During their lunch hour, Sydney found herself standing between two buses with Stiles, Scott, Lydia, Malia and Kira. Her brother and his usual pack of friends were deep in conversation, while Sydney only stood their in an awkward silence. She would have much rather been in the lunchroom, enjoying her lunch and socializing with her friends, but her brother begged her to come talk to him and his friends during the hour that had off for lunch.
"I'm not sharing my basement," Malia protested stubbornly, crossing her arms and sticking her bottom lip out in a pout. Sydney rolled her eyes, only half listening to what was being said between the group.
"Actually, it's my basement," Lydia pointed out matter-of-factly, raising a single finger in the air. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the werecoyote accusingly. "And my mom noticed how you tore it up last time."
"All right," Stiles stepped between the two quarreling girls, eying them both cautiously. "She's still learning."
"But we're going to use the boathouse for Liam. It's got support beams. We can chain him to one of them," Scott suggested, causing Sydney to snap her gaze towards him.
She shook her head with a groan, her hands finding their way to her temples, "Oh, no. Please don't tell me you're really doing this..."
The group ignored her completely, and she began to question why exactly she was still with them when she could easily sneak away and still have enough time to eat lunch.
"But how do we get him out to the lake house if he doesn't trust us?" Kira questioned, crossing her arms over her chest and cocking an eyebrow.
"I say if it keeps him from murdering someone we chloroform the little bastard and throw him into the lake," Stiles said with a mere shrug, earning a glare and a harsh shove in the ribs from his little sister.
Beside him, Malia raised her hand, her eyes shining with agreement, "I'm in."
"We're not killing or kidnapping him," Scott groaned impatiently, staring at Stiles and his girlfriend harshly in order to get his point across.
"How about you just leave the poor boy alone and let him continue with his life," Sydney suggested, though once again, she was ignored completely. A sigh of defeat falling from her lips, she crossed her arms and leaned against the bus behind her.
"Let's be smarter," Lydia said with a shrug. "We tell him there's a party and invite him."
"So, you're going to ask out a freshman?" Stiles questioned, a hint of jealousy lacing his words.
Lydia scoffed and shook her head, "No. I'm done with teenage boys. But I do know someone who has been quite interested in our little beta here lately." She popped her lips and turned to Sydney, looking at her expectantly. "I saw the two of you on the lacrosse field this morning."
"On the lacrosse-" Stiles whipped around to look at his little sister, his brown eyes wide. "What?"
Though Sydney completely ignored her brother; she was too busy staring at Lydia as if she just grown a second head. "You want me to trick Liam into attending your so-called 'party'? No way."
"Come on, Sydney," Lydia sent the girl a smile, batting her eyelashes in an innocent way. "It won't be too hard to get him to go with you. He's heads over heals for you."
What Lydia said hit Sydney like a bolt of lightning, and she blinked rapidly as she fought to process her words. Though once she got over her mini-faze of shock, she shook her head once more. "Sorry, but it's not happening. I'm not helping you guys kidnap someone."
"Sydney, just listen to me." She turned to Scott as he spoke, his voice surprisingly pleading. "You're like me. You of all people must know what it feels like to have no control over your actions. Do you really want Liam to go through that, maybe even kill someone?"
For a moment, Sydney almost considered what Scott was saying. She didn't want Liam to go through everything she went through but, whether he was restrained or not, he had no choice now. He was bitten, and it was too late to go back. Once again, she shook her head stubbornly. "I'm sorry, Scott."
"Sydney, please," Stiles begged. All eyes were on her, and Sydney began to feel slightly uncomfortable. Suddenly, an odd surge of anger rushed over her and she felt her breathing falter a bit.
"I said no!" Her voice was a low growl as she spoke, and she began to back away from her brother and his group of friends. "I'm not helping you kidnap an innocent boy, who already hates your guts. Unlike you guys, I'm trying to make friends here, not enemies."
>>
"Hey, Syd!" Liam's voice echoing through the empty hallway caused Sydney to stop walking. She forced her breathing to return to normal, closed her eyes for a moment before turning to face the boy who approached her at a fast pace.
"Are you alright?" He asked softly, his voice filled with nothing but genuine concern.
Sydney nodded slowly, her fists balled tightly at her side. "I'm fine," she spoke through clenched teeth. Not wanting Liam to see her lose her temper, she turned away from him and began walking once more.
Completely confused by the girl's sudden odd behavior, Liam reached out and grabbed her arm in a firm grip, forcing her to stop walking, "You don't look fine."
Sydney hesitated before turning to look at him once more. Her voice was much calmer this time, her hazel eyes glued to his blues as she spoke, "I'm okay, Liam."
Liam stared at her for a moment; she watched as his jaw clenched and unclenched as he thought of what to say. He eventually settled on a simple question, "Are you sure?"
Sydney forced herself to smile and nodded. She looked down at his hand, which was still gripped tightly around her arm, "That's a strong grip you got there."
Liam suddenly released his hand from her arm, bringing it up to his head and running it through his hair, "Sorry."
Once again, Sydney smiled, already feeling herself calming down. She placed her hands on his chest, staring into his bright eyes for a moment before speaking, "I'll see you later, Liam."
>>
"I can't believe you are doing this." Sydney trailed behind her brother as he approached the front door of Lydia's boat house. Malia walked beside him, her shoulders heaving and her heartbeat racing from the effects of the rising full moon.
The only other cars that were parked in the driveway were Lydia's blue VW and Scott's motorcycle, telling her that Kira and Liam had yet to arrive.
Sydney couldn't help the tight, jealous feeling she felt in her chest when Scott informed her about Kira asking Liam to the "party". It wasn't the fact that Kira asked him- as Sydney knew that she had no interest in the boy. She was completely infatuated with Scott- It was the fact that Liam agreed without any hesitation. Though she quickly brushed the feeling away, knowing that, after tonight, any liking Liam felt towards the girl would completely diminish. But, then again, it could be the same towards Sydney, as well.
They waited in an awkward and tense silence for Kira and Liam to arrive. Sydney sat in the recliner, her face buried in her hands as she struggled to control herself under the full moon. Across the room, Malia would let out the occasional grunt and growl, doing her best to hold off the shift.
Sydney's head shot up as the sound of a car door closing met her ears. She let out a sigh, her heartbeat quickening drastically as the front door opened, revealing Kira and a very uneasy Liam standing in its place.
"I thought you said everyone was going to be here," Liam was saying in an accusing tone as he stepped into the house. His blue eyes immediately landed on Sydney, and he tensed under the girl's stare.
"Sorry," Kira apologized quietly, closing the door with a soft click and locking it. Liam looked around him, taking in the "everyone" that Kira had obviously been talking about.
"What the hell is this?" He gestured around the room, his voice raising in anger as the group of teenagers stared back at him. Sydney pulled her legs to her chest, whimpering quietly; this was definitely not going to end well.
"You have a problem, Liam," Scott stepped forward, the rest of the room staying quiet as he spoke. Lydia looked around the room, guilt radiating off of her in waves, while Stiles shifted his weight uncomfortably. "And we're the only ones who can help you."
Sydney couldn't find herself to listen to what Scott was saying as he began to explain everything. Instead, she found herself focusing on the sound of Liam's heartbeat, which was increasing drastically by the minute. She knew he must've been pissed, and she silently wished that he wouldn't be angry at her.
"Wait, wait, wait." Sydney's head shot up as Liam spoke. Scott had obviously finished explaining, because Liam stared around the room, his face twisted in disbelief. His gaze rested on Sydney, and the amount of anger and hurt that filled his blue eyes caused her to flinch away. "You two are werewolves?" He questioned, pointing between her and Scott. Scott nodded once, though Sydney stayed silent, her hands running up and down her arms as Liam finally tore his hurt gaze away from her.
"Werecoyote?" He motioned towards Malia, who nodded.
"Banshee?" Lydia nodded and raised her hand, her red lips pursed as she stared at the boy guiltily. Sydney couldn't stand looking at him anymore, finally tearing her gaze away from the side of his head and focusing on the wooden floor beneath her.
"Fox?"
"Kitsune," Kira corrected optimistically. "But fox works."
Liam turned to Stiles, who had stayed silent during the whole affair, "What are you?"
"For a little while I was possessed by an evil spirit. Very evil," Stiles said and nodded with a small smile.
Liam's eyebrows pulled together, "What are you now?"
Stiles looked lost for words, looking around the room awkwardly. "Better?" His gaze rested on his little sister, whose gaze was still focused on the floor, his eyes filled with sympathy. "I'm also Sydney's older brother. Just putting that out there."
Liam couldn't help but feel an odd sense of anger towards the girl, though he quickly pushed it down with a shake of his head. He looked over to a pile of heavy duty chains and harnesses that were piled on the coffee table. "Are those for me?"
"No, they're for me," Malia answered him, her eyes shining a bright icy blue for a moment before going back to their original color.
Liam's jaw dropped as he stared at the girl who claimed to be a werecoyote, "How did you do that?"
"You'll learn," Scott assured him with a nod. "But first you need to get through the full moon."
Liam looked out the window at the moon that was slowly rising into the sky. For a moment, he felt an odd surge of anger, and he twitched uncomfortably. "The moon's already out," he stated in a hostile tone.
"And you're starting to feel something, aren't you?" Scott questioned. Sydney finally built up the courage to look up from the floor, her eyes immediately landing on Liam as he stared around the room.
He was breathing heavily, veins bulging in his arms and neck as he spoke angrily, "I feel like I'm surrounded by a bunch of psychotic nutjobs! You guys are out of your freaking minds. I don't know how you did that eye thing, and I don't care. I'm walking out the door right now! If any of you try to stop me, I swear to God, I'm gonna-" Liam suddenly cut off, a noise that sounded similar to a growl falling from his lips before he collapsed to the floor. He screamed, arching his back as inch long claws began to form at his fingertips. Sydney was by his side in a second, her hands wrapped around his arm as she stared up at Scott expectantly.
"Syd, get away from me before I-" Once again, Liam cut himself off with another yell of pain, his newly formed claws scraping against the wooden floor.
"What's wrong? Liam?" Scott asked and knelt beside the shifting boy.
"You don't hear that?" Liam questioned, holding his head as if he were in pain. Sydney cocked her head to the side and listened, the sound of tires against gravel meeting her ears. Her and Scott exchanged a panicked look with each other before turning to the others.
"Did you tell someone about this?" Lydia asked, looking between Sydney and Liam.
"Our friend Mason," Liam answered, his voice a low growl. Hoots and hollers came from right outside the door, causing him to groan again. He suddenly looked up from the floor, his eyes glowing a bright beta yellow and his teeth now a sharp set of fangs. "You said it was a party!"
"We need to get him to the boathouse. Now!" Scott began to lift the struggling Liam off the floor, while Stiles struggled to pull a shifting Malia towards the basement.
"Sydney, you stay up here with Lydia. Don't kill anyone," her brother spoke to Sydney, causing her to roll her eyes.
"What am I supposed to do with the hordes gathering outside the door?" Lydia asked in a panicked voice, stomping her heeled foot on the floor.
"Lydia, who throws the best parties in Beacon Hills?" Stiles asked sarcastically, struggling to contain Malia in his arms.
"What?" Lydia's voice rose an octave as she stared at Stiles in disbelief. "Me!"
"Then throw a party."