𝐓𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐌 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 ➢ ᴅᴇʀᴇᴋ ʜᴀʟᴇ / ᴊᴏʀᴅᴀɴ ᴘᴀʀʀɪꜱʜ

Ch. 17 - FRAYED

"We're coming up with a coup de main- better known as a pre-emptive strike." Aurora said making Scott glance at all of them, "You're going after them?" He asked and Derek nodded.

"Tomorrow. And you're gonna help us. They're one floor above them, in the penthouse right about Allison." Derek said and Scott raised his eyebrows slightly, "So, kill them first? That's the plan?" Scott asked and Boyd nodded. "They won't even see it coming." Boyd said making Scott look at him, "Why is the default plan always murder?" He asked before looking at Derek.

"Just once, can someone try to come up with something that doesn't involve killing everyone?" Scott asked and Peter scoffed, "You never get tired of being so blandly moral, do you?...Not that I disagree with him." He said. "I do. Why do we need this kid?" Cora asked as she gave Scott a dirty look making Aurora raise her eyebrows.

"This kid helped save your life and you're younger than him." Aurora said and Cora just rolled her eyes slightly, "And you know we can't just sit back and wait for them to make the first move." Derek said. "You can't beat a pack of Alphas." Scott said.

"And Scott's got a point. Its five alphas, two of which turned into one giant alpha. They're not gonna be easy to kill." Aurora said and Cora shrugged slightly. "That's why we're going after Deucalion- just him." She said and Boyd turned to Scott, "Cut off the head of the snake, and the body dies." He said and Aurora shook her head. "Except this isn't a snake, it's a Hydra. like Scott said, they're all Alphas." Aurora said and Derek shrugged, "Deucalion's still the leader." He said.

"Let's hope so... Because you know what happened when Hercules cut off one of the heads of the Hydra?" Peter asked and Scott nodded, "Two more grew back in its place." He said making Aurora look at him with raised eyebrows.

"Nice to know you've been paying attention in class."

⊚

Scott slipped his jacket on before grabbing his helmet and going to walk out his room but jumped when he saw Issac standing in the doorway. "Whoa..." He said and Isaac raised his eyebrows, "Where are you going?" He asked.

"Uh, I was gonna go get some food to eat..." He said and Isaac nodded, "Oh, cool! I'll come with you." Isaac said and Scott shook his head. "Nah, Isaac. It's okay. I can eat alone." Scott said and Isaac raised his eyebrows slightly.

"What are you getting?" He asked and Scott looked a lost for words, "Uh... Mexican...?" He said and Isaac smiled. "Dude, I love Mexican." He said and went to walk out but Scott stopped him, "Isaac, I can eat alone. It's okay." He said and Isaac smirked slightly. "You're not going alone." Isaac said and Scott sighed softly before nodded and handing him a helmet.

"You dont need those. My sister's waiting outside."

⊚

"We're going to talk to him. Try to reason with him. That's it." Scott said as they got out of Aurora's car. Isaac nodded with a thoughtful look as he closes the car door, "What?" Scott asked and Isaac just shrugged, "It's just- I'm actually kind of hungry now." He said. "So am I." Scott said and Aurora looked at them weird before the three of them started walking.

Aurora, Scott and Isaac cautiously walked into the bowels of an abandoned mall, the structure both bare and foreboding. Standing just outside one shaft of light, Deucalion cocks his head, listening to their approach. "You didn't come alone." He said and Scott nodded and glanced back at the couple, "Yeah... this is Isaac and you already know Aurora."

"I'm not talking about Aurora and Isaac." Deucalion said and just then the crunch of boots made them look over as three silhouettes step into the light. Aurora sighed and shook her head when she saw Derek, Boyd and Cora walk out of the shadows.

"You knew I'd do this." Scott says but Derek doesn't look at him. He passes through a shaft of light and into darkness. When he steps into the light again, he's a werewolf, fangs bared, red glowing. Cora and Boyd transformed behind him, they approach, steady and fearless.

"Derek, don't. You can't do this and no one gets hurt. If someone dies-" Aurora says but Derek cut her off and points at Deucalion, "Him. Just him." He said and Deucalion raised his eyebrows in amusement.

"Just me? Now how's a blind man find his way into a place like this all on his own?" Suddenly the sound of claws scraping made them all turn to see Kali sliding down a pillar by her claws. And soon enough Ennis and the twins made an appearance as well.

Snarling, Derek rushes Deucalion. But Kali launches toward him, feet slashing. At the same time, Ennis quickly takes both Boyd and Cora to the ground. Above, Ethan and Aiden leap off a platform. Two feet land below, the Twin Alpha formed. The creature roars, turning to face Scott and Isaac, both now transformed and charging into the fight. Aurora sighed, rolling her shoulders slightly before moving to help Derek with Kali.

But as bodies hit the floor, limbs crack and blood flies Ennis wraps his powerful arms around Isaac, Kali shoves Cora to the floor with a foot over her neck while grabbing Aurora by the neck, making sure that her claws are in the perfect position to rip Aurora's throat out whenever. The Twins drag a struggling Scott into a vise-like hold. Spitting blood, Boyd tries to push himself up from the cement floor as Derek turns to find him lying at his feet.

"Kill him. The others can go." Deucalion says making all eyes look to Derek as Boyd peers up at him while still trying to find the strength to rise. "You're beaten. Do it, Derek. Take the first step." Deucalion said. Scott and the others look on Derek and the choice presented to him.

"Are we serious with this kid? Look at him. He's an Alpha? To what? A couple of useless teenagers?" Kali snarled. "Some have more promise than others." Deucalion says, he turns slightly, almost as if he's looking at Scott. But the others keep their eyes on Derek.

"Let him rise to the occasion then. What'll it be, Derek? Pack or family?" Kali asked as her eyes glow a fierce red as she pushes her foot down on Cora's neck, threatening to break it before smirking. "Or best friend that he likes? Would be a shame to have to kill a mother." She said as he tightened her grip on Aurora neck, "Try me bitch." Aurora said through gritted teeth and Kali smirked slightly.

Derek looks from his sister to Fallon to Boyd, an impossible decision. Until, his ear picks up a familiar sound. The drawing of a bow string. Derek ducked down as a flashbolt arrow whistles past and strikes the Twins, exploding against them in a blinding flash. Scott slips free as Ethan and Aiden break apart, bodies tumbling back.

"Your eyes- cover your eyes!" Deucalion yells making Kali let go of Aurora and Cora. Aurora quickly flicked her wrist out making Kali go flying back before Aurora ducked down to grab Cora, covering both of their eyes in the process

As Derek pulls Boyd to his feet, Ennis drops Isaac and charges like a battering ram toward Scott. But astonishingly, Scott drops his shoulder and rushes in to meet the Alpha. As they claw with brutal force, for the briefest second, Scott's eyes glow red-the eyes of an Alpha. Aurora watched in shock, seeing the color change but Scott tumbles back.

Eyes returned to yellow and not recovering nearly fast enough when he sees Derek pulled to his feet by Ennis. Scrambling forward, Scott swipes at Ennis's ankle, catching him right in the Achilles' heel. Ennis staggers forward. Derek's feet hit the floor, but he stumbles as well, Ennis's hands still locked on him. Both werewolves tumble backwards.

Derek looks at Scott as both men go off the side of the escalator platform. Their bodies fall, slamming to the pavement with a terrible cracking sound. Aurora flinched slightly as she stepped back slightly.**

Aurora pulled off to the side of the road and turned her car off. She sat there for a second before taking a deep breath and closing her eyes as a tear fell down her face. All of the sudden, a slamming sound from her window made her jump. Looking over the first thing she saw was the bloody hand pressed against the glass, then she saw who it was.

"Derek?" She whispered, moving to open the door to help as he collapses to the ground in front of her, bleeding, pale and barely breathing. Severely wounded, but not dead. She quickly got on her knees next to him, gently cupping his face, "Derek? Hey?" She asked as his eyed fluttered as he let out painful breaths.