IT SEEMED THAT DEREK'S BOLD ATTEMPT AT FIGHTING THE TWINS WAS FUTILE and when Scott removed my arm from around his shoulder and shifted he lasted a matter of minutes before the twins had him pressed up against the wall in a choke hold. Scott had originally passed me along to Stiles and he had wrapped his arm around my waist, holding me protectively when I'd spotted Cora lying on the ground unconscious behind the twins.

We had to save her and while the twins were distracted it was a perfect opportunity. I gripped to Stiles' arm tightly as I looked to him, "Stiles?"

He turned his head to me, his eyes flickering over my face before he held my gaze, "What? What's wrong?" He asked me worriedly.

"Cora." I replied, breaking eye contact and pointing to where she laid on the ground, "We have to help her."

"Okay." He nodded, "But you stay here, all right?"

"If I have to." I grumbled in response though I knew I wouldn't be of much use to him at all. He couldn't grab Cora and keep me on my feet at the same time, it was impossible. Stiles was surprisingly strong but he wasn't that strong.

"Can you stand?" He asked me.

I looked to him in slight amusement though I wasn't sure it displayed on my face as I quipped, "Are we lying down?" I replied in mock confusion, "I could've sworn we were standing up."

His face was flat though I saw amusement sparkle in his eyes. He looked away from me briefly as he tried to keep himself composed and he said, "I hate you right now. This is not the time for humour, Alex."

"Says you, the one who cracks out jokes in life or death situations to try and lighten the tension?" I quipped, looking straight into his eyes. I hadn't noticed how close we were before but our noses were almost touching at this point. Stiles rolled his eyes in response and I added, "I learn from the best."

He was silent for a second as he looked at me before he said again, "Can you stand?"

"I think so." I replied properly then, "Worst case scenario there's a wall over there."

He nodded and he hesitantly removed his arm from around my waist, watching me on my feet. I surprised us both as I focused entirely on my balance. I managed to stay upright though I knew I was swaying slightly side to side.

"I'm okay." I reassured him.

He nodded once before he grabbed Peter by the shoulder of his shirt and dragged him up to his feet, "Help me." He said to him, pulling him behind Scott and the twins as they ran towards Cora. I watched them behind hooded eyes, a slight grey haze swirling over my vision though I just wanted to help Scott. I wanted to stop the twins as they continued to hold him in a choke hold.

"Ethan, Aiden, stop!" He yelled to them, "You don't know what you're doing."

"All we want is her." They snarled back.

I felt a hand snake around my arm and I was tugged backwards though I had no chance but to comply or fall to the ground. I could manage to support myself stationary but I was no good walking. I couldn't fight Miss. Blake but by the time I realised what she was doing I was standing in the elevator.

"Woah, hey-hey!" Stiles yelled then as he let go of Cora's arm. Peter caught her, hoisting her up over his shoulder.

He caught everyone's attention and forced it to Miss. Blake and I as we stood in the elevator and when the doors began to close slowly I tried to rush out of there before I became trapped with her but my advance was slow and my coordination was completely off. She grabbed my wrist and pulled me back harshly but her strength pulled me down to the ground. I fell back against the wall of the elevator, my head smacking harshly off the wall and I groaned in pain as everything split into two. My vision was massively blurred.

"Alex!" Stiles shouted again as the doors closed further and I heard the deafening roar of the twins as they ran towards Miss. Blake and I but the doors had closed on us long before they could reach us.

I was trapped in here with her, nothing but a heap on the ground, as she turned and looked down on me and rose her brows, "See what I mean about insurance policy?" She asked me.

I sighed heavily in response feeling what little energy I had before pool out of me completely. I rested my head back on the wall and closed my eyes as silence seeped between Miss. Blake and I. I tried to ignore the feeling of the elevator pulling us up and gravity pulling my body down. It was an unpleasant feeling on a normal day but now when I felt like I was constantly on the verge of vomiting it was ten times worse.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened for us to exit but I couldn't even think of pulling myself up off the ground. Miss. Blake turned to look down at me, "Get up."

I narrowed my eyes at her, "You're joking aren't you? How about I poison you with a deadly amount of mistletoe and see how you feel." I shot, "If I'm your insurance policy you have to help me out too. It works both ways."

She huffed in annoyance but she didn't roll her eyes. I thought she was going to ignore everything I'd said but she didn't and she begrudgingly held her hand out for me to take. I tried to pull myself up to my feet but it was easier said than done and she gripped my elbow with her other hand, helping me stand. I felt like my body was swaying as my vision distorted again and it appeared that the room was spinning. Miss. Blake continued to hold my arm and as she pulled me out of the elevator I vaguely made out the sound of a cane tapping rhythmically against the tile floor.

Miss. Blake and I halted, looking down to the bottom of the corridor where my vision cleared just enough for me to be able to make out Deucalion and Kali rounding the corner. I inhaled heavily before a small, tearless, sob escaped my lips. I couldn't of been in a worse predicament if I'd tried. If the mistletoe wasn't going to kill me, Kali certainly would.

I leaned somewhat closer to Miss. Blake as her eyes widened at the sight of the two Alphas and said, "Now, I know I'm like your insurance policy and all but I can tell you with absolute certainty that these two would prefer me dead .. so I don't think that ship is going to work on them."

She barely paid me a glance before we saw Deucalion lift his cane from the ground in our peripheral vision and we both turned to see him pull the black tip off the end before he threw it in our direction. I ducked somewhat to avoid the flying object as the sharp arrow-like end of the cane impaled the wall just by Miss. Blake's head. She gasped and as my eyes widened I glanced to them to see Kali charging for us both at full speed.

Miss. Blake pulled me back into the elevator and I leaned against the wall as she pressed the button for the third floor repeatedly. I could only pray that Kali didn't tear her apart in this lift otherwise I was going to die and so when the Alpha female gripped the elevator doors just as they were about to close I panicked. She started to pry them open, growling at us with a threatening look on her face but what shocked me the most was when Miss. Blake stepped forwards and hit the sides of the doors, sending Kali flying back by an invisible force.

She leaned against the wall next to me and exhaled heavily as the lift began to move and my head slumped to the side to look at her, "So how's this working out for you, huh?" I asked her.

She turned and glared at me as she panted for breath and as the elevator dinged again she grabbed my wrist and pulled me out. We stepped back on to the third floor just as the lights flickered twice before they gave in completely, thrusting us into darkness.

Again, I faced one of my worst fears that had risen since I'd moved back to Beacon Hills and I shuddered, pulling against Miss. Blake's grip on my forearm. I could barely see her as she turned to me with furrowed brows, "You're afraid of the dark?" She asked me apathetically.

I nodded once in response and she chuckled to herself before she said, "Ever heard of the phrase 'If you're afraid of the dark you're afraid of your own soul'?" She asked me.

"I kind of need you to not be my English teacher right now." I replied as the backup generators whirred before bringing a dim, greenish, light to the halls.

She pulled me along and for a minute I wondered where it was that we were heading to as we rounded a corner. It was silent between us until she glanced at me and said, "You know it's nothing personal don't you?"

I scrunched my face up as I looked to her, "Except it's entirely personal."

"It's not." She shook her head, "You were just my best option."

I shook my head in response as I sighed and as we continued down the corridor I heard Stiles shouting faintly. I glanced to Miss. Blake in confusion, it was like she knew exactly where to go — as if she was following the sound of their voices. Had she had supernatural hearing this whole time?

"There has to be something that we can do." I heard Scott say then, "We have to help her."

Miss. Blake put her hand on to the next set of brown double doors and she pushed it open, pulling me inside with her, "You can't." She said to them, "Only I can. I can save her, I can save Alex, and I can tell you where Sheriff Stilinski is .. but there's a pack of Alphas in this hospital who want me dead. So I'll help you but only when I'm out of here and safe .. only then."

I looked to the four of them in front of us and said, "Insurance policy."

Rage twisted on Derek's face and he pushed the table in front of him out of the way as he advanced for Miss. Blake but all she did was push me in front of her, using my body as a human shield. Before my cousin could get to either of us, Peter stepped in and held Derek back, "Derek, wait!"

"She was trying to get out." He snapped.

"I was trying to keep from getting killed. You can't blame me for that." Miss. Blake retaliated.

"Yeah, well, so was I until you injected me with a lethal dose of mistletoe." I snapped at her, "Impending death isn't a nice feeling is it?"

"If you want to show you're one of the good guys then heal Alex." Stiles spoke up then, "Heal Cora."

"Not until I'm safe." She replied.

"I'd like to volunteer a different method of persuasion." Peter quipped then in annoyance, "Let's torture her."

"Works for me." Derek responded.

I turned to Miss. Blake as I tried to pull my arm out of her iron clad grip and glared at her while saying, "I like that idea."

Scott tried to hold Derek back, looking at him desperately but the squeaking of the intercom followed by an overly familiar voice distracted us all.

"Um, c-can I have your attention?" Melissa spoke through the system and her voice shook in terror, "Mr. Deucalion, excuse me, just Deucalion requests you bring the woman calling herself Jennifer Blake to the E.R reception. Do this, and everyone else can leave. You have ten minutes."

I released a shaky exhale at the thought of Kali towering over Melissa, waiting to kill her the minute we breached that ten minute mark. The thought of Melissa dying was incomprehensible, much like the thought of the Sheriff missing was too. Neither of them were my parents but they were the closest thing I had to them now my own were dead. Peter was no where near the top of the list and I still didn't see him as my biological father either — rather an annoying evil great-uncle.

I couldn't bare the thought of anything happening to Melissa. 

"He's not going to hurt her." Miss. Blake said before any of us had the chance to speak.

"Shut up." Derek snapped at her immediately.

"He won't." She replied, "Scott, you know why .. tell them it's true."

I looked to Scott with furrowed brows, "Huh?"

"What does she mean?" Derek asked him too but our friend didn't respond.

Miss. Blake sighed in annoyance before she said to Derek, "You're not the only one he wants in his pack."

"Scott's not an Alpha." I shook my head in confusion.

"Deucalion doesn't just want an Alpha pack. He wants perfection." Miss. Blake said, "And that means adding the rarest of alphas to his ranks."

I watched as Peter looked to Scott in amazement, "A true Alpha."

"What's that?" Stiles asked.

"The kind that doesn't have to steal his power from another." Peter said, "One that can rise by the force of his own will.. our little Scott."

"You knew about this?" I said to Scott then, mumbling.

"It doesn't matter." Scott said before he looked at Miss. Blake, "We still need to get them out of here."

"Scott, your mom—" Stiles protested.

"My mom said there's one more ambulance coming in 20 minutes and I don't think we've been here that long, so if we can get down to the garage, get to the last ambulance, we can get out of here." Scott replied.

"The twins aren't gonna let us just walk out." Peter said to him.

"I'll distract them." He responded.

Derek rose his brow at him, "You mean fight them?"

"Whatever I have to do." Scott replied.

"I'll help you."

"Um, sorry, but I'm not going anywhere without you, Derek." Miss. Blake butted in.

I shook my head then and I felt my nose running. I lifted my fingers up and rubbed it but as I pulled my hand back I caught the contrasting colour of the back of my hand. My face fell with dread, "Uh.. guys." I swallowed thickly, looking at the black blood on my hand. I fleetingly lifted my gaze to the four men in front of me and I exhaled shakily, "I kind of get the feeling that I might be running out of time here."

Each one of them widened their eyes at me as I felt the blood continue to run from my nose. I lifted the sleeve of my jacket up to cover my nostrils as Stiles looked to Miss. Blake and narrowed his eyes at her, "Just how much mistletoe did you inject into her?"

Miss. Blake shrugged as she looked at me, "A full syringe."

"A—what? A full syringe?" He exasperated before he looked to Derek and Peter, "How long can that take to kill you?"

By the glare Derek was handing her I knew it wasn't good news, "Quicker than the time it takes for the sun to come up."

My body went numb as I turned back and looked at Miss. Blake. I was dying so much quicker than what she'd said and yet she didn't seem surprised by it. In fact, she didn't even seem bothered.

"Don't forget about the mistletoe that was already in her body at the time I injected more into her." She replied.

"We need to hurry." Peter said then to them, "I'd say after doing a very rough calculation and judging by the look of her we've got three hours."

"There hours?" I squeaked.

He looked to me and smiled apologetically before he added, "Max."

The thought made me dizzy and sweat consumed me as my heart pumped rapidly against my chest. A crippling sensation of nausea rippled through me like a tidal wave and I leaned forwards again, vomiting all over the ground in front of me.

"Maybe not even that." I heard Peter say then.

"Oh, my, god. Stop talking!" Stiles yelled in frustration then and as I stumbled forwards he caught me in his arms, locking them around my body as he held my face against his chest. I closed my eyes, focusing on the lulling sound of his erratic heart as I felt my body draining.

"We need to distract the twins." Scott said then quickly.

"I can't help you." Derek replied.

"I'll do it." Peter said, "But I'd prefer to be out there with an advantage."

"An advantage like what? You mean like a weapon?" Stiles asked him.

"Something better than a baseball bat." Peter replied.

"There's got to be something in here." I croaked then, "It's an O.R."

"She's right, search the drawers, cupboards, anything." Derek nodded.

The started rushing around quickly to find something of use and Stiles guided me over to the wall before he lowered me to the ground gently, "Okay, wait here."

I looked at him through tired eyes, "It's not like I've got anywhere better to be."

A faint smile appeared on his lips as I attempted to bring a fraction of humour to this god awful situation. I knew I sounded exactly like him — bringing humour to uncomfortable or stressful situations — and I had a feeling that was why he was smiling.

"You sound exactly like me." He remarked quietly.

A small smile cracked on my lips, "Well I learn from the best." I replied and for a minute all we did was just stare into each other's eyes. It was almost as if I could read his thoughts just by looking into his eyes and all I could decipher was sheer concern and worry. It brought me to frown and I reached out to grab his hand where he curled his fingers around mine tightly and squeezed.

"Stiles, I need to tell you something." I mumbled though I knew he could hear me very clearly.

He nodded immediately, "Okay."

"I—"

"Hey! Stilinski, do you plan on helping us or just sitting there staring into my daughters eyes for the rest of the night?" Peter snapped at Stiles then, "Which, by the way, isn't going to save her life."

I frowned even further at Peter's words, him calling me his daughter being one of them. It was the truth but it wasn't something I was used to hearing.

Stiles sighed in front of me and he dropped his head somewhat before he begrudgingly nodded, "Yeah, okay. I'm coming."

My eyes widened somewhat as I gripped his hand in urgency, "Stiles—"

"Tell me after, okay?" He said to me softly as he got up to his feet, "I'll only be a couple of minutes."

He joined Scott, Derek and Peter in rummaging through the drawers for something to give Peter an advantage while I sat here and tried to process my thoughts. I had been so close to telling him that I loved him and the opportunity had slipped right through my fingers.

It wasn't how I ever imagined telling him that I loved him but the setting wasn't exactly my priority right now. He just needed to know before it was too late and someone else had to tell him I loved him after I died.

I tried to keep my thoughts collected and my shallow breaths steady. I wanted to keep my heart at a somewhat normal rhythm to slow down the circulation of the mistletoe. There was no doubt it would have circled my body a thousand times by now but the faster my heart pumped the quicker it was pushed through my blood stream again.

If I could reduce the amount of times it circled my body I would try. Even if by doing it gave me an extra three minutes. It was three minutes better than nothing.

I didn't know how long I'd been sitting here for when Stiles picked up the electronic pads that belonged to one of the defibrillators within this room. Seeing him with them in his hands made me shudder somewhat and I placed my hand over my heart, remembering vividly just how painful the shocks they sent through your body were.

"Hey, wait. What about these?" He said to the three of them.

Derek rose his brow, "Do you know how to use those?"

"Well, no." Stiles shook his head then.

"Then put 'em down." He instructed him.

Stiles rolled his eyes in annoyance and he put the handles back on to the base of the machine. At the same time, Scott pulled out a rather large syringe and took the lid off the needle as he stared at it, "Epinephrine?"

"That's only gonna make him stronger." Derek responded.

Peter leaned back and looked to Derek and Scott as he rose his brow and asked, "How strong?"

________________________

Strong was very strong and Peter wasted no time in walking out into the hallway to face the twins, the needle of the syringe still buried deep within his skin. Stiles was helping me to my feet while Derek grabbed Cora and the we waited for a minute until we heard the fighting to know it was safe enough to leave. The twins were distracted and we rushed down to the garage on the ground floor as quickly as humanly possible.

I started out on my feet, allowing Stiles to take most of my weight but after one flight of stairs I could hardly breathe. My world was swirling, black spots robbing me of my sight and I almost fell down the stairs from my lack of balance. My chest was burning and each breath was a quick pant that didn't actually allow oxygen into my body. It felt like I was choking because I couldn't hold my diaphragm open long enough to inhale properly. I was heaving for air and it only made my dizziness ten times worse.

"Stiles.." I panted, shaking my head as we stood on the stairs. Derek and Miss. Blake were a flight below us, looking up at Stiles and I, "I think.. I think I'm going to pass out."

I heard Stiles swear faintly under his breath before he tucked his arm under my legs and swept me off my feet. He carried me the rest of the way down the stairs and I kept my eyes closed, trying to focus on regaining control of my erratic breathing.

"It's still here!" Stiles shouted from above me as he burst through the door into the garage. He rushed over to the ambulance and I opened my eyes as he placed me on the floor, my back leaning against the vehicle as he opened the doors and helped Derek get Cora in first. I pressed my head into the back of the ambulance and slid down it slowly until I was on the floor, my legs extended in front of me.

Hazily, I looked around. My vision was almost back to normal now but my eyes still felt tired and heavy. I could feel my heart slamming against my ribs still, the pulse behind my ear reminding me that my heart was pumping at an uncontrollable rate. My head lulled to the side as it became too heavy to hold up and just as my eyes threatened to close I saw a body on the floor meters away from me.

I stilled as I stared at the EMT lying face down on the ground, his head turned away from me. He had a large blood stain on the back of his shirt yet there was a pool of the thick fluid underneath him also. I had no doubt it was Kali or Deucalion's doing — their plan to stop us from escaping this hospital. Melissa probably would've been forced to tell them how we were planning on getting out of here and so they destroyed our every chance of survival.

"Derek." I mumbled meekly, my voice quivering as I stared at the EMT in horror. The lights of the ambulance flashed around the parking garage as Derek and Miss. Blake came round the side of the vehicle, stepping in front of me as I remained on the ground.

"Julia."

We heard Kali sing the unfamiliar name tauntingly as footsteps echoed throughout the garage. I swallowed deeply, my hands by my bum as I tried to push myself off of the floor. Slowly and quietly, Derek took my hands and he helped me back up to my feet as we continued to look around, searching for Kali.

Then as the keys to the ambulance jingled we saw as she stepped out from round the front of the vehicle, a smirk of amusement on her face as she looked at us, "It is you."

"You can't beat her on your own." Miss. Blake said to Derek then.

I glanced over to her, "No shit, Sherlock."

Derek barely glanced in my direction when he gripped my hand tightly, "That's why we're going to run."

"Try to." I corrected him as Miss. Blake already took off. She made a run for it as Derek pulled on my arm gently, looking at me as he picked up into a jog.

I tested the waters, trying to ignore how my feet ached with each step I took but it was useless. The pain that shot up my shins and into my knees was unbearable. It felt like my bones were splitting and we'd barely made it out of the parking garage when I collapsed to the ground. Every inch of my body was screaming in pain and it brought tears to pierce my eyes. I could barely force myself on to my back when Derek rushed over to me, Miss. Blake already in the elevator as Kali caught up with us.

He tried to help me up but I shook my head, pushing him away, "Derek, go!"

"I'm not leaving you." He fired.

Kali roared threateningly from down the hallway and I pushed Derek's arm away again, "Get in the lift. Just remember that I'm here, okay?"

His eyes widened, "What if you die?"

I groaned tiredly in annoyance, "Derek, go. I won't blame you."

He was torn as he looked at me in hesitation before he finally snapped, "Okay, okay."

I nodded, shuffling back into a darkened corner that carried to an unused hallway to hide and Derek watched me to make sure he knew exactly where I was going to be. Once I was hidden behind the wall he pushed a spare gurney down the corridor to halt Kali before he rushed into the elevator. I watched with baited breath as the doors closed just before Kali could get in, saving not only Derek and Miss. Blake but also myself because if she died then I was as good as.

I had no idea how long I was going to have to wait here but I prayed it wasn't long.

Kali's claws scratched down the metal doors of the elevator as she groaned in annoyance. She had been so close all night — they all had.

"I know you're still here." I heard her say then and my breath hitched in my throat. I closed my eyes anxiously, pressing my head into the wall, "I can hear your heart failing."

Failing? I wanted to say that I was surprised but I wasn't. All of my organs would be starting to shut down now.

"It's a waste to kill you when you're already dying." She added, "It's a shame though, you remind me a lot of myself when I was your age. I'd of loved to stand against you in a fair fight if you were an Alpha."

I clenched my fist beside me, desperate for her to go. I didn't trust that she wasn't still going to kill me.

"But I know how it feels to have the person you love the most be ripped away from you." She carried on, "And while your cousin took Ennis from me I'd hate to be the one who took you from the twins."

I couldn't tell if I was hearing her right or not. Was my mind playing tricks on me? Surely it was. There wasn't a chance Kali would spare my life when all this time she'd been dying to kill me. She was the one who forced me off the road and into the tree, the one who unknowingly triggered my shifting process by forcing me to miss my shot that night.

She had been so desperate to kill me at the mall the night Ennis died. She had almost succeeded that night at the loft.

She'd tried to kill me on three separate occasions yet now she had the perfect opportunity she was passing it up. I found it difficult to believe. She was deciding against killing me because she didn't want to hurt the twins? Since when had she come to that decision. It had to have been just recently, within the last day or so — maybe even hour.

Did it mean she was going to step away from me completely or was this just a one off?

Her decision meant that Derek ultimately wouldn't join Deucalion's pack because my cousin wouldn't kill me. The twins wouldn't kill me and Kali had had a change of conscience. That only left Deucalion and I was yet to see him get his hands dirty. I had the impression he rarely ever got involved in business like that. He just gave the order .. but regardless, I hoped it wasn't him if it came down to it.

In the seconds I'd spent holding my breath I realised that Kali had gone. Where to I didn't know but I wasn't going to complain about it. She'd thrown me a lifeline and I didn't want to waste it. We had to get Miss. Blake out of here alive so she could heal Cora and I and tell us where the Sheriff was. We had so much riding on her .. we needed her.

I spent the next few minutes breathing, my head resting against the wall but when I heard the power shutting down I was forced to open my eyes. My vision was minimal and with no light to assist me I struggled to see the end of the hallway.

I tried to use my enhanced vision to better my chances but I couldn't even dip into my supernatural abilities anymore. It was like I was human again and I never thought I'd see the day where I said I hated it. I'd gotten so used to the better sight, the enhanced hearing, the increased strength .. I'd forgotten what it was like to have none of that.

I was stuck here in the dark with no where to go.

I had told Derek not to forget where I was with the hope that he would be back for me within ten minutes but with the power down he was trapped in the elevator. We were all screwed, completely and utterly screwed.

I'd forgotten about my phone until I felt it against my arm in my pocket and when I pulled it out and pressed the home button I found it dead. I sighed in frustration, dropping my arm to the floor and looking up to the ceiling while I thought of a plan.

I'd have to move. I had to at least find someone who would help me because I didn't think I could stay up on my own feet anymore.

As thunder rumbled the sky outside I jumped somewhat as the walls of the hospital seemed to shake. I felt a trickle of blood run from my nose again and with the sleeve of Stiles' coat I rubbed it away from my face.

I had to get to the parking garage. It wasn't far at all and with Kali willing to give me a lifeline I had a free shot really. I just had to coax myself up to my feet and get down the hallway. It wasn't that hard.

I put my phone back into my pocket and I placed my hands on the wall behind me, preparing to stand up. With a grimace, I clenched my teeth together, as I pushed my weight into my hands and lifted my bum off the floor. I walked my hands up the wall, doing everything I could to forget about the pain that consumed my body with every movement. I had to keep pushing though and when I got to the ambulance I'd be able to relax. Though it wouldn't be a nice type of relaxing, rather a 'giving into the overwhelming exhaustion' relax.

I kept my hands on the wall even when I was on my feet because god knows I needed the support. I felt like a baby giraffe leaning how to walk for the first time except they were on ice. My legs felt like nothing underneath me and it made this ten times harder than what I needed it to be.

I took some deep breaths as my breath ran away after getting up and I stood there for a second or two before put one foot in front of the other and cautiously transferred my weight. It would take me hours to reach the parking garage at the speed I was walking.

On my third step I saw as a spot of black liquid landed on the white tiled floor in front of my feet and I stared at it before a second spot joined it. It was blood falling from my nose and I didn't even realise it was bleeding because I was already looking down so it just fell freely. I groaned deeply, exhaling in frustration as I slid my hand across the wall to take another step. My hand flattened against the cold metal of the elevator and I continued my exhausting journey.

I'd only come five or six steps and I was wiped out. I'd have to stop for a minute because I was sure if I took another step my legs would collapse on me. My thighs were shaking already and I rested my back against the wall, trying to slide down it as controlled as I could but when I'd gotten half way down my legs had had enough. My feet slipped out from underneath me and I fell the remainder of the wall to the floor, landing on my bum with a harsh groan of pain.

Tears prickled my eyes as I forced my head into the wall and yelled once in a mixture of exhaustion and frustration. I hated this. I hated that I could barely walk and that was one of the most basic abilities in the world. I hated this pain. I hated how exhausted it made me feel. I hated that there was a small part of me willing to give in just to end this suffering. It made me feel weak but at the moment I was having a hard time finding any other alternative. My chances of survival seemed to be slimming with every passing second.

"Oh, my, darling."

Oh, shit.

That was not a voice I wanted to hear right now.

I opened my eyes as tears streamed down my sweaty face but I didn't see her though when I felt her hand on my knee I dropped my head to the side tiredly to see her sitting next to me.

"I can't say I'm glad to see you, mom." I replied hoarsely as my voice cracked.

"I know sweetheart." She sympathised with me, "It breaks my heart that you can see me, too."

"Why does this happen?" I asked her as I leaned my head on her shoulder. She slipped her hand into my cold one and cradled it with her other, "Do I have a connection with the dead or something?"

"No, love, you don't." She said to me, "I don't quite understand it myself but my assumption is that because I'm always near or with you whenever your body starts to shut down or succumb to death you open your mind to those who are already dead. That way you and I can communicate. Perhaps I'm supposed to help guide you through the process."

"There's a process?" I asked her before I closed my eyes, "Sounds exhausting."

A small chuckle poured from her lips and I felt her place a kiss to the crown of my head, "It's quick and easy."

"Not really what I want to be hearing." I replied honestly.

"Trust me, sweetheart, it's not exactly what I want to be telling you either."

"Life sucks." I grumbled.

"It doesn't suck." She said to me, "Sometimes it's just hard."

"Hard?" I echoed, "I don't remember singing up for this."

"You didn't sign up for anything." She chuckled again.

"Well someone signed me up for it." I replied, "They've got a lot of explaining to do."

"Oh, Alex." She sighed sympathetically, "I hate to see you like this."

"I hate feeling like this." I replied and silence seeped between us before I mumbled, "I didn't even get to tell Stiles that I love him."

"I think he knew what you were going to say." My mom replied.

"You think?" I asked her quietly. The thought of Stiles knowing that I loved him brought some comfort to me but I still would've liked to have told him. I wondered what his response would've been. Did he love me too?

"Yes." She nodded, "And I think had you told him he'd of reciprocated your feelings."

A fresh set of hot tears ran down my cheeks as I squeezed my mom's hand, "God, I hope he's not the one to find me."

"You seem to have completely lost hope, Alex." She said to me.

"What's there to be hopeful for?" I asked her, "I have what .. an hour left, maybe a bit longer? Miss. Blake is trapped in an elevator with Derek and the power is out. I really don't see us getting out of this one, mom. Not all of us anyways."

"Well, I think you'll find your luck is about to change." She replied.

"Luck?" I scoffed tiredly, "What luck?"

She didn't reply though and I heard my 'luck' approaching in the sound of footsteps — two separate pairs of footsteps. With my head still on my moms shoulder I opened my eyes and looked down the corridor to see two identical bodies walking towards me and I knew who it was immediately. One of them paused and I noticed it was the one a fraction shorter in size — Ethan — and he held his arm out to stop Aiden. Aiden looked at his brother in confusion but he didn't turn to him, rather he kept his eyes on me.

"Alex?"

"What?" Aiden said immediately after then and he too turned to look at me slumped up against the wall. Aiden's eyes widened, "Shit." He swore and he left his dumbfounded brother to rush over to me.

He knelt down in front of me and he surprised me by cupping my cheek and cradling my face in his hands, holding my head up for me to meet his gaze properly. I fixed my gaze on his eyes because they seemed like they'd interest me enough to be able to keep my own open and I found my theory was right. I'd never seen concern like it in Aiden's eyes before. He seemed to be panicking massively judging by the way his eyes constantly flickered across my body and I could've sworn I felt a slight tremor in his fingers as he held my face.

His brothers shock didn't last for long and before I knew it, Ethan was kneeling down next to me where he grabbed my hand and laced his fingers through it. A thick wave of relief lifted from my body and I exhaled deeply in the aftermath of him taking my pain. The release was immense but Ethan couldn't take it for long.

"Alex, what happened to you?"

"Miss. Blake." I managed to stutter out as Aiden met my gaze, "And a whole load of mistletoe."

The way his face fell was unmissable. His shoulder sagged in distress. It was rare to see Aiden like this and so I savoured the moment. He wasn't an emotionless monster like everyone had pitted him out to be. He was just reserved and rightly so .. judging by what he had told me earlier on in Coach's office he'd been through a lot.

God, was that conversation only hours ago? It felt like we'd last spoke days ago.

"You—you're dying?" Ethan muttered then, his eyes widening like his brothers.

I nodded as a stabbing ache ricocheted through my body and I shifted against the wall.

"We have to do something." Aiden said to Ethan then, "We can't let her die, Ethan."

"I know, I know." He replied.

"This is exactly what she wanted." I mumbled, "Now you two won't kill her because she's the only one who can save me."

Aiden's jaw clenched, "There has to be another way."

"Sweetheart." My mom said to me then, "Deaton might know something."

I nodded in response to her but to the twins it would've appeared that I was nodding to myself, "Deaton." I said to them.

The twins shared a glance and I saw the apprehension in their eyes. They were completely torn. Did they leave their pack behind or did they stay here and face the possibility of me dying.

"I know my choice." Aiden said to Ethan then, "Do you?"

Ethan nodded, "Deaton."

"To Deaton." Aiden replied and he took his hands from my face gently to lean forwards and scoop me up in his arms. He gently pulled me closer to him and my head sought comfort on his chest as I laid it there. The two stood up and they wasted no time in locating the nearest exit of thee hospital.

While I was happy to be getting out of here I couldn't help but think about how Miss. Blake was winning. The twins leaving with me had just decreased her risk of dying by double though that meant if Deaton had no answers she'd more than likely be alive to help me. I didn't want to think about the implications the twins were about to face but judging by Kali's words from earlier it sounded like she would go easy on them.

It was as if I blinked and we were at the animal clinic. I was starting to space out again I'd realised and when the bell rang above the door I opened my eyes to see Deaton walking out from the back wearily. He appeared somewhat tense as he looked at the twins until he dropped his gaze down to me fleetingly.

"You have to help us." Aiden said to him then though his tone was one of desperation as he pleaded with him, "She's dying."

Deaton swallowed the lump in his throat and he opened the mountain ash gate for the twins to pass through while he said, "Put her on the table."

Aiden carried me through first and I felt the cold metal surface of the table underneath me as he lowered me down slowly.

"Take that coat off." Deaton instructed them, "We'll use it as a pillow for her head."

Aiden nodded and he looked to Ethan who helped pull my heavy arms out of the coat while his brother continued to hold me upright in a sitting position. Once the coat was off I shuddered as a chill crept over me and Aiden slowly lowered me down to the table. The overhead light almost blinded me and I had no choice but to close my eyes in an attempt to shy away from it.

"Now I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume this is mistletoe in her system?" Deaton asked the twins.

"Yeah." I heard Aiden say, "How do you know?"

"Considering we've already found it in her body placed there by the Darach it would only make sense." I heard him reply.

"She's had it in her system before?" Ethan queried him, "Wouldn't she be dead by now?"

"No." Was Deaton's reply but all I could think about was the sickening feeling in my stomach. I coughed but I didn't expect vomit to come up and before I could throw up everywhere one of the twins grabbed my arms and rolled me to the side, the vomit hitting the floor.

I laid on my side, my head resting against the cool metal table and with closed eyes I mumbled hoarsely, "Sorry."

"Do you know how to help her?" I heard Aiden ask him, a wavering tone of fear in his voice.

"I've heard of a way to reverse the effects." He said to them both, "But it's not something I can do myself."

"If you can't then who can?" Ethan asked him.

And then I heard Deaton reply simply, "You."

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A/N; ahhhhhhhhhhh! I'm sorry for leaving it like this, I swear I'm not doing it on purpose! The next chapter is going to be sooooo good, honestly I can't wait to finish it.