The Mother of Beacon Hills

37

I'm bored and doing online Christmas shopping, so here's an early update. You'll still get your update tomorrow, but only because I have a fuck ton pre-written. Enjoy!

(Lyrica's P.O.V.)

"So Dad is out with Malia looking for Brett's pack?" Isaac frowns, spinning in circles in my desk chair.

"Yup. The sooner we find them, the better." I reply, walking around to tidy up the room before the next class comes in.

"How can Malia help more than us?" Isaac halts his spinning as I walk back towards the front.

"Don't be offended, Icy." I chuckle and ruffle his hair. "Malia knows the woods here better than anyone. She spent half her life in there as a coyote."

"Lyrica!" Scott shouts, running into my room with Mason. The freshman gives him a horrified look when he says my first name.

"Yeah?" I question.

"Please tell me you've seen Liam today." Scott pleads.

"No, he wasn't in homeroom or class. Why?" I cross my arms in confusion before it dawns on me. "Oh. Oh, shit!"

"The last time any of us saw him was on our run this morning." Mason says. "We were running and then he just took off all of a sudden. I haven't seen him since."

"And he hasn't texted or called either of you?"

Both teenagers shake their heads.

"All right, Mason. We'll find him." The bell rings. "Get to class and text Scott if anything happens. We'll let you know if we have any luck."

"Thanks, Guys." Mason leaves for his next class.

Almost as soon as he's gone, Scott's phone starts ringing. He looks down at it in surprise before answering it.

"Liam?" He asks.

"Sounds like you already know the answer to that, Scott." Garrett's voice comes through the phone. "You're probably with Isaac and Mrs. Hale, aren't you?"

"Where is he?" Scott asks and I fight back a growl.

"Come on." Garrett scoffs. "Like I'm actually gonna tell you that?"

"I'll give you the money." Scott replies, confusing me.

"Yeah, you will. But that's not gonna get you Liam back. You're gonna have to put in a little more effort than that."

"What do you want?"

"I want the money. And Violet. Or you never see Liam again."

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"I'm sorry, what?" I ask into my phone as Isaac and I walk through the woods.

"We found Satomi's pack. They're all dead. Poisoned. But Braeden was with them. I don't know how or why. But she's alive. We're taking her to the hospital." Derek reiterates.

"Jesus Christ." Isaac sighs. "What the hell is wrong with this town?"

"You can say that again." Malia agrees.

Isaac and I both freeze when a scream mixed with a growl echoes through the woods.

"Liam." I gasp. I hang up the phone and Isaac and I take off towards where the sound came from.

We run past dozens of trees, barely able to see in the darkness. The only lighting we have is the moon, and it's just enough. We finally find a well, almost entirely boarded off. Scott reaches it just before us, reaching down and clasping onto what I assume is Liam. Isaac and I help pull the freshman up, and he looks at us all, terrified.

"You're okay, Liam." I pull him into a hug. "You're okay." Liam clutches onto my arms, trembling in what's probably a mixture of pain, exhaustion, and shock.

"We need to get him to Deaton." Scott brings our focus to the gash in Liam's chest and his bloody knuckles, all seeping yellow.

"The Impala is back at the entrance. But we don't have the time to walk." Isaac quickly says, eyes locked on Liam.

"I'll carry him. Come on." Scott offers, turning around to offer his back to Liam.

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A huge cloud of yellow evaporates from the incision Deaton makes in Liam's chest. Liam's breathing remains heavy before he seems to even out. Scott feels his forehead with his wrist and Argent and Deaton watch carefully.

"I don't want to keep watching people die." The alpha whispers.

"I'm not sure you have much choice about that." Chris replies and I sigh.

"Maybe I do."

"That's a lot of burden to carry, Scott." Deaton says.

"I don't care." Scott shakes his head. "No one else dies. Everyone on that list. Everyone on that Dead Pool. It doesn't matter if they're wendigos, or werewolves, or whatever. I'm gonna save everyone." (God, I'm genuinely so much like Scott.)

"I'll give you a ride home, Scott." Chris changes the subject. "Your bike is still at the station, right?"

"Yeah." Scott answers, but still looks reluctant to leave Liam.

"We'll keep an eye on him." I tell the worried teen. "Head home. Get some sleep. You've had a long day."

"But he's had it worse."

"And look at him. He's resting. Recovering. You go do the same, Dude." Isaac pipes up.

"Are you sure?" Scott says.

"Go home, Scott." I chuckle. "I'll let you know if anything changes."

"Thank you."

Scott and Argent leave, and I look back down at Liam. There's hair in his face so I carefully brush it away.

"Lyrica." Deaton calls.

"What's up?" I reply, looking at the vet.

"You don't even realize what's happening, do you?"

"What do you mean?" Isaac frowns.

"It's happening to both of you."

"Deaton, please just tell us what you're talking about." I sigh.

"It's the same thing that happened with Isaac." He grins.

"What is?" I frown.

"Your bond with Liam. You and Isaac are both feeling the bond strengthen. You're feeling extra protective over Liam. You worry over him more than the others. You want nothing more than for him to be happy. It's exactly what happened when your bond began forming with Isaac."

"But he's Scott's beta. And he's got a happy family." I protest.

"Things change, Lyrica. But this is happening."

A groan sounds from the table behind us, and I turn to see Liam struggling to sit up.

"No, no, no. Don't try to sit up, Liam." I call, walking over to help him lie back down. "Your body is still healing from the wolfsbane. You're weak."

"Do I still have to go to school tomorrow?" Liam groans.

"No, Liam." I chuckle. "Tomorrow's Saturday. You'll be home tomorrow."

"Thank God." Is the last thing he mutters before falling asleep once more.