『Act I • Side A』

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

✨🌙🔮🌙✨

"The Darach is my English teacher?"

June's jaw hangs open with shock, brown eyes widening at the information she just learned. She stands next to Scott in Derek's loft (who she thought was dead until she saw him again, no one bothered updating her with the news) and Stiles is facing Derek as he explains everything to the werewolf, eyes watery from preventing tears after his father's kidnapping. Eliza is perched on the sole desk in the otherwise empty loft, unintentionally showing off her black boots as she swings her legs.

"I think I'm the least surprised of you all," The blonde says, snickering at June's and Derek's horror-stricken faces. "This is Beacon Hills- the literal beacon of all things supernatural. And it's not like school has been a very safe place either."

"I'm not surprised she's an English teacher," The Alpha immediately counters, his thick brows crinkling downwards. His jaw clenches as though there are words he's trying to hold in, but lets it go as he sighs, "I'm shocked that the Darach is the woman I'm dating."

Juniper's mouth hangs open in shock again as the Alpha avoids eye contact with the teenagers in the room. This time, the remaining three join her with the same expression. No one was expecting this from him, no one knew what to say to him- not really. You know what to say when someone has a break up for all plausible reasons- but no one teaches you what to say when the one you love turns out to be a murderous psychopath sacrificing innocents. 

"I'm sorry..." June croaks unsurely, biting her lips nervously.

"She just killed an innocent girl at the recital," Scott says, eyebrows furrowed in fury. He clenches his fists, June's hand goes to his and loosens the knot only because she wants to hold his hand. He relaxes his hands and holds hers back, granting her a comforting squeeze. 

"She acts like she's some damsel in distress when in fact she's a literal serial killer." Stiles tenses, inadvertently shouting the next words. "And my dad might be next?!"

"I won't let it happen," Surprisingly, it's Eliza who says that. Flame dances in her cerulean eyes, "I swear, Stiles, I will burn her alive and turn her into looking like the ugly bitch that she is." She passes a glance to the older werewolf. "No offense,"

"None taken." Derek responds simply. Furrowing his eyebrows as he thinks of a plan. His ears suddenly perk up and he looks towards the door, brown eyes wide. "She's here. All of you, hide. Show yourselves when she's suspicious."

"Maybe embarrass her by not kissing back?" Eliza suggests as they shuffle behind the sofa to hide- that's the only hiding place they all can fit behind.

Derek smirks. "That should eat some of her ego."

"Wait!" Eliza says as they tuck behind the sofa. "What if she has super hearing?"

"Well then maybe you should shut up." Stiles retorts.

A few seconds later, the door opens and the devil herself shows up just like Derek predicted. 

"Derek?" Jennifer calls, "Derek, where are you?"

"Right here," The werewolf replies, unmoving from his spot. The Darach seems to smile in relief when she sees him. 

"Oh, thank God."

She wears the same outfit as she did earlier that afternoon when she spoke to June, and her heels clink against the floor as she speeds towards Derek who waited with his arms open. She engulfs him and the werewolf around, and Jennifer frowns like the damsel in distress she absolutely is not.

Jennifer breaks the hug. "Something happened at the recital." She says, feigning panic. "I need to tell you before you hear it from them."

From her hiding spot, June narrows her eyes. It's not hard to figure out what game her teacher is playing. 

Derek keeps his expression stoic, except for the slight confusion with the slant of his brows. He was a damn good actor, June notices- just like Jennifer too. "From whom?" The werewolf asks.

Jennifer shrugs, honey eyes avoiding Derek's sharp ones. "Scott, Stiles... Juniper."

"I'm offended she didn't bother to say my name too,"  Eliza whispers, frowning. To this, Stiles and June pass her a twinning look that clearly conveys 'shut up'.

"They're gonna tell you things," Jennifer continues her act. "Things you can't believe. You have to trust me, okay?"

I can't believe her, June thinks, shaking her head. This was the same woman complimenting her about her writing skills, which happened the only artistic thing June is involved in. Now this can mean that Jennifer was in fact lying and June was a terrible writer. Her teacher's words had made her day earlier, but now it's all crumpled down. 

"Look," Eliza whispers, pulling June out of her thoughts. "They're kissing."

"Are you really that excited to see two adults kissing?" June says, obviously being sarcastic. Eliza's face turns red with embarrassment. "Not that! He's not kissing back, it's time for us to show up."

"They're here, aren't they?" Jennifer says. That's their cue. One by one the four teenagers reveal themselves to their former teacher, all wearing looks of different shades of anger and sheer resentment. 

Jennifer looks at them with dark eyes, lingering on June. "They told you it was me, did they?" She turns to Derek. "That I'm the one taking people."

"We told him you're the one killing people," Scott clarifies.

Jennifer raises her dark brows. "Oh, that's right. Committing human sacrifices—what, cutting their throats? Yeah, I probably do it on my lunch hour. That way I can get back to teaching high school English the rest of the day. That makes perfect sense."

"You don't have to act." June snaps, face scrunched in anger. "He's not gonna believe you, Darach."

Jennifer scoffs, looking at Derek with wide eyes. "I don't know what they're saying, Derek!" She cries. "I don't even know what a Darach is."

"Well then maybe look at the mirror," Eliza gives her a disgusted look. "Bitch."

Stiles walks forward, struggling to hold his tears. "Where is my dad?"

"Derek, you have to believe me!" Jennifer yells, looking at the older werewolf with pleading eyes, "I don't know what they're talking about!"

The older man looks like he's on the fence about who to believe, worrying June. Was his bond with Jennifer so strong that he would take her words over his own pack's?

Derek's expression is unreadable. "Do you know what happened to Stiles's father?" He asks Jennifer. 

She shakes her head incessantly, her doe brown eyes big. "No!"

"Ask her why she tried to kill Lydia," Scott suggests. 

"Lydia Martin? I don't know anything about that."

"What do you know?" Derek snaps at Jennifer, eyebrows furrowed. The brunette does not hesitate to respond. "I know that these kids, for whatever misguided reason are filling your head with an absurd story."

June's eyebrows rise as an idea lights her brain. She looks at Scott from the corner of her eyes, trying to discern his stoic expression. All she notices is the utter hate and anger on his crooked face. "Scott." She steals his attention for a second and he looks at her. "Can't werewolves figure out when someone is lying?"

Scott's dark eyes widen with realisation and looks back at the adults who were still conversing. Derek's brows seem to furrow deeper and deeper as seconds pass. "You know she's lying!" The Beta tells his Alpha. "Listen to her heartbeat, it's erratic."

"Because I'm frightened!" Jennifer quickly counters. "You are accusing of doing something you cannot prove."

"What if we tell you we can?" Eliza smirks. "You're a great actor though, Miss Blake, I should give you that."

The brunette woman scoffs, fluttering back to Derek. "Whatever evidence they think they have, they're lying Derek. Don't tell me you believe them-"

"He will believe it when he sees it with his own eyes," Scott says before showing everyone a palm-sized glass container he was holding, containing some sort of ash June can't discern. But whatever it is, it must be effective because Jennifer's widens.

"What is that?" Jennifer's voice shakes. 

Scott opens the container as he slowly walks forward, a victorious smirk already dancing on his lips. "My boss told me that it's a poison and a cure... which means you can use it and it can be used against you."

Realization dawns on Jennifer. "Mistletoe?"

Faster than June's ordinary eyes can focus, the mistletoe is launched towards Jennifer from Scott's hands. However the effect of it on her teacher sends her stomach's contents to her throat. Jennifer isn't Jennifer anyone- she isn't even human. 

As Jennifer struggles within a tiny tornado of mistletoe, her shiny honey hair disappears, as does most of her facial features, leaving her face distorted. There is no skin anymore, only flesh as pale as moonlight on a full moon's night. Her straight and perfect nose ceased to existing, revealing nothing but two nostrils to breathe. Three lined scars stick across her face as though she was scratched by a predator. The only thing that remained constant and the scariest part- were her hazel eyes, now haunted by those of a monster's.

That is the most hideous creature Juniper Tanaka has ever seen.

Within two seconds of the mistletoe dissipating, Jennifer's face returns back to normal and she breathes heavy breaths as though she has just been burnt. But more than her unmasking, it was the hurt in Derek's eyes that struck her out. 

The werewolf's claws are out and he goes for her throat. "Derek, wait!" Jennifer chokes out. "You need me."

━━☆⌒ . ⌒☆━━

A lot of things aren't making sense to Juniper Tanaka right now, minutes after the Darach appeared, almost killed her friend and then disappeared with her best friend's father who is also the sheriff. 

Or how the Dark Druid managed to gain the upper hand.

There are too many questions, too many things that are going wrong that the worries that used to plague her mind before-- (like Deucalion after her life, the idea that she might be the Mood Goddess, her fate as the werewolf killer, her inexplicable connection with Scott McCall...) they're the last thing on June's mind now. That's how bad things have been. 

Firstly, why is there a storm brewing in California in the middle of night? How long has the Darach, Jennifer Blake, been living here under their noses? Why was she after Lydia's life? Where did she take Sheriff Stilinski and is he okay, or is he another sacrifice? Why was Cora Hale not speed-healing after Aiden hit her head?

This morning, the weather only called for minor thunderstorms but now there are several towns that have lost power and a town called Hill Valley is under flood watch. Stiles, June, Scott and Eliza are heading towards the Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital in silence even after Stiles is driving like an aimless, drunk raccoon. Under normal circumstances, Eliza Fawkes would have certainly made a snarky comment about Stiles finally killing his already shredded jeep that was on life support-- but Stiles' father, his only family, is missing and is probably about to be killed by his own English teacher-- so staying silent is a good choice.

The teens follow the car in which Jennifer and Derek are alone, none of them able to stomach the way things have unfolded around them. Derek certainly isn't safe from Jennifer's prying hands and murderous thoughts, but in order to save Cora Hale just lying on the death bed, this had to be done.

Stiles occasionally sniffs and holds his breath, trying to suppress his tears. "We'll find him, Stiles." Scott promises, though June wonders how he can make promises that may not even occur with that much certainty. "He'll be okay."

"I don't know, Scott." Stiles sniffs, shaking his head. Fear is evident in his voice. "I don't know. Something feels wrong about this. We proved it to Derek but she still had this look like it didn't matter. You know, like it was all still going according to plan.

"And why was she after my father? Why would she go for Lydia?"

Eliza sighs knowingly. June raises her eyebrows. "You know something, Liz?"

The blonde witch shakes her head, and meets Stiles' teary brown eyes through the rearview mirror. "I'm not sure... but I think I know what she is."

"Lydia?" Scott asks, sounding perturbed. 

Eliza bobs her head. "Didn't you say you heard a scream so loud it hurt your ears?"

Scott nods in agreement, his eyebrows confusedly furrowed. "Yeah, I could have turned deaf if it went on for any longer."

"And you think that was Lydia?"

"Positive," Stiles says, screeching the jeep to turn hard right, causing everyone to fall to the left. "Lydia screams a lot when something bad happens. Like, when someone's going to die too." He turns around to look at Eliza- away from the road. "Please don't tell me she's from another secret coven meant to kill my friends."

Scott raises his eyebrows at the blonde, clearly gesturing a 'well?'

Eliza exhales exasperatedly. "No... she's not a witch. I think she's the harbinger of death."

Silence follows for long seconds. 

"That sounds ominous." June remarks, gem eyes wide. 

"And being a Lunar witch doesn't?" Eliza scoffs. 

"She's the harbinger of death? Wait, what does that mean exactly?" Stiles asks, panic lacing his voice.

"I think..." Eliza swallows hard, giving the others a clear sign that it may not be good for them at all. "She's a Banshee."

━━☆⌒ . ⌒☆━━

The rain continues to thunder down on Beacon Hills unapologetically, the Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital has turned to chaos as the staff continuously strive to evacuate all the patients from the room not only from the dangers of an expected flooding- but for the werewolves that have occupied the hospital.

The lights keep flickering like an ominous sign from a horror movie as Stiles paces restlessly, his worries chewing his mind and soul as he thinks about his father, his only remaining family. It feels like his heart has been beating fast in fear non-stop since Jennifer Blake took him and dissipated. Stiles doesn't want the last time he spoke with his father to be a fight- he doesn't want today to be the last day he speaks to his father. Noah Stilinski still has a long way to go- not just as the sheriff, but also as a father.

Three werewolves storm into the empty operating room that Stiles is pacing in. Four, if you count the unconscious she-wolf over Peter's shoulder. The former Alpha puts down Cora as Derek and Scott stand guard near the locked door, their eyebrows tensed.

"Where is she?" Stiles asks Scott, referring to the Darach. Scott's guilty face catches Stiles off-guard. "Scott, where is she?"

"Shh," Derek hushes, his eyes careful on the door. A sweat breaks on his forehead, sliding towards his brow. "Be quiet, Stiles."

That one comment is enough to make him snap. The lanky boy stalks towards the Alpha, the vein on his forehead about to pop. "Me? Me be quiet? Me? Huh? You're telling me what to do now? When your psychotic mass-murdering girlfriend—the second one you've dated, by the way—has got my dad somewhere tied up, waiting to be ritually sacrificed?"

Scott hushes his human friend. "The Alphas are still out there."

"The Alphas want Miss Blake," Stiles points out. "So if they don't have her either then my dad and Cora are both dead."

"Cora isn't getting any better ," Peter confirms. 

Scott looks over the fence at that. "There has to be some way they can help her."

"You can't always save everyone, Scott." Stiles says, trying to reason with his friend. His eyebrows contort when a sudden realisation dawns on him. "Where is June? And Eliza?"

"We lost Eliza while fighting the twins."

"And June?"

The door swings open. Derek steps behind. "She's with me," Says the honey voice of a woman that Derek dreaded to hear. Much to everyone's surprise, Juniper Tanaka was indeed standing next to the Darach, avoiding eye contact with the people in the room.

Stiles and Scott are relieved to note that June's appearance is without any blemishes- she was unharmed. 

"Oh, don't be too relieved," Jennifer smirks. Her head shifts to the younger girl beside her. "Juniper has made me a promise."

The werewolves backs stiffen with alert, Stiles moves forward, his head tilts confusedly. Surely, he heard wrong. "What does he mean, June?" He asks with a voice full of hope. 

Ever since Stiles found out that June will be inevitably involved with the supernatural, he sincerely hoped with all his heart that his best friend will be someone who is by the side of his team, someone whose back he can have even as a human, someone he can count on to protect and be protected... someone he can trust. 

However, something shifts in Stiles's belief the moment Jennifer utters, "Now." And June's eyes turn purple. 

The Lunar Witch spreads her palm towards the youngest werewolf and the next second an inexplicable wave of energy surges in the room. The painful blow aimed at Scott throws him across the room and has him gasping in torment as a steel compartment falls on him. His skin shivers in red all over his arms, and to Scott it feels like he's being burned alive in fire and wolfsbane mixed to be an agonizing poison. 

He holds his hand over his beating heart, gasping in pain as he looks over at the girl who looks so eerily similar to the witch that haunted his dreams. Her purple eyes aglow, her skin radiating with power, the Dark Druid next to her with a victorious smirk. 

Scott doesn't understand where things went wrong. At least, not until his eyes fall towards the snowy cat with a glare, purring against June's feet. Only, instead of the yellow beady eyes Scott is used to, the cat's eyes is the same as June's- purple and ablaze.