Dreamcatchers

"Scarlett, this Liam kid keeps calling your phone!"


I turn off the shower and sigh. I wrap my body in a towel and walk out to my mom's room. She's on her way out, back to the hospital. She's still been working double shifts to make up for bill payments. She hands me my phone and kisses me on the cheek as she walks out.


I stare down at my screen and contemplate everything in my head. I could talk things out with Liam and move on. I could also blame everything on Theo and say I never wanted to kiss him in the first place, even though I kind of did. Lastly, I could take Theo's advice and find someone stronger than Liam. I do need someone who can actually protect me and not run away like Liam.


If I'm gonna date a werewolf, I need to date one who knows what he's doing. Someone like... Derek. I huff and go to change into some clothes. As I'm tying my hair back, I hear my phone buzz. It's, once again, Liam. I hit ignore and head to the kitchen. Scott and Stiles are at the station with the sheriff. I'm searching the fridge when my phone buzzes. I expect to it to be Liam but it's actually Theo. He's another one I don't know what to say to. I just pick it up and hold my breath. "Theo?"


"Scarlett, how soon can you get to where I am?"


"Where exactly is that?"


I hear him laugh. "Come on, you're the Alpha. You'll figure it out."


The line clicks. I roll my eyes and head out. I take a huge whiff in the air and follow Theo's scent to a long alley way. Police and ambulance are all over. Theo is hanging at the top of a ledge, looking down at it all. "Theo, what the hell is going on?"


"Apparently, someone attacked a lawyer and police escorts on their way to take a teen to prison. One was murdered and the other two were...mauled. The sheriff just sent Scott to go look for the teen."


I look down at the bodies being wheeled in to the ambulance trucks. It has been a while since something like this has happened. This is what strikes fear into my heart. "Do you think it was a werewolf attack?"


"I do. Do you know any new werewolves in town that could've done this?"


"What makes you think it was a new werewolf?"


He points to the van. There are claw marks in the top and broken glass everywhere. "This looks like it was a frenzy, revenge maybe."


I shake my head. "If a werewolf was mad at someone, or wanted revenge, they wouldn't do it like this."


"How do you know?"


"I have had my fair share of revenge plots. Werewolves plan." Theo nods as he puts the pieces together in his head. I look to see the sheriff and Stiles talking. "My question is: why didn't Scott or Stiles call me?"


He shrugs. "They think they can do it on their own."


"I know they can but we're a pack. I think I deserve to know if something like this happens. A new werewolf might mean another Alpha. Another Alpha might mean another pack. Another pack means a fight, a fight I don't want to get into."


"I told you. Scott thinks he's in charge and Stiles is the brains. They don't see a need for you anymore."


I feel my transformation kick in. Scott and I made an agreement to never keep secrets and tell each other everything. Supernatural or not. If what Theo says is right, I'm not only losing my pack. I'm losing my brother. The next day at school, we all meet at school by the school buses, by my Jeep. I sit on the hood while surrounded by Lydia, Malia, Stiles, Scott, Liam and Mason. Apparently, Tracy is actually the one who was responsible for the attack. This means she is the new werewolf Theo hypothesized about. "Tracy didn't just have trouble sleeping," Lydia states. "It was a real disorder. Night terrors."


"Well, now she's the night terror especially since no one could find her," Stiles points out.


"Yeah, I know. We're all tired and miserable," Scott says. He glances at Mason. "Except for you."


Mason snaps out of his amazed look. "Oh, I'm sorry. This is...mind blowing." He points to Kira. "You're a kitsune. I don't even know what that is."


"I'm still learning," Kira replies.


"Kitsune is the Japanese word for fox. Foxes are a common subject of Japanese folklore. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom."


While everyone, except Kira, is confused, Mason is even more amazed. "Liam, we said you could tell him. Not invite him to the inner circle," Stiles says.


This amazes Mason even more. "I'm...in the inner circle?"


"No!" Stiles and Liam say at the same time.


"Leave him alone, Stiles," I say. "He's curious and that's fine. You, out of all people, should know about that."


"Okay, guys, back to Tracy," Scott says. "She's one lone wolf. We can find her."


"One lone wolf?" Malia asks. "One lone serial killing wolf."


"Now, she just killed only one person. The other two were mauled," Stiles points out. "What do we do when we catch her?"


"I say we put her down," Malia suggests.


Everyone exchanges looks. "Malia, you're not 'putting her down'. None of you are," I say.


"She's a murdering machine!" she fires back. "What more is there to do? You're talking like she's your Beta, like Liam."


I jump down from my Jeep and shake my head. "You're right, she's not. But neither were you. How would you feel if we considered putting you down when you killed your family? We could've let your dad kill you or leave you in the wild to eventually be killed. But we didn't. We did everything in our power to save you and we're doing the same for Tracy." She snarls and steps forward. I make my eyes glow and grab her hand, pressing my fingers into the bone until I eventually feel then cracking.


She lets out her voice of pain, almost falling to her knees. "Let me go!"


I release her and sigh. "Don't ever growl at me like that again."


Lydia steps in front of Malia with a concerned look. "You seem so passionate about her."


"When I looked at her, that day I went to inspect her room, I saw a scared girl. A girl scared to sleep and scared of what could to happen to her when she's not protected." I look directly at Stiles. "If anyone knows that feeling, it's me and you, Stiles."


He looks down at his hands. "Yeah."


"I wouldn't wish nightmares like that on anyone. If you guys don't want to save her, that's fine. But I will."


I grab my bag and walk into school. I sit in the library and try to get my thoughts together. Save Tracy. My thoughts become soft voices in my head. Every time it speaks, it sends a wave of pain through my head. She needs someone to help her. She has no one else. She needs an Alpha to lead her and help her through her transformation. I start digging my claws into the table to deal with some of the pain. Don't let them bring them down. You're an Alpha too. You can make your own pack decisions just like Scott can. "Scarlett!"


I snap out of my trance and look up to Liam. "We found Tracy."


I follow him and Scott to Mr. Yukimura's class that has just let out. Tracy is sitting in one of the back desk, holding onto a girl Mason told me about, Hayden. "Tracy," Scott says softly. "Tracy."


"Tracy, please let go," I say, keeping my eyes one her claw grip.


I realize the blood trailing down from the girl's arm. She looks up at us and stands slowly, not releasing the girl. "They're coming," she whispers. "They're coming for all of us."


She finally lets go and falls to the floor. This silver liquid starts pouring from her mouth. Just looking at her, I feel something push through my body. My transformation rips from me. Mr. Yukimura helps the girl out and shuts his classroom door. "Scarlett?" Liam says.


I look up and all I see are these tall figures wearing masks. They look like creepy doctors. I growl and run for one. While I think I'm fighting one of the doctors, I'm actually attacking Liam. I raise my hand to strike when I snap back into reality. Under me is a terrified Liam and my claws are up, ready to hurt him. "Scarlett!"


I slowly turn to see Theo standing behind me. He has his hands up and, hanging from his fingers, is an a brown braided bracelet. I look closer and my vision flashes:


'Here Theo. I want you to have this. I made it for you. So you can always have me with you.'


I slowly stand and look around. Scott is holding a passed out Tracy while keeping his eyes on me. I look back at Theo and starting transforming back. I start shaking from fear. Fear of what I saw and fear of hurting someone. My fear of losing control is back and much worse. "Scarlett, it's gonna be okay."


He walks up to me slowly and pulls me closer to him wrapping his arms around me. His embrace is warm, and his big, strong arms seem very protective when wrapped around my frail body. My fear starts to fade around me as I squeezed him back. He pulls back and hold me by the shoulders. "You're gonna be okay."


Before I can respond, the room starts spinning and I pass out. This world has something planned for you, Scarlett. You are important to our plan. I awake at the animal clinic. I'm on top of a table with a blanket over me. I slowly stand up and walk to the back. I realize a border of mountain ash.


I slowly step over it and see everyone gathered around Tracy who's face down. I'm about to speak when her back busts open and some black substance splatters open. A loud scream rips from my lips. Out from her back comes a long tail. It swings and hits Stiles right in the face. Tracy gets up and attacks everyone. When she gets to me, she stops and looks at me.


I press myself up against the wall and hold my breath. She grabs me by my neck and presses her claws into the back of my neck. I wince. The pain was just a pinch, like getting a needle at the doctor's office. She releases me. I pretend to be hurt, like everyone else, and fall to the floor. I stay down until she leaves. "What the hell was that!?" Malia exclaims.


"Not werewolf," Stiles says, face down on the floor.


"Kanima," Scott replies.


I slowly stand and rub the back of my neck. The marks have already started to close up. "Scarlett? I thought she paralyzed you," Malia says. "And how did you get over the line of ash?"


I brush off my clothes. "I'm immune to some things that harm you. If you haven't noticed, I'm not your typical werewolf."


Deaton, Scott and Malia are all paralyzed. I grab Scott by his wound and sink my teeth into it. I ignore his yelling as I suck out the venom. It feels weird but, when I pull back, he's gaining the ability to move slowly. I grab Malia's wrist and do the same. She doesn't scream as much as Scott. I look down at Deaton. He shakes his head. "No, save them. I'll be fine."


I look at Stiles stop before sinking my teeth into his neck. "I...I can't," I say.


"Why not?" Malia asks, slowly standing up.


"Stiles is human. He can't take my bite. If I do, I might turn or...kill him."


"Scarlett." I look toward Deaton. "You need to do what you did to Derek when he was shot with wolfsbane."


I gulp. "What is he talking about?" Malia asks, concerned.


I exchange looks with Scott who doesn't know what to say. I slowly stand up. "Malia, I have to...kiss Stiles to get the venom out of his system."


She looks shocked then turns to angry. "Hell no."


"Malia, it's the only way." She looks down at the paralyzed Stiles. "I promise it won't mean a damn thing."


She sighs with a nod and turns her back. I kneel down and grab Stiles by his shirt. He's a bit heaver while paralyzed. "Scarlett, I-"


I crush out lips together before I let him finish his sentence. I feel the venom fill my mouth. Once I feel I have all of it, I push him off. I spit in the trash can and wipe my mouth. I don't stick around. I head out to find Tracy. I stop by the school to see if she's hanging around there. I slowly walk up and down the hallways, looking for her or any trace of her being there. I'm about to leave when I hear someone call me. I turn to see Theo standing right behind me. "Theo, what the hell are you doing here?"


I realize he's like Derek. He appears at the most random times and he moves in silence. "Same as you. I'm looking for Tracy Stewart. I want to help you."


I smile. "Thanks. I could really use it."


"Yeah, I overheard you guys talking. Malia wanting to kill Tracy but you defended her and that Mason guy. That was a real Alpha move. You have your own view of things and don't let the rest of them change your mind."


I nod. "I am only doing what's right."


He puts his hands on my shoulders. "Exactly. Your 'pack' is not doing what's right for people around them. You need to see that before they get in your head."


"So, you're saying to...drop them?"


"No, dropping them won't change what they're doing. They'll only recruit more people and poison their minds. You need to take a step further. Teach them a little lesson."

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