SO AS IT GOES Scott and Stiles were apparently fighting now after the whole parent/teacher fiasco thing. Or rather they weren't fighting, Stiles was just royally pissed with Scott and I didn't really understand why. Okay, so I get that Stiles was upset his dad had been knocked over by a car reversing in the parking lot when that mountain lion appeared but I didn't really get why that was Scott's fault.

I'd said that to Stiles and he had just narrowed one eye at me to the point where his eyelids sort of shook in annoyance. I got the memo not to bring it up again and we didn't talk anymore of it.

The downside though was that because Stiles was ignoring Scott I was now his first point of call for everything. I didn't mind, to be honest Stiles tended to call me for the most minuscule reasons anyways but since he what I was calling the 'breakup' Stiles was rambling a whole lot more. I was glad though that there was no awkwardness between us after we woke up cuddling in bed again.

The two of us had important things to talk about as well, like the Alpha for instance, but he just was not bothered and it wasn't like Stiles to be like that. I wondered if it was because Scott had finally caved into Derek and allowed him to teach him to control his supernatural abilities or what.

I wasn't sure.

It was starting to frustrate me that Stiles was dodging the subject of werewolves and the Alpha. If he didn't want to be involved in Scott's supernatural life anymore than that was fine but I was still being roped into it and I'd of appreciated if he'd of helped me think of possible candidates for who the Alpha could be.

So, Saturday and Sunday and been and gone and now Monday had rolled around I was hoping Stiles was going to start listening to me when I tried to talk about the Alpha. He'd picked me up at quarter to like always and the two of us had stopped by one another's lockers and walked directly to World History together, sitting in our usual chairs. When he started to get his things out I took my opportunity to bring up the Alpha topic again.

"Stiles, we need to talk about the Alpha." I said to him quietly and I watched as he shook his head.

Because Chris Argent had shot the mountain lion that coincidentally happened to show up at the parent teacher conference the entire town thought they were safe again. The three killings were ruled as animal attacks and that was that but I knew it wouldn't be long before the Alpha struck again and this time it'd take the whole town by surprise.

"C'mon Stiles this is important." I groaned as I leaned over my desk, "Derek and I—"

He rolled his eyes as he turned to me, "You're working with Derek, too?"

I furrowed my brows, "I'm not working with him." I said to him, "We're friends Stiles."

He scoffed, "Oh, yeah."

"A little focus please." I snapped lightly, "This is important."

"Yeah you've said."

My eyes widened incredulously, "Then listen to me."

"Okay." He sighed apologetically, "I'm sorry, go on."

"Thank you." I responded, leaning back in my seat, "Okay, so I was sitting in Derek's car—"

"—Why were you with Derek again?" He questioned.

"God." I mumbled under my breath, "Because my dad and Kate Argent went to his house and tried to kill him."

"Right." He nodded.

I exhaled a short burst of air before repeating myself, "So, I was sitting in Derek's car thinking about the Alpha and how it knew my name and how he seemed to know me. Then it hits me that maybe we're looking too far, maybe the Alpha is someone we know."

"Why would it be someone we know?" He asked me with a frown.

"How else would he know me?" I posed, "And don't say because of Scott because I'm not buying it. If they knew me through Scott they probably would've killed me in the video store when they got the chance but instead they helped me."

"Okay." Stiles nodded to himself and I saw the gears in his head twist, kickstarting his thought process, "Say you're right, where do we even start? Your dad?"

My face was one of confusion I was sure of that and I was stuck on my words for a while before I managed to reply, "Why would it be my dad when he's a hunter?"

"Think about it." He urged me as he grew increasingly worked up at the prospect, "It's the perfect cover."

I shook my head, "There's no way. I gave you the hunter thing but there's absolutely no way my dad is the Alpha, okay?"

He sat back in his chair in defeat before nodding, "You're right." He said before his eyes widened. Stiles clicked his fingers in his sudden realisation, "Maybe there was someone else who escaped from the fire."

"Another Hale?" I questioned as I pursed my lips. A fifth person to survive the fire? That didn't make sense, there was eleven people accounted for and nine bodies were found and pronounced dead.

"It's possible." Stiles shrugged.

"No." I shook my head after some time, "Everyone in the family was accounted for."

"But someone could've escaped before the fire spread." He suggested.

"Okay, so say it was.. why would they kill Laura?"

He sighed before responding, "I don't know."

I rubbed my hand over my face and turned to look around, catching Scott standing in the doorway. He walked over to the two of us and gave me a small smile, "Hey, Alex."

I smiled back as he sat down behind Stiles, "Hi, Scott."

He leaned forwards on his desk before saying to Stiles, "Still not talking to me?"

I met Stiles eyes and widened my own discreetly in an attempt to get him to acknowledge Scott. It seemed he was still stuck on holding his grudge however and Scott sighed.

"Can you at least tell me if your dad's okay?" Scott asked, "I mean it's just a bruise, right? Some soft tissue damage? Nothing that big."

I watched as Stiles kept his head forwards, pushing his tongue around in his mouth while bouncing his knee.

"You know I feel really bad about it, right?" Scott tried, "Okay. What if I told you I'm trying to figure this whole thing out and that I went to Derek for help."

Stiles sighed in exasperation before finally replying, "If I was talking to you I'd say I already knew because Alex told me and I think you're an idiot for trusting him... but obviously I'm not talking to you."

This time it was my turn to roll my eyes.

The final bell rang and everyone started to settle into their seats I watched as Stiles forced himself to not turn to Scott. The internal battle he seemed to be having was was swaying in one favour and he quickly span round in his seat to face Scott, "What did he say?"

Our friend smiled and so did I.

It seemed this breakup was now over.

________________

I flicked through my phone aimlessly while I sat next to Stiles eating my lunch while my friend tried to figure out a plan to help Scott. I was pretty bored and the day was dragging like hell which was extremely annoying. I just wanted to go home but Stiles was hell bent on not letting me skip the rest of the day.

Opposite me Scott was sitting, or rather hiding — behind Stiles' World History text book. He was trying to keep his cover and avoid Allison like Derek had instructed him to do before he threw his phone into a wall last night. I had to admit, his methods of teaching Scott weren't conventional because now my friend had to buy a new phone. Regardless, Scott was hiding from Allison behind a World History book as we sat a couple of tables over from her and Lydia in the cafeteria.

I looked up from my phone to see Scott watching her over my shoulder, bobbing his head up and down over the text book and I nudged Stiles arm discreetly. He looked to me quietly and I only nodded in Scott's direction before looking back down to my phone.

Stiles sighed and shook his head before saying to Scott, "I think the book's making it more obvious. Besides, she's reading anyway."

The table shook slightly as I leaned on it and I felt Stiles leg brush against my own. I realised he was the reason for it shaking as his leg bounced up and down at a fast pace. I tried to ignore it, it wasn't really his fault but the shaking table was starting to annoy me and so before I even had the chance to rethink it I placed my hand on Stiles thigh to stop him while muttering, "Stiles."

He looked to me and I met his eyes, a small blush was heating his cheeks as his lips parted. He didn't know what to say in response and I realised my hand was still on his leg. Slowly I removed it and placed it back on the table, folding my arm underneath me.

Scott watched the two of us over the book with his brows furrowed but he didn't push it. He averted our attention before an awkwardness grew between Stiles and I, "So did you come up with a plan yet?"

"I think so." He replied shortly before taking a bite of his apple.

"Does that mean you don't hate me now?"

"No." Stiles replied, "But your crap has infiltrated my life so now I have to do something about it. Plus I'm definitely a better Yoda than Derek."

"Oh god." I muttered, dropping my head into my hands, "You're such a nerd."

"Okay, yeah, you teach me." Scott replied, ignoring my quip.

"Yeah, I'll be your Yoda."

I turned to Stiles again and whispered, "Nerd."

He shook his head at me as Scott replied, "Yeah, you'll be my Yoda."

And then Stiles changed his voice to reply, "Your Yoda I will be."

"Nerd."

Stiles laughed as he bumped into my shoulder jokingly, "Shut it." He said to me in amusement and I smiled at him before he said to Scott, "I said it backwards."

"Yeah, I know." Scott replied knowingly.

He killed Stiles' laughter and the boy looked to him, "All right, you know what? I definitely still hate you. Uh-huh. Oh, yeah." He said to him, collecting his books up before reaching for his World History book and snatching it from Scott's grasp. He put it under his arm and stood up before grabbing my wrist lightly and tugging me to my feet, "C'mon Alex."

"Wh—Stiles I'm not done with my food." I whined as I stood up from the chair.

"I'll buy you a takeout after school." He replied to me, pulling me down the hallway and away from Scott.

"I'm hungry though." I pouted, turning back and stealing one last fleeting glance at my lunch tray.

"Well I'll buy you something out the vending machine after." Stiles replied. He slowly slid his fingers from my wrist and to my hand where he took it smoothly, tugging me along.

I looked to our intertwined hands with a faint smile but I didn't say anything about the action. It probably took Stiles a lot to do it and I feared if I brought it up he'd let go and step away from me awkwardly and I didn't want that. So instead I followed his conversation, "After what?"

"After you help me get everything I need for my plan." He told me, "Do you have a free period after lunch?"

"No." I frowned, "I have math with Lydia."

"Oh." Stiles muttered and I watched as his face fell, "I'll have to do it without you."

"Help Scott?" I asked and watched as he nodded, "Do you want me to skip, I don't mind?"

"No, no." He shook his head immediately in protest, "Go to math... otherwise I'll have to tutor you on what you missed." He added with a sly grin.

I rolled my eyes in amusement while smiling, "Shut up you like tutoring me."

He scoffed, "On the contrary."

"Oh, come on." I groaned jokingly. Stiles only smiled at me in response before shifting his gaze back to the hall we were walking down. I decided to move the subject, focusing back on the plan my friend had, "So what do we need to get exactly for this plan of yours?"

"Right." Stiles nodded, "Not much actually. I need tape, a heart rate monitor and something else. I can just use my own lacrosse stick— oh! A couple of lacrosse balls."

My brows furrowed as I looked to Stiles with an alarmed expression, "What the hell do you need all that for?"

"Hear me out." He replied, taking a corner, "The only way for Scott to learn to control his anger is for him to face it, right?"

"Okay." I nodded slowly. It was a good concept although dangerous should Scott dip too much and get lost in his fury.

"So I make him angry." He said to me.

"What if he turns and attacks you?"

"Then that's me not meeting the objective of the plan."

"No Stiles that's you dying." I muttered to him, "Death by werewolf."

"Alex." He groaned, rolling his eyes, "C'mon, listen. The way for Scott to control his anger is by learning to control his heart rate. The idea is to make him angry and have him focus on trying to keep his heart at a steady rhythm."

I nodded, "Hence the heart rate monitor?" I asked.

"Yeah." He replied.

"What's the other thing you need?"

"What?"

"The other thing." I reminded him, "You said you needed something else."

"Oh—yeah." He responded and I saw his face crinkle together a little — cringing, "Coach's phone."

"Coach's phone?" I repeated incredulously, "Stiles, c'mon—"

"—He uses his phone with the heart rate monitor as he jogs. Okay? If I have his phone I can monitor Scott's heart rate."

I sighed and ran my free hand over my head in disbelief. I couldn't believe we were actually stealing a teachers phone.

"Yeah that's a great idea." I nodded sarcastically, "Until Coach realises his phone is gone and you get caught."

Stiles scoffed before stating confidently, "I won't get caught."

I decided to let it go, simply rolling my eyes as we reached Coach's office. The both of us stood by the doorway and turned to face each other either side of it before Stiles knocked quickly on the door.

"What's the tape for?" I asked curiously, meeting his eyes.

We waited for the door to open, "Scott's hands."

"What?" I questioned, "Why?"

"So for him to get angry I'm going to tape his hands behind his back and shoot lacrosse balls at him. That way he works on his anger and I can work on improving my aim."

It was a good idea for Stiles to improve his aim but I wasn't so sure on if it was a good idea to control Scott's anger. When I didn't reply Stiles looked around the hallway before opening the door to Coach's office. If he was going to answer it he would've by now and the two of us ducked into the small office. I turned my nose up at how messy and unorganised it was as I looked around, "God." I murmured before shooting a glance to Stiles, "And here I thought your room was messy."

Stiles scoffed although I could see the despair on his face at the sight of the chaotic room and he nodded in agreement with me, "Me too."

______________

It didn't take long for Stiles and I to get everything we needed from Coach's office and when we finished just before the bell he walked me to maths. I wished him good luck and prayed that he didn't die and he told me he'd meet me in Economics for our next class which was coincidentally taught by the teacher we'd just stolen from.

I managed to scrape enough concentration to suffer through maths and get the work done while still sparing time for a conversation with Lydia. As the lesson ended I left my friend with a goodbye and headed to my last lesson. I was surprisingly one of the last people to arrive and when I walked in I saw Allison sitting behind Scott and rose my brow simply — clearly his attempts at trying to avoid her were failing today.

I walked to my empty desk at the back of the classroom behind Stiles and smiled at him in greeting as I passed him to sit down, "Hey." I muttered quietly as he turned to face me in his chair. Scott and Allison were talking in the row over from us, "How'd it go?" I questioned, keeping my voice down.

He pulled a face of thought before finally replying, "Uh—not good. Well, I mean he didn't kill me but we've come to the conclusion he can't see Allison anymore."

"Oh right." I nodded, glancing at them both fleetingly as they spoke, "Why's that?"

"She makes him weak."

I rolled my eyes, "That's some mythological fairytale bullshit right there."

"And I agree." Stiles nodded, "But—"

The sound of a book slamming against another echoed and I looked over Stiles turned shoulder to see Coach facing the class behind his desk, "—Let's settle down." He said to us all and Stiles pressed his lips together before begrudgingly turning to face the front, "Let's start with a quick summary of last night's reading."

"Ohhhhhh." I mumbled lowly under my breath. I hadn't completed last nights reading and while other people in the class put their hand up I sank down into my seat in the hopes of disappearing.

"Greenberg, put your hand down." Coach said to the boy dismissively, "Everyone knows you did the reading. How about, uh.... McCall." He said, picking on our friend.

Scott lifted his head and while I was thankful Coach didn't pick me I cringed because I know Scott didn't do it either, "What?"

"The reading." Coach said.

"Last night's reading?" Scott asked in a slightly panic.

"No, how about-uh, the reading of The Gettysburg Address?" He asked sarcastically.

People started to laugh and I dropped my head in despair as Scott questioned, "What?"

"That's sarcasm." Coach replied, "You familiar with the term 'sarcasm,' McCall?"

Scott turned back to Stiles and replied, "Very."

My friend nodded his head bashfully from in front of me. Scott and I both knew just how sarcastic Stiles was, he was built on it.

"Did you do the reading or not?"

"Um." Scott muttered, "I think I forgot."

"Nice work, McCall." Coach said as he leaned over on Scott's desk, "It's not like you're not averaging a 'D' in this class. Come on buddy, you know I can't keep you on the team if you have a 'D.'"

Oh, god. This was painful. My heart lurched for Scott right now as Coach laid in on him in front of the whole class. Not everyone needed to know Scott was flunking and if that was me in his shoes I think I'd curl up into a ball the size of my shoe and just want to hide. I really felt for him.

Stiles leaned back in his chair, calling my name in a discreet whisper and I leaned forwards to see Coach's phone in his hands. He held it close to his trouser pocket, trying to hide it so Finstock wouldn't see it. I looked to the screen of the phone to see what Stiles was showing me and saw the heart monitor app open.

"What's wrong?" I whispered.

Stiles dropped his head back a fraction to move closer to me but he kept his eyes on our friend, "His heart rate is increasing."

Oh, that's not good.

"How about you summarise the previous night's reading?" Coach asked Scott, "No? How about the night before that?"

I watched the phone as Scott's heart rate continued to rise and I bit my bottom lip nervously. This really wasn't a good place to be right now and I just prayed that Coach eased up on my friend sharpish.

"How about you summarise anything you've ever read in your entire life?"

131.. 132.. 133..

Scott stuttered, "I—I—" 

"No? A blog?" Coach pressed firmly, "How about, uh, how about the back of a cereal box? No? How about the adults-only warning from your favourite website you visit every night? Anything?"

140.. 141.. 142..

"Thank you, McCall, thank you." He snapped, hitting his desk twice before rounding on him angrily again, "Thank you for extinguishing any last flicker of hope I have for your generation. You just blew it for everybody. Thanks!"

157.. 158.. 159..

"Stiles we've gotta do something." I whispered to him desperately as we watched the monitor continue to rise.

He turned to me with wide eyes, "Like what?"

"I-I don't know—" I stuttered as I looked down at the phone again. I furrowed my brows in confusion, positive I was seeing things but after blinking several times I realised my eyes were not deceiving me. Scott's heart rate was starting to slow.. and drastically fast at that, "—Look." I motioned for Stiles to take a look too and we both stared at the screen as we watched the heart rate drop.

"Everybody else settle down." Coach addressed the class.

I looked over to Scott to see him sat back in his chair, seemingly completely relaxed now and Allison was leaning forwards on her desk smiling at him lightly. My brows creased a little in confusion before I noticed their hands intertwined under the desks.

It clicked.

Allison didn't make Scott weak, she made him stronger. She was like a tether to him — an anchor if you will. She tied him to his human side and gave Scott the ability to control himself and it all made perfect sense. I'm not sure whether it was Scott's subconscious wanting to protect her but somehow she was anchor.

So no, this wasn't some mythological fairytale bullshit where the girl made the guy 'weak.' It was some weird modern fantasy where the girl made the guy strong.

Stiles and I shared a glance with each other and I knew he was thinking the same thing as I. It was so abundantly clear now and it gave me hope. Scott wasn't going to have to give up his life because of this and he didn't have to live in fear. Him and Allison were going to be just fine.. granted he didn't screw it up somehow.

______________