Perpetual

Chapter 3

Theo's pack traipsed through the underground tunnels, silently following Scott McCall and Stiles Stilinski. The two boys were talking, pointing a flashlight at something on the ground.

Tracy snuck up behind them, her claws reaching toward one of the boy's necks.

Stiles fell to the ground as Tracy pierced his neck with her paralytic claws. The gross substance dripped from her fingers as the boy groaned.

Scott turned around. Tracy growled at him, swinging her claws towards him. Josh ran up behind the alpha as he dealt with Tracy.

"Scott, behind you!" Stiles yelled.

Theo sighed angrily, motioning for Tessa to go to the paralyzed boy and shut him up so he couldn't warn Scott of the others.

Tessa walked quietly to the boy, standing in front of him. His eyes widened.

"Tessa?"

Smirking at the boy, Tessa snapped her fingers and long vines began to grow from the cracks in the ground. They slithered their way towards the boy as his eyes grew wide in panic.

"Tessa. Tessa," Stiles cried. "What are you doing? Why are you doing this? We're your best friends, your pack!" he yelled frantically.

Tessa scowled. "I don't know who you are and I don't care. Now will you please shut the hell up?"

The boy's eyes widened. "You—you don't know me?"

She just rolled her eyes, willing the vines to move faster so he would stop talking.

"Tessa, come on. You gotta remember something. What about Liam?"

"Met him already. Wasn't that impressed, to be honest."

"Oh my god," Stiles gasped. "You don't remember anything."

Tessa shrugged as the vines began to creep up his face.

"Tessa, come on. Hey, you remember that time that no one wanted to watch Star Wars with us so we watched the entire series by ourselves? We ate junk food and popcorn. You told me that your favorite movie was The Empire Strikes Back and I thought you were crazy because obviously, Return of the Jedi is the best one."

"I don't even understand half of what you just said," Tessa told him, annoyed with his constant chatter.

Stiles looked like she had just insulted his entire family, "You don't remember Star Wars?" he gasped. "Star Wars? That's not something you can just forget. I don't understand how y—"

Finally, the vines reached him, moving over his mouth so all that came out were muffled sounds.

Stepping back, Tessa realized that Scott had taken down Josh and Tracy and was advancing on a cowering Corey.

Scott raised his hand, ready to fight Corey but a vine snapped from the wall, wrapping around his wrist and pulling him away. His eyes widened in shock, looking around frantically until his gaze landed on Tessa. There was a split second of happiness and relief on his face before he realized that she was preparing to attack.

Tessa rushed at the alpha who looked hesitant to fight her. But he didn't have a choice as she launched herself at him, kicking him in the stomach and sending him stumbling backwards, away from Corey.

"Tessa, what're you doing?" he asked. "Tessa, come on, we're friends! More than friends, you're like a little sister to me."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" she shouted angrily. "I don't know any of you!"

Scott's dodged her hit, narrowly avoiding the sharp objects that had grown from her fingernails.

"Woah, when did you get those?" Scott asked, studying the talon-like objects.

Tessa didn't respond, using the puddles of water that had formed from the dripping pipes, she pushed her hand towards the werewolf, sending a splash of water directly into his eyes. He stumbled back and a vine swept his legs out from under him.

He jumped to his feet, lunging at Tessa. His claws raked across her face, sending her flying into the wall. Her head smashed against the concrete and the breath was knocked out of her. She lay there stunned for a minute, her head spinning. Scott looked sad as he watched her gasp for air.

Tessa started to push herself to her feet but her head spun and she crashed back to the ground, the murky water soaking into her clothes. Scott stood above her, watching sadly as she struggled to get up.

"Okay!" Theo rounded the corner. "Maybe they're not ready to take on an alpha."

Corey rushed over, helping Tessa to her feet and supporting most of her weight as blood trickled down her face from the deep scratch marks across her cheek. Tracy joined them and the three of them stood before Scott as he watched Theo approach. Josh was still paralyzed on the ground from when Scott had used Tracy's claws to take him down.

"Especially one that can smell fear," Theo added, glancing at Corey.

"He's got fangs!" Corey protested.

Tessa felt sorry for Corey. He didn't really have any defensive skills. His specialty was hiding, blending in amongst the shadows. He wasn't equipped to fight like this.

Theo nodded Tracy and Corey over to Josh. Corey helped Tessa lean against the wall before going to help pick up the paralyzed boy.

"What did you do?" Scott asked.

"I found some new friends," Theo said. "I don't take rejection well."

Tessa managed to walk over to Theo's side. Scott watched her sadly. Tracy and Corey dragged Josh away. Theo looked down at Stiles, glancing back at Tessa and sending her a nod. Tessa waved her hand and the vines receded from Stiles' face.

He coughed angrily. "Hey, Theo," annoyance laced his tone.

"Stiles," Theo replied, smirking.

Theo looked down at the floor where the black light Stiles had dropped was illuminating words written on the ground. He glanced at Tessa, nodding.

She smirked, raising her hand in the air. The ground beneath them shook and the concrete cracked, the area where the words were written no longer legible.

Theo smirked at Scott and Stiles, taking Tessa's hand and intertwining their fingers. Scott growled.

Theo walked forward, pulling Tessa along beside him. "You're gonna leave here thinking that you need to worry about me. But you're wrong."

Scott turned to face them as they circled around him, backing up so he was closer to Stiles.

"We're actually back on the same side."

Scott looked skeptical.

"Because that thing...That's what we need to worry about."

Theo and Tessa stood beside the rest of their pack, Corey still helping hold up Josh.

"Your pack and mine. We're gonna go back to school and pretend like we're normal teenagers, but at night, we're gonna be fighting for our lives."

Stiles, still laying on the floor, turned his head. "What is it?" he asked.

"It's not a chimera," Theo said.

"But it's just a kid underneath. Someone like us," Scott said.

Theo shook his head. "'Not anymore."

Scott didn't say anything as Theo smirked, turning away. The rest of their pack followed, leaving Scott and a paralyzed Stiles behind.