Deception

Count Down

"So, one of us has to give our life for Stiles?" Erica said slowly.

However she did not sound disgusted or scornful. Her voice was only covered and smothered in fear.

"No, not one. All five of us have to give their lives for Stiles. There isn't only one noose, there are five" Boyd said, staring at them, eyes wide.

He couldn't take his eyes away.

"And we have only three minutes to decide" Isaac said, looking back to where Stiles was.

He was on his tiptoes. The noose just low enough to make sure he wouldn't suffocate to death but high enough to make breathing difficult.

Scott scowled, face changing and he said glaring at the pack "What's there to decide. Stiles will die if we don't!"

The pack all stared at him.

"I...agree with him. I don't want to die, no more than the rest of you but I can't just stand by and let him die" Boyd said, coming to stand next to Scott, looking at him supportively.

Erica and Isaac, both turned to Derek, who hadn't said a word yet.

He looked at Stiles then looked back at them.

"We can't just let him die" But he shot Boyd and Scott a look as he said "But we can't make this decision lightly either"

"I'm not" Scott growled, flashing his eyes at Derek.

"I thought you were always the one looking for other ways out of things. There's always another way, wasn't that your motto or something?" Derek retorted, eyes flaring in response.

Scott backed down quickly.

"What other way is there? We only have three minutes! Probably less than now!" Boyd said, stepping towards Derek, hands spread out reasonably.

Scott heart raced, Boyd was right. The seconds ticked by quickly, which would soon turn into minutes.

Isaac looking at Stiles, eyes wide. He seemed like he was frozen.

Erica was looking at the nooses that were... waiting for them...

"So? I bet you love this arguing Erica. I bet you can't wait until the minutes go bye" Scott said bitterly, more out of frustration than anything else.

But he was surprised by her response.

"No!"

She glared angrily at him as she said angrily "I may find him irritating as hell but I can't stand by and let one of our pack members die!"

Everyone stopped, all eyes turning to Erica.

"That's what this feeling is inside, isn't it? The Lord to Mind got us to break it because he didn't think we deserved it or understood it and... we probably didn't. Stiles was...human. Humans aren't meant to be pack members but he'd spent so much time with us that he had become one of us but we were to blind to see it. That pain we felt? That proved without a doubt that we'd accepted him as one of us"

She looked down as she added shakily "Despite...not wanting to admit or believe it at the time"

Scott continued, talking to Derek and Isaac most of all "Just like Sorcerer and wolves aren't meant to get along. Stiles natural instinct was to be distrusted by us, by our nature. Sure he didn't shy away from that but he still came here! He still risked his life because we asked him too, so now... don't we owe him the same!?"

Issac didn't reply for a couple of seconds but then gritted his teeth and let out a groan "I hate it so much when you're right"

Scott smirked at him.

Now...

Everyone looked at Derek.

He looked at all of them, they were all determined, all willing.

"Stiles isn't pack, officially. We did break the Pack bond"

"Derek-" Scott started to protect but Boyd elbowed him to shut up.

Scott blinked, looking at Derek unsure.

"Unofficially, it did take a while to realise it. But he'll always be one of us"

Scott's mouth fell open.

"Okay" Derek said "Lets do this-"

"No!"

A whimper.

A cry.

The pack turned to who it belonged too.

Stiles.

There was tears dripping down his face. He was red from not being able to breathe properly.

"No, n-no, no, no. Y-you don't need to do this f-for me. You-you told me so many bloody times I wasn't pack and now of all times you d-decide I am?! What-what the-the hell?!"   He managed to get out. Trying to pursued them to stop.

Derek stepped forward.

"I guess, this may be cliché to say but we didn't know what we had, until it was gone"

Then with that, ignore Stiles shouts and cries, the pack as one climbed on to their stage.

"No! Don't!"

"Scott!"

"Derek!"

"E-Erica, you hate me, don't you? Don't you? Make them stop!"

She ignored him.

Just as they got on to the stage. The ropes swayed silently before them.

There was a horrifying realisation for this to work in the time they had, they would all have to put the rope around themselves, no one had the time to help each other out in securing the nooses.

"Three"

Everyone tensed, the pack looked at each other in fear and shock.

The Grand Master was counting down...

It was rather haunting.

This is it all the pack thought together.

"Two"

Issac was glad he was dying with his pack. Erica fumbled with her rope. Derek was the first one to get his around his neck, for Stiles he thought.

"Stop!" Stiles cried out as the pack quickly looped the rope around their necks.

"One"

Scott had a realisation he hadn't given his mother a goodbye note. The tears started to come.

It was to late now...

Erica was the last one, tears down her face as she started to tighten the rope around her neck.

She didn't want to die but then, didn't everyone?

It was very few who could meet death with a smile.

"Zero"