GALVANIZE

It was officially Mischief Day/Night.

It had been something to be celebrated by seemingly every citizen in the town, finding themselves participating in childlike antics for the twenty-four hours before October 31st. It was also the night when Scott and Stiles prank Finstock until he wanted to quit teaching.

The whole idea of Halloween seemed pointless and childish to Carter, whether it be the fact that people dressed up in ridiculous costumes or because it was always the one holiday that reminded her of the very real creatures that lurked in the darkness.

Carter pulled Scott's spare motorcycle helmet off her head, shaking out her luscious brown curls before letting out a pleased sigh. Scott glanced back at her, the couple seated on the still bike that was now parked in the parking lot of Beacon Hills High School.

"I think I'm in love with your bike," Carter announced. "It's official, I'm sorry, Scott - but I'm breaking up with you and I'm going to start dating your motorcycle."

Scott laughed, swiftly climbing off before holding his hand out and assisting her off the bike. It wasn't that she was short and actually needed assistance, she was quite tall, but he knew that it made her smile and he fawned over the feeling he got when he did it.

"I hope you're not serious."

"Oh, I'm serious, all right," Carter continued, leaning into Scott's side as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I mean, what's not to love? It's got height, outstanding leadership qualities, dark hair, charming personality, is a true Alpha - wait, those are all the things that describe you, oops."

"Well, I'm honored to know that you admire so many things about me," Scott mused, lowering his head and pressing his lips against the corner of her mouth. Carter's body erupted with warmth, feeling the heat rise up the back of her neck.

But suddenly, his grin fell from his face when he saw Ethan and Aiden pull into the parking lot on their identical motorcycles, smug looks on their faces as they parked their bikes next to Scott's.

Scott and Carter both stopped in their stride, the couple glancing at one another as they tried to figure out what exactly was going on. The twins had gone MIA after they beat the shit out of Carter and Scott, and then Carter had this strange fire come out of her hands and she kicked Aiden's ass.

Scott hesitantly led Carter over toward Aiden and Ethan, the four of them facing one another. Scott's arm was permanently slung over her shoulders, and Carter had no intentions on pulling away from him. She wanted to allow him to make her happy because everything else was crashing around her. Had her life not been so screwed up, and had her family still been alive, maybe she wouldn't have been so needy about clinging onto any sliver of happiness that made its way into her life.

Instead, a different fate had been placed before her.

Her eyes narrowed at the two figures in front of her, still pissed about what they did back at Derek's loft.

"You're back in school?" Scott asked.

Ethan shook his head, his brooding brother stationed next to him as he explained: "No, just to talk."

"Oh," Stiles scoffed from behind them, moving to stand next to Carter. "That's kind of a change of pace for you guys. Seeing as how usually, you're just hurting, maiming, and killing."

Aiden ignored Stiles, his attention pinpointed on Carter and Scott. "You two need a pack - we need an Alpha, or in this case, two Alphas."

"Yeah, absolutely not," Stiles denied, answering for his two best friends, "That's hilarious, though."

"You came to us for help. We helped," Ethan protested.

Stiles narrowed his eyes, "You beat their faces into bloody pulps. That's not helping. In my opinion, that's actually counter-productive."

"Why would we say yes?" Carter asked a perfectly shaped brow quirked up as she gave the twins the benefit of the doubt for a solid moment, before they went and completely denied them.

"We'd add strength," Aiden explained, giving his brother a knowing look as confidence seemed to radiate off of them. "We'd make the both of you even more powerful. Not like, Carter needs any, after what she did to me."

Carter rolled her eyes, "It's not like you didn't deserve it."

"There's no reason to say no, Little Redbird."

Carter's lips pulled back into a snarl, "I am not a bird."

Isaac then suddenly appeared, just having to fend for his own explanation: "I can think of one. Like the two of you holding Derek's claws while Kali impaled Boyd. In fact, I don't know why we're not impaling them right now."

"You want to try?" Aiden snarled, his head hanging low as he half transformed, eyes shining a fluorescent blue, canines bared in the direction of Isaac to tempt him into starting something.

Anger bubbled in Carter's chest and before she knew it, she was moving forward, shoulders bumping into Stiles by accident as she moved until she was the barrier between the two boys. Isaac growled from behind her, she whipped her head around to flash her fangs at him, making him take a small step back.

The protectiveness that shone on Carter's rage-filled expression caused Stiles, Scott, and Ethan's eyes widened. She was risking exposing her supernatural abilities just because Aiden threatened Isaac - the need to protect the curly-haired Beta caused a surge of overwhelming heat course through her body.

Her fists clenched at her sides, fingernails cutting through the sensitive flesh of her palms.

The Were-Pheanix stared up at Aiden with blazing eyes, still standing with her back to Isaac's chest as she growled menacingly at Aiden, vampire-like fangs peeking out from behind her lips while she spoke: "You touch him, and I'll be the one kicking your ass, Aiden. You have no idea what I can do, so don't tempt and I highly suggest that you go suck up to some other Alpha in some other town. It would save us from having to listen to you cry wolf, because they don't trust you - and neither do I."

Aiden's jaw clenched, canines disappearing as he gave the brunette a dark and looming look. There wasn't a single glimpse of hesitation in her fiery eyes, and he knew that it was because of what he did to Scott and how he just tried to pick a fight with Isaac. Carter's pupils dilated when she realized that she didn't find a single redeeming quality in Aiden.

Scott gently placed his hand on the small of Carter's back; the contact had been enough for her elongated fangs to retract and her deep orange irises to fade into their normal brown. The couple walked forward, Carter's shoulder collided with Aiden's arm as they made their way toward the school with Stiles in tow.

The moment the three teenagers walked through the doors of the high school, a roll of toilet paper soared through the air, hitting Stiles directly in the face.

"All right, that's my face!" Stiles snapped, slapping the roll to the ground. Since it was Mischief Day, toilet paper littered the hallways, acting as confetti and make-shift streamers all around them. "Hey, guys, good decision. Good Alpha decision. And Carter, by the way, it was totally awesome how you stood up to Aiden; flashing the eyes and fangs - freaking fantastic. Have I ever told you that I love you guys?"

Despite Stiles' comment, Scott stilled seemed unsure of himself as he spoke: "I hope so."

"No, you know so," Stiles assured, making his way over to his locker.

Carter and Scott waited for him, the three of them all having the same class - Economics with Finstock. The boy, who fumbling with his locker, had been far too excited for that class but when Carter asked what prank he had set up, he just told her that she had to wait and see for herself.

As Stiles pulled some things out of his locker, Carter's gaze unconsciously veered on someone at the opposite end of the hallway, watching as Kira's books went tumbling out of her locker and landed in a pile at her feet. To Carter, the girl seemed really sweet and harmless.

"I wonder how she's doing after everything that happened," Carter mumbled, watching as Kira bent down and gathered her books together before shoving them into her bag.

Stiles risked a brief glanced toward her, "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Carter exaggerated her words. "The girl almost became the Daily Special on Malia's Werecoyote Menu, Stiles. She's bound to be wondering why this town is so messed up to have a freaking deranged coyote running through the high school."

"Then go talk to her," Stiles stated simply, Carter's eyes widening.

"Now? And why do I always have to be the one to break the ice?" Carter demanded, both of the boys sharing a knowing look with one another before glancing back toward Carter. "What? Am I missing something here?"

"You know, it wouldn't kill you to make a new friend," Stiles trailed off, Scott opted to keeping silent as he looked around sheepishly.

Carter's eyes widened even further, pointing out: "But I - I have you two, plus Isaac."

"How about making a friend that's not of the male species?"

"Allison, Lydia, and I have been making amends, so I talk to them and they're not of the male species." Carter snapped, shooting him a glare.

"But, Carter, don't you want to be able to talk to someone who's not Isaac, about Scott?"

Carter gaped at him, immediately denying: "I would never talk to Isaac about Scott, that's just weird!" The two boys raised an accusing brow at her. "Okay, maybe sometimes-" They tilted their heads that time. "Fine!" She exclaimed, holding her hands up in defeat. "I'll talk to her. You guys happy now?"

"Beyond happy."

"Bite me, Stiles."

"I don't need to, Scott already did," Stiles joked, causing Carter to playfully punch him in the arm, but just because it was in a joking manner didn't mean she didn't put some supernatural strength behind it. Stiles gasped in pain, clutching onto his arm as Scott chuckled loudly.

Carter never did get the chance to talk to Kira before class, which was why in a matter of minutes, Carter found herself seated in Finstock's class. Stiles and Scott both seated at the front grinning widely at one another.

"Son of a bitch!"

Carter couldn't contain her laughter, Stiles' fist pumped into the air as the two main culprits gave each other praising looks for their work, but Stiles quickly pulled his hand back down at Finstock exited his office. The moment he entered the classroom full of chucking teenagers, he chucked a pencil down at the floor.

"Mischief Night! Devil's Night! I don't care what you call it. You little punks are evil. You think it's funny every Halloween my house gets egged? A man's house is supposed to be his castle," Finstock snapped, slapping an angry hand against Scott's desk causing him to jump back in fright. "Mine's a freaking omelet." Coach's attention fell onto a box that was stationed on his desk, his scowl only deepening. "Oh, this? We're going to do this again?"

Coach didn't waste another second before dropping the box on the ground, proceeding to stomp on it for good measures. When a shattering sound broke through, Finstock bent down to the ground to try and see what he had just destroyed. His hands wrapped around a mug that read: #1 Coach.

"Happy Birthday," Coach read, pulling out the card just before sighing: "Love, Greenberg."

And Carter supposed that this had been the worst thing that was going to happen to someone today; little did she know how wrong she had been.

→

Beacon Hills High School had seen its fair share of horrible and gut-wrenching things.

But they hadn't expected there to be someone entering the building that wasn't already attending. The admittedly okay day went to complete shit the second people found out there was a murderer hiding in the same place they were.

Police was already swarming the hallways in search for the infamous Shrapnel Bomber, William Barrow - he had escaped the hospital after he miraculously woke up in the middle of his surgery and he was now hiding the in school. But what had Carter and her friends even more alarmed was the fact that Barrow had stated that the reason he even blew up that bus full of students was because they had glowing eyes.

Carter could make a pretty extensive list of people who fit that description - including herself.

"Barrow went after kids with glowing eyes?" Isaac questioned Stiles, walking alongside Carter, Lydia, and Allison as the five of them made their way down to the first floor of the school. "He said those exact words?"

Stiles nodded as they trotted down the stairs. "Yeah, and no one knows how he woke up from anesthesia. Just that when they opened him up, they found a tumor full of live flies, which in any other circumstance would be all kinds of awesome."

While four of them continued to walk down the hallway, Lydia suddenly stopped, shock written on her face as she spoke: "Did you say flies?"

"Lydia?" Allison called wearily, wondering where exactly the strawberry-blonde was going with her question.

"All day I have been hearing this sound," Lydia explained. "It's like...this buzzing."

The huntress frowned, taking small steps over to her best friend, "Like the sound of flies?"

"Exactly like the sound of flies," Lydia confirmed, nodding her head firmly. The four of them moved back toward her, none of them knowing exactly how to go about the situation.

Carter sighed heavily, running her fingers through her curly hair. "Okay, Stiles, Lydia, and I are going to try and find Scott. The two of you should see if you can get any information out of the officers, or from any of the students."

The five teenagers nodded at one another before they dispersed, eager to find Barrow before he could harm another student.

It hadn't taken as long as they expected for them to find Scott, but it consisted of them flying down the hallways and trying not to trip over their own two feet.

When Scott was in their sights, Stiles skidded to his best friend's side in seconds. "Hey, dude, where the hell have you been?"

"Guys," Carter called, chest heaving as her and Lydia stopped next to Scott. "The police are leaving."

Lydia tightly gripped onto the strap of her turquoise purse, "Why are they leaving?"

"The police?" Scott asked, completely oblivious to the entire situation.

Stiles' face flooded with realization, "They must have cleared the building and ground, which means he's not here."

"Who?" Scott asked, his dark eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What are you guys-"

"He has to be here," Lydia snapped, refusing to believe that she was wrong. "That sound - the buzzing I've been hearing? It's getting louder."

Carter swallowed hard, feeling a sudden surge of the overbearing heat course through her body. Something supernatural was connecting Lydia to Barrow - Carter could feel it as well, her body wouldn't have been reacting the way it was if Barrow had just up-and-disappeared from the building.

"How loud?"

After Melissa McCall had given Barrow's hospital gown to Scott, she found herself huddled in a corner surrounded by Ethan, Aiden, Isaac, and Scott. The five of them were going to use the hospital gown to try and catch Barrow scent, they needed to know whether or not he was still in the school.

Once the five of them had gotten the scent, they split up - Aiden and Ethan searching the upper levels while Isaac, Scott, and Carter looked in the basement. The plan was for the five of them to meet in the middle at the boiler room.

"So this is how it's gonna be now?" Isaac suddenly asked, breaking the silence as Scott and Carter sniffed the air around them. "We trust them?"

Carter glanced over her shoulder, giving Isaac a pointed look as she spoke: "Just because we're letting them help, doesn't mean we trust them."

"Yeah, well, I don't trust them either - or like them," Isaac announced, the three of them cautiously searching the basement for any traces of Barrow. "In fact, I hate them and just want them to die."

Carter patted Isaac's chest, "Well, if Barrow's actually here and he's got a plan, you might get what you want."

"Good."

But before any of them could say another word, the sound of the fire alarm blared through the air. The three teens instantly went stiff, the chiding sound causing them to become alert. They shared a glance with one another before they went sprinting out of the basement.

The three teenagers quickly met up with Ethan and Aiden in the courtyard before they were approached by Lydia and Stiles.

"We didn't find anything," Aiden announced the second that they were close enough in range of hearing, eyes instinctively looming over at Lydia.

From beside Scott, Carter pitched in: "Not even a scent."

"It's three o'clock, so school's over," Stiles said, his eyes squinting as the wheels began to turn in his head. "If there was a bomb, wouldn't he have set it off by now?"

Ethan seemed to ask the one question the rest of them had been avoiding, looking between Carter and Lydia for the answer considering they were the one given the abilities to warn people before anything life-threatening happened. "Does that mean everybody's safe?"

"I don't know," Lydia admitted, pursing her lips.

"I have this - feeling. But, I just...I don't know." Carter mumbled, staring at the ground all while the fire alarm continued to ring even louder in her head.

Little did they know how Lydia and Carter had been more than right, and they didn't know just now detrimental not knowing was.