𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐄 | 𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚘𝚕𝚏

𝚃𝚆𝙴𝙽𝚃𝚈-𝚃𝙷𝚁𝙴𝙴 | STAY THERE

Lexie sat quietly nearby, perched on an old crate in the corner, her legs swinging idly as she listened in on the conversation. She had come along with Derek and Isaac, despite her brother's initial hesitation. She had begged to come, and Derek, knowing how stubborn she could be, reluctantly allowed it under the promise she would stay out of the way.

She glanced at Isaac, who had always been like another brother to her. The tension in the room was thick, and she could feel it, but she trusted Derek. She trusted Isaac. Peter, though... well, that was a different story.

"You're all so serious," she finally piped up, her soft voice cutting through the strained silence. "If you're all this worried, maybe I should just go with you."

Derek shot her a sharp look. "Absolutely not."

Lexie crossed her arms, pouting. "I'm not scared. I can help."

Isaac chuckled nervously. "Yeah, we don't need you getting mixed up with Deucalion, Lex."

Peter smirked, leaning back lazily, but there was something in his eyes that flickered, something almost... protective? "Let her come. It's always good to have a witness when things get messy," he teased, but Lexie could tell there was more to it. She never knew where she stood with Peter—sometimes he acted like the cool, uncaring uncle, and other times he seemed weirdly invested.

Derek, however, wasn't amused. "She stays out of this," he said firmly, locking eyes with Peter, making it clear he wouldn't tolerate any arguments. "This is dangerous enough without involving her."

Lexie huffed but knew better than to argue when Derek used that tone. She glanced at Isaac again, catching the worry in his eyes. "Isaac, you're the one who's always telling me not to be afraid. So, why are you scared now?" she asked quietly.

Isaac shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not scared... I just don't trust him," he muttered, glancing in Peter's direction.

"Smart kid," Peter said with a wry smile. "But you'll trust me enough to get this done, won't you, Isaac?"

Isaac gave him a wary look but didn't respond. Instead, Derek spoke up. "Lexie, go wait outside. We'll talk about this later."

Lexie bit her lip, wanting to stay, but nodded. She hopped off the crate and made her way toward the door. But before she left, she shot Peter a challenging look, as if daring him to keep his word and protect them all.

°°°°

Lexie was outside the loft door, pacing back and forth in the dimly lit corridor. The worn floorboards creaked softly beneath her feet as she moved, her mind racing with thoughts of what might be happening inside. She hated being left out—especially when it involved Isaac and Derek. Her fists were clenched at her sides, a mix of frustration and anxiety bubbling inside her chest.

Suddenly, a low, strained grunt broke through the stillness, followed by the unmistakable sound of a short, sharp yelp. Lexie froze, her heart thudding loudly in her ears. She turned her head sharply toward the loft door, her pulse quickening.

"Isaac?" she whispered, barely audible, her wide eyes fixed on the door as if willing it to open. Another noise came—this time more of a muffled groan, followed by heavy breathing. Lexie's stomach churned, her mind racing with worry.

Her gaze flicked to the small sliver of light escaping from under the door. Something was happening inside—something bad. Her instinct was to run in and check on Isaac, to make sure he was okay, but Derek's warning echoed in her mind.

Stay out of it.

But how could she? Isaac was in there, and from the sounds she was hearing, he was hurt or worse. Lexie's fingers hovered over the doorknob, trembling slightly. She knew better than to just barge in, but the growing knot of fear and dread made it hard to think straight.