"What?" Stiles spoke abruptly. Stephanie and Will turned their heads to see him looking at Scott, making them look back to the road ahead of them. "What, what do you mean, 'what'?" Scott asked and Stiles groaned. "I mean 'what,' and you know what."
Scott's face scrunched, turning to Stiles. "'What' what?" Stephanie rolled her eyes, her hands going to her face. "That look you were giving."
Scott turned to Stephanie, offended. "I didn't give a look." Will let out a dry chuckle, kicking the little rocks on the ground. "Oh, there was a distinct look."
Scott turned to Will with a confused face. "What look?" Stiles sighed, making the three turn to him. "The look that says that the last thing you feel like doing right now is going to a party."
Scott sighed, shaking his head as he looked at the ground. "It's not that. It just seems weird going to a different high school's party." Stephanie laughed, elbowing Scott. "That's the fun part."
Stiles patted Stephanie's shoulder, reaching from behind Scott to do it before pointing at her. "Exactly! Would you... God, one drink, all right? You'll be fine. I went to nursery school with this girl, okay? She promised to introduce us to all of her friends. So tonight, no Allison, no Lydia, Will doesn't have any one to move on with so he's good and Steph's taken so... Tonight, us three guys... we're moving on."
Stephanie chuckled at Stiles, shaking her head as a smile grew on Scott's face as he nodded. "You're right." Stiles slapped Scott's back as they walked up the porch steps. "That's right I'm right. Moving on. Onward and upward. Let's do this. That's what I'm talking about."
"How's my breath smell?" Scott asked and Will groaned. "Dude, none of us are smelling your breath." "Do you have any gum?" Scott asked worriedly and Stephanie sighed, patting his shoulder in reassurance. "No. No gum. You're fine."
"Can you at least tell me what kind of party this is?" Scott asked and Will scoffed as Stiles opened the door. "Uh... a birthday party, dumbass."
"Stiles! Hi." A blonde girl, Stephanie, Scott and Will figured was Heather screamed as she ran to the four. Stiles chuckled, opening his arms out for a hug. "Hey. There's the birthday gir-"
Stiles was cut off by Heather kissing him. Stephanie, Will and Scott stood in shock, their jaws dropped as Heather slowly pulled away. "So glad that you made it." "Me too." Stiles muttered in shock and the blonde girl smirked, pulling the collar of his shirt. "Come downstairs with me and help me pick out a bottle of wine."
"Yes." Stiles practically yelled before running away with Heather. Will watched the two walk away with eyes wide and jaw dropped as Stephanie chuckled. "Well, damn!"
Scott and Will went to walk further into the party as Stephanie's phone beeped, she quickly pulled her phone out of her pocket and scrunched her face at Allison texting her.
I know you're with the boys. Where are you? We need to talk.
Stephanie quickly sent Allison the address and walked around the house to look for Scott and Will.
As soon as she found them, three ran outside just as Lydia and Allison pulled up. The two girls walked out of the car with their sleeves pulled up, confusing Stephanie. "I need to show you guys something." Allison whispered.
...
"I don't see anything." Derek shrugged as he looked at Allison and Lydia's arms for their bruises. "Look again." Scott muttered and Derek sighed, looking back to the arms. "How is a bruise gonna tell me where Boyd and Erica are?"
"It's the same on both sides. Exactly the same." Will said, making Derek look up at him and shrug. "It's nothing."
"Pareidolia." Lydia announced, making everyone turn to her. "Seeing patterns that aren't there. It's a subset of apophenia."
"They're trying to help." Stephanie sighed. Derek whipped his head to her, raising his brows as he pointed to Lydia and Allison. "These two."
"This one, who used me to resurrect my psychotic uncle. Thank you." Derek said pointing to Lydia before pointing to Allison. "And this one... Who shot about 30 arrows into me and my pack."
Will sighed, running a hand down his face. "Okay, all right, now, come on. No one died, right?" Stiles nodded, looking to Derek. "Look, there may have been a little maiming, okay, a little mangling, but no death. That's what Will and I call an important distinction." The two humans high-fived as Allison squinted at Derek. "My mother died."
Stiles and Will suck in a breath of air, turning to Stephanie who was already starting to speak. "Okay, well so did three other people's moms in this room." Allison turned to Stephanie with a slightly dropped jaw. "I thought you were on my side."
Stephanie straightened up, nodding her head at Allison. "Oh! I am. It's just that the dead mom card isn't that special when over half of the people in this room have dead moms."
"Yeah, that's why I can't make that excuse when Stephanie's around and she can't use it when I'm around." Stiles said, making Stephanie nod, pointing to him.
"Exactly. Which means you can't either. Neither can mister frowny face over here but he has never used it so he's in the clear. And this Alpha pack that took Erica and Boyd, killed my mom." Stephanie said and Allison raised her brows, turning to Derek. "Derek killed my mom."
Derek rolled his eyes and looked at Allison. "Your family's little honor code killed your mother. Not me." Allison clenched her jaw, taking a step closer to the man. "That girl was looking for Scott. I'm here to help him, not you."
"You wanna help? Find something real." Derek said before walking out of the room.
When the bell rang, Stephanie sighed, throwing her backpack over her shoulder as she walked out of the classroom with Stiles, Will and Scott.
"Okay, what would a pack of alphas want with Erica and Boyd?" Stiles asked as Will furrowed his brows, turning to face Stiles. "I'm not sure it's them they want."
Stephanie grew confused with Stiles and Will as Scott stopped watching but no one noticed. "Okay, what, like Derek? Like they're recruiting?" Stephanie asked.
Stiles went to open his mouth and answer the question before he finally realized Scott had stopped walking, watching two identical figures walk away. "Hey, Scott." Stiles called out, shaking the werewolf out of his daydream. "You coming?" Will asked and Scott slowly nodded, walking with the three to econ.
...
"The stock market is based on two principles. What are they?" Coach asked and Will and Scott quickly raised their hands. Coach turned to Scott and scoffed. "Yes, McCall, you can go to the bathroom."
"Uh, no, coach, I know the answer." Scott said, making the mans eyes go wide as he laughed.
When he realized Scott wasn't laughing along, his face dropped. "Oh, you're serious." Scott nodded, putting his hand down. "Yes. Risk and reward." He answered, making Coach's jaw drop. "Wow! Who are you? And what have you done to McCall? Don't answer that. I like you better. Does anybody have a quarter? A quarter."
"Yep." Stiles called out from his seat beside Will, digging into his pocket. When he pulled his hand out, a condom flew out with it, landing on the ground.
Stephanie's hand flew to her mouth to cover her giggles as Will let his out, laughing at Stiles' now tomato red face.
Coach took slow steps to the condom, picking it up and eyeing the size. "Stilinski, I think you, uh... You dropped this. And congratulations. Risk and reward. Put the quarter in the mug, Win the reward. Okay, watch coach."
Coach bent down a few feet away from the cup, he blew the coin that was in his hand for good luck before tossing the coin in the air, the coin instantly landing in the cup.
The class clapped for him as he threw his arms in the air in victory. "Huh? Huh? That's how you do it."
"Okay. Danny. Risk, reward." Coach asked, standing in front of Danny's desk. "What's the reward?" Coach pursed his lips at the question before snapping his fingers and pointing at him. "You don't have to take the pop quiz tomorrow."
"Coach, it's not a pop quiz if you tell us about it." Stephanie announced, making him sigh, turning to her with an annoyed face. "Female Saticoy, you know, I really expect more from you at this point. Really."
Stephanie sunk in her chair as the Coach walked to Scott's desk. "McCall. Risk, reward. The risk: If you don't put that quarter in the mug, You have to take the pop... the- the quiz. And you have to write an essay. Risk, more work. Reward... No work at all. Or choose not to play."
"But isn't this just chance?" Scott asked and Coach shook his head, placing the quarter on the desk. "No. You know your abilities, your coordination, your focus, Past experience... all factors affecting the outcome. So what's it gonna be, McCall? More work, no work, or choose not to play?"
Scott looked at the coin for a few seconds before sliding it back to the teacher. "No play. Okay. Who's next? Who wants the quarter?"
Stiles did an excited drumroll on his desk, making the coach cheer as he gave him the coin. "There ya go! There's a gamblin' man! Come on! Step up, step up. All right, Stilinski."
As Stiles got in position to throw the coin, the classroom door opened, Sheriff Stilinksi and Deputy Saticoy walking in. Stephanie turned to Will with wide eyes, her brother just shrugging, not knowing why their dad was here.
"Stiles." James called out but Stiles was to focused on trying to get the coin in the cup to notice who it was. "Yeah, coach, I got it."
"Stiles." Sheriff Stilinski called out, finally catching Stiles' attention. The two men nudged their head out of the room and Stiles swallowed a lump in his throat, handing Coach the coin back and followed the men out of the room.
Coach sighed, looking at the door for a few seconds before looking back to the students. "Who's next?"
Will quickly turned to Stephanie's desk beside his with a hopeful smile. "If I play, can you help me make sure I get that coin in the mug?" Stephanie pursed her lips, eyeing the cup before she nodded her head, making Will silently cheer.
Will immediately raised his hand, making Coach cheer. Will turned to Stephanie, nodding his head as Coach walked over to his desk, handing him the coin. "Yes! Saticoy, this is why I like you!" Coach cheered, clapping on Will's back.
Will bent his knees, ready to throw the coin and when he did, Stephanie had her hand out, ready to help put the coin in the cup if it started to fall off track but she didn't need to. Will got the coin in the cup all on his own.
Stephanie made a single clap, throwing her hands in the air as Will let out a happy yelp, shocked he did it. "Yes! Reward!" Coach screamed, patting Will's back as he walked back to his desk happily.
"Okay, who's next?" Coach asked and immediately scoffed at the one person raising their hand. "Greenberg, put your hand down. You don't have a chance."
...
When class was done, Allison and Lydia were waiting outside of the classroom for Stephanie and as soon as she saw her, Allison pulled Stephanie and Lydia into the library to study and try to find anything about the bruises on her and Lydia's arms.
Stephanie noticed Lydia not paying attention to the task at hand and instead staring at the two new twins. "I want one." Lydia whispered, making Stephanie snort. Allison giggled at Stephanie's laugh, turning to Lydia. "Which one?"
Stephanie turned to Allison with furrowed brows. "The straight one, obviously." Allison turned around and the three girls watched as one of the twins flirted with Danny.
"What if it's not a symbol?" Allison whispered, making Stephanie turn back to her. "What?" Allison looked back up to Stephanie, showing her coffee cup at had a logo resembling her bruise. "What if it's actually a logo?" Allison and Stephanie turned their heads to where Lydia once sat but she was gone.
They suddenly heard Lydia's laughs from the book shelves and quickly turned their heads to look for her. Allison and Stephanie watched as Lydia flirted with one of the twins. The two looked back to each other and laughed as Stephanie's looked down at her phone to check the time, frowning that she had to go.
"Hey, I have to go but if you find anything out, tell me." Stephanie whispered and Allison nodded, sending Stephanie a small smile as she left the library.
...
"So you think they kidnapped heather to turn her?" Will asked, turning to Stiles who let out a sad sigh as they walked down the hall and out to the front of the school. "Derek says it's easier to turn teenagers."
"But what would a pack of alphas need with a beta?" Scott asked, panicking Stiles more. "Scott, I don't know. I don't care. All right? This girl... Our moms were best friends before mine died, all right? We used to take frickin' bubble baths together when we were three. I gotta find her."
Stephanie ran up to the boys at the end of Stiles' words as Will quickly putting an arm around his shoulder in comfort. "Then we need Isaac to remember." Stephanie said, making her presence known.
Stiles looked down at Steph with a sad look. "How? Peter and Derek couldn't do it. You know any other werewolves with a better trick?"
Scott turned to Stiles with a small smile on his face, nodding his head. "Maybe not a werewolf. But someone who knows a lot about 'em."
...
"Obviously, it's not going to be particularly.. Comfortable. But if we can slow your heart rate down enough, you'll slip into a trance-like state." Deaton explained to Isaac as they made an ice bath in the back room of the clinic.
"Like being hypnotized." Isaac asked and Deaton quickly nodded. "Exactly. You'll be half transformed. It'll let us access your subconscious mind."
"How slow does his heart rate need to be?" Derek asked and Deaton turned to him with a dull look. "Very slow."
"Okay, well, how slow is very slow?" Stephanie asked, tilting her head slightly as Deaton nodded. "Nearly dead." Stephanie's eyes went wide, giving a 'is he crazy?' look to Will as Isaac crouched down in front of the ice bath. "It's safe, though, right?"
"Do you want me to answer honestly?" Deaton asked, making Isaac gulp, shaking his head. "No. No, not really." Isaac looked up, feeling stares into his head and shrugged at Derek. "What?"
Derek sighed, shaking his head. "Look, if it feels too risky you don't have to do this." Stephanie immediately nodded her head at Derek's words. "Just... do my a favor and don't die."
Isaac slowly nodded, taking off his shirt and getting into the bath. Stephanie stood at the head of the bath, Scott and Derek beside her as they grabbed Isaac's shoulders and slowly pushed him into the water.
After a few seconds, Isaac started moving around in their grasp before lifting his head out of the water and roaring, his eyes bright yellow. "Get him back under." Deaton said as Will and Stiles ran over, pushing his feet down as Stephanie, Derek and Scott tried to get his head under.
"Hold him." Deaton scoffed and Derek glared at him. "We're trying!"
After a few seconds of struggling Isaac fell limp ad the five slowly let go as he floated to the surface.
"Now, remember, only I talk to him. Too many voices will confuse him and draw him out." Deaton said and once everyone nodded he leaned over the bath. "Isaac? Can you hear me?"
After a few seconds, Isaac shivered. "Yes. I can hear you." Deaton nodded. "This is Dr. Deaton. I'd like to ask you a few questions. Is that all right?"
"Yes."
"I want to ask you about the night you found Erica and Boyd. I want you to remember it for me in as vivid detail as possible, like you're actually there again." Almost instantly, Isaac started shaking his head, trying to get out of the water. "I- I don't wanna do that. I don't... I don't wanna do that. I don't wanna do that."
Stephanie bit her lip in worry as she and Derek kept him down. "Isaac, it's all right. Just relax. They're just memories. You can't be hurt by a memory." Deaton reassured softly.
"I don't wanna do that."
"It's all right. Relax. Relax." Deaton said and slowly, Isaac started to calm down, making Deaton nod. "Good. Now let's go back to that night. To the place you found Erica and Boyd. Can you tell me what you see? Is there some kind of building? A house?"
"It's not... it's not a house. It's stone. I think marble." Isaac muttered. "That's perfect. Can you give me any other descriptors?"
"It's dusty, so empty." Isaac whispered, making Deatons brows furrow. "Like an abandoned building?" Isaac didn't respond as the lights in the room started to flicker. "Isaac? Isaac?"
"Someone's here. Someone's here." Isaac whispered, stirring around the bath. "Isaac, relax." Deaton tried to calm the boy down but he just shook his head, moving around more. "No, no, no, they see me, they see me!"
"Just memories. You won't be hurt by your memories. Just relax." Isaac grabbed onto Stephanie's arm that was holding onto his shoulder as he moved around. "Relax." Deaton said again and Isaac calmed down, slowly letting go of her arm. "Good. Now tell us what you see. Tell us everything."
Isaac's eyes open, his blue eyes brighter from his skin growing pale from the cold water. "I hear him. He's talking about the full moon, about being out of control when the moon rises."
"Is he talking to Erica?" Deaton asked. "I think so, I can't... I can't see her, I ca... I can't... I can't see either of them." Isaac said as he shivered.
"Can you hear anything else?" "They're worried. They're worried what they'll do during the moon. They're... Worried that they're gonna hurt each other."
Derek shook his head, looking up at Scott. "If they're locked in together on the full moon, they're gonna tear each other apart."
Deaton sighed, turning back to the boy. "Isaac, we need to find them right now. Can you see them?"
"No."
"Do you know what kind of room it is? Is there any kind of a marker? A number on a door? A sign?"
Isaac shot up, taking a big gasp for air. Derek quickly grabbed onto Isaac as his jaw dropped slightly, his eyes going wide. "They're here." Isaac whispered
"It's all right." Deaton said slowly and Isaac shook his head, letting out a small whimper, making Stephanie grab his shoulder for comfort. "No."
"Just tell us..." Deaton said and Isaac continued shaking his head. "They see me. They found me. They're here!"
"This isn't working. Isaac, where are you?" Derek screamed, making Stephanie's eyes go wide.
"I can't see them. It's too dark!" Isaac screamed.
"His heart rate... he could go into shock." Deaton said and Stephanie glared at Derek, not noticing that her eyes started to turn slightly purple. "Derek, let him go!"
"Isaac, where are you?! What did you see?" Derek screamed, shaking him slightly. "A vault! It's a bank vault! There's a dead body. It's Erica." Isaac screamed, making everyone freeze as his eyes shoot open, finally waking up.
"I saw it! I saw the name." Isaac said as he got up. Stephanie and Scott quickly let him out of the bath as Will got him a towel.
"It's, uh... B-Beacon Hills first national bank. It's, um... it's an abandoned bank, and they're keeping them locked inside, inside the vault." Isaac said as Will threw the towel to Stephanie and she quickly wrap him up with a sad expression on her face as Isaac sat down in front of the tub, Stephanie standing behide him.
Isaac looked around the room, noticing everyone's glum faces. "What?"
"You don't remember what you said right before you came out of it, do you?" Will asked, crossing his arms. Isaac looked up at him with big eyes, shaking his head. "No."
"You said when they captured you that they dragged you into a room and that there was a body in it." Stiles explained and Isaac shook his head. "What body?"
Will swallowed the lump in his throat, looking to the werewolf. "Erica. You said it was Erica."
Stephanie ran her hands up and down Isaac's arms, heating up her hands slightly to warm him up as she kissed the top of his head before she rested her chin on the top of his head.
"She's not dead!" Derek yelled and Will straightened up, turning to him. "Derek... he said and I quote, 'There's a dead body. It's Erica.' It's pretty self explanatory."
"Then who was in the vault with Boyd?" Derek yelled and Stephanie shrugged. "Someone else, obviously." Scott nodded, turning to Derek. "And maybe it was the girl on the motorcycle. Okay, the one who saved you?" He asked, turning to Isaac who immediately shook his head. "No, she wasn't like us. And whoever was in the vault with Boyd was."
"What if that's how Erica died? They, like, pit them against each other during the full moons and see which one survives." Stiles asked and Will's jaw dropped in realization. "Like werewolf thunderdome." Will whispered.
"Then we get them out tonight." Derek shrugged, making Deaton sigh. "Be smart about this, Derek. You can't just go storming in." Derek turned to Deaton, crossing his arms. "If Isaac got in, then so can we." "But he didn't get through a vault door, did he?" Deaton sassed, raising his brows.
"We need a plan." Stephanie said and Derek turned to her, tilting his head. "How are we gonna come up with a plan to break into a bank vault in less than 24 hours?"
"Uh, I think someone already did. 'Beacon Hills First National closes its doors three months after vault robbery.' Doesn't say here how it was robbed, But it probably won't take long to find out." Stiles said, reading a news article off of his phone.
"How long?" Derek asked and Will chuckled as Stiles smirked and rose his brows. "It's the internet, Derek. Okay? Minutes."
"Yeah, we can go and look it up really quick and we'll know as soon as possible." Will said, smiling at Derek but his smile quickly fell at the alphas glare.
"Uh... I'm taking that look as a 'get the hell out of my face and and find out how to rob a bank' am I right?" Will asked and Derek quickly nodded, making Will and Stiles scramble out of the room, Scott, Stephanie and Isaac going after him until Deaton stuck his arm out. "Stephanie."
The three teens stopped, slowly turning to Deaton. "I need to speak with you." Scott patted Stephanie's shoulder. "Meet is at Stiles' place." Stephanie nodded and Scott left the room Stephanie with Derek, Deaton and Isaac. "Is everything okay?"
Deaton nodded, standing up. "This alpha pack is after you, Stephanie. With both of your parents being kanays, it gives you more power..." Deaton explained and Stephanie slowly nodded.
"What I'm trying to say is, it heightens little things a kanay can do. You can produce more elements that a normal kanay can, lift heavy objects with your mind and you marking is easier to control but it also brings out the protector in you." Deaton explained and Stephanie's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
Deaton sighed, leaning up against his desk as he crossed his arms. "The night you and Lydia were missing, what happened?"
Stephanie froze slightly, looking down, trying to remember anything. "Um... I remember being at the hospital with Stiles and everything was fine until Lydia screamed from the bathroom. Suddenly everything I could see was in purple and my body started walking but I didn't know where I was going and I couldn't control myself."
She felt Isaac's hand slowly wrap around her waist in comfort, pulling her into his chest slowly as Deaton nodded. "Exactly. A kanay is a protector to the people they care about so when Lydia screamed, the kanay in you believed she was in danger and took you to her to save her. Today, you're kanay grew protective over Isaac."
Stephanie's eyes went wide slightly as the two werewolves turned to her as Deaton explained. "When you found out there was a possibility of Isaac going into shock. Your eyes turned a bright purple and if Isaac hadn't woken up sooner, you would've done anything to try and save him and you wouldn't be able to stop yourself."
"Why are you telling me all of this?" Stephanie asked, slowly crossing her arms. Deaton sighed, walking closer to her. "It was an explanation and a warning. A warning that you might lose control over yourself and not be able to stop yourself from hurting the ones hurting the people you can for. You may even kill. But I'm telling you this because you need to know it's not you're fault and you need to know that there's nothing to stop it. It's a part of you, Stephanie."
Stephanie felt her heart in her ears as Deaton stepped away from her and Isaac, sending the two a small smile. "You two may go now."
Stephanie slowly walked out of the clinic, hearing Isaac walk out after her. She took in a deep breath as she started walking in the direction of Stiles' house when Isaac grabbed her arm, stopping her and pulling her to face him. "Steph, hey... You need to breathe."
Stephanie took in a dee breath as Isaac rested his hands on either sides of her shoulders. "There we go." Isaac whispered, rubbing the pads of his thumbs on the tips of her shoulders.
Isaac frowned, noticing Stephanie's blank stare to the ground. He moved one hand off her shoulder and lifted her chin for their eyes to meet. "Hey, you heard Deaton. It's out of your control. And it sucks... yeah but it is what it is. No one can be mad at you for that, Steph, okay?"
When Stephanie didn't answer, Isaac sighed, cupping one of her cheeks with the hand that was on her chin while his hand that was on her shoulder fell to her waist. Isaac quickly pulled her into a kiss and Stephanie almost instantly kissed back. She felt Isaac rub the bottom off her spine as he slowly pulled away.
"You good now?" Isaac asked, a small smile on his face that Stephanie immediately returned, nodding her head. "Oh, I'm great."
–Kinda proud bc this chapter is really long but we got some of soft stephac and got to learn some more about stephs powers!
so i have a question...
in this season, everyone is kinda everywhere so even though this is an Isaac book, do you guys wanna see where Will's at and everything bc I really love Will and wanna write about him more.