Tuesday, August 15th. Beacon Hills Highschool.
First day back to school. Junior Year. Marco physically could not care less about the academic ascension. Half the things they were being taught had little to no real world application. No combat lessons. No classes in diplomacy and securing connections— presentability and respect. The market value of currency. Nothing. And that was fine. It gave Marco more time to focus on what mattered.
The last phone call he'd received played in his mind like the echoes of a drum in a cave.
Two Alphas in the school.
He'd barely even gotten a chance to change clothes. Settling with a blue sweater and leather jacket with black jeans.
His mother was still missing— stolen right from under his nose. Another thing left to echo and bounce off the walls of his cluttered mind. The freshness of it left him on the verge of transformation. As he bolted through the forest towards the highschool. It made his clothing sit snugly over his skin. The sun felt a little brighter. His gums itched—
A car honked as he ran. Upon turning his head, he could see a black Camero racing down the somber streets. The sun beamed on the black hood as it honked a second time.
Marco skirted to a stop in the dead leaves and lush grass. He walked over to Derek's car. A short trek. He could smell the cologne and perfume wafting from the windows.
"Need a ride?" Derek asked.
"No." Marco said as he stepped out of the woods, "But I'll take it."
Victoria stepped out of the passenger seat for Marco and took the backseat. Not for pack position reasons but because Marco was almost seven feet tall. He didn't do muscle cars for that very reason.
The car sunk an inch as he sat down into the cushioned seat. The moment his car door closed they were off, careening down the road like they had somewhere to be.
Fittingly enough, they did.
"Keep Isaac out of commission." Marco said as he watched the road.
"Already on it. Just in case the Alphas are there in search of unfinished business." Derek replied.
"You should've let me bring the Wolfsbane." Victoria hissed from the backseat.
"We've got our own in the school." Derek replied as they hit a roundabout and entered populated streets.
"We can get them out with a single call."
"A call they can hear." Marco retorted, "We don't need Wolfsbane. Just an open floor."
"Feeling confident?" Victoria questioned.
"Aware. Whoever I fought in the hospital, he wasn't at all the weakest. The leader sent him first because he's the intimidating force. Physically imposing. Monstrous. Probably beyond Full Synthesis. Corroded by carnal lust and predatory hunger. I could see his insides by the end of our fight. I'll do the same if I need to in the highschool. Unless he's blind."
Derek looked like he'd seen a ghost, "Blind? What do you me—"
A Buck bounded across the street in front of the car causing them to spin out of control and almost hit a light pole and three other cars behind them.
It happened so fast they would've missed it with human eyes. They would've missed what had the buck out on the streets in the first place.
Marco watched out the window as cars behind them crashed and t-boned into eachother with loud metallic bangs.
The buck was being attacked by Ravens. Blood died it's antlers. Scratch marks marred the back of its thick neck and shoulders.
He suddenly remembered one of the few things him and the Druid that marked him discussed. A simple conversation— one sided, shared as Marco was taken out of the ruins of his home, trying to swat away the vultures and crows descending on the steaming corpses of his people.
"You hate birds don't you? It's natural for many people to, you know. Like how we've developed this evolutionary trauma with spiders and snakes. I think there's a spiritual— magical, trauma that lies within us relating to birds. It has to be. Across nearly all cultures and beliefs birds are related to the end. Signs of death. They're bad omens. That's good Grey Lion— what you're doing is good. Keep the bad omens away from you. No matter how attracted to you they are….."
"—arco!" Derek's voice shook him out of the unwanted memory.
"We're at the school. Did you hear what I said?"
"No. Say it again."
"Tonight, we're going to do the Linking Ritual to see Isaac's memories. It should be safe by nightfall."
Marco nodded before leaving the car.
"And for what it's worth, I'm sorry about what happened to your mother." Derek added.
Marco kept walking, "They will be too."
***
New year, new schedule.
English was the first class of the day. Marco liked English class for his current mindset. You'd barely do anything of substance, and nine times out of ten the teacher would either talk too much or too little and leave you to read.
All in all, he could be to him—
"Marco."
He looked up from his syllabus and found Scott, Stiles, Lydia and Alison seated around him. All facing him.
He needed to get his head in the game. Fast.
"We have another problem." Stiles explained.
"Another?" Lydia repeated. Her classic neurotic mania seemed to be returning.
"Well— listen. Just show them, please?" Stiles explained.
Lydia and Alison showed him their forearms as the class filled in with a clutter of students.
Oddly specific bruising patters showed itself on their arms.
"Lydia had an….. episode and grabbed her own arm and mine. At first I thought she was..." Alison trailed off and pulled her hand behind her ear.
"What?" Marco asked.
"Well…. I don't know what I thought she was doing."
"Nobody does these days." Lydia sighed sarcastically.
"We were hoping you could help. Considering your knowledge base." Scott chimed in.
Speaking of chiming, everyone's phones suddenly went off.
All over the classroom as students took their seats they checked their phones, finding the same text message.
Marco's hackles raised until he heard Stiles.
"An excerpt from a story?"
Just as he said it, the assumed teacher waltzed in. She was young for a teacher. Beautiful if your type was pale porcelain skin, rich brown hair and a playful smile.
Not only was that not Marco's type, but he also couldn't even focus on her. Not with the two students flanking her.
They weren't particularly tall or massive but they had a presence. They took up the room with their rain scented leather jackets and faded haircuts. Twins. Mirror images of each other. A few of the students ignored the air of violence and felt an attraction to their style and physicality. Others shrunk inside themselves. Marco remembered having a similar effect during his first day.
After all they were both Alphas.
"And this is Ethan and Aiden. They're new here— just like me, so it felt fitting to introduce the three of us all together. Ms. Blake, Ethan and Aiden. Saves time that way. Now, you two may grab your seats so we can begin class."
Ethan and Aiden nodded to the teacher and headed down the formation of seated students to grab the two open seats. Behind Marco.
Marco dropped his hands below his desk…
"So, now that everyone's phones are off, let's get stra—"
"AHHHHH!!!!" A student screamed somewhere down the hall.
"ERHM…." Ms. Blake collected herself as she walked across the room to close the door.
"I started this class with a heart of darkness quote for a very specific reason. Has anyone read the book?"
Lydia raised her hand.
"Yes, ….uh?"
"Lydia." She finished for Ms. Blake at her seat beside Marco.
"Ok Lydia, w—"
"HELP!"
Another student yelled. Closer this time, only forgotten as an antler busted through the small window on the classroom door.
At the same time a bird smashed into the window of the opposite wall.
It was then that Marco noticed— along with the rest of the students that stood up in horror.
"E-Everyone! Stay calm and get away from the windows."
Hundreds of crows headed straight for the window.
And another Buck trampled down the halls. Just like on the drive to the highschool.
"What the hell is this?"
"Good question. But I feel like you should have another." Aiden and Ethan said in unison from behind him.
Marco popped his claws just as all hell broke loose.