Running with Wolves

Chapter 84

They were looking at a black mark on Scott's ceiling,
Corey said" That's how he got in?"
Liam said" What is it?"
Mason said" It's a point of impact from a lightning strike. Usually you'd find charred spots like that on the ground after a violent thunderstorm."
Scott said" That's how the ghost rider got in. He rode the lightning."
Liam said" If they can use lightning to get past the mountain ash..."
" No place is safe."
Corey said" What about the others? It's my fault they're marked."
" We'll find a way to protect them. All of them."
——
I was coloring,
Mason said" We need to hide them."
Liam said" We need to fight them."
" We need to hide them."
Scott said" Who's them?"
Liam said" The ghost riders."
Mason said" The kids at the party."
Scott said" Got it."
Liam said" We could get a lightning rod. Attract the ghost riders and catch them off guard."
Mason said" But since everyone from the party is in danger, all we need to do is find a safe place to hide them until the storm passes."
" The ghost riders ride the lightning. Nowhere is safe."
" It is, if we're underground. The earth can ground the lightning's electrical charge. Everyone would be safe."
Scott said" Okay..." He sat down next to me," Here's what we're gonna do. We take everyone into the Argent bunker. It's underground. It's lined with mountain ash."
Liam said" We stopped the ghost riders last night. We can do it again."
" You didn't stop them. They just retreated. We don't know why."
" Okay. How do we get everyone inside the bunker?"
——
Scott closed the door to the bunker,
Liam said" Hey, We're missing three, plus Gwen."
Scott said" They're all lacrosse players."
Corey said" They were at the party, so they know what's coming."
Argent said" People see what they want to see."
Mason said" Guys, we're running out of time."
Liam said" Scott, we have to get them."
Scott said" I'll go. The rest of you stay here."
" We couldn't fight off one ghost rider. Who knows how many are gonna be there tonight? We're going with you."
" You're marked."
Mason said" So am I."
Corey said" Yeah, me too, but at least I can see them coming."
Scott said" All right. But if you see them Coming... run."
I said" Going."
" No, Riley."
" Going with alpha." My eyes glowed, I started to shift uncontrolled,
" Going with us." My shift stopped, and I nuzzled my face against his side, inhaling his scent.

We got to the school,
Liam said" What's the plan?"
Scott said" Convince Okafur, Steinbach, and Wallace that playing tonight is a bad idea." We stopped, he turned to Mason," You've read everything there is to know on the Ghost riders."
Mason said" Yeah."
" And you're the only one of us who's figured anything out. Have you come across anything that could stop them?"
" Not yet. But I can try."
" Do that." Scott grabbed my hand as we walked into the locker room, then he caught a helmet.
Coach said" You're late, McCall! Why aren't you people dressed? Get your asses moving. Everyone on the field! Hustle! Hustle! Hustle!" He walked out,
Liam said" We'll never get them back into the bunker now."
Scott said" Get dressed."
" Because there's only one way to keep them safe."
" Play the game."
I said" What do I do?"
" Riley, stay on the bench, don't move. If anything happens, find me." I nodded my head, gulping, I don't think tonight is gonna be a good night.

We walked onto the field,
Scott said" I'll take Steinbach and Wallace. You take Gwen. You're on Okafur."
Corey said" What if I see ghost riders?"
Liam said" Yell."
Scott said" Then get ready to fight." The game started, I sat on the bench and waited. Two players collided, it looked like the Beast and Parrish, then everyone was arguing and fighting. I heard thunder and the wind picked up, it started raining, I stood up.
I heard Scott yell" Liam!"
Liam yelled" I seem them!" The storm got worse, the ref called the game, everyone started running off the field. I stayed still.

Scott said" Okay, we got all three, right?"
Liam said" Scott, there were four." People started smelling scared, and running, I looked at them, everything got worse. I gulped, I saw the ghost riders...
I screamed" Scott!" I saw they were surrounded by them," I can see them!"
Scott yelled" Run!" I whimpered and ran to the bleachers, I slid under them and crouched down, pulling my limbs tight to my body. My eyes flashed, then I squeezed them shut, I stayed silent.
I was lifted up, Scott hugged me, I wrapped my arms around his neck, shaking.
——
Scott got off the phone, as Liam, Hayden, Mason and Corey walked up.
Scott said" Everyone at the bunker has been taken."
Mason said" Everyone? How?"
Liam said" It doesn't matter how."
Scott said" Malia's at the hospital. Argent's been hurt. My mom's with them."
Liam said" Scott. Tonight..."
" No. Hey, it's not your fault. It's mine. We should have done both. Defend the bunker and use a lightning rod. It would've given us a better chance." We walked away.

We got to the hospital,
Scott said" Is he okay?" I was laying my head on Scott's shoulder, starting to get sleepy.
I heard Lydia say" What happened?"
Malia said" The ghost riders took everyone. We barely slowed them down."
Scott said" Tell us you found something."
Lydia said" I found out Claudia never had children. So, Stiles can't be her son."
Malia said" What about a relic? There never was a Stiles, was there?"
Scott said" It doesn't even sound like a real name."
Lydia said" We have to keep looking. Check the school records again. Or call Scott's dad..."
Malia said" We're fighting the wrong battle."
" We're trying to bring Stiles back."
" The ghost riders came back. We still have no way of stopping them. And whatever they are, they're real. We can't keep chasing someone who isn't."
Scott said" He didn't leave anything behind."
Lydia said" Just us."