𝑯𝑰𝑹𝑨𝑬𝑻𝑯 | Scott McCall

Chapter Fourteen

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THE DARK clouds closed in around them, heavy and oppressive. Scott, Stiles and Lydia lingered in the shadows, their nerves taut and their breaths shallow. In the hush of Lydia's bedroom, the stillness seemed stifling. Every minute ticked passed, stretching into an eternity.

Scott's heightened senses picked up every soft sound, making their quiet room feel even more enclosed. Stiles fidgeted, his fingers dancing anxiously over the surface of a nearby table.

Lydia's glare intensified as the rhythmic tapping of Stiles' fingers against the table echoed through the room. The constant noise heightened her already frayed nerves. "Stiles!" she snapped, her voice sharper than intended.

He flinched, immediately stopping the tapping and slumping back in his chair, looking sheepish. "Sorry, sorry."

Scott sighed and ran a hand through his hair, his foot gently tapping the carpeted floor. "Do you think it worked?"

Lydia shrugged, her eyes stilled on the window of her bedroom. The moonlight filtered through, causing light shadows against her walls. "I hope so."

After a few minutes of waiting, the doorbell rings, echoing through the silent house. All of them suddenly sat up straight, and aware.

"No way..." Stiles said, walking over to the stairs and to the front door.

Lydia opened it and Alex stood outside. She was in jeans and a purple top. A light leather jacket hanging over her. "What's going on?" She asked nervously.

"We've got a situation," Lydia said, fixing her gaze on Alex. The three of them stood in the room, the door closing behind her with a soft click. "It's a little more complex than what we originally thought."

Alex looked at them curiously, her eyes flickering between Lydia and Stiles. "Is it another supernatural problem, like what happened before?"

Stiles nodded eagerly. "We think something's happening with Lydia's powers. You know about them right? From the show?"

Alex nods, looking at Lydia. "Yeah I do. What's happening?"

"We think somethings stopped her from using them, something supernatural."

"Exactly," Stiles interjected. "It's as if her powers have just... disappeared."

Alex looked uncertain, and a hint of fear crept into her eyes. "But why?" she asked softly. "Who or what could be causing this?"

Scott shrugs, "That's what we're trying to figure out."

Alex nodded, her mind racing as she tried to piece together what could be happening. "So, you think it's some sort of supernatural force that's causing this? Something's blocking Lydia's powers?"

Lydia nodded, she spoke up this time, "Exactly. This has never happened. My powers are too strong to be 'blocked' by something or someone. But whatever this is, is even stronger than we imagined possible."

Scott and Stiles both looked at each as Lydia spoke, their expressions a mixture of concern and curiosity. This was new territory for all of them.

"But if whatever this is is stronger than your powers, stronger than anything we've seen before," Scott spoke up, "then how do we even begin to figure out what it is or how to stop it?"

Alex sighed, shaking her head in disbelief. "I guess this puts a hold on trying to get me back to my reality?"

The room fell silent for a moment as everyone considered her words. Finally, Scott spoke up.

"For the time being, I think we need to focus on figuring out this supernatural situation first," he said, his voice firm. "If something is blocking Lydia's powers, it could be a threat to all of us. We need to get to the bottom of it before we can think about getting you back home."

She grunts in frustration, "Caleb is going to be pissed. He's pissed enough as is."

Scott and Stiles exchanged slightly alarmed looks at the mention of Caleb's anger. They knew how volatile he could be. "We'll just have to deal with him when the time comes," Scott said with a sigh. "Right now, our priority is figuring out what's causing Lydia's powers to be blocked and how to stop it. We'll deal with Caleb later."

Alex nods. She knew her brother well enough this might just send him over the edge. He hated the fact that he had to drag himself into a different reality just to save his sister, and was being stuck longer than he had thought. Scott seemed to sense Alex's unease, and offered a sympathetic smile. "I know it's not ideal, and I know Caleb must be on edge," he said. "But this is bigger than just getting you back home. We have to deal with this supernatural threat, and we need your help to do it."

Alex smiled back at Scott and nodded. "No, I know. I want to help. I'm not worried about him. He's the one who got himself here in the first place."

Scott let out a soft chuckle, the tension in the room lightening slightly.

"Yeah, that's true. He's a bit of a hothead, huh?" he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. Stiles nodded in agreement, rolling his eyes.

She nodded and chuckled. "I love him, I do, but sometimes I have to knock some sense into him. Alright then, it's late now, should we get some sleep before we tackle this?"

Scott glanced at the clock on the wall. It was getting late indeed.

"Yeah, I think that's a smart idea," he said, stifling a yawn. "We could all use a good night's sleep. We'll regroup in the morning and start figuring out what steps we need to take next."

Alex glanced over at Scott, her gaze lingering just slightly before she cleared her throat. "Yeah. Are we staying here at Lydia's?"

Scott nods, taking notice of Alex's gaze but not saying anything about it. Stiles seemed oblivious, as usual. "Yeah, we should probably stay here for the night," he said. "We can figure out the sleeping arrangements. Lydia's got enough space for all of us."

Lydia smiles and nods, she also took notice of the glance, but said nothing. "My parents are out of town for the weekend, two of you could use that room, and one of you could sleep with me."

Both Scott and Stiles exchange looks, trying their best to hide their surprise. Scott recovers quickly.

"Uh, that sounds good," he says, "thanks, Lydia." Stiles is a bit less subtle, his eyes wide as he glances between Alex and Lydia.

Stiles nods and speaks up again, patting Scott on the shoulder knowingly, "I call Lydia's room."

Scott gives Stiles a glare, but before he can protest, Lydia chimes in.

"Sure, sounds good." She shoots a knowing smile at Scott, who tries to keep his expression neutral despite the heat in his cheeks.

Alex clears her throat, "Looks like you're stuck with me, Scott." Scott's eyes darted over to Alex, trying to hide his surprise. He hadn't expected to be paired with her. Stiles snickers in the background, obviously enjoying this.

"Looks like it," he said, forcing a casual tone, though his heart was starting to beat a little faster.