𝑽𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓 | Derek Hale & Stiles Stilinski

Chapter 14

The bleachers were packed with spectators buzzing with excitement for the Beacon Hills Cyclones' first real game of the season. Both teams milled around on their respective sidelines as the referee got into position on the field.

Scott and Stiles headed to their team's bench as Melissa, who had just arrived, made her way up into the Beacon Hills High School side of the bleachers. She waved at Scott when she saw him. Meanwhile, Argent, Sylvia, and Allison, the latter holding a box of popcorn, took their seats in the bleachers.

Just as Scott and Stiles joined the rest of the team on the sidelines, Lydia, dressed in a warm coat and earmuffs, approached Scott, called out his name, threatened him, and then walked back to the bleachers.

Lydia sat beside Allison, holding a sign that read 'WE LUV U JACKSON'.

The game started, but the team deliberately avoided passing the ball to Scott, which frustrated Sylvia. Mr. Argent asked, "Which one is Scott again?"

"Number 11," she replied, to which Lydia added, "Otherwise known as the only one who hasn't caught a single ball this entire game."

"He would have if your boyfriend wasn't so insecure about his own performance!" Sylvia snapped back at Lydia.

Fuming, Sylvia stood up and stormed toward the school hallways, a pair of eyes following her. She had never been so angry before. It felt like all the anger and emotions she and the Original Sylvia had bottled up wanted to burst out of her body. The lights in the hallways flickered, and then she heard them—mocking, shouting, wailing voices. It felt like her head was going to burst.

"Stop," she whispered.

"Just stop!" she said louder.

"Shut up!" she screamed, and a few lights burst.

Her heavy breathing echoed in the empty hallway. Ragged breaths, unfocused eyes, and then a clear voice rang out in her ear.

"My granddaughter made a mistake," the woman sneered. "You are weak, unfit to be a Voronov." The woman, with gray hair and cold eyes, mocked her. "You will not survive."

"I will survive," Sylvia said defiantly. "I will live my life to its full potential."

Mocking laughter echoed in her ear, joined by more voices, growing louder and louder.

"Sylvia!" A voice called out to her among the haunting voices. It sounded far away.

Something warm and comforting rested on her shoulder. The voice called her name again. She knew that voice...

She wanted to answer back, to look into his worried eyes and say everything was fine, but she couldn't. Everything was going dark. She was losing the fight with her own body. Before succumbing to the darkness, she called out his name.

"Derek..."

° * ⋆ . ✴︎˚｡⭑.🪐｡𖦹°‧

Derek didn't know why he followed Sylvia, but he was glad he did. He heard her shouting, telling someone to stop, but when he arrived, no one was around. Only her heartbeat was heard, and she was saying something about surviving.

He called her name and shook her shoulder, but she was slipping into a deep slumber. Before she went limp in his arms and her breathing evened out, his name slipped from her mouth. It was a sense of déjà vu from the last time this had happened, and he remembered how he had been unable to save her.

Derek carried her to his car, placed her in the backseat, and let her rest.

Derek couldn't shake the worry gnawing at him as he sat beside Sylvia in the backseat of his car. He didn't know why he felt such a strong instinct to protect her, but it was there, undeniable and compelling. As he looked down at her peaceful face, he was reminded of a time when he had failed to protect someone he cared about. The memory stirred a deep sense of responsibility within him.