Teen Wolf: The Alternate Path

Chapter Thirteen: The Disappearance

Volume 2

The tension in our household had become a living, breathing thing, feeding on whispered arguments and slammed doors. My sister Allison's bold romance with Scott was the epicentre of our family's discord, a reckless defiance that made my own feelings seem even more insignificant. I couldn't help but feel a sharp pang of envy—how could she be so fearless, so willing to risk everything for love? And there I was, hiding in the shadows, silently longing for someone who would never see me the way I saw them. My affections, aimed at someone whose heart belonged to Lydia, felt like a cruel joke in the face of Allison's audacity. Yet, despite my bitterness, I couldn't shake the fear that if our father walked in on them now, the fallout would be catastrophic.

Lydia, who'd been attacked by Peter Hale the night of the prom had been in a coma like state ever since, and Stiles had barely left her side. Lydia's scream tore through the evening's quiet, a sound so piercing that it felt as though it reverberated in my very bones. It was no ordinary scream—it was a cry for help, a call to arms that demanded immediate action. Without a word, Allison and I exchanged a glance, a silent agreement that time was of the essence. There was no room for hesitation, no time for doubt. Every second that passed was a second closer to Lydia falling into the wrong hands, and that was something we couldn't afford.

"The ride in Stiles' jeep was a blur of lights and shadows, a chaotic mix of worry for Lydia and the unresolved feelings that gnawed at me from the inside. Sitting behind him, close enough to reach out but worlds apart, I couldn't help but feel the sting of jealousy. Stiles was worried sick about Lydia, and it was clear where his heart lay. Yet, even in the midst of this crisis, I couldn't suppress the yearning that surged within me, a yearning that felt both selfish and inescapable. But now wasn't the time for personal grievances—the task at hand demanded my full attention, and Lydia's safety was the only thing that mattered.".

The Hale House ruins loomed before us, a haunting reminder of a past steeped in tragedy and loss. Every step through the charred remains felt like a journey into a nightmare, the memories of that night clinging to the shadows like ghosts. I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at the edges of my consciousness, a sense that we were walking into something far more dangerous than we realized. The air was thick with dread, and every creak of the floorboards seemed to echo with the whispers of the dead. This was a place that had witnessed too much pain, too much destruction—and now, it threatened to pull us into its darkness.

Scott's mishap with the trap outside added a brief moment of humour to our grim task, but the amusement was short-lived when our father appeared, the three of us scrambled to hide, Stiles pulling me close as we sought concealment in the shadows. The proximity was both a blessing and a curse, the warmth of his body against mine stirring feelings I dared not acknowledge. Every breath, every brush of our arms, was a reminder of the unspoken tension that hung between us. But with Allison there, any fleeting fantasy was just that—fleeting, a dream that would never be reality. Still, the brief closeness left my heart racing, a bittersweet ache that lingered long after we had moved on.

The school day that followed felt like a disjointed dream, the normalcy of classes and lacrosse practice clashing with the dark reality of Lydia's disappearance. Every lesson, every mundane task, was a stark reminder of the void left by her absence, an absence that echoed through the halls like a phantom. The news of the grave robbery and the missing liver only added to the growing sense of unease, a chilling reminder that something far more sinister was at play. I moved through the day in a daze, my mind preoccupied with thoughts of Stiles and the mystery that enveloped us all. The funeral for Kate, the stifling family event that followed—it all blurred together, mere backdrops to the real drama unfolding in the shadows of Beacon Hills.

As Scott and Stiles continued their search, Allison and I were trapped in a world of pleasantries and polite conversation, our thoughts elsewhere. The need to find Lydia, to ensure her safety, was a constant pressure, a reminder of the fragile balance we navigated between our supernatural secrets and the semblance of a normal life.

In the midst of the chaos, there was an unexpected comfort in the knowledge that we weren't alone. Our band of misfits, each grappling with their own demons, had come together for a cause greater than any personal grievance. Lydia's disappearance had united us in a way nothing else could, forging bonds that were stronger than any of the forces that sought to tear us apart. As we prepared to face whatever lay ahead, there was a renewed sense of resolve in our hearts. We were in this together, and we would do whatever it took to bring Lydia back. Because in the end, that's what we were—a family, bound not by blood, but by the shared struggles and the unwavering determination to protect our own.