Running with Wolves

Chapter 25

I was squirming in Scott's arms, crying, breathing really hard, my eyes were glowing.
Scott said" Riley, breathe, slowly." I shook my head, then I was in Isaac's arms, I squirmed again, crying, holding onto his shirt.

I was in Scott's arms, I was shaking a lot,
Daddy said" I got to meet with the medical examiner and try to figure out what happened with Jackson. I've got an APB out on Stiles. His jeep is still parked lot, so that means... well, I don't know what that means. Um... Look, if he answers his phone, if he answers his emails, if either one of you see him..."
Isaac said" We'll call you."
Scott said" Look, he's probably just freaked out from all the attention or something. We'll find him."
Daddy said" Yeah. I'll see you, okay? Watch Riley?"
" Yeah, I've got him." I squeezed my eyes shut, squeezing my arms tighter around Scott's neck. I heard Daddy walk away, but stopped listening to everything.
I was put down, I started crying again,
Isaac said" You're gonna find him by scent?"
Scott said" Yeah, we both are."
" But how come you get his shirt and I get a shoe?" I was lifted back up,
I heard Derek say" We need to talk." I looked at him, then I saw Peter, the alpha.
He said" All of us."
Scott said" Holy shit. What the hell is this?"
Derek said" You know, I thought the same thing when I saw you talking to Gerard at the sheriff's station."
" Okay, hold on. He-He threatened to kill my mom. And I had to get close to him. What was I supposed to do?"
Peter said" I'm gonna go with Scott on this one. Have you seen his mom? She's gorgeous."
Scott and Derek said" Shut up."
Isaac said" Who is he?"
Scott said" He's Peter, Derek's uncle. Little while back, he tried to kill us all, and then we set him on fire, and Derek slashed his throat."
Peter said" Hi."
Isaac said" That's good to know."
Scott said" How is he alive?"
Derek said" Look, the short version is he knows how to stop Jackson. And maybe how to save him."
Isaac said" Well, that's very helpful except Jackson's dead."
" What?"
Scott said" Yeah, Jackson's dead. It just happened on the field."
Isaac said" Okay, why us no one taking this as good news?"
Peter said" Because if Jackson is dead, it didn't just happen. Gerard wanted it to happen."
Derek said" But why?"
" Well, that's exactly what we need to figure out. And something tells me the window of opportunity is closing. Quickly."

I was given to Daddy, I looked at him, I whined" Stiles." He put me down, I ran upstairs, and opened Stiles' door, I ran to him and jumped onto his back.
He said" Riley? Hey, bub." He put me down and looked at me," You okay?" I saw the bruise on his face,
I said" Are you?"
" This? Yeah, that's nothing, it's fine." I nuzzled my face into his neck, he hugged me," How about you get some sleep, huh? You tired yourself out, with all the crying, huh?" He wiped my face,
" Scared, lost you."
" Nah, you can't lose me. We just got separated for a little, no big deal at all." I closed my eyes, falling asleep fast.

I woke up a little,
I heard Stiles say" How much do you know about this stuff?"
Lydia said" Pieces. Half of it's like a dream."
" Yeah, well, guess what? The other half is like a freaking nightmare."
" I don't care. I can help him."
" See, that's the problem. You don't care about getting hurt. But you know how I'll feel? I'll be devastated. And if you die, I will literally go out of my freakin' mind. You see, death doesn't happen to you, Lydia. It happens to everyone around you, okay? To all the people left standing at your funeral, trying to figure out how they're gonna live the rest of their lives without you in it? Huh? And look at my face, huh? Come on, you actually think this was meant to hurt me? Um... I'm so sorry."
" It's okay. I'll find him myself."
" Hey, Lydia, wait." Lydia walked out, I sat up, rubbing my eyes, Stiles lifted me up, I wrapped my arms around his neck, laying my head on his shoulder, nuzzling my face against his neck.
After a little,
Daddy said" She left, huh?"
Stiles said" Yeah."
" So was there, uh... anything there?"
" No. No, she's in love with someone else."
" Ah. Listen... I know that getting beat up, and with what happened to Jackson, has gotten you pretty shaken. But be happy about one thing. The game. You were amazing."
" Thanks, dad."
" No, I mean it. Look, it was pretty much over. And then you got the ball, and you started running. You scored, and the tide just turned. And you scored again and again. You weren't just MVP of the game. You were a hero."
" No, I'm not a hero, dad."
" You were last night."
" I'm not a hero." I nuzzled my face into his neck, he rubbed my back.

I heard Scott's heart,
I said" There!" Stiles drove the jeep into the wall and I think we hit Jackson.
Stiles said" Did I get him?" Then Jackson jumped onto the hood, I screamed, Lydia and Stiles did too. Stiles pushed me out, and got out, lifting me up, we ran to Scott.
Lydia said" Jackson! Jackson." Jackson raised his hand,
" Lydia!" Scott stopped him as Jackson put his hand down, looking at the key in Lydia's hand. He started to change back into Jackson, then Stiles covered my eyes. I heard Jackson cough, Stiles let go of my face, Jackson was on the ground.
Allison said" Where's Gerard?"
Her dad said" He can't be far." Lydia stood up, turning to us, Stiles walked to her but stopped when we saw Jackson move. Stiles moved back to me, Jackson stood up and roared, Stiles walked ahead again.
He said" He scratched my jeep." Stiles grabbed my hand and we walked to the jeep.
——
Stiles said" So you really think she's gonna come back to you?"
Scott said" Yeah, I know she is." They walked to the back of the jeep, I jumped out the door as it opened and rolled onto the ground." What about you and Lydia?"
" Ah. Well, the 10-year plan for making Lydia fall in love with me may have to stretch to 15, but the plan is definitely still in motion."
" Why don't you just ask her out?" We walked to the front of the jeep,
Stiles laughed" Yeah, okay. Why don't you just get into the goal and help me make team captain like you promised there, big guy." I laughed, following them, Stiles dropped the bag of lacrosse balls onto the ground while Scott walked to the goal.
" Hey, you know what I just realized? I'm right back where I started."
" What do you mean?"
" I mean no lacrosse, no popularity, no girlfriend. Nothing."
" Dude, you still got me."
" I had you before."
" Yeah, and you still got me. Okay?" I laughed," It's a life fulfilled."
" Very."
" No remember, no wolf powers."
" Got it."
" No, I mean it. No super fast reflexes, no super eyesight, no hearing- none of that crap, okay?"
" Okay. Come on." Stiles got ready to throw it,
" You promise?"
" Would you just take the shot already?"
I said" Stiles! Shoot!" Stiles looked at his stick, I glowed my eyes at Scott, giggling, he glowed his eyes. Stiles took the shot but Scott caught it, I laughed, rolling over,
Stiles said" I said no wolf powers!" I laughed more," Riley, attack him or something."
" Yay!" I ran at Scott, jumping onto him, we fell onto the ground, I giggled as Scott rubbed our noses together. Scott smiled," Bad Scotty! Bad!" I hit his chest,
" Seriously, bub, that's all you've got for me?"
" Scotty bigger than me! On own!"
" Thanks, bub, great." I laughed and jumped off Scotty, running at Stiles, I jumped onto him, we fell onto the ground. I smiled at him, he messed with my hair and pushed me off, I giggled. He smiled at me, and stood up, he grabbed a ball," Here, go fetch." He threw the ball, I tilted my head then ran after it, I caught it after jumping. I ran back to Stiles, Scott and him were laughing on the ground, I tilted my head.
" What?! What's it?!"
" Nothing, bubby, nothing at all." I giggled, smiling at them,
Scotty said" Okay, let's do this." They stood up, I sat down and watched them.