I N S T I N C T | Jackson Whittemore

54: everything, but less than nothing

Everything, but Less Than Nothing
Chapter 54

Kyle Argent hadn't been home in days. Ever since Carrie died, he couldn't take the hopeless thought of living without the love of his life. She was his everything, and without her, Kyle was literally falling apart...

As was Sam.

Annie's brother had little to say when his mother died, except I'm sorry. But now, as the emotions flooded in, he felt so strongly for the vengeance his mother and aunt deserved...

He made a decision in that moment. He would stop at nothing, nothing, to get his final wish: Derek Hale would die at his sword. His kill.

And with that wish, just like Allison, Sam became obsessed. The idea of Derek haunting his dreams. His sleepless nights spent planning his enemy's end. He and Gerard had become closer, and shared a more direct relationship as Sam slipped further and further from the boy he used to be. He was just trying to protect his baby sister from this messed up world.

Sam had just returned from the hunt with Allison and his Uncle Chris, capturing and bringing in the two Betas – or new Omegas – hanging by the electric wires downstairs. Kicking off his boots, he plopped down in his bed he had acquired at his Uncle's house, after his father hadn't returned home for three days.

But Kyle was home now, and he roamed his brother's house as he looked for his forgotten family. All he wanted in that moment was to embrace his two children and assure them that everything would be okay, despite the lack of reassurance he had himself. As he traveled up the stairs, he noticed the shiver in lightening above him as hallway chandelier began to flicker.

Gerard startled his son as Kyle stared up at the ceiling, his eyes landing on his father and jumping a bit with shock. He hadn't even heard Gerard sneak up. Sighing a breath, he justified his behavior, "I saw the lights flicker."

Gerard smiled and nonchalantly wiped the blood off his hands from Stiles's nose, shrugging, "Probably just one of our guests getting comfortable downstairs." It didn't take a genius to know what he was talking about... only an Argent. Kyle understood completely and narrowed his eyes, shocked that the plan had worked.

Gerard smiled and patted his son's shoulder as he passed him on the spiral stairs, "Get some sleep if you can. I have a feeling the next 24 hours are going to be eventful," he foreshadowed. Gerard knew something was coming.

Kyle caught his father's arm before he could scurry down the stairs, pulling his attention back to him, "You gonna tell me what happened at the game?"

Gerard feigned innocent, "Didn't you hear? We won."

Kyle narrowed his eyes on his father, not knowing whether to press the subject further or just wade away. Figuring he had nothing to lose, he clarified, "I meant Jackson."

Gerard had an evil smile cross his features as he looked at his son, saying, "So did I."

Gerard went to pass Kyle, but this time Kyle let him, not daring to put his hands on the man who was responsible for a teenager's death. Maybe more than that, the way he was talking. He watched as his father disappeared from sight, let out a shaky breath, and then proceeded up the stairs to find his children.

Sam was still laying with his hands propped behind his head when his father walked into his temporary bedroom. To his son, Kyle looked deteriorated, glum, depressed – and worst of all – weak. Carrie's death had taken its toll, and that's why Sam decided to take it easy on him (with equal hostility).

"You need something?" Sam questioned, his tone snarky. This was his generosity.

Kyle sighed and looked to his feet. He had been gone for three days and that's the welcome he gets? Shaking his head, he skipped the kind welcome, too, "I want you to step aside and let us handle this," he demanded.