I do not own Teen Wolf
Chapter Sixteen
The day of Lydia's party was a full moon. Because of course it was. River groaned as she tried to find a reason to not go, wanting to stay home the moment she figured it out. She could feel the moons pull and could see it messing with Isaac, Erica, and Boyd as well. Jackson even said that he felt like his skin was too tight.
"You're coming," Lydia told her. "I don't care if the moon makes you horny and your boyfriend has to stay home. You're coming."
"I'm trying to but you won't let me stay home," River joked, causing Isaac to choke on his water.
River patted his back until he was good before turning back to Lydia.
"You're going to my party," Lydia insisted. "Don't argue with me."
"Fine," River complained. "Are we getting ready at your house?"
"Yes," Lydia nodded. "Allison is coming over, too, so play nice."
"We've been getting along," River defended herself.
"Good. Keep it that way," Lydia smirked. "No fighting at my party. You'll ruin your makeup."
"Not mine," River smirked before putting on an innocent face when Lydia glared at her.
Allison and River watched as Lydia moved around her room like a hurricane. They caught each other's eye and burst out laughing.
"What?" Lydia asked, glaring at the two.
"Breath, Lyds," River said, helping the other girl finish getting ready. "Everything is already set up. You look beautiful. Let's go downstairs."
Stiles invited the drag queens and Scott got the lacrosse guys to come out, which brought everyone else. Lydia kept passing out drinks, passing cup after to cup to River. River kept passing the drinks off to others when Lydia wasn't looking, wondering why Lydia kept trying. River drank her bottle of water that she'd stolen from Lydia's mini fridge earlier that night, watching as everyone began getting weirder and weirder throughout the night. When the moon was high in the sky, River watched as Lydia walked out of her line of sight before getting distracted by Stiles flinching out of nowhere.
"Stiles?" River asked as he sank to the ground. "Sti? What's wrong?"
"It's the drinks," Scott explained, appearing at her side. "There's wolfsbane in it."
"What?" River asked in shock. "Where's Lydia?"
"I don't know," Scott answered as people began jumping into the pool.
"I can't swim!" Matt yelled.
"Shit," River cursed, kicking off her heels and running.
She jumped into the pool, grabbing Matt as he had begun to sink. She pulled him over to the side of the pool, holding him above water as Scott ran over, pulling Matt out of the water before helping River.
"Are you okay?" River asked, looking over Matt.
"You saved me," Matt whispered.
"I wouldn't let you drown," River insisted.
"You should change," Scott told River.
She looked down at her white dress, cursing again. Scott helped her to her feet, covering her body as he led her into the house. Once she reached Lydia's room, River grabbed the dress bag with her name on it and groaned at the sequined dress that was inside. Lydia must have switched them when River was helping Derek put the pups in the dungeon.
She stripped out of the wet, basically see-through dress. Once the black dress was on, she went to Lydia's bathroom. Once her makeup was fixed and her hair was blow-dried, she met Stiles and Scott in the hall.
"Cops," Stiles said and they ran from the house.
River drove to the house and frowned when she saw the open front door. Scott walked ahead of them as they stepped inside.
"Derek's gone," Scott stated.
"Gone?" River asked confused. "Gone where?"
"I don't know," Scott said, heading down to check on the pups.
River shut and locked the door before following after Scott. Isaac was sitting in his cell, completely calm as Erica and Boyd growled quietly. Jackson smirked when he saw them. River opened Jackson's and Isaac's cages before looking to Erica and Boyd. She flashed her eyes at them and they both calmed down immediately.
"Done?" she asked.
"Yeah," Erica nodded, her voice soft. "Sorry."
"Don't be. Does anyone know where Derek went?"
"He's not upstairs?" Isaac asked.
"No," River shook her head. "The door was wide open when we got here."
"Let's go find him," Jackson sighed as River opened Boyd and Erica's cages, trusting them.
"I can follow the bond and you guys can follow me?" River asked.
"Sounds good," Stiles nodded. "Lead the way, oh wise one."
They climbed into River's car and Stiles' Jeep, River leading the way. They pulled up in front of the burnt husk that was once Hale house. River stepped out of the car slowly, rubbing at her chest.
"What is it?" Scott asked, noticing the action.
"Something's not right," she whispered.
"Why would he come here?" Isaac asked.
"Why would he leave you is the real question," River stated before walking into the house and freezing where she stood as she stared at the scene before her.
Derek was lying on the floor, out cold, while Lydia sat next to him. What made her blood run cold was Peter staring at her, a wide smile on his face as his eyes flashed blue. He took off out the back door and Boyd and Erica took off after him. Isaac and Scott ran forward to check on Derek and Jackson went to Lydia. River slowly walked out of the house, Stiles watching her wearily. He followed her as she sat on the front steps, staring out into the dark forest.
River didn't move as Isaac and Scott carried Derek to the car. Stiles passed River's keys to Scott and everyone left except for River and Stiles. Stiles sat beside her, waiting for her to speak.
"We have to tell dad," she finally spoke, her voice shaking.
"Let's go," Stiles nodded.
Stiles gently took River's hand, leading her to the Jeep. They drove to the station and Stiles had to lead River into the station, her eyes still distant. Scott was waiting inside for them; Stiles having called him on the way. They were buzzed back, Ricco staring at River in worry as they went to the back. Noah was pinning a picture to his board of the swim team from years ago, all of the victims in the picture.
"Dad?" Stiles asked.
"I figured it out," Noah told him.
"We need to talk to you," Stiles said, trying to get his attention.
"I figured it out," Noah said again, reminding Stiles of himself when he was focused.
"Dad!" Stiles yelled, causing River and Noah to jump.
Noah turned, confused before his eyes landed on River as she stared forward. He rushed over, lifting River's face so he could look into her eyes.
"What happened?" Noah asked.
"You should sit," Stiles told him as he sat River in one of the chairs.
"What happened?" Noah asked, bringing his own chair around the desk and sitting by River.
"A lot," Stiles admitted. "I'm not sure where to start."
"I can start and then you can take over when you're ready," Scott told him and, once Stiles nodded, he turned to the sheriff. "So, when River waited in the Jeep, Stiles and I were looking for a body in the woods…"
When Stiles and Scott finished going back and forth, Noah looked like he was fuming but held his tongue every time he looked at River's blank expression and far away eyes. When he asked for proof, Scott shifted, ears, fangs, and claws extending. Stiles was shocked when the sheriff didn't reach for his gun.
"So, what happened tonight?" Noah asked, eyes on River.
"Lydia drugged a bunch of us," Stiles answered honestly. "We haven't talked to her yet. She's at the house. Derek stayed at the house with Jackson, Erica, Boyd, and Isaac because it's the full moon and we weren't sure if they would have the same control that Scott has yet. Lydia, while everyone was distracted, somehow got Derek to the Hale house. We think she used him somehow to resurrect Peter."
"Peter's alive?" Noah asked. "River's father that attacked her and Lydia, killed a bunch of people and kidnapped you? That Peter?"
"Yeah," Scott nodded.
"I'm calling Melissa," Noah said.
"Why?" Scott asked.
"Because River is in shock and your mom's a nurse. I'm not keeping something like this from my best friend, so we're telling her."
Scott nodded and once Noah was off the phone Stiles continued.
"Peter is only part of why we're here," Stiles sighed.
"What's the other part?"
"Matt was the original master of the kanima," Stiles told him. "We aren't sure why he went after everyone but he broke the kanima's code by attacking River. River is the master now."
"Bravo!" a voice called from the hall, a slow clap sounding before Matt walked into the office with a gun raised, silencer attached to the front of it. "Now you get to tell me how to get him back."
"You don't want to do this," Noah told Matt.
"I really do though," Matt smiled.
"You don't want to hurt people," Noah tried again.
"Actually, I wanna hurt a lot of people. You three weren't on my list and I had taken River off, but I could be persuaded," Matt shrugged. "And one way is to try dialing somebody on your cell phone, like McCall is doing. That? That could definitely get someone hurt. Everyone on your feet and phone's on the desk. Now!"
Stiles had to pull River to her feet and pull her phone out of her pocket before putting his own phone down.
"What's wrong with her?" Matt asked, staring at River with the gun pointed at Stiles.
"She's in shock," Noah said. "She needs medical help."
"Why's she in shock?"
"What are you going to do, Matt?" Stiles distracted him. "Kill everyone here?"
"If I have to," he promised. "Let's go."
Matt led them to the cells, forcing Stiles to cuff his dad to a bench. Stiles sat River on the bench, stripping off his plaid and wrapping it around her shoulders. Matt forced them into another room and they began shredding and deleting any evidence that he had been involved in the murders.
"Deleted. And we're done. All right?" Stiles tried with Matt. "So Matt, since all the people you brutally murdered deserved it because they murdered you first – whatever that means – minus River, I think we're good here, right? So, I'll just get my dad, and we'll go, you know?"
A car pulling up to the building distracted them.
"Sounds like your mom's here, McCall," Matt stated.
"Matt don't do this. When she comes to the door, I'll just tell her to leave. I'll tell her that River's fine and we don't need her help. Please, Matt…"
"If you don't move, now, I'm going to kill Stiles first, and then your mom."
Stiles and Scott walked in front of him as they headed to the front, stepping around the dead deputies in the halls.
"Open it," Matt demanded of Scott, gun on Stiles.
"Please," Scott's voice was panicked.
"Open. The. Door."
"Oh, thank God," Scott breathed before Matt shot into Derek three times, all three shots near his heart and causing him to drop.
"Drag him back to the cells," Matt told Scott.
"Is he dead?" Noah asked as Scott dragged Derek's unconscious body to a cell and locked him inside.
"He's a big, bad werewolf," Matt scoffed. "Oh, yeah! That's right. I've learned a few things lately. Werewolves. Hunters. Kanimas… It's like a frickin' Halloween party every full moon… Except for you, Stiles. What do you turn into?"
"Abominable Snowman. But, uh, it's more of, like, a wintertime thing, you know? Seasonal."
"Get in the cell with him."
"Yeah, okay."
Another car door closed.
"Is that her? Do what I tell you to, and I won't hurt her."
"Scott, don't trust him!" Stiles yelled as Matt led Scott to the front again.
Scott opened the door for Melissa.
"Mom?" he asked, voice shaking.
"Where is everyone?" she asked before noticing the gun in Matt's hand. "Oh, my God."
"Mom, just do what he says. He promised he wouldn't hurt you," Scott explained.
"He's right," Matt smirked before shooting Scott in the stomach. "But, I didn't say I wouldn't hurt you."
Melissa tried to rush forward but Matt waved the gun around again. Once Scott got her to back away, Matt led the to the cells again.
"The evidence is gone!" Stiles yelled as Scott had to lock his mom in the other cell. "Why don't you just go?"
"You think the evidence mattered that much, huh? No. No, I want Jackson back. I bet killing River would do it, huh?"
Matt pointed the gun at River's stoic face, eyes still on Stiles.
"If I shoot your little girlfriend, I get Jackson back. The doctors said that my organs are slowly dying! They said that my immune system is failing!"
Stiles just stared at the shaking gun, watching River and hoping Matt didn't accidentally pull the trigger. The amount of fear he felt as he stared at the gun traveled through his pack bond to River.
"Please, Matt!" Stiles yelled. "Killing her won't fix you! You did that to yourself when you tried to have Jackson kill innocent people! It's your fault! She has nothing to do with this!"
"How about I kill her and your dad and leave you all alone?" Matt asked, laughing as tears rolled down his cheeks. "I wonder which one of them you would miss more."
Stiles watched as River's head finally moved. Slowly she looked up, eyes locked on the barrel of the gun before travelling up the hand and arm holding it, her eyes stopping at Matt's face. Slowly, she began to smirk, a manic look in her eyes. When her teeth began to show through the deranged smile that had taken up her face, Stiles only had one thought traveling through his head.
'Oh, he's dead.'
River's eyes glowed purple and red as she slowly lifted her left hand. Matt's whole body went stiff and he looked over towards River, as if aware of who was to blame somehow. She twirled her fingers slowly and Matt's arm began to bend, his hand turning until the gun was pointed at his face instead of her. They heard windows breaking at the same time that the gun went off, blood and brain matter spraying across the room and staining River's face.
River turned towards the sound of the breaking windows before standing, her arms slipping through the sleeves of Stiles' shirt before she walked out of the room. Scott opened the cells and broke the cuffs on Noah's wrist before they all chased after her sans Melissa who had crumbled in the cell, horror on her face, and Derek who had just woken up and was still healing. River raised her right hand and slowly made a fist, the smoke that had filled the room dissipating as she did so.
Allison stood in front of them, crossbow in hand and pointed straight at River. River was still smiling and Allison's eyes got wide, associating the look she was receiving with the one River had just before she had beat Allison up at school. Allison's eye widened further as she saw the color of River's eyes. Allison squeezed the trigger, sending the arrow flying. The kanima was in front of River suddenly, grabbing the arrow and whipping its tail out to paralyze the hunters in the room.
After the hunters hit the ground, Jackson returned to normal, facing River in confusion. The rest of the pack ran in, all confused by the sight before them. River's eyes were still glowing as she turned back towards the cells and went to Derek, holding her hand over the bullet holes and pulling the bullets out of him with her magic and then healing him. Derek tried to reach for River but her magic lashed out, throwing him away from her. Isaac and Jackson tried next but were also thrown away.
"Riv?" Stiles tried, slowly approaching her, hands held up in a surrendering motion. "Riv, it's me. It's Sti. I'm here."
River tilted her head at the sound of his voice but had no other reaction. Stiles continued approaching her, getting closer and closer without getting thrown. He kneeled in front of her, reaching out until his hands rested on top of her own. Her eyes slowly turned back to blue and the smile turned to a confused frown.
"Stiles?" she asked, staring at him. "What?"
"Let's get you out of here," Stiles suggested.
"We need to tell dad," she said, her voice small.
"I did," Stiles told her, his voice sounding broken. "I told him. We need to go."
"Okay," River nodded, letting Stiles help her off of the floor.
They kept their eyes locked on each other as Stiles led her out of the precinct. They didn't notice Gerald standing in the shadows as they drove away, everyone else staying to figure out what to do. Chris ran into the precinct and everyone froze, staring at him in anger.
"I'm just here for my daughter," he explained. "I just want my girl."
Derek allowed Chris to carry Allison out. Once Gerald saw his son and granddaughter, he left, meeting them back at the house. Stiles took River to his own room, not bothering to take her anywhere else. He sat her on the bed, kneeled down, and took off her heels. He grabbed a pair of his sweatpants and slid them over her legs and dress. She stared down at the dress, offended that it was on her body.
"Turn around," she told Stiles, and he did.
She slid off his shirt before pulling the dress over her head. It hit the floor and she pulled Stiles' plaid back on, closing the top few buttons before standing. She tapped Stiles' shoulder and he turned, looking down at her as she came back to herself.
"Peter's alive," she spoke after a few minutes.
"I know," Stiles responded.
"I killed Matt," she whispered.
"You saved us and yourself," Stiles corrected.
"I used Jackson," her voice sounded so broken.
"You only had him paralyze the hunters," Stiles shook his head. "It's going to be okay."
"Dad saw me kill Matt," she had tears rolling down her face. "I'm a murderer and he's going to arrest me and hate me."
Stiles led River to the bathroom and had her sit on the closed toilet. He grabbed a few tissues and began slowly wiping the blood from her face. Once she was clean, her took her back to his room and laid her down, kicking off his shoes and jeans and climbing into the bed beside her. He pulled her close, stroking her hair as she cried. They fell asleep, neither aware of the pack coming back to the house with Melissa and Noah in tow, giving them the rooms on the first floor as Derek talked Melissa through everything.
