57: Party Night [4]

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The door led us into the open stairwell of an emergency exit that led to the parking lot behind the school.

Tara and I were at the back of the group as Allison, Lydia, and Jackson hurried down the stairs first. Just as we were about to descend ourselves, the sound of shattering glass pierced through the air.

"Stiles!"

The shout made all of us turn back. There, through the emergency door's window leading to the second floor, we saw Amber pounding desperately on the glass.

Her arm was slashed open, blood streaming down her forearm in thick rivulets.

Her face was pale, contorted in terror, and her movements were frantic, like she was moments away from breaking down entirely.

Without thinking, I bolted toward the door. My heart was pounding, not just from the adrenaline but from sheer panic.

The handle on my side of the door was broken, jammed tight, and no matter how hard I twisted it, it wouldn't budge.

"Hold on!" I yelled, throwing my weight against the door, trying to force it open.

I glanced back at the others, who had paused on the stairs, fear and indecision etched on their faces. They hadn't caught up to me yet, and I didn't have time to wait for help.

Gritting my teeth, I rammed my shoulder into the doorframe, ignoring the sharp ache in my arm. With one final burst of strength, the latch gave way, the door flying open with a metallic crunch.

Amber stumbled through the doorway, nearly collapsing into my arms. She clung to me tightly, shaking uncontrollably, and her sobs were raw, ragged.

"I-I was running," she gasped between sobs, "But then he just—just came out of nowhere." Her voice cracked as she added, "He… he tried to kill me."

I gently pulled her away, positioning myself between her and the dark, empty hallway beyond, shielding her with my body. My mind was racing as I asked, "Did you see his face? Did you recognize him?"

Amber shook her head weakly, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"No," she muttered, her voice barely audible.

The others had caught up by now, their wide eyes darting between Amber, me, and the corridor behind us. Lydia grabbed Jackson's arm and yelled, "Let's get the hell out of here before you start planning a reunion!"

Ignoring her, I quickly tore off my shirt, wrapping it tightly around Amber's bleeding arm to slow the flow of blood. She winced, but she didn't resist.

"Come on," I urged her, nudging her forward as I kept a protective hand on her back.

The group hurried down the stairs, Allison leading the way while Tara kept glancing over her shoulder, her knife clutched tightly in her hand. We finally burst through the emergency exit, spilling into the cold night air of the parking lot.

For a brief moment, I felt the tiniest bit of relief. We had made it out. But that relief was short-lived.

A loud, piercing shriek shattered the stillness, followed by a low growl that sent a chill racing down my spine. Another growl echoed in response, deeper and more guttural than the first, followed by the sound of something massive shifting and clawing against the school's upper floors.

"Are there two of them now?" Lydia shrieked, her voice on the verge of hysteria.

The rest of us stared up at the school in stunned silence, our eyes fixed on the second-story glass windows. Shadows flickered against the emergency lights inside, and the unmistakable sound of a scuffle echoed through the night.

My heart sank as the realization hit me.

'It's either Derek or Scott fighting the Alpha.'

If they were fighting, that meant one thing: the Alpha was still up there. This might be our only chance to take it down for good.

I turned back to the others, my mind made up.

"I'm going back inside," I said firmly, already taking a step toward the stairs.

"What?! Are you insane?" Allison exclaimed, grabbing my arm.

"Have you completely lost it?" Lydia screamed, her voice nearly cracking.

"Stiles, you can't!" Amber pleaded, her wide, terrified eyes searching mine.

I shook my head and pulled free from Allison's grasp. "Scott's still in there. I can't leave him behind."

Before anyone could stop me, I turned and sprinted back up the stairs, my feet pounding against the metal steps.

"He's a dumb fucking idiot," I heard Jackson mutter behind me.

"Or maybe he's just incredibly brave," Amber said softly, though her voice was laced with doubt.

"No, he's just an idiot," Tara countered, her voice flat. But as I disappeared through the third-floor entrance, I heard her mutter under her breath, "A brave idiot."

—--

[Stiles' POV]

The hallway stretched before me, dimly lit and eerily silent save for the distant sounds of the fight. My breath came in quick, shallow gasps, my nerves on edge as I moved cautiously toward the sound of snarls and heavy impacts.

Claw marks gouged the walls and floor, a stark reminder of the creature's power. Following the trail of destruction, I rounded a corner and froze.

The Alpha stood at the far end of the hall, its hulking frame silhouetted against the shattered windows. Scott was crumpled against a row of broken lockers, his face bloodied and his breathing labored.

Before I could react, the Alpha grabbed Scott by the arm and hurled him across the corridor with inhuman strength. Scott's body collided with the opposite wall, leaving a deep dent before he collapsed to the floor with a groan.

"Scott!" I yelled, adrenaline surging through me.

The Alpha turned its glowing red eyes toward me, and for a moment, I was paralyzed. Then, without warning, dark fumes began to rise from my arms, black flames licking up my skin. I didn't think. I just moved.

Launching myself forward, I closed the distance between us in a blur. My fist, engulfed in the strange black fire, connected with the Alpha's jaw, the force of the blow sending it staggering back a step.

The creature screeched in pain, clutching its face as smoke rose from the burn. Its crimson eyes locked onto me, filled with fury and something else—recognition.

"Shit," I muttered, barely dodging its retaliatory swipe.

I ducked under its claws and countered with a sharp kick to its face, knocking it off balance. But it recovered faster than I expected, slashing at me with terrifying speed.

I tried to dodge again, but this time I wasn't fast enough. Its claws raked across my chest and neck, leaving a searing trail of pain and blood. I staggered back, clutching at the wound, but before I could panic, the black flames surged over my skin, sealing the gash in seconds.

The Alpha froze, its eyes narrowing as it watched the flames with what I could only describe as shock.

"What the hell are you looking at?" I snarled, bracing myself for its next attack.

Before it could pounce, a shadow darted into view, slamming into the Alpha with enough force to shake the walls. Derek.

He tackled the creature to the ground, his claws digging deep into its sides. The two of them thrashed and snarled, a deadly blur of claws and teeth. The Alpha was stronger, but Derek fought with sheer ferocity, refusing to back down.

The fight raged on until the distant sound of police sirens broke through the chaos. The Alpha froze, its ears twitching as the wailing grew louder.

It snarled, throwing Derek off before bolting toward the nearest window. With one powerful leap, it crashed through the glass, disappearing into the night.

I watched it vanish into the forest, my chest heaving.

"Next time."