3A

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*3.01 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

'well, fuck me sideways.'

✧༺♥༻✧

Standing under the fluorescent lights of the tattoo parlour, Lottie felt her stomach buzz with excitement as she flipped through the book of flash designs whilst the burly tattoo artist mused over Scott's poorly drawn sketch. She was going to get a small tattoo, she was too excited to leave without one.

"Good thing you drew me a picture." The tattoo artist retorted sarcastically as he looked at the two black lines on the wrinkled piece of paper, one thicker than the other.

"He's a real Picasso huh?" Lottie grinned from her seat on a spinning stool, gesturing for Stiles to come over and spin her around which he did before glancing at a page in the flash book with a grin.

"Sure you don't want something like this?" He asked Scott who was sitting in the tattoo chair, with a look of distaste on his face at the design Stiles held up. On the page was a traditional style lizard with claws and a particularly familiar looking tail. "Too soon?" Stiles queried as Lottie swotted the book out of hands, replacing the book with her own hands as she linked her fingers with his, smiling softly when he placed a soft kiss on top of her head.

"I'm just saying, I don't know, dude. These things are pretty permanent. At least Lotts has a real meaning to her idea. I mean what does this represent for you?" Stiles asked. Lottie scoffed, squeezing her boyfriend's hands.

"Stiles, tattoos don't have to have meaning. I mean, I'm getting mine because I think it looks nice, it's just a bonus it has a meaning." She scolded as Stiles let go of her hands and made his way over to Scott.

"Getting a tattoo means something. It doesn't have to be deeper than that." Scott explained, smiling when the tattoo artist agreed with him.

"He's right. Tattooing's been going on for thousands of years. The Tahitian word tatua means "to mark something." Like a rite of passage." The artist who Lottie had learnt was called Bobby, explained to the trio.

"See, he gets it?" Scott smiled.

"He's covered in tattoos. Literally."

"And he looks awesome." Lottie sang out, high-fiving Bobby who smiled and shook his head the girl.

"Can we get started?" The tattoo artist asked, sighing in relief when Scott nodded. "You don't have a problem with needles do you?"

"Nope." Lottie glanced at Stiles, already expecting the inevitable.

"I'm a little squeamish, so I might just-" Stiles started, cutting himself off as he passed out, landing clumsily in Lottie's arms as she caught him, gently lowering him to the floor, keeping his head in her lap as she ran her fingers through his newly grown out hair gently.

"How did you-" Scott asked, trying to remain distracted.

"Scotty, this is Stiles. Are you really asking how I know?"

"Very true."

"Ooo. Becca! You're back! Let me just put my jacket under Stiles' head and then we can start!" Lottie cheered quietly, as she greeted her tattoo artist. Quickly Lottie was in her own tattoo chair and breezing through her tattoo, it was perfect. Before she knew it she was all done and wrapped up as Stiles came too. Now they just had to wait for Scott.

"I missed you getting tattooed?" Stiles pouted as he sat up slowly.

"You did, but you'll see it soon enough." She grinned at him as he turned red, knowing she'd got the tattoo on the side of her hip. "I love it."

"That's all that matters to me." He grinned, pecking her lips as Scott took a sneaky picture, adding it to his 'STOTTIE 4EVA' folder on his camera roll. "God, do you think he'll be done soon?"

"Soon, Stiles, these things take time." Lottie grinned, cupping his face gently before dragging him to the waiting area and forcing him to play UNO on their phones until Scott was done.

Once both Scott and Lottie were wrapped up and Stiles had an ice pack to the throbbing bump on his head, the trio made their way to Stiles' Jeep. Stiles held the door open for Lottie and helped lift her into the passenger seat before making his way round to the driver's seat, mumbling about his painful head as he did. As Stiles turned in his seat to look at his girlfriend, he was distracted by Scott hissing in discomfort.

"You okay?" Lottie asked, turning to face the young werewolf.

"It kinda burns. Don't you think?" Scott replied.

"No, but I only got something small. Not two giant solid black bands." Lottie shrugged.

"Yeah, and you did just have your skin punctured by a needle like a hundred thousand times." Stiles added unhelpfully as Lottie slapped his arm gently. He muttered an apology before turning back to Scott who was now pulling at the wrapping of his tattoo.

"Yeah, but I don't know if it's supposed to be like this." He moved to sit up more and almost folded in pain. "This definitely doesn't feel right. I think--I think I gotta' take it off." Scott began to unravel the bandage as Stiles began to protest, leading Lottie to cover his eyes with one hand and cover her own eyes with the other, making sure to leave a gap to peek through.

"It- it healed." Scott sighed dejectedly as he looked down at his now tattoo-free arm. Lottie smiled sympathetically as she uncovered both her own eyes and Stiles'.

"Oh, thank God. I hated it." Stiles cringed, immediately apologising when Lottie sent him a scathing look. "Sorry, sorry."

"Look, Scotty, if you're adamant about this tattoo, I'll come up with a solution for you okay?" Lottie told the boy as she began to think of a certain sourwolf alpha.

"I don't think I want you drawing and colouring my arm everyday Lotts." Scott sighed, missing what she meant completely.

"Bold of you to assume I'd do it everyday, besides you definitely don't shower everyday, I can smell you from the front seat." Lottie joked, poking her tongue out at the boy as a car sped past them. "Fucking hell, no such thing as a speed limit in Beacon Hills huh?"

The trio began driving as Stiles looked hesitantly in his rearview back at Scott, asking the dreaded question, "So, have you spoken to Allison much over the summer?"

"And that's a hattrick!" Lottie chimed, hitting Stiles on the arms one final time, mockingly scowling as he smiled at her.

The trio pulled up to a set of traffic lights, slowing at a red light as Scott examined his newly healed arm and replied, "No, we agreed to give each other the summer. No texts, no calls." He sighed as Lottie turned back in her seat and held out her hand for him to hold which he took gratefully.

"So how do you know she won't be back at school?" Stiles asked. He knew that Lottie hadn't spoken to Allison since the night of the Kanima attack. When he found out that Allison had shot his girlfriend he was furious, that was until Lottie said, she didn't want there to be more of a divide then there already was. Allison was a topic Lottie didn't want approached by anyone other than herself, it was their fallout, nobody else's.

"After everything that happened? I'm not sure she's coming back at all." Scott mumbled as Stiles looked past Lottie at the car next time them, his jaw dropping.

"I think she is. I'd say pretty definite. Like one hundred percent." Stiles stuttered out as Lottie and Scott both looked out the window, following his eyesight.

"Oh shit." Lottie mumbled as she saw Allison sat in the car beside Lydia, they would've probably gone unseen if Allison hadn't turned around and made eye contact with Scott.  Lottie accepted defeat and waved at the girls, blowing kisses to Lydia, who chuckled and blew a kiss back before giving her attention to a panicking Allison.

"Drive, Stiles, just drive–" Scott panicked back in Roscoe.

"Dude, it's a red light?" Stiles refused as Lottie continued blowing kisses to Lydia who struggled to keep a straight face, sending the girl a warning look. Lottie eventually turned to give her attention back to her boys as Stiles handed her a bag of gummy worms out of his glove box. He always kept a bag or two in there for her.

"You're dad is the sheriff, you'd probably get away with one red light?" Lottie shrugged when Stiles sent her a look that read 'what the fuck?'. "What? It's dead out here anyway?" Lottie gestured to the empty roads.

"You see, this is why you don't drive us anywhere, no appreciation for the rules of the roa-" Stiles began to ramble as Lottie rolled her eyes, shoving a gummy worm in his mouth, smiling at him as he went cross eyed looking at the worm in his mouth. "I think we should say something." Stiles mumbled, through a mouthful of gummy worms.

"No, no, no--Stiles." Scott stuttered, leaning forward to stop Stiles who had leaned past Lottie and begun opening her window.

"I agree with Scotty on this one, this is not your best idea, Batman." Lottie hesitated, she wasn't ready to talk to Allison yet.

"It'll be fine, break the ice a bit!" Stiles enthused. He leaned fully over to Lotties side and shouted to the girls in the other car. "Heyyyy–" He was cut off by the sound of Lydia's tires screeching as she skipped the red light and sped off.

"Well that went down like a lead balloon, good work Stiles." Lottie sarcastically retorted as she clapped slowly at the boy who moved back to his seat. The light changed back to green and Stiles slowly moved off, effectively following Lydia and Allison.

"What are you doing?" Scott panicked once again.

"Driving?" Stiles replied, matter of factly as Lottie snorted.

"But we're right behind them." Scott pointed out unnecessarily.

"Well spotted genius! Do you see any roads we could turn down?" Lottie mused sarcastically.

"We're going to look like we're following them."

"What would you like me to do?" Stiles asked.

"I don't know--anything."

And so thinking on his feet, Stiles put out his hand laying it on Lottie's chest, and slammed the brakes, causing both boys to jolt forward as Lottie remained relatively still in her place thanks to Stiles. She smiled fondly over at the boy, her dimples showing when she saw he was looking over her in concern. "I'm fine Batman, thanks for that." She leaned over and pecked his lips gently. "Now what?" She asked as she pulled away.

"Now... I got nothing." The boy replied, dazed from the sweet kiss he'd just been given. The three sat in comfortable silence, Stiles playing with Lottie's fingers as they patiently waited for Allison and Lydia to move further away, yet they all shared puzzled looks when they saw Lydia's brake lights shine as the girls stopped further ahead. "Well, I'm not moving. They're the weirdos for stopping now." Stile sat back in his seat, smiling when he saw Lottie laughing at him.

"Should we-" Scott began to ask, but was cut off by the sound of glass smashing and the screams of the girl he loved. Immediately the trio drove straight up to the two teenage girls who were now standing outside Lydia's car, looking at the hood of the car. Stiles ran round to Lottie and helped her out of the Jeep and kept an arm around her waist as they made their way to the rest of the group.

"Oh it's Bambi's mum." Lottie pouted as she saw a dead deer laying in a crumpled heap on the hood of Lydia's car. She immediately ran over to Lydia, scanning her for injuries, whilst Scott almost embraced Allison. "You okay, Lydiapad?" When she received nothing in response from the dazed girl, Lottie wrapped the strawberry blonde in her arms tightly as she made eye contact with Allison, hesitantly addressing the girl. "You alright, Allycat?"

Allison's heart squeezed tightly, her breath caught in her throat. Despite having shot the small girl, Lottie still cared for her and it made Allison feel awful. "I'm okay, I'm all right."

"It came out of nowhere–" Lydia blurted out as Lottie let go of her and returned to her place at Stiles' side, sighing in relief as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Ran right into us– How are you fine? I'm not okay. I'm completely freaked out. Why the hell did it do that? I saw its eyes right before it hit us. It's like--like it was crazy."

Scott approached the now still animal cautiously, holding out his hand to reach and place it on the animal's body. "No. It was scared." He paused as he really assessed the emotions left lingering in the air surrounding the animal. "Actually it was terrified."

Lottie and Scott began to scan the nearby wooded area, trying to figure out where the animal came from and why it was so spooked. "I can't hear anything?" Lottie thought aloud. Turns out that the more she became in tune with her siren self, the more her powers improved. Her hearing was now much like Scott's, just not as crisp.

"Neither can I. Look, let's call a tow truck for your car Lydia and we'll give you both a lift home okay?" Scott offered as Lottie yawned, leaning into Stiles' hold. Needless to say, but the car ride home was very awkward.

✧༺♥༻✧

Lottie was applying the finishing touches to her makeup as Noah Stilinski entered Stiles bedroom. "Morning Noah." She grinned at the older man as he handed the girl a cup of coffee. "Ah, you're the best."

"Don't I know it?" He grinned back, loving the fact Lottie was finally with his son. They brought out the best in each other, and all he wanted was for them both to be happy. It was just a bonus that the one thing that made them happiest - was each other.

"​​You know how many vehicle collisions last year involved deer? Two hundred and forty seven thousand." Stiles asked and answered by himself, secretly thrilled at how his girlfriend and father got on so well but also massively distracted.

"He's been like this for the past hour and a half already." Lottie grinned, slurping her coffee as Stiles cringed at the noise.

"Please go to school." Stilinski pleaded, not in the mood to fight his son into attending the mandatory experience.

"But that's crossing the road. The deer last night came right down the middle." Stiles continued, ignoring his father completely.

"I'm not going to beg you." Stilinski began.

"Good. I'm impervious to your influence anyway." Stiles fired back. Of course he was aware of the duo conspiring against him behind him. Stilinski sent a pleading look to Lottie who smirked and sent a nod to the older man. He grinned and sent her a thumbs up.

"How about my influence, Stiles?" Lottie asked, walking over to the boy and wrapping her arms around his shoulders, thanking every God that Papa Stilinski had left the room. "Are you impervious to my influence?" She asked, sitting herself in his lap, straddling him.

"I-i don't- I think-" Stiles stuttered, placing his hands on the girls hips. No matter how long he was with Lottie, he knew he'd always melt at her touch.

"You don't think? Come on Stiles, use that brain of yours. Are." She placed a kiss on his left cheek. "You." A kiss to the other cheek. "Impervious." A peck to the forehead before she moved her lips a breath away from his. "To my influence?"

"God no." He mumbled, no longer being able to stop himself as he cupped Lottie's cheeks and pressed his lips to hers. She smiled into the kiss, knowing she'd got her way, laughing as she pulled away.

"I thought that might be the case. Now come on. We have school." She grinned, pecking his lips one last time and standing up. Stiles looked on after her, dazed, amazed but not surprised that she'd tricked him.

"You never play fair." He grumbled, standing and helping buckle her heel for her as she held out a hand for him to hold as they made their way down the stairs.

"Life isn't fair, my love." She grinned.

✧༺♥༻✧

"I can't believe you suggested Derek?" Stiles was flabbergasted. Lottie had given Scott a solution for his tattoo issue. She swung their hands in between them as they approached Scott and his brand new motorcycle. "You want to ask Derek for help?" Stiles asked Scott.

"Lottie was right-"

"As always." Lottie grinned as Scott continued his explanation.

"He's got the triskele tattooed on his back. So there's got to be a way to do it without healing, right?" Scott asked as they made their way into the school.

"Doesn't he still have his hands a little full?" Stiles pointed with his free hand to the missing posters on the schools bulletin board: Vernon Boyd and Erica Reyes. The two had left Derek in hunt of a new pack but nobody had heard or seen them since before the summer holidays. Lottie frowned in sadness, she might not have had the best relationship with either of them, but she'd never wish harm upon them... except that time she threatened to kill Erica. But that was one time.

"Do you guys think-" Lottie asked before she was cut off by the phone ringing. "Oh it's your Mama, Scotty." She grinned, confused by the call. "Hey Mama McCall! Is everything okay?"

"Isaac's in the hospital. You're his emergency contact. I know you have school-" Melissa began to explain.

"I'm on my way." Lottie replied before the nurse could finish her sentence. Melissa told Lottie the name of Isaac's room and hung up. "Right, Isaac's in the hospital. Scott you can't miss any more lessons and Stiles I know you aren't bothered." Lottie sarcastically grinned at her boyfriend. "So, Scott, go to English, meet me at the hospital after. Stiles-" She looked him up and down, "Stay out of trouble." Kissing Stiles and Scott both on the cheek and ran straight back out of the school, calling an Uber to the hospital.

✧༺♥༻✧

"Melissa! Hi, what's happening? When did he come in?" Lottie asked as she entered the hospital reception, spotting Scott's mum.

"Last night." Melissa replied, hesitantly.

"Last night? Why didn't you tell me before?" Lottie was his emergency contact, she should have been informed immediately.

"Honestly, I was hoping I wouldn't have to. I thought he'd heal and it'd be over. I just- I didn't want to worry you or Scott. He's been doing so well."

"And he will continue to do so, but Melissa, in future? Call me straight away." Lottie instructed, no room for error clear.

"Of course. He's in room 215 if he's not in surgery already."

"Okay. Thank you. Scott should be on his way."

Lottie made her way to room 215 and frowned when she saw the room empty. There was something in the air of the room that suggested something wasn't right, there were tubes strewn all over the place and the bed sheets were on the floor. Isaac was in trouble. Lottie could feel it. Turning on her heel she made her way to the elevator, stopping behind an older man with a walking aid as he tapped the floor, feeling his surroundings. Eventually the lift arrived and both Lottie and the man stepped in.

"Could you hit the button for the second floor?" The man asked Lottie. She smiled at the man, despite the fact he could not see and she hit the second floor button. "Thank you."

"No problem." Lottie replied, settling into the silence as she mentally prepared for whatever situation she was about to face. It may seem extreme but after spending a whole summer living with Isaac, it was safe to say she knew him like the back of her hand and had become very in tune with his well being. The lift dinged and Lottie began to speed out of the confined space when the man grabbed her arm. Looking back in a mixture of confusion and disgust - she hated strangers entering her space without her consent. "Can I help you?" She asked.

"You wouldn't mind helping me out for a second, would you?" The man asked her, keeping his hand on her arm, leaving her no choice.

"Sure. Where do you need to go?" Lottie asked. The man gave her a non-committal answer causing Lottie to roll her eyes, walking painfully slow down the corridor until she dropped him off at his desired location. Spinning on her heel, Lottie panicked having got lost in her attempt to help the man, she sighed in relief when she saw her father. "Dad! Have you seen Isaac?" She asked approaching the man who smiled down at his daughter, he'd been trying to patch up their relationship since he'd been back and along the way had grown to care for her friend too.

"Isaac? I think he just came out of surgery. Some big giant of an orderly was pushing him that way a minute ago. Is everything okay?" James asked in concern. As soon as Lottie heard her father say 'big, giant' instead of a name, she knew something was wrong. Leaning up she kissed her dad on the cheek and said she'd speak to him later, running in the direction he'd pointed in.

Lottie stopped in her tracks when she spotted an unconscious Isaac in a wheelchair at the end of an empty corridor being pushed by what she could only describe as the Incredible Hulk - if he never turned green that is. The man turned to face her, a sinister grin on his face.

"This can go either one of two ways. You hand me my brother - NOW. Or I make you rip your own throat out. Your choice." Lottie smiled sweetly at the giant of a man, who tilted his head in confusion. He flashed his claws and eyes turned red. "Come on then, show me what you've got." Lottie smirked, holding up a finger, beckoning the Alpha to her.

The Alpha stepped up to her, picking her up by the throat, blinking in confusion when she started laughing. He squeezed tighter as she lifted off the floor. Slowly she shut her eyes. Transitioning into her on land siren form was easy now, she held her grin as she felt the blue veins start to raise under her eyes and her claws extend as her fingers webbed. Running her tongue over her fangs, she opened her eyes. The Alpha loosened his grip on Lottie in surprise. "Got a name, big fella?" Lottie asked, her voice strained due to his grip on her throat.

"Ennis." He replied, still in a state of shock.

"Ennis? Let go of me please." Lottie compelled. He promptly dropped her. As Lottie landed she swiped her hand across Ennis' stomach, leaving behind four deep gashes, pooling with blood in its wake. Standing to her full height, which was minuscule compared to the Alpha, she smirked. He raised his head to look Lottie in the eye and he charged. Picking her up he threw her in the lift, storming after her as she landed next to a still unconscious Isaac. The lift doors closed and the fight resumed. Lottie swiped at the man's face, jumping on his back and clawing at his eyes, chuckling as he roared in agony. "Oh, Ennis. This is nothing." Lottie stayed on Ennis' back clinging like a koala as her phone rang. Seeing it was Stiles, Lottie sighed and picked up. "I'm a little busy right now. You okay?" She asked as Ennis tried to shake her off his back.

"Yeah, what-" Ennis bumped Lottie off his back and she landed with a grunt. "Are you-"

"I'll call you back." She hung up and blew her hair out of her face. "Now that was rude."

"How dare you disrespect me." Ennise roared.

"How dare YOU steal my brother!" Lottie shouted back. "Ennis I want you to rip-" She was cut off by the lift doors opening and Ennis being pulled out of the lift and thrown down the corridor. Murmurs of confused staff rushed to his aid as blood continued to pour from where Lottie had wounded him. Her view was soon obscured by two hulking figures. Derek and Scott. "About time." She smirked as the lift doors closed and they hit the level to the car park.

"Did you seriously take on an Alpha by yourself?" Derek asked incredulously, staring down at the small girl in pure shock and a little fear - not that he'd ever admit it.

"What? Like it's hard?" She huffed out, a little breathless from the fight she'd definitely just won. "Did you see his eyes? Poof, gone." She laughed. When the two conscious werewolves looked at her in disbelief she rolled her eyes. "He was kidnapping Isaac. What was I supposed to do? He was about to rip his own throat out before you two interrupted."

"You can be really scary sometimes." Scott shuddered as they exited the lift.

"Thank you!" She smiled. "Do you reckon I can make it back in time for the second period?" She asked as Derek loaded Isaac into his car.

"Nope, you're coming with us to my house Tiny." Derek instructed as he offered her the passenger seat of his Camaro.

"Oh, no thanks Toto. I'm going with Scotty." Lottie beamed, patting Scott's motorbike. "Speedy Scotty has got a motorbike you know?"

"I can see that." Derek deadpanned as he climbed into his car. "Meet me in the Hale house." And with that he sped off.

"Lotts," Scott started, helping Lottie put on a helmet, "Are you okay?" He asked, concern lacing his tone. He knew she was capable of looking after herself, he just wished she didn't feel like she had to.

"Of course. The whole mind control thing helps a lot." She joked, struggling to climb onto the bike. Scott lifted her gently, placing her on the back of the bike. He looked on in concern.

"Lotts, you're bleeding. You shouldn't have taken him on alone. Hell, I'd have thought twice about it." Scott wiped the trickling blood away from her part of her temple that showed under the helmet.

"You'd have thought twice about helping Isaac? I wouldn't. I didn't. Just like I wouldn't hesitate to help any one of our friends. And I know you're the same." She smiled, pulling him onto the bike. "Come on, Scotty. We've got a couple of werewolves to fix."

✧༺♥༻✧

Lottie climbed on top of the motorcycle, grinning at Scott as she held her arms out. He smiled and sighed, turning around to give the girl his back, laughing lightly as she leapt onto his back. "My sweet chariot. Oop, Stiles is calling, I forgot to ring him back. Hey handsome."

"Hello- Handsome? I like that one, keep that one." Stiles replied down the phone. "You won't believe what just happened-"

"Are you okay?" Lottie asked, worry seeping into her tone. She hopped off Scott's back as they entered the Hale house.

"I'm fine. But I need to tell you guys immediately." Stiles replied.

"Okay, come to Toto's house. We're all here."

"Derek's house? What the hell are you doing at–" Stiles began.

"Stiles? I'll see you in twenty." Lottie hung up as she looked around the dilapidated house. "Toto, do you still live here? I thought you bought that whole complex?"

"I did. No, the county took it over. But there's something here I need." Derek replied as he ripped up a floorboard and pulled out some wolfsbane. "This will help heal an Alpha wound."

"But it did heal? Didn't it?" Scott asked, confused.

"But it's an Alpha, so I imagine it takes more to heal right?" Lottie theorised out loud.

"You'd be correct. I'm just so glad you didn't get hurt. I don't know how this sort of stuff would affect a siren." Derek sighed. Lottie had dedicated an entire day to Derek over the summer, explaining everything she knew about herself to him - whilst forcing him through all three Pitch Perfect films - which yes, he did indeed secretly love.

"You going to tell me who that was back there? The Alpha?" Scott asked, coldly, not completely in love with the idea of another problem he'd have to help solve.

"Ennis." Lottie answered with a smile. "Eyeless Ennis."

"Again, you can be really scary sometimes, you know that?" Scott looked at Lottie with a look of pure disbelief. Even after all these years of friendship, she still surprised him.

"Thank you. Again." She beamed in his direction, before turning to Derek. "But seriously, who is he?"

"A rival pack. It's my problem. I know you guys want to help. And you have. I owe you both. Now go home. Go back to being teenagers."

"Oo, owing me one Toto, is a dangerous game." Lottie smirked, jumping up onto a table, making herself comfortable.

Derek began tending to Isaac and his wounds whilst Lottie watched on fascinated as she patiently waited for Stiles to show up. Scott made his way to the door before he paused. "Derek. If you want to pay back the favour now..." He trailed off, watching for Derek's reaction. "There is something you can do for me."

"Oh here we go." Lottie sighed. She perked up when she heard the rumble of Roscoe. Jumping down from the table, she ran outside to greet her boyfriend, a smile spread across her face as she jumped into his already open arms. "Batman!"

"Hello Trouble." Stiles smiled as he lowered Lottie to the floor and kissed her gently, pulling back to see a rip in the shoulder of her jumper. He quickly took his own jumper off and pulled it over her head. "Now what on Earth have you been up to?" He asked as they slowly made their way back into Derek's house.

"Got in a fight with an Alpha. I won too." She grinned lazily at him as he stood frozen.

"You- you what? Why?" He questioned, panicked as he ran his eyes over her, making sure she was okay.

"He was kidnapping Isaac. Not gonna let that happen. Now don't you worry. We've got more important things to worry about." She chuckled.

"Like what? What is more important than your safety?" Stiles asked incredulously.

"Scotty making Toto give him a tattoo." Lottie grinned evilly as she ran into the house, Stiles following after her. They were greeted with the sight of Derek and his Alpha eyes staring at the arm Scott had once had his tattoo.

"I see it. Two bands, right?" Derek asked Scott as Stiles helped Lottie back up onto her table and stood in between her legs as she rested her head on his shoulder. Scott nodded distractedly. "What does it mean?"

"I don't know. It's just something I traced with my fingers." Scott replied as he traced two circles into a thick layer of dust on the table surface.

"God, would it kill you to run a feather duster over this place? Thank God I'm not asthmatic." Lottie mumbled as she ran a hand through Stiles' hair gently.

"Why's this so important to you?" Derek asked. He wanted to make sure this wasn't a decision made on a whim. After all, removing the tattoo of a werewolf was near impossible.

"Do you know what the word tattoo means?"

"To mark." Stiles answered proudly as Lottie jabbed him in the ribs.

"I'm proud of you, but those two are having a moment." She whispered.

"That's in Tahitian. In Samoan it means "open wound."" Scott replied, sending a grateful look to Lottie. "I knew I was going to get a tattoo when I turned eighteen. I always wanted one. But then I decided to do it now to make it a kind of reward."

"For what?" Derek asked, now incredibly curious.

"For not calling or texting Allison all summer." He admitted bashfully as Stiles took a hold of Lottie's hand tightly, a sick fear filling him up at the thought of being in Scott's position. Lottie pulled his hand up and pressed a light kiss on the back of it, smiling when she saw the crease in between his brows fade. "Even when I really wanted to. Even when some days it was so hard not to. I'm trying to give her the space she wants. But four months later it still hurts. It still feels like..." Scott continued, his voice cracking as the emotions overwhelmed him.

"Like an open wound." Stiles finished for him, sending him a sympathetic look.

Derek looked between the trio with an internal smile, before picking up an acetylene torch, satisfied with Scott's answer. "The pain's going to be worse than anything you've ever felt." He warned as Lottie laughed at Stiles' look of horror.

"Do it." Scott instructed firmly. Derek lit the torch with a spark lighter as Stiles pulled Lottie off the table and began pulling her towards the door.

"Yeah. We're going to wait outside."

"No. You two are gonna hold him down." Derek instructed.

"Oh my God." Stiles whined as Lottie skipped back over to Scott, holding his shoulders.

Within seconds, Scott was writhing in agony as Derek held the flame to his arm and Stiles and Lottie had the hard job of wrestling him to keep him still whilst he roared in pain. Eventually he passed out from pain. Lottie and Stiles slowly released him upon Derek's instruction as he finished up Scott's tattoo.

"Would you ever get a tattoo?" Lottie asked Stiles curiously as she played with his fingers.

"Maybe one day?" He thought aloud before pausing, seeing the look on Lottie's face. "No, definitely not. No way."

"I'll get enough for the both of us." She grinned as he rest his hand on her hip where her tattoo lay hidden. They were broken from their moment when Scott awoke with a gasp. He looked around his friends before looking down at his arm with a small smile on his face, as there lay two black bands, tattooed on his arm. Slowly he put his shirt back on whilst Derek turned back to work on Isaac. Lottie walked over and placed a small kiss on Isaac's forehead. "Text me when he wakes, I'll pick him up." Derek nodded, sending a smile to the girl he considered a sister.

"Looks pretty damn permanent now." Stiles retorted, looking at Scott's arm.

"I kind of needed something permanent. Everything that's happened to us--it just feels like everything changes so fast. Everything's so... ephemeral." Scott replied.

"Oo, Scotty boy is studying for the PSATS." Lottie chuckled, linking arms with her boys as they headed out the door.

"You painted the door?" Scott asked Derek as he looked at the fresh paint, the smell still strong. "Why'd you paint it?" Derek turned slowly to face the trio.

"Go home, Scott." Derek instructed, only to be ignored.

"Why only one side, Toto?" Lottie swung the door back and forth creating a draft as she inspected both sides of the door.

"Tiny, please."

But it was too late. Scott had begun slashing at the door, tearing away the new paint to reveal the symbol of a triskele on the door.

"The birds at school and the deer last night. Just like the night I almost got trampled by deer. The night I got bit by an Alpha." Scott began putting the pieces together as Lottie looked sadly at Derek. "How many are there?"

"A pack of them. An Alpha pack." Derek sighed.

"Well, fuck me sideways." Lottie groaned, looking at the sky.

"Firstly, I don't know how that is possible, but that is something we can discuss later." Stiles said to his girlfriend before turning his attention back to Derek. "Wait, they're all Alphas? All of them? How's that even work?"

"I've heard there's a kind of leader. He's called Deucalion."

"He sounds friendly." Lottie retorted sarcastically.

"We know they took Erica and Boyd. Isaac, Peter and I have been trying to find them for the last four months." Derek replied as Lottie gagged and the three turned to look at her.

"Sorry, you said Peter and my body had this visceral response. You know, the overwhelming need to throw up its entire contents. Sorry. Back to the matter at hand." Lottie mused.

"What if you do find them? How do you deal with an Alpha pack?" Scott asked.

"With all the help I can get." Derek replied as Lottie saluted him, already decided on helping him however she could. They had Boyd and Erica and they didn't deserve that. They'd get them back.

"Where is she?" Isaac called out as he sprung up from his seat as Lottie ran over to him. "Where is the girl?"

"What girl, Isaac?" Lottie asked calmly.

"The girl that saved me." He panted, before falling back to sleep.

"Well. That's enough for me today. I'm exhausted. Bed time please." Lottie called out as she held out her arms for Stiles to lift her up, which he did effortlessly, pulling her onto his back. "Bye Toto. If any harm comes to Isaac, you'll be sorry."

"Noted."

The trio left again, this time all climbing up into Stiles' jeep and deciding to just crash at Lottie's house. The trio fell into a dreamless sleep as they all squeezed into Lottie's bed, the TV still blaring Glee in the background. They all had one thought on their minds though. A battle and a long road was up ahead. And they weren't convinced that everyone would be coming out of it unscathed.