chapter sixty-nine
❝ i fired that machine gun ,
i never meant to hurt no one ❞
lies of omission

━━━━༺❀༻━━━━

"Any luck?" Asked Stiles Stilinski as he helps his girlfriend out of Lydia's car. Kennedy's eyes flicker from white to hazel, and she slowly shakes her head.

"I know it's here, I just can't find it." She explained. Stiles patted his girlfriends back, the three teens rushing off in the woods for the fifth day in a row. They're not the only ones looking for Chimeras. Sheriff Stilinski's got everyone looking for the next target. They're looking for anyone who is a genetic Chimera. The two Chimeras that they do know about, Hayden and Corey, are both doing shockingly well. They're healing faster and getting stronger.

Kennedy looked around, trying hard to focus on their surroundings. "It's almost like this thing doesn't want to be found." Stiles commented.

"Maybe it knows we're late for class." Lydia said, holding up a piece of chalk. "Because we've been here twice."

Stiles looked at a tree, seeing two white X's. "Crap."

Lydia sighed, "Can we talk to Parrish now?"

"Hang on." Stiles pointed at Lydia and his girlfriend. "If the Nemeton's covered in bodies, shouldn't you be able to find them?"

"Me?"

Stiles nods, "Yes, you. That's what you do. You're the Banshee, you find the bodies."

Lydia rolls her eyes, "Well, the Banshee's having an off day, so how about we talk to Parrish?l

"We can't." Stiles blurted.

Kennedy looked over at Stiles. "Why not?" Asked Lydia.

Stiles's eyes flickered back to Kennedy, "Because one of the bodies," He trailed off, "One of them, one of them could be,"

"Could be what?" Lydia asked. Kennedy looked over at Stiles, worried to say anything herself.

"One of them could be a clue."

Lydia rose a brow. "I'm leaving now, Stiles. I'm going to talk to Parrish and tell him he's the one taking the bodies." She said as she began walking away. "It's always better when they know."

"Well then, he should know he owes me a Jeep."

༺❀༻

Kennedy walked down the halls of Beacon Hills, unsure where Stiles went. She looks over to see Hayden Romero at her locker. "Hayden! Hey!" She said with a large grin.

Hayden jumped, looking over. "Hi, Ken." She said quietly.

"How are you doing?" Kennedy chirped as she leaned against the lockers. Hayden wasn't sure how to reply, considering she did in fact have a mercury bloody nose.

The newly turned Chimera shrugged, "I'm doing good," She said easily. Kennedy grinned at the reply.

"I'll walk you to class?" Kennedy offered, holding out her arm. Hayden smiled back, linking arms with the girl. The two began walking down the hall, unknowing about the conversations Theo and Scott were about to have.

As Hayden and Kennedy walked into class, Kennedy froze. "You hear that?"

Hayden looked around. "Cops?" She asked.

"An ambulance," Kennedy whispered. She looked around, noticing students practically running out of classrooms. Kennedy keeps her hand around Hayden's wrist, tugging her down the hall.

Liam ran through the hall, seeing Hayden and Kennedy coming down the stairs. "It's Corey, isn't it?" Hayden said to her new boyfriend.

"Yeah. They're taking him to the hospital." Liam explained.

Hayden looked between Liam and Kennedy. "That means I'm next. They're coming for me."

Kennedy shook her head. "They're coming for all of us," Kennedy said.

"Which is why we have to get out of here." Liam replied as he grabbed his girlfriends wrist.

"Hey, call me if anything happens!" Kennedy calls out, watching the two scamper off.

༺❀༻

Malia and Kennedy sat next to each other in science. Kennedy was actually a teachers assistant, but she spent most of her time helping Malia anyways. "One of the more common biological weapons, anthrax, was used by Germany in World War I, and in human experimentation by the Japanese during World War II," Said Natalie Martin. "Beth," Kennedy looked over from Malia's work. "Please close your computer. I won't ask again."

Malia looked at Kennedy, the two girls watching a younger student in front of them chewing on her nail. She was nervous, they could both sense it. A cracking causes Beth to look down, and both sisters could see the mercury. Beth looked around nervously, seeing Kennedy and Malia staring at her.

Beth stood up, running out of class. "Beth. Beth!" Malia and Kennedy shared looks, standing up and moving towards the door. "Ladies, if you need to use the restroom, it's one at time. Malia, if you're planning on leaving class, I'd consider your recent drop in grades."

"She needs help."

"Not from you."

Malia narrowed her eyes. "You know what's going on. Don't you?"

Natalie rose a brow. "I know that I'd like to see you get through senior year with passing grades." She chimed.

Kennedy rose a brow. "You know more than that." She deadpanned. Malia's eyes turned steel blue, catching Natalie off guard.

"I think you need to focus more on your schoolwork." Natalie said as she eyeballed Malia. Her eyes flickered to Kennedy. "All of you."

"Bite me." Kennedy said, her and Malia running out the door.

The young girl panted as she shoved her bike in her locker. "Beth? Are you okay?"

Beth jumped, looking over. "Why are you talking to me?" She stammered out. "You don't know me. You don't know anything about my condition."

"What? What do you mean?" Malia asked as she stepped forwards.

"My condition. My condition. My condition." Beth repeated over and over as she slammed her locker.

Malia stepped forwards, "Hey, you don't want to be alone," Before Malia could finish her sentence, Beth slings her arm back. Malia flies into the lockers, hitting her head.

Kennedy looked at Beth, snarling. "That was a mistake." She growled out. Kennedy throws her fist, hitting Beth in the jaw. Beth shouts out, kicking Kennedy in the stomach. The force was indescribable. Kennedy flew onto the tile floor, gasping out for air as she watched Beth run around the corner.

"Are you kidding me?" Malia shouted as Kennedy stood up. Kennedy grabbed her sisters hand. "Beth!"

The sisters rounded the corner, coming to a halt when they see a dread doctor holding Beth by her head. "No!" Kennedy shouts, running forwards. In slow motion, Malia watched as the Dread Doctor snapped Beth's neck. It was like the teenage girl was a delicate flower they had just broken. Kennedy swung open the door, catching Beth's body in her arms just in time. Malia ran over, looking down at the pile of black and silver blood. Kennedy looked around, panting as she looked up at Malia.

Later on in the day, the school bell rang and students began piling out of classes. Kennedy and Malia walked side by side when Stiles came rushing over. Kennedy had a silver stain on her sleeve while Malia had puffy reddened eyes. "Guys?" Stiles walked over, grabbing their arms. "Hey. Hey. What happened?"

Malia looked over at her sisters boyfriend, then back at her sister. "I hate this. I hate losing like this." Malia blinked back tears. "I'm not like Scott or you, K." She said as she looked at her sister. "I can't deal with another body. Another failure." Malia pushed past the couple, walking down the hall.

"We found a body." Kennedy confessed. "I wouldve called but I was so-"

"It's okay," Stiles whispered, grabbing Kennedy's hand. "Come on," He whispered as he wrapped an arm around Kennedy, pulling her along.

Kennedy pulled out her phone, "I have to warm Lydia." She said, putting her phone to her ear. The phone rang maybe four times before heading to voicemail. "Lydia, Baby, for all that is holy, answer your phone. There's another dead Chimera, which means it's only an amount of time before he comes for it. Don't be alone with Parrish. If he's coming to get the body, you can't get in his way. Lydia, do not get in his way." She said as she hung up. Stiles looked over, both teens worried about what was next.

༺❀༻

Kennedy looked around as rain poured down on Beacon Hills. She had spent the evening helping Stiles get his Jeep started and looking for a way to contact Lydia. She looked over as they drove into the Animal Clinic parking lot.

Scott McCall took off his helmet as Kennedy and Stiles piled out of the Jeep. "Hey, sorry... I had trouble starting the Jeep again. That thing's barely hanging on."

"I couldn't get in touch with Malia or Lydia," Kennedy said as she walked over. She looked over, seeing the expression on Scott's face. "Scott? Is everything okay?"

Scott slowly pulled out an object from his jacket. A wrench. Kennedy immediately recognized it from the night Donovan attacked her and Stiles. "Where did you get that?" Stiles asked.

"This is yours?" Scott asked. Kennedy looked over at Stiles, all three of them drenched from the rain. Stiles slowly took it from Scott's hand. Scott knew about what happened. He knew Donovan was dead. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"We were going to."

Scott blinked rapidly as he shook his head. "No, but why didn't you tell me when it happened?"

Stiles slowly shook his head. "I couldn't." He answered. Scott looked over at Stiles, then at Kennedy.

"She killed him?" He asked. Scott turned towards the Hale. "You killed Donovan?"

"No, it was me," Stiles said. "He was going to kill my dad. Was I supposed to just let him?" He said.

Scott scoffed. "We're not supposed to lie to each other, Stiles." He didn't know the full story. Theo had told him something completely different than what happened. At first, Scott couldn't believe it. But the way Theo nearly cried as he told Scott about the monster Kennedy became that night, something told him Theo was telling the truth. He wasn't, but Scott didn't know. How could he? His two closest friends had been lying to him.

Stiles straightened his back. "I'm not lying." He said loudly.

Scott looked over at Kennedy, who had fallen silent. "Then let me see your eyes." He said to her. "Your real ones."

Kennedy's heart sank. She felt like the entire world had put its weight on her back and she was going to snap. Scott and Stiles both looked at the auburn haired girl. Kennedy looked over at Stiles. "Ken, you don't have to," Stiles whispered.

"Yes, she does!" Scott yelled, looking at Kennedy with frustration.

Kennedy looked over at Scott as tears formed in her eyes. Her mind raced as she tried to figure out how to tell Scott. She shook her head as she stepped closer to the McCall. "Scott, can we just,"

Stiles jumped back as a roar echoed in the air. Scott had suddenly shoved Kennedy up against the Jeep, claws at her throat. Kennedy roared back, her eyes flashing to their werewolf color. Everyones hearts sank. Theo watched in astonishment from a window. Even from a far, Theo Raeken could see the steel cold blue eyes that had taken over Kennedy Hale's former red ones. Scott stopped, stepping backward as he stared at Kennedy in a way he had never looked at her before.

Kennedy squeezed her eyes shut, turning them back to hazel. She felt like she was going to throw up. The flower had wilted and died. "Scott, I'm sorry," She tried to tell him, but Scott didn't listen.

Scott shakes his head. "You weren't supposed to do this. None of us are."

Stiles frowned, "You think she had a choice?" He asked as he became increasingly upset. If Scott knew what happened, why would he blame Kennedy?

"There's always a choice."

"Yeah, well, I can't do what you can, Scott." Stiles said loudly, "And Kennedy was scared for her life, for my life. We know you wouldn't have done it. You probably would've just figured something out, right?"

Scott nods slowly, "I'd try."

"Yeah, because you're Scott McCall! You're the true Alpha!" Stiles shouted at his friend. Kennedy couldn't tell if she was still crying with the heavy amounts of rain. Maybe it was tears, maybe it was rain. Her heart shattered as she looked at her boyfriend. "Guess what? All of us can't be true Alphas. Some of us have to make mistakes." He said as he gestured to Kennedy. "Some of us have to get our hands a little bloody sometimes. Some of us are human!" Stiles shouted as he gestured to himself. Kennedy looked between the boys. She had seen this before. She had a vision about this very moment.

Scott looked at the Stilinski. "So, she had to kill him?"

"Scott, he was going to kill my dad." Stiles said lowly. "And us!"

The McCall shakes his head, "But the way that it happened," He said. "There's a point when it's, it's not self-defense anymore!" He yelled over the rain.

"He was going to kill me and Kennedy saved my life!" Stiles yelled, "She didn't have a choice, Scott!" Scott was silent as he looked between the couple. "You don't even believe me, do you?"

"I want to."

Kennedy spoke up, "Scott, you know I'd never want to hurt anyone," She said lowly. Her eyes were reddened from crying as she stepped closer to the two. "Scott, say you believe me,"

The True Alpha looked over at Kennedy, remembering the way her eyes turned blue. "Kennedy, we can't kill people that we're trying to save."

"Scott, please, believe me-" Kennedy took a step forwards when suddenly Scott stumbled back in alarm. The hurt on her face was indescribable. Like every horrible emotion Kennedy could possibly feel flooded her body.

"We can't kill people!" Scott yelled finally. Kennedy purses her lips together as she looks around. "Do you two believe that?"

Stiles looked over at Kennedy, who cried as she stepped backwards. Anger flooded him. "Well, what do we do about this? What do you want her to do?" Stiles asked. Scott looked over at Kennedy for a moment. He couldn't believe it, she had really killed someone and her eyes were proof of it, at least that's what he thought. "Scott, just tell me how to fix this, all right? Please, just tell me, what do you want me to do?"

"Stiles, Kennedy killed someone, and instead of telling me you've been protecting her!"

Stiles shook his head in disbelief, "You've known Kennedy forever! You know she would never do anything to hurt anyone unless it was absolutely necessary!" He shouted as he waved the bloody wrench towards his girlfriend.

Scott looked over at Kennedy, who stood there waiting for him to say he believed her. The sky seemed to have shattered that night. Scott looked over at Stiles. "Don't worry about Malia or Lydia. We'll find them." Kennedy looked down at the ground as she choked out a sob. "Maybe you should talk to your dad."

Stiles watched, feeling like his entire being shattered as he watched Scott walk away from them. Kennedy let out a sob as Stiles held the wrench in his hand. He looked up, grabbing Kennedy and pulling her into a hug. Kennedy sobbed into Stiles's chest, feeling like she had just lost everything.

And perhaps she had.