▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐓𝐰𝐨 ━︎━︎ 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐨 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐈𝐓 to the hospital and Liam and Scott went to drop Liam off with his dad. Elaine and Stiles walked towards the elevators just as they opened, revealing Scott standing by himself. He walked out and the trio began walking as Scott shook his head. "I still can't reach Kira."

     "Okay, you reminded her about tonight though, right?" Stiles asked as Elaine glanced around at the flickering lights running through the hospital.

     "I think so. She only texted me once this week."

     Stiles furrowed his brows. "Once? How'd you guys leave the things when she left for New York?"

     "Well, they were good. Yeah, I just said, 'Don't worry about anything, just go and have fun.'"

     "No." Stiles groaned. "You told her to have fun?" Elaine glanced at him, raising a brow.

     "Why?" Scott frowned. "What's wrong with that?"

     Stiles shook his head, grabbing Elaine's hand and interlacing their fingers. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong with it. Just, I don't know. That can be interpreted a lot of different ways." They approached Malia who glanced at them before looking at Elaine who just silently shook her head.

     "Like what?"

     "Well, like, don't worry we're not exclusive. Go have fun with other guys."

     Scott's eyes widened. "No. No way."

     Stiles turned to Elaine. "Laney, if you were going away, and I told you don't worry go have fun. What would you think I was talking about?"

     Elaine rose a brow. "To have fun and enjoy myself."

     "See." Stiles pointed.

     "Okay, yeah. Now I'm worried."

     Elaine rolled her eyes. "Not like that. I'd hope you would check in on me if I went away to New York."

     Stiles looked at her. "Are you planning on going to New York?"

     "No."

      "Well, then―︎"

     "I do want to take a trip to Spain."

     Stiles paused. "You didn't tell me about this. When are you doing that?"

     Elaine shrugged. "Haven't decided."

     He pursed his lips. "We'll talk about this later."

     They paused their conversation when a badly injured patient was wheeled by them on a gurney. Melissa stood up and followed after the patient causing Scott to ask, "Hey, mom, where's all this coming from?"

     "A jackknifed tractor trailer on 115, caused a major pile up." Melissa answered before continuing after the patient.

     "Okay, okay, there's only one way back into Beacon Hills from the airport." Stiles started.

     "I'm sure Kira's fine." Elaine tried.

     "Kira's never gonna make it."

     Elaine frowned before an idea popped into her head and she looked at Scott. "Scotty, your bike. You can weave through the traffic."

     Scott nodded. "I can get her." He started towards the exit. "You guys head to the school. Lydia's probably already there. We'll meet you by midnight."

     Elaine pulled her phone out, checking the time. "Maybe I should stay and help my mom. She's got a lot of patients coming in."

     "No." Stiles shook his head. "El, no."

      "Stiles―︎"

     "Hey, this our night." Stiles said, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I know you want to help, but just not tonight."

     Elaine nodded. "Alright."

      "Let's go." He grabbed her hand and Elaine gently pulled on Malia's elbow as the three of them walked out and drove to the school.

     As they sat in the Jeep, Elaine let out a groan as pain ricocheted through her head. "Ah!" She clenched the side of her head, her teeth grounding together.

     Stiles glanced between her and the road. "Laney, what's happening?"

     "I don't know." Elaine shook her head, turning to look at him and her eyes were glowing purple.

     "Your magic. It's acting up?"

     "I don't know." Elaine repeated. "I have to let it out."

     "Wh-now? In my car?"

     "Yes, Stiles! Now!"

      "Uh, uh, okay. Uh, roll down the window." Stiles continued to glance at her, panic coursing through his veins. Elaine listened, rolling the window down. Stiles tried to keep his focus on the road, watching as Elaine held her hands out, a giant ball of purple energy forming in her hands before she shot her hands out the window, watching as the magic slammed against a tree as they passed it. She rolled the window up and let out a breath. "Did that help?"

     Elaine nodded. "Mhm."

     They pulled into the school, climbing out of the car and walked towards the building. "Then why are your eyes still glowing?"

     Elaine swallowed. "Scott. Have either of you heard from anyone."

     Malia and Stiles shook their heads. Elaine chewed on the inside of her cheek as Malia said, "And I still don't know if I passed." Malia shook her head. "I don't want to do this unless I'm actually a senior."

     Stiles grabbed Elaine, turning her away from passing students to hide her eyes. "Yeah," Stiles mumbled.

     Malia sniffed him and he jumped. "What's wrong with you? You smell terrible."

     "Yeah, it's called anxiety." Stiles retorted. "Should be a familiar scent for you by now, since it's pretty much a constant state for me."

     "Why is this thing so important to you?"

     Stiles shook his head. "It's not. It's not. . . uh. . . I don't know. Maybe it is." Elaine looked up at him, a small frown on her lips. He met her eyes before sighing. "I asked my dad the other day about his high school friends. Guess how many he still talks to? None. Not a single one. You know, these were his best friends and he just says he lost touch with them, you know. So I started thinking about things, like I always do."

     "Obsessively," Malia commented.

     "Yeah. And so I'm thinking, what if. . . what if Scott's my best friend now you know, but he's not my best friend for life."

     "Well, doesn't that just happen sometimes?" Malia asked.

     "Yeah, but only because we let it happen. You know, that's what I'm saying. How come when we graduate we're just expected to go our separate ways? If I've already found the best people in my life, why aren't I not try to stay with them, you know?"

     Malia nodded. "Well, I thought that was the plan. The dream."

     Stiles pointed at her. "The vision. And don't mock the vision."

     "Baby, no one's mocking the vision." Elaine gently said. "I like the vision. We all like the vision. Especially if it involves me and you still being together. I hope your vision comes true."

     "So, that's why you wanted everyone here tonight." Malia realized. "Because you don't wanna lose all your friends after senior year."

     Stiles stayed quiet for a moment before softly saying, "And I hope they don't wanna lose me either." Elaine gave him a small smile before pressing her lips to his. His eyes fluttered closed as he kissed her back, holding her a little closer as if she was going to disappear.

     She pulled away and gave him a gentle smile. "I don't wanna lose you."

     "Well, that's a relief."

     Malia grew alert, grabbing their attention. "Someone's coming. Someone fast." Before Elaine or Stiles had time to react, Malia placed her hand on the persons chest and slammed them to the ground only to reveal it was just Liam.

     Liam let out heavy breaths. "Scott's in trouble."

     Elaine grew tense. "Where?"

     Liam was quick to lead them under one of the walkways where they came face to face with Scott on his knees in front of a larger wolf, the wolfs claws pinned into his stomach. Kira was lying on the ground beside someone else Elaine didn't recognize but she didn't hesitate to step forwards. "Patere!" She threw the wolf away from Scott and held him against the wall, her hand tightened as he began to choke.

     Scott walked towards the person as Elaine kept him against the wall, his eyes glowing red. "I don't know who you are or what you thought you were going to do, but I'll give you a choice. You can stay and my sister will break all of your bones or you can run." Elaine came to a stop at his side, cocking her head slightly.

     "I'd run." Stiles suggested.

     Elaine glanced at Scott who nodded his head. She dropped her hand and the man fell to the ground, letting out a gasp of air before he stood and ran away. Elaine turned her attention to Scott. "Are you hurt?"

     "I'm good." Scott nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder. Kira stood and the three of them walked over to Stiles, Malia, and Liam, all of them turning to face the stranger that had come to help Scott.

     The boy smiled, he was around the same age as them, as he walked closer. "You don't remember me, do you?" None of them answered. "I guess I look a little different since the fourth grade."

     Scott's brows raised in surprise. "Theo?" Theo smiled.

     "You know him?" Malia asked.

     "They used to." Theo answered. "Trust me, I never thought I'd see you guys again. Couple of months ago I heard of an Alpha in Beacon Hills. When I found out his name was Scott McCall, just couldn't believe it. No just an Alpha, but a True Alpha."

      Scott gave a slight nod. "What do you want?"

     "I came back to Beacon Hills. Back home with my family. Because I want to be a part of your pack."

     Elaine pursed her lips and nodded. "That's great and all, but we really have to get going. So, can we talk about this later."

     Theo chuckled. "Elaine, you haven't changed." Elaine rose a brow. "Well, except you're a werewolf witch hybrid now." Elaine's shoulders tensed. News of her existence was spreading. "You look good."

     Stiles cleared his throat. "We should really be going." He grabbed Elaine's hand and turned to walk away with the others following. They entered the school building and Stiles shook his head. "We haven't seen this kid in years. You don't find that highly suspicious?"

     Scott shrugged. "I'm kind of more concerned about the guy who just tried to kill me."

     The buzzing of a cell phone made them all stop and turn to Malia. She looked at her phone and her eyes widened before a relieved smile spread across her lips. "I'm in. I passed."

     "Yes!" Elaine cheered, pulling her into a hug and Malia tightly hugged her back.

     The smile couldn't leave Malia's face as Kira gave her a hug. "I'm officially a senior."

     "Thank God." Lydia's voice made them all turn. "Where have you guys been? The whole senior class is here. Are we doing this or not?"

Elaine ran forwards, grabbing her hands and dragging her down the hall. Lydia chuckle and shook her head. They all got in line and Stiles went first, writing his initials down on the bookshelf before passing the marker to Elaine. Elaine smiled as she took it, writing down E. M. beside of Stiles' initials before giving it to Lydia who gave it to Kira who gave it to Malia and then Scott went last.

     Scott wrote his initials then paused before writing Allison's initials and walking over to them. Stiles nodded his head. "She would've been with us."

     Scott nodded. "Yeah."

     A small smile pulled on Lydia's face as she softly said, "She still is."

     Tears brimmed Elaine's eyes as she whispered, "Always." Stiles met her eyes and pressed a kiss to the top of her forehead, pulling her closer. They all left the library, walking down the stairs and a breath left Elaine's lips as a gnawing feeling clawed at her stomach.