𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐫, m. tate & i. lahey

𝟎𝟏𝟓. stiles' suspicions

ANCHOR

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"SO YOU RAN a background check," Malia repeats the human boy's words. "And all you found was a speeding ticket?"

"Speeding ticket signed by Theo's dad eight years ago," Stiles adds.

"Why is that relevant?" Isaac asks, squinting due to the sun shining down on them from above the school.

"Who speeds?"—the werecreatures shrug—"People trying to get away from something."

"Well, how many tickets do you have?" The beta questions further, while Malia watches Stiles with inquiring eyes.

"None."

"How many would you have if your dad didn't get you out of them?"

"Hey, you, you shut up," Stiles barks, holding up a finger to keep him quiet. Isaac shows him another finger in retaliation. "Seventeen..." the boy slowly mutters.

Malia gives him a look, confirming that he has no actual evidence against Theo. "I don't know, Stiles. I mean... I see why you're worried; he's really hot. He's got like great hair, perfect body— you should definitely feel threatened."

Much to Malia's obliviousness, Isaac frowns at her description of Theo from beside her. Stiles mirrors the dirty blond's expression, his mouth agape. "Thank you. Because you pointed out my insecurities— like, all of them."

"You want me to torture him?" The werecoyote offers casually. "I'm pretty sure I can take him."

"I have a plan, alright? There are steps to doing this right."

"What steps?" Isaac and Malia each raise a brow in question.

"We get the story; verify the facts. You find the piece that doesn't fit, and... and you catch him in the act. That's how you do it."

When Stiles' gaze peers over his friends' shoulders, they follow it and find Theo standing by the sidewalk, waving goodbye to his mother who has just dropped her son off. The teenage boy turns around and waves at the trio with a warm smile.

He seems friendly, Malia thinks to herself. "Why are you so suspicious of this guy?"

"Because I remember Theo from fourth grade," Stiles begins, keeping his stare locked on the beta. He purses his lips briefly before shaking his head. "And that is not Theo."

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Malia presses the flat of her boot against the brakes, causing the car to jerk every time she does. A wide grin is spread on her face as she looks ahead, her hands wrapped tightly around the steering wheel.

Mr. Yukimura grips the handles to the passenger's side door tightly. "Ease into it, Malia," he instructs her anxiously. "Easy does it."

The girl's curled lips begin to fall as the sunlight that shines through the windshield fades to darkness, and suddenly she's no longer in the school parking lot.

She's in the woods.

Her view seems to be of the inside of a car, but the outside is blurry and difficult to see— because the car is roughly swerving from left to right. A woman, who sits in the driver's seat, clings to wheel as she screams desperately. There's a faint snarling noise from Malia's left, along with the sound of flesh being ripped and torn apart from another shrieking body.