I was so excited to introduce Iris to you all! I hope you like her!
Question of the Chapter: Do you think anyone on the Deadpool should have been worth more? Worth less?
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✧*:･ﾟStiles･ﾟ:*✧
I showed everyone my phone so that we could see the list.
KATE ARGENT 12,000,000
NOSHIKO YUKIMURA 5,000,000
ISAAC LAHEY 2,000,000
BRETT TALBOT 1,000,000
JORDAN PARRISH 5,000,000
Isaac scoffed as he read it. "Really? Scott is worth twenty-five million, Lydia is twenty, Riley's even sixteen, but I'm only worth two?"
"Are you being serious right now?" I asked, only being partially sarcastic.
The beta held a hand up, scoffing, "They're going to come after me thinking I'm an easy target."
"Well right now, I don't think you have to worry. They went for someone a bit lower on the Benefactor food chain," I informed him, reading Brett's name.
Scott was gone in seconds, heading to the boy's locker rooms where they had taken the boy. The rest of us stayed at the field to keep an eye on Garrett.
Looking over, I saw that Garrett was already watching us. He knew that we knew. It was the only explanation.
"Stiles, something isn't right here," Isaac whispered. "He's too calm."
I nodded in agreement, Isaac following me as I began to run to the locker room. I nearly toppled us both over as we arrived, trying to stop before hitting the door. Brett was breathing heavily on the ground, while nearby a girl was passed out.
Scott stood above them both, a wire in one of his hands. When he saw us in the doorway, he glanced at me. "I think you'd better call your dad.
I pulled my phone out without hesitation, dialling my dad quickly to tell him what had been going on. I was disappointed to see that I had received nothing from Riley or Charlotte.
♧♤♢♡
✧･ﾟ:*Riley*:･ﾟ✧
"You are Riley Hale, aren't you?"
"What?" I scoffed. "No, my name is Riley Winters. Not Hale."
Iris pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, looking unsure of what to say. She opened the folder in front of her, reading the first page to herself to be sure she hadn't incorrectly read it the first time.
Without a word, she picked it up and held it out to me. Stepping forward, I snatched the paper away from her trying to figure out why she would lie to me.
I scanned my eyes down the paper. It looked almost identical to the Deadpool that Stiles had shown me at his house.
SEAN WALCOTT 250,000
DAVID WALCOTT 250,000
MICHAEL WALCOTT 250,000
CHRISTINA WALCOTT 250,000
LYDIA MARTIN 20,000,000
SCOTT MCCALL 25,000,000
RILEY HALE 16,000,000
DEMARCO MONTANA 250,000
DEREK HALE 15,000,000
IRIS QUINN 7,000,000
KIRA YUKIMURA 6,000,000
The one major difference, however, was that my surname on this slip of paper wasn't Winters. It was Hale.
I shook my head as I stared down at the paper. "No. No, you're lying. Why are you lying to me?"
Iris looked like she pitied me, frowning. "Riley, I only just met you. I knew you were Riley because I overheard someone call you that, but I didn't know your surname. I promise you, that list is exactly how I found it."
My chest tightened as I stared at the word 'Hale'.
Derek was too young, and that didn't leave many other options for who this could be referring too. Malia wasn't the only one they had all been lying to.
"I'm so sorry," she said softly, resting a hand on my shoulder. "I figured you knew; it's like what I told you, DNA makes us stronger. My mum was a Sylph, but my dad was human. Your mother was a Sylph and your father a werewolf, that's why you're stronger than me. And why you're worth more. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to drop something like that on you."
I shook my head as I met her eyes, "You didn't know. How could you?"
There was someone who did though.
In his room.
"The Deadpool," I answered honestly. I noticed his heart rate spike for a moment, figuring it was just from him being stressed about us all being on the list.
"Speaking of that, I need to talk to you about something," he said slowly.
In his car. Why he and Scott had been acting so strange. Why he kept bringing up Peter in conversations.
Stiles knew, and so did Scott. This had to be what Stiles had been talking about; what he had been trying to tell me. When he said he was going to tell Malia tomorrow night, was that including me?
I tried not to jump to any conclusions, but my breathing was becoming shaky as I thought everything over. Iris was telling the truth. This was the Deadpool. My surname wasn't Winters.
It was Hale.
And as far as I could tell, the two boys who I trusted most in this world knew about it, too.
"Riley, you need to breathe," Iris said slowly. Looking around the room I noticed paper rustling, leaves on plants shaking, Iris' hair swaying in the breeze that I was brewing in the air.
"Okay, um, I- I have to go. I can't be here. I can't deal with this right now," I mumbled, beginning to walk past her.
"Are you sure you should be driving? Do you want me to take you somewhere?" She asked softly.
Staring down at the Deadpool, I continued to walk to the front door. Just as I reached for the handle, the door swung open on its own.
Charlotte, my dad and his girlfriend Josceline stood on the other side. My sister took a step forward, "Hey, we were on our way to the game when I got a text from Stiles saying he couldn't find you. What's going on?"
She looked past me, to see Iris standing in the hall, "And who is that?"
I glanced at her for only a moment, before making direct eye contact with my dad.
"Are you not my biological father?"
♧♤♢♡
✧*:･ﾟStiles･ﾟ:*✧
"What the hell is happening to this kid?" I asked Doctor Deaton.
After Scott found him in the locker room, we saw that something was seriously wrong with him. Therefore, Isaac and I had taken Brett and driven to meet Derek at the animal clinic in hopes of saving his life.
We were currently attempting to hold him down on the operating table, but he wasn't exactly making that easy.
"He's been poisoned by a rare wolfsbane," Doctor Deaton explained. "I need to make an incision and you need to hold him as still as possible."
Isaac and I struggled on our side of Brett, the boy fighting us at every turn. "Hey, Derek, how about a little werewolf strength?"
"Yeah, I'm not the only one here with werewolf strength," the man replied, glaring at Isaac.
"I'm trying, but Brett's a werewolf as well, remember?" the boy bit back.
Doctor Deaton raised his voice as he held his scalpel, "If you can't hold him still, the incision might kill him."
As Brett began to spew up yellow foam, we did our best to hold him down, but he was much stronger.
"I don't know if we're going to be able to hold him still," Isaac said quickly, his hands pressed down on his arm trying to keep him in place.
Brett's eyes glowed golden, before he sat up and pushed us all away. I fell to the ground while Isaac managed to keep his balance. The boy went to stand in his path so he couldn't leave.
"We're just trying to help you, man," he told him, holding his hands up. Brett just responded by throwing Isaac against a wall.
He went to leave, but before he could even make a move, someone stepped into the clinic and knocked him out cold. I was grateful, until I realised it was Peter.
I got up and walked over to Isaac, helping him to his feet, as we both stared down at Brett.
Peter looked at us all, his eyes glowing their cold blue. "I guess I still have a little werewolf strength myself."
Derek was watching him carefully, "Yeah, maybe more than a little."
I was about to comment on the unhealed scratch on Derek's arm, when Isaac grabbed my attention. "I don't think Brett's breathing, guys."
The veterinarian walked over and knelt down beside the boy, before steadily cutting his chest open with the scalpel. A puff of yellow smoke escaped him as Brett began to breath again.
"Is he okay?" I asked the man.
"I think he'll be fine," he nodded. "But probably out for a while."
Staring at Brett, I noticed his lips moving slightly, sounds escaping. "Can you hear that? I think he's saying something."
Listening carefully, Deaton relayed to us what he heard. "Three things cannot long be hidden. The sun, the moon, and the truth. It's Buddhist."
"Satomi," Peter stated, explaining that her pack were Buddhists, so it would make sense if Brett were her beta.
♧♤♢♡
✧･ﾟ:*Riley*:･ﾟ✧
"Riley. . ." My dad said slowly as the three of them entered the house. "I don't think-"
"I need you to answer the question," I interrupted, not wanting to mince words, my voice shaking.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair, "Riley. . ."
When he didn't continue, I turned to the woman by his side.
"I'm so sorry, Josie, I need to talk to Char and my dad for a moment."
Josie looked pleasantly surprised by my use of her nickname. She preferred it to Josceline, so when I first met her I refused to call her anything besides Josceline. I didn't despise her as much as I had when I first met her. After getting to know her, I came to the conclusion that she wasn't as bad as I had originally thought. And if my dad loved her, then fine. He deserved to be happy, too.
"Not all all," the woman stated with a small smile. I felt like she already knew the answer to what I was talking about, which frustrated me. Did everyone but me know?
I thanked her, before leading my concerned father and sister into the study. Iris stayed behind, knowing this wasn't a conversation she was welcome to.
As soon as the door was shut, I decided to cut straight to the chase, not wanting to have to keep waiting for a straight answer.
"Dad, please don't lie to me. I think I already know the answer, but I need to hear it from you," I informed him.
He nodded, concern clear in his eyes, "Riley, sweetie, why are we having this conversation? Why would you ask me that?"
I bit my lip, trying to strengthen myself. "Because you're not my dad, are you? Not biologically, at least. Peter Hale is."
His eyes widened ever so slightly, mouth falling agape. Saying the man's name had taken him by more shock then me confronting him at the front door. But neither of them looked surprised; maybe only by the fact that I somehow knew this.
He looked like he wanted nothing more then to deny the accusation, but we had come too far to jeopardise the relationship we had managed to build.
"How did you find out?"
"Someone told me, but that's not important," I said, brushing it off, not wanting to blame Iris. I finally gathered the courage to ask what had been eating away at me. "How is this possible? Did mum cheat on you?"
He quickly shook his head, waving a hand. "No, of course not. You knew your mother; she would never."
"But you guys got together before I was born."
"We did," he agreed. "We were friends, and after Charlotte's mother passed, we eventually became more. But, your mother was already pregnant at that point. She told me that it was a mistake; just one night with someone she used to know. I didn't know who he was until you just said."
I felt my cheeks flame, feeling as if I had just exposed my mother.
"Why did you guys never tell me?" I asked softly.
He stepped forward, resting a hand on my shoulder. "Because as far as we were concerned, you're my daughter. I know that I made mistakes, but I've always loved you, Riley. I never wanted to leave you when I left your mother."
"Did you leave because of me?"
My father shook his head. "No, and I didn't cheat on your mother either. I just told her to tell you that so that it would be easier for you to not want me around. Your mother was keeping secrets from me, and I just felt like we weren't on the same page anymore. I didn't want you to hold a grudge against her, so I told her to lie."
Isaac instantly came to mind at the familiarity of the story, how our relationship had ended.
"Nothing about you leaving was easy, dad."
"I know," he sighed. "I've never regretted anything more than leaving you all."
We fell into silence, until Charlotte walked away. I was confused, until I saw her retrieve an envelope from her desk.
"Mum wrote this maybe a week before she died. She said to give this to you when you found out. I only found out when she gave me the letter. She didn't want you to know yet, she said you had enough to think about. I assume she was talking about the werewolf situation."
My eyes widened, looking from her to our father, who wasn't exactly in the inner circle.
"Riley, don't worry, I know," he sighed.
My mouth fell open in shock. "What? How?"
"I told him," Charlotte admitted. "After he said he wanted to take you to live with him. That's why he stopped coming back. I explained everything that was going on, and he said he felt like something with mum hadn't made sense."
"And you just believed her?"
My father laughed, "Not at first, but once Charlotte told me a couple of stories, pieces began to fit better. And it made sense with everything that didn't add up about your mother."
We all fell into silence, thinking, taking everything in.
"I'm sure you're in shock, and rightfully so, but know that mum kept this from you so that she could tell you at the right time."
Charlotte then handed me the envelope which had my name carefully written on the front.
"I haven't read it, but hopefully it will help clear some things up for you."
I took the letter from her carefully, thanking her. My father and Charlotte left without another word, giving me the space I needed to read it.
I was nervous, but I needed to know what it said; I had to.
Taking a breath, I ripped the envelope open and pulled the letter out carefully. Seeing it almost made me cry. It was handwritten; I could see every loop and glide of the pen as she wrote.
My Dearest Riley,
I'm so sorry, my darling. You must be furious with me; after all, I kept so much from you.
Even as I sit here writing this, I know I should have told you everything years ago. About what we are, about your father, about what is coming. I know that Deucalion is coming for me, and I only pray he leaves you be, that maybe the gene skipped you. Unlikely, but a mother can only hope.
A letter is no place to tell you all this, but I fear that the lurking threat of Deucalion inspires no confidence in me.
We are what is called a Sylph; a creature of the air. We can bend it to our will, which can make us dangerous. This is part of the reason why so few of us exist anymore. I've heard of some in a few nearby cities, but not many.
I hope I get the chance to show you how to properly use your abilities. Having completely supernatural DNA will make you stronger than the average Sylph, and I couldn't bear the thought of you losing control.
I'm sorry I didn't tell you about your father. He is still your father though, blood or not, don't ever forget that. I asked him not to tell you, don't fault him or Charlotte for that.
Peter Hale is a shadow from my past. We found each other at a time where we had nobody else, and I lost myself in him. I see some of him in you, which isn't completely a bad thing. He wasn't always a monster.
You definitely have a bit of his short temper, but you are also strong and resilient. You will have to be for what is to come.
But, I'm going to do my best to be there for all of it, helping you every step of the way.
I was so alone when I was learning; you won't be alone. Even if I don't make it through this, I know I can count on Scott and Stiles to stay by your side.
Especially Stiles. He really cares for you, I hope you know that.
You are meant for great things, my love. You, your father, Charlotte; you are the best things in my life.
I love you so much,
Mum
I think I had read it about ten more times, tears in my eyes as I tried to commit every word to memory. Every word from Deucalion, to Sylph, to Peter Hale being my biological father.
The way she had spoken about him made it sound like they were close, but nothing more than that. Apparently I was just the result of a one-night thing between two friends.
Somehow, this was easier to accept than my mother being in love with Peter Hale.
I sniffled as I put the letter down, taking deep breaths to calm myself. There was a light knock on the door, before Charlotte entered the room again.
"Hey, you've been in here a while. Are you doing okay?" She asked softly.
Shrugging, I leaned against the desk. "I don't know. It's just so strange to read her words. She died so long ago and I feel like. . . like I've just gotten a piece of her back. I don't know. But everything in this letter. It's a lot."
"I'm sure it is," she nodded. "When you're ready, you're welcome to tell me about it. Only if you want to, though."
"Thanks, Char."
"Of course. Now, who is that random woman sitting in our living room?"
"That is Iris Quinn. She's actually a Sylph, like me," I explained with a small laugh.
Charlotte's eyes widened, "No way. I thought you were the only one in Beacon Hills?"
"Apparently not." Staring down at the letter, I looked back at my sister. "I need to see Scott and Stiles."
"Okay. But first, we need to talk to this Iris woman."