*** Time for the Alpha to take care of his pack... Enjoy ***
SONG: As I lie here tossing in my bed…Lost in my fears, remembering what you said…And I try to hide the truth within…The mask of myself shows its face again…Still I lie time and time again ~ Crash by 12 Stone
Chapter 18
Malia:
I don't know how long I lay there only that the sound of my dad's car pulling into the drive spurred me to move. I grabbed my phone and dashed to my room. I huddled under my covers and pretended to be asleep when I heard him come in and then open my door to check on me. At some point I drifted off to sleep because when I woke it was dark out. Checking my phone, I saw that it was going on 9 pm. The house was quiet, but I could hear the soft snores of my dad in his room. I sent a quick text to meet up and climbed silently out my window.
I ran all the way to the school and around the back to the field. Sitting in the bleachers I couldn't help but remember the last time I was here with Stiles, waiting for the others for a meeting. He had been pacing and worrying his bottom lip again and he was making me twitchy. So, I yanked him to me, shoved him on the bleacher and straddled his legs.
-"You're pacing is making me nervous."
"Sorry, I can't help it. My ADHD flares up and I can't sit still." He huffed.
"I bet I can get you to be still, well at lease still enough."
"Oh yeah, how?" He asked his hands gripping my hips and that cute little grin on his face.
"Malia?" Peter called walking over to me. I quickly wiped my eyes and stood to meet him.
"Hey, thanks for coming."
"Of course. What's wrong?"
I showed him the message from Theo. I had already informed him the day before of everything that Theo told me in regard to Corinne. He read them and then looked up at me.
"You're not seriously thinking of going, are you?" he sighed when I nodded. "Malia, she wants to kill you."
"I know. But she can't come here. I can't have her near Stiles." I told him, that premonition still playing in my head.
"Have you at least figured out what you are going to tell Stiles if you just run off to face her?"
I shook my head and twisted my hands together feeling a sharp pain in my chest.
"Nothing. I don't have to tell him anything." I admitted. He tilted his head in confusion. "We broke up today."
Peter opened his mouth to say something, but I shook my head at him. I didn't want to talk about it anymore or at all. What's done is done. He nodded in understanding.
"You're not going alone."
"I'm taking Theo. We already talked about it."
"And you trust him?"
"I really don't know if I can or not. He says she's holding something over his head to get him to do what she says but he won't say what. But he knows exactly where she will be so…"
"Well, I don't trust him. The fact that he just sweeps into town and tells you that the woman who has wanted to kill you for about 18 years wants a face-to-face meeting so she can finish the job, call me suspicious."
"From what I heard, you're always suspicious." I snorted.
"That could be true. But there are reasons for that. Either way I'm going with you. I don't have to actually travel with you, but I would feel a bit better if you had actual back-up. Maybe see if Braeden will come as well."
"I was kind of hoping you would go. I am prepared to go by myself, but I really don't want to. And like I said I don't know if I can trust Theo."
"Have you talked to Scott about this?"
"No, and I'm not going to. This isn't his problem, its mine. I need to handle it."
"Well, I think it's stupid to not take advantage of every resource you have but it's up to you. How do you want to do this?"
I ignored the stupid part because he was probably right. It was stupid not to at least talk to him about it but after what happened with Stiles, I couldn't. I may have just lost all my friends with what I did.
"I was thinking that Theo and I could go in first and then you follow right behind us. I don't want to tip her off that there is someone else there just in case."
"Okay, I'm not giving you more than 5 minutes in there with them before I come in. I don't trust her or him. And I'm bringing Braeden."
"But she's human."
"Yes, she is. Good observation." He said, nodding.
"She could get hurt."
"You did notice the claw marks down the side of her face and neck, right? She's been hurt by shifters before. Doesn't make her any less capable. She's hurt just as many as she has been hurt by, she's probably hurt more."
"And Derek doesn't worry about her putting herself in danger? I mean they are together right."
"I'm sure he does…" he said slowly studying me then raised a brow at me. "Is this why you broke up with Stiles? Because he's human and could possibly get hurt? Do you think he's that weak?"
"No, I don't think he's weak. But… he can't heal on his own."
"No, he can't. But neither can Lydia, Allison or the mini one's friend. That doesn't stop them from being there for the others, from helping."
"I know. I just… I can't… it would kill me if he got hurt. Especially if it's my fault." I said, wringing my hands.
"How is this your fault? You didn't ask her to come after you. You didn't ask her to kill your family."
"I know that." I snapped. "Can we just focus on this problem, please?"
"Alright, fine. But just so you know, dumping him isn't sparing him. If she suspects even a little bit that you love him then she will still come for him."
Love him…
"Well, let's hope that we can get to her first then."
Stiles:
I haven't slept more than 7 hours in the last two days. I felt exhausted and edgy and just ready to snap at the first person that even breathed wrong in my direction. Still, when my alarm went off Monday morning, I shut it off and got up to get ready for the day.
I spent most of Saturday at Scotts. Between him and Lydia trying to console me I was ready not to think about it anymore. They let me go with the promise to call if I needed anything. It was closely related to how things were when my mom died. Except this wasn't the end of a life just a relationship. So why did it feel similar?
"Hey dad." I greeted as I grabbed a Red Bull from the fridge.
It wasn't my drink of choice, I tried to stay away from energy drinks for the most part but spending the better part of the weekend staring at my ceiling, trying, and failing to not think about Malia leaves me extremely tired.
"Morning." He said, glancing over at me then doing a double take. "Stiles, are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." I said popping the top and taking a big swig of the medicinal tasting beverage.
"Did you sleep at all?" he asked, coming to stand right in front of me.
"Yeah, I slept, some." I shrugged. He grabbed my chin and forced my eyes up.
"Maybe you should stay home. Your bags have bags."
"Dad, I'm fine. I swear. I'm a little tired. I'll probably skip practice tonight and just come straight home from school." I told him, batting his hand away. He looked me over then gave a concerned smile and nodded.
"Okay. But if you need to leave early, call me and let me know."
"Yep, got it. See you later dad." I said giving him a salute, draining the rest of the can, and tossing it on my way out the door.
In the parking lot at school, I sat in my jeep watching people pass by. Biting at my nails and leg twitching. I watched friends laugh and joke, classmates exchange notes or do last minute studying, and couples get last minute cuddles and kisses in before having to separate.
-Can I ask a favor?
Shoot.
Will you kiss me?
-Can I kiss you every time I start to freak out?
-Tell you what? If you make it through this whole day of school without trying to escape, then we can kiss as much as you want when it's over.
Deal.
-I don't like not talking to you. It feels weird and… I miss you when I don't see you or talk to you.
I know. Me too.
Can we just cuddle now? I really want to cuddle.
-But… I can't stop kissing you. It gets me through the day. It's my daily vitamin.
-I like kissing you too. Maybe we should just tone it down in school…
Fine. But we make up for it after school.
Okay.
And before.
Alright.
Is lunch time off the table?
A tap at my window brought me out of my reverie and I swiped at my eyes getting out and grabbing my bag. I smiled at Scott and Lydia as they waited for me.
"Hey, you good?" Scott asked.
"Yeah, just thinking."
Scott nodded and Lydia gave my arm a squeeze. Lydia kept up a constant rambling as we walked through the doors of the school. I knew what she was doing, and I loved her for trying but I knew it was inevitable. It's Monday. I have just one class with her, and it was first thing.
Lydia went off to her locker, but Scott stayed with me continuing a monologue on something or other while I opened my locker. I hate to say that I couldn't pay attention as I was anticipating the moment she arrived.
"Dude, you look like shit…oomph… no offense." Isaac coughed, him and Allison coming up from around Scott. Allison shook her head at her boyfriend.
"Thanks, and you're still a dick sometimes…no offense." I told him, shutting my locker.
"That's fair." He nodded. I rolled my eyes and felt a grin tug at my lips.
"Are you okay?" Allison asked setting a hand on my arm.
Thumping my head back against the locker I blew out a breath.
"Honestly, I'm not sure. I -." I turned to look at her but caught sight of Malia down the hall behind her. Hair pulled into a sloppy knot at the back of her head, eyes puffy and my hoody covering her. I wasn't sure if I was angry, sad or happy that she still had it and was wearing it. But what stopped me in my tracks was the fact that she was with Theo, and he was… hugging her. He was touching her. It could have been completely innocent but in my mind all I could think is, she wouldn't let me touch her Saturday, but she's okay with him touching her.
"Damn." Isaac said as they all followed my line of sight.
Malia happened to catch us all staring then and jumped away from Theo. My jaw clenched and my hands balled to fist.
"I'll see you guys later." I mumbled, turning, and walking away.
Scott:
"Stiles, wait." I called after him at the same time I heard Malia.
"Stiles, it's not what you think." She yelled down the hall. He ignored us both and kept walking. Passing by a grinning Mitchell who, for some reason, had it out for Stiles.
"Shit." I muttered rushing down the hall hoping to stop Mitchell from opening his mouth.
"Damn, another girl rejecting you for someone else? That's got to sting, two girls would rather date someone else then you." Mitchell sneered.
I didn't see Stiles stop. I didn't see him turn but I heard when his fist made contact with Mitchell's jaw. I froze in my tracks and the hall went still and silent as Mitchell fell, more in shock then anything, I think. But Stiles was a blur as he jumped on him and nailed him punch after punch. All you could hear was his fist making contact over and over, blood starting to make an appearance as people were too shocked, watching what was happening, to do anything. Finally, I got moving, Isaac with me as we both reached him and grabbed a hold. He didn't stop. Just shook us off as if we were gnats in his way and went back to hitting Mitchell with as much force as he could.
"Stiles, stop." Malia screamed.
I looked around and spotted Liam, I called him over and the three of us, and surprisingly Theo, grabbed hold of Stiles, finally managing to get him off of Mitchell but not before he landed a hard kick to his stomach.
"Stiles." I called in a thundering voice, making him finally stop struggling against us.
"Get off me." Stiles said, yanking his arm away from Theo.
"Open your mouth again, and I finish what I started, and they won't be able to stop me." Stiles pointed at a downed, groaning, and coughing Mitchell.
"Stiles-." Malia cried.
"No." his voice was sharp. "Just… stay away from me."
We all watched him storm down the hall and slam out the doors. Minutes later his tires squealed as he drove off.
Malia sniffled behind me. I turned to see her wiping furiously at her face staring at the doors as if hoping he would come back. Theo looked at her with concern. When he went to touch her, I growled, feeling my eyes switch quickly to red then back. He backed up, wide eyed.
"Come on, we need to talk. Now." I told Malia, grabbing her arm and pulling her towards the Chem lab, which is never in use. Seriously what is it here for? Lydia gave me a nod of understanding. "Liam, Isaac can you take Mitchell to the nurse's office?"
They nodded and picked Mitchell up dragging him towards the nurse's office, pass the still gawking crowd. I shut the door as soon as Malia and I were in there and stood in front of it.
"What's going on Malia?"
"We broke up." She mumbled.
"Yeah, he told me. Why did you break up?"
"Because… because…" she stuttered twisting her hands together.
"Because what?" I asked calmly.
"Just because. What does it matter, why? We broke up that's all there is too it." she snapped.
"I just watched my best friend beat the shit out of someone almost twice his size and if we hadn't managed to stop him, he probably would have kept going until he landed him in the hospital or worse. He may actually need to go to the hospital anyway."
She looked away but not before I saw the pain on her face.
"That was not Stiles. He's spiraling, and I know it's because he's hurting. I can see on your face that you're hurting too. You didn't end things because you stopped caring. So, what's going on that made you decide to break up with him."
"I had too." She croaked, tearing up again.
"Why?"
"I can't let him get hurt." She whispered.
"He's already hurting Malia."
"No, I mean-."
"I know what you mean. It may not be physical, but the pain is still there. So please tell me what's going on."
"This isn't your problem, Scott." She shook her head.
"Not my problem?" I asked her, incredulously.
To prove a point, I shifted and let out a roar, not a loud one or even a commanding one. but enough of one to watch her eyes switch and her fangs protrude. I changed back and watched her shake her head to switch back and retract her fangs.
"Whether you realize it or not, you are a part of my pack, Malia. Your problems are my problems. Same goes for everyone else."
"But Stiles-."
"We will take care of Stiles after you explain to me what you are hiding from him under the pretenses of protecting him."
Her eyes widened and I quirked a brow at her. Her shoulders slumped.
"It's my mother, my biological mother."
"The Desert Wolf? What about her?"
"She found me."
"Okay, and I take it she's not looking for a family reunion."
"No, she wants to kill me. I think she's been watching me. She's asking me to come to her or she will come here."
I nodded understanding why she dumped him.
"Why do you think she's watching you?"
"When we were at the lake house, our last night, I got this weird feeling. I thought it was paranoia but then I talked to Peter, and he said it was some kind of animal instinct connection or something. Like for an alpha for his beta or a mother to their cub."
"Okay, I've heard of that. So how did you figure out she wants to you come to her. did she contact you?" I asked. She shook her head.
"Theo..."
"Of course, he is going to play a part in this." I sighed, scrubbing a hand down my face. "Okay, this sounds like there's a story here. I'm going to text everyone. You talk to Theo; we are meeting in the field at lunch, and I want you to explain everything."
"I don't want anyone to get hurt."
"And we don't want you getting hurt. This woman is trying to kill you. You can't face this alone."
"I won't be alone. Peter's going to be there and possibly Braeden."
"That's great and now so will I, and the rest of us. We care about you too Malia. That didn't stop just because you and Stiles are having issues."
"I didn't want to hurt him. I didn't want to-."
"I know. I get why you did what you did. But now we have to fix it. Neither of you deserve to be miserable, you are too good together to be apart over something like this. We'll fix this Desert Wolf thing and then we will work on getting Stiles to stop spiraling long enough to listen."
"Do you think he will?" she asked, her tone full of hope.
"I don't know, honestly. Like I said I have never seen him like that before. But we will find a way."
She nodded solemnly.
"Come on we are already late." I opened the door to see Lydia waiting just outside if it. As soon as she saw Malia, she hugged her. She didn't say a word just offered comfort. I smiled, loving my girl even more. Malia gave a small wave and headed to her class. I kissed Lydia and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards our own class.