A soft knock on my bedroom door before it was gently pushed open, caused my eyes to snap up from the floor in it's direction. I had been sitting on my bed, patiently waiting for Scott to tell me that Stiles was here to pick us up so we could go and follow Parrish around tonight. I had gotten changed into some jeans and a black tshirt and my converse were secured around my feet. My hair was pulled up into a ponytail and I hadn't bothered with my makeup. 

It has been a few days since I returned home from Eichen. That whole night is mostly a blur, but I can remember a few things here and there. The one thing that sticks out clear as day in my mind, is the image of Valack laying on the floor with blood surrounding his head. I guess Lydia's scream caused something to explode in his brain and he just died. It's nice to know that we don't have to worry about him infiltrating our lives anymore. Stiles has told me that he wasn't sure what Valack had done to me to keep my locked up, because my werewolf abilities were back in full swing. I had my strength, speed and heightened senses.

Stiles also told me that I almost died, I would say I'm surprised but I'm not. I die every other Tuesday. 

Now that Lydia and I are free, we can focus more on the Beast and what it's doing to our town. I still am not quite sure how I'm connected to it and what my purpose is but there is some sort of connection between the Beast and I. My only hope is to somehow figure out what it is and what it means in regards to stopping it from adding to the body count. 

My ill feelings towards Scott seemed to have diminished for now. I know that before I was taken, I was hell bent on being as cold towards him as possible... but for some reason, that all seems so petty to me now. We need to work together to stop this thing and that means putting aside our differences and doing what's right. I may still be hurt for what he did to me, but there's no point in holding onto anger and hatred instead of working together to save people. 

Scott stepped into my bedroom and smiled faintly at me, "You ready?" 

"Yeah," I nodded as I stood from my bed, "is Stiles here?" 

"Him and Liam just got here. You may want to grab a jacket it's a little chilly out." Scott said before turning on his heel and exiting my bedroom. 

I grabbed one of Stiles' zip-up jackets that I borrowed ages ago and have yet to give back. I slipped my arms through the sleeves and then grabbed my phone off my dresser, sliding it into my back pocket, before leaving my room and heading down the stairs. 

Scott was waiting in front of the front door for me, and as I hopped off the last step, he opened the front door. I knew that Liam and I were going to be delegated to the back of the jeep... which wasn't all that shocking because Scott always got to ride shotgun. I don't mind sitting in the back because there is more room, but it's also nice to be able to sit up front with Stiles. 

I'm just glad that the jeep is up and running and isn't causing so many problems at the moment. 

My brother pulled open the passenger door of the jeep and I clambered into the back, plopping down on the cushioned seat beside Liam. Scott hoisted himself up into the seat and closed the door. Stiles turned around and faced me with a smile, "Hello beautiful." 

I felt my cheeks start to warm up from his comment as I responded with, "Hey." 

Liam nudged me with his elbow to gain my attention. I glanced at him and he quirked an eyebrow, "How you feeling?" 

"I feel okay." I assured him. 

Liam has been constantly texting me asking me how I'm feeling or if I'm okay. I never realized how much he actually cared about me until the rescue mission from Eichen. I knew we were close and I saw him as like a younger brother, I just didn't know that the feeling was mutual. It's nice to know that I've gained another supporter, though. 

On top of Liam constantly asking me about my well-being, I've also got Lydia, Scott, Stiles, Kira, my mom, Sheriff Stilinski, Malia and Mason. I've sort of acquired a network of support and love and I'm very thankful for it. I don't know what I would do without them. 

Scott's phone beeped, interrupting the silence. He pulled it out of his pocket and glanced at the screen to find a text from Argent. My brother looked at Stiles, "Parrish is on the move." 

"Already?" Stiles responded as he started the jeep and pulled out of my driveway. 

I'm not exactly sure what tonight is supposed to accomplish but Parrish had asked us to follow him around to make sure that he's not adding to the body count. If anything, I'm the one out of all of us that is adding to the body count. I'm not sure if I'm actually participating in the murders or if I happen to just be nearby when they occur, but I somehow keep waking up in blood so I'm guilty by association, at least. 

Scott nodded, "He's headed to the school." 

"Why's Parrish going to the school?" Liam asked, leaning forward in his seat. 

He obviously didn't like being back here because he felt left out of the loop. I know the feeling, because I'm constantly thrown back here instead of being up front where all the important conversations are happening. Normally, I sit in the middle and lean forward so I'm in between Scott and Stiles-- but it appears that Liam has already beat me to that position. 

"It's not Parrish. At least not right now." Scott responded. 

Liam sighed in slight annoyance as he adjusted his question, "Okay, why's a Hellhound going to the school?" 

"Cause he's got a yearning for a higher education." Stiles responded sarcastically.

I'm not surprised that he decided to throw in his usual response into the mix. Stiles has always been one to add light to a situation with his comments. He hasn't been making them as much lately with everything going on, so hearing him slip back into his old habits is a nice change of pace. 

Stiles then added, "Liam, the Hellhound's going to the school, so we're going to the school. Okay?"

Liam sunk back in his seat and folded his arms over his chest in a pouting manner. I bit down on my lip to prevent myself from laughing. He obviously didn't like how Stiles sort of snapped at him like he was a child incessantly asking questions that the parent didn't have the answer to. It was kind of funny.

"Shut up," Liam muttered to me. 

I chuckled, "I didn't say anything."

"You're thinking it." he added as he shot me a look of annoyance. 

I nodded reluctantly, "Okay, I may have been thinking it." 

⬘ ⬘ ⬘

After Stiles had basically scolded Liam, we arrived at the school shortly after. I'll never get over how creepy this place is at night. I don't know why our supernatural infested lives are constantly dragging the school into the mix, but I'm here even when I'm not supposed to be... and that's a problem. 

Stiles parked the jeep alongside the curb, the tires squealing slightly as he breaked. He pulled the keys out of the ignition and slipped them into his pocket before sliding out onto the pavement. Scott followed suit and climbed out, leaving Liam and I to follow. Since I was closer to the door, I got to exit the jeep first. As soon as Liam hopped out, he slammed the door shut loudly. 

His eyes widened right after he did it and Scott and Stiles shot him a look of disapproval. Liam ran his hand through his hair awkwardly, "Sorry." 

"Can't take you anywhere." I chuckled lightly. 

Once again Liam shot me a look, "Shut up." 

"Hey, I'm not the one slamming car doors." I responded as Stiles and Scott smirked at my antics. 

Liam rolled his eyes and shoved his hands in his pockets as we all began to make our way under the pavilion. I assumed that we are heading towards whoever Argent is, because I'm sure he's here tracking Parrish. Scott was leading us under the awning.  I saw Argent in the distance, his gun glistening in the moonlight as he approached us. 

"Where's Parrish?" my brother inquired, the minute that we had met up with Argent. 

He shrugged, "I lost him. He's moving too fast." 

"Scott, that guys not moving at all." Liam stated, pulling our train of thought away from Parrish. 

Liam had gestured down the walkway towards a body that was laying lifeless on the cement. My eyes widened and Stiles instantly grabbed for my hand, gripping it tightly and tugging me towards him. I stumbled slightly from the abrupt movement, but Stiles managed to steady me with his other hand. 

I had no doubt in my mind that this murder was of the Beast's doing. I don't think Parrish is going around killing people, but that's just my opinion. I'm surprised that I didn't black out and end up covered in blood from this person's death like I have been almost every other time the Beast attacks. That alone makes me a little uneasy. 

We all slowly approached the body, stepping around it as we began to pass it. I noticed that the guys intestines were on the ground beside him and I gasped quietly at the sight. Just because I've seen some pretty gruesome things, doesn't mean that I want to continue seeing them. I'd like to keep some of my innocence if at all possible. 

"Look." Liam stated as he nodded his head in the direction of the school bus in front of us. 

The back door had been ripped off and there were body parts laying all around the bus on the concrete. Blood was smeared all over the bus and Stiles' grip on my hand tightened immensely as he gently tugged me against him, in the opposite direction of the bus. This entire scene looked like something out of a horror movie. 

Movement in the back of the bus caught my eye and I squinted to get a better look. A body of a teenage boy slowly lifted upwards and reached his arm out to us, "Help me." 

"It's a trap." 

I jumped in place at Parrish's sudden voice, he breezed up in front of us out of nowhere with burning embers on his skin. Where the hell did he come from? How long has he been hiding in the shadows waiting to make his appearance known? 

"Please..." the boy gasped desperately. 

Parrish glanced over his shoulder at my brother, "You can't help him." 

Suddenly the bus creaked and the upper half of the boys body fell to the concrete. His intestines were spilling all over the pools of blood that already covered the area. I winced at the squishy sound that his body made upon impact. There are at least twenty dead bodies in that bus. This thing is killing the population of Beacon Hills extremely fast. 

The Beast then made itself known as he began to breathe heavily, it's bright blue eyes shining in the darkness of the bus. Black smoke was pouring off of it's body all around it i tendrils. I swallowed thickly as Stiles gasped, "That's big. No one said it was that big." 

"And, Scott, you actually thought that I was that thing, remember?" I said quickly, attempting to lighten the situation a little bit. 

Scott shot me a look of annoyance but didn't respond. Parrish growled and ignited into flames as the beast turned around and busted through the windshield of the bus. Parrish sprinted off after it, leaving all of us standing here with our jaws hanging wide open trying to figure out what the hell we had just seen. 

"What the hell just happened?" Scott asked Argent. 

"It's getting smarter." 

⬘ ⬘ ⬘

Stiles was currently in the shower and I was laying on his bed waiting for him to finish. We had arrived at his house about a half hour ago, after we dropped off Liam and Scott. My brother was staying the night with Kira so he wasn't going to be at our house, which is why I'm staying here with Stiles. For some reason Braeden and Malia are hunkered down at my house because apparently Malia's mother is back in town and trying to kill her to take her power back. I guess the nice thing to do would be to stay with Malia and offer up my abilities for protection, but I still feel weird around her. 

I know that to most people her having feelings for their boyfriend wouldn't bother them too much, because they are confident in their relationship and they believe her when she says that she isn't trying to meddle and take the boyfriend away-- and I do believe that she's not trying to take Stiles away from me. I also believe that Stiles wouldn't leave me for her... but there is just that sliver of doubt that echoes around in my head telling me that I'm not good enough for Stiles and one day he is going to realize that and when he does he's going to have someone who's beautiful and protective and willing to do anything to please him just sitting there waiting. 

Plus, I did also punch her in the face and I have yet to apologize to her for that. So, there's that on top of everything else. I'm sure she would forgive me because she knows that I just haven't been myself lately and there is something seriously wrong with me right now with what the Dread Doctors have done to me. 

Malia is just so confusing. She has kissed me multiple times and then she turns around and tells me that she has feelings for my boyfriend? I mean I would be less surprised if she told me that she has feelings for me. At least that would explain why she has kissed me in the past. I understand that she was still new to the whole being a human thing when all of those kisses went down-- but I'm not sure why her first instinct would be to kiss me of all people? 

I hate thinking about this stuff because it just gives me a giant headache on top of the constant migraine that already always have. 

"Hey," 

I jumped slightly at Stiles' voice, completely unaware that he had walked back into the room. I was so deep in thought I didn't even hear him. 

Stiles chuckled as he rubbed the towel over his wet hair, "How in the world did I manage to scare you? You can hear me from a mile away."

I sat up and rolled my eyes, "I was half asleep."

"You sure you just don't need to clean your ears out?" he responded sarcastically. 

My eyes narrowed playfully but before I could come up with a witty response, I noticed that he didn't have a shirt on and I can't remember the last time that I've seen him without one on... hell, I can't remember the last time that we had a moment of calmness like this. We've been so busy and have so much hectic shit going on lately it's hard to find moments like these. 

Stiles noticed that I had been staring and he grinned as he gestured to himself, "Can you tell the constant running for my life has gotten me a little bit toned?"

I simply nodded in response because God, could you tell that he didn't look like the average guy that he was before. I guess he was right, the constant fear for our lives and not having time to just lay around and constant movement was starting to work in his favor. His arms were a little bigger on his biceps and his stomach was toned slightly. He had a barely there V-line, which was never there before. 

I can't remember the last time that I thought about how his body and how much I love it, but right now in this moment that's the only thing I can think about. 

My eyes blinked rapidly as Stiles chuckled and dropped the towel in the hamper on the other side of the room. As he walked towards me my breathing hitched slightly, I don't know if it's the supernatural eyesight or what but I feel like I'm seeing him for the first time all over again. I feel like I'm falling in love with him all over again and it's kind of surreal. 

He smiled as he sat down beside me on the bed, "You okay?" 

"What? Yeah, I'm fine. Totally fine-- uh, is it hot in here? Because I think I'm sweating." I rambled awkwardly, brushing my hair out of my face and trying to calm my racing heart. 

Stiles laughed and buried his face in his hands at my behavior and it honestly just made me more nervous. Why am I so damn nervous? This is just Stiles. My Stiles. He's the same exact person only he looks a little bit more toned, that's all. Apparently, that's a huge difference to my one track mind. 

"Kasey, I don't look that different." he assured me, gently placing his hand on my thigh. 

His touch ignited a flame beneath my skin and I swallowed thickly as every cell in my body began to scream at me to kiss him. Maybe that's why I'm such a ball of stress, because I have all of this sexual tension in my body that I just need to extinguish. Who the hell knows what else is wrong with me these days, the list goes on and on. 

I nodded in response, "I know." 

"I'm glad you like the slight difference, though." he added with a hint of amusement lacing his words. 

I chuckled, "That's an understatement."  

It felt like the temperature in the room was over a hundred degrees at this point and I was starting to get itchy from the thin layer of sweat lining my body. I'm not exactly sure if I've ever been this flustered around Stiles but I don't like feeling this way. I like feeling comfortable and relaxed... why is his damn V-line so distracting? 

Stiles was silent for a moment, just staring at my face-- his yes darting around to every feature. I felt slightly on edge because when he looks at me like that I can't help but feel like he's noticing flaws and realizing that I'm not as perfect as he originally thought. 

He finally smiled at me and said, "I love you so much, Kase." 

"I love you even more." 

_________________________________________________________________

so a bit of a sappy ending to the chapter but i like it... the next chapter is probably gonna be a lot longer than this one because of how i cut the episode but hey, yolo. i hope you are all excited for the conclusion of this story because shit is about to start hitting the fan real quick! and you're finally gonna figure out what's going on with kasey and the beast!