—
A soft gasp left Ryder's lips as she felt a small tug on her hand, her body moving in the direction they pulled her.
She immediately relaxed at the scent that was Austin, turning to him in confusion. She could see the worry swarming in his eyes as he stared down at her.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." She nodded, intertwining their fingers, "I had a moment, i'm over it."
"That wasn't a moment, Ryder. You could have gotten hurt." He whispered, his words must not have been low enough as Stiles snapped his head in their direction.
"She could have gotten hurt?! What about Lydia?"
Austin shrugged, "What about her?"
"I'm fine, Lydia's fine, there's nothing to worry. I'm fact, I don't even think she even cares enough to go say anything to anyone."
"As if anyone would believe a person who ran around town naked." Isaac scoffed, stepping out of the way of a group of girls who passed them.
"Don't be an ass."
Austin drowned out their argument, turning his head to his girlfriend, placing his palms to her cheeks, forcing her to look at him, "Are you sure you're okay?"
"One hundred percent."
•••
"Ketamine?"
Deaton looks over at the group of teens who stood in front of him, "It's the same stuff we use on the dogs, just a higher dosage. If you can get close enough to Jackson, it should slow him down enough to buy you some time." The man looked specifically at Scott and Ryder, knowing full well that the McCall would be more likely to hesitate out of the two.
"This is some of what you'll use to create the barrier. This part could be done quicker as team. For you, Stiles, Austin. Only you two." He finished.
Austin nodded from his place against the wall, his hand holding Ryder's as he played with the rings on her fingers, not fully present as he was too focused on how she had barely said a word since they got there.
"Uh, that sounds like a lot of pressure. Can we maybe find a slightly less pressure - filled task for me?" Stiles asked
"It's from the Mountain ash tree—"
"It's used as a protective barrier against supernaturals." Ryder muttered, peaking Deaton's interest.
"How do you know?"
"Her moms a wolf." Stiles spoke up, smiling slightly, almost as if he were presenting the fact.
"Romona Miller's daughter." The bald man smiled.
Ryder quickly corrected him, "It's Anders now."
"My apologies. Is it the same for you?" Deaton asked.
Ryder shook her head, glancing down at her feet as she felt their eyes on her, "No."
Deaton nodded at her, looking at her with sorry filled eyes, then gesturing to the mountain ash that Austin took from Stiles' hands, "This office is lined with ashwood, making it difficult for someone like Scott and Ryder to cause me any trouble."
"Does it hurt them?" Austin asked, beginning to grow worried, thinking of all the ways this could go wrong and Ryder could get hurt.
"Not necessarily." Deaton shook his head, pointing between the wolves, "Just don't go charging at and you'll be fine."
"Okay, so then what? We just spread this around the whole building and then either Jackson or whoever's controlling him can't cross it?"
"They'll be trapped."
Scott hummed, "Doesn't sound too hard."
"Not all there is. Think of it like gun. It's just powder until a spark ignites it. You two need to be that spark."
Austin bit his lip, quite hesitant to agree.
"If you mean light myself on fire, I don't think I'm up for that." Stiles smartly stated, earning a nudge from the girl next to him.
Deaton narrowed his eyes, thinking of a way to make this easier for all of them, "Let me try a different analogy. I used to golf. I learned that the best golfers never swing before first imagining where they want the ball to go. They see it in their mind and their mind takes over. It can be pretty extraordinary what the force of your own will can accomplish."
"Force of will."
"If - if this is going to work, you have to believe it."
"Right."
"Mm - hmm."
•••
"Hey, mom?!"
"Yes?" Jennifer placed her pan of cookies on the stove, turning to her son with a smile.
"Can I— are you okay?"
Jenn nodded, throat moving as she began to get choked up, "I'm alright, what do you need?"
"I was going to ask if I can go to party with some friends, but I can stay here with you if you want to talk."
"I'm okay, Austin." Jenn smiled falsely, "You can go to the party."
The teen cleared his throat, looking at time and realizing he had a few minutes before he needed to leave, "Is it about Finstock?"
Jennifer looked at her son, cheeks flushed as she prepared to cry again, "I don't think he likes me very much."
"Why do you say that?"
"We haven't gone on a date, yet and every time we talk, it's about how much he hates his job."
The only time Austin ever had to deal with his mother crying was when his asshole of a father was around. It had been almost a year since they had escaped the man's trap, and he hadn't had to deal with his mom falling in love all over again.
The woman had a kind heart. So kind that his father had taken advantage of it. He didn't know how to feel about her growing a crush on his Economics teacher of all people, but if there was anyone he trusted to date his mom, it would have to have been Bobby Finstock.
The man was a weird one. He obviously had anger issues, but Austin could assume that he knew how to treat women. Hell, the only people he picked on were the guys, the girls were treated with a lot more respect.
He had heard the man mouthing off during lunch about how he had met a women, he was no doubt speaking of Jennifer. So, it made him wonder why the man suddenly blew her off.
"Mom." He started, "I know you're probably expecting me to say this, but I can guarantee that Finstock likes you as much as you like him. I mean, it pains to me to say it because the last thing I want to talk about is my moms love life—"
They shared a laugh at that.
"But there's no doubt in my mind that he's just nervous to speak to you." He said, looking into the eyes that match his, "I was the same way with Ryder, believe it or not, and now look at us."
She nodded, her usual smile making its way back onto her face, "Speaking of, how is my soon to be daughter in law?"
—
A/N; i'm so excited to write season 3 😩🙌