Chapter 14

They say your whole life flashes before your eyes as you are about to face death. Thomas' mind froze as Nogitsune let him go with a laughter. Thomas began falling and everything felt so slow, so eternal. In reality, he knew he was just thinking way too fast; the shock, the adrenaline, everything had hit at once, In an instant, memories began flooding his mind – family, Allison, Scott, Jogging, Red eyes, Blood-written words, Chris, Smiling, tears, first steps and lastly, Jonathan's face flashed before his eyes.

I am so sorry

He felt so tired, so weary of everything. Maybe it was his chance at peace finally. He could let all the anger, the pain, the envy go and at that, Thomas close his eyes to accept his fate.

- 'NOT ON MY WATCH!' A voice bellowed somewhere above Thomas and suddenly his fall had halted to sharp stop. Thomas groaned as sharp pain crossed his left arm, still dazed and unable to comprehend what had stopped him from falling. He opened his eyes and gasped as saw Scott with his wolfish fangs exposed and eyes glistening with red tint. Scott had gone to his werewolf form and Nogitsune was nowhere to be seen.

- 'Why…?' Thomas blurted, confused. He didn't understand. Wouldn't want to understand.

- 'I lost Allison already, I am not about to lose anyone else, let alone my friend.' Scott said as he began pulling Thomas upwards. And yet, still he refused to understand, keyword: 'refused'. After all he had said, after how he had acted towards Scott and his friends he was there and trying to save him. But the fact-

- 'Scott..' Stiles groaned as he looked at Thomas. Scott looked at Stiles confused and then looked back at Thomas, confused as to why Stiles had paid extra attention. Then, he saw and recall – Thomas still was bleeding, and heavily at that. Nogitsune was winning, at that Thomas still looked dazed and not noticing the blood trickling from himself.

- 'I am… tired…' Thomas muttered and his eye-lids suddenly faltered.

- 'No, no, no, no, NO! Stay with us!' Scott bellowed but Thomas was already falling in deadly slumber.

- 'Scott, you know what you have to do.' Stiles said. Scott looked back at Stiles and automatically shook his head.

- 'I will not bite him!' Scott sternly said.

- 'Jesus Christ Scott, he is dying!' Stiles exclaimed, pointing out the obvious.

- 'But-' Scott groaned as he was torn inside. Every second was dear to Thomas' life and he had to act fast.

- 'We will never make it in time to hospital. Who knows how long Thomas has been bleeding!' Stiles pleaded. Scott wanted to shake his head but his resolve began dissolving. He had no other choice. 'Do it for Allison,' Stiles said. That hit a chord for Scott and with a wince, he turned back towards Thomas.

- 'I am so sorry.' Scott said sank his teeth in Thomas' arm. Half-conscious, Thomas still felt sharp teeth piercing his skin and screamed, yet it was not loud. Then, he drifted, recalling Lydia's words about path of destruction and then he realized – if it wasn't for Scott, he would be dead. But now – he will be something. God knows what, but he will be something.

Scott sat in chair as Thomas' hospital monitor beeped at steady rhythm, showing he was alive. The bite had saved Thomas' life but something had gone wrong; Thomas was comatose. He wasn't healing at Scott's rate of healing but the bite had saved his life, stopping the bleeding at least, yet the wounds Nogitsune left were not healing as they should. Something was blocking for the power to kick in.

- 'Hey.' Scott hadn't noticed his mom had come in room and that said something alright, as he was zoned out, deep in thought if the wolfish senses didn't hear that. Scott slightly jumped but as noticed Melissa, relaxed a bit. He looked at Thomas who was on hospital bed, unconscious.

- 'I almost failed, mom. I almost lost him. And if I hadn't done what I had to, he'd be…' Scott lost his voice, as tears began rolling down his cheeks.

- 'Honey, it's okay. It's alright. You did what you had to do. It stopped the bleeding but he already had lost so much blood, so coma was inevitable.' Melissa leaned down and hugged her son. Scott hugged back and wiped away his tears. He swallowed the ball in his throat and even though the feeling of being helpless didn't pass, he bit his teeth together. I will find him. And when I do, he will pay for this.

Thomas stepped deeper in the maze of forest. He had no choice as he had to find the exit, so he kept moving forward, not knowing where the exit and himself exactly were. Last he remembered was Scott's face before he fell in deep sleep and how he had managed to get to this forest evaded him. Somehow, he was calm. He had no emotion coursing through his body, just the cool touch of nightly breeze flowing through this forest, touching his skin and clothes. He kept moving forward.

Suddenly, faint light caught his attention and he changed the course he was heading. Somehow, he felt the light was important and he had to get to its source. He didn't understand, just did what he felt was right. Curiosity Killed the Cat but this time, he was sure that was right. The light got brighter.

Accidentally, Thomas stumbled over something and fell flat on his stomach.

- 'Ow.' He mumbled and got up, brushing his palms against his jeans away from dirt, revealing bruises on his palms. 'What..?' He looked at his feet but saw nothing he could've bruised himself against. Where did those come from? He felt sudden pain and saw something dark forming on his chest and stomach. Blood.

That's when he remembered – he was dying. Nogistune, Scott, Stiles, rooftop – everything came back to his mind. And then, the bite. Scott was trying to save Thomas with a bite but was he dead? Did Scott fail? Was this afterlife? Or rather – purgatory?

- 'Good, your mind is catching up.' Voice from somewhere ahead of him said. It was oddly familiar. Thomas should know as it was his own voice.

He looked ahead of him and noticed shadowy figure rising from a tree stump. Of course, I should've known. Thomas sighed as he now realized what the light was. It was guidance to the Nemeton. How was he back at Nemeton?

- 'Am I-' Thomas began asked but the shadowy figure shook its head.

- 'No, you are not dead but you were walking the thin line between life and death for a while.' His voice told him. Thomas frowned. This is weird.

- 'Then where am I and what are you?' Thomas asked.
- 'Well you are asleep. Deep, deep sleep. I guess outside world would call it 'comatose' state but those are different. As to what, or rather WHO am I – I think you already know that answer.' His voice said.

- 'Nogistune.' Thomas automatically stepped back.

- 'Don't be absurd but I see why would you mistake that spirit for me.' His voice spoke from the shadowy figure.

- 'But how-' Thomas frowned but the figure interrupted him again.

- 'I am you, and you are me. To be precise; I am about to become you.' Shadows around the figure dissolved and Thomas gasped as he saw himself standing in front of him on top of the big tree stump. But some features were different. He was more built and there was something about his eyes.

- 'Werewolf-me?' Thomas asked. He did not comprehend but he knew it was better to roll with the punches and accept the reality.

- 'Yes and no. You see, you are undergoing the slow transformation but there is still side of you that is struggling.' His refletion spoke.

- 'Struggling?' Thomas asked, confused even more.

- 'You see, there is power sleeping dormant in you. Before the bite, it was blocked and werewolf powers are about to rip open that block in an unpleasant way.' His reflection spoke.

- 'Unpleasant h-' but before Thomas could manage to finish his words, sharp pain began spreading through his body from his arm and he screamed as the searing pain grew.

- 'It hit faster than I anticipated. Guess I mistook you for the disbelieving one. So Scott and his world already had an impact on you.' His reflection spoke and stepped off the stump and proceeded towards Thomas, who was now trashing in pain on forest floor.
- 'Allison told me about it all so I… nothing..' Thomas spoke through gritting teeth but he couldn't speak coherently anymore as the pain overtook him.

- 'I see. No, what I mean, I See. You'll understand soon enough and we shall talk again.' His reflection was now leaning over Thomas and put his index finger to his forehead.

Thomas shot upwards in sitting position as his eyes flew open and screamed as the pain had become unbearable to his physical body.