[five]
frayed

ALEX BLEW OUT a breath as she looked out the car window. Alex was sitting in the passenger seat of Allison's car, Allison driving, and Lydia sat in the middle back seat.

The girls were following the school bus, which held Stiles, Scott, Isaac, Boyd, Ethan, Aiden, and the rest of the lacrosse team.

"So, Lex." Allison started.

"Hm?" Alex hummed and glanced at the girl.

"I know you said you didn't wanna talk about it, but are you okay after what happened?" Allison asked softly, referring to Alex and Isaac's break up.

Alex sighed, resting her head on the car window. "Yeah, I guess."

Lydia and Allison shared a brief glance at the response, knowing Alex wasn't telling the whole truth.

"I just don't get it." Alex added quietly, her head still gently resting on the window. "Everything was fine between us...until yesterday..."

"He's the biggest idiot for breaking up with you." Allison replied, Alex turning her head slightly to look at Allison. "And I know everyone says that, but seriously, he is."

"Really?" Alex mumbled.

"Are you kidding?" Lydia scoffed, Alex shifting her position so she was facing Lydia. "You're Alex freaking Carter, the most badass werewolf I know."

Alex's heart warmed at how much her best friends cared about her.

"Any guy would be the luckiest to have you, and if Isaac can't understand that, then he's lost the most amazing best friend to ever exist." Allison added, Alex glancing between her two best friends.

She sent the two girls a grateful smile. "Thanks, guys."

"That's what friends are for, right?" Lydia smiled, both Alex and Allison chuckling.

••••

"Am I getting too close? I'm- I'm getting way too close, aren't I?" Allison spoke hurriedly, mainly to herself.

Alex and Lydia shared a glance.

"That depends." Lydia started.

"Are you just following the bus, or are you planning on mounting it at some point?" Alex added sarcastically.

"Yeah, I should back off." Allison breathed.

"Well, that also depends." Lydia replied. "Do you mean the bus, or the ex boyfriend you're currently stalking?"

"Well, after what happened, I'm not letting him out of my sight." Allison spoke, frowning.

Alex frowned. "Yeah that doesn't sound weird at all..."

"By the way, this all started when he came knocking on my door." Allison quickly replied, trying to defend her point.

"For what?" Lydia frowned.

Alex sighed as Allison began to explain. She felt sorry for the Argent girl, knowing how she had such strong feelings for Scott, and how she couldn't be with him.

It reminded her of her own feelings for Stiles that she had tried to push back.

••••

"So is that whole 'not letting him out of your sight' thing literal, or more like a general rule?" Alex questioned as she glanced at Allison briefly before putting the textbook and highlighter she used to study with back in her backpack.

"Why?" Allison questioned.

"You're running on fumes." Lydia added.

Allison groaned in annoyance as she checked her gas meter. It was nearly empty.

"Yeah..." Alex sighed, glancing at the bus in front of Allison's car. "And I'm pretty sure that bus holds more gas than this Toyota."

"What if we stop?" Allison questioned quickly.

"Is it really that big of a deal?" Lydia scoffed. "So we lose them. We know where they're headed."

"You didn't see what happened. Neither of you did." Allison replied, Alex's eyes softening as she glanced at Allison.

"I know who started it." Lydia spoke, accusing Allison, Alex frowning.

"Is that what Aiden told you?" Allison replied calmly, a small smirk ghosting her lips.

"Aiden?" Lydia questioned incredulously, glancing at Allison. "Whoa whoa whoa, hold on a second."

Alex didn't say anything, as she didn't want to get involved, however, she knew something was about to start.

"Is that why you invited me on this whole little road trip thing? Did you also invite Alex for the same reason, but with Isaac?" Lydia questioned, scoffing once she got no answer, however that was all she needed.

Alex raised her eyebrows as Lydia continued. "Oh my gosh. You're keeping an eye on them, and us."

"I just wanted to make sure Alex was okay after what happened, and I didn't want to leave her alone for however long this was going to take us. And you're telling me there's nothing going on between you and Aiden?" Allison replied, Alex scoffing at Allison's sly plan, a small smirk tugging at her lips.

"I'm appalled by the insinuation." Lydia scoffed.

Both Allison and Alex smirked cheekily. "Nothing?" They asked at the same time, teasing Lydia.

"Nothing." Lydia confirmed not very convincingly, as Alex listened to her heartbeat. It was beating rapidly, however, Alex didn't say anything as she covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing.

Both Alex and Allison glanced at Lydia, the strawberry blonde applying another layer of lipstick, noticing the glances. "What?"

Suddenly, the bus halted to a stop, as there was traffic, Allison stopping the car too, Alex and Lydia's bodies jolting forwards slightly, Lydia gripping the two car seats in front of her to stop herself from falling forwards.

Many car horns began to honk from other cars behind and in front of the bus and Allison's car.

"Great. Traffic is all we need." Alex sighed, annoyed. "Plus, we've got almost no gas left, so that's wonderful."

Meanwhile, in the bus, Coach was yelling at Stiles for asking too many questions.

"Stilinski, put your hand down!"

Stiles quickly spoke. "You know there's, like, a food exit about half a mile up, I don't know if we stop, and then maybe try-"

"We're not gonna stop." Coach interrupted, shaking his head.

"Okay, but if we stop-"

"Stilinski!" Coach cut the boy off, blowing his whistle loudly. "Shut it! Seriously! It's a little bus! Stop asking me questions!"

Stiles slumped back in his seat, annoyed, covering his mouth with his hand as he spoke against it. "I hate him."

"Did you call Deaton?" Stiles moved on, glancing at Scott.

"I keep getting his voicemail." Scott sighed as he leaned against the window of the bus.

"That's it, I'm calling Alex, Lydia, and Allison." Stiles spoke, taking out his phone.

"How are they gonna help back in Beacon Hills?" Scott spoke weakly, the pain from his wound getting worse.

"They're not. They've been following us for hours." Stiles answered simply, taking out his phone and immediately calling Alex. "Pathetic."

Alex widened her eyes from her place in Allison's car as she received a call from Stiles. She shared a quick glance with Lydia and Allison as she answered the call. "Hey, Sti."

"We're just about to walk into a movie." Lydia chirped, leaning over so she could talk into Alex's phone. "Uh, you know, the popcorn and that."

"I know you guys are right behind us, put me on speaker, Lex." Stiles' voice replied, Alex sighing and putting Stiles on speaker, holding her phone out slightly so both Lydia and Allison could talk.

"Okay, look, Scott's still hurt." Stiles started as Alex widened her eyes, Allison and Lydia frowning.

"What?" Alex asked. "He's not healing?"

"No, he's not healing, I think it's actually getting worse, the blood's turning like a black colour." Stiles answered.

"What's wrong with him?" Lydia questioned.

"What's wrong with him?" Stiles rephrased. "I don't know- do I have a PhD in lycanthropy? How am I supposed to know that?"

"Sti, you know sarcasm is my best personality trait, and I love it as much as the next guy, but this is not the time." Alex replied, wanting the situation to be fixed faster, rather than slower.

"We need to get him off the bus." Allison added.

"And take him where? A hospital?" Lydia asked incredulously.

"If he's dying, yeah." Allison nodded, her attention shifting back to Stiles on the phone. "Stiles, there's a rest area about a mile up, tell the coach to pull over."

"Yeah, I've been trying." Stiles sighed over the phone.

"Reason with him." Allison spoke.

"Reason?! Have you met this guy?!" Stiles exclaimed.

"He's got a point. Coach is the most annoyingly stubborn person you'll ever meet, trust me." Alex added, glancing at Allison as she continued to hold her phone in her hand.

"Just try something." Allison spoke into the phone.

Alex hung up with a sigh, looking out the window again. She rolled down the window, getting some fresh air into the vehicle. The bus windows were open too, allowing air into the bus as well.

Suddenly, Alex heard the whistle blow from the bus, using her werewolf hearing. The girl widened her eyes the numerous amount of times Coach was blowing the whistle.

Little did she know, the whistle did more damage than she expected.

••••

Alex, Lydia, and Allison ran up to Stiles and Scott as soon as Allison parked the car behind the stationary bus.

Alex and Stiles helped Scott to the bathroom as his wound was getting worse, Allison and Lydia following after them.

Alex and Stiles placed Scott down on the floor gently, Scott's back leaning against the bathroom wall, the boy groaning in pain.

Allison squatted down in front of him and lifted his shirt up slightly, revealing the scratch, however, it was now inflamed, his veins turning black around the area.

"Oh my god." Allison breathed. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Lydia, Alex, and Stiles all frowned at the wound from where they were standing.

"Sorry." Scott rasped, a weak smirk placed on his face as his eyes began to slowly droop.

"Just give us a second, okay?" Allison whispered, standing up to face the three behind her. "This shouldn't be happening. I've seen him heal from worse than this."

"Okay, what do we do, then?" Stiles frowned. "Do we just call an ambulance?"

"What if it's too late? What if they can't help him?" Allison spoke, beginning to panic.

"We have to do something." Alex added, glancing at Scott.

"You know, it could be psychological." Lydia spoke.

"What do you mean, like, psychosomatic?" Stiles frowned at the strawberry blonde.

"Somatoformic." Alex answered, glancing at Stiles as Lydia nodded.

"Som-?" Stiles frowned, not understanding what Alex just said.

"A physical illness from a psychogenic cause." Lydia explained quietly, glancing between Allison and Stiles, already knowing Alex knew what she meant.

Stiles hit his leg impatiently, still confused and wanting either Lydia or Alex to get to the point.

"Yes, it's all in his head." Alex answered Stiles' silent question.

"All in his head?" Stiles asked, then realisation hit him. "Because of Derek. He's not letting himself heal because Derek died."

"Okay, can we please not mention that situation, my ex boyfriend broke up with me, and then Derek, you know, all in the same night, so I'm still a little sensitive, alright?" Alex quickly added, the group glancing at her briefly before swiftly moving on.

"So what do we do?" Allison asked.

Lydia shrugged, pulling out a needle and a thread from her bag. "Stitch him up."

Allison let out a nervous breath.

"I'm serious." Lydia added. "Maybe all he needs to do is just believe it's healing."

Alex and Stiles nodded, glancing at Allison.

••••

"He's gonna need another shirt, where's his bag?" Allison voiced.

"Where's his bag?" Stiles repeated the phrase, then remembered where it was. "Uh, I'm gonna get it. I hate needles anyway, so...

"Uh, do you know what you're doing?" Stiles added, turning to Allison.

"Yeah, my father taught me." Allison replied confidently, holding the needle and the thread.

"How fast are you gonna- I mean the bus, like, the bus could leave." Stiles spoke quickly.

"Okay, just make sure it doesn't leave." Allison spoke, turning to face Stiles.

"I can help." Alex added, glancing at Stiles.

"Me too. Come on." Lydia replied, walking out of the bathroom, Stiles and Alex following.

••••

"Let's go!" Coach blew the whistle, signifying for the students to go back into the bus. "Back on the bus!"

Alex, Stiles, and Lydia stood outside the bus, thinking of a way to get the bus to stay there. The three shared glances.

"Come on, Allison..." Alex whispered, hoping the Argent girl would be finished soon.

Suddenly, Allison walked out of the bathroom, helping Scott walk, Scott's arm around her shoulder. Lydia and Alex ran up to them quickly.

"Is he okay?" Lydia asked.

"Are you okay?" Alex added as she reached Scott.

Scott nodded, Alex letting out a relieved breath.

"Stiles. Where's Stiles?" Scott frowned.

"Trying to stall Coach." Lydia replied, taking the lacrosse bag out of Scott's hands.

"We still don't have gas." Alex informed Allison.

"I'm not leaving him." Allison answered.

"Then we have to leave the car." Lydia replied with a sigh.

"Sounds good." Allison replied simply.

"What?" Lydia asked, both her and Alex frowning. "That wasn't an actual suggestion..."

Alex, Allison, and Scott walked towards the bus, Lydia sighing. "Screw it."

"Stiles, what's happening?" Scott asked Stiles as the group approached Stiles.

"He went after him. I told him what was happening with you and he just went after him." Stiles explained.

"Who?" Alex frowned. "Boyd?"

They reached the bus, only to find Isaac brutally beating one of the twins.

Alex widened her eyes at the sight.

"Isaac! Isaac!" Coach yelled repetitively, trying to get Isaac to stop. "Back off!"

Scott yelled for him to stop. "Isaac!"

Isaac slowly stopped, halting his fist from punching the twin again as he let go of his collar.

••••

"Alright, let's go over this one more time." Stiles started, Alex glancing at him from her seat, which was next to the boy.

Lydia turned around in her seat to glance between Alex and Stiles. Allison and Scott were sitting together, behind Stiles and Alex.

"So it's the sacrifices, right?" Stiles continued. "Everything has to do with them, and someone who thinks he's like a dark Druid of some kind."

"Or actually is a dark Druid." Alex corrected, both Stiles and Lydia glancing at her. "A Darach."

"You know, in some ancient cultures, they sacrificed people in preparation for battle." Lydia added, Alex and Stiles both frowning.

"So we got alpha werewolves against a dark Druid." Stiles blew out a breath.

"Yeah." Alex sighed.

••••

a/n:

hey again :)

here's another chapter !

I'm definitely gonna be writing more because I don't have as much going on now, and I'm feeling very productive lately.

just a little psa, the next chapter is the motel california one, and in the chapter, there will be mentions of suicide, so if that's a triggering topic for you, I suggest if you see this symbol (*) then skip that bit until you see the next one, or skip that chapter entirely. I'll definitely include a trigger warning at the beginning of the chapter too.

anyways, thank you for reading, voting, and commenting, and I hope you enjoy the chapter loves 💓

—voidelmslie 💌✨