2. | PATIENT 37 [S. STILINSKI]

chapter nine: [pain]

"This is why we're here. To fight through the pain and, when possible, to relieve the pain of others. So simple. So hard to see."

  Indigo's POV

             Water splashed and splurged all around the loft, the scene unfolding before my eyes. I furrowed my eyebrows, confused. I saw the girl who had claws for toenails, Kali, grab an electrocuted Boyd from the water. Ethan and Aiden rushed to the wolfed out Derek, jutting out his hands which included his claws. Kali lifted Boyd and dropped him, straight onto Derek's claws. I screamed, but no noise came out, nobody reacted. They just watched as Boyd sputtered for air, blood dripping down Derek's fingers.

  Derek watched in horror as Boyd fell to his knees in front of him. Kali rolled her eyes and walked away, passing me. Ethan and Aiden followed, like loyal dogs.

   "I'm giving you until the next full moon, Derek. Make the smart choice. Join the pack." Kali called out, not even giving a second look to any of us. "Or next time- I'm killing all of you."

Derek felt so much anger, he wanted to let Boyd go and rip Kali's spine right out of her back. But he couldn't leave his beta. Not now. Derek's facial hair retracted, along with his fangs and claws as he held Boyd gently now.

   

    "Hey, hey, hey, stay with me. . ." Derek tried to ease Boyd, but Boyd shook his head, just barely.

"It's- okay. . . " Boyd muttered, his eyes hardly even open now.

    "No, no it's not okay." Derek shook his head, water flying from the ends of his hair.

"It's okay, D-derek." Boyd assured.

     "I- I'm sorry." Derek apologized.

"The full moon." Boyd whispered, his last breaths leaving. "The feeling? I-it was worth it."

       And Boyd's eyes shut, no hope of opening ever again.

    I startled awake, my eyes opening to a metal ceiling instead of the normal beige one. Oh god, Boyd. My lip quivered as I almost broke out in enormous sobs. I couldn't tell them. I couldn't tell Boyd. Boyd was going to die.

  I frantically looked around, seeing tables, lights, test tubes, liquids. Tears fell from my face at the familiar scenery. The experiment. The tests. The blood.

    A large squeaking noise made my neck crane over, seeing two large metal doors swing open. Two men were pushing in a large chrome industrial fridge, the top barely making the doorway. They wheeled it into the room, and I spotted a yellow caution sign, warning of the contents inside. I furrowed my eyebrows and when I went to sit up, my ankles and wrists yanked back, reminding me horribly of where I was.

The noise made the two men snap around to look at me, their eyes widening at the sight of me.

    "Go get Dr. Parr. She's not supposed to be awake yet." The taller of the two nudged the other, setting him off on a run. His footsteps were only echos as he traveled farther away. I sighed and glanced back at the man who was still here, seeing his gaze still on me.