Gather The Ashes || Stilinski || Book Three

Forty-Two

Sierra's eyes widened as Brett whistled. "Oh, dang."

A smaller version of Hayden was grimacing in the colorless image, a band-aid pasted on her nose and her eyes rung black and blue.

Brett joked, "What'd she do to him?"

He wasn't expecting Mason to show him and Sierra another photo. This time it was Liam: a busted lower lip and a band-aid on his nose to match Hayden's.

Sierra couldn't help but chuckle, covering her mouth with her hand. "I know I shouldn't laugh, but dang. I always knew Hayden could throw a punch."

Mason and Brett agreed.

The three of them were amused at how Hayden and Liam were still at odds all these years later. Hayden was definitely good at holding a grudge.

"Does anyone have an inhaler?!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing.

A boy came running from the school building, looking overwhelmed. "Does anyone have asthma? Does anyone have an inhaler?!"

Sierra rose to her feet.

Her gaze flickered to Liam, who met her eyes with a worried frown.

The two only knew one person who had severe asthma.

"Scott?"

*^*^*^*^*^*

Sierra and Liam sprinted through the hallways, the boy clutching the inhaler he had gotten from Scott's lacrosse bag.

No one dared to get in their way.

"I got it! I have his inhaler!" Liam shouted when they reached Mrs. Finch's room. However, too many students crowded around the door.

Sierra huffed. "Get back!" She grabbed the backpack of one student, pulling him back. Then she elbowed her way through, her mind focused on her best friend. "Get out of our way, we have his inhaler!"

The smart ones listened to the senior, and made a path for Sierra and Liam to enter by blocking other kids with their arms.

Sierra saw Mrs. Finch crouched on the ground and rushed over.

Scott hadn't moved an inch, his back collapsed on the side of the desk. His eyes were round, the fear of his vision wafting off of his body like a bad odor. His skin looked flush and Sierra knew at any moment he could easily faint.

"Scott?" Sierra called out to him worriedly as Liam knelt down beside her. He shoved the inhaler in his hands, but Scott barely even noticed. "Scott, come on, breathe!"

His heart pounded in their ears as he choked. Sierra held back the urge to grab his face so he would look at her and desperately tried to get him to listen. "Scott, you need to use your inhaler--Scott!"

Liam grabbed onto the true alpha's shoulder, his line of sight meeting Scott's. Liam's irises swirled amber gold and he narrowed his brows. Sierra blocked the action from the students and Mrs. Finch. "Scott," Liam growled, snapping his teeth together.

And just like that, Scott snapped out of his daze. He gasped, his body lurching forward as reality caught up with him. He tightened his grip around his inhaler and shook it before shoving it into his mouth.

Scott then relaxed, releasing a deep breath. "Thanks," he whispered tiredly to Liam, who offered him a small smile.

Sierra swallowed hard when he refused to glance her way, feeling her insides twist with guilt. Liam noticed the tension and glanced between his two leaders in confusion.