#wafr

Derek remembers the moment when he first saw Dani. It was the night of Scott’s first full moon, at the party Lydia Martin hosted. Half the school was there that night. Derek was there to keep an eye on Scott, but this overwhelming sweet scent invaded his senses, distorting his focus. He curses under his breath as he brings his fist to his nose and that’s when he saw her, the source of the sweet aroma. Perched on top of a table by the pool, her legs crossed, and her posture relaxed, leaning back on her left hand that was planted on the table and a drink in her right hand. The light reflecting from the pool danced across her face and her body giving her this soft glow.  Derek’s stomach twists into a pretzel, enthralled by the young woman sitting on top of that table, her sweet scent sinking into him.

Derek remembers the last time he saw Dani. Peter was pushing her into the back seat of his nurse’s car. He remembers how deafeningly silent that drive was. How the scent of her fear and anxiety filled the cabin of the small vehicle. The guilt twisting in his stomach was almost unbearable. Derek quietly reached back, between the door and the seat, brushing his fingers against her calf. He felt her silently grip his hand with both of her own. He immediately noticed how badly she was trembling. He brushed his thumb back and forth against her trembling fingers, trying desperately to give her some form of comfort before they reached their destination.

Derek returns to the present, staring out into the trees surrounding the house with a vacant expression. Derek inhales deeply, trying to push down every emotion and every feeling he has. He’s done it before and he can do it well, but it’s always hard on him.  If he’s going to do this, if Dani is going to survive, if Scott and Stiles are going to pull through, he must be self-controlled. All their lives depend on it, but his own life isn’t his priority. Not when it means keeping them safe. 

Peter steps out onto the porch, inhaling the chilly, February night air. It was as if the world and everything in it was right as rain to him. It made Derek sick. “I think it’s time to pay Scott a visit,” Peter says, wearing a soft smile.

~~🌻~~

Back at Beacon Hills high school, the energy is high and almost electric. The bleachers are jam packed with screaming and cheering family members and friends. The Cyclones are all jumping, whooping, hollering, congratulating one another and shouting, “State!” over and over again. They won the game. Beacon Hill’s high school’s very own lacrosse team is going to the state championships.

Scott pulls his helmet on and frantically looks around for his best friend he hasn’t seen the entire night. “Stiles!” He calls. The Cyclones come barreling off the field and into the locker room, cheering and shouting. Scott pushes his way through his teammates calling for Stiles. “Stiles. Stiles! Has anybody seen Stiles?” Scott whirls around, finding himself standing face to face with his ex-girlfriend. Scott’s mouth falls open slightly, his stomach twisting into an even tighter knot at the sight of her adorable, nervous smile.

“Uh- you were pretty awesome out there,” Allison says, nodding with a sweet smile.

“Thanks, you too,” Scott answers, immediately wanting to punch himself in the face. “I mean, that’s not what I meant-”

“No, no, I- um, did some pretty awesome cheering.” Allison smiles at Scott again. “You can thank me.”

“You did?”

“Totally. I went from, ‘Go, team, go,’ to ‘Defense, defense,’ without a breath.” Allison nods affirming what she said. “I brought my A game.”

One of Scott’s teammates interrupts them, excitedly stepping between them shouting, “State, state, state, state, state, state…” He fades off registering the look on Scott’s face that just said, ‘Drop dead, moron,’ and quickly scurries away cheering with his more enthusiastic teammates. Scott shakes his head and looks forward, finding Allison no longer where she was just a moment ago. He frowns, looking over to the doors, seeing Mr. Argent guiding his daughter back outside.

“Isn’t that just heartbreaking,” Jackson laughs mockingly, walking up to Scott. “Gosh, I bet it causes a lot of sleepless nights.” Jackson continues, “You know what though, McCall? I actually sympathize, which is why I want to make this mutually beneficial. You give me what I want, and I’ll help you get her back.”

“What?” Scott asks in disbelief.

“Well, three days makes it just in time for the Winter Formal. Uh, think about you taking her instead of me. And also think about all the things you’re able to do to get her out of some tight little dress by the end of the night. See how this could work out for everybody?”

Scott glares at Jackson as he continues.

“Three days, McCall.” Jackson whispers, patting Scott’s cheek. “Have fun,” He finishes, disappearing into the locker room.

~~🌻~~

Mr. Argent guides Allison back to the busy bleachers, his mind somewhere else entirely. He barely remembers the game even though he sat through the entire thing. He barely remembers the drive down to the school from his house if he’s honest with himself. His mind has been preoccupied on and off throughout the day about the same thing. He’s worried about Dani.

He worries about her in general with her becoming friends with Derek Hale and encountering the alpha at the school and so on. She’s caught up in a very dangerous game whether she knows it or not and he doesn’t like it. But ever since this afternoon when they talked in the backseat of his car, he’s become even more worried for her. She’s been through a lot and he hates that someone else has walked out on her now.

He cares about Dani. She’s like an older sister to Allison. He catches himself treating her like his own daughter from time to time. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. She’s important to Allison therefore she is important to him and he’s become rather fond of her. She’s been through a lot and he hopes that she knows his home is a safe place for her.

“Dad!”

Chris is jolted from his thoughts by the sharp call for him by his daughter.

“You didn’t hear anything I just said, did you?” Allison asks.

“No, I’m sorry,” He admits with a sigh.

“You’ve been quiet all night. Is everything okay?”

“I’m fine, sweetheart. Here-” Chris digs the car keys out of his pocket and hands them to Allison. “How about you go start the car and get it warmed up.”

“Sure, okay.”

Chris smiles at his daughter as she heads off to the parking lot. He turns his attention to the busy bleachers, scanning all the enthusiastic faces for Dani. She’s come to every lacrosse game that he could tell, so she should be here. He just wants to check on her to see how she’s doing after this afternoon.

Chris spots Dani’s mother and makes his way through the crowd.

“Hello Ms. McCall,” He greets as he reaches her, noticing the various family members taking up most of an entire section of bleachers.

“Mr. Argent, hi.” Melissa stands to greet him properly. “Oh, this is my sister Maria.” Melissa gestures to the woman standing next to her. “Maria this is Christopher Argent, Allison’s father.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Maria,” Chris says with a smile, shaking Maria’s hand.

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Maria replies, returning his smile.

“Is your daughter with you? I was hoping I could talk to her.” Chris asks, turning to Melissa.

“You’re looking for her too?”

Chris frowns. “She’s not here?”

“We don’t know,” Maria says letting out a sigh.

“She’s going to be in serious trouble when I find her,” Melissa says. “I told her to be here.”

Chris lets out a sigh as well, pressing his lips into a thin line. “Probably somewhere with Derek Hale. Never mind that the police are after him.”

“Wait, Dani is hanging out with Derek Hale?” Melissa asks.

“You didn’t know they were friends…” Chris says carefully.

“No, I had no idea she was hanging around him again,” Melissa says. “I didn’t even know he was in town again until I saw his name plastered all over the news.”

“I thought it was mostly his sister she used to hang out with,” Maria says.

“Wait a minute…” Chris pauses.

The sister’s share a glance before turning to Mr. Argent.

“They’ve known each other longer?”

~~🌻~~

Most of the team stayed to shower and clean up before heading out to a celebratory team dinner at Goldie’s Diner. A lot the boys were dressed and packing their bags, getting ready to leave, when Scott walks over to his rack, a towel tied around his waist. He was one of the last of his teammates to shower.

“By the way, McCall… Apology accepted,” Danny calls from the opposite set of racks.

“I didn’t apologize,” Scott frowns.

“Every time you got the ball tonight, you passed it to me,” Danny explains, grabbing a clean shirt from his bag.

“Every time I passed the ball to you, you scored,” Scott chuckles.

Danny pulls the shirt on and slings his bookbag over his shoulder. “Apology accepted,” he says.

Danny walks out, leaving Scott alone in the locker room. Scott turns back around, grabbing his deodorant canister, shaking it up. The lights suddenly cut off and Scott pauses, frowning in confusion. Scott puts his deodorant back on the shelf of his rack and looks around the room. “Danny?” he calls. Scott is met with silence as he steps around the set of racks. Danny must’ve absentmindedly cut them off on his way out by accident.

Scott walks over to the wall and flips up the two light switches. The locker room remains dark. Scott looks up at the lights, flipping the switches a few more times; his curiosity growing with the slight touch of concern crawling around his stomach. Scott’s eye catches a ball rolling across the floor from the showers and bumping into a set of lockers with a tap. His curiosity and streak of concern growing to more mild levels as he walks toward the showers. Scotts stops in front of the ball, bending to pick it up. He frowns, turning to the side and he jumps, finding Derek standing in the middle of the open showers.

“Thank God! Where the hell have you been? Do you have any idea what’s been going on?” Scott asks, walking towards Derek.

Derek silently averts his gaze from Scott to someone standing behind him. Scott frowns following his gaze and it meets a man, stepping out behind him. He looks older than Derek, mid to late thirties maybe, brown hear, leather jacket, button down shirt, and he’s holding a lacrosse stick. It’s Peter Hale.

“I really don’t get lacrosse,” Peter confesses.

Scott stares at Peter in shock realizing that he is the alpha , “It was you…”

“When I was in high school, we played basketball.” Peter continues, glancing over at Scott. “Now there’s a real sport.”

Scott, terribly in shock, looks back at Derek for some kind of explanation as Peter continues.

“Still, I read somewhere that lacrosse comes from Native American tribes and that they played it to resolve conflict.” Peter raises the lacrosse stick, setting the bar of it on his shoulder, glancing off to the side in thought. “Do I have that right?” He whispers to himself, shaking off the thought. He lowers the stick, spinning it in his hands as he observes the net for a moment before setting the stick to the side, focusing on Scott again.

“I have a little conflict of my own to resolve, Scott. But I need your help to do it.”

“I’m not helping you kill people.” Scott says in an even, firm tone.

Peter frowns, “Well I don’t want to kill all of them. Just the responsible ones. And I that doesn’t have to include…” Peter trails off, trying to remember the name. He looks to Derek.

“Allison,” Derek finishes for him.

Scott slowly turns to face Derek. “You’re on his side?” He asks.

Derek breaks Scott’s gaze, his expression stony and vacant as he silently reminds himself that Daniella’s life is on the line if he doesn’t play his part just right.

“Are you forgetting the part where he killed your sister?” Scott adds.

“It was a mistake,” Derek responds coolly.

“What?!” Scott stares at Derek like he’s out of his mind.

“It happens.”

“Scott…” Peter starts, grabbing the teenager’s attention. “I think you’re getting the wrong impression of us. We really just want to help you reach your full potential.”

“By killing my friends,” Scott says, reading between the lines.

“Sometimes the people closest to you… can be the ones holding you back the most.”

“If they’re holding me back from becoming a psychotic nut job like you… I’m okay with that.”

Peter begins to step closer to Scott. Becoming nervous, Scott shifts on his feet, looking back at Derek for any shred or assurance.

“Maybe you could try and see things…” Peter trails off, holding up his right hand, his claws coming out. “From my perspective,” Peter finishes.

~~🌻~~

Stiles wakes up on a cold hard tile floor, his head throbbing. He groans bringing his hands to his face as he becomes more and more conscious. He sits up with a groan, squinting at his dim surroundings, quickly remember that he’s in the hospital morgue.

“Right…”

Stiles grips the overturned metal examination table lying next to him and pushes himself to his feet. The last thing he remembers is sitting on top of the metal table pushed against the door watching Peter Hale rush he door. Next thing he remembers is waking up just a few moments ago.

“Alpha…Dani and Derek…no, no, no-”

Stiles turns to where he last saw Derek and Dani sitting in the floor against the opposite wall. They’re gone. Did the Alpha take them? What happened here? Stiles swallows the lump forming in his throat. He has to get out of the hospital. He has to find Scott.

“The game.”

~~🌻~~

Stiles tares into the school parking lot, tires screeching as he turns into an empty parking spot. He jumps out of the Jeep and runs as fast as he can to the back entrance of the locker rooms. Stiles yanks the doors open rushing down the hallway and turning into the locker rooms, finding Scott in a towel, sitting on a bench with his elbows resting on his knees.

“Dude, we got a huge problem!” He breathes out, winded from all his running.

“You have no idea…” Scott replies with a far off look in his eyes.

Stiles puts his hands on his head struggling to catch his breath. “Something tells me you already know.”

“That Peter Hale is the alpha and Derek is on his side now? Yeah! I figured it out already!”

“Derek’s what?”

“He’s taken the alpha’s side, Stiles! We’re screwed!”

Scott drops his head into his hands. He can’t handle anything else right now. The alpha has been revealed, Derek’s switched sides, Jackson’s breathing down his neck about the bite, there is no way this situation could get worse.

“Scott…” Stiles trails off, dropping his hands to his hips.

Scott lifts his head. “What?”

Stiles shifts his weight from foot to foot. There’s no easy way to tell him this. It’s going to crush him. Hell, the thought is crushing him too. The idea of that psychotic bastard having Dani makes his curl up inside a whole and pretend the world doesn’t exist. Dani is like an older sister to Stiles. He can’t handle the thought of her getting hurt. She means too much to him. She’s his family. Maybe that’s why Derek chose the alpha’s side. Maybe it wasn’t up to him. Maybe, just maybe, he’s trying to protect Dani and the only way to do that is to do whatever the alpha wants. Stiles lets out a sigh rubbing his face.

“Stiles, what is it?”

Stiles looks at his best friend with such a defeated look in his eyes. “I-” Stiles presses his lips together shaking his head. He’s not going to make it through this.

Scott stands up, walking over to Stiles with a worried frown. “What’s wrong?”

Stiles glances at him, tears forming in his eyes.

“It’s bad isn’t it?” Scott asks, his own voice starting to waver in reaction to Stiles’ broken fear radiating off of him.  

“Scott, he has Dani.”

Scott’s heart almost stops. “What?”

“The alpha, he has your sister.”

Scott holds Stiles’ defeated gaze, tears forming in his own eyes, mirroring Stiles.

“No…”

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