I sit up in my room with my science textbook, studying for tomorrow's class. I try to keep myself calm. Lydia is in surgery, Tracy is dead and some teenage boy is missing from the sheriff station. All this and Scott didn't call me once. I am starting to take Theo suggestion into consideration about getting back at Scott, Stiles and the rest. I hear Deaton's voice coming from downstairs so I run down to the living room. He has three jars on the table. Two with claws and the other with scales. "What's going on?" I ask.
"We're trying to figure out how Tracy got over the line of mountain ash," Deaton replies.
"I thought nothing supernatural could do that," Kira says.
Deaton and Scott, both, look at me. I flick out my claws. "I'm just as supernatural as my brother but...different."
"So, if Tracy was able to cross the mountain ash, and no supernatural is able to do that..." Deaton starts but trails off his sentence, looking at Scott.
"Tracy isn't supernatural," Scott finishes.
"Exactly."
"Tracy wasn't born or bitten," I point out. "The only thing that could've happened was she was made."
Deaton nods. "Made?" Kira asks.
"Someone is making supernatural creatures without supernatural means," Deaton explains. "Someone is managing to blur the line between science and supernatural."
"There's more," Scott says. "Liam says he found a hole out in the woods."
I look to Deaton. "Incubation. It could be a part of the process."
Kira stands up from her seat. "What are we suppose to do?"
"Do what you've always done. Protect your friends. Protect each other," Deaton replies.
"What about someone like Tracy?" Scott asks.
"I can't tell you. Hopefully I'll have more answers while I'm gone for a few days."
"You're leaving?"
"Just a few days."
"How scared should we be?" Kira asks.
Deaton picks up on of the jars. "I've lived in the world of supernatural for a long time. I'm still a doctor, still a man of science. Something like this happens, it rattles the foundation of everything you believe in. This shakes you to the core."
"Something like what?" Scott asks.
I hold up the jar with the talons in them. "The rules, Scott." I grab Kira by the wrist and press our hands together. The lights start to flicker like back in Mexico. "The rules have changed."
The next day in class, I'm sitting in the back with Theo while we are discussing DNA. Mrs. Finch has drawn colorful representations of DNA Fragments on the chalk board to illustrate the routh for DNA into cells. She turns to the class and asks, "If 99.9% of our DNA Sequence is the same as other humans, what could account for the missing .1% difference?"
"Nucleotides," me and Theo say at the same time.
It catches me off guard and makes me turn red. Without looking from the board, he takes hold of my hand under the table. I cover my mouth to stifle my gasp. I see him, out the corner of my eye, smile. I slowly grab onto to his hand in return. Kira raises her hand and asks if there can be more than one species in the same DNA.
Mrs. Finch says no, but says there can be multiple sets of DNA in the same individual which they call a Chimera. Finch asks the class if anyone knows where the term comes from and Sydney pipes up that it's from Greek mythology. It was a lion with a goat coming out of its back and a snake for a tail. Finch is not impressed because she sees that Sydney has her phone open to the Wikipedia page for the answer.
Finch then moves on to the discussion of mutation which was the night's assigned reading. Scott didn't get to that and admits as much. Finch is disappointed and brings out the forms to drop the class for the students who've realized they can't handle the difficulty level. After a few seconds of thought, Scott takes the form.
While at my locker, I see Liam coming out the locker room. He starts walking my way and I hold my breath. There has still been a lot of tension between us. In my opinion, we have been bound to break up since the beginning. I saw it happening, especially when I went off to college. Things would become complicated and a break up would happen. "Scarlett, I think we should talk."
I shut my locker and lean against it. "What?"
"What happened with you and Theo...I don't think we should be together as long as he's here."
"You know, I really wish you could understand how much I regret what happened. But, you seem to have it in your mind that Theo is gonna swoop me up in his arms and snatch me away from you."
"I know but...this was never going to work. He seems perfect for you. He comes running into the locker room carrying you! What am I suppose to think about that?"
"What? Are you seriously complaining about him saving my life!?" I hiss. "Gosh, Liam your jealousy is worse than you on full moons."
"Maybe I would be able to control myself on full moons if you were a better Alpha."
"A better Alpha? I'm not the one who throws fits when I can't get my way. I'm not the one who destroyed my coach's car because I have anger issues."
I push him out the way and storm off. I run into Theo in the hallways while he's coming around the corner. "Scarlett, hey I-"
"Not right now, Theo."
As I'm leaving, Mason comes running up to me. "Scarlett, I need to ask a favor."
I toss my bag into my Jeep. "Sure, what's up?"
"Me and Liam are going to this club, Sinema, tonight and I think you should come."
I raise an eyebrow. I glance behind him and see Liam standing, listening in. I look back at Mason. "Why?"
"Well, it's a club and you seem like someone who loves partying."
I listen to hear his heart rate pick up. I sigh and slip off my jacket. I grab him by his shirt and push him against my Jeep. "Mason, I have had a my fair share of moments of being wrong but, in this case, I know I'm right when I say you're gay. Another fact is that you and Liam are freshmen in high school. Now, the typical reasons for a guy asking me to go to a club are not the reasons you're asking me. So, because I've had a pretty crappy day, I suggest you tell the truth before I dig my fangs into your throat, okay?"
I can see this young boy is scared now. "Liam, he... He feels bad for the things he said and wants you to come with us so he can apologize."
I drop him and look over to Liam. He has his usual nervous look. I huff and nod. "Fine, I'll go but only because I know someone there and I haven't seen him for a long time."
I hop in my Jeep and drive away. Sinema is a typical gay club. There, is a friend of mine from back when Jackson was a kanima. He was the bartender at the club Danny was paralyzed in. His name was Josh and we still talk occasionally. Because of what happened with the paralyzing, he switched clubs. He isn't gay himself but he works at gay clubs so he doesn't have to deal with girls hitting on him. That night, I go to meet Liam and Mason at Sinema. I change into black leggings, a black blouse and black boots. I have to meet them around back because they are sneaking in with help from Hayden. While we're waiting, Liam and I talk. "Look, I said some really hurtful things and I'm sorry."
I nod. "Liam, let's just agree to just be friends for now. I'm sure there can be a relationship again but, right now, I think you need to find someone your age and someone who understands you more."
Before he can reply, Hayden opens the back door. She isn't happy that Liam is with Mason but Mason gives her fifty dollars so she caves in. Electro House pumps while scantily clad dancers gyrate on lighted platforms. I walk out on my own and stay by the bar. I keep my eyes on Mason and Liam, just to make sure they don't get themselves in any trouble. "Hey, beautiful."
I turn to see Josh behind the bar. "Josh!" I exclaim over the music. "It's so good to see you again!"
He laughs and gestures for me to follow him. We go to the back of the screens where the projector shows on. "So, you decided to visit me."
I laugh and shake my head. "Sort of. A friend of mines convinced me to come."
"Aren't your friends always doing that?" he jokes.
"Yeah," I reply, laughing.
"You look nice, by the way."
I turn red. I try to cover up with a joke. "Is Josh flirting with me?"
"Maybe."
He takes a step closer to me and presses his hand on my face. "Well," I whisper. "He sure knows how to make a girl blush."
He laughs and presses his lips to mine softly. This kiss doesn't last long but it feels perfect. We both end up laughing when we pull back. Suddenly, I hear someone yell, "Run!"
I hear growling and fighting. Liam. Mason. "Josh, get out of here!"
"What about you?"
"Dont worry about me! Just go!"
I run through the crowd and see Brett fighting some guy Mason was hanging with earlier. I see this is some kind of creature with spikes going up his arm and the back of his neck. I've never seen any supernatural like it. Brett starts to gain the upper hand but the creatures slices Brett in his abdomen. Liam comes and tackles the creature. He's a bit stronger than Liam but Liam manages to hold him off. Scott and Kira come in and Liam glances over saying, "You're a little late!"
Scott helps by kicking the creature off but is easily thrown across the room. Kira tries to fight him but fails. I sigh and run toward the creature. I use the wall to run up and flip over. I wrap my legs around its neck and squeeze. I hold on until it starts going to the floor. It shoots about four of its spikes into my leg before falling to the floor. I get up and I start to feel the burn in my leg. Scott and Liam start to move the boy but a spike shoots out from nowhere and straight through the boy's chest. The spike is on a string and above, standing on the rafters and lighting rig, three men in masks reel it back in on one of their contraptions. "Why did you do that?" Scott yells.
"His condition was terminal."
"What does that mean?"
"Failure."
The stare straight at me before they disappear in a shower of sparks. I start to recognize the faces of the men. They are from a book I once read at the library. The book is a science fiction/horror. "What does his condition being terminal mean?" Liam asks, slowly getting up.
"He was uncurable," I reply softly.
Scott becomes frantic when he sees the cuts in my leg. "Scarlett, your leg!"
He picks me up and carries me all the way to the hospital. My mom doses me so the pain can numb before she goes to take the spikes out. She keeps an oxygen mask over my face, scared I might lose breath, and she works on my wounds. She puts stitches in each then wraps my leg. I sit on the front desk counter and wait for Stiles or Scott to come. My mom wants one of them to drive me home since she doesn't trust me behind the wheel in my condition. None of them show. My mom and Liam's stepfather come around the corner. "Is it really necessary for you to sit up there?" he asks.
I yawn and shrug. "If I wasn't so sleepy from the drugs, I would answer in a smart or sarcastic way. For now, I'll just say yes, it is necessary."
He looks at my mom and she just throwing her hands up, laughing. "Where's your brother? Or Stiles?"
I shrug again. "I guess they had something more important to do."
I end up having to stay and wait for my mom to get off work so she can drive me home herself. While I'm in my bed, I decide to call Scott myself. "Scarlett? Are you okay?"
"Scott, I was waiting for you at the hospital for over two hours. What were you doing?"
"I had to drop Kira off at her house and we talked for a bit then-"
"Of course. Kira. Look, Scott. I'm done."
"What do you mean?"
"I am done being in the shadows of everything going on. I thought we were a pack but it seems you and Stiles have your own things going on. You don't need me anymore. After tonight, you will no longer see me by your side."
I hang up then call Stiles and hope for some kind of comfort. He picks up right before his voicemail comes on. "Scarlett, hey. I'm so sorry I didn't pick you up from the hospital. I wa-"
"If I had to guess what you're about to say, you are either helping Malia with something or you had to investigate something at the station."
He sighs. "Both."
"It's okay, Stiles. It's just time to admit that, after so long, we've drifted apart even though you and Scott seem to have your relationships in tact. I just thought you should also know that I am no longer going to sit in the dark of things and let you and Scott go out there and get yourself killed."