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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐈𝐗
𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦
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"Damn it!" Meilani huffed when she dropped the jar of ashes in her hand. She had been preparing it for the owner and, much like her life lately, it fell through her hands and crashed around her. If this was God's way of making a joke at her, it wasn't funny.
"Mei, are you okay?" Scott asked, skidding to a stop in the doorway to the examination room his twin was in. He could hear the glass shattering from down the hall where he was cleaning up the cages in the kennel and immediate worry coursed through him at the thought of Meilani being injured. Sure he knew about her super healing now that she was a wolf, but that didn't mean she still couldn't get hurt ... or worse.
Meilani knelt in front of the ashes, beginning to pick up the broken pieces of glass that were a huge metaphor for her life. She hated it. "Yeah, it just slipped through my fingers much like everything in my life."
"Now that sounds too world-weary a thing for a teenager to say," Deaton said, walking into the room to see the twins knelt in front of the shattered glass and ashes. He smiled softly at Meilani when she looked up to him, waving her off when she apologized for making a mess.
"Sorry," Meilani blushed a bright red as Scott took the broken glass from her, walking it over to the bin in the corner of the room to throw it out.
"You might want to try a different perspective," Deaton walked over to Meilani and picked up the jar lid. "This is just entropy at work," he paused and picked up a piece of glass that Meilani had missed and held it up also. "This is more the natural way of the universe, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's falling apart. It's just... changing shape."
Scott sat on top of the metal examination table and chuckled. "How deep of you, Deaton."
Meilani shot her brother a look before turning back to Deaton. "Is it for better or worse?"
"Exactly."
"Hey, Deaton," Meilani called before Deaton could walk out of the room and stood up. "When are we going to talk about the thing we never talked about?"
"Ah, yes, we never got a chance to talk about that. Now is definitely a good time," Deaton crossed his arms and analyzed both twins. "Two dollars?"
Meilani blinked in confusion, exchanging a look with Scott. "Um... two dollars?"
"You're right, two dollars is too little. Two fifty more an hour?"
"I... it wasn't the thing I was talking - " Meilani cut herself off when Deaton's facial expression didn't change from the calm and serious one. "Two fifty an hour?"
Deaton shook both Scott and Meilani's hand with a smile. "Good. Now, Scott, go finish cleaning the cat cages."
"You know, normally I'd complain that you got no information, but you just got me a raise so I'm not going to," Scott mused as he hopped off the examination table.
Meilani playfully rolled her eyes as Scott placed an obnoxious kiss on her cheek and walked out of the room to go finish cleaning the cages so they could go. "What a day."
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Meilani scanned the large ice rink that her, Stiles, Scott, Allison and Lydia - who had been invited last minute because Allison wanted the girl to have some fun, too - had to themselves that night. It was almost the size of a regulation hockey rink and she got tired just thinking about how long it'd take her to skate around the perimeter at least once.
"You look really beautiful," Stiles whispered in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her from behind, placing a soft kiss on the side of her head.
Meilani glanced down to her outfit of a gray knit sweater, light jeans and a pair of brown boots. She originally debated a dress, but figured since they'd be skating it'd be weird. Though, she should have gone with her dress idea since Allison had a simple white one on white a black and gray sweater over it and Lydia had a light blue dress and black stockings on. It actually made her feel a bit underdressed.
"Thanks. You look quite adorable yourself," Meilani said, spinning around in Stiles' arms to place a kiss on his lips. "Now why don't we go put our skates on so we can get out there?"
Stiles grinned and pulled her over to the metal benches on the side of the rink to put their skates on that were left over there. They were quick to put their white skates on and jumped when a thump was heard in front of them. The couple glanced up to see Allison grimacing as she watched Scott - who couldn't skate to save his life - tried to scramble back onto his feet, but ultimately fell back on his ass every time he tried.
Meilani rolled her lips into her mouth as she tried not to laugh at her twin who was making a fool of himself in front of his girlfriend. Allison seemed to find it charming as she helped him up and kissed his burning cheeks.
"I swear, sometimes I wonder how you two are twins," Lydia said, crossing her arms as she watched the scene unfold.
Meilani snorted as she finished tying up her laces and stood up. "Trust me, sometimes I wonder the same thing."
Lydia flashed the girl a small smile. "I like your outfit by the way," she complimented before stepping foot onto the ice, skating around like it was her job. It made Meilani remember that Lydia had done figure skating while they were growing up and she had even gone to a few of the shows with Stiles and Scott because a younger Meilani was also fascinated at how graceful the figure skaters looked on the ice.
The group skated around together for a bit until Scott and Allison got off after Scott fell back on his head and she decided his skating career was done for the night. So they went off to the photobooth in the concession stands while Stiles and Meilani continued to skate around the rink with Lydia. Stiles tried to twirl Meilani around a few times so she could look like Lydia, but after the third time of Meilani almost face planting, he stopped. Sure she could heal quick, but neither one would be able to explain that one away to Lydia.
Meilani and Stiles were about to get off the ice because Stiles' hand was about to freeze off, even with Meilani's boiling hot hand in his when Lydia started to scream in the middle of the ice. Meilani whirled around to see Lydia on her knees in the middle of the rink, clawing at the ice as if trying to pry something out of it. She quickly skated over to the girl and tried to get the strawberry blonde girl to tell her what was wrong, but it was if Lydia were in her own little world.
Scott and Allison stumbled into the rink area and stopped when they saw Meilani struggling with Lydia to get her to talk. The four exchanged an uneasy and worried look, none of them knowing what was going on with her.
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Meilani jumped when her locker was slammed closed by Allison and the girl checked around her to make sure no one was in the hall. The two were still supposed to act like they didn't know the other existed, especially with Gerard being the new principal, but no one was in the hall as they were all at lunch. Stiles and Scott had already made their way to the lunch room since they claimed she was taking too long and that she would have to meet them there before they died of starvation. Drama kings.
"Al, what - "
"Erica is with Derek now isn't she?" Allison asked, crossing her arms. "Scott tried to talk to her like you asked and he got no information out of her. She tried to play it off as if there's not a third wolf along with her and Isaac, but that's not true, right? He needs three and you're obviously not one."
Meilani sighed and leant her shoulder against her locker, shaking her head. "I don't know anymore, honestly."
"You need to stay out of this," Allison demanded and Meilani smiled softly at the worry that took over Allison's features. "You see what's happening, don't you? My grandfather coming here, Derek turning Erica and Isaac, it's... it's like battle line are being drawn."
"I know."
"There's always crossfire. I don't want you to get hurt," Allison said, chewing on her lower lip. "You're my best friend."
Meilani gave Allison a look. "Allison, what else am I supposed to do here? I can't just stand by and I can't pretend to be normal."
"I don't want you to be normal, Lan, I want you to be alive," Allison stressed, gripping onto the girl's hands and squeezing them. "Scott would be a mess if you died and I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt. You need to be safe."
Meilani frowned as she watched Allison turn and walk away down the hall towards the cafeteria. Just as she was about to grab her bag and make her own way to the cafeteria, her twin and boyfriend came barreling down the hall to her.
"Boyd wasn't at lunch today," Stiles breathed as Scott took a puff from his inhaler as he wheezed slightly from how fast he ran.
"You don't think..." Meilani trailed off and the two boys merely shrugged, not really knowing themselves if maybe Derek had turned him, too, making him the third wolf that Derek would need. "Okay, I'll go check the rink after school to see if he's there and you check his house. If he's not there, you both call me."
Stiles scratched the back of his neck as he gave his girlfriend a sheepish look. "Maybe we should just let Derek do it. I mean, Boyd, babe? You said Derek's giving them a choice, right?"
"We can't do that, Stiles!" Meilani snapped at her boyfriend, wondering how he could even think that was a good idea.
"I mean, you gotta admit Erica looks pretty good," Stiles said and flinched when Meilani gave him a dark look, her eyes flashing yellow for a brief second showing that she was anything but happy with his statement. "I mean... not in a I'd-bang-her way or anything.. I meant like..."
"Stiles, just stop talking," Scott cut his best friend off before he could dig himself a deeper hole than he already had by complimenting how Erica looked in front of his girlfriend. "Anyways, Stiles, how do you think she's gonna look with a wolfsbane bullet in her head? Or Isaac? Or Boyd?"
Stiles held his hands up in defense. "All I'm saying is, maybe this one isn't totally Meilani's responsibility. She can't be a wolf mom to everyone!"
"They are my responsibility, Sti," Meilani sighed, running a hand through her hair. Sure she had never been close with Isaac, Erica or Boyd, but she felt a sort of sense of protection towards the three because she didn't want any more innocent people dying or getting brought into this world. It sucked and she wouldn't wish this on her worst enemy. "And you know this thing's gonna get out of control. That makes me even more responsible."
Stiles slapped a hand to his side and shrugged. "Okay, fine, I'm with you. I also gotta say this new found sense of being a heroin is making me very attracted to you right now."
"Shut up, Stiles."
"No, seriously, babe, do you wanna..."
Scott reached out and punched his best friend's arm to shut him up, the other boy yelping and rubbing his sore arm. Meilani giggled and grabbed her bag so the three could go continue to plan what they needed to do with Boyd after school.
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Later that night, Meilani made her way into the ice rink building and felt sudden relief course through her when she saw Boyd on the zamboni, smoothing out the ice from the day's usage of figure skaters and public ice session. "Boyd!" She yelled, walking onto the ice and made sure to tread carefully since the ice was now slippery that it was cut and smooth. "I just wanna talk to you."
Boyd ignored her as he continued to drive the zamboni slowly along the side of the rink.
"Hey, come on, Boyd, please! Did Derek tell you everything? I don't just mean going out of control on the full moons. I mean everything."
Boyd finally stopped the zamboni and turned it off, sitting back in the seat. "He told me about the hunters."
Meilani shook her head as she stared up at him incredulously. "And that's not enough for you to say no? Whatever you want there's other ways to get it."
"I just wanna not eat lunch alone every day."
"If you're looking for friends, you can do a lot better than Derek Hale," Meilani said.
"That really hurts, Meilani."
Meilani slowly turned around to see Derek stood behind her with Isaac and Erica next to him. Four against one, that'll end well.
"I mean, if you're going to review me, at least take a consensus," Derek mocked, gesturing to Isaac and Erica next to him. The two looking as if they would definitely be taking the alpha's side on this one. "Erica, how's life been for you since we met?"
Erica hummed as she twirled a curly, blonde piece of hair as she faked thinking for a moment. "In a word... transformative." She dropped the piece of hair and growled at Meilani, showing off her wolf canines.
"Isaac?"
Isaac stuffed his hands into his leather jacket and shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, I am a little bummed about being a fugitive, but other than that, I'm great."
"Okay, hold on, this isn't exactly a fair fight," Meilani argued.
Derek smirked at Meilani and gestured to the door that lead outside. "Then go on home, Meilani."
Erica and Isaac went to walk towards Meilani, but froze when the girl fully transformed to her wolf side and punched a large crack into the ice below her. Her eyes flashed a dangerous yellow that screamed not to mess with her.
"I mean... fair for them," Meilani growled, glaring up at the three wolves in front of her. She effortlessly flung Isaac across the rink, slamming him into the rink wall on the other side and spun around to kick Erica into the zamboni, knocking her out on the ice. Boyd stayed where he was on the zamboni, watching the whole scene unfold.
Isaac rushed at Meilani again and pressed her up against the zamboni behind her before turning and sliding her halfway across the ice. She growled and tackled Isaac to the ice, continuing to slam his back against the solid ice. Erica hopped on her back to try and get Meilani to stop, but Meilani backed up against the zamboni and slammed Erica's back into it. The blonde fell off Meilani and crumpled to the ice.
Meilani dodged Isaac's attacks and punched his back, causing him to crumple to his knees and kicked his stomach which landed him on his back. Erica and Isaac both laid motionless on the ice, stunned.
"Don't you get it?" Meilani barked at Erica and Isaac who she really didn't want to hurt at all. However, they needed to learn that Derek wasn't their friend. He was using them for his own personal gain. "He's not doing this for you. He's just adding to his own power, okay? It's all about him. He makes you feel like he's giving you some kind of gift when all he's done is turn you into a bunch of guard dogs!"
Meilani slid both Erica and Isaac back towards Derek's feet who still stood in the middle of the rink. He seemed to find the whole scene amusing as he laughed quietly to himself. It made Meilani want to lash out and slice his throat with her claws. Then again, she didn't want to be an alpha.
"It's true. It is about power," Derek agreed. He slowly walked toward Meilani, his eyes turning red and her claws growing out as he transformed to his wolf side. Once he was close enough, he got a few good punches into Meilani's face. Meilani tried to fight back, but Derek was clearly stronger and he pressed his foot to her throat once he had her on the ground.
Meilani coughed up blood once Derek removed his foot and walked over to Boyd who dropped down from the zamboni. She coughed as she tried to push herself up into a sitting position. "Don't. You don't want to be like them."
"You're right," Boyd said, looking down at Meilani. He lifted up his camoflauge hoodie to reveal a bite mark on his right side. "I wanna be like you."
Meilani's groaned, clutching her side that was definitely bruised as Boyd backed away to Derek, Isaac and Erica. The four exiting the rink.
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Meilani ran to the only place she knew that someone she trusted could help her. The animal clinic. She knew Deaton stayed late on Thursdays and he'd be able to help her with her situation. Even though he seemed to have his hands full with a man being laid on the examination table with three long claw marks on his chest, clearly dead, he let her in and told her he'd look at it for her.
Meilani poked at the long gash on her right side, grimacing as pain shot up her side each time her fingers brushed over it. "Why isn't it healing?"
"It's because you got it from an alpha," Deaton explained, dropping Meilani's shirt back down. "Maybe we should have that talk now."
AUTHORS NOTE
HI hey hello
Ahhh and you guys thought Meilani would catch a break. I think at this point we all realize this poor girl will not be catching a break any time soon, especially with three new betas running around Beacon Hills and having an allegiance to Derek. It's all downhill from here, let's be honest here.