From Prey To Predator (A Teen Wolf Saga)

Chapter Six: Succubus

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The Beacon Hills animal clinic was unlike any other veterinary establishment. For starters the clinic owner, Dr. Alan Deaton or as most just called him "Deaton" was the sole veterinarian on staff. Deaton was not just a domesticated animal lover but a supernatural animal lover as well. His Druid Emissary background had linked him to advising several Werewolf packs over the years, including the Hale family and now Scott McCall and his friends. Other than himself, Scott was the only employee on Dr. Deaton's payroll. The young Werewolf had begun his veterinary studies earlier in high school, earning years of experience under his mentor's supervision by the time Scott chose to become a vet himself. Other than the two person celestial staff the clinic had other unique qualities.

    Parts of the clinic are made of Mountain Ash. The magical deciduous tree was woven throughout folklore in many regions as a ward against evil beings, although it seems to ward off any supernatural creature. A thick line or circle of the silver, shimmery powder creates a barrier to keep mythological creatures out or trap them in. Deaton lined his animal clinic with Mountain Ash, purposely making it difficult for the paranormal to cause any trouble. The peaceful Druid was always one to help those in need, especially ones who searched for questions regarding the unexplainable case files but was anything but naïve. His knowledge was power and there were some who wanted to exploit his wisdom.

    The Mountain Ash was a safety precaution but the alarm system was not always connected, if it had been Scott would never be able to clock in on time. No celestial entity could pass a balustrade made of the magic wood when it was connected, switching on the supernatural security system. The swinging waist high door, separating the waiting room and the Employees Only zone was the straight edge completing the full circle. If the building structure was not enough peace of mind for some, Deaton had another ring surrounding the back room that could be activated by a small pinch from the bottle he kept on him at all times. The animal clinic was the safest place in town.

    To some ordinary humans  the police station, where the psychos were locked up and a couple dozens officers roamed around, was their safe haven. Certain people may seek answers from a teacher or a parent. When said answers could not be found an ordinary human may turn to a library, or likely the internet. But Scott was not an ordinary human. Scott had Derek Hale for lower division knowledge about the paranormal but Deaton was the Supernatural Encyclopedia. Derek was unable to come up with answers about the mysterious deaths, but maybe his mentor could. The animal clinic was not exclusively a safe haven but an unlimited source of wisdom.

    The years Scott had worked at the clinic, pre-Werewolf-transformation, he rarely volunteered his early morning spare time to cleaning out  cat cages or feeding the furry patients. His tune changed immensely by junior year. His desire to be on the fast track to becoming a veterinarian had drove him to come home solely for work purposes on the weekends and excited for school holidays. Scott's giddiness had usually been the reason he arrived early to hit the coal mine but today Deaton's knowledge is what brought Scott and Stiles bustling through the back door an hour before the closed sign flipped to read "open."

    The vibrant oranges and pinks hovering over the California landscapes had been taken over by the clear blue sky not long after the two boys reached the clinic. Scott stopped abruptly when he reached the open doorway. Stiles, who was definitely not a morning person, bumped into his friend's back. The two cups of lukewarm coffee Stiles carried in each hand leaked out the sides, causing a couple mild curse words to fly from his mouth.

    The young Werewolf shot his friend a wide eyed and very much annoyed look, in which Stiles replied with an eye roll. The half-awake human was a klutz as is, before ingesting caffeine he could not be responsible for his actions.