Tormented ☾ TEEN WOLF {3}

Sacrifice

After dozens of texts and missed calls from everyone, I finally was able to get away from the Alpha's for a while. I neared the edge of the woods into town, near the animal clinic. Up ahead, I could see the bright lights of Stiles jeep, and I could hear their heartbeats so clearly.

As soon as I was close enough to see them, Evan started sprinting to me. I smiled, meeting him halfway, and he pulled me tight in his arms. Hugs could never be enough, it couldn't express how relieved I was. I'd done little but worry about him since the second I left.

"Don't ever do something like that again." Evan exhaled, his pressure tightening.

"Join a psychotic Alpha pack?" I laughed, trying to hold back the tears.

He pulled back, and I saw Scott, Stiles and Deaton standing just a few feet away. "How'd you find out about the Nemeton?" Stiles asked.

"Morrell." I answered. "You?"

"Lydia." He nods.

"None of the other Alpha's know where it is either." I added.

"So, if this works are you gonna tell them?" Stiles asked me.

"I can't stop Jennifer without them." I answered reluctantly.

"How about we concentrate on finding your parent's first?" Deaton asked, trying to ease the tension. "Did you bring something?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "What's the plan?"

"Essentially, you, Scott, Allison, and Stiles need to be surrogate sacrifices for your parents." Deaton explained.

"Wait, Allison, why?" I asked confused.

"Jennifer, she took her dad." Stiles informed me.

"Four, parents- I thought she only needed three?" I shook my head.

"She does." Scott nods, speaking for the first time. "We think she's trying to mess with our heads. Get us to turn on each other."

Well bravo, it's working. Maybe she would let one go, or kill them all anyway, but I really didn't wanna find out.

"You said, surrogate sacrifices," I said looking back to Deaton. "Does that mean, we die for them?"

"But, he can bring us back." Stiles nods. "You can- you can bring us back, right?"

"You remember the part where I said it was dangerous?" Deaton asked him. "If it goes right, the four of you will be dead for a few seconds, but there's something else you need to think about. This is a dangerous thing for more reasons than one. You'll be giving power back to the Nemeton, a place that hasn't had power for a long time. This kind of power is like a magnet. It attracts the supernatural, the kind of things that a family like the Argents can fill the pages of a bestiary with. It will draw them here, like a Beacon."

"Doesn't sound worse than anything we've already seen." Stiles scoffs.

"You'd be surprised at what you have yet to see." Deaton told him.

"Is that it?" I asked hopefully.

"No..." Deaton said. There was more? After all that? "It'll also have an effect on you. You won't be able to see it, but you'll feel it every day for the rest of your lives. It'll be a kind of a darkness around your heart, and permanent, like a scar."

"Like a tattoo..." Scott compares, feeling the bands on his arm.

"Alright." I sighed. "Hurry up and kill us then."

Deaton lead us into the animal clinic. Where Isaac, Lydia, and Allison were filling up four large tubs with ice. Oh great, this again...

"What did you bring?" Deaton asked, looking at the four of us.

"Um, I got my dad's badge." Stiles says rubbing it in his palms. "Jennifer kind of crushed it in her hand, so I tried hammering it out a bit. Still doesn't look great."

"It doesn't need to look good if it has meaning." Deaton assures him.

"Is that an actual silver bullet?" Isaac asks Allison. I glance over, a sleek bullet in her finger tips.

"My dad made it. It's kind of a ceremonial thing." She explains. "When one of us finishes learning all the skills to be a hunter, we forge a silver bullet as a testament to the code."

"Kara?" Deaton asks looking my way.

I reached around the back of my neck, carefully undoing the necklace. "It's uh, it's a symbol. It means Guardian. It was my uncle's, then my fathers when he died." I pooled the chain in my hand, running my fingers over the knots.

"Scott?" Deaton said, finally turning to him.

"My dad got my mom this watch when she first got hired at the hospital." Scott said holding it up in his hand. "She used to say it was the only thing in their marriage that ever worked."

"Okay," Deaton sighed, looking between us. "The four of you will get in. And each of us will hold you down until you're essentially... well, dead. But it's not just someone to hold you under. It needs to be someone who can pull you back, someone that has a strong connection to you, a kind of emotional tether."

Evan's hand moved to mine, interlocking our fingers. Squeezing it reassuringly. I wish it didn't have to be him, but we didn't have much of a choice. Lydia moved over to Allison, but Deaton stopped her.

"Lydia, you go with Stiles." Deaton tells her.

"Are you sure?" Allison asks. "I mean, Scott and I both have to go under."

We all look over to the only other person here. Isaac, who was standing coincidentally next to Allison. Huh, that's new. I never thought he'd go for a hunter.

"It's okay." Scott says, looking at Allison.

We all awkwardly move to the tubs. Each of us taking off any excessive clothing. I removed my jacket and shoes. Leaving me in my leggings and bra. I stepped in front of the ice bath, looking at it nervously.

I glance over to Scott and Stiles before lifting my leg over the tub. I knew it was gonna be freezing, so I didn't waste time by feeling it slowly. I quickly submerged both my legs, the cold stinging them. Then I grabbed hold of the tub tightly, sinking down to my chest.

My breathing picked up, and I tried to hold still. Resisting every urge I had to jump out. I whimpered at the cold, then felt Evan's hand resting over one of mine. Underneath, I could see the shimmer of the necklace poking out.

"By the way, uh, if I don't make it back and you do." Stiles shivers, looking over to Scott. "You should probably know something... your dad's in town."

Oh great, I thought. Another problem. The four of us exchanged glances before the others placed their hands on our shoulders. I shivered, letting go of the rim and forcing my arms under.

I took one last look up at Evan, and nodded. In a single moment, I was fine, and then I was forced underneath the numbing water.

I felt the water rush over my face, piercing every inch of my skin like the kiss of death. It hurt like hell, but I didn't fight it. I separated my lips, letting the last bit of air escape my lungs.

Through the blurry water, and layers of ice, I focused on Evan's face. I used my free hand to reach up, holding his hand on my shoulder until everything faded into black. Matt was right. There was no light.