CULMINATION 🪐 STILES STILINSKI {3}

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

     As expected, the peace summit negotiations with Gerard had fallen through, the man rejecting any offer the pack had. But it wasn't such a dead end for them yet. Liam had texted Scott a few minutes ago telling him they'd found out this the new hunter is: Tamora Monroe, the new guidance counselor. Which lead to now, with Venus sat in one of the arm chairs facing the door and Lydia perched on the desk beside her waiting for the woman to show up.

"You wanted to see me?" Tamora rounds the corner, walking into the office, immediately met with two sarcastic smiles. "Sorry, I must be in the wrong place. Someone said Ms. Martin was looking for me."

"Oh, it's the right place. Wrong Ms. Martin." Lydia explains, the smile not leaving her face.

Tamora nods, her eyes flitting between the two girls. "I know who you are, Lydia. And you, Venus. So, what am I here to talk to you about?"

Venus stands from her chair, moving around the woman and shutting the office door. The counselor watches her movements very carefully, her gaze still moving between the two girls as if they would attack her at any moment.

"Coexistence." the Nymph tilts her head.

"Coexistence?"

"For people like you. And people like us."

"That's a bit of a challenge. Especially, considering people like you aren't quite like as people like me."

Lydia chuckles from behind the woman. "That's usually where coexistence breaks down. When we highlight our differences."

The Banshee gestures towards the two chairs in front of her mothers desk, signaling for the woman to sit down so they can talk. Lydia sits herself in the chair opposite the woman, Venus stood behind her with her arms across her chest.

The girl couldn't remember the last time she'd been in such a tense situation where her guard had been all the way up, but she had to admit, Monroe was making her uncomfortable.

"What is it you really want?" the counselor asks.

"We want a peace summit." the strawberry blonde replies, her lips pursed. "We asked Gerard and he refused."

"Then I guess you have your answer."

"That's why we're here." Venus intervenes. "We need you to convince him to meet. You could be the only one that can stop this."

The older woman hums. "What if I don't want to?"

"You didn't become a guidance counselor to hunt people." Lydia raises her eyes, a mocking tone to her voice. "You're supposed to help them."

Tamora squints her eyes for a second, looking like she was debating it. "I'm sorry. I cant help you with this."

The woman moves to leave, but Lydia grabs onto her wrist tightly and startling Venus. The brunettes hand immediately moves to the hilt of the dagger in her pocket, just in case. The two women stare each other down for a few seconds, infusing the tension in the room even further as Venus' hand tightens on her hilt.

"Is that how you do your predictions?" Tamora asks, looking scared as she eyed Lydia when she pulled her hand away. "You have to touch someone?"

"No." the Banshee replies.

"Then how do you do it?" the counselor leans closer, alarming Venus who looks at the woman daringly.

The brunette places her palm on the desk beside Lydia and leans over her shoulder. "You're not scaring anyone."

"How do you know who's gonna die next?" the woman ignores Venus, continuing her stare down with Lydia.

"There's doesn't have to be a next." Lydia retorts quietly. "On either side. Please, just meet with him."