Wild Ones - Teen Wolf fan fic

46

I sat numbly as officers cuffed my wrists and ankles and patted me down for weapons. A smirk still lingered on my lips as I stared straight ahead, not really seeing. Step two: complete. One step closer to my goal.

"Hey! Did you hear anything I've just said?"

I glanced up at the female officer standing before me. She attempted to keep up an emotionless facade, but the contempt was thinly veiled. Her eyes were an open book. And written on the pages were distrust, hatred, and disgust. 'Good.' I thought. Having her hate me made it easier for me to accept what I had just done. I really was a monster.

"No. Sorry." I watched her carefully. She rolled her eyes and grabbed the chain that connected my wrist cuffs, dragging me to my feet.

"We are moving you to a more secure facility for safety. You'll be wearing the chains until you get settled in to your new placement." I stifled the laughter threatening to bubble up my throat. This was almost too easy. "And where am I being shipped off to?" I asked, not bothering to hide the snark that slipped into my tone. She gave me a sharp glance and hard yank on the cuffs, leading me out of the cell, as other officers entered to deal with the corpse.

"Eichen house. It's better suited to your... needs." The officer spat the last word as though it were dirty or unworthy to be spoken. I smiled and followed her out of the cell block, catching Sheriff Stilinski's eye as we passed. A tiny knot of guilt pinched my stomach, but passed quickly. He watched silently as we marched out the doors to the lot, running a hand through his hair.

'How much trouble can I find in one day?' I thought, remembering the nights events, thus far. One attempt at feeding, four assaults, and one murder. As the cruiser pulled out of the parking lot, I found myself wondering how long Brent would be in a cast. I had to have snapped at least two bones in his wrist, not to mention one in his elbow. How was Mal's throat? Was Elle traumatized? I felt a lump begin to form in my throat. Was I making the right choice? I bit my lip and stared out the window, willing the sudden flood of doubt away. No going back now. I had begun to make my bed, I'd have to lay in it. "Go big or go home." I muttered under my breath.

"You have something to say?" The officer snapped, glancing at me through the rear view. I plastered a smirk back on my face and shook my head. "Nope."

"Answer me one thing. Why? Why did you attack June? What did she do to you?" I shook my head again.

"Nothing. I didn't even know her name. And why? I don't know. Wrong place, wrong time, I guess." I answered, staring her down through the rear view. "Though, in all fairness, I did warn the other officer what would happen." I shrugged and sat back in the leather seat, resuming staring out the window.

"...insane." The officer muttered, pulling up a hidden drive. Over the drive was a metal overhang that read 'Eichen House'. It was eerie and reminded me vaguely of a haunted mansion.

"The world's insane. It depends on how you choose to survive in it." I whispered, studying my potential new home. All the windows were in tact, the doors looked antique, and some bricks were missing from the siding. All the lights inside appeared to be out, except at the front entrance. Two people approached the vehicle as we lurched to a stop at the front steps. The first was a stout, old lady with short, wavy, silver hair. Her face was stern, and her demeanor screamed 'boss'. The other was a tall, lean man. He was pale and sickly in appearance and seemed to favor his left leg as he limped down the steps. His eyes were dead, his movements almost robotic. I suppressed a shiver, and straightened up in my seat. 'Showtime.' I thought, dryly. The officer climbed out of the car and greeted the two. I watched like a hawk as she explained the situation, glancing in my direction every few seconds. The old woman nodded, keeping her eyes on me the entire time. The man didn't even seem to be paying attention as his soulless eyes stared off into the tree line behind the officer. I strained my ears, catching bits of the conversation, but nothing of any significance. I stared back at the old woman, willing her to look away, feeling slightly distressed when her gaze didn't waver. 'Interesting,' I thought watching her face for any emotion. There was nothing there. Suddenly the woman looked to the officer and gave her a forced smile. She then nodded to the tall man and gestured toward me. The man opened the door and the woman stepped back, giving me room to step out.

"Hello, Artemis. My name is Mina Burton. You may call me Mrs. Burton. This is Gregory. We will be escorting you to your room and getting you settled in. We have a lot to go over, but we can save that for morning, so let's get you inside and cleaned up for bed." The woman spoke in a motherly tone, but something about her just felt off. I frowned, but nodded. The officer slammed my car door shut behind me and took my cuff chains in her hand again, leading me up the steps to the building. Gregory walked right beside me, making me feel boxed in between him and Mrs. Burton. I swallowed the growl building deep in my throat and allowed them to lead me inside.

Inside was even worse. It looked normal. Smelled normal. And besides the screaming coming from somewhere upstairs, it even sounded like a normal hospital. But it felt all wrong. It felt like a tomb. My throat felt suddenly tight, not with thirst, but something else. Suddenly all my senses seemed to be on high alert. 'What the hell is this place?' I thought, looking around, memorizing everything.

"Miss McCob. If you'd be so kind as to follow me." I whipped my head around to face Mrs. Burton. She gestured for me to follow her up the stairs. "Because of recent events we will be keeping you in the closed unit for a seventy two hour hold. After your seventy two hours are up, we will meet with you to see where you are at to reevaluate your placement. Also, no phone calls are to be placed or received within the first twenty four hours. We will go over the rest of the rules and regulations tomorrow morning." She spoke slowly, as we ascended the stairs. Gregory followed us quietly, like a tall, lanky puppy. On the fourth floor, Mrs. Burton led us down a long hallway stopping at a door labeled '46'.

"This will be your room for the first part of your stay. Gregory, please find some towels and a fresh pair of scrubs for Miss Artemis, as I'm sure she's dying for a shower." Gregory gave a vague nod and wandered away down the hall. It was eerie how silently he walked. Mrs. Burton unlocked the heavy steel door labeled '46' and swung it open. The room was bare except for a metal framed bed that I noted was bolted to the floor, complete with five point restraints. There were two small windows above the bed, just small enough to be too small to slip through. It would work for what I needed it for. I nodded and walked in, making a show of looking around.

"I get my very own room? I think I'm gunna like it here." I smirked, plopping on the bed. The mattress was uncomfortable, but beggars can't be choosers. Suddenly Gregory appeared directly behind the officer, making her jump and yelp in surprise. He held two towels and a pair of ugly gray scrubs. I stood and approached, taking the items and looking at Mrs. Burton expectantly.

"Right this way. But first, Officer Tate, would you mind?" She indicated the cuffs around my wrists and ankles. "I think we can handle it from here." The officer looked warily from me to Gregory and began unlocking each cuff. Once off, I rubbed my wrists and sighed. "Much better, yes? Now follow me. Officer Tate, are you able to find your own way out?" Mrs. Burton smiled warmly at the officer, before turning on her heel and leading me to the bathrooms. I watched over my shoulder as the officer hesitantly walked to the stair case. Once she vanished, I felt a tinge of unease deep in my belly. Something felt wrong.