The baby, the Alphas and the Fox (Book 3)

Chapter 二十二

Over at the loft, Jennifer Blake pulled open the entrance door, her footsteps echoing as she stomped into the room. "Derek!" she called out, her voice laced with urgency. She moved further inside, her pace quickening. "Derek, where are you?"

"Right here."

Jennifer turned, her eyes widening as she saw Derek walking slowly from the shadows, his expression unreadable. "Oh thank god," she muttered, rushing to him. She threw her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug. "Something happened, at the recital, at the school. I need to tell you before you hear it—before you hear any of it from them."

"Hear it from who?" Derek asked calmly, his eyes boring into hers.

"Scott. Stiles. They're going to tell you things—things you can't believe. You have to trust me, okay? You trust me."

"What is it?" Derek asked, looking at her intently.

Jennifer's eyes were filled with desperation. "Promise you'll listen to me," she pleaded.

Derek nodded. "Promise," he said softly.

Jennifer leaned in, pressing her lips against his in a soft kiss, but she pulled back almost immediately when she felt him stiffen, unresponsive. She looked up at him, her face falling in realization. "They're already here, aren't they?"

Derek's gaze shifted over her shoulder, and Jennifer turned, her eyes narrowing as she saw Scott and Stiles stepping out from around the corner, with Kylie in Stiles' arms. Their expressions were hard, filled with distrust, while Kylie clung to Stiles, her head resting on his shoulder. Jennifer's jaw tightened. "So... they told you it was me? That I'm the one taking people?"

"We told him you're the one killing people," Scott said, his voice seething with barely contained rage.

Jennifer's lips twisted into a mocking smile. "Oh, that's right. Committing human sacrifices, slitting throats. Yeah, I probably do it during my lunch hour, then head back to teach high school English for the rest of the day. Makes perfect sense."

"Where's my dad?" Stiles asked, his voice hard and unyielding, though his eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

Kylie tightened her hold on Stiles, sensing his distress.

"How should I know?" Jennifer snapped, turning back to Derek. "Derek, tell me you don't believe this."

A tense silence followed, Derek's expression unreadable.

"Do you know what happened to Stiles' father?" he asked, his tone cold.

Jennifer's face fell, her eyes widening in horror. "No," she gasped.

"She tried to kill Lydia," Kylie said, her small voice cutting through the tension as she turned to look at Derek.

"Lydia Martin?" Jennifer looked genuinely appalled. "I don't know anything about that!"

Derek's gaze sharpened. "What do you know?"

Jennifer hesitated, the pressure of the moment causing her to take a step back. "All I know is that these boys, for some misguided reason, are trying to fill your head with absurd stories, and they've already managed to fill a four-year-old's head with unbelievable lies." She turned to Scott and Stiles, her expression defiant. "Stories they can't even prove."

Scott lifted his head, a determined look in his eyes, as Stiles gently set Kylie down. "What if we can?"

Jennifer's face fell, her confidence slipping. "What?"

"Deaton told me about a poison and a cure," Scott said, looking at Kylie, who opened her small palm to reveal a vial. "Which means it can be used against you."