Earthshine

The final bell chimed and Stiles fumbled past the desk. Mr. Harris restrained him to the seat next to Rowan by slapping a then stick across the tabletop. “If you keep trying to test my patience Mr. Stilinski, I can guarantee you it’ll be a failing grade.”

“Hey that kinda hurt,” Stiles whimpered shaking his hand. He turned around finding Scott. Rowan watched how close Isaac sat to Lydia.

Lydia watched as the catalyzing began in the beaker. “Looks like you know what you’re doing.” Isaac commented.

“Well duh.” She narrowed her eyes pouting her lips out slightly. “But I looks like you don’t, especially when it comes to her,” he gestured behind them at Rowan who slapped Stiles’ hand when he poured the wrong substance into their beaker. “She likes you. She won’t admit it, but it’s totes obvious.” She hummed. She pulled the glass stir stick from the jar pointing it at him adamantly. “But that leather jacket, bad boy thing, isn’t going to get you anywhere.” Her lips twisted upward. Isaac reached his hand out to act as if he was contributing to the lab. “Don’t touch.” She hissed through her pouty smile.

“I need to look like I’m doing something.” She flashed another fake smile, looking back over the room. The bell chimed.

“Time! If you’ve catalyzed the reaction correctly, you should now be looking at a crystal. Now… you can eat it.”

Rowan glanced at the beaker. What was, five minutes ago, a crystal now was a bubbling hissing pile of slop. She rubbed her tongue against her teeth. “You were right, I’m not feeling too well. Here Stiles, won’t you do the honor?” she smiled.

“Uh..” His eyes tossed between the jar and Lydia in the front who had just taken the slimy crystal in her hand and held it over her tongue.

“Lydia!” Rowan and everyone else in the room turned to Scott who was now standing at his seat beside of Allison.

“What?” she hissed. Rowan looked at him cautiously and then back at Stiles whose eyes were wide in horror.

“Nothing.”

“Stiles, what the hell is going on?” she gripped his arm. “What did they do?”

“That thing at the garage. It’s mucus or whatever was on that crystal. It’s a test….” The bell rang and the black leather duo headed out of the classroom. Isaac gave Rowan an apologetic look to which she just shook her head.

“Rowan, we need your help,” Scott pulled at her arm.

“Why is everyone so handsy today?” She yelled. Scott immediately removed his hand, feeling a wave of uneasiness flood over him.

“We need you to distract Lydia, keep her away from Erica and Isaac.”

“Erica said she killed his father.”

“So they think she’s the kanima?” Allison added.

“Please,” Stiles pleaded. “Just keep her away from them or them away from her. Just until we can get her out of here.”

“That’ll be tough, considering Derek’s waiting outside.” Scott was staring out the window.



“Butterfly,” she heard Lydia smugly answer.

“What’s it going to take for you to open up?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m as open and honest as a person can be.”

“Funny. I would have said wolf,” the councilor replied.

Lydia exited the office rolling her eyes. “I still don’t understand why my parents insist on putting me through this.”

“Trust me, I know the feeling. You’re feeling okay, right?”

“God, not you too. Everyone’s acting like I’m about to drop dead.”

“The flu is, uh, going around. It’s a nasty thing. Gave me nightmares the whole time I had it.” Rowan lied.

“No.” Lydia smiled before strutting away. Rowan began following after her before she was pummeled to the ground.

“Stiles!” Rowan yelled. “Get off of me!” she huffed trying to push him off.
“Hey there Rowan! You know, we’ve got to stop meeting like this… Oh, hey Lydia,” he beamed up at her.

“You’re crushing her.” She pointed at the short girl under him. “I’m going to the library.”

“Hey! Wait up! We’ve got that huge quiz in chem next week, study group!” he said way too enthusiastically.



“If we’re studying at Scott’s, then why isn’t Scott here?” the group huddled around Lydia as they made it up to the door.

“And why are you here again?” Jackson looked to Rowan.

“Aw, thought you’d be nicer than that Jacky.” She smiled sickly sweet.

Stiles rushed everyone through the door and into the dark house. He quickly locked the door and chained it. Lydia raised her fine brows a gestured to the door with her manicured hands.

“There’s been a few break-ins in the neighborhood.” He squeezed his lips together before bringing a chair and wedging it under the doorknob. Everyone watched him in question. Lydia gestured to the door. “And a murder!” Stiles announced. Jackson let out a puff of air, averting his eyes to the ceiling. “Yeah… It was bad.” Allison glanced over to Jackson and jerked her head to the stairs.

“Come on Lydia, follow me. I need to talk to you.” Jackson began walking off.

“Seriously,” she hissed. “What is going on with everyone?”

Stiles paced around the house, while Allison stood focused at the window.

“I still don’t know how I feel about all of this.”

“About the werewolves?”

“No. About Lydia and Jackson upstairs in a house that isn’t theirs.”

“We have a pack of werewolves chasing us and you’re worried about whether they’re getting it on or not?” Stiles half-yelled.

“Ew. Gross. No. I’m just saying. They think she’s something for some pretty obvious reasons. Taking into consideration her freak outs lately, do you think it’s a wise idea to leave her alone right now? I don’t exactly call Jackson responsible.” Stiles rubbed his mouth seeming to find common ground in his mind.

“Actually-“

“Guys,” Allison pulled back from the window curtain. “We’ve got company.” Stiles handed her his phone. She quickly dialed Scott’s number. “Hey, it’s me. You need to get here now.” She spoke into the phone. It was impossible to hear what he was saying in response.

Rowan walked to the front door, stepping around the strategically placed chair, and lifted the yellowing curtain. In the road she saw Derek, Boyd, Erica, and Isaac. Stiles joined her at the other side. He rubbed his shaven head incoherently cursing. They shared a look of hopelessness. They looked back to Allison who had tears in her eyes as he hands fumbled over her phone.

“What are you doing?”

“I think I have to call my parents.”

“But they’ll find you here—you and Scott!”

“I know,” she whimpered. “What are we supposed to do? They’re not here to scare us! They’re here to kill Lydia.”

“They haven’t made a move yet, and how long have they been out there?” Rowan tucked a lock of her dark wavy hair behind her ear. She had her heavy olive sleeves pulled around her palms.

“She’s right, they’ve been out there for a while now.” Stiles backed up Rowan. Allison looked unbelieving between the two.

“They’re waiting on something…but what?” Rowan spoke, mainly to herself. She looked again to find them in the same spots they’d been standing in. She only found Isaac’s eyes who refused to look at her.

“Wait, I got an idea!” Stiles whispered. “Shoot one of them,” he told Allison.

“You brought a gun?” Rowan asked.

“Not exactly, a crossbow—a mini, crossbow—besides the fact! WE told Scott we could protect ourselves, so let’s do that.” Stiles looked back out the window.

“Can’t they hear us?” Rowan asked, completely being ignored.

“They’re not expecting us to attack. We take one shot, I guarantee they run off. So just shoot one of them.” He whispered vehemently.

“Which one?” she asked eying them through the window. “Isaac?”

“No!” Rowan protested. Stiles gave her a look. “Derek,” he started, “shoot him—preferably in the head.” He said sarcastically.

“If Scott can catch an arrow, Derek definitely can.”

“Then shoot one of the other three.”

“You mean two,” Rowan said. “There’s only two now.”

“No, three,” they both looked at her this time. “Where the hell is Isaac?” Stiles shouted. Allison aimed her weapon at the window but was suddenly pulled into the shadows. Rowan stayed in the living room next to the window. Stiles was thrown down to the floor. A figure stood: blue eyes now glowing yellow as the lamp came crashing to the floor. Stiles gave her a quick glance before running the opposite direction. Growling erupted from Isaac as he quickly chased after him. Allison ran up the stairs shouting warnings to Lydia. Rowan heard the wood of the front door begin to buckle as the others tried breaking in. She ran after Allison, locking them in what appeared to be Scott’s room. Her eyes found the oozing liquid dripping from the open window.

“It’s here,” she told Allison. The girl readied her crossbow at the door. “Wait—let me see your arrow,” she hurried, taking the small arrow and rolling the shaft in the paralytic mucus. “An arrow won’t stop them, but this will.” She said smiling back to Allison. A knocking came before the door was blown to shards.

Erica stood there baring her pearly grin. “You know, this might make me sound like a bitch, but I’ve always wondered what it would feel like to steel someone’s boyfriend.” She smirked at Allison disregarding Rowan. Erica continued the taunting until Allison released the arrow. As expected, Erica gripped the arrow, laughing as she turned. “You didn’t really think that was going to work did you?” she sneered.

“Actually,” Rowan added. Erica’s eyes went wide looking at the arrow, before ultimately falling to the floor. Rowan rushed passed her limp body, jutting down the stairs in time to have Stiles run past her. “Stiles!” she called.

“Look out!” he yelled. She turned behind her, not really sure what to expect. Her heart stopped in her chest. Glowing yellow eyes decorated with wrinkled skin and fur glowered down at her.

“Isaac…” she whispered, standing there gawking. The expression of the creature in front of her faltered slightly as it’s heavy breathing lurched through bared fangs. His hands were raised with mangled nails curving from his fingers. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. It was all so real now: the werewolves.

They stood like that for a minute. Isaac, in complete control of his animalistic side, felt his face changing back to normal. The odd colored eyes in front of him looked afraid—afraid of him, he thought. She was so small, so fragile. Her skin was even paler in the moonlight; her hair was in wild loose waves that framed her face. He watched her hands stop pulling at the ends of her sleeves as she stood there taking him in. Isaac wasn’t sure of the emotion that floated in her eyes, but he felt it wasn’t a good one.

Rowan stood there staring as his features softened and began to retract to normal. A loud snarl erupted through the house and Isaac was pulled away from her suddenly, and thrown against the room. His body collided with a table first, then sliding to demolish the lamp. Scott hovered over his unconscious body, lifting him by the collar and throwing him out the door to Derek’s feet. He tossed Erica out next after Alison dragged her down the stairs.

The four of them then walked out onto the porch. Rowan staying toward the door, still not grasping the face she’d just seen.

“I think I know why you keep refusing me now, Scott.” It was the first time she’d heard Derek speak. “You’re not an omega, you’re an alpha of your own pack.” Stiles and Allison glanced at one another. “But you know you can’t beat me.”

“I can hold you off until the cops get here.” Scott warned. Derek’s head snapped alerted by the sirens of the police. The loud, screeching hiss sounded from above them, sending a wave of chills down Rowan’s back. They rushed off the porch only to see the creature crawling from the window.

“Would someone please tell me what the hell is going on!” Lydia barged out of the door screaming.



“So why do we need their help?” Isaac followed Derek through their home: abandoned subway cars. Derek had gone after the kanima while Boyd had returned Erica and Isaac. He’d woken up on the way back, her eyes wide with shock still haunted his mind.

“Its harder to kill than I thought, and we still don’t know who it is.”

“And they do?”

“That’s why I need one of you to get on their good sides.” Derek explained in a fake happy tone. His sharp blue eyes rolled back, showing his distaste.

“Hmmm Scott or Stiles?” Erica asked.

“Either. Or use one of the girl’s.” Derek flashed a smile at Erica. “If you think you can handle that.” A deep growl erupted in her chest.

“Then why don’t you send Isaac with his little girlfriend.” Derek ignored them pulling out a large metal box. “Better yet, maybe I should take care of that.” She threatened.

“Enough,” Derek sighed. He rubbed small circles against his temples as if battling a headache. “If you can get to her, Isaac, than take advantage of it. Hey, you might benefit from it… if you know what I mean,” Derek smirked tossing his brows up.

“You know the full moon’s coming Derek,” Isaac quickly changed the subject.

“I’m aware of that.”

“My, these look comfortable.” Erica rubbed her tongue across the tips of her fangs as she watched the heavy metal chains slide to the floor of the box.

“You said you were gonna teach us to change whenever we wanted,” Isaac protested again.

“There hasn’t been time.”

“But if you’re going to lock us up during the full moon, you’ll be alone against the Argents. Why don’t we just forget the kanima-“

“We can’t! There was something about the way Gerard looked at it. He wasn’t afraid at all. And I don’t know what he knows or what he’s planning, but I’m sure of one thing, we have to find it first.” Erica fluttered her coated eyelashes before strutting away to the car. Isaac stood there momentarily watching as Derek pulled more restraints from the box. Derek was now somewhat of a father figure to him. He looked up to him in a way that he could never look at his own father.

“I don’t know if I can get close to her.” He said barley above a whisper.

“Then don’t.”

“That’s thing… I can’t stay away.”