𝙳𝙾𝙻𝙻 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝚃𝚂⠀⠀⠀⠀¹⁰
𝗩𝗢𝗟𝗨𝗠𝗘 𝗜. Cry Wolf

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐄𝐍
▏𝗦𝟬𝟭𝗘𝟬𝟳︰𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹▕

❛ IT'S LIKE IT
WANTS TO PROLONG THIS
WHOLE CAT-AND-MOUSE GAME. ❜

BRIETTA

I FEEL LIKE MY HEART IS ABOUT TO LEAP OUT OF MY THROAT AT ANY SECOND.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Tripping on the staircase leading to the school doors, the wrench pliers I had used earlier to pry open the chains fall from my grasp.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Before I can reach for them, two pairs of hands pull me up and into the school. We all scramble to our feet and hastily pull the door handlebars toward us, desperately hoping it will be enough to keep out the Alpha intent on killing us.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Lock it! Lock it!" Scott cries out. Despite the dire situation, Stiles and I exchange incredulous looks.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Do we look like we have a key?" Stiles scoffs, his eyes twitching slightly.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Grab something!" Scott urges. Stiles and I glance around the school hallway. We'd have to run to a classroom to find anything.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"What?" Stiles asks, his voice rising.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Anything!" Scott pleads. I scoff, moving my hand away from the door handlebars to gesture at the hall. "There's literally nothing, Scott."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Then I pause, grumbling softly, "Nothing except for the pliers that I dropped outside."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles and Scott both stare at me wide-eyed. I look down, feeling incredibly stupid. From the corner of my eye, I watch Stiles scramble to his feet and peer out one of the two windows in the doors.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Hey, the Alpha could see you, Stiles," I whisper-yell, scrambling to my feet and joining Stiles at the window. The narrow six-inch window forces me to press against Stiles to get a view. When our shoulders brush, I shudder. Stiles looks down at me, and in the faint glow of the waning gibbous, I see his cheeks redden.

⠀⠀⠀⠀After a moment, Stiles clears his throat. "He's gone," he tells me, still whispering.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"For now," I add, and I hear Scott stand up beside me, peering through his own window.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles' gaze shifts from me to the pliers outside, and I feel my breath catch.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"No," I mutter, widening my eyes. This is my mess. I'm the one who dropped the damn thing.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yes," Stiles nods with conviction, but I notice his hands trembling slightly.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Stiles, no! Don't—!" Scott calls out just as I do, "Stiles, I'll do it."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles doesn't listen to any of us. He opens one of the doors and slips through, closing it behind him. Pressing up against the door, he obscures my view from the window I was looking through.

⠀⠀⠀⠀I shuffle over to Scott, pressing against his side to see what Stiles is doing. I inhale sharply when I feel Scott's breath against my neck, the cool breath igniting goosebumps along my spine.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Not the time, Brie.

⠀⠀⠀⠀I clear my throat and focus on Stiles, who's crouching down on the ground, his arm outstretched. He looks around at his surroundings, and when he catches no movement in sight, he looks down.

⠀⠀⠀⠀My blood runs cold when I catch sight of movement behind Stiles' Jeep.

⠀⠀⠀⠀The Alpha emerges from behind his Jeep, eyes locked on Stiles.

⠀⠀⠀⠀When the Alpha lets out a near-ground-shaking growl, I don't waste another second.

⠀⠀⠀⠀I open the door and scurry down the steps, aiming for Stiles. Just as Stiles grabs the pliers, I grasp onto his jacket and pull him back into the building.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott pulls the doors shut as soon as we get inside, and Stiles pulls out of my grip, scrambling to the door. He opens the pliers and puts both handles on each of the handlebars on the doors.

⠀⠀⠀⠀If the Alpha tries to open the doors, they'll struggle, but they'll get through.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott flashes his flashlight through the windows, and his eyebrows shoot up, "Where is it?" Stiles and I scramble to the window, and it's like the Alpha was never there. "Where'd it go?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Is it playing with us? Like a predator to its prey.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"That won't hold, will it?" Scott asks as we all step away from the doors.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Against a literal Alpha who has enhanced strength and wants to kill us?" I breathe out and shrug a little, "Definitely not."

⠀⠀⠀⠀We all share a look, and then we're running to the nearest classroom.

⠀⠀⠀⠀As soon as I throw open the doors, I spot the teacher's desk, which—as far as I can tell—is the sturdiest thing in this room.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"The desk!" I call out, and Stiles and Scott move quickly. Stiles and I grab the side facing the door, and Scott grabs the opposite side.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles and I start pulling the desk back while Scott pushes it in our direction, helping us move it to the door.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Just as we get the desk a few inches over, Stiles stops pulling and holds his hand up, stopping all of us. "Stop, stop," I huff slightly, letting go of the table as I look over at Stiles, who motions to the classroom door, "The door's not gonna keep it out."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott and I exchange glances, sharing a sigh. "We know," Scott says, a tinge of defeat in his voice.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"It's your boss," Stiles suddenly says, and it only takes me a second to figure out what he's referring to. Deaton is the Alpha.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott doesn't catch on as quickly, though. "What?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Deaton? The Alpha?" Stiles clarifies, but Scott still looks confused. Stiles grinds his teeth slightly and points at Scott, "Your boss."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"No," Scott instantly denies, and I tilt my head.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Is he seriously not seeing what we're seeing?

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yes," Stiles counters, hissing slightly at Scott, "Murdering psycho-Werewolf."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott shakes his head rapidly, leaning closer to the desk, "That can't be."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Come on, Scott," I scoff, getting both of the boys' attention, "He vanishes from Derek's backseat and, all of a sudden, the Alpha shows up and shoves its claws in Derek's back?" I tilt my head and my face scrunches up on its own, "That's not a coincidence, Scott."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott's jaw sets, and he looks determined, "It's not him."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"He killed Derek," Stiles adds quickly, and I feel a small pang in my chest.

⠀⠀⠀⠀I don't trust Derek, but that doesn't mean that I want him dead.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"No," Scott widens his eyes, and my head snaps back with a small scoff. How blind can Scott be? "Derek's not dead. He can't be dead."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles scoffs, leaning further on the desk and putting his fist on the table. "Blood spurted out of his mouth, okay? That doesn't exactly qualify as a minor injury. He's dead," Stiles lifts his fist and points out the window before pointing at me and him, "and we're next."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Okay, just..." Scott huffs out, breathing deeply before he locks his eyes on Stiles and me, "What do we do?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles, always thinking on his feet, inhales sharply and looks up at Scott and me, his eyes sharp with determination. "We get to my Jeep. We get out of here."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles then turns to Scott, tilting his head. "You seriously think about quitting your job."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott and I both nod, and Stiles smiles for a second. "Good."

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⦗🌓⦘

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THIRD PERSON NARRATION

STILES SCRAMBLES AROUND THE DESK AND SNATCHES THE FLASHLIGHT FROM SCOTT, leaving Scott gaping at him.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta, from the other side of the table, smiles and rolls her eyes before pulling Scott with her toward the window.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta lets go of Scott, and he tries to pry open the window. Stiles quickly grabs Scott's arm and shakes his head, "No, they don't open. The school's climate-controlled."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott pauses for a moment before shrugging, "Then we break it."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta purses her lips, tilting her head, "And get the Alpha's attention with all the noise?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Then, uh..." Scott pauses, looking out the window and into the parking lot, "Then we run really fast." Stiles and Brietta raise their eyebrows, and Scott winces slightly, looking over at Stiles' jeep, "Really fast."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles and Brietta share a look, while Scott peers out of the window.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Stiles," Scott starts, gaining Brietta and Stiles' attention, "what's wrong with the hood of your Jeep?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles snaps his head back, narrowing his eyes at Scott, "What do you mean? Nothing's wrong."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott shakes his head, his eyes fixed on Stiles' jeep, "It's bent."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"What, like, dented?" Stiles asks, but Scott shakes his head. Stiles and Brietta don't waste a second, and they rush to the window, looking out at Stiles' jeep.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"No, I mean bent," Scott corrects, his voice strained.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta looks out and blinks rapidly, adjusting her eyes to the darkness.

⠀⠀⠀⠀When she adjusts to the darkness, her eyes widen.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles' Jeep's hood is caved in and bent upwards.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles gasps behind Brietta, "What the hell...?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Suddenly, above Brietta's head, the window caves in as something gets thrown at the window.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Before she can think, Scott and Stiles grab Brietta and pull her down, their backs pressed against the wall below the windows.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta blinks slowly, feeling something wet against her cheek. She reaches up to touch her cheek, but Scott's hand is already on her face, his fingers tracing the wet spot.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta winces a bit, and when Scott pulls his fingers away, they're wet with a small amount of blood.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles notices Scott's fingers, and his eyes widen.

⠀⠀⠀⠀He leans forward and grabs Brietta's jaw, pulling her cheek in his direction. "It's not that bad," Stiles murmurs, but his eyes are still wide.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta reaches her hands up, brushing her fingers across the cut.

⠀⠀⠀⠀It's barely an inch.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Dramatic, she thinks.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Her brimming worry vanishes, and she huffs out slightly, "What the hell happened?" She balls the edge of her leather jacket and starts wiping the blood away.

⠀⠀⠀⠀The three of them look in the direction of where the item that had been thrown into the room.

⠀⠀⠀⠀In the middle of the classroom is a large, black battery.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"That's my battery," Stiles whines, scrambling to his feet, but Scott reaches over Brietta and pulls him down. "Don't."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"We have to move," Stiles grits out, and Scott stares at Stiles with a firm look, "He could be right outside."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles and Brietta look at Scott with exasperated looks, speaking in unison, "He is right outside."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles points his flashlight at the battery and cringes while Scott lets out sharp breaths, "Just let me take a look."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta wipes the blood away from her face, wincing as she does, while Scott stands up and peers through the window.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Anything?" Stiles asks, standing up to peer through the window with Scott.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"No," Scott shakes his head.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Once Stiles confirms that, he looks away from the window and toward Scott, "Move now?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott looks for another second, then his eyes dart down to Brietta, who nods.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Move now," Scott affirms, helping Brietta onto her feet.

⠀⠀⠀⠀They all move out of the classroom and into the hall, Stiles' flashlight illuminating their way.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"This way," Scott mutters after looking both ways, starting to head off to their right. However, Stiles grabs his shoulder, pulling him back. "No, no, no, no."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"What?" Scott's eyes widen.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Somewhere without windows," Stiles rolls his eyes at Scott, as if it were obvious.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Every room in this place has windows," Brietta speaks up, wrapping her arms around her body. She gains Scott and Stiles' attention, even though her voice is a bit quieter than usual, "Even the bathrooms."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Okay," Stiles nods, licking his lips before tilting his head, "Somewhere with less windows."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott huffs and looks around the hall for a moment before his face lights up, "The locker room."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yeah," Stiles grins and he pulls Scott and Brietta in the direction of the staircase. They speed walk to the second floor, which is where the boys' locker room is.

⠀⠀⠀⠀They scurry down the hall, and Scott reaches the door first, opening it for Brietta and Stiles.

⠀⠀⠀⠀They all head to the middle of the room and between two rows of lockers. Once they all catch their breath, Scott turns to Stiles with a firm look, "Call your dad."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles tilts his head, his jaw clenching a bit, "And tell him what?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"I don't know. Anything. There's a gas leak, a fire, whatever!" Scott manages to raise his voice while still whispering, and Stiles glances away, his jaw ticking. Brietta shuffles closer to Stiles, her arm pressing against his, and she feels him slightly sag against her as Scott continues, "If that thing seeks the parking lot filled with cop cars, it'll take off."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"What if it doesn't?" Stiles brings up, holding out his arms with a frown, "What if it goes completely Terminator and kills every cop in sight, including my dad?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott pouts slightly, "They have guns."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yeah," Stiles scoffs, his eyes twitching, "and Derek had to be shot with a wolfsbane-laced bullet to even slow him down, you remember that?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles inhales sharply, looking away from Scott. The teenage Werewolf winces and lets out a heavy breath, "Then we—we have to—we have to find a way out and just run for it."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta shrugs beside Stiles, drawing the boys' attention, "The school's basically in the middle of the woods, Scott. There's nothing for at least a mile."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott nods slowly, and the worry on his face vanishes slightly, "What about Derek's car?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"That could work," Stiles mutters before Brietta can say anything, and he nods, looking hopeful, "We go outside, we get the keys off his body, and then we take his car."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"And him," Scott adds, making Stiles and Brietta share a small look.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles sighs and rolls his eyes for a moment, "Fine. Whatever."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles shuffles past Brietta and heads to the door, and Brietta and Scott follow behind, only a few feet behind Stiles.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles reaches his hand out to open the door, but then Scott shoots out his hand and grips Stiles' hand, stopping him from opening the door.

⠀⠀⠀⠀In an instant, Brietta straightens and steps forward until she's beside Scott and Stiles. "What's wrong?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"I think I heard something..." Scott murmurs softly, his eyes darting around.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Like what?" Stiles squeaks, and Scott narrows his eyes at his best friend, shushing him, "Quiet!"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott's eyes trail back to the door, and they widen. Scott pushes Stiles and Brietta behind him and walks away from the door.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles keeps his flashlight pointed at the door, and Scott has to grab it and flip it around, pressing it into Stiles' jacket.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott then looks at his friends and nods, "Hide."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles doesn't waste a second and runs to a locker, prying it open. Brietta and Scott both cringe, as the creaking sound echoes through the locker room at an incredibly loud volume.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"No, no, Stiles! No—." Stiles doesn't listen to Scott and shoves himself into the locker, his face scrunched up in a grimace as he does.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Seriously, Stiles?" Brietta mutters under her breath.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta and Scott share a look and run to a set of two lockers, hiding themselves in them.

⠀⠀⠀⠀As soon as Brietta closes the locker door, she hears the door to the locker room creak open. She holds her breath and peers through the three slits in the locker.

⠀⠀⠀⠀When a shadow passes by her locker, she presses herself against the back of the locker, covering her mouth.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Then two eyes appear on the opposite side of the locker, peering in.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta lets out a scream when the locker opens, and someone pulls her out.

⠀⠀⠀⠀In a second, Scott and Stiles dart out of their lockers and charge at the person who pulled Brietta out.

⠀⠀⠀⠀They stop when they realize it's a janitor.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Son of a bitch!" The janitor barks out when he realizes that it's only students, and the trio let out sighs of relief when they realize it's not the Alpha.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Quiet!" Stiles sharply says when the janitor keeps cursing loudly.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Quiet my ass!" The janitor barks out, doubling over to catch his breath, "What the hell are you trying to do, kill me?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀He lets out a strangled breath before righting himself and pointing at the door, "All of you, get out."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles shakes his head, "Will you just listen for half a second, okay—."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Not okay," The janitor interrupts, his cheeks red, "Get the hell out of here right now."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Before any of them could say anything, the janitor is shoving them out of the locker room.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"God, just one second to explain—." Stiles pleads.

⠀⠀⠀⠀The janitor glares at Stiles, shutting him up, and points to the hallway, "Just shut up and go."

⠀⠀⠀⠀As soon as the words come out of his mouth, something pulls him back into the locker room.

⠀⠀⠀⠀The trio stiffen when a growl comes from the locker room and the door shuts. A second later, the janitor's silhouette appears in the window of the door, and blood splatters onto it, followed by a scream.

⠀⠀⠀⠀The janitor's body gets pulled away from the door, but a second later, it's slammed back onto it again.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott rushes to the door and tries to open it, but Stiles and Brietta grab Scott, pulling him down the hallway and away from danger.

⠀⠀⠀⠀As they turn the upcoming corner, Brietta peers over her shoulder. She gasps when the door caves in, and the janitor falls against the floor, unmoving.

⠀⠀⠀⠀She lets out a small, strangled sound and trips over her feet. Stiles grabs her wrist and pulls her along, making sure that she never falls behind.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Down the long hall, they all spot two large doors—an exit in the building.

⠀⠀⠀⠀They run faster, hope filling their veins.

⠀⠀⠀⠀As soon as they reach the doors, they push against the handlebars.

⠀⠀⠀⠀The door opens a bit but then bounces off something outside, preventing it from opening enough for them to fit through.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"What the hell?" Stiles huffs, slamming his elbow into the door, but it doesn't budge much.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott pushes Stiles back and shoves his head through the small crack in the door. "It's a dumpster," Scott tells Brietta and Stiles as he pulls his head back into the hall.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"He pushed it in front of the door to block us in," Stiles rolls his tongue against the inside of his cheek. He inhales sharply and slams his shoulder against the door repeatedly, peering over his shoulder at his friends, "Come on, help me."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Stiles, stop!" Scott grits out, grabbing Stiles and pulling him away from the door.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"I'm not dying here," Stiles says as soon as Scott lets him go, and the trio all walk into the hallway over. "I'm not dying at school," Stiles shudders.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"We're not gonna die," Brietta assures Stiles, and they look at one another. "You'll make it to your 17th birthday, Stiles."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles nods before he holds out his arms, exasperated, "God, what is he doing? What does he want?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Me," Scott frowns, facing his friends as he keeps walking, "Derek says it's stronger with a pack."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Oh, great!" Stiles quips, "A psychotic Werewolf who's into teamwork. That's—." Stiles slices his hand through the air with pursed lips, "that's beautiful."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Before Brietta or Scott could reply, Scott grabs Stiles and Brietta, forcing them to stop walking. Brietta and Stiles follow where Scott is looking—which is through one of the many windows in the halls—and they gasp.

⠀⠀⠀⠀The Alpha is sitting on the roof on the other side of the building.

⠀⠀⠀⠀They're looking straight at the trio.

⠀⠀⠀⠀A second later, the Alpha growls and starts running across the roof and closer to the window they were at.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta, Scott, and Stiles waste no time running back the way they came, and a second later the window they were looking through caves in.

⠀⠀⠀⠀When Brietta spares a look behind her, she sees the Alpha land against the wall, snarling loudly before darting at the trio.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta picks up her pace, and the trio pushes open the door leading to the staircase. They run down to the first floor and scurry around the halls aimlessly.

⠀⠀⠀⠀At one hall, Brietta skids to a stop when her eyes catch on a double door. A double door that she knows leads to the mechanical room.

Stiles and Scott stop running when they realize that Brietta had stopped. They send her wide-eyed looks, but she just motions to the door and gestures for them to follow.

⠀⠀⠀⠀They run into the mechanical room, scrambling to hide behind a row of dingy lockers when they hear a roar behind them.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott sticks his head out from the side of the lockers but pulls back a second later, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

⠀⠀⠀⠀He clenches his eyes shut, and Stiles shifts slightly, his eyes narrowing, "What?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Go," Scott whispers, and Stiles' eyes widen. He starts to move silently around the row of lockers, and Brietta and Scott follow, Scott taking up the rear.

⠀⠀⠀⠀They scramble around the corner and jump when they hear a sharp growl from the mechanical room. Scott and Stiles push Brietta behind them, and Stiles grunts slightly, "All right, we have to do something."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Like what?" Scott wonders as they slowly back away from the exit, wary of the Alpha.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"I don't know," Stiles shrugs, flailing his empty hand through the air, "Kill it. Hurt it. Inflict mental anguish on it. Something."

⠀⠀⠀⠀In the distance, something shatters, and the trio jumps.

⠀⠀⠀⠀As they continue to back away from the mechanical room, Scott's back hits the door of a nearby storage room, causing the three teenagers to jump. The roars die down as Stiles rummages through his jacket, making the other two shush him at how much noise he was making with his keys.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"What are you doing?" Scott hisses under his breath, but Stiles just shushes him as the Alpha growls nearby. Stiles pulls out his car keys and throws them into the storage room.

⠀⠀⠀⠀A loud roar shakes the ground, and Stiles pulls himself, Scott, and Brietta behind the door to hide them all from sight.

⠀⠀⠀⠀The Alpha runs into the storage room, and Stiles swiftly slams the door shut, trapping the Alpha inside.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles presses himself against the door, and the door jostles a bit as the Alpha tries to open it with its body.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Come on, the desk." Stiles grits out, and Scott and Brietta instantly push the desk vertically against the door. Stiles moves away just as the Alpha bangs against the door, but the desk only budges an inch, pressing against the other wall.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"He can't..." Scott trails off with a wide smile, and Stiles and Brietta return it, letting out small sighs of relief.

⠀⠀⠀⠀The Alpha bangs against the door rougher, causing Stiles to flinch and duck while Scott pulls himself and Brietta back.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Come on, get across," Stiles commands his best friends, his voice filled with urgency, "Come on!"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott and Brietta both send wary looks at the door before they scramble across the desk, putting them on the same side as Stiles.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles starts peering into the classroom, causing Scott to slap the curious boy. "What are you doing?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles flinches at the contact, turning back to Brietta and Scott with a slightly annoyed expression. "I just wanna get a look at it."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott and Brietta both look at Stiles like he needs to be placed in Beacon Hills' mental facility, Eichen House.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Look, it's trapped, okay? It's not gonna get out," Stiles assures, but Brietta isn't so sure.

⠀⠀⠀⠀The Alpha's more powerful than Scott, more powerful than Derek, and Brietta would assume that the Alpha could take down a whole police unit in less than a minute.

⠀⠀⠀⠀But apparently, Stiles doesn't think so, seeing as he gets on top of the desk, peering inside the room, "Yeah, that's right! We got you—."

⠀⠀⠀⠀He stops taunting when Brietta interrupts his tease towards the beast. "You do realize that the dumb guy always gets killed first in horror films right? Don't be stupid, Stiles," warned Brietta, slightly shaking in her spot.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"I'm not scared of this thing." As soon as the words slip out of Stiles' mouth, the Alpha slams its palm on the window, causing Brietta and Scott to scream and jump as Stiles jumps down from the desk, almost tripping in the process.

⠀⠀⠀⠀As they catch their breaths, the Alpha pulls its hand away, and Stiles narrows his eyes, "I'm not scared of you."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta and Scott look at Stiles like he's grown a second head.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Right," Stiles continues, squaring his shoulders, "'cause you're in there, and we're out here. You're not going any—." Stiles pauses when the trio hear a crash from inside the room, seeing the ceiling above the Alpha crumble.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Hate to be the bearer of bad news but I don't think he's in there anymore." Brietta whispers, and the trio's gaze travels from the room to the ceiling above them as they hear a creaking noise above.

⠀⠀⠀⠀A second later, the ceiling starts to cave in slightly.

⠀⠀⠀⠀The three teenagers instantly start running as soon as one of the ceiling tiles detaches itself due to the Alpha's weight.

⠀⠀⠀⠀The trio runs out of the hall, rushing out before directing themselves towards the generator room.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Wait, do you hear that?" Scott suddenly asks, turning to Brietta and Stiles, who both shake their heads.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Hear what?" Stiles asks.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"It sounds like a phone ringing..." Scott's face pales a second after he says that, and he looks at Brietta.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Her spine straightens, and fear fills her. "What?" The words come out harsher than she intends, but Scott is scaring her.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"It's your brother's phone," Scott tells her.

⠀

⠀

⠀

⠀

⦗🌓⦘

⠀

⠀

⠀

⠀

BRIETTA

MY BROTHER'S HERE?

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott and Stiles exchange alarmed looks, but I ignore them and retrieve my phone from my back pocket, dialing Eli's number.

⠀⠀⠀⠀I press the phone to my left cheek, wincing as the cold metal contacts the wound from the glass earlier. Adjusting the phone slightly, Eli answers before he can say anything, "Where are you?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Eli scoffs on the other end, "I could ask you the same fucking thing, Ettie. Why the hell are you at school at 9 P.M.?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Frustration builds, and I run my other hand through my hair. "Look, I'll explain everything," I glance at Stiles and Scott, who give me leery looks that I choose to ignore, "Just tell me where you are."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Eli dryly laughs, then sighs, "On the first floor."

⠀⠀⠀⠀I roll my eyes, "Be specific, Eli."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Specific," Eli retorts with attitude, yet provides the information, "The swimming pools."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Go to the lobby," I instruct him, "I'll meet you there."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"What the hell is going on, Ettie?" Eli's concern is evident, and I take a deep breath.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Just go to the lobby," I repeat, and a moment of silence follows. As I start to pull the phone away, thinking he hung up, a crackle and his voice come through, "Okay."

⠀⠀⠀⠀I click off the phone, nodding at Scott and Stiles, who both acknowledge with a nod.

⠀⠀⠀⠀In minutes, we're in the main lobby of the school, and Eli walks in, his expression a mix of anger and concern.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Meeting in the middle of the lobby, I hold my arms out, "What are you doing here?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Because you asked me to?" Eli gives me an 'are you stupid?' look, but his eyes shift to my cheek. Narrowing his eyes, he glances over my shoulder to Scott and Stiles, "Did you two dipshits do that?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"What?" I shriek slightly, stepping into Eli's view, "No, you big idiot." Then, I inhale sharply, registering his words. "Wait," I pause, tilting my head, "what do you mean I asked you to?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Eli's narrowed eyes widen a bit, and he reaches into his jacket pocket, taking out his phone. Holding it up, I see a text from an unknown number.

⠀⠀⠀⠀It reads, "Meet me at the school. URGENT. — Brietta."

⠀⠀⠀⠀He seriously thought that was me?

⠀⠀⠀⠀I give him a deadpan look, and he cringes slightly, "You didn't send this to me?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Obviously not," I grit back, running my hands through my hair.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Behind me, I feel someone step close to my back. "Did you drive here?" Stiles asks my idiotic brother.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Jackson did," Eli shrugs, looking upset by the thought.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Jackson's here, too?" Scott asks incredulously behind me.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Unfortunately," Eli then winces and shakes his head, "Allison and Lydia are here, too," Noticing the look of panic on my face, Eli pales slightly, "What's going on, Ettie?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Remember the night I got you to steal a bullet from Allison's aunt?" I ask, and Eli nods, "Then I explained why? Well, it's a Werewolf thing."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Eli blinks slowly, and then licks his lips, "Be specific, Brietta."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Just as I open my mouth to summarize what's been happening, the doors to the lobby open.

⠀⠀⠀⠀We all jump until we see that it's Allison, Lydia, and Jackson walking in.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Finally!" Lydia huffs when she spots all of us huddled together, "Can we go now?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Suddenly, the ceiling tiles above us start to rumble as a weight presses onto them. We all stay quiet for a moment.

⠀⠀⠀⠀I feel hands grab at mine, and I look side to side to see that Stiles and Scott were both holding my hands.

⠀⠀⠀⠀My heart flutters but then it stops when a small growl comes from above me. I look up to see the ceiling tile creak down.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Run!" Scott yells, and we all run to the stairs a few feet away.

⠀⠀⠀⠀As soon as my feet touch the first step, I hear a crash behind me. I don't have to look back to know that the Alpha broke through. The proximity of their growls and snarls tell me that.

⠀⠀⠀⠀As we run through the halls, the ground beneath us shakes as the Alpha follows.

⠀⠀⠀⠀I can feel my bones start to ache from all the running, but with Stiles and Scott still holding my hands, I run faster.

⠀⠀⠀⠀At the end of the hall, we come up on the cafeteria, and Scott and Stiles both let go of my hands to push the double doors open.

⠀⠀⠀⠀As soon as everyone's in, Scott slams the doors shut and uses the locks to secure them.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Help me get this in front of the door," Scott commands everyone in the room as he pulls the milk cooler to the door. Only Jackson and Eli help.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Scott, wait. Not here," Stiles says behind me, and I look over to see him look at the wall of windows.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Without meaning to, my fingers go up to the cut on my cheek.

⠀⠀⠀⠀The Alpha could come in through the glass or throw something.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"What was that?" Allison's voice is harsh, but filled with worry, "Eli, what was that?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Before Eli can make up a lie, Lydia cuts in, "What came out of the ceiling?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles and I share a panicked look. Everyone's too scared or pumped up on adrenaline to see the obvious problems here.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Will you just help us?" Scott cuts in as he, Jackson, and Eli push the cooler in front of the doors, "The chairs. Stack the chairs."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Guys—." The sound of chairs scraping against the floors cuts off Stiles, and he cringes, "Can we just wait a second? You guys, listen to me, w—."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles and I watch everyone put the chairs up on the cooler and against it. Not sure how much that will do against a literal Alpha.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Guys!" I plead, frustration building as the urgency of the situation seems to fall on deaf ears.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Stiles and Brie talking," Stiles sarcastically waves his hands through the air, "Can we hang on one second, please?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀I ball my fists and let out a frustrated sound, "Stop fucking moving!"

⠀⠀⠀⠀It's like my voice cuts through everything because everyone stops and turns to me.

⠀⠀⠀⠀I gesture to Stiles, who gives everyone a thumbs-up, "Okay, nice work. Really beautiful job, everyone. Now..." Stiles motions over to the wall of windows, "What should we do about the twenty-foot wall of windows?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Everyone in the room shuts their eyes and cringes at the fact that they didn't notice that.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Can somebody please explain to me what's going on?" Allison grabs onto Eli, and her voice is border lining hysteria, "Because I'm freaking out here. And I would really like to know why."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Allison looks up at my brother with a pleading look, "Eli?" Eli blinks rapidly, and looks over at me, evidently unsure of what to do.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Behind Eli and Allison, Scott huffs and heads over to the table beside Stiles and I, leaning against it.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott, Stiles, and I all share a look before Stiles sighs and steps toward the others, "Somebody killed the janitor."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"What?" Lydia widens her eyes and grips onto Jackson's bicep.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yeah," Stiles nods, "the janitor's dead."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Allison seems too clouded by her fear to trust what Stiles is saying. "What's he talking about? Is this a joke?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"What?" Jackson grits out, looking over at his girlfriend before his eyes make way to Stiles and I, "Who killed him?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"No, no, no, no..." Lydia's voice cracks, and she shakes his head with tears, "This was supposed to be over...The mountain lion killed—."

⠀⠀⠀⠀I feel the overbearing urge to hug Lydia, but I don't. We have other things to sort out.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"No," Jackson shakes his head, looking at Lydia, "don't you get it? There wasn't a mountain lion."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Who was it?" Allison asks after a big breath, "What does he want? What's happening?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott slams the table slightly, making all of us jump. We look over to see Scott fist his hands and then turn to us, stammering as he speaks, "If we go out there, he's gonna kill us."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Us?" Lydia shrieks, motioning to the entire group, "He's gonna kill us?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Who?" Allison's question is filled with urgency, and she looks over at me, her eyes going to the cut on my cheek, "Who is it?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀What's the best lie I can tell? Who's the best person to blame that can't say otherwise?

⠀⠀⠀⠀A dead person.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"It's Derek," My voice is filled with conviction, and I feel a flicker of guilt for putting blame on a dead guy, "Derek Hale."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Derek killed the janitor?" Jackson's eyebrow goes up as if he doesn't believe me, and I make sure that I don't have any tells.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Allison lets out a small, strangled laugh before locking her eyes on mine, "Are you sure?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀I look away for a second before nodding, "I'm sure," I tap an inch below the cut on my cheek, "He's the one who did this to me."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Son of a bitch," Eli curses besides Allison, his eyes locked on my wound.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"The mountain lio—." Lydia starts, but gets swiftly interrupted by Scott, who goes with my lie, "No, Derek killed them."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"All of them?" Allison clarifies, and Scott nods, "Yeah. Starting with his own sister."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Allison inhales a shaky breath, "And the bus driver?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"And the guy in the video store," Scott adds, and, even though I wasn't going to blame everything on Derek, it gives us an out.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"It's been Derek the whole time," Scott continues, his voice harsh, "It's been Derek the whole time. He's in here with us. And if we don't get out now, he's going to kill us, too."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Jackson's face hardens. "Call the cops." He snaps, mainly looking as Stiles.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"No." Stiles denies without a sliver of hesitation.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Jackson tenses as he sputters, "What do you mean, 'no'?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles blinks beside me. "I mean no, you wanna hear it in Spanish?" He pauses for a second before adding in a heavy Spanish accent, "no."

⠀⠀⠀⠀I don't blame Stiles for saying no—even in Spanish.

⠀⠀⠀⠀The BHPD has, maybe, thirty deputies? Considering that it's almost ten P.M., there would probably only be eighteen deputies on the night shift.

⠀⠀⠀⠀The Alpha could easily tear through them.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Look, Derek killed three people, okay?" Stiles tries to reason with Jackson. "We don't know what he's armed with."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Your dad is armed with an entire Sheriff's department," Jackson flings his hands through the air, his eyes narrowed on Stiles, "Call him."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Lydia shook her head, taking her phone out. "I'm calling." She muttered, dialing the three numbers.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"No," Stiles scoffs slightly, "Lydia, would you just hold on a sec—." As Stiles takes a step toward Lydia, Jackson steps in front of Stiles, pushing him back. Scott and I instantly step in front of Stiles and glare at Jackson.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Lydia steps away from all of us and puts the phone to her ear, "Yes, we're at Beacon Hills High School. We're trapped, and we need you to—." Lydia pauses, and all of us look over at her. "But—." A second later, she takes the phone away from her ear, and turns to us.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"She hung up on me," Her voice is filled with disbelief, and I blink slowly.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Before I can speak, Allison voices my thoughts, "The police hung up on you?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"She said they got a tip warning them that there were gonna be prank calls about the break-in at the high school." Lydia's words are fast and panicked. The Alpha planned this whole thing out? "She said if I called again that they're gonna trace it and have me arrested."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Okay, then call again," Allison's voice is harsh.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"No, they won't trace a cell," Stiles warns them. "And they'll send a car to your house before they send anyone here."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Allison frowns, "What the—What-what is this?" She puts her face in her hands as if everything is a dream. "Why does Derek want to kill us? Why is he killing anyone?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀In a second, all of us are looking at Scott, and he scoffs slightly, "Why's everyone looking at me?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Is he the one that sent Eli the text?" Lydia asks, motioning to my brother.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"No," Scott grits out, "I mean, I don't know."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Is he the one that called the police?" Allison asks, and Scott narrows his eyes at her. Clearly, all her questions are getting to him. They're getting to me, too, but I would ask as many questions, too.

⠀⠀⠀⠀It sucks being in the dark.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"I don't know!" He yells at her, and Allison blinks, her eyes slightly glossy. I put a hand on Scott's chest while Eli pulls Allison back slightly, his eyes narrowing a bit on Scott.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Take a breath," I tell Scott, and he lets out a heavy breath, looking down at her.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"All right," Stiles smacks his lips, "why don't we ease back on the throttle here, yeah?" He then pulls Scott and me a few steps away from everyone else.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Okay," Stiles' voice is soft and quiet, and he looks at me, "first off, throwing Derek under the bus? Nicely done."

⠀⠀⠀⠀I wince a bit, "I feel a little bad, but I mean, he's dead, and we needed a scapegoat. It won't matter."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Unless he's not dead," Scott mutters, and my spine straightens.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Oh my God," I grit out through my teeth, worry filling my entire body. "What if I just framed a not-so-dead guy?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles slaps the side of Scott's head before looking at me, putting his hands on my shoulder. "We saw blood come from his mouth. He's dead."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Waving his hand through the air, Stiles lets go of me. "Even if he is alive," he sends Scott a pointed look, "and that's a big if, we've got bigger issues at hand here. Like, how do we get out alive?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"But we are alive," Scott points out, his eyes slightly wide. "It could've killed us already. It's like it's cornering us or something."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"So, what?" Stiles scoffs airily, "He wants to eat us all at the same time?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀"No," Scott shakes his head, "Derek said it wants revenge."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"It wants revenge against Allison's family," I add on, and Stiles furrows his eyebrows like he's not entirely sold. "The Alpha probably sent Eli the text because it knows that Eli was with Allison."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Maybe that's what the text was about," Stiles nods, getting my point. "Someone had to send it."

⠀⠀⠀⠀"That's a lot of planning to get to Allison, though," I point out, shrugging. "If the Alpha wanted to, it would just kill Allison when she's alone at night or attack her whole family."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles and Scott send me wide looks, and I throw my hands up slightly. "Okay, it's morbid, but it's true. It's like it wants to prolong this whole cat-and-mouse game."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Before Stiles or Scott can say anything, Jackson's voice sounds behind us, "Okay, assheads!"

⠀⠀⠀⠀I roll my eyes but turn to face Jackson, who's pointing at Stiles. "New plan—Stiles calls his useless dad and tells him to send someone with a gun and decent aim," Jackson then looks around the cafeteria. "Are we good with that?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles looks back at Scott and me, expecting us to back him up. I want to. I so want to, but what other choice do we have?

⠀⠀⠀⠀"He's right," Scott sighs. "Tell him the truth if you have to. Just...just call him."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles takes a step back as if we just hit him. Maybe we did, but with my silence and Scott's words. Stiles' eyes water slightly. "I'm not watching my dad get eaten alive."

⠀⠀⠀⠀Nobody speaks, and Stiles shakes his head before walking over to one of the lunch tables.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"All right, give me the phone." Jackson roughly grabs Stiles' shoulder, and Stiles stops him by punching Jackson in the face.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Holy shit. That was amazing.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Jackson!" Allison shrieks as Jackson stumbles away, holding his nose. She kneels beside Jackson, who drops to his knees. "Are you okay?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles glares at Jackson before snatching his phone out from his pocket. Stiles types into his phone and inhales deeply before putting it to his ear, "Dad, hey, it's me. And it's your voicemail," Stiles rolls his tongue against his cheek, and I feel a sliver of relief that Noah didn't pick up, "Look, I need you to call me back now. Like, right now." As Stiles finishes talking, the lunchroom entrance starts shaking.

⠀⠀⠀⠀The Alpha is trying to get in.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"We're at the school. Dad, we're at the school," Stiles stresses, ending the voicemail as the Alpha intensifies its assault on the doors.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"The kitchen," Stiles blurts out, "The door out of the kitchen leads to the stairwell." Stiles tells us, but Scott shakes his head beside me. "It only goes up."

⠀⠀⠀⠀The Alpha starts breaking the screws that Scott had bolted earlier as Stiles speaks, "Up is better than here."

⠀⠀⠀⠀As the doors rumble louder, everyone starts running out through the door in the corner of the room.

⠀⠀⠀⠀I follow behind, but my jacket gets caught between a chair and a table, and I grunt. I look up, but nobody notices, all of them too busy running out.

⠀⠀⠀⠀This is why I shouldn't get oversized jackets.

⠀⠀⠀⠀I grunt and pull my jacket out, but when I do, the Yang charm that I found at Derek's house falls out of the pocket and slides close to the door that the Alpha is trying to break.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Just as I take a step to it, the door caves in, and the Alpha comes in, snarling loudly.

⠀⠀⠀⠀I freeze, and my eyes dart from the charm to the door.

⠀⠀⠀⠀You're being stupid, Brie. Run, a little voice in my head tells me.

⠀⠀⠀⠀My mom gave me that charm, another voice tells me.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Before I can make a decision, the Alpha stops in front of me on its hind legs.

⠀⠀⠀⠀I swallow the lump in my throat as the Alpha stares down at me, its chest rising and falling with ominous growls. My eyes lock on its blood-red eyes, and I inhale quick breaths.

⠀⠀⠀⠀My heart pounds against my ribcage, and I hold my hands up before looking down. The charm is right between us.

⠀⠀⠀⠀I kneel down slowly and grab it. When I stand back up, its eyes are brown.

⠀⠀⠀⠀"Brie!" Stiles' voice sounds in the distance, and the Alpha's eyes turn red in a quick second.

⠀⠀⠀⠀My breath hitches, and I don't waste a second turning around, running to Stiles and the others.

⠀⠀⠀⠀When I look behind me, I see the Alpha getting in position to pounce. I put more force in my steps, running through the kitchen, darting to the stairs.

⠀⠀⠀⠀I spot Stiles at the base of the steps, and he lets out a sigh of relief before grabbing me and rushing us both upstairs.

⠀⠀⠀⠀Once we're upstairs, I stop to take a breath, but my mind is still on the Alpha.

⠀⠀⠀⠀What the fuck was that?

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄

I formally apologize for not updating for a month...but I'm back now 🙃

▍PUBLISHED . . 11/19/23 — ♡︎ ୫
© POETICLULLS, 2023