Return of the Hale || Stiles Stilinski

19

Neriah sat between Stiles and Derek in the back of the van, across from Liam as Braeden drove down a desert road. A few minutes ago, Liam called Mason who said Lydia's car was still at the school and he would look for her. But that hope didn't ease the growing dreadful feeling in Neriah's stomach.

Something about her father's tone and words from earlier felt like a warning or that they had a second meaning. And that was starting to frustrate her.

"All good?" Derek asked Liam after handcuffing him to the seat.

Liam tugged on them as hard as he could, and they didn't break.

"Okay." Derek nodded. "I brought you something to help you," he said, pulling out the Triskelion. "This has been with my family for centuries. It's a very powerful, supernatural talisman. We use it to teach Betas how to control themselves on the full moon."

"Derek and I used it when we were younger," Neriah added, knowing half of what Derek just said was bullshit and the same thing their mothers had told them once to make them believe. "It worked for us, so it will work for you."

Derek nodded, handing it to Liam who took it, studying it. Neriah sneakily glanced at Stiles who was already watching her with a skeptical look, and she sent him a sharp look, cocking her head toward Liam.

Stiles cleared his throat, turning back to Liam. "Yes, it's powerful. Very powerful."

"This is going to be a long drive," Neriah whispered, dropping her head back against the van.

♤♡♤♡

The sun had gone down, and the moon was rising faster as Neriah sipped from her blood bag with her head resting on Derek's shoulder. Stiles had allowed her to rest her feet in his lap for most of the drive since the sunset as she tried to sleep. But sleep was difficult to get when Liam kept grunting every ten minutes.

Neriah sat up fast, nearly kicking Stiles in the chest when Liam growled, his claws out and his eyes glowing.

"Whatever you were gonna teach me...I think you better start," Liam lowly said, heavily breathing.

"We have a mantra that we use," Derek said, pushing Neriah closer to Stiles. "You repeat it, you focus on the words. It's like meditating. You say the words until you feel control coming back to you."

"Okay," Liam grunted. "What are the words?"

"Look at the triskelion," Neriah instructed him. "See the symbol? I have a tattoo on my ribs and Derek has a tattoo on his back—it's the same thing. Each spiral means something."

"Derek's means Alpha, Beta, Omega," Stiles supplied.

"It represents the idea that we can always rise to one and fall back to another," Derek said. "Betas can become Alphas."

"Alphas can become Betas," Stiles said.

"Can Alphas become Omegas?" Liam asked.

Neriah nodded. "All you have to do is say the three words. And with each one, you tell yourself you're getting calmer, more in control. Go ahead."

Liam held the triskelion tighter in his hand while breathing heavily. "Alpha, Beta—"

"Slower," Derek firmly ordered him.

Liam took in a deep breath, closing his eyes. "Alpha...Beta...Omega..." A groan slipped past his lips. "Alpha...Beta...Omega."

"You're doing good, Liam," Neriah said. "Say it again. Remember, every time you say the words, you're getting calmer."

"Alpha," Liam growled. "Beta."

Stiles wrapped an arm around Neriah, basically pulling her onto his lap as Liam sounded more animal than human.