All That Glitters Is Silver

I laid on Stiles’ uncomfortable bed staring up his cluttered ceiling. His walls were so full of wall posters of women and werewolf facts that he’d moved on to the ceiling. Stiles was the most unorganized person I knew, it was amazing he could find anything in his messy room.

Scott was still as a statue leaning against the closet door. His face was seemingly expressionless. Stiles, on the other hand, couldn’t stop moving about his room. At first, he was twirling around his computer chair but after a few minutes of that he made his way around the room, flipping open books or looking through magazine articles, muttering to himself. “It doesn’t make sense.” Stiles repeated that over and over again.

I took Scott’s approach and hadn’t moved since I’d taken the test. I’d never imagined in a million years that I would be in this position. Only whores and sluts took pregnancy tests. I had sex one time, just one time with one man and I was somehow being punished for it. It wasn’t fair.

So, now I was sitting in Stiles’ cluttered room with him and a werewolf for two minutes. Two long minutes. I always thought that it would take longer than two minutes for something to define me. Maybe four years in college or eight years in medical school, but not a two minute test to become a teen mom. This was never in my parents’ plans for me.

The timer beeped and we drew in a collective breath. Stiles fell out of his chair that he had occupied once again. He glanced up at me as I sat up straight, feeling achy and rigid.

Time was up.

Stiles made to grab the test sitting on his night stand but Scott stopped him effortlessly. It was unsettling how quick Scott was when he wasn’t trying to be human.

“Let Cassie.” Scott told him. Stiles peered up at me, looking more nervous than I felt. His eyes were large and his mouth was agape. Scott nudged me up when I didn’t move. I felt like I was having an out of body experience. This was dream, I was sure of it.

Lethargically, I pushed myself off the bed and made my way to the night stand. I reached out a shaky hand and snatched the test up, not looking at the results. I didn’t want to know.

“What does it say?” The anticipation was killing Stiles.

“I can’t,” I sighed, shaking my head in despair. I held it out to Stiles and he quickly snatched it up. Stiles’ eyes got even wider as he looked at the test and then Scott and I.

“This shouldn’t be possible.” He muttered, “This doesn’t make sense.”

“What does it say?” I pleaded as Scott snatched the stick from Stiles.

“It’s—” Scott gulped, glancing at me regretfully. “It’s positive, Cassie.”

I faintly heard his apology before I collapsed onto the bed. This changed everything.

“This isn’t possible.” Stiles repeated, shaking his head, rummaging through his piles of books. He peeled through him, reading a few sentences and moving onto the next one.

“What’s not possible?” Scott asked, standing over Stiles.

“This,” Stiles gestured to me, grabbing the test. “Cross-breeding!”

“C-Cross-breeding?” I stuttered. It seemed pretty self-explanatory but I didn’t care. I needed Stiles to explain all this to me so I wouldn’t feel so lost.

“Breeding between two species.” Stiles said obviously, “Werewolves can only mate with other werewolves. Humans can only procreate with other humans. It’s the basis of all supernatural knowledge! Humans and wolves aren’t genetically compatible! It’s as simple as that!” He cried, looking crazed and confused.

I shook my head, feelings tears stream down my face, “What’s wrong with me? How can this be happening?” I sobbed. “I’m some sort of genetic freak!”

“I wouldn’t call you a freak.” Scott muttered under his breath.

“How am I supposed to tell my parents?” I wretched, shaking uncontrollably. “If they’re what you say they are—these ruthless hunters, what will to do to me if I’m pregnant with the very thing they hunt? It’s an abomination!”

“Cassie!” Scott cried, pulling my arms away from my body to stop me from digging my nails into my skin. “Stop it!”

He forced me to look into his eyes but I couldn’t see through my tears very well.

“Cassie, you’re parents aren’t going to hurt you!” Stiles promised, “It’s going to be okay.”

I couldn’t see how that would be possible. “I haven’t seen Derek since that night.” I confessed, “How am I supposed to tell him?”

Scott frowned, “He’s hiding out since we marked him as California’s most wanted.”

I gazed at Scott, shocked, “You know where he is?”

Stiles peered at me guiltily, “He never left, Cassie. He’s hiding out.”

“I have to see him.” I stood up at once, only to wobble and fall back into Scott.

“Are you okay?” Stiles asked at once. I felt light headed and my head began to throb.

“I can’t—I can’t,” I mumbled, rubbing my head, “I’ll be fine. I have to see Derek.”

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” Stiles argued. “We need to figure out what’s going on with you.”

“I’m pregnant.” I snapped, “That’s what’s going on with me!”

“That’s not what I’m talking about!” Stiles voice rose, his face red in a sudden flash of anger, “Humans shouldn’t be able to carry a werewolf baby! You’re already weak and tired and it’s only a month in. If we don’t get you help or find someone to make sure you’re okay, you might not even survive this!”

“Survive this?” Scott interrogated. “What are you saying, Stiles?”

“What have I been saying?” Stiles looked crazed, “Humans and werewolves can’t mate!”

“Yeah,” I told him in a distressed voice, “But, what was the part about me not living through this pregnancy?”

“I’ve read through every folk lore and seen every movie.” Stiles told me, running an agitated hand through his buzz cut hair. “This baby is an impossibility. And it’s probably going to kill you, Cassie.”

I felt ill, like I couldn’t breathe. “You don’t know that, Stiles. You can’t know that!”

Scott stayed silent, looking passive in the corner. “Maybe we should consider the alternative.” He spoke up.

“What alternative?” I hissed. Scott gave me a pointed look. I grabbed my head in my shaking hands, feeling overwhelmed. “I couldn’t live with myself.”

“I don’t know if you have much of a choice, Cassie.” Stiles murmured. “It’s what best for everyone.”

I sniffled, glancing around Stiles’ room, knowing they were right.

“There’s a doctor we could see.” Scott piped up. Our eyes connected and I felt hope for the first time since I woke up this morning.

“You know a doctor that specializes in crazy?” I questioned, sitting up straight.

“I guess you could say that.” Scott said evasively. Stiles frowned, confused about what Scott was talking about.

“Oh!” Stiles realized, “Your boss?”

“The Alpha?” I asked in horror. “You want me to see the Alpha?”

“No!” Stiles cried, shaking his head quickly, “The Alpha can’t know about you!”

“Shit,” Scott blinked, “The Alpha can never know about you. If you can even have this baby, we need to keep you far away from his radar.”

“Great.” I muttered, “If the Alpha finds out about this, what happens?”

Stiles bit his lip, greatly distressed again, “Honestly, Cassie, I don’t know.”

“But, it’s probably nothing good for anyone, especially you.” Scott told me seriously.

I gulped, “Will you take me to see Derek now?”

Scott shook his head, “The less people who know about this, the better.”

Before I could argue, Stiles promised, “Just until we know what we’re up against. This is unknown territory—even for me—I don’t like this.”

“We gotta see my boss.” Scott reassured me, “He’ll know what to do.”

“When?” I asked defeated.

“Tomorrow.” Scott decided, “We gotta get you home before your dad finds out you never made it to school.”