Teen Wolf: All Grown Up

31. Cuts and Scratches

Free periods were never free. For me at least. I envy those who could happily just wait around playing games or those who could lay down and be at total rest. I have always had too much to do with so little time. My work with Deaton, my work with Melissa and maintaining good grades were all priorities I needed to uphold. How people managed to not work towards their goals confused me? Why would a person not work towards that they are trying to achieve. It is counter productive.

So I was working towards my goal with Deaton during my free periods I had that day. We were focusing on basic healing, small scratches and cuts on animals. There was a strange beauty to it, helping innocent animals recover back to health. After all the time of inflicting wounds the helping of them is special to me.

When the bell on the door pinged in my ear, I went to see who it was immediately.

Stiles.

We haven't spoken much since I assisted Issac in reaching his subconscious. Things between Stiles and I have never been the same since Gerard abused him. If only he gave me the time of day.

I know he cares about me still. When I was incapable of moving, it was Stiles who came to my side. I distinctly remember his voice. I guess that's what helped bring me out of Issac's subconscious.

Part of me understands why he attempts to be hostile towards me, if he keeps me away from him, he thinks he won't get hurt. If only he knew that when you run with wolves life was never safe. If he let me be there for him I could at least keep him safe.

"Atticus," Stiles said with a breathy tone.

I walked towards the counter to greet him properly, to which he recoiled back on my approach.

"I'm sorry," Stiles mumbled, "I didn't expect to see you here."

He was clearly taken back, something is wrong with him that he won't let out.

I just observed him and chewed gum whilst he regained his composure.

"You're out of school early," Deaton announced as he entered what he could sense was an awkward situation.

"Yeah free period actually. I just went home to see my dad, I guess you kinda heard people are getting murdered again. It's his job to figure it out."

"I would assume as much from the sherif title," Deaton remarked.

"Yeah," Stiles started fiddling with his hands, "it gets kinda hard for him to do his job when he doesn't have all the information. We all know he is missing pretty much half of the story. So then I started thinking, who does have a lot of information, who has more than anyone else around here. You."

Deaton opened the hatch for Stiles to come through yet Stiles motioned for me to go through to the back ahead of him.

"All these symbols and things, triscales, the bank logo, mountain ash... all came from the celtic druids. Anyone who has ever looked up human sacrifices before know that the druids had a pretty big hard-on when it came to giving one up to the gods. Ever heard of the Lindo man? 2000 year old body found in England. He was found strangled, head bashed in and throat cut. Three-fold death. They also found pollen grains in his stomach, guess what kind of favourite druid plant that was?"

"Mistletoe." I answered with a small smirk.

"I'm just telling you everything you already know aren't i? Then why aren't you telling us? Either of you?" Stiles looked frustrated at the two of us.

"We haven't exactly been very warm Stiles, I don't owe you information."

Deaton started an explanation of his own. His eyes seemed at the brink of tears. "Maybe because when you spend every moment of the last ten years trying to push something away, denying it, lying about it, it becomes a very strong habit."

"Alright, this guy, is he a druid?"

A rather bold assumption I thought. I've met plenty of women who could kick ass as much as men, my mother being a prime example.

"No," Deaton regained his composure, "Atticus is a Druid, they're someone copying centuries old practices of a people who shouldve known better. Do you know what the word druid means in Gaelic? Wise oak. The celtic druids were close to nature, they believed they kept it in balance. They were philosphers and scholars, they werent serial killers."

"Yeah well this one is," my look snapped at Stiles as he said this, "I didn't mean you."

I wasn't surprised at the comment. Anything to attempt to make me dislike hun. If anything, I wanted to help him.

Stiles pulls out his phone which obnoxiously rang in my ear. Perhaps it's my general irritation at the situation. It wasn't long until Deaton was dragged to the school to handle the situation with Lydia whereas I left the clinic. I was going to visit my uncle.