Chapter IV: Winter Formal Pt.1

"So how are you adjusting?" asked Mareth.

"To being human all of the time? It sucks. But there are also things I like." Malia replied nonchalantly as she looked at an Adalee Front Twist Dress In Deep Red.

"Like?" Mareth inquired as she pulled the dress from Malia's hands and shook her head in dislike.

"Food. Did you know that humans have roughly 9,000 taste buds, dogs have only around 1,700. This means their sense of taste is about one-sixth as powerful as ours. I'm tasting things I've never tasted before." Malia explained walking through seas of clothing racks.

Mareth couldn't fight her laughter. She was always amused with Malia and her honesty. "Just food?"

Malia suddenly stopped at a dress that spoke to her queenly nature. " Well, Tenko of course. Nikita is super nice and you're okay."

Malia's body went on autopilot and picked up the dress, holding it in the air. An Ivory Gold Lace Halter Maxi Set In Vanilla

. Mareth was taken aback by the dress and looked at Malia with a gaze of approval.

" I love your taste...Thinking of going to school?"

Malia smiled at the dress and imagined the beautiful set being taken off of her. " I have. But then I have to come back from the dead. And I keep thinking that maybe it's a good thing that I'm presumed dead. What if I just put my dad in danger by returning."

Mareth took the dress from Malia. "We're getting this. And If it means having his daughter back, I'm sure he wouldn't mind. Tenko is obviously in love with you. He kicks our ass in training and treats us as equals, but he also treats us gently at times and it can be counterproductive."

"What do you mean?" Malia finally gave all of her attention to Mareth.

"He doesn't want to ask you about your father because it'll only be another problem for you. But your father is alive, and your hiding is prolonging his loneliness. It will do more harm than good. So I'm telling you, that it's time for your resurrection." Mareth explained with genuine care.

"So this winter formal. What is it and why are we going?" Malia asked.

"A high school dances, and it's fun."

"You know Tenko doesn't want to go."

"You felt that?"

"Yupp," Malia replied

"I've...I've been meaning to ask. What's it like being connected to him."

Malia froze mid-stride, without looking towards Mareth, she replied, "Horrifically beautiful."

What was to be the start of a moment between the two packmates was cut short by a soft voice. "Mareth?"

Mareth turned to see the young woman with her ginger-haired best friend. " Oh, Allison, hey."

Malia sniffed the air and caught a familiar scent that she hadn't smelled in a long while. " Lydia…" she said as she looked at the confused girl.

"And you are?" Lydia asked.

" I don't see what attracted him," Malia spoke

" Malia…" Mareth chided

Lydia put on a smug smile and said, "Oh, I stole your boyfriend? I seem to have that effect."

Malia tilted her head. "And she's deluded...mmm," she said before walking away.

Lydia looked a bit insulted as she watched Malia's back. Allison on the other hand paid them no attention and asked Mareth, "Haven't seen you in a while. Is everything okay?"

"With Tenko? He's great. He just has other things to focus on."

"Wow, so that's why you're all moppy," Lydia spoke with sudden enlightenment. " If you want my advice, You should forget about the narcissistic fox. Not to mention… he killed your aunt" she whispered the end of the friendly advice. Before walking away to do her own shopping.

"Don't mind her. She and Tenko don't fuck around anymore and Jackson broke up with her in a text. She's a bit on edge." Allison explained.

" And what about you?"

"What about me?" Allison asked.

A small snicker escaped Mareth's lips. "Look, I told Tenko he should stop whatever was happening between the two of you. Not out of jealousy but survival. I'm his emissary and that's my job. So if you want to check up on him, you can give me a call. But you should get over him, for your own survival."

"We're just friends…"

"Yeah and I stick around Beacon Hills because it's such a great place. See you around, killer."

___________________________________________________________

"Did Derek send you?" Stiles asked.

"Would that make more sense, Stiles?" Erica teased as she looked around Stiles' room.

Erica is a pretty blonde. One of Derek's new betas that were the subject of controversy in Beacon Hills at the moment.

"Yes, it would, actually," Stiles replied a bit high strong as usual.

Erica giggled and made her way to Stiles. "Well, I hate to shake your little world up, Stiles. But I'm here for myself… I want to know if you would like to go to the dance tonight, with me?"

Stiles stared slack jawed at the blonde beauty in front of him. He was speechless and Erica found it adorable. She leaned closer to him and gave him a lingering kiss on the check. When she pulled back, a glossed copy of her lips remained and Stiles' face turns beat red bringing a nice contrast to the lip print of his cheek. Erica giggled then wrote her address on a piece of paper for Stiles. She then took her to leave with more excitement in her belly than the day she became a werewolf.

Stiles shook himself from his daze and plopped on the bed and replayed the moment a million times in his head. Erica Reyes, he thought. Who would have guessed? His cock suddenly grows large and erect, tenting his jeans when her face and body scorched itself into his mind. He wanted her and she was ready to give herself to him. His cock threatened to burst in his pants at the thought of her touch.

"Wait, I need a suite," he thought as his eyes snapped opened and he bounced to his feet before leaving the house.

As Stiles got into his jeep, his phone was to his ear and a comforting voice penetrated his ears.

"Yes, Stiles?" Mareth answered

"Erica just invited me to the dance tonight. I need something that would make me look as good as her," he replied.

Mareth laughed and said, "I'm at the mall now. Swing by and we'll help you get right for tonight."

_____________________________________________________________

"So he kicked you out of the Family?" Melissa asked. Confused about Nikita's situation.

"Is that even possible? You're his mother." Jennifer added with equal confusion.

Nikita sighed as she cut the vegetables for her salad. Looking towards her phone, Nikita replied, "Yes, it's possible and it's a great shame for Kitsune. It's like being an omega, one hundred times over. If my father was here, he would probably have a heart attack."

"Damn…" Melissa and Jennifer spoke in tandem.

"Yeah… So everything is kind of fucked up right now."

Nikita continued to chop away as the woman fell into temporary silence. Nikita was hurting and Jennifer and Melissa could almost smell her pain through the phone. Though the two women weren't her best friends, they were all Nikita had in town.

"I hate to pour fuel on the fire, but does anyone want to talk about the reptilian serial killer?" asked Jennifer.

"About that. I think we should find it and kill it, together. We're not one pack, but what's one creature against a group of shifters. And the longer we wait, the more people die." Melissa replied.

"She's right. It has to stop. I'll talk to Tenko." Said, Nikita

"What makes you think he will help?" Jennifer asked.

Nikita used her blade to push all of her vegetables into the salad bowl. " We need to make it worth his while," she said

"And how do we do that?" Asked Melissa.

"We can have Derek talk to him. If Derek asks for help, I'm sure Tenko wouldn't mind." Jennifer added.

" The problem is the hunters. After the monster is gone, the war will start."

_____________________________________________________________

It was finally time for Winter Formal. In pairs, the supernatural teens of Beacon Hills arrived. Lydia was the first to arrive with her waste of space escort. Carol Van Dyke, a first-line Lacrosse player.

Allison then arrived with Jackson, He played it off as a friend thing, but he only took Alison to the dance as a fuck you to Scott and to get under Lydia's skin. Jackson had broken things off with her when he found out that she was keeping the supernatural thing a secret for Tenko's sake. Naturally, that led to other secrets being aired out. Allison on the other hand didn't feel like going at it alone so she said, yes, to Jackson's invitation.

The next couple that arrived and sent tongues wagging was Erica and Stiles. The pairing made absolute sense and they complimented each other like sex and candy. Stiles was dressed in a slim cut suite straight from a GQ magazine and Erica was Victoria's Secret.

At the same time, Stiles was stealing the show, Scott was running across the rooftop sneaking into the dance. Not that anyone noticed while Stiles was center stage.

Finally, Tenko arrived with Mareth and Malia on each arm in dresses crafted with all the elegance of the stars that lit the night sky. Tenko was dressed in vanilla and deep red jodhpuri designed to suit to match his dates.

Mareth wore a Dianna Luxe Shimmer Maxi In Deep Red and Malia wore an Émilie Ivory Gold Lace Halter Maxi Set In Vanilla.

On the way in, Tenko ran into Boyd and his hot date. The two shared an understanding nod and went their separate ways. For the most part, everyone kept to themselves and enjoyed their time without the usual supernatural drama. Even Tenko was starting to enjoy himself.

The dance music was blaring and Tenko was joyously dancing in between two beauties like they were only lovers on the floor. The music took control and they explored each other's bodies as they moved to the beat, creating an almost divine spectacle when Gerard appeared with a soft smile and eyes like mighty claymores.

"Mr. Nakashige. Long time no see." Gerard spoke with a low rumble. Tenko stopped moving and faced the old man.

"Yeah, I've been on sabbatical." Tenko quipped.

Gerard chuckled to himself. "Very funny. I will allow you to stay, as long as you can remain...neutral."

Tenko put on a faux smile ad replied. "Stay? At a stupid dance?"

"In Beacon Hills, boy. Remain neutral and we'll let bygones be bygones." Gerard flashed a hint of a smile and turned away. At the moment a handful of 'Chaperones' began to leave the dance.

Since the day Gerard was attacked by Derek and Tenko, he had taken the seat of principal at Beacon Hills High School by force. Sometime after that, he discovered that the constantly absent son of one of his prized teachers was the same beast that attacks him and his men that night in the woods.

Though, since that night Tenko and his pack haven't done much to interfere in his dealings. But there was something about the altercation that gave Tenko the impression that Gerard had no idea that he was involved in Kate's death. But the most unsettling feeling was the foreboding sense in the back of his mind

"I feel like we should have killed him that night," Malia spoke close to Tenko's ear.

"Me too… Live and learn…." Tenko muttered.

Tenko watched Gerard and his men leave the gymnasium. As he turned to face Malia, he spotted just a glimpse of Allison. Sudden fatal thought was then injected into his mind. Tenko snapped his head around and saw Boyd, Erica, Scott, Stiles, Issac, Jackson, Lydia. Everyone that could help Derek, was nowhere near Derek tonight. Besides the adults, who are sorely outnumbered, Derek is defenseless.

Mareth grabbed Tenko's hands and began to rock with the music in an attempt to coax him back into the party mood. Unfortunately, the thought of his best friend dying was all that occupied his mind. Pulling away from Mareth, Tenko walked to Allison and pulled her away from the camera geek who talked her into a dance.

"Ooowww! What the hell!" she cried out as she was pushed against a locker.

At the Gymnasium doors, Malia and Mareth waited. Preparing themselves to stop the butt buddies from interrupting.

Like usual, Scott always had an eye on Allison. When he saw her being dragged away, He pulled Stiles from his dream dance with Lydia and went to follow after Tenko.

"Oh no! Not this time." Mareth spoke.

"Well, we can't get through. I guess we have to go back to the Dance. You know the event where I was having a good time with two of the most beautiful girls in school. Free of murdering psychopaths and their offspring?" Stiles spoke, but his words fell on deaf ears.

"Let me through!" Scott growled with glowing eyes.

Malia smirked and her eyes glowed steel-blue. "Make my night, pup." Malia taunted Scott.

Taken aback by the arrival of a new shifter, Scott moved back a step with shocked eyes. " You? Did Tenko turn you?"

"He wishes. So are we going to fight or not?" Malia asked nonchalantly

In the hallway, the atmosphere was a lot lighter.

"All you had to say was, Hey Allison, can we talk." She said. " Has it been that long Tenko? So long that you forgot how to talk to me nicely?"

" Do you want me to get angry? I can show you why your family hunts us," he replied

"No, just tell me what you want."

"I want to know where Gerard and his goons went. Do you know anything that can help with that?" Tenko asks.

"I thought you had a way to keep tabs on Gerard?"

"After your little stunt to save the Lahey boy, no."

Allison squinted and then her mouth formed an 'o' shape influenced by sudden enlightenment. "The thing killed Mr.Hardy that night."

"Yeah, and his daughter is now out of the loop. I've been meaning to talk to you about that too." Said Tenko.

"Anisa is fine, the family will provide for her until she graduates. By then her training will be finished and then she can make money for herself."

"That's good. So what do you know about Gerard?" Tenko asked again.

"I don't know, honestly. We've, Scott, Stiles, Lydia, and I have been trying to steal something from him. Now that we have it, we lost track of his movements."

"What did you steal?"

"A bestiary… We made a copy and found out that the beast is called a Kanima. " Allison explained.

"I don't care what it's called. Not my problem." Tenko replied.

"Well, it should. We haven't been tracking Gerard lately, but if he has any interest in the Kanima, it's to kill it or control it."

"Control it?" Tenko's interest was officially piqued.

"The Kanima seeks a master. It also doesn't know that it's a Kanima when it's in its human form."

Tenko nodded as he walked back to the gym.

"Does the mean we're talking again?"

"Is your family still in the hunting business?" Tenko replied.

Allison didn't reply but hung her head low instead. "That's what I thought," Tenko mumbled.

Pulling the Gym doors open. Tenko saw Mareth and Malia standing guard. " We have to go," he said.

"What happened?" Mareth asked.

"I think Gerard is going after Derek or the shifter that's been killing people.." Tenko replied before turning away.

"Why should we care if a murderous shifter is killed?"

Tenko stopped and looked at Malia. "Because of its poison gland. I'm pretty sure that shit could stop a dinosaur. Not to mention it's already proven to completely paralyze shifters. Gerard might also be able to control the thing if he catches it. We can't let that happen."

"Then let's go get it." Said Malia.

" Should I start the plan?" Mareth asked.

"Yeah. We need all of the privacy we can get and it might get bloody tonight," replied Tenko.

The trio then moved through the hallways in a hurried but collected pace. As the came upon a fork in the hallway. Tenko sent Mareth away to start the containment plan. Pulling out his phone, Tenko tried to call Derek over and over again as he rushed to the closest exit to his car.

The phone rang twice and then a long beep will follow. Tenko stopped and looked at his phone in shock when he realized what was happening. Gerard had jammed the cell signal. The sense of foreboding suddenly became real and time began to feel finite.

Not long after, Tenko pushed open the doors and walked face-first into a mountain ash barrier. A magical barrier made from the ashes of a special Rowan tree that can contain supernatural entities.

The barrier rippled with blue waves before returning to its transparent state. Malia looked on with shock at the phenomenon. A moment later, Derek's pack appeared behind them with odd looks.

"Why are you just standing there?" Isaac asked.

"Mountain Ash barrier. We can't leave." Tenko replied.

"What the hell is Mountain Ash?" asked Erica.

Tenko instinctively raised his eyebrows. " Does Derek teach you guys anything?"

"Yeah, he's just… slow about it. Jennifer does all of the real teachings though. Isaac's a natural, I can learn from Derek's teaching style but Erica needs Jennifer. So he just leaves her in charge most of the time." Boyd explained.

Tenko scuffed at Derek's lack of leadership.

"We can get Mareth back here to break it," Malia suggested.

"No. Stiles or any human really can do this. Find someone."

When Erica turned to leave, the barrier suddenly rippled again. Once the barrier settled, it ripples once more.

"Someone is trying to get out," Whispered Tenko.

"It might be Scott."

"No, he has Stiles and he knows about Mountain Ash. The barrier would be broken if it was him. There's another supernatural in here with us." Tenko explained as he sniffed the air. "Find Allison, Lydia, and Stiles. The barrier can't be broken..."

"The Kanima?" Boyd asked.

"It doesn't know what it is, right? And if a human is its master, a human with no supernatural experience, they wouldn't know about the effects of Mountain Ash."

The group looked at Tenko and Erica suddenly frowned. "Even then, wouldn't the master notice a giant barrier connected to a pile of ash? wouldn't he just dust it aside?"

" Find the others and then we'll figure this out. If you see the damn thing, run."