CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR:
BARROW

"WHAT DO YOU THINK?" ELAINE smiled, holding the jack-o-lantern as she looked at her mother. Melissa smiled at her daughter and nodded her head.

"It's perfect." She grabbed the pumpkin from her daughter's hands and placed it on the front desk. Elaine was working that night with her mother, and today she was working front desk, and seeing as nothing too exciting was happening, her mother had helped her carve some pumpkins. Elaine looked up just in time to watch as her father entered the hospital one way, with Noah and two other officers entering through the front door. She watched as her mother's smile immediately dropped as she made her way over to the two men. Elaine frowned and quickly followed her.

"Hey. He is not coming in." Noah was quick to snap at Rafael.

"This is the only hospital that will take him."

"What about county?"

"You'd be surprised how fast things fill up when a guy like this needs surgery." Rafael told him. Elaine watched the conversation with furrowed eyebrows, apparently being the only one that was in the dark about whatever the hell it was that was going on.

"They turfed him to us?" Melissa asked in disbelief.

"Turfed who to us?" Elaine frowned.

"Yeah." Rafael nodded.

"If county doesn't want want to operate on him―︎"

"Then someone has to." Rafael cut Noah off. He then looked towards his daughter. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm working tonight." Elaine answered. "What's happening? Mom?" She looked towards her mother, but Melissa was too focused on the front doors that opened with paramedics and several officers rolling in an older man who's hands and ankles were strapped to the bed. Elaine watched as he passed before cocking an eyebrow. "So, what's the damage? Serial killer? Cannibal?"

No one answered her. Melissa was the next one to speak. "Someone needs to do his pre-op interview."

"Who usually does that?" Rafael questioned.

A sigh fell from Melissa's mouth. "Me."

"Yeah, no." Elaine shook her head. "You're not going in there alone."

"Well you're sure as hell not going in there." Melissa told her child. Elaine looked at her mother, silently telling her that she could protect her. Melissa shook her head. "Go home, El."

"What? No!" Elaine shouted in disbelief.

"Elaine. Home. Now." It wasn't a request anymore and Elaine clenched her jaw as she looked at her mother before scoffing as she shook her head and walked out of the hospital. Her phone started to ring, and she sighed before answering it.

"What." She was frustrated, that was clear.

"You coming to help set up?" Stiles asked. Tonight was Mischief night, the night in which they would always pull pranks on Coach. Elaine didn't answer, instead she stood outside and tapped her foot against the pavement, shaking her head in disbelief. "Laney? Everything alright?"

"Yeah." She lied. "I just. . . I can't tonight. I'm helping mom out at the hospital―︎"

"It's past midnight, isn't it illegal for you to still be at work."

"Stiles―︎" Elaine snapped before catching herself. "Just tell me everything in the morning, alright? I gotta handle something."

"Okay. Tomorrow then." And then Elaine hung up. She clenched her jaw, looking back towards the hospital before closing her eyes and opening them again to reveal the purple glow.

"Nullum visa laris" The girl chanted before she became invisible. She turned on her heel and quickly reentered the hospital. She walked down the halls until she found the room in which her mother stood with the man that was supposedly dangerous. She slipped into the room, and she knew by the way her mother had shut the door once more that she knew Elaine was in their with her.

"Mr. Barrow, do you understand that scar tissue has formed around a piece of shrapnel that remains in your body from a previous injury and that it is now blocking vital functions?" Melissa asked the man. Elaine found out he had killed four children and left one without legs. This guy was really twisted.

"Yes." The man answered.

"Do you understand that we must put you under general anesthesia tomorrow morning in order to remove the obstruction?"

He paused for a moment before asking, "Do the kids still pull the pranks the day before Halloween?"

"You mean Mischief Night?" Melissa asked.

"Where I'm from we called it Hell Night." He hummed a laugh. "And, yes, I understand."

"Do you have any allergies to any medication?" She could tell that her mother was growing nervous by the second.

"No."

"Are you taking any medications other than the ones listed here?" She moved closer to his bedside and Elaine carefully followed her. "Temazepam. Divalproex."

"I just take what they give me."

Melissa turned her head towards the guard that was in the room. "I'm going to need to listen to his heart." She carefully removed the clothes from his chest, several scars lining it. She pulled out her stethoscope and instructed him to breathe in and out. Elaine watched as he started growing closer to her mother's face and she clenched her jaw. Melissa slowly turned her head to look at him.

"Why don't you just ask the question you really want to ask?"

Melissa looked at him for a moment before slightly looking over her shoulder as if she were trying to look at Elaine before looking back at him. "Why did you do it?"

"I saw their eyes." The one sentence seemed to shake Elaine to her core. "Their eyes were glowing. I saw them. I saw their eyes!" He suddenly shouted causing Melissa to jump back. Elaine grabbed her mother's arm, even though the woman couldn't see her, both of them watching as he continued to yell about how their eyes were glowing.

The next morning Elaine had rode on her brother's bike. She had nightmares the night before, and she was so tired, she was scared to drive her own car. When they arrived, Scott got off the bike first, looking towards the twins that were also there in the parking lot. He walked over to them whilst Elaine continued sitting on her brother's bike, the man's words echoing in her head. She looked up only when the sound of Stiles' voice filled her ears.

"Oh. That's kind of a change of pace for you guys." Stiles said as he looked towards the twins that had claimed they simply wanted to talk. He walked over towards Elaine offering her a gentle smile and holding out his hand for her to grab, allowing her to climb off the bike as the two walked back over to them. "Usually, you're just hurting, maiming, and killing."

"You need a pack. We need an Alpha." One of the twins―︎whom Elaine still couldn't tell apart―︎said.

"Yeah. . . absolutely not. That's hilarious though." Stiles denied.

"You came to us for help. We helped."

"No, you beat the shit out of him." Elaine snapped, glaring at the two. They almost took a step back at the sound of anger in her voice. "What part of that was helping?"

"In my opinion, that's actually counter-productive." Stiles agreed, nodding his head.

"Why would I say yes?" Scott quizzed.

"We add strength. We'd make you more powerful. There's no reason to say no."

"I can think of one." That's when Isaac joined the conversation. "Like the two of you holding Derek's claws while Kali impaled Boyd. In fact, I don't know why we aren't impaling them right now." Aiden growled, his eyes glowing blue as he showed his fangs.

"You want to try?"

Isaac took a step forward but Scott stopped him. Elaine rolled her eyes before making her eyes glow purple as she lifted up her hand, closing it into a fist and watching as they started to writhe in pain. She cocked her head slightly, watching as blood started to drip down their noses before she let up and let go of Stiles' hand as she shoved past them. Stiles and Isaac smirked in amusement whilst Scott tried to hide his.

"I'm sorry, but they don't trust you. And my sister will probably kill you if you come around any of us again. So, for your safety, no." He then walked away and after his sister with Isaac and Stiles doing the same. She waited for Scott and Stiles and the entrance whilst Isaac went his own way. Stiles smiled and gave the girl a quick peck on the lips causing her to chuckle before he grabbed her hand as the trio entered, just for toilet paper to be thrown at Stiles' face.

"Alright, that's my face!" Stiles yelled, causing Elaine to chuckle. "Hey, dude, good decision. Good alpha decision. El, very nice of you to do that to them, they deserve it."

"I hope so." Scott muttered.

"No, you know so." Stiles corrected.

"I'll be right back." Elaine told them as she walked away in order to go to her locker and grab her things, watching as the new girl started dropping everything. Elaine walked over to her and offered her a gentle smile as she handed the girl one of her books.

"Thanks." Kira nervously smiled.

"You're welcome." Elaine nodded. "Hey, you're Kira right?" She nodded and Elaine smiled. "We should hang out sometime. You seem cool and very out of your comfort zone."

Kira was surprised but nonetheless smiled as she nodded her head. "O-okay."

"Elaine McCall." Elaine held out her hand, Kira grabbed it and shook it.

"Kira Yukimura."

"Lovely to make your acquaintance." Elaine smiled before walking over to her locker and closing it as she adjusted her book in her hands. "I'll see you around." Elaine walked away as Kira did the same. Elaine walked back over to her brother and Stiles just as the two moved away from Stiles' locker.

"Scott, I don't think you get it yet." Stiles was telling him, grabbing Elaine's hand as she joined them. "You're an alpha. You're the apex predator. Everyone wants you. You're like the hot girl that every guy wants."

"The hot girl?" Scott questioned as Isaac joined them.

Stiles placed his hands on Scott's shoulders. "You are the hottest girl."

Stiles walked away whilst Elaine just laughed as Isaac looked between them in confusion. "What?"

"I'm the hot girl." Scott stated, turning his head to look at Isaac.

"Yes, you are." Isaac nodded and Elaine just continued to laugh as she walked away from them and followed after her boyfriend.