is that an engagement ring?
[ 3.07 ]
Willow stood in the parking lot of the hospital with Scott, his mother, Stiles, and his father. She had been there bringing Warren some dinner, as he was staying late to help with a huge wreck on the interstate that led to a pileup and multiple injuries.
The on-call doctor had gone missing and the replacement they called in for him, Dr. Hilyard never made it — her car did though. There was no doubt that they were both taken for sacrifices, but they couldn't say those exact words to Noah as he took his statement.
"Hang on, hang on," Noah said, getting confused. "They were both in the car?"
Stiles sighed. "No, Dad, they're trying to tell you that it was two separate kidnappings, okay? Two doctors, both gone."
"So whose car is this?" he asked, looking at the abandoned vehicle. Its driver had been taken while still on the road.
"Dr. Hilyard, the on-call doctor. The E.R. attending is the one that never made it in," Melissa explained.
"Let me just focus on getting your story first, all right?" Noah asked, looking to Melissa.
"Yeah."
"Boys, Willow, give us a second," he told them.
The three of them quickly moved away and began whispering quietly.
"These are definitely sacrifices, right?" Scott asked.
"Yeah, it's the one Deaton mentioned," Stiles told them. "Healers."
"What about Danny? He threw up mistletoe," Scott said. Danny came into the hospital earlier and almost died, but thankfully, Melissa saved his life. "That's not a coincidence, and if he hadn't been with Ethan, he probably would've died. Danny's not a healer."
"Danny's not a healer, but both our parents are," Willow said, looking at Scott with wide eyes.
"I - we have enough werewolves to spare to keep an eye on them both," Scott said, not wanting her to worry about her father. "We'll just have to be more careful about your dad finding out. We don't need him asking questions."
"Do you—" Willow paused and glanced back at the hospital that her father was working in. "Do you think I should tell him? Warn him?"
"It might not have to come to that," he told her.
"And if it does, it's not like you sprout fangs and claws, so he won't be scared of you since you're normal," Stiles said, looking on the bright side. Then after an afterthought, he added, "Normal-ish."
Normal-ish was certainly the word to use. None of them had a clue as to what she could possibly be, though they all knew about her healing Derek. They didn't even know how. Stiles had gotten excited and given himself a paper cut before thrusting his torn finger in Willow's face, demanding that she heal it.
He still had a bandaid wrapped around the digit.
She hadn't been able to heal again, no matter how long she concentrated. And over the weekend, she never exhibited any other new supernatural abilities. So for now, Willow was normal-ish.
☽︎
Willow sat at the table with her father for breakfast, one of the rare mornings that he didn't have to be in early for work. Though he had a surgery scheduled for later that would keep him in the operating room for several hours. That brought Willow some comfort, knowing that he'd be around others all day.
She didn't say it out loud to Scott, not wanting to worry him, but she was quite worried that the Darach might choose his mother as a sacrifice. After ruining its plans at the motel and actively trying to stop it, there was a high chance that the next healer could be someone close to Scott. And who was closer than his mother?
Even so, everyone was being precautious. While Scott and Isaac were keeping an eye on Melissa, Boyd and Derek were watching Warren. The surgeon had no clue that the two werewolves were stationed outside his bedroom door the entire night, making sure that he wasn't taken. And they'd also follow him to the hospital to make sure he got there safely.
But for now, Willow was just enjoying a meal with her father. Warren made waffles and used fruit and bacon strips to make smiley faces on them as if Willow was still six-years-old — they both thought that the smiley faces made it taste better.
"Are you prepared for that history test today?" he questioned.
"Yup," she assured him. "Spent yesterday with Isaac going over the study guide with him, and helping him study helps me study."
"I haven't seen him in a bit. We should have him and the others over for dinner some night," he suggested.
"You just want another chance to gang up on me with Vernon in Uno," Willow grumbled.
"We do not gang up on you."
"I'm the only one you ever give your draw four's to!" she argued, knowing she was right. Boyd and Warren made a habit of obliterating Willow if they were ever playing some type of game. No amount of pouting could get them to stop.
"Then you can just not play," he said, shrugging. "And tell Derek to bring his sister. I've not met her yet."
"Alright, but fair warning. Dinner will only consist of her making fun of him, and him telling her to shut up."
"Yeah, that sounds about right for an older-brother-younger-sister relationship," Warren said, chuckling. "You know, it really was a miracle that she turned out to be alive."
"She thought the same for Derek," Willow said, smiling at the thought of the reunited siblings. "It was surprising news for both of them."
"Speaking of surprising news," Warren muttered. Then he cleared his throat as he pushed his plate back a little. "I, um, I may have an ulterior motive for asking you to sit with me for breakfast instead of running off to school early."
"What ulterior motive?" Willow asked, eying him carefully. Her father looked very serious, and that worried her because Warren Worthington was not a very serious man.
Warren pulled something out of his pocket and placed it on the table in between them. As he took the lid off the blue Tiffany's container and revealed a small, velvet ring box, Willow's eyes were as wide as saucers.
"Is that an engagement ring?" she asked quietly. Then she looked from it to her father. "Are you gonna propose?"
"What would you say if I was?" he asked, nervous to know her opinion.
Willow didn't say anything. She instead let out an excited squeal and rushed around the table to hug her father tightly. Warren let out a sigh of relief, knowing that she wasn't upset.
"I know it may seem rather quick," he told her. "But it's different at our age, especially when we've both been married before. Natalie's divorce has been final for years, and we've been friends for quite some time."
"Oh, she's gonna love the ring, Dad," Willow said, leaning her chin on his shoulder.
"You think she'll say yes?"
"I know she'll say yes," she said, beaming. "And I already know what room to give Lydia. The walk-in closet will make her freak."
"Make sure you don't run and tell Lydia. I want it to be a surprise for both of them," Warren said.
Willow bit the inside of her cheek, knowing she had plenty of other things to discuss with Lydia. Their parents' relationship wouldn't even be on her mind once Willow finished talking about her busy weekend with Derek.
"So, when are you proposing? Tonight?"
"Not right away. Maybe in a week or two," he said. "I'll need your help planning everything so that it's perfect."
"I'll start writing down ideas ASAP," she promised. Then she grabbed her father's hand and squeezed it comfortingly. "I'm so happy for you, Dad."
It had always just been Warren and Willow — her mother died shortly after giving birth. He had done everything to make sure she never felt like she was missing out for not having a mother figure in the home. He went to other moms to learn how to braid hair, he sat through countless chick flicks, he helped prepare for sleepovers, he was there when she needed a comforting shoulder to cry on. Warren Worthington was the perfect father and mother all rolled into one.
But now it seemed it wouldn't just be them anymore.
The rest of the morning was filled with Willow excitedly gushing about the proposal, as well as the two talking about the possible expansion of their family. But soon it was time for Willow to leave for school, and for Warren to leave for work, so they quickly began cleaning up after their breakfast.
"Didn't you wear that skirt three days ago? I know it's your favorite, but aren't you concerned about Lydia calling you an outfit repeater?" Warren asked, raising an eyebrow as he started running the water to wash the dishes.
"It's not like I'm wearing it with the same top," she said, shrugging her shoulder. "I just like this skirt."
"Let me guess," he said, smirking at her over his shoulder before he began washing the dishes. "Derek likes it on you."
Willow's cheeks burned a bright red, thankful that her father's back was turned as he finished his teasing remark.
"Keep it on," Derek had whispered lowly in Willow's ear when she had moved to unzip her skirt that night. The very white skirt he had bought her so long ago. "And every time you wear it, all I want you to fucking think about is what I'm going to do to you in it."
It wasn't long after that the skirt was flipped up over her stomach, Derek's scruff scraping against her thighs with his head buried in between her legs.
Maybe Willow had been a little too eager to get the garment washed so that she could wear it again. But at least she'd be the only one to ever know why.
Well, maybe Lydia would know why.
☽︎
Lydia had never manhandled Willow so harshly as she pushed her into the empty girls' locker room. Willow hadn't even said the full sentence before the strawberry blonde was dragging her away, practically foaming at the mouth with excitement.
"Tell. Me. Everything," Lydia said, her hands wrapped around Willow's wrist as she stared intensely at her. "I can't believe it. You finally had sex. I'm so proud."
Willow's cheeks were pink as she rolled her eyes playfully. "I'll tell you, but keep it to yourself. I don't exactly want the whole pack knowing."
"Oh, sweetie, I'm sure they can smell it on you both," she told her, thinking of their advanced senses.
"What—"
"Spill!" Lydia snapped impatiently. "Like, where? When? Have you done it since then? Is he—"
"Slow down," Willow interrupted, her eyes wide. "And it was Friday after I found out he was alive."
"Did you spend all weekend doing it?"
"Not all weekend. I mean, last night I went to the hospital with Scott and Stiles. And I spent time with Isaac studying for our test today — oh, my God," Willow whined, rubbing her forehead. "He had this stupid little smirk on his face the whole time. You really think he could smell that?"
"Absolutely," she said, patting her comfortingly on the shoulder. But then Lydia switched back to detective mode. "What was it like? What was he like? And if you didn't finish, I will be telling the whole pack because he deserves to be publically shamed."
"Lydia," Willow said, rolling her eyes playfully at the threat.
"Did you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
After a moment, Willow bit her lip and nodded.
Lydia narrowed her eyes. "More than once?"
"Three times," she answered shyly.
"I've never been so fucking jealous," Lydia muttered. "Please tell me he brought you a Gatorade or something after. And you peed after, right? You do not want a UTI. Also, I swear, if you were dumb enough to do it without protection—"
"Lydia, calm down," Willow said, smiling. She knew Lydia just wanted to make sure she would stay healthy. "You've given me the equivalent of a whole sex-ed class at this point."
"Alright. Just checking," she said. Then Lydia smirked. "I can't wait to teach you how to give a blowjob. Derek better send me a gift basket."
"You really have no filter, do you?"
"You say that like you haven't known me all your life."
"True," Willow said, a secret smile on her lips. "We're practically sisters at this point."
☽︎
Willow glanced at the text on her phone, which likely answered her question as to why Isaac wasn't sitting next to her in physics, which would be starting soon. The message was from Derek.
Don't come by loft today. Alpha's planning something. Please stay away.
Alright. I'll stick with Scott and Stiles. I love you
I love you too
Willow bit her lip nervously at the conversation. Clearly, the Alpha Pack was angered that Derek survived the fall and not Ennis. Ethan had even warned the others after they left that horrid motel that Kali was likely coming for him. Evidently, she didn't decide to wait a long time.
Since their substitute hadn't arrived, Willow dragged a chair over to Stiles and Scott's lab table that was behind her and Isaac's. She quickly showed them Derek's message, knowing to be on high alert.
"Awe. He said he loves you. So sweet," Stiles cooed in a mocking tone.
Willow sighed and shook her head. "That's not the part of the message to focus on, and you know it."
"At least they're down one member," Scott whispered, not wanting anyone to overhear. "Seems like Isaac and Boyd skipped school to go help. And he has his sister. They'll come up with a plan. Don't worry."
"I was told to not worry last time, and Derek almost died," she said, a frown making its way onto her face.
Scott placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You know that if something happens, we'll be there to help him."
Willow nodded, appreciating his attempt at making her feel better. She quickly returned to her seat, making it just as Ms. Blake walked into the classroom.
"Good morning," she greeted. "As you all know, Mr. Harris is still missing — I mean, sick."
Missing and sick weren't the right words. They all knew he was dead, yet another sacrifice. And it wouldn't be long before the police found his body.
"Anyway, I'm filling in while we all hope and pray for a more qualified substitute to take my place," Ms. Blake said, continuing. "Okay, so let's get started, shall we?"
As Willow was internally debating on if she was still allowed to use her glitter gel pens in this class now that Ms. Blake was taking it over, she tuned into Stiles and Scott behind her.
"Hey, my dad said that the E.R. attending wasn't strangled but did die from asphyxiation. They just don't know how," Stiles stated.
"Do you think the on-call doctor could still be alive?" Scott asked hopefully.
"I don't know," he muttered. "But, Scott, there's got to be at least twenty other doctors in that hospital, at least, you know? Any one of them could be next. It doesn't have to be your mom or Willow's dad."
It was horrible to hope that the Darach took someone else, but that's exactly what Scott and Willow were doing.
Scott's phone then rang, which he answered quickly. Knowing how Ms. Blake felt about phones in class, he didn't want to get into trouble.
"Hey, Doc," Scott greeted quietly. "Sorry, I'm in class right now. Can I call you back later?"
"Unfortunately, no," Deaton told him. "I honestly thought I might never have to burden you like this, but I'm afraid, at the moment, you're my only hope. I'm going to be taken. I need you to find me."
"Doc, Doc, Doc?" Willow looked over at Scott in alarm, hearing how frantic and worried he sounded. "What's happening?"
Willow then looked at Stiles, the two of them sharing a look. They hadn't considered the fact that animal doctors could count as a sacrifice.
☽︎
Stiles called his father immediately to warn him about Deaton. That led to the police getting to the animal clinic before Scott, Stiles, and Willow. Even with the heads-up, they were still too late. There was no sign of Dr. Deaton, though his belongings were still in the building and his car in the parking lot.
He had been taken.
"All right, we're doing everything we can," Noah told Scott, who had just finished recounting his call from Deaton. "Right now, the best thing you can do is go back to school."
After nodding to them, Noah stepped away to speak with his deputy who searched the rest of the building. Scott quickly pulled Stiles and Willow to the side, a concerned look on his face.
"We have to tell him," Scott whispered. They all knew what he meant, but Stiles still had to clarify.
"You mean, like, tell him, tell him, or tell him something else that isn't telling him what I think you want to tell him?"
"You know what I mean," he said quietly.
"You remember how your mom reacted? She didn't look you in the eye for, like, a week," he reminded him.
"And she got over it, and - and it actually made us closer."
"Remember last night when I thought about telling my dad?" Willow asked him, raising an eyebrow. "Like you said — it's not like you sprout fangs and claws, so he won't be scared of you since you're normal."
Stiles sighed heavily, not wanting to bring his father into all of this. "I don't know, dude. I mean, look at him. Come on, he's completely overwhelmed as it is."
"He's overwhelmed because he has no clue what's happening," Scott said. They looked back in the waiting room and saw Noah rubbing his face, an exhausted expression taking root. "He's got people dying in his town, the town that he's supposed to protect, and it's not his fault that he doesn't know what's happening. He's gonna find out sooner or later."
"Yeah, but is now really the right time?"
"What if not telling him now gets someone else killed?"
"What if telling him gets him killed, huh?" Stiles asked him, clearly upset. "I mean, okay, look, I get that Deaton's been like a father to you. I get that, okay? But this is m — Scott, this is my actual father. I can't - I can't lose both of my parents, all right? Not both of them."
"Scott," Willow said softly, suddenly swapping sides. It just wasn't the same when both of Scott's parents were alive and well. "Scott, he's right. If he doesn't want him to know, then we'll just find another way to save Deaton. Everything always works out, right? We can keep him out of it."
"You're right," Scott mumbled. "You're both right."
"No, we're not. I'm not right," Stiles said, sighing. Deep down, he knew that it was the right thing to do. The sacrifices wouldn't stop with Deaton, and they'd need his father's help to put an end to it. "I'll tell him."
"We'll help you," Scott promised as Willow held Stiles' hand comfortingly. However, Scott's determined look slipped away when he glanced back in the waiting room.
Ms. Morrell, who they knew was helping the Alpha pack and also lied about the kanima translation and it seeking a friend, was standing there and talking to Noah. She appeared to be very worried, and what she was saying shook them all to their core.
"Please, whatever you need, however you can help find my brother."
"Brother?" Willow questioned quietly, looking at the guidance counselor with wide eyes. "Did we know that?"
"Nope," Stiles muttered.
"Will you excuse us for a moment?" Noah asked her before stepping away.
Ms. Morrell moved quickly toward Scott, a set look on her face. Clearly, she wasn't interested in talking to the police. She wanted them.
"Okay, listen closely, all of you," she said, not giving the others time to speak. "No sheriff, deputy, or detective is going to be able to find him."
"You don't have to ask us for help," Scott told her. He'd never stop trying to help Deaton.
"Actually, I'm trying to help you, because, if you're going to find my brother, then you need to use the one person who might actually have an ability to seek out the supernatural."
Stiles and Willow shared a look, the same person running through their minds.
"Lydia."
☽︎
Willow, despite wanting to stay with Stiles and Scott, couldn't skip her history class. But once she finished her test, she'd go and find them all.
Cora had been with Lydia when Stiles found them — Scott was off getting distracted with Deucalion. Cora was meant to be threatening Lydia and ordering her to stay away from Aiden, but then she got dragged into Stiles trying to get Lydia's help.
Willow could only imagine how frustrated the short-tempered werewolf was getting with Lydia. Cora had about as much patience as Derek, which she'd, unfortunately, need a lot of considering they had no idea how Lydia's abilities worked.
But for one short class period, Willow wiped all thoughts of supernatural drama from her head to finish her test. After handing it in, she was excused to go and find the others. Maybe she could help brainstorm ideas on how to help Lydia.
However, Willow's plans were put to a halt when two identical alphas cornered her at her locker.
"Ethan. Aiden," she greeted quietly, avoiding looking them in the eye. "Shouldn't you be in class?"
"Nah. We're checking out for the rest of the day," Aiden said, leaning against the lockers. He had a smirk on his face that made Willow's skin crawl. "Say, why don't you come with us?"
"I'm not really one for skipping class," she muttered, staring into her perfectly organized locker.
"Nonsense," Ethan scoffed. "Just this morning, you left physics early."
"I say we duck out and have some fun," Aiden said. He threw an arm around her shoulder, keeping her in an uncomfortably tight hold. "Just like your party. Remember how fun that was?"
"I think you have an incorrect grasp on the meaning of the word."
☽︎
Isaac, Boyd, and Derek waited in silence in the loft. The floor had been covered in water with live electrical wires floating in it. They were careful to stay away as they waited for Kali's inevitable arrival.
Isaac let his eyes scan the room, taking note of the machine that worked as an alarm of sorts. It was the first time he had seen it without the large, red light shining brightly. "Isn't the light on that supposed to be on?"
Derek tensed up, realizing what must have been done. "Yeah."
"What does it mean if it's not?" he asked.
"Someone cut the auxiliary power," Derek answered.
"What about the main—" Boyd cut himself off when the lights in the loft went out. He and the others quickly got to their feet.
Carefully, Derek stepped into the water, Isaac and Boyd following. The electricity was gone, meaning their leverage and plan for Kali was useless.
"Derek, what do we do now?" Isaac asked.
"We fight," Derek said, his eyes glued to the door.
Moments later, the entrance to the loft was forcefully pushed open, the scraping and banging of metal sounding through the room. Kali was on the other side, a twisted grin on her face.
"Gonna be honest, Derek. When Ennis died, I thought to myself I'd just go for it. Find you and kill you, wherever you stood. Then I remembered how you surround yourself with these teenagers, hiding behind them, and I thought, what's a girl got to do to get you alone?"
Kali paused her taunting long enough for Aiden and Ethan to drag in a struggling Willow. Rage filled Derek when he saw Aiden's claws digging into her throat.
Hadn't the Alpha pack already put Willow through enough?
"You and me Derek, or they tear her apart," Kali threatened. "Duke will be mad that I hurt his little pet project, but he'll get over it. So, what do you say? You think you can beat me one on one?"
Derek nodded to Isaac and Boyd, signaling for them to move away. They both stepped onto dry ground, Isaac already texting Stiles and Scott to let them know they needed help. Hopefully, Derek could survive long enough for the power to come back on.
"I'm gonna rip your throat out," Derek growled lowly, "with my teeth."
The two alphas lunged at each other, claws ready and fangs bared. As they fought, Willow could do nothing but helplessly flinch each time Derek took a particularly hard hit. Isaac and Boyd were itching to help, but there was nothing they could do without risking the twins tearing Willow apart.
"No!" Willow shouted as Kai jumped from the top of the table, knocking Derek onto his back.
She couldn't lose him again.
"Stop struggling," Aiden hissed in her ear, the tips of his claws piercing her skin.
"No, no, Derek!" Willow cried as the fight went on. It was clear that Derek wouldn't be the one winning unless Stiles and the others found a way to help in time.
It all happened very quickly.
Downstairs, Stiles, Cora, and Lydia were pulling each lever to the breakers for the building, trying to get the electricity back on. Stiles sent Isaac a text, letting him know that he needed to act quickly.
Willow harshly pulled at the twins' grips, desperate to get free. "Let me go. Let me go! Let me go!"
The only one to see three sets of eyes glow a soft pink as the twins gently released her was Boyd.
"Now!" Isaac had shouted, breaking the confused stare that Boyd was giving the girl.
Isaac lunged for Willow, grabbing her and keeping her away from the water while Boyd went to try and pull Derek out. But he was a second too late. The electricity moved through the water, burning each wolf that was making contact with it. Boyd and Derek both collapsed in the water weakly.
Kali was the only one with the strength to stand. "Take him!" she ordered, looking to the twins.
Ethan and Aiden moved in sync, grabbing Derek and forcing him on his knees, his claws facing up. Kali grabbed Boyd's body, who was no match to her accumulated alpha strength. As she lowered Boyd onto Derek's claws, Isaac took Willow's head and shoved it into his chest, not wanting her to see.
Derek's red eyes shined brighter against his wishes, his beta's power flowing into him as Boyd's life slowly slipped away.
"I'm giving you till the next full moon, Derek," Kali said, leaving behind Boyd and leisurely walking to the door. She acted as if she hadn't just forced Derek to kill a pack member. Ethan and Aiden followed like obedient dogs. "Make the smart choice. Join the pack or next time I'm killing all of you."
Isaac kept Willow on the ground as they looked at the heartbreaking scene. Derek broke apart as his hands hovered over Boyd's stomach, knowing there was nothing they could do to help.
"It's okay," Boyd said weakly, seeing the tears in Derek's eyes. He hadn't known the alpha could cry.
"No, no. No, it's not - it's not," he said, his voice cracking.
"It's all okay, Derek."
"I'm - I'm sorry."
"The full moon," Boyd said quietly. There was a far-off look in his eyes, like he was lost to an old memory. "That feeling... that was worth it. There's a lunar eclipse. I always wondered what... what that felt like for one of us. For one of us..."
A choked sob sounded through the room as Boyd collapsed in Derek's arms, who carefully laid him on the ground. The sob came from Willow, who slowly pulled herself out of Isaac's hold. He let her crawl across the ground and over to Derek and Boyd.
Just as she reached him, Cora, Stiles, and Lydia arrived. Seeing one of her closest and only friends dying on the floor, Cora let out a scream and ran to his side.
Derek stared down at his bloody hands, unaware of Willow and Stiles who each placed a comforting hand on him.
"Derek," Willow called softly, tears slipping down her cheeks. "Derek, it's not your—"
He was up and moving faster than either of them could process. Pain and self-loathing and fear — and worst of all, power — were rushing through him as he fled the scene, not able to be there when Boyd took his last breath.
Everyone else moved to Boyd, watching him die. He managed to open his eyes, meeting Cora's devastated gaze. Then he mustered a smile, glad to at least see her one last time.
But then Boyd's blurry vision fell on the blonde behind her. Her eyes, swimming with tears, were blue but they hadn't been before.
"W - Will," he whispered. Then Boyd coughed up blood, it dribbling from his lips. "E - eyes."
Boyd was trying to convey what he'd seen. How the twins' eyes had flashed pink when hers did. How it seemed they let her go because she told them to.
But Willow interpreted it a little differently. She recalled that night in her room when Derek had been close to death himself.
"When you - you kissed me, it was like a feeling washed over me. It wasn't my powers healing me. It was you."
Willow frantically moved to Boyd's side. Her hands hovered over his wounds, not really sure what to do as tears slipped from her cheeks, hitting his bloodied shirt. But then something came over her, her body moving on instinct.
Warm lips pressed to the cold skin of Boyd's cheek, eyes glowing pink once again. Boyd let out a gasp as a powerful, tingling feeling ran through him.
Perhaps it was because he was in worse shape than Derek had been, nearly dead. But a wave of exhaustion washed over Willow. It was like she was losing all of her energy and giving it to Boyd, reaching out to his soul with her own to heal him.
Everyone watched with confused, wide eyes as Willow carefully pulled up Boyd's shirt. Right before their eyes, the deep wounds from Derek's claws healed. Faster than any werewolf was capable of healing, especially when from an alpha.
Boyd slowly ran a hand over the smooth skin, in awe of how he was suddenly healed. Then he looked at Willow as he sat up. She was leaning back against Stiles, suddenly very exhausted from what she'd done.
"Y - you're alright?" Cora asked. She didn't really trust her voice to say much more or to ask any other questions.
"I think I really am," Boyd said in disbelief. A moment ago, his life flashed before his eyes. Now he felt healthy and strong. He felt whole. Healed.
"What the shit?" Isaac asked.
Willow squeezed Boyd's hand, who was still looking at her in awe over Cora's shoulder. "I guess it's true that no wound truly heals without a kiss to make it better."
☽︎
"That was so fucking cool!"
Stiles hadn't shut up about Willow's spectacle of pink eyes and healing kisses. He had asked Willow so many questions, most of which she had no answer for. And given that he was driving Willow and Lydia home for the night, she couldn't escape him and his excitement.
"And why only Boyd and Derek? You definitely kissed my finger after I got this paper cut," he said, wiggling his finger in the air. "But it didn't work. So what if you can only heal werewolves? Or maybe all supernatural creatures? Or maybe it's everyone but it has to be a serious injury—"
"Stiles," Lydia interrupted, rubbing her forehead. She could feel a headache coming along.
"Stiles, please don't stay up all night Googling," Willow said from the backseat of the jeep. "You need sleep. I need to sleep — preferably for a whole day.
"But don't you wanna know what you are?" he asked, looking at her in the rearview mirror. "I mean, we'll treat this just like we did Scott. We monitor everything that happens and then go to the internet—"
"Stiles, you learned almost everything from Derek, not the internet," she reminded him. "And Derek has no idea what this is."
"Even if he did, not like he's here to help," Lydia said. "I mean, I just feel so bad. He didn't take his phone, so he still thinks that Boyd is dead. And that it's his fault."
"I think when they lose a pack member, it cuts deeper," Willow recalled. Derek had explained it one night when talking about the Hale fire. "It's worse than losing a friend or even a family member. As humans, I can't even imagine how he felt in that moment."
"But wouldn't his alpha senses or whatever tell him that Boyd was still a part of his pack? That he's alive?" Stiles asked.
"Not necessarily," Lydia said. "Derek still absorbed some of Boyd's power. We don't really know if it's still there or back into Boyd. But assuming that Derek can still feel that power, he'll be convinced that Boyd really is gone."
"I think she's right," Willow agreed. "He'll be back in a few days. And we'll have the best surprise for him."
"Look at us!" Stiles said excitedly. "You saved Boyd, Scott saved Deaton, and because of Danny, we narrowed down where the rest of the sacrifice locations could be based on the currents."
"I mean, we saved Deaton, but that doesn't mean we stopped the Darach," Lydia said, frowning. She was just disappointed that she hadn't been any help in finding the vet. "Deaton even told Scott that the sacrifices would continue. There's probably already another missing."
"I mean, I can check with my dad to see if there are any new missing person reports in," Stiles said, shrugging.
"Or you could ask now," Willow said, leaning in between the two front seats and pointing through the windshield.
Up ahead, multiple flashing blue and red lights took over the darkness. Clear signs of a crime scene.
"It's on one of the current paths," Lydia muttered, pulling up the images of the map that Danny had compiled. "I'm willing to bet they took the backup as soon as Scott found Deaton."
"Let's check it out," Stiles said, parking his car on the side of the road. "Scott's mom said that the last two sacrifices were different. They suffocated from being hung with their hands above their heads."
"Lovely," Willow muttered, getting out of the jeep with the other two.
The trio moved further into the woods and away from the road, following the sound of officers and the glow from the flashlights up ahead, illuminating the crime scene. Stiles looked in all directions before slipping under the police tape, dragging both girls with him.
"Dad!" Stiles called, spotting his father near a tree by the riverbank. "Dad! Is it another one? Like the others?"
Sheriff Stilinski sighed heavily when he heard his voice. "Stiles, you can't be at this crime sce—"
Noah cut himself off when he saw the Stiles wasn't alone. His eyes fell on the blonde girl that had her pinky linked with his son's.
"Stiles, get Willow out of here," Noah ordered, walking up to them. He was doing his best to keep the scene behind him hidden.
"Dad, you know by now that bringing her to crime scenes is a habit — oh, God."
Stiles tried to get her to turn around, he did. But Willow wiggled out of his hold, desperate to make sure it wasn't Melissa. If the Darach was mad about Scott rescuing Deaton, then Melissa was the obvious next choice for a sacrifice.
But Willow's veins turned to ice from what she saw. The sacrifice was dangling from the tree, hands tied with thick rope above his head. The bindings dug so tightly into the skin that blood dripped down his arms, staining the blue scrubs he wore. His body was impossibly still, lifeless, dead.
An agonizing scream sounded through the forest, Willow's legs moving toward the body. Stiles swooped in to pull her back, not flinching as she hit her hands on his chest, desperate to get closer. Desperate to convince herself that it was someone else.
"No. No, no, no, no! It - it's not him. It's not him!"
"Willow," Stiles whispered, pulling her head into his chest so that she couldn't see. He glanced at Lydia, who had her hands clasped over her mouth, tears rushing down her cheeks. "Willow, I'm so sorry."
"No!" Willow screamed, choking on violent sobs. She continued to fight in Stiles' arms, who wouldn't let her go. "It's not - it's not him. It's n — I - I can't - I can't — Let me go! Let me go, Stiles!"
"I'm not letting you go," he muttered, hugging her even tighter. "I'm not."
"Let me - let me see him!" she begged, hardly able to breathe. Willow didn't want to breathe. "Let me go! Let me see my dad!"
Melissa McCall wasn't the next sacrifice.
Warren Worthington was.