Stronger Than You Think

We get into the animal hospital and I immediately rush to grab towels for Lori, Brett, and Kira. I then grab gauze and rubbing alcohol from one of the cabinets and set them on the metal table.

"Let me take a look at the arrow head," I tell Brett as he dries his hair with the towel.

"I'm fine," Brett tells me. "I can do it myself." He strips off his wet jacket and I see the tear in his t-shirt with blood staining the surrounding area. His shirt is plastered to his skin  showing every curve of his torso, chest, and upper body. I feel my heartbeat speed up, and I hope Brett isn't paying attention. He then pulls his shirt off, completely showing off his lean and muscular body.

May the Lord have mercy on my soul.

I grimace when I see the arrow head lodged into his shoulder, the shaft snapped off so it's not even sticking out of the skin. Blood is still dripping from it as he touches it gingerly, wincing

"How are you going to get that out yourself?" I ask. "You can't get a grip on it to pull it out. Plus it will hurt a lot when you try, probably."

"Lils, I can handle a little pain," he tells me. "I've been stabbed and poisoned before."

I purse my lips and and think. He won't be able to get the arrow head even with his strength. We need something to pull it out. Like pliers.

I walk towards the drawers, opening them and searching for something that resembles pliers. I find what I'm looking for in a drawer full of surgical equipment. It looks like a cross between needle nose pliers and the instrument dentists use to pull teeth. Let's just say I don't want to know what it's actually used for.

I look over a Brett gritting his teeth as he digs around in his shoulder for the arrow head. I internally cringe just looking at him doing that.

"Brett stop," I tell him, standing in front of the beta once again. "Here." I push his hand, lightly, away from the wound on his shoulder and use the pliers to grip around the arrow head. "Get ready; this will hurt," I add.

Brett looks at me with a confused and almost shocked expression. "Are you sure you're strong enough?" he responds. "I could easily do it."

Without warning him, I quickly yank the arrow head out with the pliers, my new, supernatural strength making the job much easier. Brett swears with quite colorful language as I see his shoulder starting to heal. "I'm stronger than you think," I state, bluntly as I drop the bloody arrow head on the table along with the pliers.

"No kidding," he gasps, gripping onto the edge of the metal table. "Why didn't you warn me?"

"Mind tricks," I tell him. "Nurses don't tell a kid when exactly they're giving them a shot so they don't freak out, and it hurts less. Also I guess I don't need this stuff." I pick up the rubbing alcohol and gauze since his shoulder is completely healed

"I wouldn't have freaked out," he defends himself, running a hand through his damp hair. I bite my lip to keep from gaping at him.

Stop looking at him that way. This is Brett Talbot. Remember what he's done. Liam would hate if he saw you gawking at him. He would flip, and I'd have to side with Liam because I always do.

"I know that, but it probably helped with the pain," I reply, looking back up at the boy in front of me.

I remember all the times he bullied and hurt Liam. I remember all the comments and crude remarks he said to me.

"I don't trust him, and neither should you."

Liam's words float in the back of my mind.

Is Liam right? Is Brett not to be trusted? He's changed so much since Liam and I left Devonford. He still makes a comment here and there, but they're not bad now. They're just playful jokes that are laughed at.

I've always trusted Liam though, even if he might be a bit biased. He has a reason to be.

Brett has helped me so much these past few weeks though. He even helped me find Liam, and when I started to cry during that time. He's never made fun of me for it too.

I still have the sweatshirt he gave me. It's in my room, and luckily Liam hasn't found it yet. I still don't understand why I still have it though.

"Hey, are you okay?" Brett asks me, snapping me out of my thoughts. His shirt and jacket are back on and he's leaning against the metal table, looking at me with concern.

"What," I say, blinking at him. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about the dead pool and stuff like that."

I hear a knock at the door of the clinic. We all whip our heads toward the sound.

"It's Satomi and some of my pack," Brett says.

"How-" I start

"I can smell them," he replies. "I know it's them."

Kira comes in with a few people behind her. "Brett, Lori," an elderly Asian woman exclaims reaching out to them as she steps forward. Lori runs into her arms as Brett grasps her hand in his. "Thank goodness you're alright."

"Satomi," Brett breathes. "I'm glad you're okay too. Where's-"

"They're dead," she tells him. His face crumbles as it is consumed with shock and then grief. "Hunters."

"James," Brett whispers. "Will."

"I'm sorry," she tells him, a look of grief in her eyes as well.

"I called Scott," Kira tells me in a hushed voice as to not disturb the mourning werewolves. "He'll be here soon."

I nod, glancing over at Brett whose holding Lori in his arms as she cries. My stomach clenches as I'm filled with distraught and rage. Innocent people are dying. We need to end this so the suffering stops. It's only a matter of time before my friends are the ones mourning; or dead.

***

It is about ten minutes later until Scott shows up. He talks to Kira and Satomi and then tells us his plan of making a last stand in Argent's warehouse.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" I ask him as he drives Kira and I to the warehouse. "I mean, the last time you were there, Kate was there with the beserkers."

"We'll be fine," he tells me. "She left. Argent told me."

"Speaking of Argent," Kira adds. "Is he okay with this?"

"He doesn't really know," Scott confesses.

"Shouldn't we call him?" I ask. "He could help us."

"He's already helped us enough," he replies, pulling into the parking lot. "I don't want to ask him for anymore favors."

Scott leads all of Satomi's pack into the back of the warehouse to hide when we all hear the noise of a car pulling in the parking lot.

"Stay here and keep quiet," Scott say as we here someone moving around only a few yards away.

"I smell wolfsbane on him," Brett mumbles with a soft growl. "And it's one guy. We can take him." Before anyone can react Brett rushes over and out of sight.

Scott quickly rushes after him. "Brett, no!" He exclaims. "He's with us."

I furrow my eyes in confusion. Is Stiles here?

I walk over and peak behind one of the curtains to see Scott talking to Mr. Argent.

"We need to secure the parameter," Argent tells Scott. "Just incase they do attack."

"Shouldn't Lily leave?" Brett pipes up. "I mean, she's human so she's not a target, and it would be extremely dangerous if she stayed."

That's right. He doesn't know what I am.

I shoot a glance at Scott. "I am a target," I tell Brett, taking him aback.

"What do you mean," he asks.

"She's supernatural, Brett," Scott says. "So she's on the dead pool, and just as in danger as the rest of us.

"Wha- well then what are you?" Brett sputters to me.

I snap my fingers in front of me making a small flame appear. "A Phoenix," I say. His eyes widen and he jumps back in surprise. Why am I so dramatic?

"Phoenix?" He says perplexed as Scott, Argent, and Kira start talking amongst themselves about a defense plan.

"Yeah, you know like Fawkes from Harry Potter?" I say jokingly. "Yeah I'm actually part bird so I guess you could call me Maximum Ride." I chuckle.

"How?" He asks. "I mean, I thought you were human."

"I thought so too," I say. "Well, I was, but Deaton says my powers awakened after I healed Liam."

"Healed Liam??" Brett. "What do you even mean?"

"I healed him. Phoenix tears have healing powers," I state. "Have you even read Chamber of Secrets? Dumbledore explains everything."

Brett looks completely flabbergasted as he stares at me. "Tears?"

"Yeah, tears," I say. "You know the water that comes out of your eyes when you cry." I voice is dripping with sarcasm as I walk over to Scott, Kira, and Argent.

It's actually really funny to see Brett all surprised.