Series 5 Episode 7
"Beta"
Staring at the walls, avoiding eye contact, Lily was finally getting stuff off her mind. Though she couldn’t divulge everything to Denise, she was getting pretty good at skirting around the supernatural details.
“Jono’s barely left his bedroom,” Lily opened up, “He’s not said a word to Dylan. They’re usually inseparable. He’s not even said a word to me. I’ve tried to check in on him, but he’s ignoring me.”
“Being shot is a big deal,” Denise replied, “Perhaps he needs to clear his mind.”
“But this isn’t like him,” Lily responded. She knew her brother better than anybody. He had never done this before, and both of them had been through some crazy shit, “We’ve always been close. He adores Dylan more than anyone too. He could never shut him out like that.”
“Sometimes you just need to prove that you’re there for him, and he’ll come to you when he’s ready,” Denise advised. It was a good point, but Lily felt impatient and helpless. Perhaps she just needed to give him time to breathe. Dylan and Lily had to keep each other strong.
“Jono’s barely left his bedroom,” Lily opened up, “He’s not said a word to Dylan. They’re usually inseparable. He’s not even said a word to me. I’ve tried to check in on him, but he’s ignoring me.”
“Being shot is a big deal,” Denise replied, “Perhaps he needs to clear his mind.”
“But this isn’t like him,” Lily responded. She knew her brother better than anybody. He had never done this before, and both of them had been through some crazy shit, “We’ve always been close. He adores Dylan more than anyone too. He could never shut him out like that.”
“Sometimes you just need to prove that you’re there for him, and he’ll come to you when he’s ready,” Denise advised. It was a good point, but Lily felt impatient and helpless. Perhaps she just needed to give him time to breathe. Dylan and Lily had to keep each other strong.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Braced for yet another rejection, Dylan wasn’t willing to give up on Jono any time soon. In fact, he was determined to get through to him.
Dylan could understand why he had shut himself off; he had been forced into something he would never have chosen to do, and it was irreversible. Dylan just needed to make it clear that it was the only option, and he did it solely out of love.
Cautiously, Dylan knocked on the door. Once again, no response, as expected. Dylan entered anyway – he never usually knocked, just as Jono didn’t in his room, but he afforded him the courtesy this time.
“Hey, it’s just me,” Dylan peeped around the door. Jono was lying on his bed, under the duvet, facing away from the door, “I know you don’t want to talk to me, but I’m not giving up.”
Still no movement or acknowledgement from Jono. Dylan perched on the bed, behind Jono, “What I did, I did for you. I couldn’t let you die. Maybe it was selfish, but I don’t care. I couldn’t lose you. Not when I had one more card left to play.”
Jono’s head moved to face Dylan. He was listening.
“I’m not annoyed at you, and I’m sorry if I made you think that,” Jono spoke. Dylan was so relieved to hear his voice, “It’s hard, though.”
“I know. I never chose to become a werewolf. None of us chose what we are. We’ve just got to make the best of it,” Dylan reasoned, “I guess you healed?”
“You wouldn’t know I’d got shot,” Jono confirmed.
“Alright. I can help you, you know, learn everything. Learn control. When you’re ready of course, there’s no rush,” Dylan reassured. He was ready and willing to everything he could to help Jono out.
“I’m sorry,” Jono started crying. He seemed very fragile, and Dylan hated seeing him like that.
“You have got nothing to be sorry for,” Dylan wrapped his arms around him, hugging him like he was the most precious thing in his life. Because he was, “It’s me who needs to be sorry. I’ve fucked your life up.”
“Shut up,” Jono replied tearfully, “I’d be dead without you. That’s scarier than seeing my eyes glow.”
Dylan didn’t let go of the hug. He wasn’t sure what he did to deserve Jono, but he was cherishing every single second of his company. He didn’t think he’d ever get this chance again.
Sat comfortably in Ed’s office, Yasmin was ready to fill in some gaps. Ed was perched in the doorway with Caroline next to him, leaving McCall to take the hot seat on the other side of the desk. He was extremely helpful towards them when they had to speak to Jake, and now Yasmin, with Josh’s help, was ready to answer any questions McCall had. It was the least he was owed.
“So you’re werewolves,” McCall began.
“Yes,” Josh responded.
“I’m a nix,” Yasmin corrected, “The others are all werewolves, except Lily. Long story there.”
“Okay, and your pack involves your other son, Sheriff?” McCall interrogated.
“Yes,” Ed simply responded.
“And we’re very supportive,” Caroline noted, as if she had something to prove.
“How do you know Scott?” McCall wondered.
“He helped us out a few months ago. Scott, Stiles and Lydia,” Yasmin informed, “He’s pretty great, you must be proud.”
“I am, but what I still don’t get is why your kids are running your station, Sheriff,” McCall focused back on his investigation.
“It’s not his fault,” Josh interjected, “We’ve not given him any choice. He always tells us no, but we ignore him. He always goes by the book.”
“Is this true?” McCall looked up to Ed.
“He’s like this at home too. A pain in the ass, but never a liar,” Ed responded with dignity. The intense atmosphere surrounding McCall had been broken. Finally, he could understand.
Smash!
A noise came from through the station, distracting all of them from their conversation.
“What the hell?” Ed immediately sprung to action, pacing back into the station. Within an instant, Ed fell to the floor, paralysed. The kanima stood there triumphant, and it was ready to fight.
“Nothing here,” Freddie relayed to Drew and Sierra. He had just checked the back exit of Mr. Forsyth’s warehouse, but there was no sign of Dami. Dylan had said she was there, but either she had scarpered, or was very good at hide and seek.
“Upstairs is clear too,” Allyn reported as she and Kamilah returned from the staircase.
“We’ve got a lead,” Drew informed, “Sort of.”
Freddie was all ears. Whilst Dami had caused a hell of a lot of pain, he didn’t want to see her dead. Drew led the way into the main basement room, where Mr. Forsyth held Josh captive before. Blood was scattered all over the floor. Freddie examined the scent – it wasn’t Dylan’s, so it must have been Dami’s. They were the only two there recently.
“She was definitely here,” Sierra noted, “And we can track her. Five of us can surely track one of her.”
“She’s dying,” Kamilah observed, “I can smell it.”
“We could split up. Cover more ground,” Freddie suggested, “We can get to her quicker.”
“If she’s still alive,” Drew mentioned bluntly. The group fell silent. It was a knowing silence, too; Drew had a very valid point, but nobody wanted to openly agree. The silence spoke for them.
“If we move now, she could still be alive. Just,” Kamilah advised, “I’ve seen bite victims last up to a week before dying, but most are lucky to last a day.”
“Can you save her?” Freddie queried.
“Should we?” Drew questioned. He was as unsympathetic as ever.
“Yes,” Freddie firmly responded, “Dylan wouldn’t let her die. If he can forgive her, so can we.”
“To answer your question, I don’t know if I can save her. It might not be possible, but I promise I’ll try,” Kamilah answered informatively. That was enough hope for Freddie to make him feel like he was doing something worthwhile.
Sat anxiously at the bench, Jono was being driven mad. Everything he could hear was so loud and unavoidable. School was the last place he wanted to be in many ways, though he desperately needed some normality. So much was changing; Jono needed to hold onto what he could.
Dylan was opposite, which was a comforting thought, but he couldn’t even focus on him. Chatter. School bell. Car engines. Noise everywhere. It was all around him. In his ears. Louder and louder. Jono couldn’t cope.
He stood up, slamming his hands onto the table furiously.
“Jono,” Dylan firmly called out, bringing him back to normal.
“Sorry,” Jono replied. He looked around. People were staring at him. He felt like a burden. He hated not being able to look after himself.
“Dude, I know how you feel, remember?” Dylan reassured.
“I just get frustrated. I can’t control myself,” Jono felt himself getting angry again. He couldn’t calm down. He didn’t know how any longer. It made him angrier and angrier the more he thought about it.
He gripped the table, trying to keep himself cool. However, his claws slid along the wood, leaving firm scratch marks.
“Okay, we need to go. Now,” Dylan reacted instantly, flustering. He grabbed Jono’s hand tightly and pulled him through the school rapidly, pushing him into the toilets. Jono looked in the mirror. His eyes were indeed glowing. The terrifying yellow glare was a constant reminder that he’s no longer himself.
“I can’t calm down,” Jono growled, feeling the angriest he had ever felt. He looked directly at Dylan. He wanted to kill him. He wanted his blood on his hands. He was the reason for this. He needed to pay.
Unusually, the kanima didn’t seem interested in Josh. He was the only werewolf in the sheriff station – he should have been its prime target. However, it was too busy guarding the Sheriff himself.
Ed was lying on the floor, unable to move after being paralysed by the kanima’s venom. He was at the mercy of Dami, wherever she was. She must have still been alive if the kanima was doing this. It was following orders.
It lurked over Ed, blocking Josh from approaching with its swooshing tail. It wasn’t killing or hurting Ed, though. It barely seemed interested in him. In fact, it was instead rooting through his pockets, as if it were looking for something in particular. It pulled out a set of keys. The keys that unlocked the cells. Including Jake’s cell.
“Stand down,” McCall ordered, taking his gun out and aiming it directly at the kanima.
“Guns won’t work,” Yasmin pushed the gun downwards, “Our friend is in there.”
“Noah stands no chance if they don’t find Dami,” Josh thought of Drew and Freddie. The kanima hissed at them, giving them a warning to stay away, before eloping in the direction of the cells.
“We can’t let it break him out,” McCall protested.
“Just think. It might lead us to Dami,” Yasmin reasoned.
“And Jake’s so stupid, he’ll probably hand himself back in,” Josh nervously laughed. Though he was joking, Josh knew that Jake acted irrationally, and that could make things even worse.
Dami’s scent led in two directions. Drew and Allyn took one route, following the weaker trail. Drew knew that could mean one of two things. It could be a weaker scent because it’s older – she could have moved by now. In fact, for someone in Dami’s position, moving would be the sensible option.
The other option meant it was a red herring, designed to make Drew think exactly that. Dami was intelligent, it was exactly the sort of smart thinking that Drew needed to account for.
He definitely felt uneasy about helping her. He had seen the effect of hunters on Crystalshaw before. The world would be a better place without them. However, he understood the Dylan way of thinking too. She was only their age, and no matter what she had done, she didn’t deserve to die.
He could tell Dylan felt guilty though. He was the one who bit Dami, and the bite was why she was dying. The bite takes or kills – there was never an alternative. Dylan acted in a position of desperation. He was trying to save Jono, and maybe he did. A bullet to the stomach was far better than a bullet to the chest. He just needed to help Dylan understand that.
“It’s getting stronger,” Allyn noticed as they reached the cusp of the forest.
“Of course it leads here,” Drew sighed. He knew the forest like the back of his hand – it was his advantage against the hunters before. Now it would be the same again. Dami did not have an advantage in the forest, but maybe she knew that?
“We don’t have to go in,” Allyn raised an eyebrow, teasing him.
“Oh, I’m no scaredy cat,” Drew replied playfully.
“Prove it,” Allyn played along.
“Okay. First one to the big tree over there wins,” Drew suggested, pointing to the biggest tree in sight, roughly one hundred metres away, “On my go. 3, 2…”
Allyn had already gone. Drew wasted no time in sprinting after her. He got down on all fours, his claws gripping into the muddy ground as he paced rapidly towards his target.
He saw Allyn. He was catching up to her. They were almost at the tree. If she was going to play dirty, so was he. Drew reached out and clasped his hand around Allyn’s ankle, pulling her to the ground. Drew tried to sprint ahead, but Allyn grabbed his ankle in response. He fell too, toppling downwards uncontrollably onto the muddy floor.
“You deserved that,” Allyn laughed.
“Hey, you started it,” Drew chuckled back as he crawled to lie next to her. The leaves and mud ruined his finest jeans, but he didn’t care. It was an oddly intimate situation. Two wolves among nature. It felt fitting.
Drew and Allyn shared a glance, just for a moment. They were together on their own, and closer than ever. Drew couldn’t help himself riding the moment further. He leaned in towards her, gently pressing his lips against hers. Drew felt lost in the moment; nothing else mattered in the world. His hand carefully caressed his cheek. He was in heaven.
Withdrawing calmly, Drew heard a rustling noise. He looked around, startled. They weren’t alone.
Watching as Jono veered towards him, Dylan felt scared of his boyfriend for the first time. It was a strange sight – Jono had hair on his face, large fangs and glaring yellow eyes. He was Dylan’s first true beta, and Dylan wasn’t sure how he felt about that.
What he did know was how Jono was feeling though. He had been through it before. The uncontrollable rage. The lack of control. He just needed to help Jono conquer the wolf.
“Jono, I know you’re in there, you need to find your anchor,” Dylan advised. He knew the methods Jono needed, but would he be able to get through to him?
Jono growled. He hadn’t received the message. His fangs were bared, ready for action. Dylan glared his eyes back. He was the alpha. If the wolf didn’t care for Dylan as a human, it had to respect its superior.
Jono instantly looked intimidated, but not completely deterred. Dylan had to roar. He was in school – hundreds of people were nearby, within easy hearing range. It was the only option left.
“Jono!” Lily yelled from the doorway. He looked round to her. Immediately, he calmed himself, shifting back. It was as if he’d caught himself red-handed. Jono looked back at Dylan apologetically. The shame was evident in his expression.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t, I…” Jono couldn’t get his words out. Dylan pulled him in tightly for a hug.
“It’s okay,” Dylan comforted, “I’ve got you. You’re safe.”
Dylan could never be annoyed at Jono for that. He understood, and what Jono needed was support and reassurance. It was going to be a hard journey for the both of them.
Traipsing the forest, Freddie was locked onto Dami’s scent. It was strong, so she had to be near. He wasn’t expecting her to go down without a fight, so he was mentally prepared for an attack.
However, Freddie was still prepared to save her. Freddie never doubted Dylan’s way of working. He wasn’t a murderer, and the humanity he had been brought up with didn’t get to vanish because he was technically no longer a human.
“What’s your story?” Sierra queried, making conversation.
“I got bitten about a year ago,” Freddie replied.
“I thought Jono was Dylan’s first proper beta,” Kamilah noted.
“He is, Dylan didn’t bite me, Josh did,” Freddie corrected. It felt like such a long time since he got bitten. Everything felt so normal; a word he never expected to use to describe the supernatural. He was surprised at just how quickly he had gotten used to being a werewolf.
“Josh? He was an alpha? Y’all kept that one quiet,” Sierra remarked, “He sounds a little more…bold than Dylan.”
“Off his rocker, you mean,” Freddie noted, “He was pressurised. I was collateral damage.”
“Some friend he is,” Sierra remarked, “You could’ve killed him. You could have been the alpha. You still could.”
“That’s not how we work,” Freddie immediately said.
“Imagine it though. Freddie the alpha. You would be in charge,” Sierra continued.
“Josh is my friend,” Freddie yelled, “And so is Dylan. Stop trying to make me like you. We’re not the same.”
Sierra looked stunned. Before she could respond, Freddie noticed a rustling sound in the surrounding bushes. Something was with them. Dami’s scent was at its strongest so far. She must have been very close.
“Don’t make a sound,” Sierra ordered. Freddie felt like his heartbeat was on full volume. His breathing even sounded loud among the pure silence.
The rustling intensified. Something was nearing them. Two figures came into view, shrouded by the shadows. Two familiar faces approached into the light. Drew and Allyn. Freddie breathed an audible sigh of relief.
“Splitting up worked well,” Freddie laughed.
“Don’t get excited, she’s still out here somewhere. She must be,” Drew replied.
“You’re very…muddy,” Kamilah observed.
“Really? I hadn’t noticed,” Allyn coyly smiled. Drew looked like the cat that had got the cream. Freddie knew it was only a matter of time before something happened between them.
“She’s close, we need to keep looking. Together,” Sierra commanded.
BANG!
Gunshots all around. Loads of them. Firing relentlessly. Freddie ducked for cover. His heart rate shot through the roof. They had landed in a trap. Just as the hunters wanted.
Scared of the kanima on the loose, Yasmin nevertheless refused to let it out of her sight. Everything it did could provide clues to Dami’s location. She had to make mental notes because every detail was important.
It darted for the cell where Jake was locked. It must have known they were watching on, but it wasn’t threatened. The kanima had the instincts of an animal – if its territory or life weren’t in danger, it didn’t care. Any last scrap of humanity was buried deep inside. Buried in Noah.
“We could stop it, trap it in there,” McCall suggested.
“It’s going to lead us straight to Dami, we need it,” Yasmin whispered. She understood McCall always had an eye on the law, but this was a perfect plan. Perfect yet stupid at the same time.
The kanima expertly unlocked the cell as Jake smiled devilishly. He had got exactly what he wanted.
“Back up,” Josh mentioned as they headed out of the cell room.
“Sorry not sorry,” Jake smirked as he passed by with complete ease.
The deputies in the station would be even more confused than they already were, but nobody could interfere. Not only would it disrupt their plan, but it would put Noah at risk. The kanima was still Noah, and Yasmin was keen to remember that.
“Stand down,” McCall commanded as they passed through the main office area. The deputies looked bewildered. A human-sized lizard was walking a prisoner out of the station. Yasmin could hardly blame them for their confusion.
“Stop,” Monty arrived, blocking the exit.
“Don’t do this,” Yasmin warned. He was going to get himself hurt. She glanced to Josh – he looked just as worried as she did.
“Move, lover boy,” Jake threatened. The kanima snarled.
“Give me Noah back,” Monty ordered. Josh pulled him out of the way. He knew it wasn’t worth the risk, sharing Yasmin’s train of thought.
“I’ll give you all one piece of advice,” Jake warned, “Run.”
Seconds later, he was gone. Yasmin felt a chill run through her spine.
“Come on, let’s follow,” she sprung into action, feeling fired up. Yasmin was ready to kick their asses.
The newsroom. The only place in the school that Jono could guarantee would be private. Only he and Dylan had a key to the room, so they were safe from prying ears. Now they could properly talk. Dylan sat next to him at his desk, with Lily opposite. Both shared the same concerned expressions. Jono was strapped in for the ride.
“You know I could hear you,” Lily spoke as if she were telling him off, “In the corridor. Your werewolf ass could be heard by anybody out there. You’re damn lucky it’s me and not someone else.”
“You think I had control over that? I’m new to this, I’ve not learnt what the others know. It’s okay for you, you don’t shift, you just reap the benefits,” Jono hit back. He instantly regretted hitting out. Lily wasn’t to blame. She looked shocked by his words. Stunned into silence.
“I can teach you. Heck, I’ve had experience, I’ve been trying with Noah for months, but we need to practice calming down first. You need to find your anchor,” Dylan explained.
“Like on a ship?” Jono was trying to understand the concept. He had heard Dylan mention it before, but its importance had drastically increased.
“Exactly. My anchor is you,” Dylan answered, “Yours can be anything. Maybe it’s me, or Lily, or your parents, or even a memory. Anything that keeps you grounded. Anything that keeps you human.”
“I don’t think anything keeps me more grounded than you,” Jono smiled. Surely Dylan was the perfect anchor for him?
“Do mom and dad know?” Lily queried.
“No, I can’t face them yet,” Jono explained.
“They need to know,” Dylan advised, “I kept it from my mom, remember? It broke her.”
“Your mom got used to it though,” Jono reasoned, “My dad was barely okay with me dating a werewolf, let alone becoming one.”
The thought of telling his parents terrified Jono. Having to come out felt like a walk in the park by comparison.
A knock sounded against the locked office door.
“I know that scent,” Jono immediately identified. He had no training or practice on scents, so his nose was a muddle of scents from all over. However, the pungent scent of cologne was too easy to identify. He smelt it every time in the basketball changing rooms.
“Stay back,” Dylan advised Jono. He and Lily cautiously approached the door. Nobody should have been there – class had started. Jono kept out of view of the door as instructed, while Dylan casually opened it.
“What do you want, Brett?” Dylan greeted bluntly. Jono was right. He could identify his cologne a mile off even without a werewolf’s sense of smell.
“I thought I’d come and see how this week’s newsletter is going,” Brett smugly replied, “Especially now you’re one person down.”
Jono realised – they thought he was dead. Brett was working with Dami and Jake, he must have been, and they all thought he was dead.
“You know, busy as ever, bye,” Dylan tried to close the door, but Brett put his foot in the way. Jono felt on edge. Something bad was surely going to happen.
“I’m here to pass on a warning,” Brett advised, “If any of you lot try and track Dami down, she won’t be afraid to kill again.”
“You’re her lapdog? I thought she had Noah for that. You’re already a little redundant,” Lily taunted.
“You’re going to wish you hadn’t said that, half-breed,” Brett hit out. Jono felt his anger levels rising. He was fighting to contain himself. He pictured Dylan in his mind. Every memory that he could recall.
“Half-breed?” Lily was repulsed, “Whatever, we’re done here.” Lily stepped on Brett’s foot, shoving the door to.
“They think I’m dead,” Jono instantly mentioned.
“And we can use that to our advantage,” Dylan added, “You’re our secret weapon.”
“And I controlled myself,” Jono excitedly added, “I felt angry, I knew I was about to shift, and I threw out my anchor.” Dylan smiled proudly. This werewolf business was tricky, but Jono was determined to chip away at it.
Keeping as low as possible, Drew still felt exposed. Bullets were flying all around him. He was not safe. He couldn’t work out the direction the gunshots were coming from. There was too much going on around him. He couldn’t focus.
Drew looked around. The others were all crouched on the ground in the same way. They were all too exposed. They needed to take cover.
Just ahead, Drew spotted a shed. He knew it was the shed that led down to the bunkers. It was within running distance too. They needed a diversion. Drew had a plan.
“Get ready to run,” Drew gave Allyn a heads-up. She had kept next to him the entire time. Drew didn’t want to let her out of his sight.
He stood up, howling. Drew let his inner wolf take over. The wolf was more alert than he was. It was the advantage he needed. He growled as loudly as he could, while making himself a moving target. Bullets flew around him, but Drew dodged every single one expertly. He had dodged more than enough bullets to last a lifetime; he was quite the expert.
Behind him, the others were making their way to the shed. Drew was slowly but surely making his way in that general direction. A bullet soared past his head; a narrow miss. Drew ran into the shed, pulling the rackety wooden door shut behind him.
“Down,” Drew ordered. Freddie immediately began clearing the floor where the trap door was. Bullets bounced off the door as Drew firmly held it shut. It wasn’t going to last long. Everything in the room was a kerfuffle.
The trap door was open. Allyn zoomed down first, followed by Kamilah and then Freddie.
“Come on,” Sierra nudged Drew. As soon as he let go of the door, it was going to give way. Even if he did get down the hatch in time, they would simply follow down the trap door. They couldn’t cover it back up once they were down it.
“Go,” Drew commanded to Sierra.
“What?” she seemed baffled. The door was almost giving way, “Go now. I’ll follow.” Drew begrudgingly let go as Sierra took over, “Pull the hatch down.” Drew knew exactly what she was doing. It was his exact plan.
“Good luck,” he said, pulling the hatch shut behind him. He heard Sierra pushing as much stuff as possible onto the hatch. The shed door caved in. A series of gunshots followed.
Then, silence. Not a peep came from above, nor below. Nobody had a word to say. Drew looked up at the hatch nervously. Nobody knew how to react.
The perfect hideout. Somewhere the idiots wouldn’t check. Dami looked around the bunker. It was a generic place hidden below ground – nobody would find her there. It wasn’t pleasant, though. It was dusty and damp, and she felt sick with the scent in the air.
Dami was trying to make herself comfortable, but it was hard. Her arm was killing her – quite literally. Dylan’s bite hadn’t healed. She had barely stopped bleeding since it happened. Even on a human scale, she should have been noticing some progress. Surely the bleeding should have stopped at least?
Dami unwrapped the band aid. She wasn’t a squeamish person, but she could hardly look at the disgusting state of her skin. Bite marks had torn it open, leaving horrific grooves in her skin that were still trickling blood. She felt weak. She had already lost so much blood. She was amazed she was even alive at all.
At least she knew Jake was coming to her aid. All she could think about was that night in the forest before school started. The night everything changed. The night she felt a fire burning in her belly. She had no regrets.
“He will be here soon. You might still see him,” an unhelpful voice spoke from across the room.
“You’re not helping,” Dami groaned, gasping for breath.
“Isn’t that why I’m here? To help?” he taunted, “You could have left me in that nuthouse.”
“And you will. All in good time, Forsyth,” Dami hit back. At least she knew Jake was in secure, experienced hands. The hands of the best hunter Crystalshaw had ever seen.
Dylan could understand why he had shut himself off; he had been forced into something he would never have chosen to do, and it was irreversible. Dylan just needed to make it clear that it was the only option, and he did it solely out of love.
Cautiously, Dylan knocked on the door. Once again, no response, as expected. Dylan entered anyway – he never usually knocked, just as Jono didn’t in his room, but he afforded him the courtesy this time.
“Hey, it’s just me,” Dylan peeped around the door. Jono was lying on his bed, under the duvet, facing away from the door, “I know you don’t want to talk to me, but I’m not giving up.”
Still no movement or acknowledgement from Jono. Dylan perched on the bed, behind Jono, “What I did, I did for you. I couldn’t let you die. Maybe it was selfish, but I don’t care. I couldn’t lose you. Not when I had one more card left to play.”
Jono’s head moved to face Dylan. He was listening.
“I’m not annoyed at you, and I’m sorry if I made you think that,” Jono spoke. Dylan was so relieved to hear his voice, “It’s hard, though.”
“I know. I never chose to become a werewolf. None of us chose what we are. We’ve just got to make the best of it,” Dylan reasoned, “I guess you healed?”
“You wouldn’t know I’d got shot,” Jono confirmed.
“Alright. I can help you, you know, learn everything. Learn control. When you’re ready of course, there’s no rush,” Dylan reassured. He was ready and willing to everything he could to help Jono out.
“I’m sorry,” Jono started crying. He seemed very fragile, and Dylan hated seeing him like that.
“You have got nothing to be sorry for,” Dylan wrapped his arms around him, hugging him like he was the most precious thing in his life. Because he was, “It’s me who needs to be sorry. I’ve fucked your life up.”
“Shut up,” Jono replied tearfully, “I’d be dead without you. That’s scarier than seeing my eyes glow.”
Dylan didn’t let go of the hug. He wasn’t sure what he did to deserve Jono, but he was cherishing every single second of his company. He didn’t think he’d ever get this chance again.
Sat comfortably in Ed’s office, Yasmin was ready to fill in some gaps. Ed was perched in the doorway with Caroline next to him, leaving McCall to take the hot seat on the other side of the desk. He was extremely helpful towards them when they had to speak to Jake, and now Yasmin, with Josh’s help, was ready to answer any questions McCall had. It was the least he was owed.
“So you’re werewolves,” McCall began.
“Yes,” Josh responded.
“I’m a nix,” Yasmin corrected, “The others are all werewolves, except Lily. Long story there.”
“Okay, and your pack involves your other son, Sheriff?” McCall interrogated.
“Yes,” Ed simply responded.
“And we’re very supportive,” Caroline noted, as if she had something to prove.
“How do you know Scott?” McCall wondered.
“He helped us out a few months ago. Scott, Stiles and Lydia,” Yasmin informed, “He’s pretty great, you must be proud.”
“I am, but what I still don’t get is why your kids are running your station, Sheriff,” McCall focused back on his investigation.
“It’s not his fault,” Josh interjected, “We’ve not given him any choice. He always tells us no, but we ignore him. He always goes by the book.”
“Is this true?” McCall looked up to Ed.
“He’s like this at home too. A pain in the ass, but never a liar,” Ed responded with dignity. The intense atmosphere surrounding McCall had been broken. Finally, he could understand.
Smash!
A noise came from through the station, distracting all of them from their conversation.
“What the hell?” Ed immediately sprung to action, pacing back into the station. Within an instant, Ed fell to the floor, paralysed. The kanima stood there triumphant, and it was ready to fight.
“Nothing here,” Freddie relayed to Drew and Sierra. He had just checked the back exit of Mr. Forsyth’s warehouse, but there was no sign of Dami. Dylan had said she was there, but either she had scarpered, or was very good at hide and seek.
“Upstairs is clear too,” Allyn reported as she and Kamilah returned from the staircase.
“We’ve got a lead,” Drew informed, “Sort of.”
Freddie was all ears. Whilst Dami had caused a hell of a lot of pain, he didn’t want to see her dead. Drew led the way into the main basement room, where Mr. Forsyth held Josh captive before. Blood was scattered all over the floor. Freddie examined the scent – it wasn’t Dylan’s, so it must have been Dami’s. They were the only two there recently.
“She was definitely here,” Sierra noted, “And we can track her. Five of us can surely track one of her.”
“She’s dying,” Kamilah observed, “I can smell it.”
“We could split up. Cover more ground,” Freddie suggested, “We can get to her quicker.”
“If she’s still alive,” Drew mentioned bluntly. The group fell silent. It was a knowing silence, too; Drew had a very valid point, but nobody wanted to openly agree. The silence spoke for them.
“If we move now, she could still be alive. Just,” Kamilah advised, “I’ve seen bite victims last up to a week before dying, but most are lucky to last a day.”
“Can you save her?” Freddie queried.
“Should we?” Drew questioned. He was as unsympathetic as ever.
“Yes,” Freddie firmly responded, “Dylan wouldn’t let her die. If he can forgive her, so can we.”
“To answer your question, I don’t know if I can save her. It might not be possible, but I promise I’ll try,” Kamilah answered informatively. That was enough hope for Freddie to make him feel like he was doing something worthwhile.
Sat anxiously at the bench, Jono was being driven mad. Everything he could hear was so loud and unavoidable. School was the last place he wanted to be in many ways, though he desperately needed some normality. So much was changing; Jono needed to hold onto what he could.
Dylan was opposite, which was a comforting thought, but he couldn’t even focus on him. Chatter. School bell. Car engines. Noise everywhere. It was all around him. In his ears. Louder and louder. Jono couldn’t cope.
He stood up, slamming his hands onto the table furiously.
“Jono,” Dylan firmly called out, bringing him back to normal.
“Sorry,” Jono replied. He looked around. People were staring at him. He felt like a burden. He hated not being able to look after himself.
“Dude, I know how you feel, remember?” Dylan reassured.
“I just get frustrated. I can’t control myself,” Jono felt himself getting angry again. He couldn’t calm down. He didn’t know how any longer. It made him angrier and angrier the more he thought about it.
He gripped the table, trying to keep himself cool. However, his claws slid along the wood, leaving firm scratch marks.
“Okay, we need to go. Now,” Dylan reacted instantly, flustering. He grabbed Jono’s hand tightly and pulled him through the school rapidly, pushing him into the toilets. Jono looked in the mirror. His eyes were indeed glowing. The terrifying yellow glare was a constant reminder that he’s no longer himself.
“I can’t calm down,” Jono growled, feeling the angriest he had ever felt. He looked directly at Dylan. He wanted to kill him. He wanted his blood on his hands. He was the reason for this. He needed to pay.
Unusually, the kanima didn’t seem interested in Josh. He was the only werewolf in the sheriff station – he should have been its prime target. However, it was too busy guarding the Sheriff himself.
Ed was lying on the floor, unable to move after being paralysed by the kanima’s venom. He was at the mercy of Dami, wherever she was. She must have still been alive if the kanima was doing this. It was following orders.
It lurked over Ed, blocking Josh from approaching with its swooshing tail. It wasn’t killing or hurting Ed, though. It barely seemed interested in him. In fact, it was instead rooting through his pockets, as if it were looking for something in particular. It pulled out a set of keys. The keys that unlocked the cells. Including Jake’s cell.
“Stand down,” McCall ordered, taking his gun out and aiming it directly at the kanima.
“Guns won’t work,” Yasmin pushed the gun downwards, “Our friend is in there.”
“Noah stands no chance if they don’t find Dami,” Josh thought of Drew and Freddie. The kanima hissed at them, giving them a warning to stay away, before eloping in the direction of the cells.
“We can’t let it break him out,” McCall protested.
“Just think. It might lead us to Dami,” Yasmin reasoned.
“And Jake’s so stupid, he’ll probably hand himself back in,” Josh nervously laughed. Though he was joking, Josh knew that Jake acted irrationally, and that could make things even worse.
Dami’s scent led in two directions. Drew and Allyn took one route, following the weaker trail. Drew knew that could mean one of two things. It could be a weaker scent because it’s older – she could have moved by now. In fact, for someone in Dami’s position, moving would be the sensible option.
The other option meant it was a red herring, designed to make Drew think exactly that. Dami was intelligent, it was exactly the sort of smart thinking that Drew needed to account for.
He definitely felt uneasy about helping her. He had seen the effect of hunters on Crystalshaw before. The world would be a better place without them. However, he understood the Dylan way of thinking too. She was only their age, and no matter what she had done, she didn’t deserve to die.
He could tell Dylan felt guilty though. He was the one who bit Dami, and the bite was why she was dying. The bite takes or kills – there was never an alternative. Dylan acted in a position of desperation. He was trying to save Jono, and maybe he did. A bullet to the stomach was far better than a bullet to the chest. He just needed to help Dylan understand that.
“It’s getting stronger,” Allyn noticed as they reached the cusp of the forest.
“Of course it leads here,” Drew sighed. He knew the forest like the back of his hand – it was his advantage against the hunters before. Now it would be the same again. Dami did not have an advantage in the forest, but maybe she knew that?
“We don’t have to go in,” Allyn raised an eyebrow, teasing him.
“Oh, I’m no scaredy cat,” Drew replied playfully.
“Prove it,” Allyn played along.
“Okay. First one to the big tree over there wins,” Drew suggested, pointing to the biggest tree in sight, roughly one hundred metres away, “On my go. 3, 2…”
Allyn had already gone. Drew wasted no time in sprinting after her. He got down on all fours, his claws gripping into the muddy ground as he paced rapidly towards his target.
He saw Allyn. He was catching up to her. They were almost at the tree. If she was going to play dirty, so was he. Drew reached out and clasped his hand around Allyn’s ankle, pulling her to the ground. Drew tried to sprint ahead, but Allyn grabbed his ankle in response. He fell too, toppling downwards uncontrollably onto the muddy floor.
“You deserved that,” Allyn laughed.
“Hey, you started it,” Drew chuckled back as he crawled to lie next to her. The leaves and mud ruined his finest jeans, but he didn’t care. It was an oddly intimate situation. Two wolves among nature. It felt fitting.
Drew and Allyn shared a glance, just for a moment. They were together on their own, and closer than ever. Drew couldn’t help himself riding the moment further. He leaned in towards her, gently pressing his lips against hers. Drew felt lost in the moment; nothing else mattered in the world. His hand carefully caressed his cheek. He was in heaven.
Withdrawing calmly, Drew heard a rustling noise. He looked around, startled. They weren’t alone.
Watching as Jono veered towards him, Dylan felt scared of his boyfriend for the first time. It was a strange sight – Jono had hair on his face, large fangs and glaring yellow eyes. He was Dylan’s first true beta, and Dylan wasn’t sure how he felt about that.
What he did know was how Jono was feeling though. He had been through it before. The uncontrollable rage. The lack of control. He just needed to help Jono conquer the wolf.
“Jono, I know you’re in there, you need to find your anchor,” Dylan advised. He knew the methods Jono needed, but would he be able to get through to him?
Jono growled. He hadn’t received the message. His fangs were bared, ready for action. Dylan glared his eyes back. He was the alpha. If the wolf didn’t care for Dylan as a human, it had to respect its superior.
Jono instantly looked intimidated, but not completely deterred. Dylan had to roar. He was in school – hundreds of people were nearby, within easy hearing range. It was the only option left.
“Jono!” Lily yelled from the doorway. He looked round to her. Immediately, he calmed himself, shifting back. It was as if he’d caught himself red-handed. Jono looked back at Dylan apologetically. The shame was evident in his expression.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t, I…” Jono couldn’t get his words out. Dylan pulled him in tightly for a hug.
“It’s okay,” Dylan comforted, “I’ve got you. You’re safe.”
Dylan could never be annoyed at Jono for that. He understood, and what Jono needed was support and reassurance. It was going to be a hard journey for the both of them.
Traipsing the forest, Freddie was locked onto Dami’s scent. It was strong, so she had to be near. He wasn’t expecting her to go down without a fight, so he was mentally prepared for an attack.
However, Freddie was still prepared to save her. Freddie never doubted Dylan’s way of working. He wasn’t a murderer, and the humanity he had been brought up with didn’t get to vanish because he was technically no longer a human.
“What’s your story?” Sierra queried, making conversation.
“I got bitten about a year ago,” Freddie replied.
“I thought Jono was Dylan’s first proper beta,” Kamilah noted.
“He is, Dylan didn’t bite me, Josh did,” Freddie corrected. It felt like such a long time since he got bitten. Everything felt so normal; a word he never expected to use to describe the supernatural. He was surprised at just how quickly he had gotten used to being a werewolf.
“Josh? He was an alpha? Y’all kept that one quiet,” Sierra remarked, “He sounds a little more…bold than Dylan.”
“Off his rocker, you mean,” Freddie noted, “He was pressurised. I was collateral damage.”
“Some friend he is,” Sierra remarked, “You could’ve killed him. You could have been the alpha. You still could.”
“That’s not how we work,” Freddie immediately said.
“Imagine it though. Freddie the alpha. You would be in charge,” Sierra continued.
“Josh is my friend,” Freddie yelled, “And so is Dylan. Stop trying to make me like you. We’re not the same.”
Sierra looked stunned. Before she could respond, Freddie noticed a rustling sound in the surrounding bushes. Something was with them. Dami’s scent was at its strongest so far. She must have been very close.
“Don’t make a sound,” Sierra ordered. Freddie felt like his heartbeat was on full volume. His breathing even sounded loud among the pure silence.
The rustling intensified. Something was nearing them. Two figures came into view, shrouded by the shadows. Two familiar faces approached into the light. Drew and Allyn. Freddie breathed an audible sigh of relief.
“Splitting up worked well,” Freddie laughed.
“Don’t get excited, she’s still out here somewhere. She must be,” Drew replied.
“You’re very…muddy,” Kamilah observed.
“Really? I hadn’t noticed,” Allyn coyly smiled. Drew looked like the cat that had got the cream. Freddie knew it was only a matter of time before something happened between them.
“She’s close, we need to keep looking. Together,” Sierra commanded.
BANG!
Gunshots all around. Loads of them. Firing relentlessly. Freddie ducked for cover. His heart rate shot through the roof. They had landed in a trap. Just as the hunters wanted.
Scared of the kanima on the loose, Yasmin nevertheless refused to let it out of her sight. Everything it did could provide clues to Dami’s location. She had to make mental notes because every detail was important.
It darted for the cell where Jake was locked. It must have known they were watching on, but it wasn’t threatened. The kanima had the instincts of an animal – if its territory or life weren’t in danger, it didn’t care. Any last scrap of humanity was buried deep inside. Buried in Noah.
“We could stop it, trap it in there,” McCall suggested.
“It’s going to lead us straight to Dami, we need it,” Yasmin whispered. She understood McCall always had an eye on the law, but this was a perfect plan. Perfect yet stupid at the same time.
The kanima expertly unlocked the cell as Jake smiled devilishly. He had got exactly what he wanted.
“Back up,” Josh mentioned as they headed out of the cell room.
“Sorry not sorry,” Jake smirked as he passed by with complete ease.
The deputies in the station would be even more confused than they already were, but nobody could interfere. Not only would it disrupt their plan, but it would put Noah at risk. The kanima was still Noah, and Yasmin was keen to remember that.
“Stand down,” McCall commanded as they passed through the main office area. The deputies looked bewildered. A human-sized lizard was walking a prisoner out of the station. Yasmin could hardly blame them for their confusion.
“Stop,” Monty arrived, blocking the exit.
“Don’t do this,” Yasmin warned. He was going to get himself hurt. She glanced to Josh – he looked just as worried as she did.
“Move, lover boy,” Jake threatened. The kanima snarled.
“Give me Noah back,” Monty ordered. Josh pulled him out of the way. He knew it wasn’t worth the risk, sharing Yasmin’s train of thought.
“I’ll give you all one piece of advice,” Jake warned, “Run.”
Seconds later, he was gone. Yasmin felt a chill run through her spine.
“Come on, let’s follow,” she sprung into action, feeling fired up. Yasmin was ready to kick their asses.
The newsroom. The only place in the school that Jono could guarantee would be private. Only he and Dylan had a key to the room, so they were safe from prying ears. Now they could properly talk. Dylan sat next to him at his desk, with Lily opposite. Both shared the same concerned expressions. Jono was strapped in for the ride.
“You know I could hear you,” Lily spoke as if she were telling him off, “In the corridor. Your werewolf ass could be heard by anybody out there. You’re damn lucky it’s me and not someone else.”
“You think I had control over that? I’m new to this, I’ve not learnt what the others know. It’s okay for you, you don’t shift, you just reap the benefits,” Jono hit back. He instantly regretted hitting out. Lily wasn’t to blame. She looked shocked by his words. Stunned into silence.
“I can teach you. Heck, I’ve had experience, I’ve been trying with Noah for months, but we need to practice calming down first. You need to find your anchor,” Dylan explained.
“Like on a ship?” Jono was trying to understand the concept. He had heard Dylan mention it before, but its importance had drastically increased.
“Exactly. My anchor is you,” Dylan answered, “Yours can be anything. Maybe it’s me, or Lily, or your parents, or even a memory. Anything that keeps you grounded. Anything that keeps you human.”
“I don’t think anything keeps me more grounded than you,” Jono smiled. Surely Dylan was the perfect anchor for him?
“Do mom and dad know?” Lily queried.
“No, I can’t face them yet,” Jono explained.
“They need to know,” Dylan advised, “I kept it from my mom, remember? It broke her.”
“Your mom got used to it though,” Jono reasoned, “My dad was barely okay with me dating a werewolf, let alone becoming one.”
The thought of telling his parents terrified Jono. Having to come out felt like a walk in the park by comparison.
A knock sounded against the locked office door.
“I know that scent,” Jono immediately identified. He had no training or practice on scents, so his nose was a muddle of scents from all over. However, the pungent scent of cologne was too easy to identify. He smelt it every time in the basketball changing rooms.
“Stay back,” Dylan advised Jono. He and Lily cautiously approached the door. Nobody should have been there – class had started. Jono kept out of view of the door as instructed, while Dylan casually opened it.
“What do you want, Brett?” Dylan greeted bluntly. Jono was right. He could identify his cologne a mile off even without a werewolf’s sense of smell.
“I thought I’d come and see how this week’s newsletter is going,” Brett smugly replied, “Especially now you’re one person down.”
Jono realised – they thought he was dead. Brett was working with Dami and Jake, he must have been, and they all thought he was dead.
“You know, busy as ever, bye,” Dylan tried to close the door, but Brett put his foot in the way. Jono felt on edge. Something bad was surely going to happen.
“I’m here to pass on a warning,” Brett advised, “If any of you lot try and track Dami down, she won’t be afraid to kill again.”
“You’re her lapdog? I thought she had Noah for that. You’re already a little redundant,” Lily taunted.
“You’re going to wish you hadn’t said that, half-breed,” Brett hit out. Jono felt his anger levels rising. He was fighting to contain himself. He pictured Dylan in his mind. Every memory that he could recall.
“Half-breed?” Lily was repulsed, “Whatever, we’re done here.” Lily stepped on Brett’s foot, shoving the door to.
“They think I’m dead,” Jono instantly mentioned.
“And we can use that to our advantage,” Dylan added, “You’re our secret weapon.”
“And I controlled myself,” Jono excitedly added, “I felt angry, I knew I was about to shift, and I threw out my anchor.” Dylan smiled proudly. This werewolf business was tricky, but Jono was determined to chip away at it.
Keeping as low as possible, Drew still felt exposed. Bullets were flying all around him. He was not safe. He couldn’t work out the direction the gunshots were coming from. There was too much going on around him. He couldn’t focus.
Drew looked around. The others were all crouched on the ground in the same way. They were all too exposed. They needed to take cover.
Just ahead, Drew spotted a shed. He knew it was the shed that led down to the bunkers. It was within running distance too. They needed a diversion. Drew had a plan.
“Get ready to run,” Drew gave Allyn a heads-up. She had kept next to him the entire time. Drew didn’t want to let her out of his sight.
He stood up, howling. Drew let his inner wolf take over. The wolf was more alert than he was. It was the advantage he needed. He growled as loudly as he could, while making himself a moving target. Bullets flew around him, but Drew dodged every single one expertly. He had dodged more than enough bullets to last a lifetime; he was quite the expert.
Behind him, the others were making their way to the shed. Drew was slowly but surely making his way in that general direction. A bullet soared past his head; a narrow miss. Drew ran into the shed, pulling the rackety wooden door shut behind him.
“Down,” Drew ordered. Freddie immediately began clearing the floor where the trap door was. Bullets bounced off the door as Drew firmly held it shut. It wasn’t going to last long. Everything in the room was a kerfuffle.
The trap door was open. Allyn zoomed down first, followed by Kamilah and then Freddie.
“Come on,” Sierra nudged Drew. As soon as he let go of the door, it was going to give way. Even if he did get down the hatch in time, they would simply follow down the trap door. They couldn’t cover it back up once they were down it.
“Go,” Drew commanded to Sierra.
“What?” she seemed baffled. The door was almost giving way, “Go now. I’ll follow.” Drew begrudgingly let go as Sierra took over, “Pull the hatch down.” Drew knew exactly what she was doing. It was his exact plan.
“Good luck,” he said, pulling the hatch shut behind him. He heard Sierra pushing as much stuff as possible onto the hatch. The shed door caved in. A series of gunshots followed.
Then, silence. Not a peep came from above, nor below. Nobody had a word to say. Drew looked up at the hatch nervously. Nobody knew how to react.
The perfect hideout. Somewhere the idiots wouldn’t check. Dami looked around the bunker. It was a generic place hidden below ground – nobody would find her there. It wasn’t pleasant, though. It was dusty and damp, and she felt sick with the scent in the air.
Dami was trying to make herself comfortable, but it was hard. Her arm was killing her – quite literally. Dylan’s bite hadn’t healed. She had barely stopped bleeding since it happened. Even on a human scale, she should have been noticing some progress. Surely the bleeding should have stopped at least?
Dami unwrapped the band aid. She wasn’t a squeamish person, but she could hardly look at the disgusting state of her skin. Bite marks had torn it open, leaving horrific grooves in her skin that were still trickling blood. She felt weak. She had already lost so much blood. She was amazed she was even alive at all.
At least she knew Jake was coming to her aid. All she could think about was that night in the forest before school started. The night everything changed. The night she felt a fire burning in her belly. She had no regrets.
“He will be here soon. You might still see him,” an unhelpful voice spoke from across the room.
“You’re not helping,” Dami groaned, gasping for breath.
“Isn’t that why I’m here? To help?” he taunted, “You could have left me in that nuthouse.”
“And you will. All in good time, Forsyth,” Dami hit back. At least she knew Jake was in secure, experienced hands. The hands of the best hunter Crystalshaw had ever seen.