Love's Spiral

“Derek, what do we do?” Spencer begged. “Your normal strength broke that, what do you think their strength will do?” she flicked her head back to look at Erica and Boyd chained up in the back of the old subway car. Spencer noticed that the new betas were completely transformed now and were pulling at their chains. She looked to Derek, desperation in her eyes. “They could tear us apart.”

Derek let out a heavy breath, thinking over the situation they were in. He looked to Isaac, who was trying to remain human. Derek looked to Erica and Boyd, both pulling on their restraints. Finally, his eyes landed on Spencer. “Stay with Isaac. Make sure he doesn’t get out. I’ll deal with these two.” He took a step towards them.

Spencer grabbed onto his upper arm. “What? Alone? Are you insane? They’re ravenous.”

“Well, then I’ll stay with Isaac and you go take care of them.” Derek snapped. “Look, unless you’ve got any other ideas, this is how it’s happening.”

Spencer scoffed. “Don’t complain to me when you can’t get out of bed in the morning.” She released Derek’s arm and he left her side. Spencer knelt next to Isaac. “How are you feeling?” She asked, finding a new spot for the loose chain.

“Like my muscles are trying to crawl out of my body through my skin.” He responded. “But what else is new?” Isaac joked.

Spencer smiled. “Well, you’re making jokes. Either its not so bad or it's a defense mechanism.” Spencer’s head turned quickly to the back of the subway car quickly when she heard a loud clang. “Derek? Everything okay?”

“Yup. Just trying to keep them tied down.”

Spencer bit her lip. “This isn’t going to work. Not all night.”

“Maybe you should call Scott?” Isaac suggested.

“Since when are you on Team Scott?” Spencer asked, studying Isaac’s pained face. She wasn’t sure when she’d ever seen the two on good terms.

“I’m just saying that he could help.”

Spencer thought for a moment. “You know he’s not wrong. We need Scott. If we had him we’d be an even match. Three on three.”

Derek clenched his jaw, knowing that his betas were, unfortunately, right. He shrugged his hand into his pocket to retrieve his cellphone.

Isaac groaned in pain and pulled at his chains.

Spencer crouched down, worried for her friend. “Hey, Isaac?” she said, trying to gain back his attention. “Buddy, focus on me.” she said. “Isaac?”

Isaac’s head twisted in an awkward was as he strained against his animalistic urge.

The redhead next to him because exceedingly concerned when she saw a thick vein appear on his neck. “Derek.” Spencer glanced to him. “He can’t fight it anymore.”

Derek looked to her and then turned away, stepping out of the car. “Scott, can you call me back?” he said into the phone. “We’re probably gonna need some help.”

Isaac fought hard against his chains, writhing in his seat, making Spencer grab onto him to force him down.

Spencer glanced up at the betas to see how they were doing and it certainly didn’t look good. “Derek!” she shouted, wanting him to reappear into the subway car.

Derek sighed. “Definitely gonna need some help.”

“Go!” Isaac shouted in Spencer’s face.

Spencer didn’t hesitate in backing away from Isaac, not wanting to be in the backlash of the new wolf. She shot back to the opposite side wall and stared wide eyed as Isaac fully transformed. “Derek!”

Finally, Derek appeared, standing in the middle of the car. He dropped his arms to his sides, forcing his claws to extend. He glanced to Spencer. “Everything okay?” Derek asked, noticing her distance from Isaac.

Spencer swallowed the fear she had and nodded.

Derek nodded once, moving forward to the back of the car to deal with the others. As he moved to pass Isaac, the beta snapped his teeth at Derek, forcing him to take a few steps towards Spencer, holding her against the wall. Derek hesitated in continuing to the back, noticing how out of control Isaac was.

Spencer put a light hand on Derek’s shoulder. “Go.” She said. “I’ll be fine.” She promised.

A scowl grew on Derek’s face, but he left for the end of the car.

Spencer took a deep breath and let out a small bit of her wolf. She closed her eyes for just a second to prepare herself for Isaac and she heard another loud clanging onto the subway floor Spencer’s eyes snapped open to see Isaac dropping his chains to the floor.

“Isaac!” Derek shouted as his beta charged at Spencer.

Spencer quickly ducked to the floor, crouching with her arms over her head. Thankfully, for her, Isaac jumped over her and leapt through the window above her, the glass showering around her.

“Isaac, wait!”

Spencer stopped the Alpha, quickly getting to her feet, putting her hands to his chest. “I got him. You get them.” She insisted, seeing Erica pull her spike headband off.

Derek grumbled in agreeance, and turned to his betas.

Spencer quickly moved and ran after Isaac. She saw him racing up the stairs on all fours and followed suit. “Isaac!” Spencer called reaching the outside door.

Isaac stopped in the middle of the parking lot and changed directions to stare at the redhead.

Spencer grinned and stared Isaac down. She shifted slowly into her wolf form, feeling her canines and claws grow. Spencer’s eyes flashed yellow. “C’mon.” She taunted. “Come and get me.”

Isaac growled and took hurried steps, moving to stand in front of her. Instantly his arms started swinging at her, claws bared and sharp.

The redhead kept her eyes peeled, dodging and deflecting all of his swipes. At one point, Isaac had tried to get her while she was pushing her hair from her face, but Spencer was quick. She grabbed onto his arm and threw him onto the ground, putting a foot on his chest, holding him down. “Oh, Isaac, I’m embarrassed for you. Getting your ass kicked when you have a strength advantage.” Spencer shook her head.

Isaac grabbed her leg and tried to flip their position, but Spencer somersaulted and stood to her feet. She almost stumbled backwards, but found herself leaning against a wall. Spencer smirked, realizing she had him.

The wolf charged at Spencer again.

Spencer was able to grab Isaac’s hands, spin him around, and push his chest to the brick wall and hold him there. “Isaac, focus.” She took both of his hands into one of hers and tied her other into his hair, forcing his head sideways.

Isaac’s eyes were wild, darting from side to side.

“Isaac, listen!” Spencer shouted, shifting to her human form. “I know all you’re seeing is red, but Derek needs help.” Her grip tightened when Isaac tried to pull free. Spencer groaned and roared loudly in his face.

Isaac paused, his gold eyes meeting her blue ones, his teeth still bared. He breathed heavily.

Spencer put her face in his. “Remember your anchor doesn’t have to be anger.” She reminded. “It can be anything that makes you human. That keeps you human. A happy memory or - or thought.”

Isaac looked like he was thinking and just a moment later, he stopped struggling against Spencer.

Spencer smiled. “There you go.” She cheered. “I’m gonna let you go now. Don’t run off, okay?”

Isaac nodded, his cheek, scratching against the wall.

The redhead let Isaac’s hands go as well as his golden brown locks and he spun to face her. “Derek needs help. Boyd and Erica are even more out of control. If we don’t do something they’ll tear him apart.”

Isaac nodded, finally understanding and grasping what he needed to do. He slipped from his spot between Spencer and the wall and ran down to the subway.

Spencer chased after him. When she entered the subway car, she saw Isaac holding Boyd in the seat he had previously been chained into, and Derek had knocked Erica to the floor. The two shared a nod.

Derek looked to Spencer with a questioning look.

She smirked. “I could definitely do the Alpha thing better than you.” Spencer joked.

Derek scoffed to her and crouched to chain Erica back up to the subway pole. He went to do the same to Boyd, moving him next to Erica and elbowing him to knock the teenager out.

Isaac sat motionless in his spot of the subway car.

Spencer wanted to ask him how he was doing, but resisted not wanting to break his focus from his anchor. She sat backwards in the seat in front of Isaac so she was facing him.

Derek came over and started to restrain Isaac again. “I think you’ll be okay now.” Derek glanced up at Isaac. “Looks like you found an anchor.”

“What is it?” Spencer asked softly, leaning her chin on crossed arms in front of her on the seatback.

Isaac eyed her and quickly looked away. “My father.”

“Your father locked you in a freezer in the basement to punish you.” Derek reminded him.

Isaac showed a one sided smile. “He didn’t use to.”

Derek studied Isaac for a moment before going to his room, one train car over.

“I’ll be right back.” Spencer promised, quickly leaving her seat and chasing after the alpha. “Derek.” She said, making him stop. He hadn’t really been doing anything but trying to busy himself. “You okay?” she asked regarding his wounds.

Derek nodded looking to the one on his waist. “It’ll heal.”

Spencer cleared her throat, knowing that she had to talk to him. Now was as good a time as any. “You know how you hate it when I’m more emotional and dramatic than I should be?” She asked, gaining Derek’s attention. “I know that that’s been me ever since…that night.” Spencer bit her lip nervously.

“Red, you don’t - ”

“No, let me talk.” She insisted. “I wanna talk.”

Derek nodded, taking a seat on his bed.

Spencer sighed. “I’ve always had this idea in my head that… That I was gonna find one person and that person would be it for me. As unrealistic as it was, especially now that not being a virgin doesn’t condemn you to death, that’s what I thought. And I think that’s why I’ve been so weird. I’m not used to this ‘no strings’ stuff. But I know that we need that right now. We didn’t need the distraction.”

“You’re not a distraction.” Derek grumbled.

Spencer furrowed her brow. “Then why can’t I feel like I’m more than just that night?”

Derek shrugged. “You shouldn’t. I thought me trying to fix it a second time would say otherwise.” he guessed. Derek stood walking towards her. “I can’t show you or tell you how it is with me because I don’t know how. But it’s not just that night.”

Spencer let out a sigh of relief and smiled, leaning her forehead into his chest.

Derek was rigid at first, but slowly wound his arms around her shoulders and Spencer relaxed just the same.

The redhead lifted her head, pushing herself to her tiptoes to meet her lips with his. Spencer felt like herself for the first time in days, even with her wolf running wild inside of her. “I should probably get back to Isaac.” She said when they broke apart. “You get some rest. I’ll take watch for a bit.” Spencer unwrapped herself from Derek’s hold.

“You sure?” Derek questioned.

Spencer pushed him back to his bed, forcing him to stay. “What’s the worst that could happen?” she joked, leaving the train car. Spencer closed the door joining the two cars and hurried to her previous spot in the seat in front of Isaac. “Sorry about that. Are you okay?”

Isaac nodded with a plain look on his face.

“You know I understand how your dad is your anchor. Derek doesn’t really get it. I don’t think he believes people change, good or bad.” Spencer assumed. “But I know all about how people change.”

“I know you do.” He responded, staring at her blankly.

“My dad used to be my best friend.”

“You said that your anchor was happy. Is it your dad?” Isaac asked, curiosity hitting his eyes.

Spencer shook her head. “My anchor is something recent. Something I found after I knew I was a witch.”

“So, what was it?”

Spencer bit her lip and smiled. “Don’t laugh, okay?” she asked, Isaac agreeing. “Do you remember when we met and the first night I helped you study at the graveyard? You nearly scared me to death from a hole in the ground.”

Isaac smiled, remembering that night exactly as it happened.”That was the night you said we could be friends. I think you compared the friendship to elementary school.”

Spencer nodded. “It was also the first time I felt normal since finding out I was...not normal.” She laughed quietly. “Which is why that memory is my anchor. Sitting under that stupid over the top angel headstone and talking with you is the best time I’ve had since being thrown into this supernatural mess.”

“I guess that helps explain why you were so peeved that Derek bit me.” Isaac shrugged and looked away.

“Yeah, I guess. That doesn’t mean Derek shouldn’t have done what he did.” Spencer admitted. “I mean, think about it. If he hadn’t your dad may have eventually killed you. What use would my anchor be then?” She kicked her bottom lip and studied Isaac. “It was a good thing that he turned you. If anything its great because I don’t feel guilty for lying to you about where I run off to.”

Isaac nodded. “You are kind of a bad liar.”

Spencer scoffed. “Take that back. I can lie.”

“Just like you lie to Derek about being okay with the label or strings?” he raised a brow.

Spencer clenched her jaw and turned quickly to Derek’s room. “Shut up. He’ll hear you.”

“Exactly.”

The girl shook her head. “There’s too much going on right now to worry about labels. I mean, we’re being hunted.”

“We won’t always be hunted.” Isaac insisted.

Spencer shook her head again. “We’ll always be hunted. Whether its by actual hunters or something like the kanima. That threat won’t ever go away.” Her nightmare slowly snuck into her thoughts. Spencer tried to push it to the back of her mind by adding to the conversation. “You never answered my question about Scott.”

Before Isaac could answer, Spencer’s phone chimed loudly in her pocket.

Spencer sighed and pulled her phone out. “Hello?”

“It’s Matt.” the voice said.

“Scott?” she questioned, pushing out of her seat.

“Yes!” he exclaimed. “It’s Matt. He’s controlling Jackson. Stiles and I are about to go to the station with his dad to be sure.”

Spencer furrowed her brow. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure. I saw it. Right in front of me. Matt looking all murderous and Jackson all kanima-like.”

“Shit, Stiles was right.” She gasped. “Don’t tell him I said that.”

“I wouldn’t. Look, just get to the station. We many need you to talk the sheriff into believe it.”

“Yeah, I’ll see what I can do.” Spencer said, moving towards Derek’s traincar, sliding open the door. She looked around for Derek, seeing no sign of him. “Derek?” She called, exiting his car.

“Pence, is everything okay?”

Spencer narrowed her eyes, spotting a purple powder coating the concrete. “Uh, Scott, I might be a while.” She poked the powder with her finger, realized what it was, and instantly wiped it off. “Look, I’ll be there as soon as I can.” She quickly hung up the call before Scott could speak again. Spencer groaned. “Son of a bitch.” She hurried back into the train car with the betas and looked to Isaac.

“What’s wrong?”

“You’ve got a handle on your anchor, right? You can handle yourself?”

“Yeah. I think so. Why?”

Spencer grabbed the chain holding Isaac down and quickly broke it, freeing him from the restraint.

“What the hell are you doing?” Isaac questioned, instantly trying to fix it.

Spencer leaned down to look in his eyes. “Isaac, listen to me. You don’t need the chains. You have your anchor and you’re doing a great job keeping it.”

“What if - ”

“You’ll be fine. I need you to be fine. Something happened to Derek. He’s gone and there’s wolfsbane on the floor.”

“What?”

“Just stay here and watch Boyd and Erica. I’m going to go find Derek.” Spencer ordered. “Stay calm.” She nodded to him before quickly running out of the subway station. Spencer took in the scent of the air around her hoping to pinpoint Derek. She couldn’t gather his scent but there was one more fruity flowing in the wind. Something she recognized. “Lydia?” Where would Lydia get wolfsbane? Spencer took out her phone and called the only person she knew had some.

After three attempts, the man answered. “Hello?”

“Doc, finally.” She gasped.

“Spencer, it’s two in the morning.”

“I know, but it’s an emergency. Are you missing any wolfsbane from your stash?” Spencer asked.

“Yes, but how would you know that?”

“Lucky guess. Lydia took it. And then she kidnapped Derek. How she managed to carry him away without me knowing about it, I’ll never know.”

“What would Lydia need a handful of wolfsbane for? Or Derek?” Deaton asked.

Spencer thought for a minute. Her nightmare popped back into her head and she heard Peter’s raspy voice in her head.

“You’ll never believe me.” he has said.

“Oh, no. No, no, no.” she cried. “Why would she - ? How would she - ?”

“Spencer? What’s wrong?” Deaton asked.

“Probably a lot. Considering I think I know exactly what’s going on.” Spencer’s hands shook even though she’d been trying to calm herself. “Uh, D-Doc, I need you to meet me at the Hale House. ASAP.”

“Now?”

“Yes.” Spencer stressed. “Now.”

“I’ll be right there.”

Spencer stuffed her phone back in her pocket and took off running. She ran all the way there, not even stopping for a breath when she needed to. Something bad was happening. Spencer knew that her nightmare probably was true, just as Stiles had said. Spencer groaned, hating that he was right about this, too.

When she arrived to the house, Spencer was happy to see that Deaton had been pulling up at the same time.

Deaton exited his car and looked to her. “Everything okay?” he asked.

“Probably not.” The two exchanged another look and she slowly made her way up the porch and through the front door. Spencer looked to her left into the living room and gasped, taking steps backwards.

The jigsaw puzzle on the floor around the hole was exactly how it was in her dream. The only difference was Derek laying next to it with his arm dangling on the edge. Spencer took a deep breath and continued towards the hole to find it empty.

The redhead took a shaky breath. “It happened.” She said shocked. “It really happened.” She looked to the doctor kneeling next to Derek’s side. “He’s back.”

“Who?” Deaton asked.

Spencer swallowed the fearful lump in her throat. “Peter.”