METAMORPHOSIS • DEREK HALE [COMPLETED]

Chapter Twenty-Seven

"Where is Lydia," Alex asked, concern for the strawberry blonde prominent in her voice.

"She's at the school," Stiles answered with an anxious jump in his step as he left the group to dial her number once more.

"What is she doing at the school anyway," Derek wondered, his arms crossed as he stood next to Alex.

Ever since they decided to meet before heading across the border to save Scott and Kira, it was halted at the disappearance of the Banshee, and Alex remained in the same state of apprehension; she couldn't leave without knowing the Martin girl was with them and safe.

"We got Kira's sword, but we need something with a stronger scent," Malia explained as she held up the kitana. "Lydia went to get the jacket out of her locker."

"Nothing," Stiles returned, another voicemail left to be unanswered on the strawberry blonde's phone.

"If she has a car, she can catch up to us," Braeden noted.

"That's a good point," Peter pointed, "We'll call her from the road."

"No, I don't like that," Alex shook her head. "We need all of us together."

"Yeah," Stiles joined with her. "Plus, what if something happened? What if she's in trouble?"

"Fine. You stay, you find her. We're gonna go on without you. But Alex, we still need you to come with us," the eldest man fired before heading towards one of the cars. In his wake Stiles and the Demontra shared equally as frustrated glares at the man before the youngest beta spoke up.

"I could call Mason. He has a study group at school. Maybe he could look for her."

"With Derek raising his eyebrows in their direction, Alex didn't think the idea was bad, but she still didn't want to leave Lydia behind.

Letting out an apprehensive sigh, Stiles complyed, "All right, fine."

And with that, they all parted in the direction of the waiting cars.

"Remember what we're dealing with here," Peter announced before Alex, Derek, Braeden, Stiles, and Liam climbed into the transport van. "It's not just Kate, it's Berserkers. You might see human eyes behind those skulls. Do not assumed that there's any humanity left in them."

"Oh," Liam uttered quietly.

"This little one is terrified of them, aren't you," Peter elicited. With the fact being true, Alex sent the young wolf an encouraging glance. She didn't want him to feel alone in the worry of the approaching full moon. "Do worry my friend. It is that fear that will keep you alive." Addressing the rest of the group now, Peter continued, "A reminder to everyone, you do not fight Berserkers to survive, you fight to kill."

His words struck Alex; she didn't like of the thought of having to kill one. She knew that a person once resided inside of the bone men, and she thought that even someone as far as gone from humanity as they were, could still be saved.

**********

The two cars hit the road minutes after the decision was made of letting Lydia catch up to them instead of waiting for her. With the Peter and Malia is the SUV ahead of him, Braeden sat in the front seat of the transport van, often stealing glances as Derek, Alex, Stiles, and Liam resided in the back. In preparation for the rise of the full moon, Derek locked on handcuffs to the teenagers wrists, binding him to the bench beneath him.

"All good," the man wondered.

"Okay," Liam nodded, testing it by forcefully his arms upward and the chains didn't budge.