Unexpected Surprises

8: Poisonous

Deaton always seemed to be prepared at the oddest hours. Scott stayed with Isaac's limp form as Deaton examined him, making little hmms and huffs. Finally, Deaton stepped back from Isaac, whose eyes were weakly fluttering open.

"I believe I've diagnosed the problem," Deaton stated.

"And?" demanded Scott, waving one of his hands in the air wildly; it would have been both, but Isaac was weakly clutching onto his other hand, and he didn't want to let that hand go.

"Isaac has been poisoned, by an immense amount of wolfsbane, probably administered over the course of several years," Deaton informed Scott.

"What?" demanded Scott. "But you've got an antidote, right, Doc?"

"This particular form of wolfsbane," sighed Deaton, "becomes active only once the werewolf it's placed in has had, er, sexual relations with his mate."

Stiles frowned; he'd arrived just after Scott had, having been texted by his best friend almost immediately. Some things never change. "I'm sorry, his mate? As in, like, the soul mates of werewolf mythology?"

"Yes," Deaton sighed heavily. "Unfortunately, there is no cure."

"Wait, but - " Stiles turned to Scott. "You and Isaac are mates? As in, mates mates?"

Scott stared at the pale form of his boyfriend. I didn't even ask him to be my boyfriend, Scott realized, tears coming to his eyes. "Deaton, there has to be some way. There has to be a way to get the wolfsbane out of his system."

"Scott, there's so much blood in his system, it would take an incredibly large blood transfusion, and only from his mate," Deaton informed the true alpha.

"How much blood?" Scott rolled up his sleeve, prepared for the blood transfusion.

"Scott, this could kill you," Deaton tried to emphasize the point. "It would kill any beta werewolf, easily, and I have no idea what it could do to an alpha."

"Do it," commanded Scott. "Jade has two fathers, and I'm not about to let Isaac die and miss out on any more of her life."

"Scott," Lydia said hesitantly; obviously, she had come with Stiles. "Are you sure? What if this does kill you? Isaac might survive, but Jade will still be down a father! Or even worse, it could kill both of you, and - "

Scott was surprised; it was normally Stiles, who rambled.

"He's sure, Lydia," Stiles said quietly, knowing Scott better than anyone. "He's sure."

"All right," Deaton sighed, and they began the blood transfusion. "Sometimes, Scott," Deaton's voice echoed throughout the room, "you seem just as reckless and wanting to help others as you were when you were a teenager."

"Maybe I am," Scott managed, with a weak smile he began to feel the blood leaving his body.

Deaton cracked a smile. "Maybe," he acknowledged. "Or maybe you've thought this through, and you've refused to let your daughter be down one father any longer."

"I didn't even tell him," Scott whispered.

"Hmm?" Deaton asked, just before Scott's vision faded to black.

"I didn't tell him..." Scott croaked, "that he was my mate."

Everything was white. Why was everything white? Isaac looked around frantically, trying to find an exit, anything. Where was Scott? He had been with Scott, he was sure. Where was Scott?

Allison's vicious laugh echoed all around the white space, and Isaac started to run. "No, no," he pleaded to no one, for the white room was empty. "No, please leave me alone..." A door appeared, and having no other option, he ran into it.