listen to: come away to the water - maroon 5
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I trailed behind Scott as we walked through the crowded hallways of Beacon Hills. My patience was thinning with the werewolf, and I was growing even more annoyed with the fact that he didn't let me go with Stiles to help Cora.
Instead of listening to what the wolf was trying to explain to me, I studied the students that passed by us, heading for their next class. It made me sick to my stomach that these humans had no idea what was going on around them. They were blind to reality; a reality where the supernatural wasn't just a fairytale.
It almost made me burst out laughing. Here were the humans that were so precious to the Earth, yet they had no idea what was going on in their own world.
"Blaise? Were you even listening?"
I snapped out of my thoughts and shot Scott an annoyed look. "Nope." I adjusted my bag's strap that hung lazily over my shoulder. "What were you blabbering about?"
He slowed his pace down, allowing me to catch up with him before he started his explanation.
"So, while you were down in the locker room, Stiles and I talked to Ethan," he said. "And get this: the twins were Omegas before they became Alphas."
He seemed proud of his knowledge, so I raised my eyebrows and simply said: "Wow."
"Shocking, right? Anyway, Ethan said that to become an Alpha in Deucalion's pack, he and Aiden had to kill everyone in their former pack. Everyone." He paused for a moment as we turned the corner. "They had to become monsters before they could become Alphas."
"That's how Deucalion became what he is today. He was a Beta, but his family treated him like an Omega. Finally he just lashed out and killed all of them." I locked my gaze on his. "It's like initiation, Scott."
His eyebrows furrowed. "How did you know that?"
I pursed my lips. That was information about my past... information that only Stiles should know.
So I just shrugged the question off. "It doesn't matter."
Scott looked at me for a moment longer, suspicious of my answer, but didn't push it. "So, like I was saying, Deucalion made them kill everyone in their packs, including their emissaries. The only emissary alive and working for Deucalion is actually inside the school at this very moment."
"Deucalion's emissary?" I asked.
"Yep. Her name's Miss Marin Morrell," he said. "Sound familiar?" Scott suddenly cut away from the hall full of students and shuffled into a white room. I followed him, my eyes catching the teacher's nametag sitting on her neatly organized desk.
"Our guidance counselor?" I muttered.
A tanned woman walked out from her office and into the room we stood in, deeply focused on the papers in her hands. "Sorry, but I don't remember having any more appointments," she said, looking up from her papers with a gentle smile on her lips.
But as she laid her eyes on Scott and I, her smile faded rather quickly.
"Are you sure?" Scott asked. "Because we could use a little guidance right now."
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I sunk down into the plush, wool chair across from Miss Marin Morrell's desk. Scott fidgeted next to me, something obviously on his mind as the guidance counselor glared at him from behind her desk.
"Why are you bothering with me, Scott?" the woman asked, not even glancing in my direction. "You know the clock is ticking. Someone else is about to be taken."
I sighed heavily and crossed my arms. "Are you going to tell us what we want to know or are we going to have to do this -" I cracked my knuckles loud enough so she would hear, "- the hard way?"
Morrell didn't even react to my threat.
"What do you know?" Scott questioned, his jaw clenching. He seemed to be fighting an battle with himself. Over what? I didn't know.
"C'mon, Scott. Shouldn't you leave the interrogations to someone like Stilinski?" she mused.
At the mention of Stiles' father, I grew defensive. "Are you the one killing people or not?" I asked, leaning forward in my chair.
Her dark eyes flicked to mine. "Are you listening to my heartbeat?" A small smirk grew on her lips as she inched closer to me, making sure I was hearing her heart as she answered. "No. I'm not the one killing people."
I frowned when I realized she was telling the truth. This lady didn't know anything, and I should have realized it sooner. I would have felt it if she was the Darach when we first walked in; I would have felt the darkness.
But I felt nothing.
"The truth is," Morrell said. "I'm all that stands between Deucalion and the lives of your friends." She sunk back in her chair and crossed her legs, her gaze never leaving mine. "I've been the one pulling the leash taught when they're salivating for a bite."
"That's bullshit," I snapped. "The only reason you're still alive is because Duke needs someone to bang when he gets bored of killing people."
Morrell just smiled at me. "He's told me about you, Blaise. I think it's funny you still hold on to his old nickname." She tilted her head to look at me. "Maybe you should stop by the penthouse sometime. I know Deucalion would absolutely love that."
My fists clenched, and the only thing that was stopping me from ripping the emissary to shreds was Scott's hand on my chest, holding me back.
Instead of gouging her eyes out, I settled for profanity.
"Bitch," I seethed. But Morrell had already moved her attention back to Scott.
"He wants a True Alpha in his pack, Scott," she said. "He thinks it's you."
I quirked an eyebrow at the mention of a True Alpha. I hadn't heard of one since the 19th century. Was that what Scott was fidgety about? Becoming a True Alpha?
"A little distraction - like a few human sacrifices - isn't going to dissuade him from the prize," Morrell continued, giving Scott small smile.
The werewolf just shook his head in denial. "But I'm not an Alpha!"
The counselor continued to grin at him. "But you're well on your way, aren't you?"
Scott jumped up and slammed his hands on her desk, his anger getting to the best of him. Morrell didn't even flinch at his reaction. "Then what is he waiting for?" he yelled. "What does he want me to do?"
I stood, placing a gentle hand on Scott's shoulder to try and calm him down. "He wants to make a killer out of you," I said. I took my other hand and turned Scott's face towards mine to make sure he was looking at me. "It's what he does."
Scott looked confused on how I knew this, but Morrell just gave me a smug look.
"But if I kill someone," Scott murmured, looking back at the emissary. "I can't be a True Alpha, right?"
"Exactly." Morrell stood up, looking at both of us now. "You want the psychologist's perspective? He's an obsessive. He both desires you and is threatened by you. If the obsessive can't have the object of his desire, he'll choose to destroy it instead."
I broke my gaze with the teacher and instead looked down at the floor. I couldn't help but think her words were meant for me as well as Scott. Duke desired me, yet he pushed me away simply because I wouldn't join his new, fantasy, Alpha pack.
He couldn't have me, so he ruined me forever.
Morrell's voice broke me out of my dreary thoughts. "Scott, if you don't become part of his pack, he will make a killer out of you. He would be destroying your potential to become a True Alpha."
Scott frowned, creating deep creases to form on his forehead. "Neither of those is ever going to happen."
"Don't be so sure," Morrell said, sitting down again. "You're playing his game. And while you're trying to figure out what the do next, he's thinking ten moves ahead." She shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips as her eyes flicked to mine. "And he has checkmate already in sight."
At that, I stood up and stormed out, pulling Scott along with me.
Students rushed past us as Scott and I stood there, both of us finally realizing that we were playing a losing game.
"She doesn't understand," I muttered, thinking back to Morrell's words. "She doesn't understand anything!"
"Blaise? Can you let go of my shirt please?" I loosened my grip and started to pace around outside Morrell's office, not caring if I bumped into students as I temporarily lost my mind.
"She thinks it's his game." I shook my head vigorously. "It's not his. It's mine. We're playing by my rules! He can't win at my game!"
"Hey." Scott stopped me, placing his hands on my shoulders, looking at me with intent. "Blaise. You worry me when you talk to yourself."
I opened my mouth to speak, but before any words could tumble out of my mouth, an ear-splitting scream rang through the halls.
My body cringed at the sound, immediately making me drop to my knees as I held my head in my hands. There could only be one explanation for the scream - an explanation that could possibly involve my redheaded friend.
Thankfully, the noise only lasted a couple of seconds, and I uncovered my ears again.
Taking a deep breath, I gathered myself and looked up at Scott.
"It's Lydia."
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"I'm something!"
I pushed my way ahead of Scott, ignoring the policeman who was desperately trying to keep curious kids outside the classroom. I was too quick for him to notice that I had slipped past him.
"Lydia," I said, getting the redhead's attention. Ms. Blake stood in front of us, giving me a wary glance. I tried to ignore the urge to say something regarding the hideous hairstyle she wore and instead focused my attention on my friend.
Lydia turned to me, a crazed look in her pale green eyes. "They don't believe me, Blaise," she muttered, her bottom lip quivering. "No one believes me."
I placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I believe you. Now c'mon, Lyd. Let's get you out of here."
Before she could protest, I was pulling her away from Ms. Blake and out into the hallway so we could talk.
Lydia tugged her hand away from mine, stopping in the middle of the hallway. "What is wrong with me, Blaise? Huh? Why do I scream? Am I going insane?" she questioned, her hands forming fists at her side.
I ran a tired hand through my hair. "I think we all are," I admitted. "But your scream...it's like mine. I don't know how, but it affects me as if you were another Phoenix." I shook my head, chuckling to myself. "But you aren't a Phoenix."
I stopped rambling when Scott showed up, standing beside Lydia.
"Why were you talking to Ethan?" I asked him.
"We were trying to figure out the pattern to this set of sacrifices," he explained. Then, quirking an eyebrow, "Any ideas?"
"Why are you looking at me?" I scoffed. "I can't predict the damn future, Scott. What I can do is try to make sure no one gets killed tonight. How's that sound?"
Scott and Lydia looked at each other, as if exchanging a secret conversation, then they looked back at me. Scott was the one who spoke.
"It sounds like we're going to the memorial recital tonight after all."
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I slammed my hand down on the steering wheel, getting more and more impatient as I sat in traffic. "Go! You have a green light, dammit!" I made a hasty decision and swung around the BMW in front of me, making sure he saw me give him the finger as I drove past. "Asshole!"
My foot pressed harder on the gas pedal as I changed lanes to merge onto Beacon Hill's main road. This replacement car that the rental company gave me could go about as fast as Stiles' old clunker of a car.
After Scott had proclaimed that we were going to the memorial recital tonight, I left to grab some food. I debated calling Stiles and see what was going on with him and Cora, but I didn't have the courage to. Not talking to him was making me cranky, so I was taking my rage out on stupid drivers.
I finally reached the Beacon Hills High School parking lot, which was surprisingly full. On the downside, I was incredibly late.
I swerved into a parking spot (it wasn't really a parking spot, I just made it one), and unbuckled my seat belt as fast as I could. Grabbing my bag of fried food I started towards the main entrance of the high school, the sound of my car locking echoing behind me.
My sensitive ears picked up on a faint hum coming from the middle of the school. At first it just sounded like a normal concert tune; violins, flutes, clarinets. But this song had a different note to it...
Actually, it didn't even sound like a song at all. It sounded like a chant.
"Oh my God." The words escaped my lips as I stood in front of the high school, the bag of fried food slipping from my grasp when an overwhelming feeling of unease settled over me.
Then I screamed.
I couldn't control it, and I hated that. Something dangerous was lurking inside the school...and from the chanting, I had a pretty good idea what it was.
Soon, another noise filled the air; one that made me fall to my knees.
Wait. Not just another noise.
Another scream.
"Lydia?" Multiple voices called out for the strawberry-blonde nearby. There were too many voices, too much noise. I curled up on the ground as another scream escaped my lips, putting my hands over my ears.
Flashes of images came to me as I screamed: a pair of claws wrapped around a frail wrist, glowing, white eyes, a face so torn apart it was unrecognizable.
Lydia's wail finally stopped after a good thirty seconds or so. My body relaxed and I breathed out a sigh of relief, but the peaceful moment was short lived.
Four hands pulled me up off the ground. My eyes adjusted to the light just in time to see Scott and Stiles.
"Blaise?" Stiles said, almost as if in disbelief.
I turned my head in his direction, a crazed look in my eye as I grabbed hold of his flannel. "It's Lydia." Then, turning towards Scott, "I know you heard it. Didn't you? It was her."
"And you," he said. "Did you see anything when you screamed?"
I gulped. "I saw the Darach."
"He's here?" Stiles asked. "Why -"
"Stiles, we have to get to Lydia. Now." I shrugged off my jacket and threw it at the pale boy, extending my jet-black wings behind me. "C'mon. We don't have time to lose."
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The air was colder as I landed on the cement this time, more frigid than usual. Scott and Stiles checked on the north side of the school while I went to the south side, where my gut was telling me the danger was located.
I sprinted inside the double doors, my sneakers squeaking on the tiled floor as I stopped to listen for any noise.
For a moment, only the annoying sound of silence filled my ears. Then, suddenly: It's too bad, though, and too late.
I didn't hesitate to let my instincts take over as I charged through the door where the voice came from. Little did I know who I would be facing in the classroom: the infamous Miss Jennifer Blake.
She had a garrote and a knife at Lydia's throat, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as she muttered, "One. Last. Philosopher."
I trembled with rage, my claws extending as my violet Phoenix eyes glowed. "You crazy bitch!"
Then I pounced.
Jennifer dropped her garrote but still held her knife as she moved away from my line of attack. I missed her completely, tumbling into the desks near the corner of the room.
"Brinley," Jennifer said. "You've gotten slower. How come?"
I whirled around and glared at the woman. "You know why. And my name isn't Brinley anymore, bitch."
I pushed off of the ground, hovering slightly as I dove straight for the Darach. My arms wrapped around her torso and I flew her right into the wall, causing pieces of the drywall to crumble and fall. I held onto her shoulders with an iron grip, my hard gaze penetrating into her skull.
"You've caused so much death in this town," I seethed. "Now it looks like it's your time to go."
Jennifer just laughed at me. "You don't understand a thing, Blaise. You need me! You all NEED ME!"
Her eyes turned from a dark brown to an incredible white as she took her hands on my hips and swung me towards the wall, driving her knife into my stomach.
I choked out in pain but made myself stand up. It will heal.
Before I could move any farther, Jennifer was already pinning me up against the wall, her bloodied knife now placed at my neck. She tilted her head to the side, analyzing me. "I tried to tell you, Blaise. I tried to tell you this morning."
I shuddered, the wound in my stomach festering as it tried to heal. "T-Tell me what?"
She gave me a knowing look. "Et numquam sine hoc iter valent, nisi ex eo, morte deficere si nimis habes." A smirk spread across her face. "'Journey without it and you will never prevail, but if you have too much of it you will surely fail.'"
I scowled. "A riddle? That's what you were trying to tell me?"
She ignored my questions. "I believe the riddle is about power. And the only way I can gain enough power to defeat the Alpha pack is through you, Blaise. I need you to succeed in killing Deucalion, and you need me to live."
My eyes widened. "The mistletoe."
Jennifer almost seemed sad, but I knew better. "Yes," she said. "It was the only way I could get you to help me: by connecting you to myself."
Of course. She knew after what happened in England during 1888 there was no way I could trust her. But by putting the poison in my system, I had to follow her lead.
A different voice broke me from my thoughts.
"Drop it!"
It was a deeper voice, one with more authority. The Sheriff.
"Oh, no," I muttered, seeing him point a gun at Jennifer. A gun would do no harm to the creature who was already more powerful than I had thought. No, a gun would not do.
And that was when I knew this would end badly for Sheriff Stilinski.
Jennifer had only turned away from me for a second when the knife she held had promptly landed itself in the Sheriff's chest.
He fell to his knees, his hand hovering over the weapon in the left side of his chest. Before I could even register my shock, a loud growl erupted through the room.
Jennifer moved in front of me, almost in a protective stance, when Scott pounced at her. "Scott, stop!" I shouted, but it was no use. Jennifer had already thrown him across the room with a simple push. I marveled her strength, but shook off the thought as I moved to attack again.
Just as my claws sunk into Jennifer's back, she curled her hand into a fist and I fell to my knees, throwing up the all-too-familiar black mistletoe.
"See, Blaise?" the Darach mused. "You're tied to me."
A deep growl resonated from the back of my throat as I reached out to claw her leg, but she simply blinked at me and I was on the ground convulsing again.
My muscles weren't strong enough to keep me upright anymore, and I fell to the floor. The poison ran through my veins in sudden jolts, causing me to twitch and tremble as I lay in a fetal position on the floor, my own black vomit sticking to my hair.
"Blaise!" A new, muffled voice called for me from outside the classroom. It took all my strength to lift my head off the cold, tiled ground and see who was trying to get my attention.
Stiles hit his fists on the small window of the door that separated him from the rest of us. "Blaise!" he called again, frustration lacing his voice.
My head fell back to the ground. I had failed tonight. I had failed at keeping Lydia safe, I had failed at keeping Scott safe, I had failed at keeping the Sheriff safe...and now I had failed at being strong for Stiles.
Looking back at the scene before me, Jennifer had lifted the Sheriff from the ground, holding him by the knife buried in his chest. What she whispered to him, I didn't know, but what I did know was that I couldn't let anything happen to him.
"Et numquam sine," I whispered to myself. The mantra gave me strength, just as it did with Miss Blake. "Journey without it..." I had now pushed myself up into a kneeling position, crawling my way towards the Sheriff and Darach. "Hoc iter valent...and you will never prevail." My legs shook as they stood up, so I leaned on a nearby desk.
Before I could say the next line, Jennifer's appearance had changed. No, not just changed...she had transformed into a monstrous being.
She whirled towards me so I could see the hideous face she masked at all times; the same face I had seen in my vision. Her body was lined with scars and gashes while her teeth were fang-like, her eyes were a brilliant blue instead of a dreary brown.
Her face stunned me silent. I realized it was even more shredded than it was during the 17th century.
Before I could continue my power surge, her grimy hand reached out and she grabbed my arm with an iron grip.
"Blaise!" Stiles screamed from behind me.
But I was already gone, crashing through the window.
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sorry this took so long to update ugh it was a very hard episode to write for some reason. hopefully you guys enjoyed it. plus school is stressing me out right now so yay for that
our spring break is next week, so watch out for lots o' updates ;-)
the next update is going to tEAR ME APART BC BILES
stay tuned and love u all <3
-kati