Changed

A Cold Sacrifice

Every pair of eyes turns and looks at me. I feel my face flush with heat, and I avoid Stiles's eyes.

Deaton clears his throat. "Alright, my children, let us proceed with the sacrifice."

Scott chokes. "Wait...sacrifice?"

Stiles and Isaac exchange worried glances.

Derek raises his eyebrows.

Deaton looks around at us. "I told you it was going to be risky."

Derek nods. "Come on, guys. You wanna find your parent or not?"

Stiles nodded and stepped forward bravely. "I don't know about you guys, but I need to find my dad." A tear slips down his cheek and he takes a shuddering breath. "He's the only thing I have left." He looks right at me, his eyes locking with mine.

Scott steps up to him. "He's not the only thing you have left." He says, reaching out to Stiles and pulling him into a hug. They grip each other so tightly, I almost laugh.

I've never really seen guys hug before. They don't show emotion like girls do.

But these two boys have more love for each other than I've ever had for anyone. I wish I could say I loved someone as much as Stiles and Scott loved each other.

My eyes flick to Stiles at that thought, but I immediately blink and look away, not even realizing.

Scott and Stiles pull away and Scott turns on Deaton. "We're doing this."

"Alright, Isaac?"

Isaac stands up straight at the sound of his name. "Alright." He says, puffing out his chest.

Deaton nods curtly and says, "I'll be back in ten minutes. I need to get the proper essentials to perform this sacrifice, per se. Everyone stay where you are."

And he disappears out the door, the bell jingling behind him.

*****

"Cora help with this, would you?" Derek snaps, eyeing me.

I stick my tongue out at him and try to help him rip open the giant bag of ice.

"Rip it, Derek!" I say, frustrated.

After a full minute of trying, I whip out my claws and slash it open.

Stiles laughs, and I notice for the first time that he's standing next to me, watching. "That works, too." He says, his lips curling into a small grin.

I feel myself go as red as a tomato and I look away, anywhere but at Stiles.

Deaton pours two bags of ice into each tub and we wait ten minutes in complete silence, until he dips a finger in, nods, and says, "Okay, it's ready," gesturing to the tubs of ice water.

Stiles, Isaac and Scott look at each other and then rip their shirts off, throwing them to the side.

My breath catches in my throat at the sight of Stiles without a shirt.

Define muscle covers his entire torso, as does Isaac and Scott.

They stand in the ice water, shivering, waiting for the word from Deaton.

"Hands on their shoulders," Deaton says, resting his on Scott's.

I look at Stiles and take a step closer to the tub, breathing heavily.

Deaton starts to tell Scott something, and Scott's face goes slack, before he reaches around and gives Derek, who is backing away from a hug with Isaac, a big embrace.

"Hey, Cora," Stiles says quietly. I whip around, turning my attention from Scott.

"Yes?"

Stiles plays with his fingers, something I've noticed he does when he's nervous. "Don't worry about hurting me." He says bluntly. He looks up, his beautiful eyes locking with mine. "I have to do this for my dad, even if I don't....if I don't make it. So, please, do whatever it is you need to do with me to make this work."

I nod, not able to say anything. I think that's the longest conversation I've ever had with Stiles.

He smiles at me, sensing a wave of reassurance through my body.

"On three," Deaton says. The adrenaline coursing through my veins isn't healthy. I'm so worried for the three boys, that my heart feels like it could explode any moment.

"One."

I tighten my grip on Stiles's bare shoulders.

"Two."

Stiles shivers under my hands.

"Three!"

Feeling as if I'm about to spontaneously combust, I use all my strength to push Stiles's body completely under the water.

The three boys stay still for a few moments, my arms freezing as they hold Stiles's shoulders down.

And then all of a sudden, his drowning reflex kicks in and he struggles against me, his body writhing in the water.

I press my entire arms into his chest and struggle to keep him submerged.

And then everything goes eerily quiet and Stiles's stills.

I look over to see Derek's chest heaving as he backs away from a moveless Isaac.

Scott is completely lifeless, as Deaton steps back and surveys the room.

"Prefect," he says, "it worked."

I look at him suspiciously. "They're-"

Derek shakes his head. "No, they're not dead. They're just in a mental state of rest and relaxation."

"So they're basically in comas."

Derek and Deaton look at each other and then nod. "Yea, pretty much." Derek says.

I look over at Lydia, who sits five feet away from Peter, glaring at him as if he tried to murder her. Oh, wait, he did.

Derek puts a hand on my arm and entry leads me out of the room.

We close the back door and I look to Deaton.

"No what?" Derek and I ask simultaneously.

Deaton sighs and sits on a table. "We wait."