Chapter Thirty-Six

"So, mystery girl leaves a bruise on our arms that turns out to be the logo for a bank?" Lydia questions the next day as we climbed out of Allison's car at school. "What's she trying to do? Give us investment advice?"

"Not at this bank." I denied. "It's been closed for years." I closed the car door.

"Why aren't you guys telling Scott?" Lydia questioned us. We head to the boot of her car and she opens it.

"Because according to someone, I need to find something real." Allison informs. I glanced down in her boot, seeing a sledge in the back as she takes her purse and closed the boot. "Which reminds me, um, I can't drive either of you home today, I have an errand to run after school."

I glanced at Allison. We walked into the school, going our separate ways. Allison and I stuck together as we had French class. "Allie, you're going to that bank, aren't you?" I questioned her.

"I—Well... Yeah." Allison admits.

"Are you crazy?" I send her a look as we walked down the halls. "Something for real bad could be happening, you know? You can't go by yourself."

Allison looked at me. "I'm trained huntress, I think I can handle myself."

"I don't care if you can handle yourself or not, I'm coming with you." I informed her. "I saw that sledge, I'm not stupid. You may have a bow, but I have claws."

Allison smiled at me. "You and me make a pretty good team, you know that?"

I thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, we actually do. Better than Scott and Stiles."

She chuckled. "Speaking of—"

"No, no, no." I shake my head, not wanting this conversation. "Literally, I will talk about anything other than that."

She pouted. "Oh come on. I've been dying to know if anything's happened yet."

"Clearly, nothing." I muttered. "Can we just focus on this first, please? My relationship with Stiles shouldn't be the first thing you think about."

Allison sighed. "You know I've been rooting for you two ever since day one, right? And now that you're not in denial anymore, I want to talk about it."

"Well, I don't." I tell her firmly. "Please." I added softly. I couldn't help but think back to when Stiles had a condom the other day. Who was that for? I was almost positive it wasn't for me.

"What's wrong?" She asked, noticing my mood.

"Nothing. Lets just get this day over, then we can talk about our plans for tonight."

⇉

I sit in passenger seat in Allison's car that night, driving down the sketchy streets of Beacon Hills. "I hate this." I tell her.

"You're a werewolf." She pointed out.

"Doesn't mean I can't have feelings." I grumbled as we pulled into the First Beacon Hills National Bank car park. "This looks sketchy as hell, Allie. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Don't be a whimp." She smirked at me as she puts her car into park. "We've got this. We're a team now, remember? And—You've got claws." She mocked.

"Yeah, yeah." I mumbled as we climbed out of the car. Allison went towards her boot, grabbing her sledge cutter. "You won't need that." She paused, giving me a look. I walked over to the locked bank. I looked behind me, seeing she was still at the car. She puts the sledge back and puts her boot down before walking over to me.

"Hey, wait." Allison pulls me aside, looking at me. "You feeling okay? The full moon has risen." I looked up at the moon, suddenly remembering it was a full moon.

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine. I think I've fully mastered it over the summer break with the help of Stiles and Derek." I could feel the wolf inside me stirring a little bit, getting annoyed. But, other than that, I was fine. I didn't feel the need to wolf out or snap at anyone.

After that, I grabbed the lock and break it with my bare hands. "Huh." She mumbled. I opened the bank quietly, almost getting chills and I stand still. Allison walked past me, entering.

"This is not creepy," I mumbled to her and she gives me a look to tell me to be quiet, which I will be from now on. We carefully walked around. It was clearly abandoned, there are papers scattered everywhere, desks and chairs turned over. We give each other glances every once and awhile. "What are we looking for?"

She pauses for a moment to think. "Erica and Boyd, obviously." I rolled my eyes at that. Carefully moving around a corner, Allison and I peer about the cavernous bank. We continues on, glancing back with every few steps. But I stopped short, listening...

From somewhere in the building comes the sound of water dripping. Swallowing my fear, I start forward again and both of our reflexes kicked in. I bring up my hand to defend myself as Allison does, but our attacker moves just as swiftly.

The blows come quick, two dark shapes striking out with well-trained precision until Allison and I slammed against a wall, an elbow pressed to my throat. I looked over at Allison, an elbow was also pressed to her throat. I blinked in surprise at my assailant.

"Ms Morrell?" I choked out.

The School Guidance Counselor—looking very unlike a Guidance Counselor at the moment—takes a quick glance down the corridor to make sure we're alone. "Keep your mouths shut and listen close. You two have no idea what you just stepped into. Right now, you've got maybe twenty seconds to get your ass hidden." Ms Morrell hisses.

"What are you doing—" Allison was cut off.

"There's a storage closet down the hall. Get in there. Lock the door. When you hear the fighting start, that's when you come out." Ms Morrell instructed.

"What fighting?" I whispered.

"You'll hear it. Now go." Ms Morrell demanded. Ms Morrell steps back, releasing us. Confused, I retreats back with Allison as instructed while Ms Morrell hurries off in the opposite direction.

Allsion and I give each other a look of disbelief. What the hell was that? My eyes glanced frantically for the closet nearby. I grabbed Allison's arm and pulled her along.

The closet door clicks open when I opened it. Allison and I slipped inside before she closes it behind her. We both hold still when we hear movement outside the closet. Several people were walking past. I looked down at the AMMONIA bottle on the ground. I placed down my jacket, pressing it against the crack of the doorway.

I bend down as quietly as I can and tipped it over, letting it slide on the floor to try and block our scents from anyone. Allison grabbed out her phone and turns on a flash torch once the footsteps were gone.

She shines it around and we both hold onto to each other, holding in quiet gasps as we see Erica. Paralyzed in an expression of terror, Erica looks as if she must have faced something truly horrifying in her last moments. Hands rising to our own mouths, Allison and I retreats back, neither of us trying not to scream as well.

My heart was pounding. Erica is dead. Does that mean Boyd is dead, too? Allison and I stare at each other, and I mouth her 'oh, my god'. And 'what the fuck'. My hands are shaking, my fear is at peak right now, and on top of my fear was Allison's.

A distance crash caught my attention and I snap my head back to the door. "Fighting." I murmur to Allison, remembering what Morrell had said. "Come out when there's fighting."

My hands reaches for the door handle, and Allison grabbed my hand before I open it. "Can you—Can you check?" She whispered. "Before we go out, can you check if it's clear." I nod and focused my hearing on the outside, hearing nothing but fighting.

I opened up the door, not saying anything. Allison and I rushed out of the closet, my chest tightening at the thought of leaving Erica's corpse there. We run down the hall. We found the vault, and to our horror, we watched Boyd dig his claws in Scott, dragging him up the wall.

Blood at his lips, Scott cries out in agony. I felt his pain and I winced. Allison glanced at me. Then, taking an inch towards the Mountain ash that surrounded them. Derek was fighting a girl who has beautiful dark hair, nearly looked like him, too. Who the hell is she?

"No! Don't break the seal!" Derek snapped while holding the other girl who was fully transformed, snarling, growling and snapping at Derek. Like she wanted to kill him.

"Boyd!" Allison yelled. He spins, yellow eyes focusing on her. Allison whips her hands across the seal. The Mountain ash swirls up into the air and a break appears in the barrier.

Roaring, Boyd charges toward us. I grabbed Allison and pulled her towards me, whirling her back behind the safety of the vault door as both Boyd and the girl hurtle out of their prison, racing for freedom.

With their feral growls growing fainter in the distance, Allison and I stepped out from behind the door and is grabbed by Derek.

"Don't touch her." Both Scott and I snapped furiously, Scott yanks Derek's hand from her, locking eyes with him. Derek shakes free of Scott's grasp, glaring at Allison.

"What were you thinking?" Derek snapped.

"That I had to do something." Allison snapped right back.

"She saved our lives." Scott pointed out, trying to reason with Derek.

"And what do you think they're going to do out there? You have any idea what we just set free?" Derek glares.

"You want to blame me? I'm not the one who turns teenagers into killers." Allison's voice cracked, glaring at Derek.

"No, that's the rest of your family," Derek harshly said.

"I made mistakes. But Gerard wasn't my fault." She shook her head.

"And what about your mother?" Derek fired and I went hestinatly looked at Scott.

"What do you mean?" Allison asked.

"Tell her, Scott." Derek says. Allison turns to him. Hands pressed to his bloody torso, Scott falters under her questioning gaze.

"What does he mean? Scott? What does he mean?" Allison demanded, starring at Scott.

I bite the inside of my check, suddenly remembering Erica. I looked at Derek and he felt my stare. "What?" He asked, knowing I wanted to say something.

I walked away, tears brimming in my eyes and Derek silently follows. We walked down the hallway where I had just come from. "Der..." I began softly, glancing at him. He gives me a questioning look. "Don't—Don't be mad when I tell you this, please." Derek stays silent again, allowing me to continue. I take a deep breath and walked over to the closet that I was in. "Erica's... She's... She's dead, Derek." I then opened the door, watching his face which doesn't falter at the sight of Erica's body in the corner of the closet. I looked at Derek, trying to read his mind. "Derek..."

"What?" He snapped and I flinched a little at his harsh tone. I stepped towards him and wrapped my arms around him, he stiffens a little. He wasn't sure how to react, he's not much of a hugger. After a few seconds, I begin to pull away but he wrapped his arms around me and buried his head in the crook of my neck.

"I'm so sorry, Derek."