AN: Yay it's Friday. Here's the next chapter... hope you enjoy x
The classroom buzzed with the hum of quiet conversations and the scratch of pencils on paper. Jamie slouched in her seat, idly tapping her pen against her notebook. A few days had passed since her encounter with Derek in the woods, and things had only become more complicated. Last night, the lizard creature that killed Tucker made another appearance, this time going after Stiles and Derek during the lacrosse game. It only made Jamie more anxious than she already was, and being at school whilst all this was going on seemed completely pointless. Next to her, Allison was leaning in, her voice soft but persistent.
"So, has Scott said anything about me? Like, when you guys are hanging out?" Allison asked, her tone casual but betraying a hint of curiosity.
Jamie barely glanced up, her eyes half-lidded with boredom. "I guess," she replied flatly, dragging the words out. "You know, between all the life-threatening chaos, you might get a mention."
Allison frowned, her brow knitting. "Okay, I get it. He's busy. But—"
Jamie cut her off, flipping her pen in the air and catching it. "You know he's into you, Allison. We all know it." She sighed. "Can we just not talk about you and my brother?"
Allison rolled her eyes but smiled despite herself. "Fine. Let's talk about the life-threatening chaos instead." She leaned in conspiratorially. "It's a shapeshifter, right? Like Scott. Only... more dangerous."
Jamie raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Like this town didn't need another homicidal shapeshifter."
"Why do you think it went after Stiles and Derek last night at the pool?" Allison continued, her tone serious. "During the lacrosse game?"
Jamie scoffed. "I have no idea, but this is why I never go to the lacrosse games." She shook her head. "Maybe I'm the only one with any survival instincts."
Allison rolled her eyes. "You're not helping."
Before Jamie could retort, the classroom door swung open, and Scott and Stiles shuffled in. They slid into the seats near Jamie and Allison, their heads bent close as they whispered furiously. Jamie's interest piqued, and she strained to catch bits of their conversation.
"All right," Stiles whispered, pulling out his phone. "I only found one thing online called a Kanima—it's some kind of were-jaguar from South America that goes after murderers."
"That thing was not a jaguar," Scott hissed back, his tone tense.
"Yeah, and I'm not exactly a murderer," Stiles shot back, his voice rising slightly before Scott shushed him.
"Yeah, but you and Jamie did see it kill somebody," Scott said, lowering his voice again. "Which is probably why it tried to kill you. And it's still trying to kill you, and it probably won't stop until you're both dead."
Jamie leaned over, fixing them with a glare. "I can hear you," she said bitterly, her voice sharp enough to make them both jump.
Scott opened his mouth to say something, but the door swung open again. This time, Isaac and Erica strolled in, drawing every eye in the room. Jamie sat up straighter, her gaze locking onto Isaac as he casually made his way to a seat.
"What the hell is he doing here?" Jamie demanded, her voice cutting through Scott and Stiles' frantic whispers.
Scott hesitated, looking uneasy. "Jackson told the cops he lied about Isaac's dad abusing him," he explained, his tone careful.
Jamie stared at him, incredulous. "Why would he do that?"
Stiles chimed in, "Maybe because they paralyzed him with Kanima venom to test him."
Jamie blinked, trying to process that. "Wait—Derek thinks Jackson is the Kanima?"
"Not anymore," Stiles said with a shrug.
Scott sighed heavily, his gaze flicking toward Erica and Isaac, who were now chatting in hushed tones at the back of the room. "Now they think it's Lydia."
Jamie's head snapped toward Scott, her expression incredulous. "Lydia? You're kidding, right?"
Scott looked torn, his brow furrowed deeply. "It's because of the night of the formal. Peter bit her and nothing happened." Scott paused. "According to Derek, she should've turned or died."
Jamie considered his words, shrugging. "Maybe it is her then."
Stiles glared back at her, looking defensive. "Wha- it's not her. It couldn't be her."
"Fine," Jamie replied.
Scott leaned closer, his voice barely audible over the low buzz of the classroom. "Erica and Isaac are here to test Lydia. They're using the Kanima venom to see if it affects her."
Jamie's eyes widened slightly, and her voice dropped to a sharp whisper. "In the middle of class? What if it paralyzes her? Or worse?"
Before Scott could respond, Mr. Harris clapped his hands together at the front of the room, his voice cutting through the chatter. "All right, everyone, settle down! Pair up, and let's get started on today's experiment. I trust at least some of you have read the instructions."
Jamie rolled her eyes, grabbing her notebook and reluctantly shuffling toward the nearest open station. She wasn't paying much attention as Mr. Harris explained the experiment—a basic crystallization test—her mind still stuck on Derek's plan. Chemistry wasn't exactly her strong suit, and she couldn't care less about forming crystals when there was a murderous shapeshifter lurking around town.
The room filled with the sound of clinking glassware and muttered complaints as students moved between stations. Jamie tried to follow the steps, adding liquids and powders to her beaker, but her focus kept drifting. She couldn't stop sneaking glances at Lydia, who was seated a few stations over with Isaac.
Isaac leaned in close to Lydia, saying something Jamie couldn't hear. Lydia just gave him one of her signature icy glares before turning her attention back to her own beaker. Jamie watched as Erica walked past their station, casually sliding a small vial into Isaac's hand.
Jamie stiffened. That must be the venom.
At the end of the experiment, Mr. Harris clapped his hands again, calling for attention. "If you followed the instructions correctly, you should now have a small amount of crystalline material in your beaker. This is perfectly safe to consume, so go ahead and give it a try."
Jamie glanced into her own beaker and grimaced. Instead of neat crystals, her concoction looked more like lumpy, gray sludge. She nudged it with her stir rod, watching it jiggle slightly. Yep, definitely not eating that.
Her attention shifted back to Lydia, just as Isaac handed her a small crystal. Jamie's breath caught. The crystal looked slightly wet, a faint sheen on its surface as the Kanima venom dripped off.
She watched in tense silence as Lydia held the crystal delicately between her fingers. The room seemed to slow, her heartbeat thundering in her ears as Lydia brought the crystal to her lips. Jamie's stomach twisted. She braced herself, fully expecting Lydia to collapse the moment the venom entered her system.
But nothing happened.
Lydia popped the crystal into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully before swallowing. She didn't flinch, didn't even blink. She just turned back to Isaac, making some offhand comment that Jamie couldn't hear.
Jamie's hands tightened around the edge of her desk, her mind racing. No reaction. She should've been paralyzed. Scott and Stiles had been watching too, and their wide-eyed expressions mirrored Jamie's.
She had failed the test.
The dim light of the McCall house flickered as night settled in, casting long shadows across the walls. The teens had gathered there to protect Lydia from Derek and his pack. Jamie sat in the living room with Allison and Stiles, her nerves stretched taut. Jackson had taken Lydia upstairs to keep her away from the knowledge of what was really going on. Jamie still wasn't convinced that Derek would actually kill Lydia, but the others seemed dead certain.
"Maybe he's just trying to scare us," Jamie suggested, but her voice wavered.
Allison stopped pacing and looked at her, her tone firm. "They're not here to scare us, Jamie. They're here to kill her."
As if to punctuate her words, Jamie caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned toward the window, her stomach sinking as she saw Derek, Erica, Isaac, and Boyd standing silently outside, their figures barely visible in the gathering darkness. They weren't trying to hide—they wanted to be seen.
"They're just… standing there," Jamie said, her voice barely above a whisper. She felt a knot of fear twist in her chest.
"They're waiting," Allison replied grimly. She pulled out her phone, dialling quickly. "I'm calling Scott. He needs to get here now."
Jamie crossed her arms, trying to steady her breathing. The sight of Derek and his pack outside, so calm and deliberate, made her heart race. It felt like the house was shrinking, pressing in on them.
The phone pressed to her ear, Allison spoke urgently to Scott.
The house grew quieter as the night deepened. Shadows stretched further across the walls, and the tension was so thick that Jamie felt like she could choke on it.
Suddenly, there was a crash behind them. Jamie turned just in time to see Isaac step out of the shadows, his eyes glowing a fierce yellow. He moved with inhuman speed, grabbing Allison and throwing her to the floor.
"Allison!" Jamie screamed, rushing toward her.
Before she could reach her, Isaac shoved Stiles to the ground, his strength sending him sprawling. Jamie skidded to a stop, her breath catching as she faced him.
"Isaac, what the hell are you doing?" she demanded, her voice trembling.
Isaac's jaw tightened, his glowing eyes meeting hers. "Get out of my way, Jamie."
"This isn't you," she said, shaking her head and stepping forward despite the fear gripping her. "I know you don't want to do this."
For a moment, she thought she saw regret flash in his eyes. His hands trembled, and he hesitated—but only for a second.
Isaac growled, the noise thick and terrifying. Then, in a blur of movement, he grabbed her by the arm. His claws dug into her skin as he flung her to the ground.
Jamie's head hit the wall with a sickening thud, and stars exploded in her vision. Pain radiated through her skull, and tears stung her eyes as she crawled away from him, her heart pounding in her ears. She scrambled to her feet, running deeper into the house, her breathing ragged.
She could hear Isaac following her, his footsteps heavy and deliberate. "Where's Lydia?" he demanded, his voice echoing through the hallway.
"I don't know!" Jamie shouted, her voice breaking. She ducked into a corner, clutching her pounding head as she tried to stay out of sight.
Isaac found her quickly, his eyes glowing brighter in the dim light. He grabbed her by the throat, his claws pressing into her skin. Jamie let out a strangled gasp, tears streaming down her face.
"Isaac, please," she whispered, her voice trembling.
Before he could respond, a blur of motion slammed into him, knocking him away from her. Jamie fell to the ground, coughing and clutching her throat. She looked up to see Scott standing over Isaac, his eyes blazing yellow.
He turned to Jamie, his expression softening instantly. He knelt beside her, his hands hovering uncertainly. "Jamie, are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
Jamie couldn't answer right away. Her breaths came in shallow gasps, and her hands trembled as she wiped at her tear-streaked face. "I thought..." she trailed off, her mind racing as she thought of the first time she spoke to Isaac in detention. She thought of how much he had change, and what Derek's bite had done to him.
Scott's jaw tightened, guilt flashing in his eyes. "You're okay," he affirmed, trying to calm her.
He gently helped her to her feet before dragging Isaac's limp form outside. Jamie followed, but she hung back, her fear and exhaustion keeping her on the porch. Stiles and Allison joined her, both looking shaken.
Outside, Derek and his pack turned to face Scott as he tossed Isaac at Derek's feet. Scott's posture was rigid, his anger barely contained.
Jamie lingered near the doorway, her eyes flicking to Derek. For a moment, their eyes met. His expression was unreadable, but his jaw tightened. Jamie quickly looked away.
Then, a sound above them made everyone freeze. A low scratching noise, followed by a sudden, swift movement. Jamie looked up, her blood running cold.
On the roof, the Kanima was crawling away, its sleek body glinting faintly in the moonlight.
Suddenly, Lydia stormed outside, her expression furious. "What the hell is going on?" she demanded.
Jamie turned to her, her heart sinking as the realisation hit her like a punch to the gut. She looked from Lydia to the roof, where the Kanima had disappeared.
The truth settled into her chest, cold and horrifying. She took a step back, her eyes searching the faces of the rest of the group. They all knew it.
Jackson was the Kanima.
The subway station was silent except for the faint drip of water echoing through the tunnels. Jamie's footsteps faltered as she approached, her arms crossed tightly over her chest like she was holding herself together. Derek stood near the far wall, half-hidden in shadow, his head tilting slightly as he noticed her presence.
"You shouldn't be here," he said, his voice low and cold.
Jamie hesitated, her throat tightening. "I know," she muttered, more to herself than him.
"Then why are you?" Derek replied, stepping forward, his movements slow and deliberate. His eyes scanned her, taking in her trembling hands and tear-streaked face.
She bit her lip, looking away as her emotions churned inside her. Finally, she blurted out, "You've ruined everything." She shook her head, anger and frustration boiling over. "You've destroyed my life."
Derek stopped, his expression calm but his eyes narrowing slightly. "Is that so?"
"Yes," Jamie said, her voice rising as her composure began to crack. "You turned Isaac and Jackson into—into monsters. You dragged them into this, and now everything's falling apart."
Derek raised an eyebrow, his tone cool. "Jackson maybe. But Isaac? Monster's a strong word, don't you think."
"He's changed," she insisted, her voice shaking. "He's not the same anymore. He's angry, cruel… reckless. It's because of you."
A faint smirk tugged at the corner of Derek's mouth. "Funny," he said, his tone soft but cutting. "I didn't realize your life was going so perfectly before this."
Jamie stiffened, her breath catching. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Derek stepped closer, his movements quiet but purposeful. "You came here looking for someone to blame. But let's not pretend everything was fine before I showed up. Was it?"
Her face flushed, shame mixing with her anger. "You don't know anything about me."
"I know enough," Derek said evenly, his voice almost gentle now. "I know you're angry. You're hurting. And I know you've been looking for an escape for a long time."
Her stomach twisted, the weight of his words pressing down on her. "Stop it," she whispered, her voice cracking.
"You think this is my fault?" Derek continued, his tone softening just enough to make it feel like he was almost on her side. "That I broke something that wasn't already falling apart?" He shook his head slightly, his gaze piercing. "Your friends didn't come to me because they were happy, Jamie. They came because they were desperate."
Jamie turned away, her breathing uneven as tears welled in her eyes. "You took advantage of them," she said weakly.
"They made a choice," Derek countered, his voice steady. "The same choice you're thinking about making right now."
Her head snapped back toward him, her eyes wide. "What are you talking about?"
He tilted his head, his gaze never leaving hers. "You didn't come here just to yell at me. You came because you're wondering if I can do for you what I did for them."
"That's not true," she said, though the words sounded hollow even to her own ears.
"Isn't it?" Derek took another step closer, his voice dropping lower. "You're not just upset that Isaac attacked you. You're upset you weren't strong enough to fight back." He paused. "You're tired, Jamie. Tired of feeling weak. Tired of feeling broken. You think this will fix you."
Her chest heaved as she tried to steady her breathing. "Would it?" she asked quietly.
Derek's smirk returned, colder this time. "It would make you stronger," he admitted, his tone careful, measured. "Faster. More powerful than you've ever been."
Jamie's heart raced at his words, the temptation gnawing at the edges of her mind. "But it wouldn't take away everything else, would it?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"No," Derek said after a pause, his tone softer now. "It won't erase the past. It won't make the pain go away." He stepped closer again, his presence overwhelming. "But it'll make you better at handling it. You'd never have to feel powerless again."
Jamie swallowed hard, her back pressing against the cold wall as Derek's intense gaze pinned her in place.
"That's not what I want," she said finally, her voice breaking.
"Then why are you here?" Derek said, growing angry. His jaw tightened as he closed the remaining distance between them, his voice sharp and demanding. "Why did you come here, Jamie?"
She pressed her back harder against the wall, trying to create distance between them even though there was nowhere to go. "I don't know," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.
Derek's eyes narrowed, frustration flickering across his face. "Do you want me to take your pain away again, is that it?"
"No—" Jamie started, but her voice faltered.
Derek didn't give her a chance to finish. He grabbed her wrist suddenly, his grip firm as his finger tips pressed into her skin. Jamie felt a rush of warmth spread through her, followed by a strange, hollow ache as if something heavy and suffocating was being pulled out of her chest.
She gasped, her knees almost buckling as the pain and anguish she'd been carrying seemed to lift, leaving her momentarily weightless but raw, exposed. The tears she'd been holding back spilled freely, and she yanked her hand away, stumbling back.
"Stop!" she shouted, her voice breaking. "Don't do that."
Derek's eyes softened for a brief second, but then his anger returned, his voice cutting through the silence. "Then why the hell are you here?"
Jamie's chest heaved as she struggled to find the words. Her emotions boiled to the surface, spilling out in a furious, messy rush. "I don't know!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the subway station.
Derek froze, his jaw tightening as he watched her, his piercing gaze unwavering. Jamie's shoulders shook as she looked away, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.
She didn't know what to do, her thoughts were erratic, her mind confused.
"I have to go," she whispered. She felt like she might explode from the pressure building inside her—anger, frustration, and something deeper she didn't want to admit.
She turned away from him, stepping away and walking towards the exit.
As Jamie's footsteps echoed away, the silence of the subway station seemed to deepen, swallowing the words that hung between them. Derek stood frozen, his eyes following her retreating figure until she disappeared into the shadows. His jaw was clenched, muscles tense, as if the weight of the moment was pressing down on him too.
He shouldn't care. He knew that. He'd never cared before, not like this. But for some reason, Jamie—her rawness, her vulnerability—had gotten under his skin in a way nothing else ever had.
As her figure disappeared, Derek's eyes shifted to the spot where she'd stood, a strange mixture of frustration and something darker knotting in his gut. His mind raced, replaying the scene, her anger, her confusion—her pain. It was always there, beneath the surface, no matter how much she tried to hide it.
She had come to him looking for something. Looking for power, looking for control. She wanted to feel strong. The way she had looked at him, her voice shaking, her hands trembling with that unspoken plea—it had rattled him more than he'd care to admit. She was different from the others. She wasn't like Isaac, Erica and Boyd, or even Jackson. She wasn't just desperate for something to cling to. She was... unsure, torn between the broken pieces of her past and the promise of something more.
Derek let out a slow, shaky breath, running a hand through his hair as his thoughts spiralled. He didn't know why she bothered him like this. She was a distraction, and he couldn't afford distractions. Not now. Not when things with the Kanima were still so uncertain, when the stakes were so high.
But as the moments ticked by, as the silence of the station pressed in on him, the reality of what had just happened began to gnaw at him. He had given her a taste of the power she craved, yes. But it had been too much, too fast. It wasn't supposed to happen like that. It wasn't supposed to feel like he was the one losing control.
Derek closed his eyes for a moment, leaning back against the wall, fighting the urge to follow her. He couldn't. Not now. Not when his mind was already consumed with other things.
But the thought of her, leaving the way she had, of her emotions spilling out—he couldn't shake it.
Jamie was a problem. He knew that. But he also knew she wasn't like the others. She was a wildcard. And for reasons he couldn't even begin to untangle, he felt that pull to her. To fix her, to make her see what he saw—the way he could make her stronger, make her better. He could give her everything she thought she wanted, if she just let him.
But maybe she wasn't ready for it yet. Maybe she wouldn't be. Maybe he'd pushed too hard, too soon.
Still, the thought lingered. The thought that she might slip through his fingers—that someone else might pull her away from him—that scared him more than he was willing to admit.
He wasn't used to this. He wasn't used to caring. To want someone to stay.
But Jamie...
Derek's jaw tightened as he pushed off from the wall, a bitter sigh escaping his lips. No. Not like this. Not yet.
She was too valuable to lose.
