Connected (Teen Wolf) Book 4

Chapter 19 - American Beauty / American Psycho

“Death, suffering…. Chaos.”

“Who dies?”

“You know the answers to these questions, why are you asking them again?”

“To see if anything has changed. So, who dies?”

“Scott and Stiles mostly, but Lydia, Malia and Kira as well. Derek. Sometimes even Cora randomly, but other times I get flashbacks to Boyd, Erica, Matt, Aiden, Allison, all of them. But sometimes they change and I’m the one who kills them.”

“Your parents?”

“Yes.” I didn’t elaborate on that one.

“Where am I on that list?” He asked, but not in his interrogating mode. He was genuinely curious.

“Umm… well…”

“I don’t die? I feel so left out.” He said with a pout that I couldn’t stop myself smiling at.

“No, you don’t die, but that doesn’t mean you’re not in them.”

“What do I do, stand back with an iPhone camera?”

I chuckled, “No, you’re more like the instigator if you are in them. Sometimes it’s the Nogitsune or Deucalion, other times it’s even been Gerard or Jackson. Recently it’s been Kate though.”

“So you’re never acting by yourself?” He went back to Mr Detective.

“Sometimes… and they’re always the worst. It ends bloodier and that’s when…” I trailed off.

“That’s when what?” Peter asked as I stopped the car outside the Preserve and turned off the engine.

“That’s when I see that guy. The one in the shadows. I still have no idea who he is.” I wasn’t looking at Peter, simply staring out the front windscreen, but I could feel his gaze on me. “Come on.” I finally said as I jumped out.

Peter and I made our way deep enough into the woods so no-one would stumble across us. “Okay, now shift.” He said simply.

“Sure thing, if you would just tell me how to do that.”

“Concentrate.” I gave him a blank stare that quite clearly said a sarcastic thank-you. “Okay, concentrate on the wolf. She shape of it, colour of it, what it felt like last time you shifted. Not what you were feeling emotion wise, but physically. Picture it in your mind.” I closed my eyes and thought about it, but Peter’s chuckles caused me to open them again. “Anna, you’re shifting not trying to move the earth with your mind.” He chuckled.

I stomped my foot a little and my hands flew up in air in frustration. “I was doing what you told me to do!”

“Okay, okay.” He laughed more as he stepped closer and took my hands. “Look at me.” I met his gaze and saw he had now stopped laughing. “Now close your eyes again.” I did. “Focus on the sound of my voice and what I’m saying, nothing else. You’re alone. In a darkened room with nothing around you. It’s dead silent and the silence is causing your ears to ring. Think about how it felt. The shift. What happened first, what changed first… and then second... and third… go through the stages in your mind, imagine them. Want it.” Peter’s voice swirled around my mind, flooding my thoughts with memories of shifting.

Then I felt it happening. My skin began to tingle and I could feel goose bumps on my arms. My grip on Peter’s hand tightened as my claws began to grow. If they dug into his hand at all, he didn’t say anything. My lips parted as my canines became visible. My eyes then flung open, glowing a luminescent green. Peter smiled at me and then let go of my hands as the rest of the change began.