𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔗𝔴𝔦𝔫𝔰

Chapter 82

T E N  H O U R S   L A T E R

MYSTIC   FALLS,   VIRGINIA

We had arrived at the school many hours later and I still couldn't take my eyes off of Stiles...who was still sleeping. But instead of the van...he was in his bedroom. It had been previously cleaned and fixed up after he had destroyed it out of anger. I had opted to sit and watch him sleep while everyone else went to their dorms. Hope had stayed for a while before going to bed herself after Landon showed up. I wanted to sleep myself but was too worried about Nik and his night terrors returning. I looked over at the time and became slightly disappointed when I found that the green LEDs read 9:37 AM. Most of the other students were awake excluding the rest of us that had helped Stiles on his...life-or-death problem in Beacon Hills. By now, Nik would've been asleep for more than 13 hours. He occasionally would toss and mumble something in Japanese. Which was odd given how he didn't know any Japanese. Luckily...I did...well I knew some Japanese. Hope told me that the Nogitsune speaks English as if it was its native language. This must be the other fox. The Kasai. He started moving sporadically and cried out. I jumped from the chair beside his bed running to him. I shook him lightly. "Stiles! Wake up!" I shook stronger before he woke up screaming. His scream sent me across the room into the wall. He opened his eyes before looking around. "Oh my god! Josie!" He exclaimed getting out of the bed and helping me to my feet. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" He asked me checking for any injuries he may or may not have caused. "I'm fine. I'm more worried about you." I said. "Me? Why me?" He asked furrowing his perfect eyebrows. "Stiles." I stated. He sighed. "Look, I'm fine. Okay? I get that I almost died by an ancient monster. But I'm still standing here right? I'm still breathing." He voiced. "Almost? Stiles...the Hellhound was essentially dead for two minutes. It turned back into you and you had a giant hole in your stomach. You can't just ignore that, Nik." I explained. He grabbed my shoulders before looking into my eyes. "Jo...I appreciate you looking out for me. I really do. But I can handle it, okay? You gotta learn to stop putting everyone else's needs in front of your own, sweetheart." He said before pressing his lips to my forehead and rubbing my arm. "And besides...don't you have some weird pageant thing to get ready for?" He asked. "Not really...I'm the fall girl. Lizzie will be the one winning." I answered. "Josie." Nik stated. "It's fine, Stiles. I want her to win." I told him. "Do you? Do you really? Because if I know anything about you...You want more than you let people know. Like for instance...me." He explained. "Like you?" I asked caught off guard. "Yeah...I may or may not have heard you speaking about the love letter to me and my sister and regretting it and accidentally setting our dorm on fire." He answered. My eyes went wide as I blushed with embarrassment. "You heard that?" I asked avoiding his eyes. "All of it." He added. "I'm so sorry." I apologized. "No need to be sorry....I thought it was cute." He said with a shrug before smirking. I returned a smile before wrapping my arms around his waist and pulling him close for a hug. I looked up at him before we pressed our lips together and pulled away a couple of seconds later.

S   T   I   L   E   S

I worked on a punching bag as Alaric and Hope trained together with escrima sticks. "So, what's wrong with you two?" Alaric asked. I threw a jab into the worn red leather before turning to the headmaster. "Nothing, I'm fine." Hope and I answered in unison. "Landon and Josie told me about your little accidents." Alaric pointed out. "Isn't boyfriend confidentiality a thing? It should be. " Hope asked him before resuming the training. "Yeah. Isn't. That. Stuff.  Is. Supposed. To. Be. Between. Me. And. Josie!" I voiced throwing a punch at every word. The bag swung back and forth after the last impact. "They're just worried about you, that's all." Alaric pointed out. "She[He] doesn't need to be." Hope and I said simultaneously. "Are you sure? It seems like your manifesting a little stress and anxiety. My guess is, you're still dealing with the trauma of seeing Nik dead." Alaric told Hope. "And you are dealing with the trauma of having been temporarily killed in battle with the Beast while your mind and body was in control by Cerberus the Hellhound." Alaric added looking over at me. I slammed my fists into the leather bag getting agitated. "I said, I'm fine." I growled throwing another punch into the bag. "You see, I've come to trust that you growling is a sign of you not being fine." Alaric stated. "I SAID I'M FINE!" I shouted angrily. The force of the punch sent the bag careening across the gym into the wall where created an impact crater and fell to the floor below. My eyes widened as I surveyed the damage. My scream of anger had knocked weights off their respective racks to the floor. I looked over at Alaric. "Okay...um....I think I'm gonna go wolf out in the woods." I announced before leaving the gym.