North Starr

70

Melanie pushed open the library doors. She frowned, thinking it was way too quiet. She ignored her concerns and stepped inside.

"Lydia?" Melanie called.

"Melanie?" a voice in the darkness said. "Why are you here?"

Melanie turned to see Scott and held up her phone. "Lydia told me to come."

"She told me to come too."

"Try to call Lydia. Something feels off."

Scott nodded and tried to call Lydia. They heard a buzzing and began following a trail of Mountain Ash covering the first floor. They walked out from the stacks to see Theo finishing up a Mountain Ash circle with his hands.

Melanie's eyes narrowed. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"That's not possible," Scott said.

Theo smirked. "You're right. A werewolf shouldn't even be able to touch Mountain Ash."

"You're a Chimera."

"I'm the first Chimera. It's the coyote part you don't notice. It's why Malia trusted me first, even though she probably didn't know it. You found the perfect word though, Scott. Because a Chimera isn't just a monster with different parts. It can also mean something impossible to achieve. An unrealizable dream."

Melanie frowned. "They realized you?"

Theo turned to her. "They came close with me. But we can't all be perfect. We can't all be True Alphas."

Scott attempted to rush Theo, but crashed into the Mountain Ash barrier and was bounced back.

Theo winced. "Damn. I felt that." He turned on a cell phone jammer. "No calls Scott, Melanie. No Stiles, no Malia, no Lydia. You two are just going to have to wait here alone for what happens next."

"What do you mean?" Scott asked. "What's next?"

"The Supermoon," Theo replied.

He left and Scott pushed against the barrier with forceful determination, but failed. "Come on... You've done this before. You can do it again," he whispered.

Melanie sat on the ground. "You're stuck, Scott. There's no way out. Don't worry, I won't leave you alone."

"There's has to be."

Scott took a puff from his inhaler and tried to cross the border again. He was bounced halfway across the room. Melanie rolled her eyes, then noticed a storage room and pulled out a ladder from the room.

She and Scott set it under a window and broke it, then climbed to the roof. Scott was panting for air the entire time.

Scott reached as high as he could and they realized they were surrounded by Mountain Ash.

Scott began wheezing again and tried to take a puff from his inhaler, but it didn't work. He crushed the device in frustration to reveal purple dust.

The friends exchanged a look and said, "Wolfsbane."

A smaller male figure caught their attention and they realized it was Liam.

"Theo let you in," Scott said.

Liam narrowed his eyes. "Did you lie to me?"

"I never lied to you."

"But you won't save her!"

"I can't save her! At least, not with a bite. If you'd just thought about it for a second, Liam, you would know that I'm right."

"I am thinking!" Liam cried. "I'm thinking about alternatives!"

"Liam, it's the Supermoon," Melanie told him. "Just like with a full moon, it's fueling your anger, making you more aggressive."

"It's making me stronger! You're gonna keep your promise! Even if it kills you!"

Liam shifted and let out a loud roar. He punched Scott in the face and pushed Tabitha out of the way. Scott tried calling out to him. "Hey, Liam, stop. You're not gonna save her by killing me or Melanie..."

Liam growled again and attacked Scott who held back. Glass shattered and they fell through the roof. Pieces of glass rained down as Liam grabbed a chair and swung it at Scott who stumbled back and narrowly avoided the chair.

Melanie attacked Liam and he growled at her. While he was distracted, Scott flipped him onto a table.

As Liam was held there, Scott tried to talk to him. "He's using you, Liam. He wants you to be the alpha because he can't take the power from me. Only you can. But once you do, he'll take it from you. He knows Melanie will try to stop him. That's why he wants you to kill us..."

Liam shook his head. "That's what you don't get, Scott. I want to kill you two. I want to!"

The beta resumed growling and snarling.

Liam gained the upper hand and pinned Scott down, clawing at him. Scott raised his arms to defend himself.

Mason ran in and yelled, "Liam! Liam! Liam! Liam!"

Liam turned to face his friend. "Hayden. She's gone. Hayden died a few minutes ago. She's gone."

Liam ran off.

Mason helped Scott up and asked, "What happened?"

"It's the Supermoon," Scott said.

"I was just..."

Theo cut him off. "Bad timing."

Melanie glared at Theo as he appeared. He knocked Mason out and frowned. "I mean, seriously. You couldn't have waited five minutes? I should've stayed. I should've made sure. Because now you'll have to kill me yourself. They're still mine. Especially you, Mellie. You're feisty, determined and have an attitude I like. Maybe not yet, but they'll come around."

Melanie's eyes flashed as she spat, "Don't call me Mellie!"

Scott nodded and said, "Not for you. They're not like you. They never will be."

"Because I'm a Chimera?" Theo asked. "Because I'm not a real werewolf?"

"Because you're barely even human."

Theo flicked his claws and jabbed them into Scott's abdomen. The red glow from his werewolf eyes faded and his eyes closed.

Melanie let out a shrill scream.

She and Mason tried reviving Scott, but couldn't.

Melissa arrived and saw her son. "Scott! Scott! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no..." She stopped. "Okay."

"What?" Mason asked.

Melissa started chest compressions. "One, two, three, four, five..."

"What are you doing? We already tried that."

"Six, seven, eight..."

"What are you doing?" Mason repeated.

"Bringing him back."

Mason frowned. "But his... His heart. He... He hasn't had a pulse in over 15 minutes. You can't bring someone back that's..."

Melissa shot him a long. "He's not someone. He's my son. And he's an Alpha. And he's too strong to die like this!"

"Melissa, it's..."

"Shut up! He's too strong to die like this. Come on. You can do this. You're an Alpha." She pressed on his chest. "Come on, Scott. Roar. Come on! Come on, Scott. Roar!" She hit his chest harder.

Scott shot up with blazing red eyes and let out a roar.

As soon as he stopped, Melanie hugged him and he returned it.

"I'm okay, Melanie," Scott reassured.

Melanie nodded. "I know. Now let's find our friends."

"That sounds like a great idea."