His Ink On My Skin

Chapter 3: Covetous & Or Something

Key for this chapter:

Stiles' Thoughts

Anyone Else's Thoughts

'Old dialogues memories, spoken out loud thoughts, the past in general...'

///Memories///

POVs

""Not an Actual Speech or Thought""

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Warning: Alternative POVs

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Peter, Isaac, and Scott checked the territory markers and cut a perimeter run, Isaac behind them, Peter in the middle, and Scott in front, they kept darting off the path and reemerging mixing up their order.

Peter strategized that if they ran in a linear format it would attract whoever attacked Jordan and Derek, who had a unique rapport. Derek spoke more to Jordan than he did with anyone, something about the no-age difference worked for them, so they'd been pretty loud while they were looking for the ball.

Accordingly, Isaac called out, "Left!" and they scattered Scott moved left first, and then Peter when Scott returned five minutes later, and then Isaac.

By the time they'd finished checking the preserve, they hadn't found a single clue. There were no scents, no markers, no disturbed flora or fauna; everything was as if nothing had been messed with—natural—like a forest should be like the preserve would be.

"Something's not right", Peter stated as leaned over to catch his breath, "It's too—"

"Clean", Scott interrupted also panting for breath.

"Clean?" Isaac asked, "I just feel like we've stepped into a tomb that hasn't been touched in a long time", he answered wiping sweat away.

Peter nodded, "I don't know what it is, but from where I see it, it looks like someone purified the entire preserve, it feels a lot like someone went on a ritualistic rampage to clean the entire forest, not just the preserve, there are no scents, not even from morning or late night joggers. Animals that have been killed or carcasses that have been left behind are no longer present. Let's just say it's like being in a hospital—"

"Not even a hospital", Scott shook his head, "It's like being in a decontaminated isolation ward, everything is clean", he grimaced through his teeth.

Isaac nodded, "I get it, I get it!" he raised both hands in surrender and sighed, "The bottom line though is that come what may we still don't know who attacked Derek and Jordan, and we don't have a clue what that creature is", he sighed, "Should we regroup?" he asked curiously, "Back at the hospital?" he asked.

Peter and Scott nodded, and they both turned to leave, only for Peter to pause, "The forest", he hissed, "It's starting to re-purify itself", he growled turning in a full circle.

"What do we do?" Isaac asked hissing cautiously.

"We follow the scent of the air, the purer it gets the closer to our threat we get", he stated and started running forward, Isaac and Scott nodded at each other and followed him; they ran for what felt like forever until they reached a creek.

Peter paused looked left then right and sighed heavily, "Of course", he grumbled and then dived into the water, he swam across in fluid motion, the act looked alarmingly alluring, and sexy. But Isaac shook the thought off and followed Peter into the water;