The Longer I Live

Chapter 25: It's Always Better When They Know

The Sutcliffe Gold Mine had been abandoned for over a century ever since the forefathers of Beacon Hills mined all the gold during the Gold rush of the 1850's. Now a boarded up and considered a historical landmark, many tourists have visited site but never knew the true history that a Native American massacre took place nearly a century ago.

Under the light of the blood moon, Stiles Argent drove his father's Lexus near the entrance within twenty minutes of Peter Hale's request as the teenager got out of the car and got a flashlight from the vehicle's trunk. Noticing the opening no longer boarded up, he shined the flashlight through the darkened cavern and entered.

Through pitch blackness, he descended the cave past bats and other rodents until he saw a light glowing from around the corner of the cavern. Following it, he crept near the corner and peeked in.

From his vantage point, he recognized the primitive cave drawings from his dreams then turned to the roaring fire centered inside the chamber. Shooting his hazel eyes to the right of the cavern, he saw his family and Danny chained up against the stone wall unharmed, before concentrating his focus on the tall, male figure at the head of the chamber.

Both hands of the gentleman had been bloodily impaled with silver daggers to a wooden crucifix fixated on the rocky foundation as dark hair drooped forward unconscious. Slowly he lifted his face, allowing the Stiles to identify the green eyes and handsome brooding features.

Stiles gasped as soon as he recognized him.

"Derek..." he whispered. The piercing migraine hit again his forehead signaling that danger was near. As the pain subsided, the teen tried not to turn around.

"Welcome to my home, Stiles Argent."

A voice behind him signaled that he was in trouble. Twirling around, he saw Peter Hale standing in front of him with his clawed hands folded together.

"I love what you done with the place." Stiles rolled his eyes.

Pushing him forward, the teen followed. Allison spun her head to see her little brother and called out.

"Stiles!"

"Stiles! You shouldn't have come!" His mother cried. Small tears wet her eyes realizing how helpless they were at that moment.

"What is it you want? Money?" Sheriff Argent asked struggling with his manacles. "I'm sure we can work out a deal. No one has to get hurt."

The skin-walker cackled. "You humans are so predictable! Everything has to involve monetary value!"

"WHAT IS THAT YOU WANT?" Allison shouted. "LET US GO!"

"I like your sister, Stiles," smirked the evil shaman. "She has spunk. Maybe I can convince the Ravenmocker to make her my mate since my last one was killed."

"Okay you have me," Stiles reasoned with him. "Now let my family and Danny go!"

"Oh yes, Danny," the skin-walker taunted. He walked over to the boyfriend and lifted Danny's face with his claw. "The rival. Did you enjoy the nice photos I sent your family of you and Derek? It's amazing what a wide-angle lens can do nowadays."

"That was you?" Anger displayed on the teen's face.

Wicked laughter released from the skin-walker's lips. "For a tribe who is against technology, Derek should get with the times. Modern gadgets are so useful when they can be weaponized. Tell me, Stiles Argent, I wonder who should win in this love triangle? Team Danny or Team Derek?"

The brown-eyed teen shrugged his shoulders. "I wouldn't exactly call it a love triangle. I mean it possibly could be since I got a werewolf on one side and if Danny suddenly started glittering in sunlight, then it would be considered a Stephanie Meyers cliché. However, that would mean that love would be involved..."