I N S T I N C T | Jackson Whittemore

09: it's snarling

It's Snarling
Chapter Nine

Annie ran into Isaac's house with a burst of adrenaline. She had ran halfway up the block. "Scott!"

No response.

"Scott!"

"Annie?" Scott closed his eyes, listening, before he shot up Isaac's basement stairs. He ran into kitchen and saw Annie in front of him. "What? Annie, what's wrong?"

Annie gulped, "It's Isaac... I think... I think my family's going to kill him."

Scott inhaled, trying to calm himself down. The instinct to rip Annie's throat out was at least at a 3%... and he needed it at a 0%. The full moon was beginning to enact its effects on him.

Derek sighed, "You want to learn... start now." He directed his attention towards the basement.

Annie's heart jumped as she looked into the darkness that was Isaac's basement. "What's down there?" she asked in a quiet tone.

Derek turned to her, "Motive."

Scott stepped down the stairs, and looked back at Annie, nodding, then continued down them with Annie following. At the bottom, Scott looked around the moon-lit room, and then back at Derek. "What am I looking for?"

"Follow your senses," Derek said.

Scott closed his eyes, taking in his surroundings. He stepped forward, as if his instinct was to go towards this large ice freezer. He ran his hand over the top, which was covered in gash marks and dents, and looked back at Derek, "What happened down here?"

"The kind of thing that leaves an impression..." Derek looked over at Annie, giving her a dirty look, then back to Scott, "Open it."

Annie held her breath as Scott opened the freezer to reveal human claw marks on the inside. "Oh, my god," she brought her hand to her mouth.

Scott looked back up at Derek. Was he trying to tell him that Isaac got locked in this freezer? As a punishment or something? "This is why he said yes to you? This is why he said yes to taking the bite?"

Derek shrugged, "Everyone wants power."

Scott looked up at Derek, inhaling, "If we help you, then you have to stop. You can't just go around turning people into werewolves!"

"I can if they're willing," he scoffed.

"Did you tell Isaac about Annie's family? About the Argents? About being hunted?"

"Yes," Derek nodded to Scott's question, "and he still asked."

Annie huffed, "Then he's an idiot."

"And Scott's the idiot dating your cousin! Yeah, I know your little secret. And if I know, how long do you think it's going to take before they find out? You saw what happens to an Omega. With me," Derek paused, "you learn how to use all of your senses. Even on a full moon."

Scott looked down at his claws beginning to emerge out of his fingers, "If I'm with you, I lose her."

Derek started backing up towards the stairs, "You're gonna lose her anyway... You know that."

"Wait!" Scott called out, causing Derek to stop, "I'm not part of your pack. But I want him out. He's my responsibility too."

"Why?" Derek scoffed, "Because he's one of us?"

Annie shook her head, "No." Scott looked back at her, and she continued, "Because he's innocent."

Derek's breathing visibly hitched in his throat. Maybe he had underestimated the little Argent's loyalty to Scott. How was it, Scott, a beta of his uncle's making, could have such a loyal pack without being an actual Alpha. He looked Annie up and down, reading her heartbeat... steady. He took a deep breath, and made his way from Isaac's house.