CHASING PHANTOMS // TEEN WOLF [bxb]

ALWAYS TOO LATE

***

       Deputy Graeme was dead.

       Tara, the woman who helped Stiles with his math homework when he had to wait for the Sheriff at the station, the one who hugged Jake when he cried after learning his father was gone, the one who gave Scott lollipops from her hidden stash whenever she saw him— she'd been killed.

       Not just killed, but brutally sacrificed.

       They should've known not to take the calm nature of the last couple of days for granted because quiet was not a word in the town's repertoire. 

       The week so far had been spent building their knowledge and understanding of the situation which included learning about Derek's past, Deaton's status as an emissary to the Hale family, Gerard being responsible for blinding Deucalion in the first place, and Argent marking everything they'd discovered on his own.

       Of course two events had culminated in the resurgence of disaster: the first, Jake woke up at two am with the image of a slashed throat burned in his mind and the second, Lydia unknowingly drove herself to school four hours later where they ultimately found said victim. While their track record was morbid, it was terrifyingly and unfortunately effective.

       So far the sacrifices consisted of virgins, healers, and warriors, but Tara? Tara must've been something new if the pattern of threes was accurate. However, that was something they were having a little difficulty getting the Sheriff on board with considering his lack of supernatural knowledge.

       Right now though, they had school.

       "This probably isn't one of your brighter ideas," Jake couldn't resist mentioning from his spot at the top of the stairs. He looked pointedly at Scott on the landing beside him and Stiles one step further down where he leaned against the wall.

       "At least if it backfires this time, it's on Scott," Stiles suggested with a shrug, unfolding one of his arms from where they rested against his chest to gesture toward their friend.

       Scott looked between the pair with a disapproving and mildly offended expression. "It's gonna work," he nodded assuredly, his voice giving nothing away because he was always just that optimistic. Well, feigned optimism was better than none at all.

       "Here comes the bride," Stiles muttered when Ethan rounded the corner, leaning casually against the wall and moving his hands to hold his backpack straps. His look wasn't necessarily intimidating, at least not to an alpha, but it definitely showed his distaste and his disinterest.

       Ethan obviously heard the comment with his supernatural hearing, but it had been loud enough to hear normally anyway. He gave him an impressed look but otherwise ignored it as he walked up the stairs to stand across from Scott, glancing at Jake who was beside him. 

       "Why are we even here?" he cut right to the chase. "I've tried to kill your friends. How do you know I won't succeed next time?" he asked, glancing at Stiles unconsciously.

       Unfortunately, he took that very literally.

       "Is he looking at me?" Stiles asked suddenly, glancing at Scott and Jake for half a second before narrowing his eyes at Ethan again. "Are you threatening me?" he demanded incredulously, pushing off the wall with pent up anger.

       Scott had to do a double take between his best friend and Ethan because he definitely did not see that coming, turning his head to Jake to see what he thought only to discover him on the same wavelength based on his raised eyebrows.