had perfectly memorized Stile's scent so he knew how to follow him. He dropped his helmet and ran, sensing, getting closer to Stiles. Without doubt, he found Stiles at the same bush where Thomas had found him earlier.
- 'He's got Thomas!' Stiles blurted as Scott freed his mouth from the rag. Stiles shuddered as Scott snapped the ropes with his claws and eyes turning red and freed himself quickly from rest of the ropes.
- 'Where?' Scott growled, slowly freeing control for his wolf side to surface.
- 'Inside, hurry!' Stiles waved him off harshly and Scott got up, rushing in school. Seconds later, Stiles, stumbling, followed him.
Scott followed the muddy footprints to the roof and kicked the door open and stepping on it as Stiles, gasping for breath closely followed.
- 'How nice of you to join our little chat!' Nogitsune spoke with its real face showing. Scott stopped, as his eyes widened with horror. Nogitsune was holding Thomas by shirt over the side of the roof and smirking. Thomas looked bad, as his face was bleeding. He was gasping for breath.
- 'Let him go!' Scott growled. Nogitsune laughed.
- 'Do you really want me to do that?' He laughed darker and slightly shook his arm holding Thomas. Thomas tried to clutch on Nogitsune's arm, but Nogitsune beat Thomas' arms off easily with his free hand.
- 'Stop, please!' Scott pleaded. Nogitsune laughed even more.
- 'Oops.' He bursted out laughing and opened palm clutching Thomas. Thomas yelled and as horror struck Scott with surge of adrenaline, Thomas, bleeding heavily, fell…