𝙽𝚊𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚊'𝚜 𝙿𝙾𝚅

I pout my lips and scrunch my hair up a bit to give it some more volume as I check myself out in the Jeep's window. I'm wearing a tight black satin dress with black heels and a black leather jacket.

"You done yet?" Scott huffs impatiently.

"Do I look okay?" I ask, turning to him and Stiles.

"You look fine. Stiles, tell her she looks fine" Scott says, hitting Stiles' arm and snapping him out his daze.

"Y-You look great, Natalia" Stiles stutters and I grin widely.

"Thanks, guys" I chirp, strutting towards the house we're supposed to be in.

"What?" I hear Stiles snap.

"What do you mean 'what'?" Scott retorts.

"I mean 'what' and you know what" Stiles sasses him.

"'What' what?" Scott groans.

"That look you were giving" Stiles elaborates.

"I didn't give a look" Scott argues.

"There was a distinct look, Scott" Stiles replies.

"What look?" Scott asks.

"The look that says that the last thing you feel like doing right now is going to a party" Stiles says matter of factly.

"It's not that. It just seems a little weird going to a different high school's party" Scott says simply and I roll my eyes at his excuses.

"What?! Would you- Oh, my God. One drink, all right? You'll be fine" Stiles explains "I went to nursery school with this girl, okay? She promised to introduce us to all of her friends. So tonight, no Allison, no Lydia. Tonight, we're moving on"

"You were into Lydia?" I snort in amusement.

"I was. Not anymore" He retorts.

"You had no chance, dork" I laugh and he shoots me a glare.

"Let's do this" Scott sighs.

"That's what I'm talking about. Now look at me" Stiles says and they do a handshake they've done since we were kids.

"How's my breath smell?" Scott asks as we near the door.

"I'm not smelling your breath" Stiles snaps.

"Do you have any gum?" Scott then asks.

"No. No gum. You're fine" Stiles huffs, making me laugh.

"Can you at least tell me what kind of party this is?" Scott complains.

"It's a birthday party" Stiles answers before we walk through the front door.

"Stiles! Hi" A blonde girl hollers and runs up to us.

"Hey!" Stiles smiles "There's the birthday girl"

She places her lips onto his and I turn to Scott wide eyed to see him giving me the same look of shock.

"So glad that you made it" The girl says cheerily.

"Me too" Stiles replies.

"Come downstairs with me and help me pick out a bottle of wine" She tells him, grabbing his hand.

"Yes" He nods, glancing back at us before following after the girl as she drags him away.

"There is no way that dorky Stiles Stilinski is gonna get laid and I haven't even got a drink yet" I scoff, storming off.

I grab a plastic cup and fill it with the punch on the table. A presence behind me makes me turn and I find myself looking up at a handsome looking guy.

"Can I help you?" I ask curiously, sipping from my cup.

"I just wanted to come over here and tell you that you're the most gorgeous girl here" He says in a flirty tone and I smirk widely.

"I know" I state and his smile falters "But thanks for reminding me, handsome"

I wink at him and make a move to walk away but he gently grabs my shoulder.

"How do you know the birthday girl?" He asks me.

"She's currently fucking my brother's best friend" I answer and his eyes widen.

"Wow, that's something" He chuckles.

"Yeah, definitely" I nod.

"Hey, Natty, can I steal you for a second?" I hear my brother and I sigh in relief.

"Sure thing, bro" I answer, grabbing his arm and dragging him away from the guy.

"Allison is outside and I don't know what to say, I think I'm nervous" Scott rambles and I slap him.

His head whips to side and he looks at me in disbelief.

"What was that for?!" He shrieks.

"Pull yourself together, man. You're a McCall, okay? McCalls don't act like little wussies, we man up and face our problems" I repeat a statement my father drilled into me at a young age and Scott nods "Now, go do that"

I push him towards the door and follow behind him. We reach the front door and I see Lydia standing next to Allison which leads me to believe this is not the personal talk that Scott was expecting.

"This isn't the talk we were gonna have, is it?" My brother asks as we near the girls.

Allison shakes her head and I smile at Lydia who smiles back at me.

"I need to show you something" Allison says and pulls up her sleeve to reveal a bruise.

"Does this mean the party's over?" I frown, looking to my brother.

"Yeah, time to go home" He answers.

❦ ❦ ❦

"I don't see anything" Derek states, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm sorry, Derbear, but are you blind?" I ask him sarcastically and he glares at me.

"Look again" Scott demands.

"How is a bruise gonna tell me where Boyd and Erica are?" Derek asks simply and I roll my eyes, shoving my hands into the back pockets of my jeans.

"It's the same on both sides" Scott points out "Exactly the same"

"It's nothing" Derek declares.

"Pareidolia. Seeing patterns that aren't there" Lydia chimes in smartly "It's a subset of apophenia"

"You are so smart" I hum in admiration and she grins at me with a wink.

"They're trying to help" Scott tells Derek.

"These two?" Derek scoffs in disbelief before pointing at Lydia "This one, who used me to resurrect my psychotic uncle. Thank you. And this one, who shot about 30 arrows into me and my pack"

"Ouch" I mutter and Scott elbows me.

"Okay, all right, now, come on. No one died, all right? Look, there may have been a little maiming, okay, a little mangling, but no death. That's what I call an important distinction" Stiles explains.

"My mother died" Allison states and I grimace awkwardly.

"Your family's little honour code killed your mother. Not me" Derek retorts.

"That girl was looking for Scott. I'm here to help him, not you" Allison says matter of factly.

"You wanna help? Find something real" Derek spits before storming off.

"Derek!" Scott shouts, walking after him.

The two werewolves talk for a minute before Derek leaves and Lydia drags Allison away to their next class.

"What would a pack of Alphas want with Erica and Boyd?" Stiles asks as we make our way to our next class.

"I'm not sure it's them they want" Scott answers and I nod in agreement.

"Okay, what, like Derek? Like, they're recruiting?" Stiles scoffs.

"Hey, how else would they do it?" I retort and Stiles gives me a sarcastic smile before looking behind me.

I turn my head to see Scott has stopped and is looking behind him.

"Hey, Scotty" I call out and he turns to look at us.

"You coming?" Stiles asks.

He nods and catches up, looking a little zoned out. I share a confused look with Stiles and we head to Econ.

Coach slams a book onto his desk and we all jump in fright, looking up at the man.

"The stock market is based on two principles. What are they?" He asks the class.

My brother puts his hand up and I do too.

"Yes, McCall, you can go to the bathroom" He says to Scott which makes me snort "And you. What's your name, new girl?"

"Natalia McCall, sir" I answer and his frown deepens.

"Another McCall? Seriously?" He groans and I turn to Scott with a grin.

"The better McCall" I assure the man and he scoffs.

"We'll see about that, little McCall" He states and I shrug, sitting back in my seat.

"Coach, I know the answer" Scott declares and Coach let's out a loud laugh before recovering.

"Oh, you're serious" Coach realises.

"Yes. Risk and reward" Scott answers the earlier question.

"Wow! Who are you? And what have you done to McCall?" Coach exclaims "Don't answer that. I like you better"

I roll my eyes and stick my tongue out at my brother who just smirks in return.

"Does anybody have a quarter?" Coach asks.

"Yep" Stiles says, sticking his hand in his pocket.

As he pulls his hand out another object comes flying out and lands on the ground next to my seat. I immediately realise it's a condom and my eyes widen in surprise.

"Stilinski, I think you...dropped this" Coach awkwardly says, picking the condom up and handing it to Stiles "And congratulations"

I shoot him a sarcastic thumbs up but he seems too embarrassed to even react.

"Risk and reward" Coach announces, changing the subject "Put the quarter in the mug, win the reward"

Coach places a mug on the floor and crouches down with the quarter in his hand.

"Okay, watch Coach" He tells us.

He blows on the quarter before bouncing it off the ground. It lands in the mug and the class applauds him.

"Huh? That's how you do it!" Coach grins, standing up "Okay. Danny. Risk, reward?"

"What's the reward?" Danny asks.

"You don't have to take the pop quiz tomorrow" Coach answers.

"Coach, it's not a pop quiz if you tell us about it" Danny replies.

"Danny, you know, I really expect more from you at this point. Really" Coach huffs out before walking over to my brother.

"McCall. Risk, reward? The risk, if you don't put that quarter in the mug, you have to take the pop- the quiz. And you have to write an essay" Coach explains "Risk, more work. Reward, no work at all. Or choose not to play"

"But isn't this just chance?" Scott asks.

"No. You know your abilities, your coordination, your focus, past experience. All factors affecting the outcome. So what's it gonna be, McCall? More work, no work, or choose not to play?" Coach rants.

Scott puts the coin down on his textbook and I shake my head at him.

"No play" Coach nods "Okay. Who's next? Who wants the quarter?"

Stiles hits his desk like a drum and stands up.

"There you go! There's a gambling man!" Coach cheers, handing Stiles the coin "Come on! Step up, step up"

"All right, Stilinski" Coach claps as Stiles stands in front of the mug, focus concentrated on it.

The door opens to reveal Sheriff Stilinski and I sit up straight.

"Stiles" Sheriff Stilinski speaks up.

"Yeah, Coach, I got it" Stiles retorts.

"Stiles" The Sheriff repeats.

Stiles looks up and his dad tells Coach he needs to speak to him. During the commotion, I move into Stiles' seat and turn to my brother.

"What's the Sheriff saying?" I whisper, completely ignoring Coach who is now talking to Danny.

"Heather is missing and Stiles was the last person to see her" Scott states and I frown.

"Missing? That's not a good sign, Scotty" I tell him and he nods.

"Yes!" Danny cheers and I turn to see he got the coin in the mug.

"Reward! Okay, who's next?" Coach hollers "Greenberg, put your hand down. You don't have a chance"