Stiles could hear his friends' voices but wasn't really listening to the conversation. He just resolved to keep on biting on his nails, his eyes fixed on a random spot he wasn't even looking at.
It had happened again. A member of the pack was in great danger, mortal danger even. He had gone through that situation many times.
Someone of the pack was in trouble and needed saving. The bad guys often targeted them, so it wasn't new for him.
Then why was his heart racing? Why was it so hard to breathe? Why did Stiles feel at the verge of a panic attack? It was even worse than the previous times something like that happened... Why?
"It was a trap" Derek sighed sadly. "They must have realized I followed them and elaborated the plan"
"What do you mean?" Kira asked worriedly, frowning as her eyes darted from him to Scott.
"They knew I was listening, so maybe they set everything up so this would happen" The tall man replied gravely, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Were they planning on kidnapping Catori?"
"They went after her before..."
"Are we sure they actually took her?"
"It looks like it"
"But what if-?"
"There wasn't any blood" Scott intervened, not really wanting to hear the theories of what terrible things might have happened to her. "I checked, not even the scent of it"
"Nor any signs of struggle either" Liam had been there with him when he examined the scene. "That's a little strange"
"They probably just knocked her out" Malia suggested, thinking it was plausible.
"Why would they take her, though?" Scott couldn't wrap his head around the idea of the bad guys needing Catori. She wasn't even a werewolf or anything!
"Maybe it has something to do with that investigation" Kira gasped when the thought hit her. "Of the girls disappearing? What if it's related somehow?"
"Can we stop talking about it and try to actually find her?" Stiles tried not to sound too rude or anguished as he stood up from the couch and joined his friends.
He was used by then to that horrible feeling. That stirring queasy feeling on his stomach, that void in his chest, that overwhelming fear that made his mind fuzzy.
But with Catori it was different. He couldn't really explain how, but it was.
"But we have no clues, nothing at all" Scott frowned in spite of himself, hating to feel so pessimistic and defeated. "We don't know where to start"
"We can start by looking for her" Stilinski was almost angry, even though it was just anxiety disguised as such.
"He's right" Derek accepted reluctantly. "We need to start looking"
"Let's go then" As Liam walked, he took his phone out and texted Mason asking for help as well.
"I'll ask Lydia if she knows something" Kira grabbed her cell as well. "Since she's already been looking and asking everywhere"
Everyone left seeking for Catori, but Scott kept staring at Stiles. So when his friend sternly walked over to the door, he held his arm to stop him. He knew him too well and understood there was more to it than just concern.
"What's the matter with you?" Scott was genuinely surprised to see how affected his best friend was by this. "I thought you didn't like her that much"
"Yeah, so did I" Stiles gulped, hating to feel like that. And especially not realizing his true emotions before. "But I can't take not knowing where she is"
"Catori... Stiles, do you actually-?"
"I don't know"
A heavy silence fell over them as Stiles looked back and forth, uncomfortable. He honestly had no idea what his feelings towards Catori were, but it was obvious that there were some.
"One thing's for sure, Scotty" The kid nibbled on his bottom lip restlessly. "I need to know she's okay"
"I know" He placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, letting him know that the pack cared about Catori too and they would not sit around and let that happen. "We'll find her"
"I really hope so" Stiles sighed, his caramel eyes becoming watery in apprehension. "I need to find her"
*
Catori had to blink a few times before her sight cleared enough for her to see something. Not only because of the tears in her eyes, but also due to her blurry vision.
She felt dumb because of it, but she didn't understand. Her first thought after she regained consciousness was... Why was she still alive?
Even if being alive wasn't the best at that moment.
Her head hurt so much that it was hard to create a coherent thought. Her eyelids felt heavy and her eyeballs burned with exhaustion. Her mouth was dry and sore. Her muscles ached, it felt like life was being drained out of her and every fiber of Catori just wanted to pass out and get some rest.
She was indeed exhausted to the point that all she wanted to do was sleep. Maybe because it was also easier than facing the frightening situation she was stuck in. Not knowing where she was, why she was there or who took her there.
All she was aware of was what she could feel at that moment. How her body screamed at her to give it a rest and refused to go through the same thing all over again.
How her mind begged not to overcome such tiring task even if Catori had no idea what it was. All she knew was that she had been put through a lot.
She felt sensitive, vulnerable, weak and lost. Terrified. And alone.
Steps suddenly were audible from where Catori lied motionless. And she could do nothing to run away from them. Not even scream, because the sound got stuck in her throat because of the overwhelming fear that struck her.
All the girl did was close her eyes tight and evoke her friend's faces. Lydia, Scott, Kira, Derek, Malia, Liam. Stiles.
And repeat the same refrain all over again even if it wouldn't come true just because she wanted it to. 'Please, come find me. Save me'.
*
"Even if I'm a banshee and not a werewolf, I can sense your anxiety"
Stiles pretended like he hadn't been seething in silence, eating his head about Catori's fate again. And dreading over it.
It was absurd! He told himself he needed to stop that immediately and face it instead.
"You're the one that was so worried that immediately left and went to look for Catori on her own" He replied sassily, glancing at her.
Lydia rolled her eyes and pursed her lips.
"What I meant to say is you need to relax, because it's gonna be okay"
The boy glanced at his female friend with a questioning look.
"Have you somehow seen it or something?"
"No" The redhead sent an encouraging and warm grin his way. "I just know"
He acknowledged her attempt to cheer him up with a small smile.
"Thanks" Stiles nodded, giving her an eloquent look. "I know you're really close to her too"
"We all love Catori" Lydia shrugged one shoulder, nonchalant. "And we're gonna find her"
"What else can we do, though?" He sighed tiredly, emotionally and physically. "She won't answer her phone, we can't find her anywhere and we have no clues!"
"We'll come up with something"
The two of them then remained silent until Stiles' phone beeped, which made them jump up in surprise and excitement. Urgently, he pulled it out in the hopes that anyone had news about Catori. Even if it was the tiniest clue it would ease his nerves a little bit.
"It's from Scott..." Stiles opened the text and read it. "They found something but don't know if..."
When Lydia noticed his expression changed drastically, she observed the screen in apprehension.
"What?" All she could see was a photo of a wooden totem that didn't really mean anything to her.
"I gave that to Catori..." Stiles glanced at her and gulped.
He knew she wouldn't just casually drop it because that totem was the symbol of their friendship, of how they set aside their differences and past arguments to get along and how he had apologized for distrusting her in the beginning.
"Could she have dropped it on purpose?" Lydia thought as she stared at the picture they sent Stiles. "It's hard to believe that it just fell off..."
It definitely wasn't the smallest object and the possibility brought a spark of hope to the whole situation.
"Maybe as a clue..." He smiled, hopeful and restless. "So we would find it"
For a moment, they fixed their eyes on the other and spoke without words, just with that simple glance. Then they just went back to the Jeep to reunite with Derek and Scott and talk about their new finding.
The redhead glanced at him curiously as they fastened their seat belts.
"How come you gave Catori that totem?"
"Not now, Lydia..." Something told him that, like in the shopping mall, she had something in her mind that involved the two of them. And he wasn't ready to face that subject, not to mention in that stressful situation.
*
Instead of Derek's, the two of them went over to Scott's house since he told them to do so. Derek would meet with them after that.
"So you gave her that totem" The werewolf boy summarized once Stiles told him everything.
"Yeah, and we think she might have dropped it as a clue"
"Can you track her scent with that?" Lydia asked him, hopeful.
"I'm not sure I can" He made a face, annoyed. "Catori can be anywhere in Beacon Hills. They might even have taken her away from here!"
"Look, Catori is missing" Stiles frowned restlessly. "They tried to get her before, but it's now that they managed to. Who knows what they're planning to do with her"
"I know, I know!"
"No, Scott" He sighed. "It's like all those girls who disappeared too, do I have to remind you that they're dead now?"
"That's not gonna happen to Catori" Lydia piped up urgently, shaking her head with determination.
"Lydia's right" Scott intervened, locking eyes with his best friend. "We won't let that happen"
Stilinski stirred on the spot restlessly and groaned in exasperation.
"Ugh, where the hell is Derek?!"
"I don't know, he just said he needed to do some inquiries"
"What if he takes too long?!"
"Should we still wait for him?" Lydia asked Stiles, wondering if it was a good idea. "If he said he'll be here..."
"I think we should" Scott answered instead, feeling the need to have Derek by his side in such a perilous situation.
"Scott, we need help" Stiles urged him, sending him a begging look. "And we need it now"
Knowing his friend was right, since it was a matter of life or death, he nodded.
"Deaton" Scott suggested, thinking he might help. "Deaton can do it"
Nodding, Stiles snapped his fingers and began rushing to the Jeep to get to the clinic as soon as possible.
"What if he doesn't know anything?" Lydia worried as she climbed on the back seat. "He's useful when it comes to werewolves, but-"
"Not helping, Lydia" The driver complained as he started the engine.
"You're right" She obliged, biting her bottom lip. "He should be able to help us a little"
"We can also investigate the totem, or see if we find another lead" Scott added from the co-pilot seat, trying to be positive. "And Derek is going to say something eventually"
Stiles didn't take his eyes off the road as he listened to his friends, but he sighed in dread. He really hoped they were right and they found her. Soon.
His eyes darted to the rear view mirror when he felt Lydia stirring in the back.
Engulfed by a strong feeling she couldn't really explain nor understand, she slapped her hands on the boys' shoulders. She knew that feeling, though, since she was familiar with it by that point.
"Stop the car!"
"Why? What's happening?!"
"What?!"
"Do it, Stiles!"
He obeyed and suddenly brought the vehicle to a halt, throwing the three of them forward as they embraced for it.
The two males immediately turned their heads to the banshee, knowing it had something to do with her skills.
"What is it?"
"I can sense Catori is in danger" She frowned and made a pause, not really wanting to say it out loud because it would make it real. "If we don't find her soon, she's going to die"