𝙳𝙾𝙻𝙻 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝚃𝚂⠀⠀⠀⠀⁹
𝗩𝗢𝗟𝗨𝗠𝗘 𝗜. Cry Wolf

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄
▏𝗦𝟬𝟭𝗘𝟬𝟲︰𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿▕

❛ SHE'S KIND OF LIKE AN ANCHOR.❜

AFTER DELVING INTO NUMEROUS CASE STUDIES IN PSYCHOLOGY, Brietta found herself with the knowledge that could be used.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Her plan?

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀To sneak into Derek's house.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀If Derek wasn't going to tell her what the three swirls meant, his house would.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀She meticulously planned every detail, considering every possible scenario that she could think of.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Before her covert mission, Brietta took a long bath and applied some of Ellington's earthy cologne to mask her natural scent from Derek. Dressed in black, she strategically positioned herself behind a large tree, patiently waiting for Derek to appear. In an effort to muffle the sound of her racing heart, she startled some nearby birds and squirrels. She made sure not to gaze for too long as he exited his house, keenly aware of avoiding his gaze detection.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The plan was perfect.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Maybe a little too perfect, she thought.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"You're a genius, though," the angel on her shoulder chimed in.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"I agree with her," the devil on her shoulder muttered.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀After taking a deep breath, Brietta patiently waited for two minutes, ensuring Derek had a good head start before she stepped away from the tree and moved closer to his house.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"This is all kinds of wrong," she muttered to herself, a shiver running down her spine as she ascended the steps to his porch. She cautiously pushed open the charred front door.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta didn't exactly know what she thought the inside of Derek's house would look like, but it wasn't this.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Tears welled up in Brietta's eyes as she took in the devastating sight before her. The wooden flooring in the house was marred with discoloration from the fire, and the walls looked even worse. Peeling paint and exposed plywood revealed the state of the interior.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀What added to her distress were the fresh-looking holes in the walls, as if someone had recently punched them, with sawdust still scattered on the floor nearby.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ A few feet from the front door, an open roof and a staircase led to the second floor, which appeared to be in an even more deteriorated state than the first.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta sniffled softly, then shook her head. She knew she could sympathize with Derek later. Right now, she needed answers.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Taking a deep breath, Brietta ascended the staircase. Since most bedrooms were typically on the second floor of houses, she decided to start her search there.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀As Brietta reached the second floor, the floor beneath her feet creaked, causing her heart to skip a beat. The thought crossed her mind: What if the floor gave way beneath her weight?

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta decided to push that worrisome thought to the back of her mind. If the floors were indeed weak, they likely would have given out a long time ago, she reasoned and continued her cautious exploration of the second floor.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀At the top of the stairs, the hallway branched into two directions, and Brietta opted for the one to her right. She proceeded down the hallway, taking small, cautious breaths as she navigated the scorched and eerie walls.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta's eyes brightened with a glimmer of hope when she spotted a door that, while appearing charred like the rest, had a faint outline resembling three swirls.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀She approached the door and used her sweater-clad fist to wipe away the ashes, revealing the unmistakable image of three swirls.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀A small smile began to form on her lips, but it quickly vanished as she inhaled sharply. Brietta turned the knob on the door and slowly opened it, her heart pounding with anticipation.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀A frown crept across her face, and she felt tears welling up in her eyes as she surveyed the bedroom. Everything was charred and ruined, but she could discern the presence of two twin beds, each small enough to accommodate a child of around eight years old.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta approached one of the beds and instinctively wiped away the ashes as if the simple act could somehow undo the damage inflicted by the Argents.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Despite her best efforts to stay composed, a solitary tear escaped her right eye and landed on the ashy sheets, causing her to inhale a shaky breath, overwhelmed by what she'd been seeing.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Reluctantly, Brietta tore her gaze away from the bed and began to scan the room, but there was nothing else with three swirls or anything that appeared out of the ordinary, at least not by the standards of the supernatural world she was dealing with.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀With a sigh of defeat, Brietta turned to leave the room. However, her steps froze when she heard a floorboard creak beneath her foot.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Curiosity piqued, Brietta gently lifted her foot off the floorboard, noticing that its weight had caused it to pop out slightly. She pursed her lips in thought before kneeling down beside the floorboard, carefully lifting it to see what might be hidden beneath.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta's breath caught in her throat as she discovered a small compartment built into the floor. In the glint of sunlight streaming through the window, she could have sworn she saw something inside.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀With a mixture of hope and caution, Brietta pressed herself against the floor and cautiously felt along the interior of the compartment, waiting until her fingers found something.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta's heart raced as her fingers brushed against a metal object and then a piece of paper within the compartment. She grabbed both items and carefully pulled them out, examining the paper first.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta's heart raced as she unfolded the piece of paper and saw the same symbols that were on the paper that had come with the mysterious package.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀A thought crossed her mind that perhaps Derek had been the one to send her the package. She shook her head, feeling a pang of confusion and emotion.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Setting the paper aside for the moment, she turned her attention to the metal piece.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The world faded around her and goosebumps appeared along her skin.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The metal piece was the Yang side of a Yin and Yang connected charm.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀On January 25, 2006, Brietta had gone missing...with her Yang-sided charm.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀On January 26, 2006, Brietta woke up in her bed without her Yang-sided charm.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Now, she found herself holding her own charm in her hands, the very charm that had been missing since her return, and it was in Derek Hale's house.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"What the fuck?"

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STILES SIGHED, feeling a sense of concern as he and Scott entered the locker room after their heart monitor testing on the lacrosse field. "All right," he said, his voice filled with slight worry, "You stay away from her for a few days. You can do that."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott frowned, his fingers absently toying with a lacrosse ball in his hands. "But is it just a few days, Stiles," he questioned, "or is it forever?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles rolled his eyes, taking a deep breath. "You know," he said with a touch of exasperation, "this whole 'women make you weak' thing is a little too Spartan warrior for me. It's probably just part of the learning process."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott let out a frustrated breath, leaning against his locker with a deepening frown. "Yeah, but you've seen Derek," he continued, his voice troubled, "I mean, the guy's totally alone." His worry intensified as he added, "What if I can, like, never be around her again?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles offered a shrug, his tone tinged with a touch of sarcasm. "Well," he remarked with a hint of humor, "if you're not dead, that could be a good thing..."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott scoffed under his breath, "I'd rather be dead."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles couldn't say that he wouldn't feel the same way if he had to stay away from Brietta.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles licked his lips, his expression determined. "All right," he said with conviction, straightening up, "you're not gonna end up like Derek, all right? We'll figure it out."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott nodded hesitantly, finding some comfort in Stiles' assurance. "Okay," he replied. With a renewed sense of purpose, Stiles clapped Scott on the back, and with a determined look in his eyes, he said, "Come on. Let's get out of here."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott adjusted his backpack on his shoulder, his heightened senses picking up on something unpleasant, "Something smells terrible in here, anyway."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles tilted his head, a quizzical expression on his face as he raised an eyebrow. "Really?" he questioned with a hint of humor, "In a boys' locker room? That doesn't make any sense at all."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott rolled his eyes at Stiles' remark, then fixed him with a small but serious glare. "No," he clarified, "it's like something's rotting, or dying."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Unnoticed by Scott and Stiles, behind them, Jackson Whittemore appeared terribly pale and sweaty.

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BRIETTA WINCED AS SHE HEARD VERA'S STERN VOICE ON THE OTHER END OF THE LINE. "Brietta," Vera asked, "why did I just get a text from your school saying that you weren't in your fifth-period class?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta quickly tried to come up with an explanation, her heart pounding in her chest. "Grams, I...," She snapped her left hand as she thought of something, "I got my period, and the nurse ran out, so I went home to get a pad and a change of underwear."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Vera's voice softened a bit, concern replacing her stern tone. "Are you okay, Ettie? I could call the school and tell them to let you out early."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta sighed, feeling guilty for not being honest, but it was a necessary evil. "No, it's fine," she muttered as she walked up the school's steps, "I took some Tylenol, and I'm already back in class."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀There was a pause on the other end of the line before Vera replied, "Alright, just promise me that you'll call if you don't feel fine. I can wrap things up with the ladies at the home."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta let out a small chuckle. "Keep beating the other ladies at bingo, Grams. I'll be fine."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Vera chuckled softly, saying, "These ladies don't stand a chance against me."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta hung up the phone with a deep breath as she walked inside the high school.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀She had tried going to the public library just five minutes ago, but couldn't find any books or dictionaries with the weird symbols that had been on the card and piece of paper she found.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The school library was her best shot now.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀However, Brietta spotted the hall monitor approaching from the other end of the hallway, and a wave of panic washed over her.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Quickly thinking, she veered towards a random locker, pretending to slam it shut with too much force. Her heart raced as she quickly smiled at the older girl, who seemed to buy into her act.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀In that split second, Brietta managed to avoid any unwanted attention and immediately turned to scurry in the opposite direction, her heart still pounding from the close call.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀With a sinking feeling in her chest, Brietta attempted to crouch down low as she approached the door to the Economics class, hoping to remain unnoticed.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀However, just as she reached the door and was trying to stay out of sight, the door suddenly swung open.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta's heart sank as she entered the classroom and saw her classmates already settling into their seats. She cringed at the realization that she had unintentionally returned to school just in time for the start of the Economics class.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta's eyes quickly scanned the room, and she spotted Stiles and Scott making their way through the desks to two seats in the back of the classroom.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀She narrowed her eyes slightly and decided to follow them. With determination, she headed in their direction, making a beeline for the empty seat behind Scott's.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott's sudden halt caught Stiles' attention, and he turned to follow Scott's gaze to where Brietta was headed. Scott's silent motion toward the seat behind him and his use of Stiles' name conveyed a sense of urgency.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀As Stiles attempted to reach the seat, Brietta moved swiftly, placing her right foot on it to claim her spot. Stiles let out an exasperated groan, shooting an apologetic look at Scott, who gave him a wide-eyed look.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta's intense gaze bore into the back of Scott's head, and he could feel the weight of her stare even through the barrier of his own seat. It made him shift uncomfortably in his chair, which made Brietta a little happy.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀If he's going to ignore me, she thought, I want him to feel uncomfortable.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀However, even as she stared daggers into the back of his head, she felt the small weight of the Yang-sided charm in her front pocket. She wanted to tell him and Stiles, but she couldn't.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀She wouldn't. Not until they spoke to her.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The sudden noise of Coach slamming a textbook on his desk jolted Brietta out of her thoughts.  She quickly refocused her attention on the Economics class just as Coach spoke, "Let's start with a quick summary of last night's reading."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Half the class eagerly raised their hands to answer. However, Brietta deliberately sank into her seat, avoiding eye contact with Coach.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Coach's eyes roamed the classroom as he searched for a student to answer his question. When his gaze landed on Dominic, he couldn't hide his exasperation and rolled his eyes.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Greenberg, put your hand down. Everyone knows you did the reading," Coach stated with a hint of annoyance. Dominic, used to this kind of reaction, grunted in his seat and lowered his hand.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"How about, uh..." Coach's eyes continued to scan the room, and this time they landed on Scott, "McCall."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The spotlight was now on Scott, and all eyes turned towards him.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott's head snapped up in surprise at the sound of his name, "What?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Coach clarified, "The reading? Last night's reading?" as he settled onto his desk, waiting for Scott's response with an expectant look in his eyes.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta couldn't help but notice that Scott was getting increasingly anxious, fidgeting in his seat and planting his feet on the ground. Coach's impatience was evident as he continued, "How about, uh, the reading of The Gettysburg Address?" This choice of topic prompted a few stifled snickers from the class.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Feeling a sense of second-hand embarrassment for Scott, Brietta sank even lower in her chair. Scott, on the other hand, appeared confused and muttered, "What?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The laughter in the classroom died down, and Coach fixed a stern glare on Scott. "That's sarcasm. You familiar with the term 'sarcasm,' McCall?" Coach asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott's gaze moved to briefly meet Brietta and Stiles before he turned back to Coach and replied, "Very."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Did you do the reading, or not?" Coach's patience was wearing thin as he pressed Scott with a direct question. Scott, now feeling a bit awkward and uncomfortable, shifted in his seat and avoided eye contact with Coach. He replied, "Uh, I think I forgot..."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Nice work, McCall." Coach muttered. "It's not like you're averaging a 'D' in this class." People snickered at this, making Scott shrink into his seat.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta watched with a deepening frown as Coach got up from his desk and leaned in front of Scott.  "Come on, buddy," Coach frowned, "you know I can't keep you on the team if you have a D."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta's eyebrows furrowed as she heard the faint sound of beeping coming from beside her. She turned to glance at Stiles, but he was looking down at a phone. A phone that Brietta knew wasn't his.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Coach tilted his head, "How about you summarize, uh, the previous night's reading?" Scott remained silent, and the beeping sound quickened, causing Brietta's eyes to dart between Scott and Stiles.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"No? A blog? How about...how about the back of a cereal box? No? How about the adults-only warning from your favorite website you visit every night?" Coach continued to mock him. "Anything?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott continued to shake his head and look down, the beeping in the distance quickening its pace. Brietta's eyes softened as she observed Scott's apparent distress, and his hands fell to his sides in defeat.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀As Coach's frustration grew, he exclaimed, "Thank you, McCall, thank you! Thank you, McCall!" He slammed his hands down onto a desk, causing Brietta to startle and lean forward in her seat. Her hand moved beneath her desk as Coach continued.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Thank you for extinguishing any last flicker of hope I have for your generation. You just blew it for everybody. Thanks. Next practice, you can start with suicide runs...unless that's too much reading." Coach fumed.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles, still in his seat, glanced down at the stolen phone in his hand, which was displaying Scott's heart monitor.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀A moment ago, it was at 160 and rising, but now it was gradually decreasing to 120.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles's eyebrows furrowed as he observed this change, blinking at the phone before shifting his gaze to Scott.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott turned to look behind him, and his eyes met Brietta's. There was a moment of silent understanding and softness between them.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles, sensing something had passed between them, glanced between their desks and noticed Brietta holding Scott's hand beneath the desk. Her thumb was gently stroking his knuckles as she held a soft smile on her lips.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles' eyes widened slightly as a sudden realization struck him. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together, and he began to connect the dots.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀As Coach turned his attention to the chalkboard, Brietta leaned forward in her seat, bringing her mouth just inches from Scott's.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀In a hushed tone, she whispered, "I still think you're a dumbass."

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"IT'S HER," Stiles declared the moment he and Scott left their Economics classroom. During the class, Brietta had been holding Scott's hand, but as soon as the bell signaled the end of the lesson, she hurriedly left the room, heading in the opposite direction from Stiles and Scott.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles watched Brietta disappear into the crowd, his brow furrowed with suspicion. He turned to Scott, who looked at him in confusion and asked, "What do you mean?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"It's Brietta." Stiles reiterated as they navigated through the hallway, "Remember what you told me about the night of the full moon? You were thinking about her, right? About protecting her."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott shrugged, nodding as he processed Stiles' words. "Okay," he replied, a thoughtful expression on his face.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles continued, "Remember the night of the first lacrosse game? You said you could hear her voice out on the field."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott perked up, nodding, "Yeah, I did."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles let out a small, excited breath. "Well, so that's what brought you back, so you could score. And then, after the game, in the locker room, you didn't kill her. At least, not like how you were trying to kill me."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott pursed his lips guiltily, his thoughts processing Stiles' words. Stiles took a deep breath and added, "She brings you back, is what I'm saying."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott shook his head, a hint of frustration in his voice. "No, no, no. But it's not always true, because literally every time I'm touching her—."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"No," Stiles interrupted, motioning with his hand, "that's not the same. When you're doing that, you're just another hormonal teenager thinking about sex, you know?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott looked off into the distance with a goofy grin, making Stiles pause. He then accused, "You're thinking about sex right now, aren't you?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott looked back at Stiles with a sheepish smile. "Yeah, sorry," he admitted, his cheeks slightly flushed.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"That's fine," Stiles sighed before motioning to himself. "Happens to the best of us."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀He paused for a moment before shaking his head, refocusing on the matter at hand. "Look, back in the classroom, when she was holding your hand, that was different, okay? I don't think she makes you weak. I—. I think she actually gives you control," Stiles said with a determined expression.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles stopped walking, his head tilted thoughtfully. "She's kind of like an anchor."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott stopped in front of Stiles, his words slipping out as if he didn't need to think about them, "You mean, because I love her?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles nodded, relieved that Scott had grasped his point. He had expected a flicker of jealousy, but there was none. There was just warmth. "Exactly," Stiles agreed.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott's eyes widened slightly, and he looked somewhat surprised. "Did I just say that?" he asked as if the realization of his own admission caught him off guard.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles nodded with a smirk, confirming, "Yes, you just said that."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott softly smiled, "I love her."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Get in line." Stiles nodded with lifted eyebrows, "Now, moving on—."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott interrupted again, his voice more earnest, "No, no, no, really. I'm totally in love with her."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Me too," Stiles let out an exasperated sigh, holding his hands out. "Now, before you go off and write a sonnet, can we figure this out, please? Because you obviously can't be around her all the time," Stiles then shrugged, a hint of humor in his expression. "And if you can't figure out how to be around her, then I have to pick who I hang out with, and, no offense, but I think we both know who I'd pick."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott nodded, refocusing on the issue at hand. "Yeah, yeah, yeah...sorry. So, what do I do?" he asked.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I don't know. Yet," he admitted.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles spun around for a moment, deep in thought. Then, he turned to Scott with a determined and concentrated look.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott cringed, a worried expression on his face. "Oh, no. You're getting an idea, aren't you?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yeah..." Stiles murmured, the glint of determination in his eyes growing stronger.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Is this idea gonna get me in trouble?" Scott asked, seeking reassurance, and Stiles nodded, "Maybe."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Is this idea gonna cause me physical pain?" Scott winced, already anticipating the response.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, definitely," Stiles patted Scott on the shoulder. "Come on."

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BRIETTA STARED AT THE SYMBOLS ON THE PAPER AND CARD, her frustration growing with every failed attempt to decipher their meaning. It was as if they belonged to no known language or code. She had already spent hours poring over them and had exhausted all her online resources.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Her last hope was the school library's computers.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀With a determined look in her eye, Brietta gathered her belongings and made her way to the school computers. She took a seat at one of the computers and started typing her search query into the search engine.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The search results appeared on the screen, and Brietta anxiously scanned through them. Most of the results were about symbols used in ancient languages, ciphers, and codes, but none seemed to match what she had in front of her.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀As Brietta leaned back in the chair, she couldn't shake the thought that there was a connection between the mysterious symbols she had received and the Yang charm that somehow ended up at Derek's house.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀It seemed too much of a coincidence for her charm to end up at his place without his knowledge.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Desperate for a breakthrough, she decided to consult her school librarian, Mrs. Rodriguez, who was known for her extensive knowledge. Brietta huffed out a small breath and headed over to the librarian's desk.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Mrs. Rodriguez, I've been trying to figure out what these symbols mean, but I'm stuck. I've searched everywhere, and I can't find anything on them. Do you have any idea where I could find help or someone who might know more about this?" she asked, her voice tinged with frustration as she handed Mrs. Rodriguez the paper she found in Derek's house.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Mrs. Rodriguez looked at the symbols and raised an eyebrow. "These are quite unusual, my dear. I don't recognize them either," A frown grew on Brietta's face, but, a moment later, Mrs. Rodriguez clicked her tongue, "but I do know someone who might be able to help."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Relief washed over Brietta as she took the paper back from Mrs. Rodriguez. "Who?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Dominic Greenberg," Mrs. Rodriguez nodded, pointing to a corner in the library.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta approached Dominic with a deep breath. "Hey, Dominic," she greeted him with a small smile. Dominic looked up from his laptop, his dark eyes focusing on her, "Hey, Brie."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta wiped her hands on her jeans and let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry about quitting on such short notice. I really loved babysitting Nathan, but..."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Dominic shook his head, his expression understanding. "No, I get it. Given everything happening at the video store, I completely understand."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta let out a sigh of relief before retrieving the paper from her pocket. She extended it towards Dominic and said, "Mrs. Rodriguez mentioned that you might be able to help me with this. Do these symbols look familiar?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Dominic accepted the paper and carefully examined the symbols. His brow furrowed as he studied the enigmatic characters, turning the paper this way and that. After a few moments, he looked up at Brietta, a thoughtful expression on his face.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"It looks like the runic alphabet, but variants of it," Dominic shrugged, handing the paper back to Brietta, "To find out what it says, you'd have to try every version of Runes, but that'll take you forever."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta's eyebrows furrowed for a second, "Why?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Because," Dominic sighed, "all six versions of the Runic alphabet are on that paper."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta frowned as she looked at the paper once more, "So, one symbol could mean A, and another one that looks completely different could also mean A?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Exactly," Dominic nodded before shrugging, "To be honest, though, whoever wrote that doesn't want anyone knowing what it means. It's like a secret language."

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BRIETTA RESISTED THE URGE TO SLAP SCOTT AFTER HE FINISHED EXPLAINING THE CHAOS THAT HAD UNFOLDED AT THE CLINIC. She turned her attention back to him as he sat in the backseat of Stiles' jeep. "Okay," Brietta began, trying to make sense of the situation. "Let me make sure I've got this straight. Derek attacked your boss in the clinic, knocked him out, is currently driving to the school with him, and believes he's the Alpha?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott nodded with a slight wince, his face reflecting the tension of the situation. "Yeah, that's pretty much it."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta gave a curt nod, her tongue darting out to lick her lips. "Good to know."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀She then turned her attention forward, her gaze fixed on the school building, as Stiles parked his jeep in front of it.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀As Stiles turned off the ignition, Brietta cast a meaningful glance at her friends. "Just so we're are clear," she said, her gaze landing on Scott, "I'm still not okay with you guys excluding me so that you," she pointed at Scott, "could work on getting your anger in check."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles had the decency to act a bit sheepish, "Well, it's all worked out now, and we're sorry." Then Stiles and Scott shared a look that Brietta couldn't entirely understand.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta nodded, feeling her composure soften, "Well, once we're done here, I need to tell you guys something."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles and Scott nodded in understanding, and then all three of them clambered out of the car to wait for Derek.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"This is a terrible idea," Stiles murmured under his breath as they made their way to the back of his jeep. His words evoked a solemn nod from Scott. "Yeah, I know."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"But we're still doing this?" Brietta tilted her head, making Scott hold out his hands with a frown, "Can you two think of something better?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Literally anything but this," Brietta muttered, to which Stiles responded with a nonchalant shrug. "Well, personally, I'm a fan of ignoring a problem until it eventually just goes away."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott huffed, turning his gaze to Stiles. "Just make sure we can get inside."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles rolled his eyes just as the distant rumble of a car engine reached their ears. Brietta glanced over her shoulder to spot Derek's car approaching, while Stiles swiftly grabbed a crowbar from his trunk.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Derek pulled his car to a stop a few yards away from Stiles' Jeep. He emerged from the vehicle, his gaze fixed on the group of teenagers before him.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott leaned into the passenger seat and furrowed his brow when he saw nobody. "Where's my boss?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Derek's expression soured as if Scott's words had cast blame upon him, and he gestured toward his car. "He's in the back."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta, Stiles, and Scott all leaned forward to peer into the backseat, where they found Scott's boss, Dr. Deaton, sporting duct tape over his mouth and his arms tightly bound. His head was cocked at an angle that would undoubtedly leave him with a sore neck.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles glanced up at Derek with a mocking expression, "Oh, well, he looks comfortable."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta tugged Stiles along with her and Scott as they set off toward the school. However, they didn't get very far before Derek called out to them, "Wait. Hey. What are you doing?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The three teenagers halted in their tracks, and Scott turned to face Derek. "You said I was linked with the Alpha," he said, his gaze shifting to the high school building. "I'm gonna see if you're right."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta, Scott, and Stiles approached the building, with Stiles taking the lead in dismantling the heavy chains that sealed the front doors, using his trusty crowbar.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Guided by the beam of a flashlight Stiles had entrusted to Brietta, they made their way to the main office, and soon, they found themselves stepping inside.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles cleared his throat and made a beeline for the comms system, while Brietta and Scott positioned themselves on the opposite side of the desk.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Okay, one question," Stiles sighed, directing his gaze at Scott. "What are you gonna do if the Alpha doesn't show up?

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott cast a thoughtful glance at Stiles before shaking his head. "I don't know," he admitted.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles began to flick buttons on the comms system as he continued, "And what are you gonna do if he does show up?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott cringed and briefly looked at Brietta before shrugging. "I don't know."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Great," Brietta huffed, a sarcastic smile playing on her lips. "It's just like the night you got bit."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott frowned, briefly lowering his head before shifting his focus to Stiles, "All right. You said that a wolf howls to signal his position to the rest of the pack, right?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Right," Stiles nodded, tearing his eyes away from the comms system to lock onto Scott's gaze. "But, if you bring him here, does that make you part of his pack?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott swallowed audibly, his voice taking on a small and hoarse tone as if he were a frightened child. "I hope not," he admitted.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, me too," Stiles replied, his gaze briefly dropping as he concealed his own fears.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta cleared her throat lightly, casting a quick glance at Stiles and Scott. "Would this be a bad time to mention that I think Derek is the Alpha?" she inquired.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles and Scott snapped their heads toward Brietta with curious looks, leading her to clarify, "I know he says he doesn't know who the Alpha is, but what if he doesn't know that he's the Alpha."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"I guess we'll find out tonight," He then cleared his throat and activated the microphone for the comms system, positioning it directly in front of Scott's mouth. "All right. All you."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta took a small step back as Scott cleared his throat, clicking on the microphone. Scott inhaled deeply before letting out a high-pitched howl that echoed through the microphone. Stiles winced and lowered his head, while Brietta stifled a laugh by quickly covering her mouth with her hand.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott winced as he brought the howl to an end. Brietta took deep breaths, attempting to regain control over her laughter, while Stiles absentmindedly scratched the top of his head.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles looked up at Scott, clearly struggling to provide reassurance. "I...yeah, technically..."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott cast a glance toward Brietta, who had managed to stifle her laughter and emitted a small cough. "Well...what did it sound like to you guys?" he inquired.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles cringed, "Like a cat being choked to death, Scott."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott let out a frustrated sigh. "What do I do? How am I supposed to do this?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta's gaze softened, and Stiles circled the table to position himself behind Scott. He firmly placed his hands on Scott's shoulders, squeezing them as he delivered his words with determination, "Listen to me; you're calling the Alpha, all right? Be a man. Be a Werewolf, not a Teen Wolf. Be a Werewolf," Stiles advised as he patted Scott on the back before stepping back. "Do it."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott nodded with newfound determination, and he activated the microphone. He released a powerful, resonating growl that sent vibrations through the air, causing the doors to shake.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀As he growled, a shiver ran down Brietta's spine. He was definitely not a Teen Wolf anymore.

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"I'M GOING TO KILL ALL THREE OF YOU!" Derek threatened as Stiles, Brietta, and Scott approached him with smug expressions. "What the hell was that?" he continued with a furious glare, "What are you trying to do, attract the entire state to the school?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott's cheeks flushed slightly as he replied, "Sorry...I didn't know it would be that loud."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Beside Brietta, Stiles vibrated with excitement. "Yeah, it was loud...and it was awesome!" he exclaimed with enthusiasm. He and Brietta then exchanged a fist bump, signifying their agreement.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Derek narrowed his eyes at Stiles. "Shut up," he retorted curtly.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Stiles frowned, "Don't be such a sour wolf."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Scott suddenly poked Brietta, causing her to jump slightly, and then he pointed at the backseat of Derek's car. An empty backseat.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"What did you do with him?" Scott inquired, prompting Derek to look at Scott with a puzzled expression. "What?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Derek spun around to inspect his backseat and then swiveled back to Scott with a shocked expression. "I didn't do anything," he responded.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta's eyes widened in horror as she spotted a beast sneaking up behind Derek. "Derek, watch out!" she cried out, but her warning came too late.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The Alpha viciously drove its claws into Derek's back, causing blood to gush from his mouth. Brietta, Stiles, and Scott stumbled back in shock as the Alpha effortlessly lifted Derek into the air with its deadly claws.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Strong hands yanked Brietta toward the school, and in a matter of seconds, she found herself inside with Scott and Stiles. They huddled down in front of the door, making sure to avoid standing in front of the windows on the door.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Brietta's heart raced, and she struggled to catch her breath.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"What the hell are we going to do?" Brietta muttered, exchanging fearful glances with Stiles and Scott.

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄

YALL WE MUST STAY STRONG

WE'RE SO CLOSE TO BRIETTA KISSING ONE OF THEM.

WATCH OUT FOR CHAPTER 11/12

we also found out something about Brietta's disappearance, but that's not as important as her kissing Scott or Stiles.

▍PUBLISHED . . 10/15/23 — ♡︎ ୫
© POETICLULLS, 2023