"Dude, I just talked to my dad, who just talked to Jackson, and I've got really terrible, horrible, very, very bad news," Stiles said as he sat next to Scott and me.
"I think I already know," I said as I stared at the back of Isaac's head.
"All right, I only found one thing online called a kanima. It's a were-jaguar from South America that goes after murderers." Stiles said. I couldn't agree with him because it was more reptilian.
"That thing was not a jaguar," Scott said as if he was reading my mind.
"Yeah, and I'm not exactly a murderer," I said causing both to look at me.
"Yeah, but you did see it kill somebody, which is probably why it tried to kill you. And it's still trying to kill you, and it probably won't stop until you're dead" Scott said causing me to feel even worse.
"You know, sometimes I really begin to question this "friendship," I said, sarcasm dripping with each word. Scott just shrugged and I looked to Stiles for help but he just shrugged as well.
"Hey, testicle left and right. What the hell is a kanima?" I heard Jackson ask from behind us. Good God, this kid...
"All right, listen up. A quick warning before we begin our review. Some of you, like McCall, might want to start their own study groups because tomorrow's midterm is so profoundly difficult - I'm not even too sure I could pass it. Okay, I need a volunteer at the board to answer the first question. Who's got it, huh? Come on, let's go, buddy." Coach Finnstock said from the front of the class.
"Paralyzed from the neck down. Do you have any idea what that feels like?" Jackson asked causing me to go against what I'd just decided and get myself into the conversation.
"I'm familiar with the sensation," I said, my eyes instinctively rolling. Stiles grabbed my hand and I relaxed a little bit. But then I thought of what I was planning...What I was going to do...
"Wait - why would Derek test you? Why would he think that it's you?" Scott asked, causing me and Stiles to whip our heads back.
"How should I know?" Jackson asked.
"Wait, do they think it's Lydia?" I asked glancing over at the redhead.
"I don't know, all I heard was her name and something about chemistry," Jackson said. I felt Stiles' hand loosen around mine. I know that he's still got feelings for her, that will never change. And honestly, right now, I don't exactly want it to. I want him to love someone other than me, because of what I have to do.
"Jackson! Do you have something you want to share with the rest of the class?" Coach Finnstock asked with a hunt of annoyance wrapped around his words.
"Um - just an undying admiration for my - my coach," Jackson said, causing me to roll my eyes.
"That's really kind of you. Now shut up! Shut it! Anybody else?" Coach said.
"How do we know it's not her?" Scott asked as we all watched Lydia.
"Because I looked into the eyes of that thing, okay? And what I saw was pure evil. And when I look into Lydia's eyes, I only see 50% evil. All right, maybe 60. You know, but no more than 40 on a good day." Stiles said, I felt the darkness prick me with jealousy but I ignored it. Stiles is going to need someone after I...
"Stiles, that's not a very good argument," Scott said, I agreed with him 100%. Derek would never call off the pack for a reason like that. Lydia had walked to the front of the class and was supposed to be answering a question.
"I'm aware of that, but I swear it's not her. It can't be, all right? Lydia's fine." Stiles said, but I had turned my attention back to the crying figure in the front of the class. The one that I had grown to like. The one whose body shook as she sobbed in front of the class.
"Lydia!" I yelled. She opened her eyes and looked completely and utterly confused as to where she was. She was holding a piece of chalk in her hand. I scanned the board behind her. EMPLEHENOEMOS was written several times on the board.
"Okay then, anybody else want to try answering? This time in English?" Coach said causing the entire class to burst into laughter. I pulled out my phone and was looking at the board through my camera. Lydia turned around and looked at the board.
"What is that, Greek?" Scott asked.
"No, actually, it's English," I said showing Scott and Stiles the picture I had taken after I reversed it. It said 'SOMEONE HELP ME'......
"Derek is not gonna kill her without proof," I said as we walked into the chemistry room.
"All right, so he tests her like he did with Jackson, right? But when and where?" Scott asked. I was scanning the room when my eyes fell on Erica and Issac.
"I think here and now," I said pointing back to the 2. We made eye contact and then Erica looked at the seat next to Lydia. We all rushed to the seat, Scott sat on her right, Stiles on her left, and I was stuck sitting next to Allison. Not that I really minded...Allison was a good friend.
"Einstein once said, "Two things are infinite: The universe and human stupidity; And I'm not sure about the universe." I myself have encountered infinite stupidity. So to combat the plague of ignorance in my class, you're going to combine efforts through a round of group experiments. Let's see if two heads are indeed better than one. Or in Mr. Stilinski's case, less than one. Erica, you take the first station. You'll start with" Harris was cut off my every guy in the class raising there hand. I felt utterly disgusted. " I didn't ask for volunteers. Put your hormonal little hands down. Start with Mr. McCall. All right, next two." Scott rolled his eyes and I felt Allison tense up.
I was stationed with Isaac. I couldn't help but think about the night he almost killed me, literally. I hated Isaac more than anything...But I mean, did I really? He was locked in a damn freezer for most of his childhood...I was locked in a small cage. Maybe I understand him more than I'd like to admit.
"Hey, Alex, if it helps, I'll make it fast for her," Isaac said and I felt my fist ball up. I took a few deep breaths. Do it. Hit him, Alex! He almost killed you. I heard the darkness whisper, I ignored it.
"No, it doesn't fucking help. Ya know, if I were you I wouldn't talk so much. You already tried to kill me, and trust me I am not one to piss off." I whispered back. I mean, there isn't really anything I could really do but still, I know that if Isaac did anything to me Scott would kick his ass.
"Right. Cause I, a werewolf, with super speed and super strength, and, oh yeah, super-fast healing, should totally be afraid of weak, little Alex, who, as I understand, is nothing but a human. And a girl at that." Isaac said with a laugh. I glared at him with so much hate, I could feel the darkness begging me to hit him in the face.
"Switch," Harris said. I jumped up faster than I should have, because, almost every pair of eyes in the room landed on me. I sat next to some chick I didn't know, but she just glared at me as if she didn't want me sitting with her. I rolled my eyes and waited for Harris to call the next switch.
"Let's go, girls. Next station." Harris said, looking at Allison and Lydia. I watched as Isaac sat with Stiles. I felt hate bubble up again. I waited for the words to come and when they did I took my time standing up.
"And switch," Harris said. Then he walked to where Stiles and Isaac were sitting. "If you're trying to test my patience, Mr. Stilinski, I guarantee it'll be a failing grade." There was an echo of giggles throughout the class. I sat down at an empty table and to my dismay, Erica sat down next to me.
"What are you gonna do to her?" I said under my breath.
"Don't you think the better question is what's she going to do to us? I have to say, you guys are cute together. But you know, I've always had this feeling like I'm a little psychic. I just don't think you're going to last." Erica said, gesturing to Stiles. I had seen her sliding her hand up his thigh a few minutes ago.
"You think you can hurt me by sliding your hand up his thigh?" I said. She just chuckled.
"Would you like it better if it were your thigh? Come on. Girl fight in lab. It'll be hot." Erica purred into my ear as she dug her claws into my right thigh. I sucked in a deep breath and grabbed her hand with my own. I pulled with all my strength but she just laughed.
"Time. If you've catalyzed the reaction correctly, you should now be looking at a crystal. Now for the part of that last experiment, I'm sure you'll all enjoy - You can eat it." Harrison said, I looked over to Lydia and I saw that she was holding a perfect crystal with a pair of tongs. There was a slimy goo falling off of it. She was about to put it in her mouth. Oh my god...It's kanima poison.
"Lydia!" Scott and I yelled as she chewed the crystal in her mouth. Erica dug her claws deeper in my thigh to shut me up.
"What?" She asked afterward. Nothing happened. I sat here wincing at the pain with my jaw hanging open.
"Nothing," Scott said as he sat back down. I looked out the window and saw Derek standing my his car.
"Derek's outside waiting for Lydia," I said after Stiles shut the door to Coach's office.
"Waiting to kill her?" Allison asked.
"If he thinks she's the kanima, then yes, especially after what happened at the pool," I said. I looked over at Scott and Stiles, maybe it was for encouragement, but they were both deep in thought.
"It's not her," Stiles said, breaking the stale silence that had filled the room.
"Stiles, she didn't pass the test, man. Nothing happened." Scott said. I had nothing to say, Lydia and Allison had become my only friends of the female type., but as much as I hated it, Lydia hadn't passed the test...she had to be the kanima.
"No, it can't be her." Stiles insisted.
"It doesn't matter, because Derek thinks it's her. So either we can convince him that he's wrong, or we've got to figure out a way to protect her." Allison said it was the only thing she had said since we first came in here.
"Well, I really don't think he's gonna do anything here, not at school," I said, running a hand up to my mouth.
"What about after school? What if we can prove that Derek's wrong?" Allison asked.
"By three o'clock?" Stiles asked.
"There could be something in the bestiary," Allison said.
"Oh, you mean the 900 - page book written in archaic Latin that none of us can read? Good luck with that."I sassed.
"Actually, I think I know someone who might be able to translate it," Allison said and I stared back at her with big eyes, expecting her to tell me. But that didn't happen right away.
"Uh, I can talk to Derek, maybe convince him to give us a chance to prove that it's not her. But if anything happens, you guys let me handle it, okay?" Scott said I watched Allison tense up a little bit more.
"What does that mean?" She asked with something in her voice that sounded similar to a challenge.
"That you can't heal like I do. I just don't want you to get hurt." Scott said, I scoffed and had to put my hand to my mouth to stop myself from laughing while Allison pulled a bow and arrow out of her bag.
"I can protect myself." She said. Her face fell when Scott didn't say anything. "What? Did something else happen?" She asked.
"I just don't want you getting hurt. Seriously, if anything goes wrong, you call me, okay? I - I don't care if your dad finds out. Call, text, scream, yell, whatever. I'll hear you and I'll find you as fast as I can. We have until 3:00." Scott said, Allison nodded her head and Scott and I went to walk away when there was a whistle in the air and Scott stuck his hand out and caught an arrow before it went straight threw my eye. At first, I thought Allison had tried to kill me again, then I looked up and saw Stiles putting the bow down.
"Ah. Sorry. Sorry. Sensitive trigger on that." He said, I sucked in a breath and ran a hand through my hair. I couldn't help but wish Scott hadn't caught it.
After school, I help Stiles escort Lydia to his jeep before Isaac and Queen Bitch...Sorry, Erica, could get to us. We told her that we were having a study group with Allison at my house. Mel wasn't home so that was a plus. I know Scott is pretty keen on not letting mom find out that he is a creature of the night. I understand it too...I thought back to the conversation Stiles, Lydia, Jackson and I had while escorting her.
"If we're doing a study group, why didn't we just stay in the library?" Lydia obliviously asked.
"Because we're meeting up with somebody else," I said as I pushed her to walk faster.
"Hmm, well, why don't they just meet us in the library?" She asked.
"Oh, that would've been a great idea. Too late." Stiles said.
"Okay, hold on -" Lydia said, we were almost there.
"Lydia, shut up and walk," Jackson said as he placed a forcing hand on the small of Lydia's back. I shot him a glare that would have probably killed him if I'd still been a Guardian.
"If we're studying at Scott's house, then where's Scott?" Lydia asked as we walked inside.
"It's my house too, Lydia," I said as I shut the front door.
"Thanks." I heard Allison whisper to Jackson.
"I needed to talk to her anyway." He replied. Hmmm...That's a little bit odd... I watched as Stiles locked every lock on the front door.
"Uh, there's been a few break-ins around the neighborhood." He said to Lydia who just kept looking from Stiles to the door, then back to me. " And a murder. Yeah, it was bad." Stiles said as he put a chair up against the door.
"Lydia, follow me. I need to talk to you for a minute." Jackson said as he pulled Lydia by the hand.
"Seriously? What is going on with everyone?" Lydia asked as they made their way up the stairs.
I could feel my anxiety kicking in as we waited for Derek and the pack to show up. I kept looking out the windows, I could feel my heart drop every time I looked. The last time I did so, my heart almost stopped. They were here.
"Guys..." I said, "I think it's time to call Scott..." I said. Allison was the one who pulled out her phone.
"It's me," She said as he answered. "You need to get here now. Right now."
"Oh, jeez. What are you doing?" I heard Stiles ask Allison who was still messing around with her phone.
"I think - I think I have to call my dad." She said, her voice sounded defeated.
"No, but if he finds you here - you and Scott - " I said, but she cut me off.
"I know. But what are we supposed to do? They're not here to scare us, okay? They're here to kill Lydia." She said. I couldn't help but agree, although it hurt. Knowing that Allison would risk her relationship with Scott in order to save her best friend made my heart swell, and almost break at the same time. All o them were out there, Boyd, Erica, Isaac, and Derek.
"I got an idea. Just shoot one of 'em." Stiles said, breaking the thick silence that hung in the air.
"Are you serious?" I asked in surprise. Allison had her bow and arrow out and had given me a couple of arrows after I asked.
"We told Scott we could protect ourselves, so let's do it. Or at least give it a shot, right?" Stiles said.
"Okay." Allison and I said at the same time.
"Look, they don't think we're gonna fight, so if one of them gets hit, I guarantee they'll take off. So just shoot one of 'em." Stiles said. I was literally shaking with fear and anxiety.
"Which one?"
"Uh - Derek. Yeah, shoot him, preferably in the head." Stiles said. I rolled my eyes.
"If Scott was able to catch an arrow, Derek definitely can," I said.
"Okay, uh, just shoot one of the other three then," Stiles said, I watched Allison tense up and stuck my head to the window so I could see.
"You mean two," Allison said.
"No, I mean three," Stiles said I just shook my head.
"Where the hell is Isaac?" I asked in complete terror. Right before Allison could shoot anyone someone grabbed her and threw her to the ground. He went after Stiles next and I just tried to sink back into the wall. Isaac threw me through a table and I let out a pained cry. I jumped up and ran past him. I ran up the stairs to find Lydia.
"What was that? What's happening?" She asked.
"Get back. Someone's trying to break in, okay? Go. Lydia, go!" I whisper-yelled. "Jackson?" I asked as a door creaked open. I saw slime dripping from the door handle.
"Stiles, it's here!" I yelled as loud as I could. Before I could even turn around I was kicked in the backs of my knees, sending me to the ground. Someone grabbed a fist full of my blonde hair. I tried struggling but I couldn't, not against a werewolf.
"Hmm - this might make me sound like kind of a bitch, but I've always wondered what it feels like to steal someone's boyfriend. I bet it's a pretty sick rush of power. I think I might try it with Stiles... You know what - I don't think it would be that hard, I mean, you're all skin and bones, me, I have curves, he could run his hands all over me. I bet you're even a prude, huh. I could steal your Batman away in the blink of an eye." Erica whispered into my ear. I took my chance and stabbed the arrow into her thigh. "You didn't really think that would work, did you?" she asked. I watched her hands start shaking.
"Actually I did. I thought you were psychic, bitch!" I said as I kicked her in the face, she had fallen to the ground by now. I heard someone come into the house and ran downstairs to see Scott kicking Isaac's ass. I told him where Erica was and he threw them both helplessly onto the lawn. I followed him outside, then Allison and Stiles followed.
"I think I'm finally getting why you keep refusing me, Scott. You're not an omega, you're already an Alpha of your own pack. But you know you can't beat me." Derek said with a small smile.
"I can hold you off until the cops get here," Scott said. I heard a hissing sound and looked up to see the kanima crawling on the side of the house. It is Lydia...
"Get them out of here," Derek said as he threw Boyd his keys. Just when I thought we were completely defeated, the door to our house opened, we were all on the lawn now, and out walked Lydia. Her lipstick smeared and her eyes red and puffy.
"Would someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" That only leaves...
"It's Jackson," I said under my breath.