Howling to the Heart (1)

13.

   "SCOTT, I'm not watching Iron Man again," I complained over the phone, looking down a row in the video store. "We watched it twice last week. It's driving me insane."

"I don't wanna watch The Perks of being a whatever it is," he sighed, sounding like there was popcorn popping in the background. "You always pick either that movie or Harry Potter."

Stopping in front of the horror movies, I glared down at my shoes, imagining they were his face. "There is nothing wrong with Harry Potter," I argued. "Cedric Diggory and Draco Malfoy have my heart. Argue with a wall."

"Cedric died," he deadpanned, "and Draco has daddy issues."

"You have daddy issues," I shot back, tapping my foot against the ground. "I'll find two movies, and then we'll agree on one when I get home, okay?"

"Fine," he grumbled. "I'll drag my mattress down from upstairs. See you soon and stay safe."

"I will," I laughed before hanging up and putting my phone back into my handbag. "Horror or comedy?" I pondered, looking at the selection of horrors.

A phone started ringing in the background, and I looked around, noticing the man on the ladder from before was now gone, which meant he would hopefully answer that damn phone. 

Deciding on Scary Movie, I walked over to the next row, but stopped when I heard the bell chime from the door.

"Can somebody help me find The Notebook?" that annoying, agitating voice asked.

"Of course, you're looking for The Notebook," I snickered, walking down a few rows until I found Jackson already glaring at me.

Darting his eyes down to the movie in my hand, he crossed his arms over his chest. "A horror movie? Why am I not surprised?"

Rolling my eyes, I walked away from him. "Have fun looking for The Notebook." 

I wasn't even surprised that the one night I was without Stiles or Scott was the same night I ran into Jackson. 

Just my damn luck.

He scoffed behind me, and I walked down the comedy aisle, looking for another movie while the phone continued to ring.

"Is anybody working here?" Jackson called out, and I smiled to myself, grabbing The Mask. "Riah?"

Whirling around, I furrowed my brows, confused as to why the hell he would call out for me. "Find the movie yourself, jackass."

"Riah!" he called out again, this time sounding panicked. "Get over here!"

That time, I listened and walked down to the end of my aisle and froze at the sight of his back to me from the next aisle over, while staring down at...are those legs? "What the hell is that?"

Jackson turned around with a panicked expression, his face paling. "I think it's someone."

"I swear, I better not die in here with him," I muttered to myself, walking past him.

Sticking to my side, we slowed down, looking around the corner of the aisle, and I gasped, taking a step back. 

On the floor, the worker from earlier was dead with his throat ripped open and blood covering him.

There was no need to watch a horror movie.

I was in one.

Jackson fell backward, taking down the ladder that hit a light, causing the other lights to flicker.

Dropping the movies in my hand, I quickly rushed over to Jackson and pulled on his arm. "We gotta go," I hurriedly said, only to freeze with my heart at the sound of a low growl. "Do not turn around," I whispered.

But of course, he didn't listen.

Grabbing my arm, Jackson pulled me down into the aisle, and we pressed our backs up against the row, both of us breathing shakily. 

"What the hell is that?" he whispered, eyes wide.

"I don't know," I whispered back, but I did know. 

It had to be the Alpha. 

Derek wouldn't do this to me, and neither would Scott.

Leaning over me, he looked around the corner and then threw himself back to my side with a growl, tightening his grip on my arm. "Do we make a run for it?" he whispered. "I might outrun whatever it is, but can you?"

I shot him a glare. "I was captain of the track team in middle school and last year, asshole."

The row we were leaning against shook, and movies fell down on us, shutting me up real fast. Crashing came from behind us, sounding like the rows had been pushed and were falling like dominoes. 

Before I could get up and pull Jackson with me, he already shoved me out of the way, leaving himself to get pinned by the fallen shelves.

"Jackson!" I shouted, turning around on my knees to see his body pinned to the ground from the waist down. 

Groaning, he looked up at me with wide eyes. "Go! Get out, Riah!"

As much as a part of me wanted to, I couldn't just leave him.

That wasn't the type of person I was.

He dropped his head, and I grabbed his arms, starting to pull him out, only for both of us to freeze at the sound of huffing above us. 

If I weren't sane, I would've turned around and tried to take on the Alpha myself.

But I was sane and felt my heart drop as the Alpha sniffed the back of my head, and then a clawed hand lowered down, dragging a nail lightly over the back of Jackson's neck, where there were puncture wounds glowing purple.

Now what the fuck is that?

The clawed hand disappeared, and then a growl sounded, getting further away from us.

I sucked in a sharp breath as Jackson did.

Glass shattered from the front of the store, and out of instinct, I covered the top half of Jackson's body with mine.