𝙽𝚊𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚊'𝚜 𝙿𝙾𝚅

"Here's where we found the den" Stiles explains to Allison as we stand at the back of class "It's right in the middle of the hiking trails"

"Well, that could narrow it down" The Argent girl replies "Coyotes travel in fixed trails. But I think you're right about her not going back to the den. Coyotes don't like wolves. And they're really smart. If they don't want to be heard, they actually walk on their toes"

"Coyotes tiptoe?" Stiles asks in surprise.

"They tiptoe" Allison huffs and I giggle.

The bell rings loudly and Allison perks up.

"I got to go, but send me the pinned location" She says.

"Okay" Stiles nods as she runs off to her next class.

I sit down in my seat and watch as Kira stops in front of my brother with a bright smile.

"Hey. I'm Kira. You knew that. I knew you knew that. I don't know why I just told you that again" She rambles and I watch the way Scott smiles at her in amusement "Anyway, I have something for you"

"For me?" Scott asks in surprise.

"Yeah" Kira nods, getting something out her bag "About the bardo. My explanation was sort of all over the place, so I did some research and I printed it out for you"

"Ah, you didn't have to do that" Scott chuckles, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.

"It only took a couple of hours" Kira shrugs and my eyes widen as my brother stares at the girl in admiration.

"Wow. Then you really didn't have to do that" Scott tells her.

"I swear I printed it out" Kira huffs, looking through her bag.

"Kira!" Mr Yukimura says, walking up to his daughter with a small pile of papers "You forgot all the research you did for that boy you like"

Kira slowly takes the papers from her father and with a defeated sigh, she turns to Scott who is looking at her with an open mouth. I kick his leg and he shuts his mouth, smiling widely at the girl who shyly smiles back. He takes the papers from her and she sits down in front of me, Scott sitting near the front of the class.

"Psst" I whisper and Kira turns to me in embarrassment "You didn't tell me that you like my brother"

"I've messed up, haven't I?" She groans and I smirk widely.

"Don't worry, Ki. I have a strong feeling my brother is fond of your awkwardness" I assure her and she smiles softly.

"Thanks, Nat" She sighs.

I wink at her and she turns back to the front.

"Who would like to come up and read aloud for us?" Mr Yukimura asks "Mr Stilinski, how about you?"

"Oh, maybe someone else could" Stiles replies and I sit up straight in my seat.

"Everyone participates in my class, Mr Stilinski" Mr Yukimura.

"I can read it, sir" I offer, causing people to look at me.

"While that is nice, Miss McCall, I asked Stiles" The teacher replies and I sink down into my seat.

"Okay" Stiles sighs in defeat.

The boy gets up in front of the class and looks down at at the textbook on the podium. I come to the conclusion he can't actually read the words on the page as he grips the wood until his knuckles turn white and he slightly shakes out of nerves.

He squints his eyes as he tries his best to read and my heart bleeds for him as tears fill his eyes. He starts to hyperventilate and I jump out my seat, Scott following my actions.

"Stiles? You okay?" Scott asks.

The Stilinski boy stumbles and I rush forward, grabbing him.

"We should probably take him to the nurse's office" Scott tells the teacher who nods.

I pull one of the boy's arms around my neck and Scott does the same, the both of us leading him out of the classroom. We reach the locker room and Stiles stumbles inside, out of our holds.

"Stiles, look at me, man. Is this a panic attack?" Scott asks.

Stiles leans on one of the sinks, looking at himself in the mirror.

"It's a dream, it's a dream. This is just a dream" Stiles tries to assure himself.

"No, it's not. This in real. You're here. You're here with us" Scott argues and Stiles starts to breathe heavier at the confusion.

"Okay, what do you do? I mean, like, how do you tell if you're awake or dreaming?" Scott asks.

"Your fingers...You count your fingers. You have extra fingers in dreams" Stiles answers.

"Stiles, look at me!" I snap and he turns to me wobbling slightly "Come on, dork. Look at my hands and count with me, okay?"

"One" I say, putting up one finger.

"Two" Stiles says as I put up another.

"Keep going" Scott encourages the boy.

"Three" Stiles pants "Four"

"Five" We say in unison.

"Six" Scott joins in.

"Seven"

"Eight"

"Nine"

"Ten"

Stiles looks at my hands in awe, surprised at the fact he is not in fact dreaming.

"Ten, Stiles" I repeat warmly.

He lets out a shaky breath and leans against the tiled wall, letting himself slide down it.

"What the hell is happening to me?" Stiles cries.

"We'll figure it out. You're going to be okay" Scott tries to assure him.

"Am I?" Stiles retorts hopelessly "Are you? Scott, you can't transform. Allison's being haunted by her dead aunt. And I'm straight up losing my mind. We can't do this. We can't- We can't help Malia. We can't help anyone"

"We can try. We can always try" Scott sighs.

❦ ❦ ❦

After a Kira is almost torn to shreds in the locker room by Malia while trying to bring us our backpacks, Scott gathers Stiles and I to discuss the dire situation.

"Scott. I think I know what she was looking for" Stiles states before pulling the baby doll from the wreckage out of his backpack.

"What the hell, Stiles?" I hiss in disbelief.

"You took the doll from the car?" Scott huffs.

"Yeah, I thought you could use it, you know, for like her scent" Stiles explains and I roll my eyes, punching his shoulder.

He pouts childishly and glares at me.

"Where did you get that?" A voice demands and I turn in time to see Mr Tate storm in and snatch the doll from Stiles' hands "Where did you find this?"

"It belonged to my daughter" He says calmer, looking down at the doll in grief.

"I'm sorry" I apologise guiltily before the Sheriff buts in.

"Mr Tate, I don't know how you heard about this. If you got your own police scanner or what...But you can't be here" The Sheriff tells the man sternly before trying to push him back but the man jumps, looking down at his jacket.

The Sheriff slowly moves Mr Tate's jacket open to reveal a gun strapped to his waist and Scott grabs me, gently pulling me behind him and I don't object.

"I have a permit" Mr Tate defends himself.

"California school zones are gun free zones, permit or no permit" Sheriff Stilinski declares "You need to leave, Mr Tate. Now"

He starts to back him out of the room and another officer tries to grab the man's arm but he pulls away with anger on his face.

"You find that animal. You find that thing" Mr Tate spits, unknowingly talking about his own daughter.

I frown deeply as the man storms off and my brother shares a worried look with Stiles.

❦ ❦ ❦

As I stand in the veterinary clinic with Scott, Stiles and Isaac, Scott gets a text and I look over his shoulder to read it.

Allison
Got it

Deaton enters the room and I turn to look at the man as he talks.

"Xylazine. It's a tranquilliser for horses" He declares, placing the three small bottles on the metal table "For a werecoyote, expect it to work within seconds. I only have three. So whoever's shooting, needs to be a damn good shot"

"Allison's a perfect shot" Scott assures the man.

"She used to be" Isaac corrects.

"She can do it" Scott argues.

"If we manage to find the thing" Isaac counters.

"Okay, what is the point of him?" Stiles snaps "Seriously, I mean, what is his purpose? Aside from the persistent negativity and the scarf"

"Why are you wearing a scarf? It's 65 degrees outside" I ask curiously, glancing down at the grey sports bra and white tennis skirt that I'm wearing.

"Look, maybe I'm asking a question no one here wants to ask. How do we turn a coyote back into a girl, when she hasn't been a girl for eight years?" Isaac asks, ignoring Stiles and I.

"I can do it" Scott answers in determination.

"You can?" Stiles asks in surprise.

"You remember the night that Peter trapped us in the school?" Scott asks Stiles and the Stilinski boy nods "In the gym, he was able to make me turn using just his voice. Deucalion did the same thing in the distillery"

"This is a werecoyote, Scott. Who knows if it'll even work if you can find someone who can teach you" Deaton reminds my brother.

"That's why you called Derek first" Stiles realises.

"Yeah, I could try it on my own" Scott suggests "But right now, I'm too scared to even change into just a werewolf"

"We need a real Alpha" Stiles sighs and I elbow the boy, making him look at my brother in an apologetic way "You know what I mean. An Alpha who can do Alpha things. You know, an Alpha who can get it going. You know, get it-"

"Up?" Isaac finishes and I roll my eyes as Stiles nods.

"Great. I'm an Alpha with performance issues" Scott huffs and I pat his back.

"Is there anyone else besides Derek who could help?" Deaton asks and my mind immediately goes to a certain pair of twins.

"I wouldn't trust Peter" Isaac states.

"Maybe the twins?" Stiles suggests.

"They're not Alphas anymore. After what Jennifer did, almost killing them? It broke that part of them" Deaton explains.

"Yeah, but what if they know how to do it?" Stiles elaborates.

"Nobody's seen them for weeks" Scott counters.

"Well, actually, that's not totally true" I say awkwardly and they all look at me in disbelief.

"I'll text Aiden" I add, pulling out my phone.