Love's Spiral

The next day at school, Spencer spent her lunch period sitting in the hallway by her locker. She was working on reading a book for her English class and at the time, the hallway seemed to be the quietest place. That was, of course, until Stiles decided to approach her and grab her attention.

The boy sat down on the floor next to her. “Who’s next?” he asked her, fidgeting with his hands that were held up by his knees.

“Why should I tell you? It’s not like you want to talk to me.”

“Maybe not. However, I have my reasons. I’m trying to stop Derek from turning people.”

“I’m not telling you.” Spencer said, turning her eyes back to her book. “And, really, you couldn’t stop it from happening even if you knew who it was.”

“I can try.”

“You won’t succeed.”

“Dammit, Spencer.”

“What?” Spencer exclaimed, dropping her book into her lap and facing the boy. “Why is this so important to you?”

“Don’t you see what he’s doing? Why he turned you? Why he’s turning others?” Stiles asked. “He’s trying to make himself stronger.”

“He’s trying to make the pack stronger. As in, all of us.”

“Is that why you said yes to him? So you could be stronger?”

“It’s why I asked him.”

“You what?”

Spencer sighed, pushing her hair out of her face. “Derek didn’t want to bite me. I practically begged him to. I was upset.” She looked away from him. “I had just gone to see you at the hospital with Lydia. We just broke up.” She looked to him, to gage his reaction.

Stiles looked away quickly, still upset about how things panned out.

Spencer licked her bottom lip and continued. “I had a gunshot wound in my leg that hurt every time I stepped on it. So, I went to Derek, and I asked him to turn me. He did, after much argument.”

“It wasn’t his idea?”

“Nope.” Spencer said, leaning back against the lockers. “It never was. Well, Isaac was his idea, but that was after I told Derek about Isaac’s dad. Derek told Isaac everything.”

“And Erica?”

“Erica was my idea. We told her everything. If they would have said no, Derek wouldn’t have gone through with it. Everyone who has the bite now, wanted it, despite the risks, and their lives are better. My life is better.”

“Isaac’s been branded a fugitive. You call that better?”

“I call it progress. We’re working on it. Once we figure out who or what really killed his dad, he’ll be okay. That or we find a way to prove it wasn’t him. And he is better. He’s not afraid anymore. His stutter is gone. He’s not scared that his dad is going to lock in a freezer again.” Spencer said, a lump forming in her throat over Isaac’s troubled past. She took a deep breath. “Erica is epilepsy free. And Boyd, finally has some friends. People he can depend on to be there for him.”

Stiles furrowed his brow. “Wait, who?”

Spencer groaned, realizing what she’d just said. “Oh, shit.”

“Boyd? It’s Boyd?” Stiles asked, already pushing himself off of the floor.

“Stiles, wait!” She said, but he had already started running down the hallway towards the lunch room. Spencer gets up, stuffing her book into her bag. She hurries down the hall after Stiles, hoping to catch him before he got to Scott. However, when she arrived, the two were already walking out through the other door. Spencer followed them, hoping to hear their plan.

“I’m gonna go to the ice rink and see if he’s there.” Scott told Stiles. “And if he’s not at home, you call me, got it?”

Stiles hesitated, Spencer’s words stuck in his brain.

“What?” Scott questioned, noticing his delay.

Stiles sighed. “Maybe we should let him. Boyd,” he clarified, “You know, man. Spencer said Derek’s giving them a choice, right?”

Scott looked behind him and pulled Stiles along down the hallway. “We can’t.” He insisted.

“You got to admit, Erica looks pretty damn good.” Stiles said. “You know, the word ‘sensational’ comes to mind.”

“How good do you think she’s gonna look with a wolfsbane bullet in her head?” Scott argued.

“Alright, all I’m saying is maybe this one isn’t totally your responsibility.”

“They all are.” Scott insisted. “And you know this thing’s gonna get out of control. That makes me responsible.”

Stiles thought for a second. “Alright, I’m with you.”

Spencer sighed as they got too far down the hallway for her to follow them. She roamed the halls, trying to pull Erica’s schedule out of her brain to figure out where she was. Spencer got to Erica’s class before the bell rang and stood at her desk.

“Spencer?” Erica questioned, noticing her anxiety. “What’s wrong?”

“They know it’s Boyd. I need you to go to his house. Meet Stiles there and stall him.” Spencer ordered quickly.

“Stiles?” Erica asked, nervously. “B-but you’re his friend. Why can’t you stall him?”

“Because I have to tell Derek what’s going on. You probably don’t want to be there for that.” she said, refraining from telling her that Stiles and her weren’t exactly on speaking terms. “Go to Boyd’s house. Stall Stiles. Tie him up. Something, anything. Then meet us at the ice rink.”

“Now?”

“Yes, now.”

“Alright, let’s go.” Erica said, grabbing her books and leaving her desk. She and Spencer walked out of the classroom just as the bell rang.

“Miss Reyes!” The teacher called after her.

“Ignore him. Go. I’ll see you soon.” Spencer said, pulling her phone out of her pocket.

Erica nodded.

Spencer dialed Derek’s number.

He answered after one ring. “Red?”

“We have a problem.”

“Will you ever call me with better news?”

“Maybe someday.”

!@#$#@!

“I’m sorry.” Spencer whispered to Derek, as she huddled close to him against the cold of the building. “I didn’t mean to tell him. I was trying to tell him how everyone was better now, and it just came out.”

“Red.” Derek said, stopping her rant. He lifted a hand and stroked her cheek once with his thumb, noticing it’s blush. “It’s okay. He’d have found out eventually.”

Shortly after, Erica arrived at the ice rink and the four werewolves, including Isaac, found their way into the main rink.

“They told me about the hunters.” Boyd told Scott.

“And that’s not enough for you to say no?” Scott asked him.

Boyd didn’t answer, looking away from him, noticing the other four come in.

“Whatever you want, there’s other ways to get it.”

“I just want to not each lunch alone every day.” Boyd snapped.

“If you’re looking for friends, you can do a lot better than Derek.”

“That really hurt, Scott.” Derek called, taking the lead with Erica and Isaac on his right and Spencer to his left. His hands were clasped behind his back. “I mean, if you’re going to review me, at least take a consensus.” He said, gesturing to his betas. “Erica, how’s life been for you since we met?”

“In a word?” She questioned. “Transformative.” She growled, baring her teeth.

“Isaac?”

“Well, I’m a little bummed about being a fugitive, but other than that, I’m great.”

There was a pause and Derek looked to his left, back at Spencer. “Red?” he asked, wondering how she would do going up against her best friend.

Spencer sighed, pulling at her sweatshirt sleeves and crossing her arms over her chest. “I’ve never felt better.”

“Okay, hold on.” Scott said. “This isn’t exactly a fair fight.”

Derek shrugged. “Then go home, Scott.” When Scott didn’t leave, Derek gestured his head to his right and Isaac and Erica walked towards him.

Scott shifted quickly and punched the ice, cracking it. “I meant fair for them.” He growled. As Isaac approached him, Scott grabbed him by the back of his jacket and flung at the closest wall around the rink.

With Isaac across the rink, Erica tried her turn, only to be kicked back against the zamboni.

Spencer was worried for her friends. She knew that they were werewolves and would heal. She also knew that Scott wouldn’t hurt them too bad. However, Spencer was worried that Isaac and Erica would push themselves too hard.

Isaac and Erica were beat quickly as Boyd, Derek, and Spencer watched. Once they were on the floor for the last time, Spencer looked to Derek.

Derek nodded for her to go forward, knowing very well that she could beat Scott.

Spencer bit her lip, but went towards Scott anyway, shifting as she walked.

Scott looked up at her. “Pence, I don’t want to fight you.”

“Neither do I, Scotty. But this is where pack loyalty comes in.” Spencer explained.

“And being best friends doesn’t mean anything?”

“Not in this case.” She said, before she charged in his direction, slamming him against the zamboni.

Scott pushes back.

Spencer stumbled, but caught herself quickly. She moved toward him again, claws out. She swung both arms at him, hoping she’s scratching him a little to prove to Derek that she’s trying to fight him. Spencer does manage to get a few good scratches in, but Scott is healing quickly.

Scott tries hard not to scratch at her, instead, pushing her to the ground.

Spencer, who didn’t want to fight her friend in the first place, gives up and remains on the floor.

“Don’t you get it?” Scott growled at the three of them. “He’s not doing this for you. He’s just adding to his own power, okay? It’s all about him.” Scott paused. “He makes you feel like he’s giving you some kind of gift, when all he’s done is turn you into a bunch of guard dogs!” Scott grabbed Isaac and Erica and slid them across the ice, back to Derek. Scott walked to Spencer. He held out his hand, offering to help her up.

Spencer looked at his hand and up at him. She bit her lip and pushed herself away from him with her feet and got up on her own. She walked back to Derek standing behind him.

“It’s true.” Derek admitted. “It is about power.” Derek stepped forward, drawing his claws, and cracking his neck, shifting as he walked towards Scott.

Scott took a small step back, hesitating.

Derek fought Scott, easily taking him out, with hardly any fight.

Scott was beat and he knew it.

Derek threw him to the ground.

Scott moved his head to the side a coughed up a little bit of blood before Derek held Scott down by putting his foot on his chest.

“Derek, stop!” Spencer shouted at him, scared for Scott.

Derek looked to Spencer and growled, narrowing his eyes.

“Derek, please.” she begged.

Derek took a breath, pushed his foot hard once and then stepped off. He looked at Scott for a second before turning back towards his pack, glancing at Boyd, telling him to come with him.

Scott stayed on the floor, groaning in pain.

Boyd jumped down from the machine and stood in front of Scott.

“Don’t.” Scott begged. “You don’t want to be like them.”

“You’re right.” Boyd agreed. Boyd lifted his shirt, showing a shocked Scott his new bite. “I wanna be like you.” Boyd walked to catch up to the rest.

Spencer stayed standing in her spot, watching Scott struggle.

Derek approached her. “Let’s go.” He stressed.

“Derek, I have to help him.”

“You’re in my pack.”

“I know.” Spencer pushed. “But he’s hurt. I won’t leave him here.”

Derek huffed. “You may have fought him, but I know that you didn’t fight him like you could have. You talk about loyalty, but I don’t think you know where you stand.” Derek looked from her to Scott and back. “Figure it out.”

“I’m in your pack. Period. But outside all of these...werewolf politics, he’s my best friend.”

“Figure. It. Out.” Derek stressed again, leaving her behind, Erica and Boyd following.

Spencer noticed that Isaac had stayed behind, hoping that she would come with them. “I’ll come find you later.” She insisted. “Go with him. Save yourself the trouble.”

Isaac nodded and left.

Spencer approached Scott’s side. She leaned over and grabbed his arm, wrapping it around her own shoulder. “Come on, Scotty.”

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“I didn’t think you were that thick.” Spencer joked. “I’m helping you.”

“But, Derek - ”

“Will deal with it. You’re not going to heal like normal. We need to have that looked at.”

!@#$#@!

Spencer carries Scott into the animal clinic with one of his arms around her shoulders. “You know, you could help me at least a little bit, Scott. You’re kinda heavy.”

“Where’s you’re werewolf strength?” He joked.

“You have werewolf strength, too, you know. And all you’re doing is weighing me down.” Spencer said, pulling him up again.

Scott reached across himself, grabbing the bottom of his shirt, pulling it up to see the scratch on his lower abdomen. He groaned. “Why aren’t you healing?”

“Because it’s from an alpha.”

The teenagers looked up, seeing Doctor Deaton standing in the examination room they were headed for.

“Doc!” Spencer exclaimed, happy to see him. She noticed he was walking around the table in the middle of the room and that someone was lying on it.

Scott stepped back and gasped.

“Uh, who the hell is that?” Spencer asked, pointing to the table.

Deaton looks from the person on the table to Scott. “ I think maybe we’d better have that talk now.” Deaton waved the two over to the counters to their right.

Spencer sighed once Scott took his weight off of her and onto the countertops.

“They’re coming back, so we don’t have much time to talk.” Deaton explained, pulling out a liquid and some cotton balls.

“Who’s they?” Spencer asked.

“What is that?” Scott asked as Deaton moved to dab the liquid onto Scott’s cut.

“Rubbing alcohol.” Deaton informed. “You don’t want it to get infected, do you?” Deaton continued for the cut after Scott shook his head. “You’ll heal the same. Just not as quickly, because of Derek.

Scott winced. “Okay, how do you know all of this? Actually, how do you know any of this?” He asked, confused about Deaton’s knowledge.

“He’s like me, Scott. He’s an emissary. Or he was anyway.”

Deaton sighed at Spencer, but then looked back to Scott’s wound. “It’s a long story. What I can tell you is that I know about your kind. Your kind, I can help.”

“What happened to him?” Spencer asked, gesturing to the dead guy on the table. He had slash marks all through his chest. Whatever killed him, wasn’t gentle about it.

“This…” Deaton turned to look at the body. “This is something different.”

“Well, do you know what did it?” Scott said, struggling for words.

“No. But the Argents will.”

“This was the Argents?” Spencer asked, shocked.

“No. He was one of them. He was a hunter. But this is the crucial part.” Deaton said, gaining both of the teenagers’ attention. “They’ll have some kind of record or book.”

“Like mine?”

“Sort of, but not as complete. I’ve read your book and I’m not sure if I recall something like this. The Argents’ book will have descriptions, histories, notations of all the things they’ve discovered.”

Scott stuttered. “A-all the th-things? How many different things are there?”

“You’ve never looked at my family book, have you?” Spencer asked her friend. The sound of a car approaching made Spencer grab Scott’s arm. “Scott, come on. We’ve got to go.”

Scott struggled against the pull, but followed anyway. Scott closed a door behind them as they left the room but stood right outside it.

“Scott, what are you doing? We can’t stay here.”

“We have to hear this. If this is the Argents, they’re trying to figure something out. We have to learn it, too.”

“Even the playing field.” Spencer reiterated. She sighed, conceding. When she turned her attention back to the other room, an older man walked in after Chris and the other hunter moved out of the way.

“Hello, Alan.”

Spencer watched as the doctor’s demeanor changed. He looked to be afraid of this man. Given that Spencer hadn’t seen the doctor afraid of anything yet, this man made Spencer feel afraid, too. “Who is that?” She asked Scott.

“Gerard. Allison’s grandfather.”

Spencer bit her lip. This couldn’t be good.

“It’s been a while.” The old man continued. “The last I heard, you had retired.”

“Last I heard, you followed a code of conduct.”

“If you haven’t noticed, this body is one of ours.” Chris told the doctor.

“I did. I also noticed the gunpowder residue on his fingertips. So don’t assume I’ll be swayed by your philosophy just ‘cause I’ll answer a few questions.”

“He was only twenty-four.”

“Killers come in all ages.” Deaton pointed out.

Gerard raised a brow and nodded once. “All ages, sizes, shapes. It’s the last one that concerns us.”

“How about you tell us what you found?” Chris ordered.

“See this cut?” Deaton asked the group. “Precise. Almost surgical. But this isn’t the wound that killed him. This had a more interesting purpose.”

“Relating to the spine?” Gerard asked.

“That’s right. Whatever made this cut was laced with a paralytic toxin, potent enough to disable all motor functions. These are the cause of death.” Deaton referred to the slashes on the chest. “Notice the patterns on each side?”

“Five, for each finger.” Chris answered.

“Each claw.” Gerard corrected.

Deaton continued. “As you can see, it dug in, slashed upward, eviscerating the lungs and slicing through the bone of the rib cage with ease.”

“Have you ever seen anything like this before?” Chris asked.

“No.” Deaton said, honestly.

“Any idea at all what killed him?”

“No. But I can tell you it’s fast, remarkably strong, and has the capacity to render its victims essentially helpless within seconds.”

“If you’re saying we should be cautious, we get it.”

“I’m saying you should be afraid. Be very afraid. Because in the natural world, predators with paralytic toxins use them to catch and eat their prey. This prey wasn’t eaten. That means whatever killed him, only wanted to kill him. In fact, killing may be its only purpose.”

That sentence hit a spark with Spencer. She took off out the back door of the clinic.

Scott followed after her. “Where are you going?” he asked when they were outside.

“I have to tell Derek.”

Scott scoffed. “Who are you anymore, Pence? Y-You fight me on Derek’s side, but then you come help me after he hurts me?”

“I don’t know, Scott!” she exclaimed. “I’m trying to figure things out. But we need to find out what this things is, if it’s what killed Isaac’s dad and why it’s killing. I need to find my book. Maybe Deaton was wrong. Maybe it is in there.”

“I don’t want to be this guy, but you do need to figure out where you stand. I need to know that I can trust you. I need to know that when I tell you something, you won’t run off and tell Derek.”

“Derek might not be your alpha, but he is mine. I’m also his emissary, so I will do anything I can to help him defeat this asshole.”

Scott shook his head and turned to walk back into the clinic.

“And you know, I could almost say the same thing about you.” Spencer called after him, making him stop and turn back around. “Being with Allison. Still dating her even though you know that her family hunts us. How do you know that she’s not going to turn into Kate? How do you know that she won’t burn your house down with your mom inside?”

“She wouldn’t!” Scott stressed. “She knows about us now. Allison doesn’t wanna be like them.”

“Not now.” Spencer pointed out. “But I’d wait until something really pushes her over the edge. Then, you’ll see.” Spencer said, before walking back to her truck.