Very long chapter, but I worked hard and hope you enjoy it! 💗
**
Chapter 23
I huffed as I exited the locker room. To hell with Cora, I'm tired of her attitude and so help me God if I hear her saying we're not trying-
I glanced down at my phone as it pinged, seeing a text from Stiles telling me he was leaving school to take care of Cora.
"Thought she didn't want our help," I scoffed, typing a short 'okay' before sending the text.
The dismissal bell rang and I let out a breath, running a hand through my frizzy hair in an attempt to calm the curls. I continued my walk towards the guidance office, catching the eyes of some of the underclassmen as I pushed past the students in my way.
"Jesus-watch where you're going!"
I paused in my steps, turning to glance back at the girl that scoffed at me, I could feel a bored look dropping into my features as I looked at her. She rose an eyebrow at me in question of my staring.
"Do you enjoy having a straight nose?" I wondered curiously, pursing my lips. "Well, a moderately straight nose..."
Shock covered her face and her friends looked lost as they tried to figure out what it was they wanted to do with the confrontation happening before them.
"Wha-excuse me?" The girl asked me.
I grinned, "Of course, I'm glad you realized you were in my way," I told her. "Make sure to remember that next time you decide to block my path."
She glared at me angrily as I turned on my heel, finishing my walk to Morrel's office.
I silently slid into her room, moving to sit in one of her unfortunately uncomfortable chairs. I crossed my legs as I watched Morrel look through her student files, brows furrowed inquisitively as she did so.
"Sorry, but I don't remember having anymore appointments." She continued to flip through her files, not looking up and I faked a frown.
"Are you sure? I've been told that I need a therapist once or twice..." Her head flew up to meet my gaze and I rose a brow.
"Well, unfortunately for you, I'm no therapist. I believe the term guidance counselor is what they're calling it."
I shrugged, shifting in my seat, "Eh, same thing."
She sighed, setting her files down, "Why're you here, Katherine?"
Scott suddenly made an appearance and I gave him an amused look at his disheveled appearance, "Because we could use a little guidance right now," he told her breathily.
She sighed and slammed the filing cabinet closed, "Why are you two bothering me?"
Scott and I watched her as she picked at her nails, out questions on the sacrifices going unanswered as she continued to avoid our need for answers.
"Why are you bothering me when you know the clock is ticking? When you know someone else is about to be taken," her tone of voice made Scott tense and we shared a glare towards the woman.
"By you," he told her.
Ms. Morrel set her gaze on me before looking in between my brother and I, "Come on, Scott, Katherine. Shouldn't you leave the interrogations to someone like Stilinski?" Her face remained neutral as well as her voice.
"I've always wanted to be a detective," I shrugged cooly.
"Why don't you just stick to what you're good at," she hummed.
I glared harder at Morrel, sitting up, "I'll have you know I took a class on how to-"
"Are you the one killing people?" Scott interruted me.
I'm starting to feel like it's interrupt Katherine day-
"Are you two even listening to my heartbeat?" Seriously?
Scott's head tilted as he listened to her pulse. I watched him shortly before tuning in to hear her heart steadily pulsing in her chest.
She's telling the truth.
"The truth is, I'm the only thing standing in betweeen Deucalion and the lives of your friends."
I gave her a suspicious look, waiting for her to continue, "I've been the one pulling the leash when they're salivating for another bite!" Her voice rose and I rolled my eyes.
"Ha, ha," I said dully. "Nice play on werewolves and dogs, really, it was interesting, but we don't care about your ability to play on words. We want answers, Morrel. Now. And I'm not asking."
She sent me an annoyed look, though she continued what she was saying, "Deucalion wants the True Alpha twins in his pack. And he thinks it's the two of you."
Scotts eyebrows furrowed while it dawned on me. The conversation Deaton and I had that felt like years ago when it was really just a few weeks...
"A True Alpha is a wolf who can be an alpha without taking the life of one, but if they do kill an alpha it could change more than just their eyes."
I shook my head in confusion, "Deaton, what're you talking about?"
His face stayed neutral, "It only happens every couple thousand of years. You and Scott can do many great things, Katherine. We'll just have to wait and see what they are..."
Could Scott and I really be what Deucalion wants?
Morrel continued, "A few human sacrafices isn't going to disuade him from the prize."
Scott leaned in his voice low as he spoke, "We're not alphas."
"I'm pretty sure we'd know if we were," I laughed. "I heard red eyes tend to come with the new update."
"But you're well on your way, aren't you?" She cocked her head to the side as she spoke with a steady voice, choosing to ignore my comments.
I jumped as Scott slammed his hands on the table, "Then what is he waiting for? What does he want us to do?" Scott breathed heavily and I watched him in surprise.
Scott rarely ever lost his cool, it was weird seeing him so upset over something. He was normally the one to calm me down, especially since we finally accepted what we were.
I looked to Morrel as she slammed her hands on the table in return, "He wants to make a killer out of you. It's what he does," her voice lowered at the last sentence and her words seemed to come out with a hiss.
I shook my head, standing to my feet, "But if we kill an alpha, we won't become True Alphas, right?"
She nodded, her glossed lips quirking up just the slightest, "Exactly. Now, do you want the psychologist's perspective? He is an obsessive who both desire's you, and is threatened by you. If the obsessive can't have the object he desires, he'll choose to destroy it instead."
A rough laugh escaped my mouth as I spoke, "Oh, great! So this is like an, 'If I can't have you no one can' alpha edition? Perfect, it's like we're in a friggin' movie."
Scott stared at Morrel, not blinking as she spoke again, "Precisely. You'll either willingly become part of his pack, or he'll make a killer out of you, destroying your potential to be True Alphas."
I tensed, taking in a slow breath, "This is crazy," I sighed worriedly, running my fingers through my hair.
Scott looked over to me and put his hand on my arm, "None of those things are going to happen."
I shook my head, "Better to expect the worse than hope for the best, Scotty. Leaves less room for disappointment and surprise."
"She's right, Scott," Morrel nodded. Scott's hand tensed and she rolled her eyes, "You two are playing his game. While you're trying to figure out what to do next, he's thinking ten moves ahead with checkmate already in sight."
"I've never really been one to play chess," I shrugged. "That was Stiles, actually, though he wasn't good at it."
Scott squeezes my arm softly, giving me a reassuring look before he walked out of Morrel's office, "I'll see you later, Katherine."
I nodded and took Scott's lead, following after my brother before Morrel touched my arm, "Katherine, a time will come where you will have a decision to make. And when it does you must be ready. Something will happen and it will either help you-"
I paled in remembrance, "Or defeat me," I finished lowly.
She nodded and I walked out of the room, "I'm just hoping it's not the latter," I told her before closing her office door behind me.
**
I put my hand through my hair as we repeated our conversation, "I thought they were going to call someone?"
Lydia had another one of her feelings, going as far as to draw a Celtic knot in one of the many empty classrooms in Beacon Hills High.
"They're making an announcment over the P.A.-" Jennifer tried.
Lydia shook her head yelling,"But that's not going to do anything! We told you, he's gone."
I straightened my jacket, nodding, "Yeah, gone. Y'know, as in not here, missing, taken... do you need more synonyms? I mean, you are an English teacher, right?"
Jennifer sent me a withering look before turning back to Lydia, "Okay, we're just trying to understand, okay? Look, all we know is that Mr. Westover didn't show up for class."
I took a step forward as Lydia sent her a dirty look, "Yeah, and the last time that hapened it was Mr. Harris. Heard from him lately?" I asked.
Lydia stomped over to the board pointing at her written two, "He's gone. And he's going to be the second murder."
Ms. Blake gave her a look as if she were a little girl and spoke slowly, "But Lydia. You wrote that number."
Lydia's lips tightened and her back straightened, "Okay, fine." She paused taking a deep breath, "I'm psychic."
I couldn't help the snort that snuck from my throat. Lydia sent me a glare and I covered my mouth, laughing into my hand.
A psychic? That's the best she could do?
An amused look crossed the woman's face, "You're psychic," she stated, unconvinced.
Lydia's eye twitched and she stomped her foot, "I'm something!"
It grew quiet and the people at the door stared at us disapprovingly for yelling at a teacher. I gave a low growl and they quickly turned away, choosing to mind their own business.
We were late. Again. What the hell is the pattern?
I heard Scott answer my unasked question In his conversation with Ethan and we both shared looks, "I dont know."
**
To: Isaac 💗
Hey, where are you? Can you meet me at school?
I watched my phone, hopefully awaiting his reply.
From: Isaac 💗
I'm busy right now. Sorry I can't, but I'll see you tonight at the recital!
I sighed in disappointment, not replying as I shoved my phone into my back pocket. I had a feeling Isaac wasn't telling me everything. And secrets were what tore us apart last time, I couldn't let that happen again. I don't think I could take it right now.
"What's wrong?"
I looked up, seeing my brother watching me closely, eyebrows furrowed.
I shook my head, "Was it stupid?" I asked him. "Getting back with Isaac... did I make the wrong decision?"
Scott gave me a surprised look, and we made our way back to mom's car, "What brought this up?"
I tucked my hair behind my ear, "Recently things haven't been the same. And I know losing Boyd has been hard on everyone, especially Isaac, but... I don't know, Scott, it just seems like... like I'm losing him all over again."
We stopped in front of our car, and Scott watched me closely before answering, "I don't know," he finally said after a few seconds.
My chest tightened and I felt a small bloom of panic bury itself in my chest. I nodded to him, leaning against the hood of the car, crossing my arms as we sat in silence.
"You'll never really know something was a bad idea till it finally goes wrong," he explained, moving to lean against the car beside me. "I think you and Isaac love each other, I do."
"But..." I said.
He gave me a gentle look, "But I think that love between two people has the ability to change."
"What about Allison?" I asked. "You're still obviously in love with her."
Scott laughed at my comment, looking at his hands, "Yeah... me and you haven't had the best luck falling in love with who we have."
"But that doesn't change the fact that we're in love with who we are," I sighed.
" 'Course not," he told me. "We cant pick and choose who we love or who loves us, we just have to go with the motions and hope that things fall in our favor."
"Hope," I repeated. "You always have hope, Scott."
He shrugged, "Hopes one of the things you can keep forever. Hope can't be taken, but you can lose it for a while till you find it again."
I laughed, looking up to meet my brother's eyes, "Look at little ole Scotty boy getting all philosophical on me," I teased, moving to ruffle his hair playfully.
He nudged me back with a laugh, "Oh, shut up, loser."
Our laughter died down slowly and I cleared my throat, "I don't think I can love anyone the way I love Isaac."
Scott nodded, "You can't," he confirmed, "just like I'll never love another girl like I love Allison."
"I don't want to lose this, Scott," I whispered. "It was hell seeing him but not being able to be with him. It was like watching a movie, only being able to stand aside and watch things unfold."
Scott grabbed my hand in comfort, "We never want to lose the people we love, but sometimes you can't control fate."
"Fate?" I laughed, watching my brother closely. "Since when have you believed in fate?"
He shrugged, "Around the time I found out werewolves existed."
"Touché," I nodded.
Another silence settled over us before Scott hopped off the car, "Let's get home, we still have the recital tonight and we need to be ready for anything."
I nodded, pushing off the hood, "And I still need to get ready," I said as I slid into the passenger seat.
Scott paused as he started the car, "Why would you need to get ready?"
I gave him an obvious look, "It can't hurt to save the day in style, Scott."
**
STOPPED EDITING HERE
"All black, though? We're not spies."
I rolled my eyes as Scott and I leaned against the wall in the back of the school auditorium. We hadn't been here for long, but Scott had continued to comment on my choice of clothing since we left the house.
"It's universal, Scott," I told him, scanning the crowd around us as I spoke, "I look good, and I can go incognito."
"Incognito?" Scott laughed at me.
"Oh, shut up," I scoffed, punching his arm in annoyance.
My eyes scanned the audience again and I grinned at the sight of Danny dresses up in his suit. He looked adorably handsome and seemed to be glowing under the dimmed school lights.
He looked my way and I waved, giving him a cheesy thumbs up. He chuckled at me, shaking his head as he continued to talk to Ethan.
Mine and Scott's eyes followed Ethan as he made his way from Danny to his brother. After seeing them congregating together, we swept over the room to find Morrel.
I hummed, "It's a full house tonight."
"It's so crowded," Scott commented. "It's gonna be hard to spot anyone out of place, but we have to try."
"We can do it," another voice piped up from beside us.
Scott and I looked to see Lydia standing to Scott's left, her own eyes scanning over the room, lingering non Aidan before finding mine and my brother's.
Scott's eyes widened, "I thought you were going home!" He whispered in a hushed tone.
She sighed shaking her head, "I can't."
"What do you mean you can't?" I asked. "Lydia, you could get hurt. You need to be home, somewhere safe."
Her eyes met mine, glistening with unshed tears, "I don't know why we keep finding the bodies, but maybe if we just stopped trying to fight it, maybe we could find them before it hapens. Maybe with enough time for the two of you to do something about it."
Scott shifted closer to Lydia, his voice coated with determination, "You get me the time and I'll do something about it. I swear to God, I will," he told her.
Lydia nodded slowly taking his hand slowly giving it a reassuring squeeze.
Hope... Something Scott never fails to have in any situation.
We all stayed in the back as the orchestra began to play a very melancholy tune. I watched curiously at the music, it seemed to be ironically fitting for our situation.
A low vibration sounded and Lydia checked her phone, giving me a look muttering, "It better be," before she slowly walked away.
The doors of the school slammed open and Chris and Allison juries in, Isaac not far behind. He moved past the argents to stand beside me. I watched him as he gave me a small smile, leaning in to press a kiss to my cheek, but I moved before he could make any contact.
"So this is what you were busy with?" I asked him, crossing my arms. "I don't understand why you couldn't tell me."
Isaac took a step closer, "Kat, hold on, okay? I was just trying to help. It's really not a big deal."
"It is to me," I snapped at him, scanning his face. "Okay? It's not a big deal to you, Isaac. But it is to me."
"I'll tell you later, okay? But right now I have to do this by myself," he pleaded with me.
"Shh," I hushed him, "I'm trying to listen to the music. We are at a band concert."
"Isaac," a voice whispered harshly.
We turned to look at Allison and her father, seeing the two waiting on him to follow behind.
Scott and I shared a look and I looked back up at Isaac, seeing him already watching me with an apologetic look.
"You're really not gonna tell me?" I asked him.
He looked in between Allison, Chris, and me, sighing, "I have to do this, Katherine. Please, just trust me."
"I trust you, Isaac," I told him, taking his large hands in mine. "I trust you more than anything."
"But," he sighed, hanging his head.
"But trust goes both ways," I said to him.
"I do trust you!" He told me, holding my hands tighter. "Katherine, I trust you more than anyone."
"Well, that's not what it feels like right now," I said. "When people love each other, you never do things alone. You do them together."
His silence was all the answer I needed and I ignored the small pang in my chest as I dropped his hands, "Go," I told him, clearing my throat as it cracked slightly.
"Katherine..." he trailed off, not knowing what to say.
"Go, Isaac," I told him again. "You saw me at the recital, right? And now you have to go."
He closed his eyes momentarily before opening them and leaving a quick kiss on my forehead before pulling away and leaving with the Argents.
I glanced down at my feet and sighed, looking back up to se my brother already watching me.
"Weird, right?"
"Very," he nodded before the both of us looked back to the stage.
It didn't take long before Scott and I's attention was taken from the recital again, both of us looking back as hands grabbed at our shoulders.
"Stiles?" I furrowed my brows at his worried look.
"Lydia?" He panicked. "Where's Lydia?"
"She got a text and left, I-" I shook my head, "What's wrong? What happened?"
"We need to find Lydia," he told us, "now."
**
"Lydia? Lydia!"
The three of us yelled for her as we pushed from the double doors. Scott and I searched the area, vision heightened as we tried to find any trace of Lydia Martin.
"Anything?" Stiles worried.
"Nothing," I told him, Scott shaking his head in answer.
"She's not answering texts," he said. "What do we do?" He rose his voice when we didn't answer him. "Guys? What do we do?"
I paused at the tugging in my chest, taking a step forward as I tried to find any sign of Lydia Martin.
"Where are you, Lydia," I whispered.
My eyes clamped shut and I felt a sharp cry pierce the air. Scott and I gasped, hands flying to cover our ears in an attempt to lessen the blow of Lydia's belting wail.
"Scott? Katherine? Hey, what's wrong? What's going on? Guys!"
We couldn't answer Stiles, the two of us dropping to our knees at the pain of the scream. It was like she was right beside us, screaming in our ears and not taking a breath. Needles prickled in my ears and my breathing shortened as I tried to tune out of the screaming.
"Lydia—" I choked out, gasping when the scream finally stopped.
Stiles rushed to our sides, "What? What's wrong? What did you hear?"
Scott and and shared a look, and I stumbled to my feet with the help of Stiles, "We need to go, now."
Scott took my outstretched hand and we took off in a sprint towards the source of the scream, Stiles left trying to catch up behind us as we ran ahead.
"Here!" I yelled, pushing through double doors of the school's right wing entrance.
"Drop it!"
Scott found my eyes again as we ran, "Stilinski."
The squishing sound of a blade meeting muscle invaded my ears and I heard the deep clang of something falling. Scott and I pushed harder, bursting into the room, seeing Stilinski holding a knife protruding from his shoulder, Jennifer Blake standing just steps away.
I knew it.
My eyes caught Lydia's distressed form, seeing her tied to a chair with something hanging loosely from her throat, and I felt myself shift, a threatening growl rumbling in my throat. Jennifer's lips twitched at the sight of Scott and I, and I was the first to attack as Scott roared a loud call.
I pushed ahead of Scott, jumping over the rows of desks in my way, hand raised and claws extended as I prepared to knock the woman down.
Though as I landed, she dodged my attempt at tackling her. I lunges at her chest, and she leaned away, swiftly deflecting my hits.
"Gotta say, I'm a little disappointed," Jennifer said lowly, dodging another swipe of my claws. "Thought you'd be a better fighter."
Before I could swing at her again, the base of her foot swung up and out, placing itself in my chest. My eyes widened at her move, but before I could move my arms to grab her leg and shove her off, she pushed forward, sending me hurting over Stiles's dad.
I grunted as the air was knocked from my chest once my body made contact with the wall opposit of Jennifer. I groaned as I slumped to the floor, pain striking every bone I could think of. I heard Scott roar again anger as he moved forward to fight Jennifer, though he was beat not long after he began.
What the hell is she?
His body landed across from mine, knocking into a pile of desk chairs before he finally fell to the linoleum floor. The two of us coughed, painting the floor with crimson as we lost our energy.
I couldn't bring myself to move, my vision beginning to fade in and out as I watched Jennifer shove the teacher's desk against the door, barricading us in the small room. I took in a wheezing breath, wincing as my chest tightened painfully. I moved to push myself to my feet, but felt my arms go out, sending me falling back down; I must've hit my head when she kicked me back.
I groaned again, watching with blurry eyes as Sheriff Stilinski stumbled up into a shaky kneel, gun back in his hand and drawn on Jennifer.
He spoke to the woman, but everything was so muffled that it sounded like I was underwater, listening to people on the surface.
"Sheriff," I coughed, blinking frantically in an attempt to clear my vision, "r-run."
Before he any time to process it, Jennifer jumped him, throwing his body against the neighboring wall, gripping onto the knife imbedded into his shoulder. A clinking sounded beside me and I slowly turned my head, seeing Sheriff Stilinski's badge laying beside me, crushed.
I heard the window shatter and I winced as small shard of glass grazed my skin. I fought against my exhaustion, trying to move anything, but the hit from Jennifer was something I hadn't felt before. It was powerful, more powerful than an alpha pack, a Chimera, hell, even Peter Hale.
I felt someone lay a hand on my shoulder, "Katherine?"
I groaned, "Stilinski?" I mumbled, wincing as Scott put his arms under me, lifting me from my spot on the floor.
I leaned against him, hand put to my head as I saw Stiles rushing in. He rushed to the broken window, heart racing a mile a minute.
"Dad?" He called, eyes scanning outside in hopes of finding any sign of Sheriff Stilinski.
Stiles looked back at Scott and I, lip quivering as he tried to figure out what the hell just happened and what would happen to his dad.
My head fell to Scott's shoulder, and I felt his grip supporting me tighten. We couldn't stop Jennifer... we saved Lydia, but at the price of Stiles's dad...
"W-What?" Stiles whispered, shoulders slumping. He was speechless, we all were.
"Lydia?" I asked Scott.
He looked down at me, glancing back at Lydia, "She's okay," he nodded at me.
I looked towards her, "Go help her," I told him. "I'll be fine, just let me lean on something."
He nodded, moving me to lean against one of the desk in the room. I winced as I supported myself, my hand flying to my head again as sharp pains shot through my skull.
"Ugh," I grunted, holding my head in hopes it rid me of the God awful migraine.
Shuffled footsteps approached me, and I looked up to see Stiles's teary eyes watching his feet. His lip was still quivering and I could see the obvious shake in his hands as he stood in front of me.
"Stiles..." I whispered, reaching out to touch his arm.
A loud sniffle answered me as he looked up, and I felt my heart shatter at his destroyed look. I wordlessly pulled him into a hug, ignoring the pain it sent through me as I wrapped my arms around his middle.
He didn't move for a moment, but before long his long arms wound around my waist, his soft cries being muffled in my neck as we stood in the middle of the destroyed classroom. His grip tightened and I pressed the side of my face against his chest, trying to use our contact to take his pain away. I tried as hard as I could, but nothing came through, I couldn't take this pain away.
So I stood with him, our arms encircled around each other tightly as I comforted my best friend, "We'll find him, Stiles," I told him. "I promise."
****
Damn. I finally got this chapter finished. I completely rewrote this whole chapter, and decided to finish the entire episode, so sorry it was so long!
Don't forget to comment and vote!
Love you all and thank you for reading! 💗
//Edited//