CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE:
SCREAM THAT LOUD

THE TWO HAD ARRIVED AT the hospital, and just as Elaine was about to get out, Stiles grabbed her attention by clearing his throat. The girl frowned as she turned her head to look at him, cocking her head in slight confusion as to why he wasn't getting out.

"Stiles? What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He shook his head.

"Come on, I've known you since we were like four. You can't lie to me." She told him. She turned in her seat to look at him. "Now, tell me, what's wrong?"

His brown eyes met her blue ones, and he sat there for a moment before answering her. "I just. . . I watched you die, Laney. And. . . I don't know, I've never felt so panicked before in my entire life."

"Stiles. . ." The girl trailed off before reaching over and grabbing his hand, giving it a small squeeze as she offered him a small smile. "I can't even imagine how terrifying it was for you and Scott to see me just lying there. But, if I had to die in order to save my brother, then I would do it all over again." She looked at the boy before saying, "I would've done the same if it were you, Stiles. You both mean the entire world to me, and if there was anything I could do in order to save your lives, I would do it."

"Even if it meant getting killed in the end?" He asked. "You're so selfless, and it makes me so angry sometimes."

"It my greatest strength, and my greatest flaw." The girl admitted. She could see the worry that still swirled within his eyes and she placed a hand on his cheek, shaking her head slightly. "Don't waste your time worrying about me, alright? I'm perfectly fine. And I'm alive and well. The person we should both be worrying about for the time being is Lydia." She offered him one last smile before she got out of the vehicle. Stiles sat there for a moment, frowning to himself. She wasn't fine, but she didn't know that, only he and Scott did. With a sigh, the boy was quick to climb out of his vehicle, chasing after the witch that had just walked through the hospital doors.

The two had sat there all night, neither remembering when exactly it was that they had fallen asleep. Melissa had noticed her child the night prior, the two having exchanged quick words before she had watched her daughter and Stiles make their way to Lydia's room, sitting just outside of it. The woman couldn't help the smile that had fallen on her face upon seeing the two sleeping there without a care in the world. Elaine's head was on Stiles' shoulder, the boy's arm wrapped around her shoulder almost protectively with his head leaning against the wall.

Stiles had startled himself awake just as one of the nurses had changed the trash bag that had been right beside of his seat. He looked around before noticing the sleeping girl that had hummed in her sleep before nuzzling her head on his shoulder as if to make herself more comfortable. The corners of his lips pulled up into a smile as he looked down at her, and he couldn't but take note of how beautiful and peaceful she looked whilst she was asleep. He didn't want to move, not having the heart to wake her, so he stayed in the position, knowing she hadn't been getting as much sleep as she said she had been getting ever since her brother had been turned into a supernatural creature.

Suddenly the girl shot awake, a gasp falling from her lips as she placed a hand over her heart that was beating incredibly fast. Stiles was quick to place a hand on her shoulder, making her turn to look at him.

"You alright?" The boy questioned.

Elaine swallowed before giving him a tight smile and nodding her head. "Yeah. I'm fine. I am kinda hungry though." She was quick to change the subject before he could even think to ask anything else. Stiles nodded in agreement.

"Make that two of us." The boy stood up with Elaine following suit. She grabbed his hand, subconsciously interlacing their fingers as they walked down the hospital halls before finding a vending machine. He pulled money from his pocket before looking at the candy bars that were in the machine. "What do you want?"

"A Hershey's bar." Elaine was quick to answer. He nodded before inserting in the money, and pressing the numbers. Elaine grabbed the Hershey bar from the slot, pulling down the wrapping paper and starting to nibble on it whilst Stiles put in money for a Reese's. However, just before the candy could fall, it got stuck.

"Seriously? Come on." The boy muttered, pressing the button a few more times. Elaine smiled in amusement. He hit his hand against the glass before deciding to shake the machine instead. He tried to pick it up, letting out a huff. "Just―︎gah! It's not gonna work." He backed away as Elaine continued to watch him struggle. He then violently started to pull at the top of the machine, shaking it. However, the machine started to topple over, making Elaine quickly move out of the way as the two watched it fall to the ground with the loud sound of shattering glass following.

"Oh―︎" Elaine snickered whilst Stiles looked at it with wide eyes. Elaine turned to the boy, holding her chocolate out to him. "Want the rest?" The boy gave her a blank look before taking the candy bar, the two being quick to leave the scene as if they saw nothing happen. That's when an ear piercing scream echoed through the hospital. Lydia's scream. The two teenagers were quick to shoot off in the direction, busting into Lydia's room with Melissa and Mr. Martin following behind.

"Lydia!" Elaine called.

"What the hell was that?" Melissa asked. The four quickly looked around the room before busting into the bathroom. Elaine was quick to catch her balance before she could slip on the water that was overflooding the bathtub. Melissa was quick to cut the water off as they all looked around before noticing the bathroom window that was opened.

"Lydia?" Stiles mumbled before the two teenagers exchanged looks with one another. They looked around the entire hospital, but Lydia was no where to be found. Soon the cops were quick to show up.

"I did not know she could scream that loud." Elaine mumbled as she had Stiles walked the hospital.

"Neither did I." Stiles mumbled. That's when the two spotted Stiles' dad with Melissa and Mr. Martin, and they were quick to walk over to them.

"All right, let's get an APB out on a sixteen-year-old redhead. Any other descriptors?" Mr. Stilinski asked.

"Five-three, green eyes, fair-skinned, and her hair is actually strawberry blonde." Stiles was quick to inform.

"Is that right?" Noah sarcastically asked his son.

Stiles looked at Elaine who was quick to nod her head, making Stiles nod as well. "Yeah." Noah was quick to grab Stiles, pulling him away and talking to him whilst Melissa looked at her daughter who was biting on her lip in worry.

"Hey, we're going to find her." Melissa quickly assured her daughter, placing a hand on her shoulder. "El, why don't you go on home? Get Stiles to take you."

"But―︎"

"If we figure anything else out, I'll be sure to let you know, as will Sheriff Stilinski." Melissa assured her. Elaine bit her lip before sighing and nodding her head. Melissa gave her a kiss on the forehead before allowing her to walk away with Stiles who stopped, glancing at the people who were looking at the broken vending machine. The two teenagers exchanged discreet looks with one another before quickly making their exit. Stiles, on his way out, was quick to call Scott whilst Elaine was quick to sneak back into Lydia's room, grabbing her friends bloodied hospital gown before exiting the hospital only to find Scott already waiting in Stiles' jeep.

"This is the one she was just wearing?" Scott asked his sister as she climbed into the back.

"Yes." Elaine assured. "Scott, you have to find her. She's already been through so much shit―︎"

"Hey, look at me." Scott quickly told her, making the blue eyed girl do as he asked. "I'm not gonna let anyone hurt her. Not again." Elaine offered her brother a weak smile before nodding her head.

"All right, just shove the thing in your face and let's find her." Stiles requested, turning on the jeep only to jump in surprise upon seeing Allison standing in front of the headlights. "Wow!"

"What are you doing here? Someone's gonna see us!" Scott asked as Allison came up to his window.

"I don't care―︎she's my best friend, and we need to find her before they do."

"I can find her before the cops can." Scott assured her.

"How about before my father does?" Allison challenged.

"He knows?" Stiles exclaimed.

"Yeah. I just saw him and three other guys leave my house in two SUVs." She nodded.

"Search party." Scott mumbled.

"It's more like a hunting party." Allison corrected.

"Get in." Scott sighed, opening the door for her. Elaine moved over so that she was sitting directly behind Scott as Allison climbed in. The huntress stopped for a moment, her breath hitching in her throat as she saw Elaine sitting there, alive and well.

"El?" Allison questioned. "How―︎I thought―︎I saw you die."

"You didn't tell her?" Elaine asked Scott in disbelief. She then looked back towards Allison. "I'll explain everything, I promise. But Lydia's the top priority." Allison nodded her head before quickly pulling Elaine into an embrace. Elaine chuckled lightly as she hugged her bag before the two pulled away.

"All right, but if she's turning, would they actually kill her?" Stiles quickly got back onto topic as he sped down the road.

"I don't know. They won't tell me anything, okay? All they say is, 'We'll talk after Kate's funeral, when the others get here.'"

"What others?" Elaine asked, frowning.

"I don't know, they won't tell me that yet." Allison huffed.

"Okay, your family's got some serious communication issues to work on." Stiles grumbled. "Scott, are we going the right way?"

"Take the next right!" Scott called, his head sticking out the window as he smelled the air, searching for Lydia's scent. When they had gotten out of the vehicle and walked up to the Hale House, Elaine's breath hitched in her throat. Her heart started pounding in her chest as the recent memories that had taken by flashed through her mind.

"She―︎" Elaine cleared her throat. "She came here? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, this is where the scent leads." Scott assured her.

"All right, but has Lydia ever been here?" Stiles asked the two girls.

"Not with me, no." Allison shook her head.

"Me neither." Elaine sighed.

"Maybe she came here on instinct―︎like she was looking for Derek?" Allison suggested.

"You mean, looking for an Alpha." Scott rephrased.

"Wolves need a pack, right?" Allison shrugged.

"Not all of them."

"But would she have been drawn to an Alpha? Is it an instinct to be part of a pack?" Allison continued.

"Yeah, we're―︎we're stronger in packs." Scott nodded.

"Like, strength in numbers?"

Scott shook his head. "No, like-like, literally stronger, faster. . . Better in every way."

"Is that the same for an Alpha?"

"That'll make Derek stronger, too."

Elaine stood beside of Stiles, cocking an eyebrow as she watched him bend down, looking at something on the ground. "Whoa! Hey, look at this. You see this?" Allison walked over to the two whilst Scott turned towards them. "I think it's a tripwire." The boy pulled it up, only for it to do nothing, or so they thought.

"Stiles?" Scott called.

"Yeah, buddy-oh" The three turned to see Scott now hanging upside down with a rope caught around his leg. Elaine had to place a hand over her mouth to muffle her stifles of laughter.

"Next time you see a tripwire? Don't trip it."

"Yeah, noted." Stiles nodded as the three looked at him, Allison and Elaine sharing amused smiles with one another. The three moved forward to help him down only for Scott to stop them.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! Someone's coming! Hide!" He quickly told them. They stood there for a moment looking around making Scott quickly say, "Go!" The three were quick to run off, hiding behind some trees before they all watched as Allison's father walked up to Scott with a few men following him. Argent kneeled down in front of Scott. The three watched as Scott talked with Allison's father. It seemed like forever before he finally walked away, driving off.

"Are you okay?" Allison was quick to ask as the three ran up to him.

"Just another life-threatening conversation with your dad." Scott answered.

"Stiles, El, help me with this." Allison requested, running over to the thing that was keeping Scott up. They had barely even touched the tripwire before Scott had grabbed their attention.

"Thanks, but I think I got it." Scott smiled in amusement at them as he used his claws to cut himself down. Elaine scoffed, but a smile was on her face as she shook her head at her brother. Allison let out a laugh of amusement whilst Stiles nodded his head in agreement. Scott nodded his head towards the house.

"Comin'?"