Dark Side of the World // S.S. [Book Two]

Chapter 23

We discuss with Parrish and Melissa regarding Lydia's condition. "It could be a side effect of shock." Parrish guesses.

Stiles nods. "She's catatonic. It was Theo digging his way through her mind."

I frown. "Why would he do that? What was he looking for?"

"The same thing he's always looking for." Stiles answers, rubbing my shoulder. "An advantage."

Parrish glances to me and back to my boyfriend. "So what did he gain by trying to kill Stilinski?"

Scott sighs. "It left me and Meg alone with Liam. Theo wanted to make sure no one would be there to stop him from killing me."

Stiles narrows his eyes. "Okay, so he gutted my dad as a distraction."

I cross my arms and say, "We need to find this kid."

Melissa frowns and meets my gaze. "Isn't that a little dangerous? Especially since he almost killed my kid? Meg, you remember that."

"He also put Lydia in a catatonic state. We need to find him."

Stiles shakes his head. "Yeah, but he said he didn't want my dad to die."

"And you believe him?" Parrish deadpans.

"He told me where to find him. So maybe he also knows how to save him."

"What do you want to do? Talk to him?"

"If it saves my dad, then yeah."

Scott steps towards Stiles. "I'll come with you. He doesn't know that I'm alive. Maybe that gives us an advantage."

I squeeze Stiles' hand. "I'll go too."

Stiles glances between us. "He'll know you two are there. I just need to talk to him. Not fight him."

Scott frowns. "Stiles, you can't go alone. Does anyone even know how to find him?"

"We don't have to find him. He'll come to me."

We get to Scott's house and place a line of Mountain Ash and Scott and I hide close by. Theo shows up and says, "I guess we're all telling the truth now."

"You killed my best friend? You left my girlfriend with an out-of-control werewolf?"

"Let's be honest, Stiles. Was he still really your best friend? As for Megara, well, she handled herself pretty well. Did you know that she's one of the most powerful demigods to exist?"

After a moment, Stiles asks, "Are you going to let my father die?"

"If I wanted him to die, I wouldn't have told you where you can find him."

"Then why are they saying his body is shutting down?" Stiles asks angrily. "That some toxin's poisoning him and they don't know how to stop it."

"I'm not the bad guy, Stiles. I'm just a realist. I'm a survivor. If you knew the things that I know..."

"Yeah, but what do you know?"

"I know what's coming. I know what the Dread Doctors created. And I know what Parrish is. Lydia figured it out."

"Right after you drove her out of her mind."

"Collateral damage. But if she's right about Parrish, then things around here are gonna get a lot worse."

I instantly grab onto Scott's arm as Stiles says, "I don't care."

"You should. Because if your dad does survive, he's not gonna be sheriff of anything much longer."