Once in a Lifetime

44

The teens trudged through the woods and Malia said, "We can still catch him."

"Catch who?" Scott asked, looking at Malia.

"The killer. What are you thinking about?"

Scott and Tabitha stared at the fleur-de-lis bullet she'd found.

The witch held up the bullet. "We need to take this to Argent."

Malia frowned. "Even if he's the one that fired it?"

Scott nodded. "Especially if he's the one." He stopped abruptly. "Do you hear that?"

Tabitha formed a spark in her hand.

After a moment, Malia asked, "Heartbeats?"

"A lot of them. They're here."

"Who?" Lydia wondered.

"Hunters," Tabitha confirmed, hearing the fear in her friend's voice.

He ran off and Malia called after him. "Scott!"

Scott turned and saw hunters coming closer. He stopped, seeing several red laser-sight beams crossing the woods. He bared his fangs, showing his alpha eyes. Tabitha raised her hand, ready to blast it. Scott attacked the closest figure, who was Sheriff Stilinski. "Argh. Scott. Scott, it's me. It's me! Scott! Scott. Tabitha, magic away. You don't need to hurt anything."

Tabitha glared. "Then tell him to stop pointing a gun at Scott's heart."

Robin pushed the gun of her fellow deputy down.

The sheriff did so and said, "Okay, okay. Come on. It's okay. It's okay." He looked around. "Everybody stay back. They're just kids."

Deputy Vargas glared at them, gun still pointed at Scott as he'd raised it again. "What's wrong with his eyes? Why does she have purple hues?"

Tabitha faced him. "Haven't you heard of magic? Drop the gun. Now."

Parrish shook his head. "You heard the sheriff. Tabitha, it's okay. Stand down."

Scott shifted back to normal and started panting. "I'm really sorry. You don't think they'll say anything, do you?"

Parrish smiled at the teens. "No more than they're used to."

"You wanna tell me what happened out here?" the sheriff asked.

"He's a Hellhound."

"A dead Hellhound," Malia added, earning a look from Lydia.

Sheriff Stilinski nodded. "Yep, got that."

Parrish frowned. "Well I don't get it. I didn't think you could kill a Hellhound."

Tabitha pursed her lips. "Anything can be killed."

Malia nodded and shrugged. "Looks a lot easier than we thought."

Tabitha pocketed the bullet casing as she said, "I don't think it was just any bullet."

"I hope not," Parrish and Robin muttered, kneeling next to the body.

After everyone left, Lydia, Malia, Tabitha and Scott shared a look. Lydia turned to Scott. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Why didn't you say anything?" Scott repeated.

"Why didn't either of you say anything?" Malia asked.

"Why didn't any of you, us, say anything?" Tabitha wondered.

Malia frowned at Scott. "Wait, was I supposed to say something?"

Scott looked between his friends. "None of us said anything to Argent and none of us are going to say anything until we talk to him. Everybody good with that?"