We found Corey outside where the ambulance vehicles were. He was sitting on the ground against the vehicle, mercury everywhere. I reached up to feel his pulse, but Theo stopped me and shook his head.
"We better go."
"We have to find Hayden," Scott said.
We parted ways after that. I stayed at the school. Scott went to find Liam and Hayden. Stiles had texted us. There was another dead chimera. In no time, the police had come.
"Hey," Olivia called after spotting us. "Where's Scott?"
"He's looking for Liam," Theo said. "He thinks he's with Hayden."
"I need a word with you," Stilinski said, taking Theo. "Just you."
I looked at Olivia, questionably.
"He found something," she explained. "The last Donovan was heard of, he was at the school in the library. And so was Theo and Stiles... and you. We know he was a chimera and he's dead. So, you wanna tell me what went down?"
"Donovan was gonna break into my room earlier that same night," I explained once we were in a place with no one around. "I don't know what made him go away, but he did. I felt all his anger towards Stilinski and he headed for the school and I thought Stiles must have still been at the library. When I got there, I heard the scaffolding come down."
"Where was Theo?" she asked.
"I didn't see him," I said. "But he saw us. He saw Donovan. He was gonna kill Stiles. And when he was dead, Stiles was in shock and he was scared. We called the police from the phone and waited, but the body was gone."
"You could have said something," she told me. "You know you can tell me anything."
"I know," I nodded. "But Stiles was scared and asked me not to say anything and I didn't. Stiles is my friend. And after the Dread Doctors killed Lucas, I knew Donovan could have been killed either way. And then when we heard someone took Tracy's body, I knew someone was going to take Donovan's."
"Parrish... " Olivia muttered. "Okay."
"What are you going to do?" I asked.
She sighed and hugged me. "Just help your friends, okay?"
:::
Theo called me when the night had come. They had found Liam and Hayden and brought them to the animal clinic. When I got there, Hayden was injured.
"Can you heal her?" Liam asked.
"I don't know," I said, taking her hand. "My powers aren't very useful anymore... I don't think they ever were."
"You got the wolfsbane poison out of me before," Liam said. "You can do this."
"I'm not the same anymore, Liam," I told him. "I feel weaker and I just... I can try."
The door opened. Scott came inside.
"She's getting worse," Liam said. "I think she's dying."
"It's got to be some kind of mercury poison," Theo figured.
"Scott, remember what you promised me," Liam said. "Lucy might not be able to save her. You said you'd do everything you could. If she's a real werewolf, we can save her. You gotta give her the bite."
"No."
Liam stood up. "What do you mean, 'no,'" Liam questioned.
"Liam, look at her," he said. "She's too weak. It will kill her."
"Lucy can- "
"She just lost her brother, Liam," Scott said. "Do you think she's in a healthy state? And we don't even know what the mercury is doing to her. We don't even know if it is actually mercury. This can't be the only way to save her."
"It saved mine," he retorted.
"You know, that was different," Scott said. "You were hanging off a ledge."
"You promised," Liam snarled. "You said you'd do everything you could."
"Which is why I'm not going to do something I think is going to kill her," Scott said back.
"She doesn't have that much time," I told them. "There is a point where they'll be too far gone. I don't see any other options."
"You can't heal her?" he questioned.
"You only believe in me when it's good for you, don't you?" I said, glaring at him.
"There has to be... There has to be... "
He started wheezing and I sat up straighter. Theo tossed him his inhaler and he shook it before using it. I looked back at Hayden as she started breathing heavily.
"There's another way to save her."
"Guys, I don't know what the statistics are for surviving a werewolf bite, but she's definitely not surviving this," Theo said. "We need to do something."
:::
The door to the front door opened. I waited. I grabbed the dagger near me and as the door opened, I threw it at the person coming in. They dodged it, the dagger hitting the wall.
"I'll remind myself to knock next time," he spoke and he grabbed the dagger, prying it out of the wall.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, taking my dagger from him. I turned and went to my desk.
"I wanted to see what you were up to," he said. "What are you doing here instead of where Hayden is? I heard they moved her to the hospital."
"I can't heal her," I said, looking down. "My mother didn't teach me everything. I've got no experience except combat, but I'm still weak."
"Well, unlike Scott, I believe," Theo said, sounding sincere. "I think - No, I know you can save her. And Liam knows it, too."
"You haven't been here in the last year," I told him. "I couldn't heal Derek's sister when she was sick. I couldn't heal wounds given from an Alpha. I couldn't save Allison or Aiden... And Alex wasn't saved. And all that time, I felt everything. So I can't be around to feel Liam's heartbreak as I had with Alex and Scott."
"You said when people stop believing in fairies, they die," said Theo, taking my hand. "I think you've stopped believing in yourself. I think you haven't ever believed in yourself."
He grabbed my chin, tilting it up. "I believe in you. And not just with your powers, but I believe in you as a person."
"You're not just saying that so I'd kiss you, are you?"
"Well, I thought a- "
I leaned in, placing a kiss on his lips. Before I pulled away, Theo leaned in, taking the back of my head with his hand. I wasn't sure how I felt about him, to be honest. I was simply attracted to him and the fact that I couldn't read him made me curious. But the feeling I had from kissing him didn't feel completely wrong... Until he was vulnerable.
I stood on the bridge over the creek. Theo's sister seemed like she had been injured, unable to move. It seemed like it was the coldest night of the year. But she was not dead when Theo arrived. He looked at her as she reached out, calling for help. And he just stood there, his expression emotionless.
I backed away, stumbling over my feet and into my desk. Theo seemed to have known I went into his memories. Then, I saw it all around him. I got a sense of his aura.
"What have you been doing to me?" I asked, slowly reaching for my dagger. "How did you mask your aura?"
Theo just smiled. "I didn't mask it. The Dread Doctors had given me a little something. I knew you'd feel when I lied. I knew you'd know my plan. And I knew you and Stiles would figure it out, which is why I tried getting the two of you to trust me first. Of course, you were easier to persuade."
I gripped my dagger tightly, then raised it, aiming for his chest. Before I could, he grabbed my wrist, squeezing hard. The dagger fell out of my hands, then Theo pulled me and let go. I fell to the ground.
He approached and I stood up. I got to the stairs, but Theo was faster and stronger. He pushed me and I rolled down the stairs. As I landed, I heard a crack. I sat up and saw my arm did not look right. I heard his footsteps get closer.
The sound echoed throughout the house. I looked down and fell onto my back, holding my side as blood gushed out. Three more shots and I was unable to move. He got me at the leg, stomach, and shoulder.
"Lucky I didn't shoot your head," he said. "Iron bullets. They certainly do the job. It's a pity. I actually kind of liked you."
Theo tossed the gun a few feet away from me. He stood up, then left, closing the door behind him.