chapter sixty-five
❝ i'm sorry that i did this
the blood is on my hands ❞
a novel approach
━━━━༺❀༻━━━━
Kennedy Dawn Hale's eyes turned red as she grabbed hold of the strange boy attacking her boyfriend. She roared, grabbing him and yanking him off. Kennedy grabs the boys wrist, frowning as she sees what seems to be a mouth on his hand.
Yes, a mouth. With lots of teeth.
Her eyes are wide as the boy pushed its palm into her shoulder. Kennedy cried out, and Stiles took the screwdriver on the jeep and smacked the boy in the face. He fell to the ground, and Kennedy and Stiles began to run away.
"Who the hell was that?" Kennedy breathed.
Stiles turns around, seeing the boy slowly get up. "Donovan." The couple watches as Donovan looks over, and they could see teeth upon teeth in his mouth. "We gotta go,"
Kennedy and Stiles ran for the school. The halls empty. "Where do we go?" Stiles asked his girlfriend. Kennedy looked around, trying to think.
"This way," She breathed. Stiles panted as he follows his girlfriend close behind, rushing out the doors to a small court yard.
Kennedy tugs on the doors of the Beacon Hills High School library. Stiles sighed in frustration, pulling his card out and running it through the reader. Surely enough, it unlocks. Stiles and Kennedy run inside, seeing the library was now rendered empty.
It was silence, only thing they could hear being their own breathing. Kennedy looked around, trying to think clearly in a life or death situation. The doors to the library shake, and Stiles grabs his girlfriend and tugs her out of sight.
The quiet beep followed by the sound of the door opening echo through the space. Donovan was inside. Kennedy's eyes glew red as she sneaked away from Stiles, trying to keep him from getting hurt.
Kennedy remained out of sight, pausing when she heard a phone vibrate. "You dropped your phone." Donovan calls out. "It's Malia asking for your girlfriend. Should I text her back?" Donovan clicked decline. "You don't really know who I am, do you, Stiles? Maybe you heard about my father. Did your dad tell you about him? Did Sheriff Stilinski ever tell you about the time he was still deputy and how his partner got caught in a shoot-out?" Kennedy narrowed her eyes, snarling quietly.
"Did he tell you a bullet shattered my dad's T-9 vertebra? Went right through his spinal cord? Know what that means? It means everything below his waist is useless." Donovan explained. "And not just his legs. I bet he told you some of it."
"Nobody cares!" Donovan snapped his head at the sound of Kennedy's voice, unsure where she was coming from.
Donovan turned around, "But I bet he probably left out the part where he was sitting in a car calling for backup while my dad was going in alone." He explained. "Did he tell you that he was too scared, too much of a frightened little bitch to go in after him? Or do scared little bitches not tell their little bitch sons about their failures?" Kennedy's eyes flickered between hazel and red. "About how they put their partner in a wheelchair for the rest of his life?"
Suddenly, Donovan was going up the stairs. Kennedy could see him. And then she couldn't. She slowly made her way down the aisle, waiting to grab him when he least expected her.
And then he grabbed Stiles.
Kennedy heard bookshelves crashing and Stiles shouting. She looked below her to see Stiles struggling as he climbed the red shelving full of construction supplies. She looked at Donovan, who grabbed hold of her boyfriends leg.
"Don't worry, Stiles. I'm not gonna kill you," Donovan said as he bared his teeth, "I'm just gonna eat your legs."
And that's when it happened.
Thats when Kennedy Dawn Hale snapped.
Stiles struggled to climb as he heard the sound of his girlfriends roar. He closed his eyes as he saw her figure jump over him, grabbing hold of Donovan below. The Stilinski held on to the shelf, looking below him to see Kennedy and the boy rolling on the ground.
Kennedy's face wasn't her own.
It was darker, shades of black and gray covering her features as her alpha red eyes stared back at Donovan's white ones. He tried to fight her, but teeth were no match to claws. The Hale grabbed his wrist, flinging him over her shoulder as he landed on the ground. He shouted as his arm broke, the pain shattering through his body. Fear sprang through him as Kennedy' s hand lifted in the air. The claws etched from her fingertips highlighted by the moon that shined through the windows. It was for a moment, Donovan had realized he had made the mistake to go after Kennedy Hale's anchor.
And then her hand flew to his throat.
Stiles could see from his peripheral vision. The claw marks though his throat, his chest, splattering onto Kennedy's face. Stiles almost couldn't recognize his girlfriend as she tore him apart. "Kennedy!" The werewolf looked up, snarling loudly, "Move!"
Kennedy snarled as she ducked out of the way. Stiles pulled a pin, tons of pipes and supplies falling down. The Hale fell back onto the floor just as one of the pipes struck through Donovan, catching him mid fall. Kennedy's darkened features turned to normal, before completely human. The last thing were her eyes.
The crimson red flickered to a steel blue for only a moment. Kennedy's face paled as she felt them change back to red, before fading into a human hazel. Stiles stumbled down the red metal, looking at the boy. He was dead. Stiles could see the metal liquid escaping the wounds.
"Stiles?"
The Stilinski turned his head, seeing Kennedy still on the floor. He rushed towards her, kneeling down. "Hey, are you okay?" Stiles grabbed the girls hands, intwining then with his own.
"I killed him."
"No, no Kenny," Stiles whispered, "He was trying to kill us,"
Kennedy's eyes are wide as she looked at the ground, unable to move. "I did this."
Stiles grabbed his girlfriend by her face, forcing her to look at him. "Kennedy, you did nothing wrong. You just saved my life, if not both of ours," He told her. Kennedy stared into Stiles's eyes. He was running off adrenaline. Perhaps they both were. "We have to get out of here, okay? We have to go."
Kennedy watched as Stiles stood up, walking towards the phone on the library desk. He was calling someone. Perhaps the police. Kennedy's eyes landed on Donovan. She had killed someone. She was a murderer.
The memory of the Nogitsune entered her mind. A memory she had forced herself to forget.
Stiles snickered, walking past her again. "There is," He hummed. "You know, another one of your boyfriends biggest fears, is actually one of my greatest dreams." Kennedy frowned as Stiles turned to look at her. Stiles's smirk turned into a cold, heartless flare. "I want you to lose control."
The Hale was taken aback. Her eyes widened slightly as she stepped backwards. "What?"
"Oh, come on, Kenny. You're a Hale! The heir of Peter Hale! You're made to kill! You're designed to be the monster under people's beds!" A possessed Stiles shouted as Kennedy backed away from him. "Think about how Stiles would feel, knowing you wouldn't let yourself turn into what you're meant to be, just because of him." Kennedy felt her familiar sense of anger rise, flooding every cell in her blood stream. She turned to the loft door, storming to the entrance. "How would your mother feel knowing all you are is weak!?"
Kennedy spun around, her face completely changed. She roared loudly. The walls around them shook at the intensity. It was darker, more menacing than anything Kennedy had ever created. Her werewolf face contorts for a moment, before she sprints at the Stilinski.
"Kenny, Baby," Stiles grabbed his girlfriend, pulling her to her feet. "We have to go, okay? Police are on their way." He grabbed his phone from Donovan's pocket, tugging Kennedy out of the school.
The Jeep waited for the couple as they walked over. Kennedy walked towards the passenger seat as Stoles fixed whatever issue their was, before scrambling into the drivers side. Kennedy breathed heavily as Stiles started the Jeep.
"Stiles?"
The boy breathed heavily, tapping the steering wheel as his mind ran millions of miles a minute. He was worried about Kennedy. He had seen what she became in there. She had lost control. They both knew that. And her eyes, they had flickered. What if, the next time she showed someone her eyes, they're blue? What if Kennedy was no longer an alpha? What if Kennedy went crazy over guilt? What if she blamed herself like she had for the Hale fire, or Allison's death, or more? He couldn't her her go through that. If push came to shove, Stiles would blatantly take the fall for Kennedy. He would in a heartbeat. She was a good person. This one moment didn't change it.
"Stiles?"
Stiles turned to look at Kennedy. The fear in her eyes searching his. She was petrified. Every fear she ever had becoming her reality. She killed someone. The scariest part being she liked it. Kennedy waited for Stiles to say something. Anything. She was scared of herself. Scared that she was now the monster she had feared of becoming.
Tears pricked Kennedy's eyes as she waited for a reply. "Stiles, please say something," She begged, a sob causing her voice to crack.
Stiles turned to his girlfriend, reaching over and pulling her into his arms. She sobbed into his shoulder, the human rubbing her back. "This isn't your fault, Ken. None of this is your fault,"
Kennedy cried as she shook her head, "I killed someone, Stiles. I killed him!"
"And if you didn't we'd both be dead," Stiles told her, pulling away. Kennedy's tear stained face searched his. Stiles leaned back, putting the car in reverse and backing up before parking again. Kennedy could hear a siren as a deputy pulled into the school parking lot. Stiles grabbed Kennedy, pushing her down slightly. They sank in their seats as they watched the officer walk towards the building.
Stiles's hands shook as he looked at Kennedy. "You're okay. Alright. You're okay." He said to her. However, she found that hard to believe that when her own face had spattered blood along it, and both of their hands were covered in blood.
Kennedy looked out the window, seeing the officer speak into the radio on his shoulder. Urgently, Kennedy turned on Stiles's own radio. "I'm 10-97 and there's no one here. It's a 653."
Dispatch replied, "Roger that. It's a prank call. Return to your patrol."
Confusion laced onto both Stiles and Kennedy's faces. They watched as the officer pulled out of the parking lot. "Ken, stay here," Stiles said, tumbling out of the Jeep.
"No way," Kennedy argued, hopping out after him. Kennedy followed her boyfriend back towards the library, feeling her chest get heavy again as they push open the doors.
Kennedy froze. There was no Donovan. There was no blood splatter, no body, no pipes. It was as if nothing happened. It was all gone. Kennedy looked around, breathing heavily as Stiles reached up, touching one of the pipes.
Blood painted on his finger tip as he tuned back towards Kennedy. "Nothing's here," She said in confusion. Stiles wiped the blood off on his jeans, looking around the school.
"Yeah," He mumbled. "Nothing."
"Where is he? Where is Donovan?" Kennedy asked. Stiles shook his head, unable to answer her. "He couldn't be alive, right? Not after what I did to him."
Stiles cocked his head to the side. "I've seen a lot weirder." He mumbled. Kennedy looked at Stiles, unsure what any of this meant. "Kennedy, maybe, maybe we're better off not knowing. Alright? We've had a long night, we're sleep deprived, and you need sleep." The Hale girl looked around again, unable to wrap her head around whatever just happened. "Let's go home,"
It wasn't that simple. Stiles didn't want his girlfriend to worry. He wanted this to all go away for her.
So that night while Kennedy slept in his bed, Stiles tried to write down everything that happened, tried to gather his thoughts. He tried to think of what to do next. They couldn't tell the others. Not if Kennedy's eyes were now blue. How did would that happen? Alphas didn't just stop being Alphas after killing someone, not even a True Alpha. What would Scott think? And if they were still red, Stiles could take the blame. He could handle it. He'd let every person on the planet despise him and wish him dead as long as it meant they knew Kennedy was a hero. Stiles helplessly tried to gather the possibilities of someone taking Donovan, or someone walking out. There was not a single good possibility, and all of them linked back to Kennedy Hale murdering Donovan Donati.
༺❀༻
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There's not much Kennedy Dawn Hale learned from Peter, but she did know one thing. If it's a secret, you push it so far down that even you begin to believe it never happened.
And that's what Kennedy did.
She walked into School alongside Lydia and Malia, front pieces of her auburn hair tied back as it was all curled, looking over her friends shoulder as she looked at a book. "The Dread Doctors by T.R. McCammon." Lydia read. She frowned as she looked at it.
"What?" Malia asked.
"I don't know. There's something about it." Lydia said in thought.
Kennedy looked over, "Has anyone actually read it yet?" She asked, glancing at Malia Tate.
"Just me. And I didn't understand any of it."
Lydia turned to Kennedy. "We should probably all read it." She whispered.
"Kira's working on that." Malia adds.
"Stiles and I couldn't find anything on the author. He thinks it's a pen name." Kennedy explained as Lydia turned over the book.
The synopsis on the back read, "In a small New England town, teenagers are taken in the night and buried alive. Days later they emerge transformed, wreaking havoc and spreading terror, commanded by an ancient order of parascientists known only as the Dread Doctors." Lydia slowly looked up, "Sounds vaguely familiar."
Kennedy looked over at Malia, "How does it end?" She asked, taking the book from Lydia as she scanned the cover. They were the same men that killed Tracy and attacked Malia and Kennedy. The Dread Doctors. At least their name suit them, as any time Kennedy thought of them the only emotion to explain how she felt was dread.
"It doesn't." Malia answered. "This is supposed to be volume one."
Lydia leaned back onto the lockers, "Oh, let me guess; there is no volume two?" She asked.
"I think we're living volume two." Malia told the redhead.
"Then maybe the real question is," Lydia looked back at the book in Kennedy's hands. "Is this a novel or someone's prediction?"
The bell rang, and Kennedy sighed. "Well, we have class, so currently I'd rather focus on that. Agreed?" Malia and Lydia share weird looks as Lydia takes the book, flipping through the pages.
The classroom is slowly beginning to fill up as Lydia takes the spot behind Malia, and Kennedy takes the spot next to her. Kennedy looked at the formulas that were being written on the board, instantly pulling out color coded pens as she began to write.
As she clicked on her red pen, the memory of the blood seeping from Donovan's throat crossed her mind. Kennedy swallowed nervously, pushing it down. That's all she had to do. If she lied to herself enough, it would be the truth. She hoped.
Malia turns around in her seat, looking at Lydia. "Why is your heart beating so fast?" She asked. Kennedy looked over, using this as a distraction from her memories.
Lydia shifted the book around, "Look at this." She gasped, "Look at the Acknowledgements page." Kennedy leaned closer to listen to Malia as she read off the page.
"For providing scientific perspective and invaluable insight this book is dedicated to Dr. Gabriel Valack." Malia reads aloud. "Who's that?"
"He's in Eichen House," said Lydia. The redhead turns, and Malia follows their face.
They both looked at Kennedy, who humbly stared at the book. "He was my dads cellmate." She mumbled quietly.
༺❀༻
"Kenny, I'm going with you,"
Lydia stood by the door, raising a brow. "I thought you said you were sick," She commented. Kennedy and Stiles looked back at her. The three were in Stiles's room. Stiles had stayed home from school because, as Lydia said, he claimed to be sick. However, now Stiles was trying to join their friends to return to Eichen House to talk to a man named Gabriel Valack.
"I'm slightly under the weather," Stiles lied. In fact; Stiles was dealing with the wounds from Donovan trying to eat him, as well as try and figure out how to make sure Kennedy's okay and find out what happened to Donovan without anyone finding out what she did.
On the plus side, Stiles was glad Kennedy was acting herself. At least around everyone else. "You don't have to come. Malia's not going either." Kennedy explained with a smile.
"Malia's not going because she knows that that place is a nightmare asylum of insanity and death, okay?" Stiles explained. Kennedy shrugged, knowing Mali was definitely not wrong. "Not mention, every time my girlfriend goes in there someone's trying to kill her. Let's go."
Lydia watched as Stiles put on his sweatshirt, "What was that?"
Kennedy frowned, "What was what?"
"He winced."
Stiles looked over, "I have a bad elbow." He mumbled.
"It was your shoulder." Lydia argues.
Kennedy blurts out the first thing that comes to mind. "We had sex in the Jeep!" Stiles and Lydia both freeze. "We had sex in the Jeep and his shoulder and elbow are really sore," Kennedy lied easily, turning to look between them both.
Lydia's mouth hung open for a moment. "And suddenly I hate that stupid thing even more," Lydia said quietly.
"You are not going without me." Stiles said to Kennedy, "You remember what happened to Deaton when he talked to Valack?"
"Scott and Kira are going to be there." Kennedy points out.
"Okay. I'm not letting you go to a place where one of the orderlies almost killed you and Lydia."
Lydia steps forwards, "He almost killed you too."
"And we're all still alive. See? Teamwork." Stiles said before walking by.
Kennedy and Lydia look at each other, sighing. "He's dumb," Kennedy said before rolling her eyes.
"Kenny, is everything alright with you two?" Lydia asked quietly. Kennedy frowned in confusion. "You both just seem, off,"
The Hale girl paused for a moment, "Everything's fine," She shrugged, before smiling. "He's still adapting to me forcing him to share a room," Kennedy lied easily.
Lydia nods, somewhat understanding. "Okay, good," She said, "Come on,"
༺❀༻
Eichen House seemed to haunt Kennedy. After all, somewhere inside was her father, along with all the memories of the Nogitsune and Meredith. Lydia pressed the button to the entrance. "Hello? Anyone there?"
"I hope you all know that I have a horrible history with this place," Kennedy said as she looked at her friends. Kira looks over, awkwardly nodding. "Seriously, I have almost died every time I walk in."
"Well, hopefully today we break that record," Kira says sheepishly, but it's not so reassuring to the Hale. "Are you going to see your dad while we're here?"
Kennedy shrugged, "I'm not sure," She said simply, "I guess I have a question or two if we do," She sighed as she crossed her arms. The gate buzzed, suddenly snapping open. Kennedy looked around the group, "Well, Scooby Gang, I'm not going in first,"
Scott looked at the Hale, smiling before walking further in. Stiles walked towards his girlfriend, reaching for her hand as they walked towards the steps.
The building was the same as Kennedy remembered. "Please empty your pockets into the container."
"We're here to see-"
The nurse cut Scott off, "Please empty your pockets into the container." Everyone began putting their phones, keys, and such. The nurse looked at Kira. "Please remove your belt and place it into the container."
"I kind of need the belt. I mean, it's crucial to the outfit." Kira attempted.
"Please remove your belt which patients will attempt to take from you and use to strangle either themselves or others."
Kira rose a brow, "Right. Got it." She said awkwardly before taking it off and putting it away. The nurse looked over at Lydia, causing the Martin to feel uneasy. Protectively, Kennedy wrapped an arm around Lydia, getting close and cuddly.
"Babe, I didn't leave the invitation list to our wedding in your purse, did I?" Kennedy asked, eyeballing Lydia with a fake flirtatious look. With ease, Lydia smiled kindly.
"Nope, in the car sweetie," Lydia hummed. Stiles gawked at the two girls, looking over as Dr. Conrad Fenris opens up the gate. Dr. Fenris was someone Scott, Stiles, and Kennedy met almost two years ago when Scott was first turned. It was a strange night involving them breaking into his home and trying to find a cure to lycanthropy. Clearly, they were unsuccessful.
"I'll remind you that I'm only doing this as a favor to Deaton." Fenris explained to the group of teens, "And I'm doing it against my better judgment."
Stiles speaks up, "Hey, what's the etiquette for talking to this guy? I mean, do you ever look at the other eye?"
Fenris shakes his head, "I wouldn't. In fact, while you're down here, try not to make eye contact with anyone or anything." He told them honestly. Kennedy sighed, looking back at Scott.
They reached the hallway, walking down. Stiles and Lydia paused, turning around to see Scott, Kira, and Kennedy behind. Kennedy tried to step forwards, realizing there was a barrier. "This seems familiar," Kennedy said in thought.
Dr. Debris slowly turned around, raising a brow at the two werewolves and the Kitsune. "You didn't think you were all going, did you?"
"It's mountain ash, isn't it?" Asked Scott. He looked around the invisible field.
Fenris nods, "Everywhere, but heavily concentrated down here."
Scott and Kira looked at Kennedy. She seemed off. Stiles nervously shook his head at Kennedy. The girl craned her neck as she through about all the times people had tried to kill her with the mysterious substance. "Luckily for me, I have a history of defeating said mountain ash," Fenris frowned as Kennedy's foot edges against the barrier. Scott and Kira stumbled back as Kennedy pushed against the barrier holding her back. Lydia rose a brow as she watched Kennedy push harder.
Perhaps it was the demon wolf inside her, or maybe it was the amount of mountain ash the girl had sustatined over the years. It could have been the seer and human side of her that let her slip through the cracks of the barrier. Nonetheless, she managed to slip through.
Stiles caught Kennedy as she stumbled, "See? Told you," She said with a grin. Fenris had nothing to say, swallowing awkwardly as he swiped his ID card.
"Valack's cell is the last one at the end of the hall." Fenris told the three teens.
Scott looked at the others, "We'll be right here." He said. Kennedy looked at Lydia and Stiles, waving them along.
The hallway was just as you'd imagine. Like every horror movie imaginable. Each door with a new creature they'd never seen. And sometimes Stiles would see Donovan. Kennedy waited to see Peter, but she didn't. She looked back at the man in the cell. He had a bandage wrapped around his head, and something about him was off. Kennedy narrowed her eyes slightly, a familiar scent coming from the man in the cell.
"Tell me what you just saw." Valack said as they approached his cell. Kennedy furrowed her brow, turning to look at her boyfriend.
"Me?" Asked Stiles.
"The creature in the previous cell. The Sluagh. The myth is that they can take on the appearance of the lost souls that have become inextricably bound to it." Valack explained with ease. "Happen to have seen any lost souls, Mr. Stilinski?"
Kennedy rose a brow, "How about everyone down here?" She asked.
Valack tilted his head to the side, "Don't give up on us yet. We're all works-in-progress." He hummed.
The words seemed to bounce back at Kennedy like bricks. She felt her throat run dry as the man smiled at her. "Where did you hear that from?" She asked quietly.
"Wise words from a former cellmate." Valack told her honestly, "He's said a lot about you, Miss Hale. He wondered if you'd ever pay him a visit." Lydia looked at Kennedy, reaching for her hand to comfort her. "Did you bring the book?"
Valack stood as Stiles held up the paperback, "Very nice. First edition. Of course, there was only one printing." He smiled.
Lydia nodded, "There is no T.R. McCammon, is there?" She askedZ
"No."
"You wrote the book."
Valack looked at the redhead, "That's right, Lydia. Maybe you've already guessed that it's not just a book."
"What is it?" Lydia asked.
"A tool. Designed to open your eyes."
Kennedy shook her head, "To what?" She asked with a frown.
"To them. The Dread Doctors."
Lydia looked at Kennedy, the two girls sharing uneasy looks. "Why did you use a pseudonym?" Lydia asked the man.
"I had a professional reputation once. I wasn't interested in ruining it by putting my name on a second-rate piece of trash." Valack explained.
Kennedy shrugged, "Then why write the book in the first place?"
Valack looked at her, "You haven't read it yet, have you?"
"No, it's been on my list," Kennedy said bitterly.
The man chuckled, liking her wit. "I wrote it because no one believed me. Because no one listened." He said. Kennedy looked at Stiles. "They're here, aren't they? In Beacon Hills."
"What are they?"
"Not entirely human." He answered Lydia. "At least, not anymore. They were scientists once. Scientists who worshipped the supernatural. Tesla said, "If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration." He explained. Kennedy looked down as she listened to what he said. "They found their secrets in electromagnetic forces. Ways to prolong their lives, give them power, and most importantly, making you forget you ever saw them."
Lydia blinked as she stared at him, "What do they want?" She asked.
Valack smirked, "Good question, Lydia. Everybody wants something, don't they?"
Stiles tilted his head, "Okay, so what do you want?" He asked. Kennedy looked at the doctor. He held out a small recorder, making the Hale wonder where he got it.
"Hit record."
Lydia tilted her head. "What do you want me to say?"
"I don't want you to say anything. I want you to scream."
༺❀༻
Scott looked over at Kira, "I can't hear anything. Must be the mountain ash."
"I feel it too." Kira mumbled, "To be honest, I feel a little weak."
"Yeah, it's like being sedated."
Kira looked over, "This was a bad idea, wasn't it?" She asked with a sigh.
Scott chuckled, "They'll be okay without us. And those three, they're pretty good together." He said as he smiled.
"Yeah, they are." Kira tilted her head, turning to look at her boyfriend, "He always liked Ken, didn't he? Stiles?"
"I think so. He always said he was into Lydia, but I started to realize that was a cover up sophomore year." Scott said with a smile. He thought back to all the little moments he'd catch between Stiles and Kennedy, "I just think that he wanted to protect me." Kira looked over in curiosity, "I mean, you should've seen the way I used to be around her."
"Was it bad?"
Scott snickered, "I was kind of obsessive, but not all bad." Scott looked up in thought, "You know, when Kennedy was first turned, she was really scared."
Kira looked over, "Really?" Kira couldn't imagine. Kennedy handled being a werewolf so well. She was perfect, even.
"Yeah. I mean, she was adjusting to the fact that her entire life was a lie. I can't imagine getting used to Peter being my dad," Scott explained. Kira snickered, "But Stiles was the one who never saw her any differently."
"Why's that?"
Scott shrugged, "He was her anchor when she was turned, but she was his anchor since we were kids." He said. "He told me recently, that he wanted to marry her. He wants her to get accepted to Stanford, then go to college, move back to Beacon Hills, raise a family, and live happily ever after."
Kira smiled, "Kenny would like that," She said.
Meanwhile, Kennedy snatches the recorder from Lydia's hand. "Sorry, but it's a no from me."
"He's the only one that knows anything." Lydia snaps.
Stiles speaks up, "The guy is a nut-job who drilled a hole into his head. He's probably lying his ass off."
"How many have died so far?" Valack asked, causing Kennedy to look at him. "All of them teenagers. Am I right?" The Hale didn't answer. "Want to know how many died the first time they came here? Wonder how many will die if they succeed?"
The lights around them flicker. "This did happen before." Said Lydia.
"And now they're back. All because a few teenagers, who never even considered the consequences, decided to reignite a supernatural force they barely understand." Valack said as he looked at Stiles.
Kennedy felt her heart sink. "The Nemeton." She whispered. "How do you even know about that?"
"I know because I saw it." The man unleashed the bandage on his head, revealing the hole.
Kennedy scrunches her nose, "Thank, God, I didn't have to do that when I started seeing the future," Kennedy whispered to herself.
Valack smiled, "You have a third eye, Ms. Valet." He crooned at the teenage girl. "You're just like me."
Kennedy frowned in confusion. "You're a seer?" She asked in confusion. Stiles felt an uneasy turn in his stomach. Instinctively, Stiles moved closer to his girlfriend.
"Diana Theroux, a brilliant woman," Kennedy seemed confused as she watched Valack leaned closer. "I've missed Auntie D for so long."
Lydia's mouth parted in horror. "You're a Theroux," She whispered. Stiles grabbed Kennedy's wrist, tugging her behind him. Diana Theroux was Kennedy's grandmother. Gabriel Valack was her mother's cousin.
The lights around them began to flicker. Valack's thoughts come to a pause. "Who did you come with?"
"Our friends."
"What are they?"
Stiles spoke up, "Don't answer."
"You brought a Kitsune," Valack stated. A light shatters, causing Lydia to gasp in shock.
"What's happening?" Lydia asked with wide eyes.
Valack looked around, "She's disrupting the building's defenses."
Lydia frowned, "What do you mean? How?" She asked.
"It's not just the mountain ash that keeps this building secure. It's the electromagnetic energy. Eichen is built on the convergence of Telluric currents. Ley lines." Valack told them. Kennedy's eyes widen. "It's what allows it to keep certain supernatural creatures in. And certain others out. They knew you were coming. They're here. And you unlocked the door for them."
Kennedy felt her heart sink. "What do you know about Sloane Valet?" She asked.
Lydia frowned, "Kenny, what does your mom-"
"I saw her. With the Dread Doctors. Why?" She asked as she stared him down.
Valack smirked. "She's coming for her title." He said lowly. "Your blood is necessary to the dread doctors. The blood of a Theroux Alpha, and Sloane is coming for exactly that" Kennedy frowned. He pushed against the glass, "Hit record. Do it now. It costs you nothing."
Stiles spoke up, "But it's worth something to you, so you're not getting it for free." He said.
"What does the book do?" Lydia snapped. "Tell us."
"I told you. It opens your eyes."
Kennedy shook her head, "How?"
"It triggers the memory centers of the brain, clearing the fog and bringing the images of the Dread Doctors into focus. I wrote the book in an effort to find out if anyone else like me had ever seen them before." Valack said. Kennedy looked at Lydia. "I thought I could circulate it, an effort to trigger someone, anyone else's memory." Kennedy whipped around, unsure how much time they had. "They'd see the cover, a hint of memory. They pick up the book, read it. The suppressed memories surface, and they'd find their way to me to discover more. Just like you did."
Stiles steps closer "Did it work with anyone else?" He asked.
"You didn't see it on The New York Times bestseller list, did you?"
"So all we have to do is read the book?" Asked Lydia.
"If you've seen them, if they've done something to you, then the book will help you remember. Now give me what I want."
Kennedy watched as Lydia held out her hand, and she handed her the recorder. Lydia screams, doing it quickly. Kennedy spun around, "Stiles?"
The Stilinski looked at his girlfriend, "What?"
"They're here."
Lydia ended the recording, "Tell us what they want."
"Lydia, I think we need to get out of here."
"What are they trying to do?"
Dr. Valack speaks up, "Read the book. Anyone who's come into contact with them."
"Guys, we gotta go." Stiles said. He grabbed Kennedy, tugging her down the hall, "Now."
"Read the book!"
Kennedy and her friends ran towards an empty room. Stiles and Lydia ran inside. A thought crosses Kennedy's mind. She had to know. She had to see if it was true. As Stiles and Lydia looked for hiding spots, they turned to look at Kennedy.
"Ken, come on," Stiles said, seeing the Hale standing in just the doorway. "What are you doing?"
"I'm sorry," Kennedy said before tugging the door.
Lydia and Stiles scream in protest, moving to stop the door. The metal slams against each other. They were locked in. Stiles and Lydia slam their bodies against the door as they see Kennedy walk alway. "Kennedy!" Stiles shouted as he tried to throw himself into it.
The Hale walked back towards Valack. "Anything else you want to tell me?" She asked quietly.
"The Dread Doctors have hunted for a Theroux Alpha for years. They finally found you."
The sound of clicking causes Kennedy to whip her head around. Three Dread Doctors and a fourth figure walking into view. Kennedy felt her throat run dry.
The woman was fit and had long dark brown hair. She also had light brown eyes with a familiar mischievous twinkle. Kennedy recognized her. "Hi, Mom,"
Stiles and Lydia looked out the small window, seeing Sloane Valet in all of her glory. Lydia's eyes are wide, "Oh my, God," She whispered in realization. Stiles practically felt fear swallow him whole as he realized his girlfriend was facing off her previously known as dead mother and Dread Doctors.
Sloane tilts her head slightly. "Hi, Bunny,"
Kennedy clenched her jaw as the Dread Doctors continued to walk closer. Kennedy growled but stops when one grabs her by her head, causing her to shout out in pain. The other opens Valack's door with ease. Sloane grabs Kennedy, shoving her into the wall as the three walk into the cell.
"Why are you doing this?" Kennedy asked as she looked up at the woman she had believed to be dead for years. Sloane smirked, leaning close to the teenage girl's face.
"I'm doing it all for us, little Valet," She said kindly. Kennedy frowned, "You are my heir, after all, Bunny," Kennedy heard Valack scream out in pain, falling to the ground as Kennedy doesn't move, still horrified and shocked at the sight of her mom. Sloane grabs Kennedy's face, forcing her to look into her mother's eyes. "I want to see your eyes," Kennedy didn't understand. But like an instant reaction, Kennedy's eyes turned stark white, and a new vision over swept the girl for the first time in months.
"I'm going to be erased, okay? Just like Alex."A voice said ."You're gonna forget me."
Voices were deformed. Unrecognizable. "I won't. No, you know I couldn't and I won't." The more feminine voice sobbed. Kennedy was in the backseat of a car, watching the entire scene go down. She didn't know why. She couldn't make out what was happening.
"You will. Just try to find some way to remember me, okay?" The male voice said. "Remember how you were the first girl I ever danced with? Or how I totally confessed my love to you like twice in the most cheesy ways? Or how about the first time we kissed after the bet? Remember how you saved my life?"
That was the curse about visions. Many times, Kennedy couldn't get specifics. She could tell she was in a car, and that there was a couple talking, crying even. Something sad was happening.
The female choked on a sob, "You saved my life too."
"Just remember..." The male cupped her face, and pressed a soft kiss on her lips.
"Remember I love you."
Kennedy snapped out of it, falling to the ground as she heard footsteps running towards her. "Kennedy!" Stiles shouted as he ran to his girlfriend, Lydia close behind. Kennedy looked up, pulling herself to her feet. The teens looked at Valack's unmoving body. Kennedy looked around.
"My mom, she's alive," Kennedy said quietly.
Stiles shrugs, "Yeah, we saw that. But we gotta get out of here," He said. Kennedy nods slowly, looking down in thought. The two friends tugged her away as hard as they could. Kennedy couldn't help but think of one thing.
How was any of this connected to the Theroux bloodline?
NATALIA'S NOTES
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i really didn't want to have an authors note as i had one two chapters ago but i figured i should chat with you guys for a second.
before i get into what i'm talking about i do want to say this is by far one of my favorite chapters of this book. idk i just think it's such a crazy chapter that completely spins everything around for kennedy & i really love it & i hope you guys do too!
anyways, i wanted to let you all know a couple things. first of all; updates on all of my books may be slowing down, which is really upsetting because i finally started getting back into the groove. however, of recent times (if you follow me on tiktok or are friends with me) i've been struggling mentally. i really have been for months but it seems like i've really hit rock bottom, & my parents & i are planning on getting me a therapist. i need to work on forming a life outside of my fanfics, because depressingly enough i truly don't have a life outside of the stories i write. & it's not healthy for anyone, especially myself, so i need to step back and work on becoming a better person & learn how to be an adult & function in society.
this doesn't mean i'm stopping any of my books! i am working on so many books right now that i can't wait for you guys to read. however, despite having them, i am going to prioritize some over others. starting line is my top priority, always. but for my readers of parasite eve, maps, and wicked little town just know updates might slow down. not because i want them to, but i need them to. the divine zero will either get more updates or stay at its current pace, but i'm very excited for where that books going & i want it to get further into season 2 before i start maps & wlt. disturbia (my euphoria fic) is also going to get slow updates but that's not only because of my mental health im just dumb.
i also have SO many books in the drafts! cinderella & moondance especially. i want those out to you all soon but i'm going to work on completing the stories i currently have before i provide more. i'm overworking myself & my brain so please just give me time.
i love each and every one of you so much. this app had helped me through more than anything else and has been my therapy for nearly 6 years. yes, i'm old. i'm so excited to share everything i have in store for you, and i'm not stopping anytime soon! i just need to better myself and prioritize my health<3
also, regarding the teen wolf movie, i am aware dylan is not going to be in it. and (surprisingly enough) i'm okay with that! my love for teen wolf & the plot of starting line is way bigger than just stiles stilinski. i love him and he is such an important character but teen wolf is still something i love and cherish & we are getting SO many of the characters back that i'm not going to let stiles's absence ruin it for me. and kennedy WILL be in the movie! there will be an act seven of this story & it will be the movie. i already started talking about some plot points for kennedy's personal life, but it will all depend on the plot of the movie, the characters & what they say about stiles & what's happened in between the end of the show & the movie.
i know this was a long authors note. but i'm going to leave it here. i really hope you loved this chapter. i love you, and i'll see you very soon.
natalia<3