Bloodlines

Part 3

Xxx

Welcome to the room of people

It had haunted you for days to follow. Faces you'd never seen before, but now would never forget. Faces you knew before, but wanted to forget. The torture, the flames, the pain.... All of it burned every time you closed your eyes. There was nowhere to hide.

It didn't help that it bled into the current pack situation. You couldn't look at anyone the same anymore. Along with the fire, Peter had given you the lovely gift of a brief recap of the makeup of the current pack members, a side which you were sure was entirely tainted with his bitterness that oozed all over every memory, but all the same, it made you think twice, look three times, and breathe deep until the wave passed.

It had you clutching doorways randomly throughout the day, your knuckles turning white as you gripped the steel frames at school, swearing the metal was about to crumple under your vise like grip.

The paranoia was the worst of it. Nowhere was safe. Hunters were everywhere. Spooks and evil creatures in all the dark corners you dared to look in, disappearing when you blinked, and sometimes deciding to stay, making you question which side of reality you were on.

Lydia tried to help when she could, noticing the cloud hanging over your head, the zoning out as you started to see things that weren't really there, something she was all too familiar with. Putting a hand on you gently, saying your name, she was usually able to pull you back, just in time for you to stop making your way from whatever monstrosity you were seeing, looking away before you made it to it's face, which you were sure would never leave your mind no matter how hard you tried.

Stiles tried his best, distracting you with every moment that wasn't occupied with school or pack business, talking your ear off, and you didn't mind it for once. His voice kept you grounded, your only real way to tell which side of the world you were currently on, which side of sanity.

You wanted to question everyone's motives, a nagging feeling in the back of your head telling you there was a reason to second guess whatever they said, whatever they did, whatever happened, no matter what.

You were surrounded by faces you knew, but didn't understand. People you understood, but didn't know.

You were surrounded by uncertainty, and that was the scariest part of all.

Who have rooms of people that they loved one day

The name had come up in pack meetings dozens of times, but you hadn't put two and two together until he walked into the loft mid meeting one night.

"Chris?" Your voice of surprise abruptly stopping the current conversation, but you didn't care. You hadn't really been listening anyway.

"Y/N?" His voice had changed, was gruff and weathered, and his face carried a weight beyond his years. "I'd heard you were in town, but just haven't crossed paths with you yet." His smile still made his eyes sparkle, despite the obvious burden he carried on his shoulders, and it made you feel a little bit better knowing at least that part of him wasn't gone.

Flashes. A face. An intense rush of memories from your own end coming out of nowhere.

"I'm sorry about Allison." Your bottom lip trembled. "I should have been here. Even if I wasn't in on all this supernatural crap, I could have been there or something-"

"It's okay, Y/N-"

"No! She was my friend, Chris!" Your voice cracked, heavy with unshed tears. "For years, before Beacon Hills, I remember all the family trips, all the lakeside getaways, all the-" You had to stop. Some cache of memories you hadn't entertained in years unleashing themselves all at once, playing behind your eyes, and pulling on all your heart strings.