✓ | battle wounds, scott m.

chapter fifty five.

Ella mentally thanked herself for deciding to wear normal vans instead of her timberlands from earlier as she ran through the woods, her and Scott trying to find any sight of Liam. Ella's eyes were glowing their white to give both her and Scott light. They came to a stop, looking around. A growl then ripped the air and Scott was being tackled to the ground and rolling downhill. Ella widened her eyes and ran down the hill, calling out Liam's name to try to stop him from clawing out Scott's eyes. Liam pushed Scott against a tree, Scott surprisingly staying calm through it all. "Liam Liam, wait!" Scott called out, "Stop." "What did you do to me?" Liam asked in an animalistic voice. "Liam!" Ella called. "This is your fault. It's all your fault! This is your fault!" Liam continued to yell at Scott.

Suddenly the sound of an arrow being shot through the air made Ella crouch down, the arrow hitting the tree behind the boys and sparks flying through the air. "Ah!" Liam growled as he blocked his eyes with his hands then ran away. Ella and Scott turned to see Chris Argent with a crossbow. Chris walked over and helped Scott up, giving Ella a hug. "How did you know?" Scott asked. "I got your text," Chris nodded, "Now, listen. There's a clearing just north of here. All you have to do is corral him there. The rest is taken care of." "What are you going to do?" Scott asked him. "He's your Beta, Scott. The better question is what are you going to do?" Chris asked.

"He won't listen to me. He only listens to Ella, really," Scott said, Ella smiling softly. "He will listen to you if you start using your own words," Chris said as a loud yell from Liam went through the air. Chris handed Scott the button for the emitters, "Here. Go."

Scott and Ella shared a look before nodding and then running to where Liam's yell had came from. They came across a clearing, Liam on his knees in the middle of it where four emitters were placed in a square. He groaned in agony, Ella's features softening and eyes going back to normal when she saw and heard the pain he was in. Scott pressed the button for the emitters to stop, Liam continuing to breathe heavy. Ella and Scott slowly stepped towards him, Liam lifting his head up slowly. Ella bent down beside him and wrapped her arms around him, stroking from his forehead to the middle of his head softly. "What's happening to me?" Liam asked, breathing heavy.

"The same thing that happened to me," Scott answered, Ella looking up at him as well. Liam was silent for a few moments before he began to cry, "They can't know about this. My mom, my stepdad, I can't do this to them again." "What do you mean again, Liam?" Ella asked softly. "I got kicked out of school and I deserved it. The way they looked at me when they saw what I did to that car. ." Liam trailed off, looking at Ella with his baby blue eyes. "Liam, it's okay," Scott added him. "They can't see me like this, Ella," Liam shook his head, "Like a. . like a. ."

"Like a monster?" Scott asked, causing Liam to look up at him and nod. Scott rose to his feet, "You're not a monster. You're a werewolf." Scott glowed his red eyes, "Like me." A proud smile plastered itself onto Ella's features as both she and Liam then stood up with Scott.

▽

Ella stood in her father's office along with Scott and Stiles. "So, the Walcott's were the first. At least the first that we know about. Four murders," Stiles started. "Sean, his brother, and their parents. They were killed by a professional assassin called The Mute. Weapon of choice, a military tomahawk," Ella continued. "But then The Mute was killed by Peter Hale after he tried to blow up Derek with a Claymore mine. Next was Demarco. He delivered a keg to the party at Lydia's lake house. And got decapitated outside his car. And then last night, 23 year-old, Carrie Hudson," Stiles finished off. "It's a dead pool. A hit list of supernatural creatures," Scott said, taking the paper out of his pocket, unfolding it, and giving it to Noah, "This is only part of it. The rest still has to be decoded."

"Who found this list?" Noah asked. "Lydia," Ella responded. "How?" Noah asked. "She wrote it. Actually, she transcribed it. Without realizing it," Stiles replied. "Banshee?" Noah asked. "Banshee," The twins said simultaneously. "Beautiful," Noah nodded, "All right, what are these numbers next to the names?" "We're getting to that," Stiles pointed, "First, you need to know that the code was broken with a cipher key." "Wait. You mean, like a Like a key word?" Noah asked. "It's actually a name," Ella sighed sadly. "Allison," Scott nodded. "Her name broke a third of the list. And now we think there's two other cipher keys. Which will give us the rest of the names," Ella stated.

"Okay. So how do we get the cipher keys?" Noah asked. "Same way we got the code," Ella nodded. "Lydia. She's been out at the lake house all weekend trying to find the other two key words," Scott said.

"You didn't know about Demarco or Carrie. Right? And what about these other two names on the list? Uh, Kayleen Bettcher and Elias Town. They werewolves too?" Noah asked. "I don't know," said Scott, "But Deaton said that the Nemeton would draw supernatural creatures here." "Here being Beacon Hills? Or Beacon County? The population of Beacon Hills is just under 30,000," Noah said. "And dropping," Stiles added. "But if we're talking Beacon County, then you're looking at close to 500,000," Noah said as he sat down, "Look, how many werewolves, banshees, kitsunes and whatever the hell else is out there are we talking about? And what if the next cipher key uncovers not 12 names but 100?"

"We don't think there would be that many. There's a limit," Stiles said. "Because of the numbers," Scott pointed to the list, We think that once we decode the names, the numbers will add up to 117." "Million," Scott said, Stiles writing 'M's And 'K's beside the names. "117 Million Stolen from the Hale vault and is being used by someone to finance all these murders," Stiles nodded. "Someone who wants every supernatural in Beacon Hills dead," Scott said. "So the coded list goes out. And somehow these professional assassins get that list," Noah said. "And a cipher key," Stiles added. "And then they go after the names on the list. They being killers with no mouths, tomahawks, thermo-cut wires that can take your head off," Noah said.

Ella flipped through the pictures on the table, taking out the picture of Carrie's bloody and cut chest, "Let me see. Carrie was also stabbed. What's this mark?" "We're not sure yet. We're still waiting on the ME's report. There's one other thing I don't get. How did this new assassin know that Demarco was going to be at the lake house?" Noah asked. "Everyone knows he delivers kegs to teenagers for a little extra cash," Scott nodded. "Ah. So whoever ordered that keg killed Demarco," Noah said. "Yeah, it was someone at the party," Stiles said. "A student."

▽

"So what are we doing again?" Ella whispered to Scott. "We're introducing Derek to Liam," Scott answered. "Mhm. By getting him angry?" Ella asked with a raised brow. Scott smiled at the girl and pecked her lips before turning and watching, Ella shaking her head. "Is this yours?" Derek asked Liam, holding up a lacrosse stick. Liam nodded, Derek breaking the stick in half. Derek threw the halves at Liam's feet, Liam looking up at him and breathing heavy as he went to attack him, but was caught by the throat and pushed against the lockers. Liam snapped at Derek, Ella pushing forward and calling his name, "Liam." Liam's eyes trailed over to Ella and returned to normal.

"You're right," Derek said, "He is angry." Derek then let him go, Liam going to Ella's side. Scott held up Liam's actual stick, "This one's yours." He tossed it to him, Liam looking back at Derek as the bell rang. "Get to class, Liam," Scott nodded, Liam turning back to him then walking out of the locker room without another word. Ella and Scott watched Liam walk out before turning back to a smiling Derek. "What are you smiling about?" Scott asked. Derek nodded, "You're gonna be good at this." "Are you kidding? I am totally unprepared. Remember how you said you could teach me a few things? I think, right now I could use a full-on training manual," Scott over-exaggerated.

"I'll tell you one thing. That anger he's got? It'll make him strong," Derek said. "And dangerous," Ella added. Derek nodded, "Very." Scott sat down, "This was supposed to be the semester I could focus on school again. But Kate's back. And I've got a Beta. And there's a dead pool." Derek sat beside him, "If all our names are on that list, then that's what we should be focused on. Do you think Lydia can get that second key?" "She's working on it."