It's Just a Pull

XXIV

"By order of the Sheriff, a county-wide curfew goes into effect tonight at sundown. All after-school activities are canceled until further notice. Students should go directly home at the end of the school day," the PA system crackles to life and says as a bunch of police officers enter the school, guns in hand.

Stiles and Scott walk over to talk to one of the officers, but you stay at your locker. Jordan had told you to expect the police to start reinforcing the school and other public places. With Kira back, Scott had put you on the defense instead. Your days mostly consisted of imbuing every member of the McCall pack with as much protection as you could muster, and it is draining you.

You're more tired than anything else these days, but that doesn't stop everyone from counting on you. Stiles and Scott return to your locker, leaning against the bank as you pull more books out.

"They're catching on," Scott starts. "I think they're starting to realize that something about this is different."

"It was only a matter of time," Stiles replies. "What? My father and Parrish both know? Something had to give at some point."

"How do we keep them safe?" You ask, and Scott gives you a look. "Scott, keeping the pack safe is draining me of any power I have. Hell needs a bigger offering than I have the capability to give. I can't put the entire town under a bubble protection spell. It won't work."

"What would it take?"

"Sex. And a fuckton of it. I don't have the time or the energy right now for that, so the answer is no, Scott."

Stiles looks a little uncomfortable as you say this. Your voice rises at the end and you slam your locker shut to punctuate it.

"(Y/n), we have to try."

"Then you can find another succubus, Scott. I'm not going to kill myself over this when we should all be ready to fight if need be. You might be willing to constantly risk your health on things that don't work for the sake of Beacon Hills, but I'm not. I'm focusing on keeping you and your pack and your families safe. That's a lot of energy to constantly be exerting. I'm casting right fucking now and you didn't even notice. The more people I add to this spell, the weaker it becomes. My power has limits, Scott."

"They're your pack, too."

"Yeah. And I'm the only one who's talking to Liam right now, so how's that working for you? Speaking of Liam, I'm late to meet him."

You spin, too quickly, and stumble. Stiles grips you by the elbows and helps you steady yourself.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine. Let go."

You ignore the way you feel better when Stiles is touching you and make your way down the hallway.

---

"Malia said something to me today," Liam says when you pull out of the school parking lot.

"What about? Is she okay?"

"She's... the same. Seems a little off, but she's Malia." Liam falls silent for a few moments. "She gave me a message to pass to Scott."

"Interesting. What did she say?"

"That Scott was right about the tunnels. She said that when they were looking for me, they were closer than they thought."

"How does she know that?"

"She told me she figured it out by smell, but I don't know. She was lying. Why would she lie?" Liam looks genuinely distressed, and you have to remember that he's only fifteen.

"I don't know, Liam. Are you going to tell Scott?"

"I was going to go look later." His voice drops to a whisper. "I don't think Scott wants to talk to me."

"Scott's an idiot. An absolute idiot, but he is your Alpha."

"I know. I just... I don't want to send him on a wild goose chase and make him hate me more."

"Liam..." you sigh, pulling the car up to the curb in front of Liam's house and parking. "Scott doesn't hate you. He's just an idiot."

"So you keep saying."

You yawn, and your vision suddenly blurs.

"Are you okay, (Y/n)? You just got really pale."

"I'm fine. Just... tired. I'll be fine.

---

Instead of driving back to you and Jordan's apartment, you find yourself at the McCall house.

"What are you doing here?" Scott asks when he opens the door in lieu of greeting.

"Liam's going down into the tunnels by himself."

"Okay, and...?"

"He's your Beta. And he thinks you hate him, and I'm afraid that he's going to get himself hurt because he's inheriting your absolute lack of self-preservation and I'm too drained to go with him and keep him safe."

"So what do you want me to do, exactly?"

"Follow him. Keep him safe. You're his Alpha. Make up with him. I get that what happened was scary and it sucked, but we can't afford not to have everyone on our side right now."

Scott stands in the doorway, looking torn between going after Liam and keeping up this weird feud between the two of you.

"Scott, he needs you. And if he gets hurt, you're going to feel really guilty."