Love's Spiral

After leaving Stiles in the hallway, the sheriff had tried to stop Spencer from leaving. Spencer had been able to pull an excuse out that Melissa needed her. Lucky for her, that turned out to be the case when she checked the voicemail that Scott’s mom left. Melissa needed Spencer to comes to the hospital. Something was happening with Jackson at the morgue.

Spencer rushed there quickly. She avoided most of the hospital staff and made her way down the stairs. It was clear that Spencer was past where the general public were allowed, unaccompanied. She pushed the doors open, seeing Melissa stand over Jackson’s body. “Hey, what’s going on?”

Melissa shook her head. “I have no idea.” She gestured to Jackson’s body.

Spencer studied it seeing that he was covered in a clear gel-like substance.”Holy mushrooms. What the hell is going on?” she gasped. “Have you told Scott about this?”

“Wasn’t really something I could explain on the phone. He should be here s - ”

“I’m here.” Scott opened the door, with Isaac on his tail. The four of them gathered around the table, looking at Jackson’s change. “What’s happening to him?”

Melissa shrugged, with her hands on her hips. “I...thought you were going to tell me. Is it bad?”

“Doesn’t look good.” Isaac pointed out.

Scott looked to Spencer. “Have you read about this at all? In your book?”

Spencer scoffed. “Honestly, I’m lucky if I find anything in there anymore. Without the magic, I can’t just flip to a page. I’d have to read the thing cover to cover and the damn thing is longer than the freaking bible. Not exactly an easy read.”

“Wait, magic?” Melissa questioned.

Spencer looked to Melissa, then to Scott, and back again. “I used to be a witch. It’s actually kind of confusing and not really important right now. All in due time.”

Jackson moved on the metal table and everyone gasping, taking a small step back away from it.

“Well, that’s definitely not good.”

“Uh, Mom,” Scott said, “Could you zip it up, please?”

Melissa scoffed, but stepped towards the table anyway. “Okay.” The woman shook the nerves from her hands. “Okay.” Melissa grabbed the zipper and quickly started to zip it. “Here we go.” She’d been making good progress until the zipper got stuck. Melissa pulled at it, but it wouldn’t budge.

Jackson somehow raised his head and began to hiss.

Melissa quickly drew her hands back

Spencer shook her head, not knowing what was going on. She moved the halves to the body bag to help Melissa close Jackson in again.

“Mom, zip!” Scott shouted.

“Okay, okay!” Melissa finished the zipper and everyone sighed in relief.

Scott looked up at Spencer. “Call Derek.”

Spencer quickly pulled out her phone and dialed Derek’s number.

“Red, where have you been?” Derek answered instantly with a question.

“Not important. Look something’s going on with Jackson.”

“Where’s Scott?”

“He’s with me. But Jackson is…” Spencer glanced down at the body and then up to Scott. “Well, he’s supposed to be dead, but I don’t think he’s dead.”

“What’s going on?”

“He’s moving. Like rising from the dead, moving. And his body is completely covered in this clear stuff. I don’t know, like a cocoon.”

“What? Like a caterpillar?” A new voice asked.

Spencer knew it to be Peter. “Yeah, he’s blooming into a beautiful butterfly as we speak. Derek, is that who I think it is?”

“You disappeared.” Derek said simply.

Spencer turned her back to the others. “And you said you wouldn’t talk to him.”

“Will you just tell me what else is going on?”

Spencer groaned, looking to the ceiling and shaking her head in annoyance. She turned back to Jackson. “Okay, the stuff looks kinda like the venom.”

“So, it’s some kind of transparent casing made from the venom.”

“That’s sounds officially terrifying.” Peter said.

“You wanna know what else sounds terrifying?” Spencer asked, not really expecting an answer.

“Not really, we’ll get back to you. Hang up.” Peter must have said this to Derek.

“Derek, don’t you dare hang up on me.” Then Spencer heard the line click. She pulled the phone away from her ear, confirming that Derek had hung up. “Son of a - ” Spencer felt the urge to throw her phone, but resisted. She groaned.

“Uh, Spencer?” Isaac questioned.

“What?” Spencer looked to Isaac, seeing his eyes on Jackson. She looked down at the body bag. The bag was now moving, probably as Jackson did. “That looks fun.” Spencer said sarcastically.

Scott’s phone rang a second later.

“Oh, he hangs up on me and then calls you.”

“Scott, bring him to us.” Derek ordered.

“Real mature.” Spencer remarked.

“I’m not sure if we have time for that.” Scott said.

“Look.” Peter said through the phone. “Somebody actually made an animation of it. Maybe it’s less frightening if we…”

An incredibly loud, vicious screech sounded through the phone

“What the hell was that?” Spencer asked.

“Nope, not at all. We should probably meet them halfway.” Peter insisted.

“Scott, get him out of there now. Red, go now.” Derek told them.

Spencer sighed. “How the hell are we supposed to get this thing out of here without being spotted?”

“Yeah, or killed?” Isaac added.

“Just go.” Melissa insisted. “Out the back. I’ll make sure no one comes back here.”

Scott had hung up and shoved his phone in his pocket. He walked around the table, to one end, so he could grab Jackson. “Pence, you lead us out. Make sure that the coast is clear before we go anywhere.

“Where are we even going?” Spencer asked quickly.

“My car is close.” Scott informed her. “In the parking lot, just outside.”

Isaac shook his head. “You realize that lot isn’t just outside. There’s a whole courtyard between here and there.”

“It’s dark enough.” Spencer said, siding with Scott. “Hopefully, no one will see us. Isaac, grab the other end. Let’s go.”

The two carefully picked up Jackson at each end and made their way from the room. They followed after Spencer.

Spencer kept lookout for the boys as they carried the bag across the courtyard. Before they reached the parking lot, Spencer stopped them. She saw a few people get into their cars. “Wait, stop.” She whispered, her hand meeting Scott’s back to halt him. Spencer watched the people, waiting until they had pulled out and drove away. “Okay, now. Go, go.” Spencer allowed the two of them to go first. The three made it through the lot, arriving at Scott’s car.

Scott tried to reach for his keys in his pocket and dropped his half of Jackson.

Spencer eyed him. “You seriously did not just drop him.”

Scott’s head shot up in surprised at what he’d done.

“Well, don’t look at me like that!” Spencer seethed. “You’re the one who let him go!” He looked past him and saw a car turning their way. “Shit, pick him up. We gotta go!”

“No, wait!” Scott said, as he turned towards the vehicle, recognizing it. The bright headlights shown into the wolves’ eyes.

“Are you serious?”

The lights turned off and Chris Argent came out of the vehicle.

“You’re alone.” Scott said to Argent.

“More than you know.” The man replied.

“What do you want?”

Spencer stepped next to Scott. “Are you seriously trusting this guy right now? He’s an Argent.”

Scott raised a hand to calm her.

Spencer scoffed. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“I know we don’t have much in common.” Chris reasoned. “But at the moment, we have a common enemy.”

“That’s why I’m trying to get him out of here.” Scott gestured to Jackson.

“I didn’t mean Jackson.”

“If you say Derek, I might actually kill you.” Spencer said.

Chris shook his head. “It’s not Derek either. Gerard has twisted his way into Allison’s head in the same way he did with Kate. And I’m losing her. And I know you’re losing her, too.”

“You’re right.” Scott sighed. “So, can you trust me to fix this?”

Chris thought, but nodded.

“Then you should let us go before Jackson wakes up and goes all crazy, psycho killer again.” Spencer insisted.

“I can’t.” Chris paused.

Spencer narrowed her eyes and flicked her hand, drawing out her claws.

Scott grabbed her hand to stop her.

“My car’s faster.”

!@#$#@!

When Chris stopped the car, everyone pushed out of it.

Spencer exited the back seat and took a look around at where they had stopped. It looked to be an old warehouse that hadn’t gotten much use recently. “This is the address Derek sent you?” Spencer asked Scott.

Scott nodded.

“What could possibly be here?”

“Nothing.” Chris said. “I think that’s the point.”

Isaac glanced back into the car at Jackson. “I think he stopped moving.”

“Where’s Derek?” Chris questioned.

Before Scott got the chance to answer, the group heard the sound of footsteps and claws clashing against concrete.

In front of them, Derek was running in their direction on all fours. He front-flipped to a stop just in front of the group. Derek flashed his eyes red at Chris.

Spencer scoffed with a smile. “Always with the theatrics, huh, Derek?”

Derek got to his feet, narrowing his eyes at Chris.

“I’m here for Jackson.” Chris insisted. “Not you.”

“Somehow, I don’t find that very comforting.” Derek admitted. He looked to Scott, and back to Chris. “Get him inside.”

Chris nodded and got back into the truck, driving it through the cargo door, to park it inside.

Spencer stayed outside, joining Derek at his side. “So, where’s your friend?” She asked, wondering where Peter was in all of this.

Derek didn’t look to her. “Around.”

“You listened to him, did you? You’ve let him work your way into your head, just like Deaton said he would.”

“It’s gotten us this far.”

“Just don’t tell me that you trust him.” Spencer begged.

“Of course not. I don’t trust anybody.”

“You trust me.” She turned her head up to look at him. “Right?”

Derek raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest. Derek glanced around and found Isaac. “What’s up with Isaac?”

Spencer furrowed her brow. “Why?”

“His heart is beating really fast. Like he’s scared.”

Spencer smiled and laughed quietly. “I’ll tell you about it later.”

Derek looked down at her. “You sure?”

“It’s not important right now.” Spencer nodded. She grabbed a hold of his upper arm. “Are we good? Even after fight about the other betas and them leaving?”

Derek looked around, noticing the others had all gone inside the building. He unfolded his arms and put a hand on the back of her head, bringing her closer to him. Derek kissed her forehead. “Yeah, we’re good.”

Spencer wrapped her arms around him, taking in his scent. “Good.”

Derek pushed her away after a moment. “Look, I don’t know what’s going to happen tonight. But you shouldn’t let your guard down for a second.”

Spencer nodded. “Of course.”

Derek made his way inside of the warehouse and Spencer quickly followed after him. They saw that the others had taken Jackson out of Chris’ truck.

Jackson’s body bag was lying on the ground in front of them.

“Where are they?” Scott asked Derek.

Derek looked around wondering who he was talking about. “Who?”

“Peter and Lydia.”

Derek didn’t answer. Instead he crouched down to unzip Jackson’s body bag to see what’s inside.

“Okay, hold on a second.” Scott tried to get him to stop.

Derek didn’t listen and continued to open the zipper.

“You said you knew how to save him.”

“We’re past that.” Derek said finally.

“What about - ”

“Think about it, Scott!” Derek shouted. “Gerard controls him now. He’s turned Jackson into his own personal guard dog. And he set all this in motion so that Jackson could get even bigger and more powerful.”

“No.” Chris argued. “No, he wouldn’t do that. If Jackson’s a dog, he turning rabid. And my father wouldn’t let a rabid dog live.”

“Of course not.” Gerard’s voice echoed in the warehouse. He came out of the shadows. “Anything that dangerous, that out of control, is better off dead.”

Derek drew his claws quickly, preparing to bring them down on Jackson. His claws had almost met Jackson’s skin when Jackson’s eyes shot open.

Jackson had managed to move faster and hig claws dug deep into Derek’s abdomen.

“Derek!” Spencer shouted, taking a step away from them.

Jackson had shifted into the kanima now. It lifted Derek up into the air as it slowly started to rise out of the body bag. The others couldn’t do anything but watch. The kanima threw Derek as hard as it could all the way across the room.

Spencer went to run after him but Gerard put a stop to that.

Somehow, Gerard wordlessly forced the kanima to stand closely to Spencer threateningly.

“Don’t move, Ms. Garner.” Gerard said.

Spencer paused her steps but glared at Gerard. “I think we’ve just about reached the limit on formalities, don’t you?”

“I’m not finished yet.” He laughed and looked to Scott. “Well done to the last, Scott. Like the concerned friend you are, you brought Jackson to Derek to save him. You just didn’t realize that you were also bringing Derek to me.”

“You’re a real bastard, you know that?” Spencer snarked at Gerard.

Gerard shook his head. “There’s no need for that kind of language.”

A soft whistling sound whooshed through the air.

Both Spencer and Isaac jerked back at a force of impact. Spencer looked to her shoulder at the object sticking out from it. “Arrows.” She growled, putting a hand up to it so she could yank it out.

Isaac fell to the ground on his knees next to her.

Scott looked to them and then towards the direction that the arrows came from. “Allison?” He questioned.

“Scott. Help Isaac.” Spencer said angrily with narrowed eyes. She shifted quickly, feeling her claws come out and her face change shape. Spencer charged at the kanima, swiping at it’s face a few times. Unfortunately, the creature got the upperhand and managed to push her away from it. Spencer slid on the floor a long ways and rolled onto her side. She groaned in pain to the spot where she’d been pushed.

“Get up.”

Spencer looked to up to see Derek standing in front of her. She heard gunshots sounding through the building as Chris Argent tried to fight against the kanima. “You’re okay?” Spencer asked.

Derek nodded once. “Now get up.” He ordered, eyes flashing red as he shifted right before her eyes. Derek ran towards the sound of the kanima, jumping and flipping over a stack of pallets that were in his way.

Spencer copied him, landing next to Derek as he growled loudly at the kanima, gaining its attention.

The kanima hissed back.

“You ready?” Derek asked.

Spencer answered with a deep growl.

Derek looked to Spencer, seeing something in her that he hadn’t before. To Derek, Spencer seemed almost carnal. He shook his head of that thought, turning back forward. Derek focused on the reptile in front of them. He glanced to his right, seeing Scott and Isaac both in their wolf forms. Derek growled again, stepping forward swiping his claws at the kanima.

The kanima blocked each hit from Derek and clawed at Derek’s stomach.

Derek turned away from the pain, needing to stop fighting.

Spencer stepped up next. She hit on the front of the reptile while Scott punched it in the back of the neck.

The kanima pushed Spencer hard onto the ground and she groaned at the impact.

Isaac took her place, wrapping his hands around the kanima’s neck.

The kanima pushed Isaac’s hands off of it and got one of it’s own hands around Isaac’s neck. It lifted the beta into the air, throwing Isaac backwards into a pallet.

Derek had gotten to his feet. He climbed up some metal scaffolding and jumped down, forcing his fists onto the top of the kanima’s spine.

The kanima was surprised by the attack and faced Derek to strike back.

Spencer had made her way towards the kanima, standing directly behind it. She clawed at it’s back as it fought with Derek, trying to be a little bit of a distraction.

Only it didn’t work quite as well as she thought it would. The kanima grabbed Derek’s arm and threw him towards Spencer, using him like a slingshot.

Spencer quickly moved out of the way, not prepared for the injury Derek’s heavy body could bring her.

Derek managed to flip himself over the kanima, landing on his feet in a crouched position. He got up and attempted to punch the kanima only to have his fist grabbed.

The reptiles spun them around, slamming Derek into a large plate of metal.

Scott came up and kicked the kanima into the wall.

Spencer, still on the floor, reached out to grab it’s ankle so she could trip the kanima. She quickly rolled away to protect herself from its backlash.

What Scott didn’t expect was that the kanima would quickly recover and kick back.

Derek had come up to the kanima again. He didn’t fair well and ended up with a deep cut in his side. Derek stumbled away, looking to Spencer. He was worried for her and as she got back to her feet; she looked more than willing to fight something she wasn’t ready for.

Spencer stared at the kanima with a smirk. “Just you and me here, buddy.” She taunted.

The kanima charged at her and Spencer was able to dodge his hits to her face and stomach by jumping away from it.

Spencer slashed her claws down it’s face, finally gaining some strength against him. She landed a few more hits before her back hit the metal behind her. Spencer found herself stuck.

The kanima dug its claws into Spencer’s stomach.

Spencer coughed, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

The kanima removed its claws slowly.

Spencer’s hands shot to her stomach, holding it together as she slid down the wall. She had no choice but to sit there and wait to heal. Spencer looked around to her friends.

Isaac picked himself up, looking at Derek and then to Spencer. He growled inwardly at the sight of his packmates hurt.

Spencer held a hand up to him. “Isaac, don’t.” She coughed and more blood fell from her lips. Spencer could stop him, but it seemed that the kanima was also the least of her worries.

Allison had sauntered over to Isaac with a pair of knives and stabbed the new wolf a couple of times to make him stumble. She walked around him to his back and stabbed him in each side.

“Allison!” Spencer begged. “Stop!”

Allison’s face changed and Spencer followed her line of sight.

“Derek.” Spencer realized who she was going after next.

Derek was on his stomach on the ground. He looked up to see Allison spinning her knives on her fingers and heading in his direction.

Scott hurried over to see what was going on. He saw it and shouted at her. “No, Allison!”

The kanima came up behind Allison. It grabbed both of her wrists making her drop the knives. It wrapped its hands around her throat.

Allison gasped to get her breath back, but with the kanima’s tight hold, not much air got to her lungs.

Spencer took this pause to gather herself, using the metal behind her to get to her feet. She stumbled over to Isaac, getting his arm over her shoulder and pulling him away from Allison and the kanima. They both fell to the ground a few paces away. Spencer grabbed onto Isaac’s hand and started to take his pain away.

Isaac tried to pull his hand out of hers. “No, you’re hurt, too.”

“I’m fine.” Spencer assured him. “You’re hurt worse. I’m healing.”

Gerard entered the room. “Not yet, sweetheart.” He said to Allison.

“What are you doing?” Allison asked her grandfather. She grabbed onto the kanima’s hands hoping to loosen the grip.

Gerard looked to Scott.

“He’s doing what he came here to do.” Scott said.

“Then you know.” Gerard assumed.

“What is he talking about?” Allison asked Scott.

Chris slowly made his way into the dark room.

Gerard looked from Scott to Allison and back again. “It was that night outside the hospital, wasn’t it? When I threatened your mother. I knew I saw something in your eyes. You could just smell it, couldn’t you?”

Isaac looked up at the man, recognizing the scent that filled his nose. “He’s dying.”

“I am.” Gerard agreed. “I have been for a while now. Unfortunately science doesn’t have a cure for cancer yet.” He raised his brows, looking to Derek on the floor in front of him. “But the supernatural does.

Allison gasped, finally realizing Gerard’s plan.

The kanima tightened it’s hold on her neck.

“You monster.” Chris said.

“Not yet.” Gerard joked with an evil grin.

“What are you doing?” Allison gasped.

“You’ll kill her, too?” Chris asked his father.

“When it comes to survival, I’d kill my own son!” There was a pause as Gerard looked to Scott, quietly telling the wolf what he wanted. “Scott.” Gerard waited.

Scott paused for another second before stepping towards Derek. He changed back to his human form and looked to each person around the room, probably trying to judge their reaction.

Spencer shook her head. “Scott, don’t do this.”

Scott closed in on Derek and bent down, pushing his claws into the back of Derek’s neck.

Derek was forced to follow Scott’s movements with the beta’s hold on him. “Scott, don’t.” Derek groaned as he was pulled to his feet. He was still hunched over. “You know that he’s gonna kill me right after. He’ll be an alpha.”

Spencer eyes quickly filled with tears and her head shot to Gerard as he spoke.

“That’s true.” Gerard said. “But I think he already knows that, don’t you, Scott? He knows that the ultimate prize is Allison. Do this small task for me, and they can be together. You are the only piece that doesn’t fit, Derek. And in case you haven’t learned yet, there is just no competing with young love.”

“Scott, don’t!” Derek forced again.

Spencer removed herself from Isaac’s comforting hold and charged at Scott.

Scott used his free hand to push her down to the ground.

Spencer groaned. “Please, Scotty, don’t you dare do this for some girl! You’re going to get Derek killed!”

“I’m sorry.” Scott insisted.

Spencer looked up at him, seeing the emotionless look in his eyes. Her lip quivered. “No, you’re not.”

“I have to do this.”

She tried to meet Derek’s eyes. “Derek, what do I do? What can I do?” She begged.

“It’s already done.” Gerard said darkly.

Scott forced Derek’s head back and his mouth open.

Gerard had taken off his jacket and was in the process of rolling up his sleeve. The man lifted his arm and forced it into Derek’s open mouth. Gerard’s arm was deeply impaled by Derek’s teeth.

Spencer turned away with a sob.

Gerard pulled his arm out and back away from the wolves.

Scott dug his claws out of Derek’s neck and Derek fell to the ground.

Spencer quickly pushed herself over to her alpha and put his head in her lap. She put hand to the back of his neck and started to take his pain away. There was a silence that amongst the group that seemed off to Spencer. She looked up at Gerard to see the bite dripping from each mark left by Derek’s teeth. She knew it wasn’t good, so she pushed to her feet and started to pull Derek away from the evil man.

Gerard studied the occurrence, obviously lost about what was happening. He glanced to Derek. “What is this?” He asked, looking to Scott.

“Wait.” Derek said to Spencer, stopping her, making her fall to the ground behind him. “This wasn’t me.”

“What did you do?” Gerard asked Scott.

Derek glanced up at Scott as well. He wondered what happened.

Scott shrugged, looking to Derek and Spencer. “Everyone said Gerard always had a plan.” He looked to Gerard. “I had a plan, too.”

Gerard dug a small, metal container from his pocket and opened it. He dumped the pills to his hand a few falling to the floor. “No.” Gerard said. He crushed the pills in his hand and a black powder clouded around his fingers. “Mountain ash!” He shouted. Gerard fell to his knees as the black liquid started to leak from other places. His eyes, ears, nose.

Everyone watched in complete disgust.

Gerard started to convulse. He lifted his head and the liquid fountained out of his mouth.

Spencer buried her face in Derek’s shoulder, trying not to watch the disgusting scene.

The liquid had finally stopped and Gerard fell to the floor.

Derek shifted his head to his left to Scott, forcing Spencer to raise her own. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Derek asked.

“Because you might be an alpha, but you’re not mine.”

“We could have worked together on this.” Spencer said, shaking her head.

Everyone’s eyes shot to Gerard as his movement sparked their interest. The man was leaning up on one arm. He spit the liquid from his mouth. “Kill them!” He shouted, ordering the kanima. “Kill them all!”