CHAPTER ONE
HYPOTHETICAL WOLF
✦✧✦✧✦
Melissa McCall wasn't one to ask for help. So when her husband came home every night and basically sucked the liquor cabinet dry and lashed out frequently, she didn't know who to turn to.
She first noticed a problem when Violet came home one day and showed her mother a drawing of their family.
"There's Scotty, mommy, me, and daddy." Violet pointed out to Melissa.
"Sweetheart it's beautiful. But why is daddy holding a bottle? He's not a baby." Melissa asked her daughter with a slight chuckle in her voice.
"Daddy always has a bottle in his hand when he gets home. So I drew it with him." Violet explained.
Melissa's final straw, however, was when she and Rafael had gotten into an argument and Scott had been at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Rafael had grabbed Scott and pushed him down the stairs. Angered by his accident, he chucked his bottle of alcohol to the ground where Violet now stood, looking for the source of commotion. Some glass embedded itself into the then three-year old's arm, and her brother was knocked unconscious at the foot of the stairs.
After assuring that the children were okay, Melissa made the decision that it would be best for the kids and herself if Rafael went to get some help and stayed away for a little while.
It had been 12 years since Violet had last seen her father.
The youngest McCall had often tried to remember her father, but was reminded that what her mother did was for the best when she would trace over the scar that she liked to call her parting gift, it held a small piece of glass from the bottle inside her arm.
It was very early on in her life when Violet decided that she wanted to become a nurse like her mom. Violet McCall would do anything to help her friends and family.
Although Melissa always encouraged her daughter to pursue being a doctor instead, as a little girl, Violet said she wanted to work with her mother in nursing.
Violet thought about that night as she boredly traced over her arm in pen during class. One more year until I get my internship at the hospital! Thought Violet excitedly.
Due to lack of teachers for the freshmen, Violet was stuck taking Mr. Harris' class with Scott, Stiles, and Jackson—or as she liked to call him—Jackass.
"McCall?" Harris called.
Both Scott and Violet had absently said they were present and Harris did not look excited to have the siblings in his class. He didn't like the fact that both Scott and Violet were in the same class. Of course he didn't, it was Mr. Harris. "Now I'm stuck with both McCall's in the same period. Sit next to Stilinski," he gestured to Violet, "maybe then he'll be able to control himself."
Violet stood from her seat next to her brother and picked up her things before going behind Scott to sit with Stiles.
"Take it up with the main office, don't complain to me. I merely was just given my schedule and I showed up." Violet said after she heard his little comment, heads turned towards the younger McCall and her brother tossed her a look, to which she replied to with a sassy smile.
✦✧✦
At the end of the day, there were lacrosse try outs and Scott and Stiles were trying to make first line—well, Scott anyway. Stiles was exceptionally bad at the sport.
Sitting by the back end of the bleachers, Violet saw the girl that her brother was fawning over as well as the girl who had complimented her at the beginning of the day, her name was Lydia and Violet had found out she was the most popular girl in school, who, unfortunately, had been dating Jackson: Captain of the Lacrosse team.
Scott turned to face the bleachers and smiled at someone near Violet, which she mistook as her brother smiling at her instead of the girl behind her.
Violet waved at her brother, but when he didn't wave back, she looked behind her and saw the girl that had stolen Scott's attention, the girl was smiling back at Scott and waved to him. When Scott waved back, the lacrosse coach asked if he had a question with his booming voice and he was pulled out of his trance.
The youngest McCall became curious. Seeing Stiles at the bottom of the bleachers, Violet made her way down the bleachers and plopped herself next to the short haired spastic boy. "Stiles!" She exclaimed when she sat down, naturally making him jump.
"Oh, my god! Don't scare me like that. Jesus. What is it?" He asked.
"Who was Scott staring at this morning when I came up to you guys in the hallway?" Violet inquired.
"Her name is Allison. I think Scotty's obsessed. She's new and is already part of Lydia's clique. It's like Harley was saying, new girl's here all of five minutes and Lydia's already pouncing. Lydia talked to you more this morning than she's ever talked to me." Stiles complained.
"If you're struggling that much, just pay someone to date you." Violet replied, looking up at Allison. She was pretty, she had to admit. With her long, dark hair and an unforgettable smile, Allison seemed like a positive thing that could happen in her brother's life.
"Oh, by the way, I want my iPod back. Broken or not..." Violet said, getting up to go back to her spot when Stiles grabbed her arm when he realized something.
"If I pay you to date me do I have to get you a new iPod?" Stiles asked, a hopeful look in his eyes.
"I—" she paused, "I'm not fake dating you!" Violet exclaimed. Although hesitant to be honest, she had had a crush on Stiles for almost a year, then she realized she was being insane, "I want my iPod back." She repeated before tugging her arm free and going back to where she sat by Allison and Lydia.
"Does that mean you wouldn't date me at all?" Stiles asked across the bleachers.
"Yes!" Violet yelled back as if Stiles was crazy.
As she sat down, Violet picked up a piece of a conversation, "do you know who that is?" A girl asked, it could've been Allison.
"I'm not sure who he is. Why?" Definitely Lydia replied.
"He's in my English class." Allison replied.
Violet squealed a bit on the inside at the possible thought that a girl had a crush on her brother.
✦✧✦
After Scott and Violet had gotten home, Scott was right out again, getting a ride from Stiles to go somewhere. Scott hadn't specified. Hating to be the tag along, but not wanting to bike to the hospital, Violet asked Stiles to take her to the hospital to bring her mother some lunch since Scott never did the honors.
Violet walked through the hospital doors and saw her mother at the front desk, "hey, mom!" She called, placing the plastic bag on the desk when she reached her mother.
"Is my daughter actually bringing me lunch?" Melissa asked in a shocked tone as she took the bag and gave her daughter a kiss, "thank you. Is Scott buying dinner tonight?"
"No problem, he asked me for some money—that I don't have, by the way." Violet explained, but shrugged.
Melissa reached in her pocket and pulled out her wallet, and slipping a 20 dollar bill into Violet's hand and winking before walking into a back room with the lunch bag.
Violet walked outside while slipping the 20 in her pocket and Scott hopped out of the Jeep to let her in. After making her way in and Scott closed the door, Stiles drove off. They headed to the Beacon Hills Preserve. The boys had failed to tell Violet why, though.
As the teens trudged through the woods, Scott and Stiles spoke about the body he found in the woods and his inhaler, along with a list of new so-called abilities he had acquired. "You lost your inhaler?! Mom's gonna be pissed. Maybe you can get the wolf to explain it to her, spidey."
"What if it's like an infection?" Scott asked when they finally reached Beacon Hills Preserve, searching for Scott's missing inhaler. "Like...my body is full of adrenaline before I go into shock or something?"
"You know what, I actually think I've heard of it... It's a specific kind of infection." Stiles mentioned.
"Oh, god. The worst thing you guys could do is self diagnose, it just leads to you guys doing everything wrong. Also, never WebMD anything. It all just leads to cancer." Violet added.
"You're serious?" Scott asked.
"I think it's called Lycanthropy." Stiles said, to which Violet responded with a snort and a burst of laughter.
"Good one." She laughed while pointing at Stiles.
"What?" Scott asked, obviously not understanding, "is that bad?"
"Oh, yeah. It's horrible." Violet replied.
"It's only once a month, though. So it's not all bad." Stiles said.
"Once a month?" Scott asked, beginning to question level of seriousness his best friend had on the subject matter.
"Uh-huh. On a full moon." Stiles said seriously, then followed up with a howling sound. Scott's worried face turned into anger as he shoved Stiles backwards.
"Hey, you're the one who heard a wolf howling."
"We should be allowed to poke a little fun." Violet said, looking on the ground for Scott's inhaler.
"It's not funny, there could be something seriously wrong with me!" Scott exclaimed.
"I know! You're a werewolf!" Stiles replied, "okay, obviously I'm kidding. But if you see me trying to melt all the silver I can find it's because Friday is the full moon."
"I dropped it right before I got bitten by—" Scott started, ignoring Stiles' remark.
"The hypothetical wolf." Violet interrupted, putting air quotes around 'wolf'.
"I swear it was real! Now help me look for my inhaler." Scott exclaimed, crouching down. "I swear it was right here." He mumbled, waving his hands around on the ground, pushing past the leaves that resided in his way.
"Maybe the killer moved this body you two are babbling about." Violet suggested.
"If he did, I hope he didn't take my inhaler, those things are like 80 bucks." Scott replied.
Violet looked to the side and saw someone standing there, just observing. She tapped Stiles on his arm and he looked up, and practically jumped upon seeing the man. Stiles nudged Scott, and Scott looked up looking rather confused, but Stiles pulled him up to his feet.
"What are you doing here, huh? This is private property." The man spat, his attitude was higher than a pubescent teen's.
"Uh, sorry man. We didn't know." Stiles spoke up.
"We were just looking for something, but, forget it." Scott mumbled, only to be stopped by his sister.
"No way, I'm not letting you put a dent in our already declining money supply." Violet spoke up, then turned to the man, "did you see an inhaler anywhere? My brother dropped it last night."
Without another word, just a look from the man, he tossed Scott's inhaler to him, which he caught. When they turned around to thank him, he was gone.
"Okay, I have to get to work." Scott said, checking the time.
"Dude, that was Derek Hale! You remember him, right? He's only a few years older than us." Stiles asked Scott as they started walking back to the jeep.
"Remember what?" Both Scott and Violet asked.
"Okay, one. Never do that again, it's just creepy. And two, his family. They all burned to death in a fire like ten years ago."
"Well, what's he doing back?" Violet asked.
"Don't know...come on. I feel like your second mom. Scott, I'm taking you to work, and Vi, I'm taking you to...where am I taking you?"
"Wherever you're going. I have no plans....or friends." Violet trailed off.
✦✧✦
The next morning, Violet knocked on Scott's door to wake him up as she went downstairs to make breakfast. When Scott never came downstairs, his sister became worried.
Knocking again before opening it, Violet saw that her brother's bed was empty as could be with no sign of Scott anywhere. Her first instinct was to call Stiles.
"What is it, Vi? I just got up." Stiles whined over the phone.
"Scott's not in his bed." Violet explained.
"What do you mean, not in his bed? Did he leave early?"
"No. I woke up, knocked on his door, and went to make breakfast. I would've heard him go through the front door if he left."
"Don't worry about it, I'll find him." Stiles reassured before hanging up.
After school, there was another lacrosse meet as there was every day after school. Violet waited for her brother and Stiles.
When she saw them, Scott was far ahead and Stiles was trailing behind. Stiles looked up at the bleachers and saw Violet sitting there, he smiled at her and she gave a small wave back as he and Scott made their way to the field.
On the field, coach talked about things to get them hyped up for first line, a spot everyone strived to get, "You know how this goes. If you don't make the cut, you stay on the bleachers for the rest of the season. You make the cut, you're playing! Your parents are proud. Your girlfriend loves you! Now get out there and show me what you've got!" Finstock exclaimed, blowing his whistle as everyone spread out on the field.
Stiles looked up at the bleachers and saw Violet sitting there, observing the players closely. Mostly her brother, Scott, but her eyes scoured the field until they landed on the boy who had been staring back her. Stiles immediately looked away and turned around awkwardly and very unsubtly.
If Scott found out his best friend had a crush on his sister, that could mean the end of their friendship.
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8-13-17
5-1-18