THE KEEPERS - Teen Wolf FanFic- (temporary hiatus)

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑

As the group gathered around the table, Peter couldn't help but grumble when Braeden casually rested her feet on a table. "The table is Italian," he said in an annoyed tone.

Unfazed, she retorted with a hint of sass, "Just like these boots. Are we going to discuss interior design and fashion, or get down to business and numbers?"

Derek and John exchanged amused glances at Braeden's response. Peter, eager to steer the conversation back on track, so they could be done with it, scribbled a number on a piece of paper and slid it towards her. Braeden glanced at it briefly before, confidently and considerably, increasing the figure, showing what she meant with business.

Peter raised an eyebrow, feeling a bit exasperated. "We're hiring you to find Kate, not to plan the President's assassination." Looking at John, Peter added, "You're his boyfriend, do something."

Chuckling, John looked back at Derek, and they shared a knowing glance. "The Calaveras hired us to find Kate, you are hiring us to find her sooner. Our betrayal to The Calaveras comes at a high price."

Peter huffed, trying to make another offer, but his attempts were met with firm rejections once more.

They were getting desperate; an entire week had passed, and they hadn't made any progress in finding the cunning werejaguar. This frustration led John offering to reach out to Braeden, hoping her expertise in hunting down individuals for a living, could turn the tide in their favor.

Tired of the back-and-forth, Derek took the paper with the numbers and ripped it up, sending a clear message that they were willing to pay any price if they succeeded in locating Kate.

Entering the locker room after lacrosse practice, surrounded by guys changing, and the not so pleasing smell of their bodies, was not something Alistair would have willingly even think of doing. However, he had missed the morning practice, having promised Liam that he would be there, and now he felt the need to apologize to the boy.

To his surprise, he found Scott and Stiles cornering Liam, bombarding him with an endless plethora of questions about his exceptional skills on the field and dropping not-so-subtle hints about the possibility of lycanthropy, making Alistair palm himself at how obvious and stupid those two could be. Liam appeared visibly uncomfortable, and Alistair couldn't stand by and watch his new little friend being interrogated.

Deciding to intervene, Alistair stepped forward after Liam explained that his stepfather had taught him how to play lacrosse because he was once the team captain in high school. With a confident tone, Alistair stated, "I think the boy's just that good." His words grabbed the attention of the trio, snapping their heads to look at him, and while Scott and Stiles received hard glares from Alistair, making them swallow hard, Liam smiled gratefully at Alistair.

"Alistair," Liam's voice sounded a little high-pitched, but it carried a touch of relief as he acknowledged his presence, and Alistair, with a smile, gestured towards the exit, silently suggesting they leave the locker room.

With a reassuring hand on Liam's shoulder, Alistair addressed him, deciding to ignore the other two, "Sorry I couldn't make it to your practice. Honestly, I overslept." They left the locker room, engaging in a casual conversation as they walked, before parting ways to head to their respective classes.

In the math class, as Alistair entered the classroom, he couldn't help but overhear Malia, Lydia, and Stiles bantering about the importance of math, with Stiles remarking that it was most important related to tips in restaurants, the Keeper huffed, seating down, before the professor called for volunteers, ones that didn't volunteer themselves. Malia, Lydia, and Alistair were singled out as 'volunteers' and reluctantly made their way to the front of the classroom.