True North

19

As Lena was making her way to her cousin, she felt fangs descending.

"I thought I was safe from that," she whispered.

She heard a voice say, "Your condition improves."

No one was around as far as she could see. And, the icing on the cake, she was lost.

She shakily pulled out her phone. With little thought, she clicked on a number.

"Hello?" Liam asked.

"Liam?" Lena said. "I think Theo did get to me."

"Lena? Are you okay?"

"No. Weird things are happening to me and my cousin isn't answering his phone. Can you come get me?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure. Where are you?"

"About that..."

"You don't know?"

"No, um, I just ran and-" Claws appeared again, causing her to let out another shriek.

"Okay, Lena, I'm coming to get you. Stay where you are."

A short while later, Liam showed up and asked, "What's wrong?"

Lena shook her head. "I-I don't know. You have to help me, but my uncle can't know. Stiles can't know. Not yet. Please help me. There, um, there was this voice."

"What did it say?"

""Your condition improves." Whatever that means. Help me, please!"

Liam nodded. "I will. I'm gonna take you to your house, okay?"

"No, no, no! My uncle-"

"Your uncle is at the station. I think home is the safest place for you right now. Come on."

Lena nodded and stumbled, holding her jaw.

Liam put an arm around her shoulders and helped her walk.

They reached her house and Liam said, "Here we are."

"Can you come inside with me?" Lena asked quietly.

"Me come inside? We'd, uh, we'd be alone."

"Liam, please! I don't want to be alone and my stupid cousin isn't answering his stupid phone and my uncle is at the stupid station and, and-"

"Okay, I'll come inside with you."

The two walked inside and Lena instantly went to the bathroom to check herself in the mirror, but saw nothing. The claws and fangs were gone, but she wasn't crazy. Right?

---

"We gotta get him out of here," Theo said. "Stiles, come on. We gotta do something."

"You killed him!" Stiles yelled.

"In self-defense!" Theo defended. "He was going to kill you and me! If we stay, we're either going to have to tell the truth or we're going to need a pretty convincing story. It's your choice. I'm not going to ask you to lie to your dad."

Stiles shook his head. "Don't worry. I've had plenty of practice."

---

Stiles and Theo made their way to the Animal Clinic.

They walked into the clinic with Josh and laid him on the table. Theo looked at Scott who was examining the body. "Do you know him?"

Scott didn't look up. "His name's Josh. He was a junior." Stiles placed the cover back over Josh. "So which one did it? Was it the one with the cane?"