Malia drove to the station. I sat in the car, silent, replaying the events over and over, wondering if I could have saved them or if their fate was inevitable. No, I could have done something. I could have been stronger. I could have been faster.
"You smell," Malia said.
"Yeah, well, I've been running in the woods all night," I replied, taking a sniff of my clothing.
"No, it's not that. You smell like..."
"Guilt," I answered.
We finally arrived at the station. Malia quickly rushed in while I walked behind, my steps heavy with despair. Stepping inside, I could hear her explaining what had just happened.
"Where's Stella?" Stiles asked, worry etched on his face as he came into view.
He pulled me into an embrace, stroking my hair. "It's not your fault," he said, and that's when I broke. My knees went weak, and I was about to fall until Stiles caught me. He brought me over to a seat, kneeling down beside me, gently brushing pieces of hair from my face.
"I tried, Stiles, I really did. But they're gone—all of them. And your dad... I'm so sorry I couldn't get to him. I'm so sorry," I said, placing my face in my hands.
"Hey, hey, hey, listen to me. I love you, and I would never get upset with you about this. This is Beacon Hills. Anything can happen. I'm sure we can get them back... Isn't that right, Lydia?" Stiles said.
I pulled my face from my hands and looked up, seeing Lydia standing there. She nodded softly, giving me a reassuring smile. At that moment, I didn't even care about our issues. Lydia was the only person who could find a way. Stiles stood up and went to his dad's office, coming out with a bat. I laughed at his reaction, just like when we were teenagers.
+++
Lydia suggested we head back into the forest to investigate the burn scene. Malia, Jackson, Parrish, Stiles, and I all looked at her, waiting for a banshee moment that would guide us.
"These rapid burns... There's something systematic about them," Lydia said, examining the scorched earth and picking up a handful of burnt dirt.
"Is she gonna keep talking like this?" Malia asked, her impatience showing.
"I stopped listening six hours ago," Jackson replied, rolling his eyes.
"All right. I'm sorry, but I'm not gonna spend the rest of the day walking through the woods, trying to catch a pyromaniac," Malia said, starting to walk away in frustration.
"Do you have a better plan?" I challenged her, feeling the tension rise.
"We already know what kills the Oni," Malia shot back.
"Silver," Stiles muttered, his voice tinged with a mix of determination and pain. Remembering how he was controlled by the Nogitsune back then, this must be hard for him to relive.
"Silver," Parrish echoed, louder this time, ensuring everyone heard.
"You with me?" Malia asked Parrish. He nodded resolutely.
"Go. Get all the silver you can. And if you find the Oni, don't fight them—kill them," Lydia instructed firmly.
With Malia and Parrish gone, it was just us, trying to piece together what the hell was going on in our town.
"Stella, what do you smell?" Lydia asked, her eyes scanning the charred surroundings.
"Ugh. The horrifying stench of death," I replied, my nose wrinkling at the pervasive smell of decay.
YOU ARE READING
The Stella Argent - Stiles Stilinski {Book 2}
FanfictionLast time on Stella Argent {Book 1} "I can't do this anymore" For the past 3 months Stella has moved to Paris with Isaac and Chris she has learned the tricks about being a werewolf by Derek Hale. She is finally happy and ready to take on the world...
