The Outbreak

Chapter 14

Stiles POV

I'm nervous. My knees are bouncing uncontrollably and I can't seem to sit still in the ute. Mitchell is driving, Meg is in the passenger seat while Scott and I are in the back seats. There are some other people in the back of the ute, weapons ready to be used if need be. It's a long journey. Scott told us where about his base is, so we all know where to go. Well, sort of. We basically just ask Scott for directions most of the time. We have already been on the road for six hours. We are all having a turn driving. I was very on edge while I was on my first shift of driving for this trip, but at least it means I was alert. I bite the side of my gums slightly, trying any possible way to contain my nerves. I let out a deep breath, my knees still bouncing up and down crazily. That is, until Scott puts his hand on one of my knees. They stop bouncing immediately. I turn to look at my best friend with curiosity and confusion. "Hey, you don't have any reason to be nervous about this, okay? They're your friends and family. Besides, I will be here with you the whole time." Scott smiles reassuringly at me. I breathe a quiet sigh of relief, already feeling better. "Okay. Thanks, Scotty. I don't know what I would do without you." I reply gratefully, causing Scott's cheeks to tinge a slight shade of pink.

"How long did your friends and family think you were going to be away for, Scott?" Mitchell asks from the front curiously. "I told them two weeks, give or take. Scavenging for supplies always varies, so I don't usually give them a fixed time. I do tell them before I go out by myself if I'm not back in a month, then they should start assuming the worst." Scott answers my friend. "Lucky we found you, huh?" Meg comments. I swear she is smiling as she speaks, happy for both Scott and I. Mainly me though, since she has known me longer. "Yeah, it is. If you didn't, I would have died or become infected and Stiles would have never found me or our friends and family." Scott nods in response.

"That's so cool you're best friends with a werewolf, Stiles." Mitch comments after a moment. I exchange a smirk with Scott.

"Yeah, it is." I chuckle.

"We had the craziest and most terrifying times in high school. The town we grew up in had a lot of supernatural threats that we had to stop before they destroyed all of Beacon Hills and potentially further." Scott adds.

"Did you guys have a pack or something?" Mitch asks curiously.

"Yeah. All of our close friends and family were - no - are in on it. Scott is the leader. He's the true alpha, which I think is pretty damn cool." I announce proudly as I turn to look at my friends in the front. From the corner of my eye, I see Scott shift slightly and a blush creep up onto his face. I unknowingly let myself smile at that. Scott has always been so humble and down to earth, even when he gained the extra power and leadership. I really admire that about him. "Aren't they rare?" Meg asks.

"Yeah. Scott is the first true alpha in at least 200 hundred years." I reply in a cheerful time. Mitch let's out an impressed whistle. I glance over to Scott and notice that he is blushing profusely now. "Sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you." I smile sheepishly at him. Scott turns to look at me. "It's fine. I just... I don't know, it's weird to be talked about in this way after so many years. No one really talks about the supernatural back at my base anymore, let alone true alphas. The supernatural aren't excluded from getting the virus or being overthrown and killed by the infected. It's all about surviving until the next day." Scott explains to me. I nod in understanding.

"Fair enough." I reply, taking note that Scott's hand is still on me. It is keeping me calmer though, so I appreciate that.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing your friends and family, Stiles." Meg comments from the front.

"Yeah, I am too. I have really missed them." I smile softly.

~~~

Several hours later, Scott is driving in the middle of the night, my head leans against the front passenger window, my eyes starting to drop closed. Meg and Mitch are already snoring away in the back, sleeping peacefully. The gentle movement and constant humming noise of the ute are calming me, helping me feel more relaxed and sleepy. It has been a long day. Driving is tiring. At least we haven't run into any infected. We drove past a few, but barely any came and blatantly attacked us. If they did, the guys in the back of the ute would shoot them down quickly enough.