Not A Monster [LIAM DUNBAR]

I Promise

"Are you guys totally sure about this?" Liam muttered, pacing Scott's bedroom and biting his thumbnail. The plan was absolutely insane- they were going to pretend Scott was dead and tell this benefactor guy that "visual conformation" wasn't possible, hoping he/she/it would come to get the conformation himself.

"Y-yeah," Aspen agreed, twirling the hunting knife she had brought in between her fingers- something Allison had taught her with a drumstick- nibbling on her bottom lip as she watched Kira prepare to shock Scott to death. Figuratively. At least she thought so. "Maybe we should just bail on the whole thing."

Liam nodded in agreement as he continued to pace back and forth.

"I think they're kind of nervous," Kira told Scott uneasily, "Maybe you should tell him it's going to be all right."

Scott smiled at his girlfriend. "It's going to be all right."

It didn't help ease the freshmen's nerves. Liam continued to pace when Aspen couldn't take the sound of his squeaky converse anymore. "Please stop pacing before you burn a hole in the floor," she snarled unintentionally. He stopped at her sharp retort, and she sucked in a breath. "S-sorry," she apologized, "J-just a little nervous..."

Liam smiled and laced his fingers through her's. "It's okay," he assured her.

Off to the side, Scott admired the couple, rubbing Kira's hand against his. They reminded him of Allison and himself when they were dating- he just hoped it didn't end the same way.

"You've done this before," Liam asked Mrs. Yukimura who stood on the side, "Right?"

"I've seen it done," she replied sharply. It was very clear to Aspen and the others that Mrs. Y wasn't too keen on the idea that could get the majority of them killed. "Is that just as good?" Aspen squeaked.

"No." Aspen's hand tightened around Liam's.
"Mom," Kira interjected, "You're not inspiring confidence."

"Good," the kitsune scowled, "This is a terrible idea." Kira raised an eyebrow at her mother. "Do you want us to do it without you?"

Kira's mother frowned once again and ordered, "Put your hand over his heart." Kira did as she was told and Aspen fought the urge to bury her head in Liam's shirt.

The tension in the air was almost palpable as Kira prepared to send her boyfriend into a state in between life and death. Aspen had recalled the last time the teenagers had done that, when Allison, Scott, and Stiles sacrificed themselves to find their parents, and knew it hadn't ended well, not easing her frayed nerves the slightest bit.

Just as Kira was about to slide her hand over Scott's bare chest, he grabbed her wrist. "Hold on," he asked, sitting up on his blue sheets slightly, "What happens while I'm out? Am I gonna feel anything?"

Aspen watched as Liam's blue eyes flicked nervously from his alpha to Mrs. Yukimura, waiting for a response. "It might feel like you're dreaming," she told them, and Scott eased a little under Kira's cold palm. "Good dreams or bad?"

Mrs. Yukimura replied with something that revived those nerves. "I suppose that depends on you."

Aspen and Liam wouldn't dare watch, but felt the electricity course through the air as Kira let loose webs of blue energy, and Scott's body arched off of the bed as he gasped.

And like that, it had begun.

<><><>

Aspen's fingers trembled when the screams started. Melissa's screams, as Liam's stepfather told her the news of her dead son. Sobs, screams, and tortured wails echoed through the hospital halls and into the morgue where Aspen, Liam, Stiles, Kira, Mrs. Yukimura and Scott's half dead body waited. Amidst all of her swirling thoughts, Aspen had to admit- Melissa was a great actress.