𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐀'𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐑 ▸ liam dunbar [1]

7 | LYDIA'S FLOORS SUFFER A NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE

School the next day came and went, and I was in my room, getting ready for the "party". I dressed nice enough so it looked like I was actually going to a party, but casual enough so that if things got ugly when Liam wolfed out, I'd be ready.

I decided on a floral print top, black leggings, and my favorite pair of combat boots. Both fashionable and dependable. I let my red hair down in loose beach waves, and did my makeup. I wasn't a big makeup person in general, just some mascara and eyeliner. I put on a spritz of perfume, grabbed my phone, and I was ready.

I stepped out into the hallway. "Stiles!" I yelled. "Why aren't you ready yet?"

Stile opened his door and stepped out. "I've been waiting for 10 minutes, Emma," Stiles accused. "I was waiting for you." I rolled my eyes at my brother as we walked outside together, sitting on our front steps.

Stiles had filled me in on the official plan earlier that day - Lydia would be driving Stiles and Malia, Kira would be driving me and Liam, and Scott would be riding to the lake house on his motor bike (the lake house was only about a half hour away).

After about 10 minutes of waiting, Lydia and Kira's cars pulled up in front of our house. Stiles got into Lydia's car, and since Kira was driving and Liam was in the passenger seat, I climbed into the back.

"You excited?" I joked to Liam as the car took off from my house.

I could see Liam's grin on the rear-view mirror. "Ecstatic."

I frowned. He seemed so genuinely excited, I felt bad that the party was fake.

As we drove, Liam and I exchanged a few words, but nothing much was said. After a while, Kira spoke.

"The party is at Lydia Martin's lake house," she said to Liam. "Well, actually, it's her grandmother's, but she's dead, so that's good." She paused. "No, wait, it's not good that she's dead..."

Cue the face palm.

I looked at Liam from the mirror in front of the car, and winced. He seemed uncomfortable, almost like he was in pain. He was covering his ears.

"Uh, Liam?" I asked. "You okay?"

"Can you turn that music down?" He yelled.

Kira complied.

After a while, Liam asked, "So who else is coming to this party?"

"Everyone!" I tried to sound enthusiastic, batting my eyelashes at Liam.

After what seemed like forever, Kira pulled up to the front of the lake house.

Before we had even parked, Kira and I sprung out of our seats and dashed towards Scott, who was parking his bike next to a tree.

"So, what's the plan?" I whispered hurriedly. I glanced behind me as I saw Lydia, Malia, and Kira all dashed inside inside the house.

"Stiles and I are gonna join the girls inside the house," Scott whispered quickly. "You convince Liam that it's an actual party, and bring him in. We'll take it from there."