Appetite for Destruction

The Enemy Of My Enemy Is Still My Enemy

By morning I was an exhausted mess. I'd spent the entire night running around the preserve trying to find Derek; the smell of Wolfsbane was too overpowering to latch onto any other scent at the house and I'd howled to no response, run around the woods in the hopes of finding any sign of where they'd taken him... nothing. It was like he'd disappeared into thin air. 

Deaton let me in through the back entrance when I returned muddy and defeated, and handed me a cup of coffee that I was extremely grateful for. I drank it without hesitation; if he wanted to poison me, I'd consider it fair payback for kidnapping him. Plus, I was too exhausted to care.

Scott startled awake an hour after I returned, lurching upwards with a gasp and rolling off the table to his feet. "Not so fast, Scott." Deaton was there to steady him when he swayed. "Maybe you should sit down, huh?"

The bell on the front door jingled, and I tensed. "Hello?" Deaton called, and when there was no answer he made towards the door. I shared an uneasy look with Scott, but Deaton just gave us a reassuring smile before he left the room.

We waited in silence while Deaton informed the person that sorry, the clinic was closed.

"I'm here to pick up," Peter's voice reached us and Scott took a step back, panic flashing across his face. My heart started racing, and I knew that Peter would be able to hear it.

"I'm not sure I remember you dropping off." Deaton said, ever the professional.

"These ones wandered in on their own." Peter said pleasantly.

"I'm afraid I can't help you," Deaton was still calm in the face of the Alpha. "Like I said, we're closed."

Scott retreated to the corner I'd claimed as my own last night, crouching there and gesturing for me to join him, but I didn't. I had a different plan. A plan that was stupid and incomplete and not even close to a good idea.

Peter wanted to kill the Argents, and it was the Argents who had Derek, and if Peter wanted to kill the Argents he needed Derek, so he needed to find Derek, so my best bet at finding my brother was...

Joining Peter was the last thing I wanted to do, but right now it was all I had. Scott wasn't a bad ally, but his priority was keeping Allison safe and right now that wasn't my motivation.

Peter dropped the façade. "You have something of mine." He said in a voice that promised violence.

I stepped out into the reception area in time to see a chair shatter against the wall to Deaton's left. Deaton didn't even blink as splintered bits of wood rained down over him. Deaton was a badass. 

I stepped up to the counter and gave the vet my best attempt at a smile. "Thank you for the hospitality," I said, looking at him so I wouldn't have to look at Peter and see the smug expression on his face.

"Are you sure?" Deaton asked, and for a second he looked concerned before the professional mask of stoicism returned. I nodded, trying my best to keep the uneasiness off my face.

Peter reached out to hold the counter's swinging door open for me and recoiled. "Mountain Ash," He growled. "How old school."

Deaton was able to touch the door just fine, opening it just enough for me to slip through and closing it quickly once I was out. Peter smiled and put a hand on my shoulder. "Look who finally saw sense," He cooed, and I scowled at him.

"I'm not doing this for you."

"Oh, I know." His hand tightened on my shoulder hard enough to hurt. I inhaled deeply, held it, and breathed out slowly. I wouldn't let him get under my skin. This was for Derek, and I'd do whatever I had to for Derek.