The Jeep sped through the streets of Beacon Hills, its headlights cutting through the darkness. Lila sat in the passenger seat, her phone pressed tightly to her ear. Stiles drove with one hand on the wheel, the other gripping his bat as if ready to storm Eichen House single-handedly.
Her mom picked up after the second ring, her voice laced with concern. "Lila? What's wrong? It's late."
"Mom," Lila said, her voice trembling with urgency. "You have to stop this. You can't let them take Lydia to Eichen House."
Her mother sighed, the weight of her exhaustion evident. "Lila, this isn't easy for me either, but Lydia isn't well. She screams in her sleep every night. She talks about things no one can see or hear. I don't know how to help her anymore."
"She's going through something, Mom," Lila pleaded, her voice rising. "But she doesn't belong in a place like Eichen House. You know what they do to people there."
"What am I supposed to do, Lila?" her mom said, her tone strained. "She won't tell me what's wrong. She won't let me help her. The doctors at Eichen can—"
"No, they can't," Lila interrupted, her voice firm. "They'll make it worse. She's not crazy, Mom. She's dealing with things we don't understand, but we do. Her friends do. I do."
Her mom was silent for a long moment, the tension crackling through the line. Finally, she spoke, her voice soft. "Lila, if you think you can help her, then do it. But I need you to promise me she'll be safe. I just want my girls back."
"She will be," Lila said, her voice breaking slightly. "I promise."
The Jeep screeched to a halt outside Eichen House, its looming, gothic structure illuminated by faint moonlight. Lila and Stiles jumped out, meeting Scott and Malia at the entrance. Scott's face was a mask of determination, his alpha instincts clearly kicking in.
"They just brought her in," Scott said. "We have to move fast."
"I talked to my mom," Lila said, her voice tight. "She's scared, but she doesn't know what Lydia's really going through. We have to get her out of here."
"Then we will," Scott said firmly. "But we need to be smart. Breaking her out isn't going to solve the bigger problem."
"What bigger problem?" Stiles asked, his voice edged with frustration. "She's locked in there right now."
"Eichen House isn't safe," Scott said, glancing at the darkened windows. "If Lydia's right and something's wrong there, we need to know what we're dealing with."
"I'll call Deaton," Scott said, pulling out his phone. "If anyone knows how to handle this, it's him."
"What do we do in the meantime?" Lila asked, her hands clenching at her sides.
Scott's gaze shifted to the building. "We get inside. We find Lydia. And we keep her safe until we figure out what's really going on."
The pack slipped into Eichen House through a side entrance, the air immediately heavy with an unsettling chill. The faint hum of fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting eerie shadows across the sterile hallways. Lila stayed close to Scott, her heart pounding as they moved deeper into the building.
"She's here somewhere," Scott said, his eyes glowing faintly as he scanned for her scent.
"She's not alone," Malia muttered, her claws extending slightly. "I can smell… something else."
"What kind of something?" Stiles asked, his grip tightening on his bat.
"Not good," Malia said darkly.
As they rounded a corner, the faint sound of Lydia's voice reached Lila's ears. She broke into a run, her banshee instincts guiding her to a locked door. Through the small window, she could see Lydia sitting on a cot, her knees drawn to her chest.
"Lydia!" Lila called, her voice shaking with relief.
Lydia's head snapped up, her eyes wide with fear. "Lila, you have to get me out of here. There's something in this place. It's watching me."
Scott moved forward, inspecting the door. "We'll get you out, Lydia. Just hold on."
As he worked on the lock, Lila turned back to Lydia, her voice steady despite her fear. "We're here now. You're not alone anymore."
The door creaked open, and Lydia rushed into Lila's arms, trembling. "You don't understand," she whispered. "This place isn't just dangerous—it's alive."
Lila exchanged a worried glance with Scott, her fear for her sister growing. Whatever was happening in Eichen House, they were in the thick of it now. And they weren't leaving without answers—or without Lydia.
...
The Stilinski house was quiet, but Lila's mind was racing as she sat beside Lydia on the couch. The pack had successfully gotten her out of Eichen House, but the terror in Lydia's eyes hadn't faded. Stiles and Scott were in the kitchen, discussing next steps with Malia, while Derek kept a watchful eye on the perimeter. For now, it was just the twins.
Lila took Lydia's hand gently, her voice soft. "Lydia, you need to tell me what's going on. Why did Mom think you needed to be taken to Eichen House? What happened?"
Lydia hesitated, her gaze dropping to her lap. Her hands trembled slightly, and she tightened her grip on Lila's. "I didn't want you to know. You already have so much to deal with."
"Lydia," Lila said firmly, leaning closer. "You're my sister. Whatever it is, we'll deal with it together. Please, just tell me."
Lydia took a shaky breath, her voice trembling as she began to explain. "Last night, Theo showed up. He said he needed something from me… something important."
Lila's blood ran cold. "Theo? What did he do?"
Lydia's eyes filled with tears, and she wiped at them quickly, as though trying to keep herself together. "He wanted to find the Nemeton. He said it was the key to everything he was planning, and he thought I knew where it was because of my banshee powers."
Lila's heart clenched. "And?"
Lydia swallowed hard. "He used his claws to try and… pull the information from my mind. Like the werewolf memory thing, but it went wrong. I don't know if it was because I'm a banshee or if he just didn't know what he was doing, but it was—" She broke off, her voice cracking.
"Lydia, what happened?" Lila pressed, her voice trembling with both anger and fear.
"It was like my mind split," Lydia said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I felt everything at once—every scream, every death I've ever sensed. It was too much. I couldn't handle it. That's when I went catatonic."
Lila's stomach twisted. She remembered how worried their mom had sounded on the phone, how she had mentioned Lydia screaming in her sleep. "That's why Mom called Eichen."
Lydia nodded, her tears falling freely now. "She thought I was losing my mind. She didn't know what else to do."
Lila pulled her into a tight hug, her own tears spilling over as she held her twin. "I'm so sorry, Lydia. I should have been there."
"There's nothing you could have done," Lydia said, her voice muffled against Lila's shoulder. "Theo wanted the Nemeton, and I didn't even realize I was leading him to it."
Lila pulled back, her hands resting on Lydia's shoulders. "You didn't lead him to anything. This isn't your fault, Lydia. Theo's the one who did this, and we're going to make him pay."
Lydia looked into her sister's eyes, her expression softening slightly. "I'm just… I'm scared, Lila. What if he tries again? What if I'm not strong enough to stop him?"
"You are," Lila said, her voice steady. "You're one of the strongest people I know. And you're not facing this alone. The pack will take care of Theo. He's not going to hurt you again."
Lydia nodded slowly, a flicker of determination returning to her eyes. "We have to stop him before he gets what he wants. If he finds the Nemeton…"
"He won't," Lila said firmly. "We won't let him."
As they rejoined the pack in the kitchen, Lila recounted what Lydia had told her. Scott's expression darkened, his alpha instincts clearly readying for battle.
"We need to stop Theo before he gets any closer to the Nemeton," Scott said. "I'll contact Deaton. He might have a way to block Theo from accessing it."
"And if that doesn't work?" Stiles asked, his voice edged with frustration.
"Then we fight," Scott said, his eyes glowing faintly. "We're not letting Theo win."
Lila glanced at Lydia, who stood silently beside her. She took her sister's hand, squeezing it gently. "We'll stop him. Together."
As the pack began to plan their next move, Lila felt a surge of resolve. Theo had pushed them too far, and it was time to show him that Beacon Hills didn't belong to him—or to anyone else.
The McCall house buzzed with tension as the pack gathered in the living room. The events of the last few days—Lydia's near-catastrophic experience with Theo, her brief stint in Eichen House, and the growing threat of the Beast of Gévaudan—had left everyone on edge. Scott stood at the center, his alpha presence steady despite the chaos.
"This isn't just about Theo anymore," Scott said, his voice firm. "The Beast is getting stronger, and the Dread Doctors are still pulling the strings. They're pushing everyone to their breaking point."
"Theo's part of their plan," Lydia said, her voice sharp. "He's not working against them—he's working with them."
Lila's stomach twisted. "Then we need to figure out what they want with him. And why they were so desperate to find the Nemeton."
"They're trying to finish their experiment," Derek said from the corner of the room, his arms crossed. "The Beast is the culmination of everything they've done. The Nemeton's power will make it unstoppable."
"Great," Stiles muttered, pacing the room. "So, how do we stop the unholy lovechild of Theo, the Beast, and a tree that loves ruining our lives?"
Scott ignored the comment, turning to Lydia. "Are you okay? Can you keep going?"
Lydia nodded, though her hands trembled slightly. "I'll be fine. We need to figure this out before Theo gets another chance to try whatever it is he's planning."
The Pack Splits Up
The plan was simple but dangerous: investigate the Dread Doctors' latest hideout while keeping an eye on Theo. The pack split into two groups: Scott, Malia, and Parrish would scout the hideout, while Stiles, Lila, and Lydia would try to track Theo's movements.
Lila felt a twinge of unease as she climbed into the Jeep with Stiles and Lydia. The memory of Lydia's screams and Theo's manipulations weighed heavily on her mind, but she pushed it aside. This was about protecting her twin—and stopping the chaos before it consumed them all.
The Hunt for Theo
"Any sign of him?" Stiles asked, gripping the steering wheel tightly as he navigated the dark streets of Beacon Hills.
Lydia's eyes darted over the map in her lap, her banshee instincts tingling. "Not yet, but he's close. I can feel it."
Lila sat in the back seat, her fingers drumming against her thigh. The hum in her head had returned, faint but persistent, and it made her uneasy. "He's not going to make this easy."
"When does he ever?" Stiles said with a dry laugh. "Theo's entire existence is a masterclass in making everything worse."
They parked near an abandoned warehouse on the edge of town, the faint glow of a flickering streetlight casting eerie shadows across the lot. Lydia's hand shot out, grabbing Stiles' arm before he could get out of the car.
"Wait," she said, her voice low. "He's inside."
Stiles exchanged a glance with Lila, his expression serious. "Let's go, then."
The trio moved cautiously, their footsteps muffled by the cracked pavement. The warehouse loomed ahead, its broken windows giving it the appearance of a gaping mouth. Lila's heart pounded as they slipped inside, the air thick with the metallic tang of old machinery and something darker.
"Stay close," Stiles whispered, gripping his bat tightly.
As they moved deeper into the building, the sound of voices reached their ears. Theo's unmistakable tone drifted through the air, laced with arrogance and malice.
"You think I don't know what you're doing?" he sneered. "The Nemeton isn't just a power source—it's a gateway. And once it's open, nothing will stop me."
Lila felt a surge of anger as she peeked around the corner. Theo stood in the center of the room, his back to them, speaking to someone in the shadows. The figure stepped forward, the flickering light revealing the all-too-familiar forms of the Dread Doctors.
"We do not serve you," one of them said, their mechanical voice grating. "You are a tool, nothing more."
Theo's laugh echoed through the space. "A tool? Funny, I was about to say the same about you."
Stiles shot Lila a look, mouthing, What's the plan?
Lila clenched her fists, the hum in her head growing louder. "We can't take them all on," she whispered. "We need to figure out what they're doing here."
"Distraction?" Lydia suggested, her eyes narrowing.
Stiles nodded. "I like distractions."
Before Lila could protest, Stiles grabbed a loose pipe from the ground and hurled it across the room. The loud clang echoed through the warehouse, and Theo and the Dread Doctors snapped their heads toward the sound.
"Go!" Stiles hissed, motioning for Lila and Lydia to move.
The two girls slipped into the shadows, creeping closer to a set of blueprints spread out on a table near Theo. Lila's eyes widened as she recognized the layout—it was a detailed map of the Nemeton's ley lines, with markings indicating points of energy convergence.
"They're going to use it to amplify the Beast," Lydia whispered, her voice trembling. "This is worse than we thought."
"Much worse," Lila agreed. "We need to get this back to Scott."
The Aftermath
The trio made it out of the warehouse undetected, but the weight of what they'd discovered pressed heavily on them. Back at the McCall house, the pack regrouped, their expressions grim as Lila and Lydia explained what they'd seen.
"Theo's working with the Dread Doctors," Lila said, her voice steady despite the fear clawing at her chest. "They're planning to use the Nemeton to amplify the Beast's power. If they succeed…"
"They won't," Scott said firmly, his alpha eyes glowing faintly. "We'll stop them."
"How?" Malia asked, her tone sharp. "They're always one step ahead."
"Not anymore," Scott said, his gaze sweeping over the group. "We know their plan now. And we're going to take them down before they get the chance to use it."
The pack exchanged determined glances, their fear giving way to resolve. The battle was far from over, but they were ready to fight.
And this time, they wouldn't stop until Beacon Hills was safe.
The kitchen of the Martin house was quiet, the faint hum of the refrigerator the only sound. Lila sat at the table, her hands wrapped around a mug of tea. Lydia was beside her, looking exhausted but calm, her gaze focused on the steam rising from her own cup. Their mom stood across from them, arms crossed, her expression a mix of worry and frustration.
"Lila," their mom began, her voice strained. "I did what I thought was best. You weren't here, and Lydia—she wasn't okay."
"I know, Mom," Lila said, her voice gentle but firm. "But taking her to Eichen House? That wasn't the answer."
Their mom sighed, running a hand through her hair. "You don't understand what it's been like. She screams in the middle of the night, talks about things that don't make sense. I've tried everything to help her, but nothing's worked."
"I'm not crazy, Mom," Lydia said softly, her voice steady but tinged with hurt. "I know it sounds like I am, but I'm not."
Their mom's eyes softened, and she sank into the chair across from them. "Then help me understand. Because I don't know what else to do."
Lila exchanged a glance with Lydia, silently asking for permission to speak. When Lydia gave a small nod, Lila turned back to their mom. "Lydia's going through something—something real, even if it doesn't make sense to you. She's a banshee, Mom. She can sense things that other people can't."
"A banshee?" Their mom's brow furrowed. "You've mentioned this before, but… what does that even mean?"
"It means I hear things," Lydia explained, her voice quiet but steady. "I feel things—death, danger. It's overwhelming sometimes, but it's real. I'm not just screaming for no reason."
Their mom looked between them, her eyes wide with disbelief. "I don't… I don't know how to process this. You're telling me you can sense death?"
"Yes," Lydia said. "And it's not something I can turn off. That's why I've been so on edge. It's like a constant noise in my head, and Theo—" Her voice broke, and she looked down at her hands.
Lila reached over, placing a comforting hand on Lydia's arm. "Theo pushed her too far. He tried to use her abilities to find the Nemeton, and it backfired. That's why she went catatonic. It wasn't because she's losing her mind."
Their mom's eyes filled with tears, and she covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh, Lydia… I didn't know. I thought I was helping."
"I know," Lydia said, her voice softening. "But Eichen House is dangerous, Mom. If I'd stayed there… I don't know what would've happened."
Their mom reached across the table, taking both their hands. "I just want you both to be safe. I feel like I've already lost so much—I can't lose you too."
"You won't," Lila said, squeezing her mom's hand. "We're dealing with things that are hard to explain, but we're handling it. You don't have to do it alone."
Their mom nodded, her tears spilling over. "Just promise me you'll tell me next time. Don't shut me out."
"We promise," Lydia said, her voice steady. "But you have to trust us. Even when it sounds impossible."
"I'll try," their mom said, giving them a small, shaky smile. "I'll try."
As the three of them sat together, the tension in the room began to ease. It wasn't perfect, but it was a start. For the first time in weeks, Lila felt a flicker of hope—hope that their family could face this together.