How hard could it be? • LM / SS

Chapter 129

"Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye.
You were bigger than the whole sky."

Jade was going to be sick. The blood was seeping through her fingertips, soaking her clothes with a crimson red— apart from the fact that it wasn't. Every crash brought her back to November, Allison's crossbow hitting the floor. The gate slamming down, freeing Lydia. The panting from the pack members as they ran through a damp cave in search of Scott and Kira wasn't any different. She was back in Oak Creek, running for her life, desperate to get there in time.

But she didn't. She was always too late.

Max and Stiles had wandered off in a separate direction from the others, trying to find Scott and Kira so they could get out of this hellhole. Lilith stayed at the entrance of the temple with Derek and Braeden, proving to be more of an asset outside rather than inside.

Jade had tried to heal him, but as per usual, it hadn't worked out in her favour. She would never forgive herself if something terrible happened to Derek and she had been responsible for it. It would live with her until the day she took her final breaths, and Allison would be joined by the Hale in haunting her dreams.

"We've got to figure out where we are and then we've got to find out how to get to Scott and Kira," Peter's outstretched arm brought them to a stop, trying to get everyone on the same page before they went any further. He caught Malia's eye, looking away quickly and guiltily as if she could see the thoughts running through his head. He hadn't meant for Derek to get hurt in the crossfire. That wasn't what was supposed to happen. "Duck!"

Liam grabbed Jade by the elbow, pulling her further down the dark, damp corridor, away from the berserker that was tailing them. He had been listening to her heartbeat since they had gotten inside, finding it hard to ignore when all five of his sense were heightened with the full moon. He was beginning to wonder if she was going to have a heart attack, her heart rate being at least 120 beats per minute. It was as if she had been sinking into quicksand, stuck to the floor and unable to move. Even though he was almost certain she could look after herself, he wouldn't have left her behind to get attacked when she looked as if she had no clue where she even was.

Eventually, Jade came to her senses, shooting a force field at the berserker to buy them some more time. It was better late than never. Skidding to a stop and nearly face-planting in the process, Malia growled to the right of her, eyes shining at the berserker who had broken free of the object that had previously been blocking its past.

The three werewolves took turns to dish out blows at the berserker, fists colliding with the suit of armour that kept it protected.

Jade still couldn't move from her spot on the floor, eyes floating in a daze. "None of this is real," she scoffed to herself, pulling at the roots of her hair. It was as if she was in a dream, watching everything happening from where she was standing, yet being certain that it was fake, an illusion intended to throw her off. It was probably just her mind playing tricks on her, a way to cope with the stress, but how was she meant to wake up from a dream that she knew she was in?

Flicking a wrist tiredly, she sent the berserker flying into a wall, plaster and stone flaking onto the floor. Thick, leather ropes bound its legs and arms tightly together, specifically made to stop it from escaping, even with its amplified strength. There would surely be no outcome or aftermath if she truly was in a dream, right?

"Aim for the skull!" Peter yelled, tossing Malia one of the antler daggers that had been positioned at the altar of the temple. "Kill it now!" he confirmed, assisting Liam in keeping the berserker in place. For once, the witch actually did something useful that didn't end with her going off the rails. Well, she certainly hadn't helped herself in gaining the pack's trust, given that she didn't realise she was playing a part in her cousin's murder.