[two]
chaos rising

ALEX FROWNED AS Lydia carefully drew over the marks on her arm with a black pen, then compared it to the bruise on Allison's.

"Let me get this straight...this random girl just approached you guys, asked where Scott was, then grabbed both your wrists, left you with bruises, and left?" Alex spoke, the frown still evident on her face as she was leaning over in the middle back seat to talk to the two girls in the front seats better.

"Yep." Allison nodded, glancing at her.

Lydia then took Allison's arm gently and placed it next to hers, comparing the marks on both their wrists. "I don't know. It doesn't look like much to me."

"Maybe it's a pattern." Alex spoke, her frown deepening. "It could mean something."

"Yeah, I think Alex is right. It has to mean something." Allison nodded.

"You guys really think Scott's gonna know what it is?" Lydia questioned, her eyebrows raised.

"No." Alex started.

"But he might know someone who does." Allison added.

"How are you so sure it means anything at all?" Lydia asked the two, glancing between her best friends.

"Because that girl wasn't just looking for Scott. It's like she needed to find him. Like she had to. And that means something." Allison replied.

Lydia sighed, leaning back in her seat, Alex doing the same in the back, as Allison kept driving.

••••

"So tonight, no Allison, no Alex. Tonight, we're moving on." Stiles spoke to Scott as the two arrived at a party hosted by one of Stiles' childhood friends, Heather.

"Really? No Alex? That's a first for you." Scott frowned. "Usually you want as much Alex as you can get."

Stiles rolled his eyes. "We can discuss my overwhelming and intense crush on the most amazing girl in the world for literally ever, but for tonight, we forget about girls and go to an awesome party, okay?"

"Okay." Scott sighed.

"What, am I right, or am I right?" Stiles asked sarcastically, a knowing smirk placed on his face.

"You're right." Scott spoke quietly.

"Yeah I'm right!" Stiles nodded.

"Moving on..." Scott spoke, blowing out a breath.

"Onward and upward." Stiles nodded once again.

"Let's do this." Scott spoke.

••••

Scott opened the door, walking out of the party to find Allison, Lydia, and Alex standing outside of Allison's car.

He slowed down at the sight of Allison. "This isn't the talk we were going to have, is it?"

Allison gently shook her head, looking at the ground briefly before glancing at him again. "I need to show you something."

She held her arm out, revealing the bruise.

••••

"I don't see anything." Derek spoke as he crossed his arms over his chest, frowning at the bruises on the girl's arms.

"Look again." Alex glanced at Derek, nodding at the bruises from her position next to Scott, her arm comfortably leaning on his shoulder.

"How is a bruise going to tell me where Boyd and Erica are?" Derek raised his eyebrows in question.

"It's the same on both sides. Exactly the same." Scott replied, glancing at him, frowning at how Derek didn't see it.

"It's nothing." Derek replied simply.

"Pareidolia." Lydia sighed.

"Seeing patterns that aren't there." Alex clarified, Stiles sending her a small smile, Alex returning the gesture.

"It's a subset of apophenia." Lydia added when no one said anything.

"They're trying to help." Scott spoke to Derek, referring to Lydia and Allison.

"These two?" Derek started with a raise of his eyebrows, gesturing to Allison and Lydia. "This one, who used me to resurrect my psychotic uncle, thank you, and this one, who shot about thirty arrows into me and my pack."

"Okay, alright, come on, no one died, alright? Look, there may have been a little maiming, okay, a little mangling, but no death." Stiles added from his position sitting on a desk. "That's what I call an important distinction."

"My mother died." Allison ignored Stiles as she glared at Derek with narrowed eyes.

"Your family's little 'honour code' killed your mother. Not me." Derek replied, glaring back at Allison.

"That girl was looking for Scott." Allison spoke, ignoring Derek's comment. "I'm here to help him, not you."

"You wanna help?" Derek asked, glaring at the girl once again. "Find something real."

With that, Derek began to walk off, Scott sighing and following after him, Alex's arm dropping back at her side.

"Give her a chance. They're on our side now." Scott spoke quietly to Derek, Alex listening in as she leaned against one of the desks, crossing her arms.

"Well then maybe you should tell her what her mother was actually trying to do that night." Derek replied quietly as he left the room, closing the door behind him.

••••

"Okay, what would a pack of alphas want with Erica and Boyd?" Stiles questioned as him, Alex, and Scott walked together.

"I'm not sure it's them they want." Scott replied.

"Okay, what, like, Derek?" Stiles frowned as Scott stopped walking, glancing at two figures walking away. "Like they're recruiting?"

"Hey, Scott, you coming?" Alex frowned, Scott turning around and walking ahead without a word, Stiles matching Alex's frown as the two followed after the boy.

••••

Coach slammed a book down on the desk. "The stock market is based on two principles. What are they?"

Scott raised his hand, Coach sighing in disappointment. "Yes, McCall, you can go to the bathroom. Anybody else?"

"Uh, no, Coach, I know the answer." Scott replied, huffing a chuckle and putting his hand down.

Coach just laughed. His expression faded as he realised Scott was serious. "Oh, you're serious?"

"Yes. Risk and reward." Scott nodded, stating the two principles.

"Wow! Who are you? And what have you done to McCall?! Don't answer that, I like you better." Coach spoke, continuing with the lesson. "Does anybody have a quarter?"

Stiles reached into his pocket and tried to pull out a quarter, however, an extra extra large unopened condom fell out, hitting the ground, Alex raising her eyebrows and sharing a glance with Scott.

"Stilinski, I think you, uh, dropped this..." Coach spoke awkwardly, handing Stiles the unopened condom. "And congratulations."

Quiet, scattered laughter erupted around the classroom, Alex glancing at Stiles in question, the boy not returning the look as his cheeks heated up slightly in brief embarrassment.

"Risk and reward. Put the quarter in the mug, win the reward." Coach started, holding up a cup and placing it on the ground. He then blew on the coin for luck, throwing it on the ground, only having it bounce on the floor and then into the mug successfully. The class erupted in applause. "That's how you do it!"

"Okay, Danny. Risk or reward?" Coach questioned as he walked over to Danny.

"What's the reward?" Danny raised an eyebrow.

"You don't have to do the pop quiz tomorrow." Coach replied simply.

"Uh, Coach, it's not a pop quiz if you tell us about it." Danny spoke awkwardly.

"Danny, I really expect more from you at this point. Really." Coach spoke disapprovingly, moving to stand in front of Alex's desk, placing the coin in front of her.

"Alex. Risk. Reward. The risk; if you don't put that quarter in the mug, you have to take the pop- the quiz. And, you have to write an essay. Risk. More work. Reward. No work at all. Or choose not to play." Coach spoke. Alex leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms and thinking about the pros and cons for a second before standing up, taking the coin in her hand, Coach grinning.

"Why not." Alex shrugged, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Yeah! Atta girl!" Coach exclaimed with a grin as Alex approached the front of the classroom, squatting down on the floor and holding out the coin, closing one eye as she focused on her aim.

She then released the coin, the coin hitting the floor, then successfully landing in the mug.

Alex smirked as she stood up, heading back to her seat.

"Well, it looks like you don't have to do the quiz or write an essay tomorrow. Nice one, Alex." Coach spoke as Alex sat down. Scott sent her a smile, Alex grinning back.

"Hey, good job Alex." Greenberg spoke with a small smile from his desk.

"Goddammit Greenberg, shut the hell up! No one cares!" Coach exclaimed, glaring at Greenberg as he approached Scott.

"What will it be, McCall? Risk or reward?" Coach spoke, placing the coin on Scott's desk.

"Isn't this just chance?" Scott asked.

"No, you know your abilities, your co-ordination, your focus, past experience, all the factors affecting the outcome. So what's it gonna be, McCall? More work, no work, or choose not to play. One of you did it, why not make it two?" Coach questioned, referring to Alex, as Scott surveyed the coin. He placed it back down.

"No play. Okay, who's next? Who wants the quarter?" Coach asked the class, Stiles looking around before hitting the desk excitedly. "There you go! There's the third one! There's a gamblin' man! Come on! Step up, step up. Alright, Stilinski."

Stiles approached the front, just like Alex had done before.

Just before Stiles could make the shot, Sheriff Stilinski walked in. "Stiles."

"Yeah, Coach, I got it." Stiles replied, not realising his dad had walked in.

"Stiles." Noah spoke again, catching Stiles' attention.

Alex frowned, sharing a glance with Scott, who was frowning as well.

••••

"So you think they kidnapped Heather to turn her?" Scott questioned as him and his two best friends walked side by side.

"Derek says it's easier to turn teenagers." Stiles replied with a sigh.

"What would a pack of Alphas need with a Beta?" Scott frowned.

"Scott, I don't know, I don't care." Stiles spoke exasperatedly. "This girl...our moms were best friends before mine died, alright? We used to take freaking bubble baths together when we were three, I gotta find her."

"Then we need Isaac to remember." Alex spoke.

"How? Peter and Derek couldn't do it. You know any other werewolves with a better trick?" Stiles questioned, glancing at the girl.

"Maybe not a werewolf." Scott spoke in realisation. "But someone who knows a lot about them."

••••

Isaac held Alex's hand tightly as Derek, Stiles, and Scott placed more ice in a bath full of already cold water.

"Obviously it's not going to be particularly...comfortable...but if we can slow your heart rate down enough, you'll slip into a trance-like state." Dr Deaton spoke to Isaac, the boy gripping Alex's hand tighter as he progressively got more nervous.

"Like being hypnotised." Isaac spoke as him, Alex, and Dr Deaton walked over to the rest of the group.

"Exactly. You'll be half transformed. It'll let us access your subconscious mind." Dr Deaton spoke as Isaac released Alex's hand, squatting down next to the bath.

"How slow does his heart rate have to be?" Scott questioned.

"Very slow." Dr Deaton replied, glancing at Scott.

"Okay, but how slow is very slow?" Derek asked.

"That's exactly what I'm wondering." Alex added.

"Nearly dead." Dr Deaton replied, Alex's eyes widening.

Isaac tried touching the ice water, the ice stinging his hand, Isaac immediately pulling away.

"It's safe though, right?" Isaac questioned, glancing at Deaton.

"Do you want me to answer honestly?" The doctor replied, glancing at Isaac with raised eyebrows.

"No. Not really..." Isaac spoke quietly.

Stiles put on a rubber glove, the material slapping his skin. Everyone glared at him, annoyed.

At their stares, Stiles frowned. "What?"

Derek and Alex raised their eyebrows, Stiles sighing and taking off the glove in annoyance, throwing it in the bin.

Isaac stood up, releasing an uneasy breath.

He faced Alex, cupping her face with one hand and bringing her into a brief kiss. Alex's eyes fluttered closed as she kissed the boy back.

Stiles huffed and looked away, glancing around the room as the couple pulled away.

"Look, if it feels too risky, you don't have to do this." Derek spoke.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to, okay?" Alex added as Isaac glanced at her once again.

"I know." Isaac sighed, then took off his shirt, placing it on the table behind him. Alex took off her jacket, not wanting it to get wet.

Isaac inhaled and exhaled a breath before slowly sitting in the bath, gripping Alex's hand, the girl squatting down next to the bath so she could hold his hand easier.

Isaac gasped as the bath water stung his skin due to how cold it was.

Scott, Stiles and Derek then pushed his body into the water, Isaac gripping Alex's hand tightly.

He struggled, trying to come back out of the water, however, Scott, Stiles, and Derek continued to hold him under, while Alex continued to hold his hand.

"Oh god, I don't like this!" Alex's uneasy voice exclaimed over the sounds of Isaac thrashing in the water.

"Hold him." Dr Deaton spoke loudly.

"We're trying!" Derek exclaimed in response.

"A little too much, I think..." Stiles muttered under his breath, glaring at Isaac's hand tightly gripping Alex's.

Scott glanced at Stiles, sending his best friend a sympathetic look as he continued to hold Isaac down.

Alex was too distracted to hear what Stiles had said, her worried eyes still set on her panicked boyfriend.

Isaac stopped thrashing as his body relaxed, sending him into a trance like state, his grip on Alex's hand loosening.

Scott, Stiles, and Derek let go of the boy as his head floated up to the surface of the water.

Before Alex could speak, Deaton cut in.

"Now remember. Only I talk to him." Deaton spoke quietly, the group all glancing at him. "Too many voices will confuse him and draw him out. That brings me to my next point. Alex, you need to remove your hand from his."

Alex frowned at him, not speaking, as she didn't want to risk ruining the plan.

"It will only confuse him. He cannot have an emotional connection during this process." Deaton spoke, Alex sighing and gently releasing the boy's hand, quietly standing up.

Stiles handed the girl a towel, Alex sending him a small smile as she dried her hand with it. She shrugged on her jacket as she crossed her arms.

"Isaac?" Deaton spoke, trying to catch Isaacs attention. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes." Isaac's shaky voice responded, his eyes still closed tightly, the boy still in a trance like state. "I can hear you."

"This is Doctor Deaton." Deaton spoke, Scott glancing at him, then back to Isaac.

Alex's gaze was fully set on Isaac, a frown appearing on her face.

"I would like to ask you a few questions, is that okay?" Deaton asked.

"Yes." Isaac responded monotonously.

"I want to ask you about the night you found Erica and Boyd." Dr Deaton replied, his tone careful and steady.

Stiles glanced at Alex, only to find the girl frowning at her boyfriend. Stiles quietly walked around Deaton, stopping once he arrived next to Alex. He carefully intertwined his fingers with hers, squeezing gently, immediately giving the girl comfort.

Alex glanced at their intertwined hands, sending Stiles a small smile, the boy returning the gesture.

"I want you to remember it for me in as vivid detail as possible. Like you're actually there again." Dr Deaton spoke, Isaac slightly shaking his head.

Suddenly, the lights began to flicker on and off, the group glancing around the room with frowns.

"I-I don't wanna do that. No- I don't wanna do that." Isaac spoke, his eyes still closed, and his voice uneasy and panicked. "I don't want to do that."

Alex took a step forward instinctively, wanting to help her boyfriend, however, Stiles gently tugged her hand, pulling her back as he placed his other hand on her shoulder.

Alex slightly relaxed, however, her worried gaze was still set on Isaac, who began to move around in the water panically, Scott and Derek beginning to restrain the boy again.

"It's alright. They're just memories. You can't be hurt by memories." Deaton spoke in a calm voice, trying to relax Isaac.

"I don't wanna do that." Isaac spoke repeatedly, Dr Deaton trying to relax the boy.

"Relax." Dr Deaton spoke calmly, Isaac slowly stopping his thrashing. "Good. Now let's go back to that night. To the place you found Erica and Boyd. Can you tell me what you see?"

Isaac swallowed thickly as his eyes remained tightly closed. The group's gazes were all set on Isaac.

"Is there some kind of building? A house?" Deaton spoke curiously.

"It's not a house." Isaac replied, inhaling a shaky breath. "It's- it's stone. I think marble."

"Good. That's perfect." Deaton said calmly, reassuring Isaac. "Can you give me any other descriptors?"

Alex shared a glance with Scott, the two frowning as they glanced between Deaton and Isaac.

"It's dusty. So empty." Isaac spoke.

"Like an abandoned building?" Dr Deaton questioned.

Suddenly, thunder sounded outside, the lights beginning to falter once again.

"Isaac?" Dr Deaton asked, trying to get the boy back in focus. "Isaac?"

"Someone's here." Isaac spoke, his voice getting more worried as he tightly gripped Scott's arm. "Someone's here."

"Isaac, relax." Dr Deaton spoke over the sounds of thunder and flickering lights.

"No, no, no. They see me. They see me!" Isaac exclaimed, beginning to thrash once again in the bathtub, Scott and Derek holding him down harder, Alex gripping Stiles' hand tightly.

"Just memories. You won't be hurt by your memories. Just relax." Dr Deaton coaxed as he glanced between Derek and the three teenagers. "Relax. Good. Now tell us what you see. Tell us everything."

Isaacs eyes were still tightly closed.

Alex swallowed thickly as she watched Isaac, the nerves beginning to take the better of her. Trying to distract herself from the sight, she moved her body closer to Stiles, gripping his hand tighter.

Stiles glanced at the girl, practically feeling her anxiety. He squeezed her hand, immediately comforting the girl.

The group shared glances as Isaac began to speak.

"I hear him." Isaac started as his eyes slowly opened. "He's talking about the full moon...about...being out of control when the moon rises."

"Is he talking to Erica?" Dr Deaton questioned as Derek and Alex shared a glance.

"I think so, I can't- I can't see her- I can't...I can't see either of them." Isaac replied, swallowing.

"Can you hear anything else?" Dr Deaton asked carefully.

"They're worried." Isaac spoke, his voice monotone. "They're worried what they'll do on the full moon. They're...worried that they're gonna hurt each other."

Thunder rumbled ominously.

Derek shook his head, his voice soft. "If they're locked in together on the full moon they're gonna tear each other apart."

"Isaac, we need to find them right now. Can you see them?" Dr Deaton spoke, getting impatient.

"No." Isaac replied almost immediately.

"Do you know what kind of room it is?" Dr Deaton spoke demandingly. "Is there any kind of marker? A number on a door? A sign?"

Suddenly, Isaac gasped sharply, abruptly jolting upwards. "They're here. They're here- they're here."

"It's alright. Just tell us what-"

"They found me! They're here!" Isaac yelled.

"This isn't working! Isaac, where are you?!" Derek exclaimed.

"I can't see them, it's too dark!" Isaac yelled.

"Tell me where you are!" Derek demanded loudly.

"I can't see!" Isaac exclaimed panically.

"Isaac, where are you?!" Derek exclaimed. "Just tell me where you are!"

"His heart rate, he could go into shock!" Dr Deaton warned, Alex's eyes going wide.

"Stop." Alex spoke as she became panicked at the state Isaac was in. "Stop it now!"

Stiles gripped her hand tighter.

"Derek let him go!" Scott exclaimed.

"Derek!" Alex screamed.

"Isaac, where are you, what did you see?!" Derek yelled, ignoring the teenagers.

"The vault, the bank vault!" Isaac yelled in response, gasping as his body jolted up to a sitting position in the bathtub. "I saw it."

Isaac gasped, glancing between the group, his eyes landing on Alex and Stiles' connected hands and Stiles' hand on Alex's shoulder. Alex released Stiles' hand quickly, immediately at Isaac's side, Stiles' hand dropping to his side.

"I saw the name." Isaac spoke in between breaths, Alex holding his hand, not caring that her hand was now wet. Isaac squeezed her hand tightly.

Alex and Scott helped Isaac out of the bath, Dr Deaton immediately wrapping a towel around his bare, wet torso.

Isaac gripped Alex's hand tighter as he explained, not noticing the looks everyone was giving him. "B-Beacon Hills First National Bank, it's um, it's an abandoned bank, and they're keeping them locked inside- inside the vault."

"What?" Isaac frowned, finally noticing the looks everyone was giving him.

"You don't remember what you said right before you came out of it, do you?" Stiles asked with a sigh.

Isaac shook his head. "No."

"You said when they captured you, that they dragged you into a room...and that there was a body in it..." Alex spoke quietly, gently rubbing Isaac's back.

"What body?" Isaac questioned, glancing between the group.

"Erica." Stiles finished. "You said it was Erica."

••••

"She's not dead!" Derek exclaimed.

"Derek, he said 'there's a dead body. It's Erica.' Doesn't exactly give us much room for interpretation." Stiles sighed, gesturing to Isaac, who was sitting next to Alex, Alex's arm wrapped around his bicep, Isaac's other hand gently placed on top of Alex's.

Stiles ignored the pang of jealousy he felt when he glanced at them.

"Then who was in the vault with Boyd?" Derek demanded.

"Someone else, obviously." Stiles replied with a sigh.

"And maybe it was the girl on the motorcycle." Scott added, glancing at Isaac. "The one who saved you."

"No, she wasn't like us." Isaac shook his head. "And whoever was in that vault with Boyd was."

"What if that's how Erica died?" Alex started, the group glancing at her in question. Stiles nodded, agreeing with her.

Alex sighed, beginning to explain her theory. "They pit them against each other during the full moons and see which one survives."

"It's like werewolf thunderdome." Stiles added.

"Then we get them out tonight." Derek spoke, ignoring Stiles' comment.

"Be smart about this, Derek." Dr Deaton replied. "You can't just go storming in."

"If Isaac got in, so can we." Derek replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

"But he didn't get in through the vault door, did he?" Deaton responded.

"We need a plan." Scott voiced.

"And fast." Alex added.

"How are we going to come up with a plan to break into a bank vault in less than twenty four hours?" Derek frowned, glancing between Scott and Alex.

"Uh, I think someone already did." Stiles spoke as he read an article from his phone, Alex frowning as the boy read. "'Beacon Hills First National closes its doors three months after vault robbery.' Doesn't say here how it was robbed, but it probably won't take long to find out."

"How long?" Derek asked.

Stiles scoffed. "It's the internet, Derek, okay? Minutes."

••••

Alex shuffled a little on Stiles' bed, her eyes still gently closed as she was still sleeping.

The night before, both Stiles and Alex sat on Stiles' bed and researched, Scott researching in the desk chair by the printer.

The teens had expected to finish researching in less than ten minutes, however, that plan didn't go as expected, the trio struggling to fight their urge to sleep.

The room was in a messy state, many pages of paper sprawled across the room, Stiles passed out and snoring on the floor, his legs sprawled across the side of the bed, resting on top of Alex's legs, Scott passed out in Stiles' desk chair.

The printer continued to print pages of paper, the three teens forgetting to turn it off before they fell asleep.

"Kids-" Noah cut himself off as he opened Stiles' bedroom door, frowning at the sight of the messy room and sleeping teens. "Hey, time to wake up."

Alex woke up slowly at Noah's voice, groaning slightly and rubbing her eyes as she sat up, gently moving Stiles' legs off hers. She blinked a few times to get her eyes adjusted to the morning light as she got off Stiles' bed.

"Boys." Noah spoke to the two boys who were still asleep, trying to get them to wake up.

He sighed at the lack of response, turning to Alex. "You have time to do your makeup if you want, Alex."

Alex sent him a small smile. "Thanks, Noah."

"Anytime." Noah nodded, sending the girl a small smile in return as Alex left the room and went to the bathroom to fix her slightly smudged makeup.

The Stilinski's always had spare makeup in their bathroom for whenever Alex slept over and didn't have time to go back to her house before school.

Although Noah had initially asked why the makeup was there and tried to get rid of it, Stiles insisted to keep it, just for Alex. Noah eventually accepted it and agreed to let the makeup stay, as he knew his son was being a good friend. Plus, Noah knew Stiles would do anything for Alex.

"Boys!" Noah exclaimed, both Stiles and Scott jolting awake at the phrase, Stiles pulling off the sheet of paper that was on his cheek.

"I gotta get to work." Noah started. "You three, get to school."

"Speaking of three...where's Alex?" Scott asked.

"In the bathroom!" Alex exclaimed from the bathroom, both Stiles and Scott nodding, although Alex couldn't see them.

"Dad!" Stiles stopped his dad from leaving. "Heather?"

"No, nothing yet." Noah replied sadly as he left the room.

Alex removed her makeup from the previous night, only putting on a small amount for the day, going back into Stiles' room a few seconds later.

"Ten hours and for nothing." Stiles sighed as Alex crossed her arms.

Stiles threw her one of his clean shirts, Alex catching it and sending Stiles a grateful smile.

She turned around, not facing the two boys as she took off the shirt she slept in, leaving her in her bra. Stiles forced himself not to look at her back as Scott snickered at the failed attempt.

Alex pulled the shirt over her head, Scott handing the girl her jacket from the desk chair he slept on, Alex shrugging it over her shoulders and crossing her arms, sending Scott a small smile.

"We're gonna find something." Scott spoke.

"Finding something doesn't make Erica any less dead. Or Boyd any less about to be dead." Stiles scoffed.

"Calm down before the vein in your head pops." Alex humoured, her tone going serious a second later. "Seriously, we'll find something."

"Yeah, we still have time." Scott added.

"Is this whole, like, 'remain optimistic in the face of complete and utter disaster' thing apart of the 'be a better Scott McCall' program?" Stiles questioned, turning to Alex. "Are you trying to be a better person too, or..?"

"Yes, actually, it's called the 'shut the fuck up you're not funny' program. You should join." Alex rolled her eyes.

"No...not if it doesn't work." Scott spoke, disregarding Alex's comment.

"No, it works." Stiles sighed, picking up a piece of paper, widening his eyes at the sight. "Dad! Dad?!"

He quickly handed Scott the paper as he ran out of the room, trying to catch up to his dad, Alex frowning as she stood behind Scott, slightly leaning her head over his shoulder as she read the contents of the page.

The page had a photo of Noah Stilinski arresting someone with the title 'Beacon Hills First National Bank Robbery.'

••••

Alex climbed over Stiles' body as she got out of the Jeep, Stiles following after her, Scott coming out of the Jeep from the other side.

"Alright, so we meet at Derek's at five to go over the plan, and then we don't get started until dark." Scott spoke, confirming the plan the teens had formulated.

"Okay, what do we do until then?" Stiles frowned.

"What, right now?" Alex asked, Stiles and Scott glancing at the girl, who was walking in the middle of the two boys. "We've got English."

The trio walked into the school, Stiles holding the door open for Alex, the girl walking in, Stiles and Scott following.

••••

"Okay." Stiles started as he laid out the blueprints of the bank, gesturing to a part of it as he glanced between the group, his eyes lingering on Alex, who was next to him, glancing at the blueprints. "You see this? This is how they got in. It's a rooftop air conditioning vent. Leads down inside into the wall of the vault, which is here."

Scott stood next to Alex, moving closer to her so he could see the blueprint better. Derek was to the other side of Stiles, also glancing at the blueprint.

Stiles circled another part of the blueprint as he continued. "One of the robbers was lowered into this shaft. Now, that space is so small, it took him about twelve hours to drill into that wall, which is stone, by the way."

"Then, throughout the rest of the night, they siphoned the cash up to the guys back on the roof, through that one little shaft in the wall." Stiles added, tapping another part of the blueprint. "Boom."

"Can we fit in there?" Scott questioned.

"Yes we can, but very very barely." Stiles answered.

"Didn't they patch the wall though?" Alex frowned, glancing at Stiles.

"Yeah. We're gonna need a drill of some sort." Stiles replied, glancing at the girl. "I'm thinking, maybe a diamond bit-"

"Look, forget the drill." Derek cut the boy off.

"Sorry?" Stiles frowned, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"If I go in first, how much space do I have?" Derek questioned, the group going silent.

Stiles glanced between Scott and Alex in confusion, then glanced back at Derek. "What do you- what do think you're gonna do, Derek? You gonna punch through the wall?"

Derek crossed his arms over his chest, smirking. "Yes, Stiles, I'm gonna punch through the wall."

"Okay, okay big guy, let's see it, let's see that fist. Big ol' fist. Get it out there, don't be scared." Stiles replied tauntingly, Derek holding up his fist. "Big bad wolf, yeah look at that."

Stiles grabbed his fist. "Okay, you see this? That's like, maybe, three inches of room to gather enough force through solid c-"

Before Stiles could continue, Derek punched his hand roughly, Stiles' hand being flung to the table, the boy wincing in pain. Scott sent Derek a frown, Alex sending the man a glare.

"He could do it." Stiles winced, holding his hand in pain as he walked a fair bit away from the group, Alex following him and taking Stiles' hand, gently holding it in hers, and gently rubbing her thumb across his skin.

Stiles' cheeks slightly heated as he glanced at Alex, who sent him a small smile. Alex intertwined Stiles' hand with hers gently, trying not to further hurt his hand.

Suddenly the pain that Stiles was feeling in his hand had began to slowly fade. He frowned, wondering how his hand wasn't hurting as much.

He glanced at his and Alex's hands, widening his eyes at the sight. The veins in Alex's hand and arm were visible, a black substance passing through them.

Alex frowned as she began to feel different. More tired. She glanced at her hand, frowning at how a black substance was passing through her veins.

She slowly began to feel a pain in her own hand, her frown deepening.

Was she taking his pain?

She glanced at Stiles, who was already glancing at her. A sting passed through her hand, Alex quickly taking her hand away from Stiles' at the feeling. The two looked down at Alex's hand. It was back to normal.

The pain Alex had taken from Stiles had made the girl slightly worn out.

Stiles glanced at his own hand, opening and closing it, frowning at how it didn't hurt anymore.

He glanced at Alex. "What just happened?"

"I think I just took your pain." Alex glanced at him with a frown.

"Woah..." Stiles murmured. "Can werewolves actually do that?"

"Apparently." Alex replied with a sigh.

"Are you okay?" Stiles asked after a moment.

"Yeah...I think so..." Alex replied, frowning.

"You sure? You seem worn out..." Stiles frowned.

"I think taking your pain took a bit of my energy because you're right." Alex sighed. "Let's just go back to Scott and Derek, I'm sure they've got a plan by now..."

"So I'm supposed to just let them die?" Derek frowned at Peter as Stiles and Alex approached the group again.

"Hey, why did you guys take so long?" Scott frowned.

"He's a wuss. It took awhile to calm him down." Alex lied, Scott chuckling and Stiles frowning.

"One of them is already dead." Peter spoke, changing the subject.

"We don't know that." Derek replied.

"Do I have to remind you what we're up against here?" Peter frowned. "A pack of alphas. All of them. Killers. And if that's not enough to scare your testicles back into your stomach, try to remember that two of them combine bodies to form one giant alpha. I'm sure Erica and Boyd were sweet kids. They're gonna be missed."

"Could someone kill him again, please?" Stiles asked.

"I'll do it." Alex replied.

"Derek. Seriously. Not worth the risk." Peter changed the subject once again.

"What about you?" Derek questioned.

Stiles shrugged. "Yeah, if you want me to-"

"Not you." Derek interrupted, annoyed at Stiles.

"Well, Alex can't go." Stiles replied, Derek and Scott frowning while Alex sighed.

"What? Why?" Derek asked.

"She doesn't have enough energy to go." Stiles replied, frowning at the glances.

Derek sighed, taking Alex's arm and bringing her to the side. "What's going on?"

"I don't know what the hell just happened, but I think I took Stiles' pain, and I think it took some of my energy." Alex whispered, trying not to let Scott or Peter hear.

Derek smirked.

"What?" Alex frowned. "Is there something wrong? Should I not have done that or..."

"No, no, that's actually not it at all." Derek chuckled. "I'm just really proud of you."

Alex's frown faded as a small smile appeared on her face. "You are? Really?"

"Are you kidding me? Of course I am. You taught yourself something that's actually really hard to do for a teen wolf." Derek smirked, Alex's smile growing. "And yes, because it's your first time doing it, it did take more of your energy than it usually would, and you're not at your full strength. So I don't expect you to come if you're not at your full strength and you're going to get hurt because of it."

Alex engulfed him into a tight hug, Derek hugging the girl back. The two pulled away, both making their way back to the group.

"I don't know about Erica. But if Boyd is still alive, we have to do something." Scott spoke as soon as the two were back. He didn't want to question why Alex couldn't go, as he fully trusted Alex, knowing that whatever reason she had for not coming was valid.

"We have to try." Scott spoke as Peter sighed, annoyed.

"But?" Alex frowned, sensing that more was on Scott's mind.

"Who's the other girl?" Scott questioned, frowning. "The one locked in there with Boyd."

••••

Alex was lying on the couch, Peter sitting on the end of the couch, and Stiles looking outside the window.

"I can't take waiting around like this." Stiles started, glancing at the full moon. "It's nerve wracking. My nerves are wracked. They're severely wracked."

"I could beat you unconscious and wake you when it's over." Peter replied, Alex frowning from where she was.

"You think Erica's really dead?" Stiles frowned, ignoring the comment.

"You think we really care?" Peter asked, referring to him and Alex.

"Um, excuse me, when did 'this' become 'we?'" Alex frowned, gesturing to Peter and herself. "This will never be a 'we,' okay? Only you. Only me. No 'we.'"

"I just- I don't understand the bank, though, okay? Why wouldn't they chain them up in some underground lair or something?" Stiles frowned, beginning to pace around.

"They're an alpha pack, right? So shouldn't they have a lair?" Stiles added.

"They're werewolves, not Bond villains." Peter replied, annoyed, as he closed his eyes.

"Wait a sec. Wait a sec..." Stiles spoke, ignoring Peter. "Maybe they're living there, y'know?"

Alex frowned, sitting up.

"Like, maybe the bank vault reminds them of their little wolf dens." Stiles exclaimed.

"Wolf dens?" Both Alex and Peter asked with frowns.

"Yeah, wolf dens. Where do you live? Well, I know where Alex lives, but still..." Stiles spoke.

"In an underground network of caves hidden deep in the woods." Peter replied sarcastically.

"Woah, really?" Stiles widened his eyes.

"No, you idiot." Peter responded, scoffing. "I have an apartment downtown."

"Okay, fine, but still. That just proves that there's something up with the bank." Stiles replied, theorising once again. "And why wait around for the full moon, huh?"

"So they can be at their strongest." Alex responded simply. "Obviously."

"No, what I mean is, why not just kill them whenever they want to?" Stiles frowned as he stood in front of Alex and Peter.

"Maybe they think it's poetic." Peter replied sarcastically once again.

"They've already had three full moons to be poetic." Stiles spoke, getting annoyed with Peter.

"And here you've only had one full hour to be so annoying-" Peter spoke, cutting himself off as he realised something.

"No, go ahead, finish what you were saying. I'm- I'm annoying- what we're you gonna say there?" Stiles sarcastically responded, Alex frowning at how Peter went silent.

"What are the walls made out of?" Peter frowned, standing up and walking to the blueprints.

"What?" Stiles frowned, glancing around the loft. "Uh, wood or bricks or something?"

"No, Stiles, he means the vault." Alex frowned, standing up and following Peter, Stiles following.

"What are they made out of?" Peter questioned as he looked through the prints. "Doesn't say anything. Where would it say the materials? The type of stone?"

"Uh- oh! Hang on." Stiles spoke as he looked through his backpack, taking out some files and handing them to Peter. "Here. It's gotta be in here."

Alex frowned, wondering what was going on.

"There- that's it." Alex spoke, gesturing to one of the pages Peter was looking through.

"Hecatolite." Peter whispered.

"Is that awful? That sounds awful." Stiles spoke worryingly.

"One of you, get them on the phone." Peter spoke. "Call them. Now!"

"Okay, why?" Stiles frowned as he took out his phone.

"Because Boyd and that girl aren't gonna kill each other." Peter started.

"They're gonna kill Derek and Scott." Alex finished in realisation.

Stiles called Scott, the boy answering, the sound of roaring and growling being heard from the other side.

"Scott? Scott, are you hearing this?" Stiles asked, frowning.

"Scott?" Alex frowned.

The call suddenly ended, Alex and Stiles glancing at each other with frowns.

••••

a/n:

hi loves :) sorry I haven't updated in awhile, I've been really busy. anyway, here's the second chapter !

I already love this book because I've got so many notes and ideas planned for the other chapters, and I know y'all are gonna love it.

also I wanna know if you like isaac and alex together, or if you prefer alex and stiles, or alex with someone else. any feedback is much appreciated :)

anyway, thank you so much for the reads and votes, I'm extremely grateful. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and the ones to come 🥰

—voidelmslie