CHAPTER 126

While Tristan went home with Lydia in tow and ended up having her help him out with cooking dinner and also playing a little game of interpersonal trivia, and Derek having to fight an Alpha he held a childhood grudge against on his way to save Isaac after his brief encounter with Deucalion and the little extra tidbit of Scott and Stiles almost dying at Kali's hands, which ultimately ended with Melissa McCall saving Stiles after finding out that her son was some type of… monster, Malia and Allison on the other hand, were on their way to have their own little adventure with no one having the slightest idea of what they going to do.

Unbelievably, this wasn't one of Malia's half thought harebrained ideas instead it was Allison's. 

When Malia had first heard what the girl had said after Allison told her to wait behind after the closing bell, her first thought was that even princesses like snow white sometimes couldn't handle being all princess-y and dainty every waking day of their life and voluntarily choose to make bad choices just to loosen up a bit and enjoy the thrill that came with those questionable choices which most times than not, ends up being the worst possible choice they could have made given any scenario. 

And that was exactly what Allison had proposed. 

Even Malia could tell how stupid and reckless Allison's proposition was, and that was saying something if Malia of all people called someone's idea reckless, and yet Allison had pushed her into agreeing with what might just be their death sentence. 

The plan? 

Given that Derek and Scott were at the hospital and the more than likely event where they'll come across one or two Alphas from the Alpha pack, this was their best chance to tail the twins and see if they might lead them to where they are keeping Erica locked up. If not that, then at least they'll lead them to the Alpha pack's den. 

It was an idea solely based on lucky coincidences and even though she tried putting up a strong front against it, she just couldn't keep on telling Allison no. 

Unlike Allison, Malia knew just how scary an Alpha could be on their best days. As for royally pissing one off? That's the equivalent of a dead man's tale never told. 

Seeing Allison not relenting no matter how much she tried, Malia suggested calling Tristan and having him tag along for that second layer of security but Allison still refused. 

Malia was about to blow a top until Allison hurriedly explained that they will probably be keeping more of an eye on Tristan and Scott more than the both of them. 

"So basically, we are of lesser threat to them?" Malia asked, and it was that moment that Malia fully agreed with Allison's plan, even if it was for a petty reason. 

As an Argent, Allison was trained in tracking and tagging her prey. Since there was no way she could maintain a track on them without them sniffing her out first, she tagged both of their bikes during all the commotion that happened earlier in the day. 

"Okay, that's enough distance between us. Let's follow them." Allison revved her engine to life, smirking with Malia at the adrenaline rush that came over her with just that simple action. 

Slowly trailing behind them with a reasonable distance in between to ensure that they weren't seen or found out, they came the secret chase going until the map showed that the twins had stopped driving. 

"Let's go a bit further before continuing on foot." Malia said and Allison did just that. 

Unfortunately for Allison's budding excitement, the twins didn't go to where they were keeping Erica but what looked like the house the pack were staying at. 

"Hey, at least this is something. And before you might get any funny ideas, let me just make it clear that we are not searching that house. Not today, hopefully never." Malia said to a downcast Allison after they returned to their car. 

Sigh. 

"I know. I just thought this might be a good chance to run a surveillance on them without them noticing, at least for a little while long enough to make something substantial out of it." She said and bashed her head against her seat's headrest. 

"If you're saying this then you've definitely never been in a hunt. A successful hunt requires-" 

"Patience, I know. My dad says it all the time." She grumbled petulantly. She didn't believe herself to be impatient. Instead, what eats at her the most is being the one in the position to lend her friends all the help they might need, but she ends up being the one doing literally nothing. "It's frustrating."

"Don't worry too much, the tracker is still there, right? We'll just mark all the spots they go to and keep doing it until we can find Erica." Malia tried pointing out the bright, or maybe least dark, side but Allison turned sullen at that. 

"The tracker's battery will die in a day or two. Not to mention that they might find the tracker if they decide to give their bikes a thorough wash."

"Well, at least you tried."

"Which resulted in nothing."

"Between your eagerness and my bad luck, we might have been found out by either the twins or the returning Alphas. I'll pick no results over that anytime of the day." Malia said with a blank face. 

Seeing Allison beside herself and not wanting to be put in a situation where she had to console Allison or give some sappy speech, Malia didn't hesitate and smacked her right across the face. 

"Hey! Ouch! What the hell was that for?" Allison shouted in pain as she held her reddened cheek. 

"Don't start bitching like Lydia or some unfortunate sap or I'll slap your other cheek. It disgusts me." Though she didn't say anything and stopped there, her stony expression gave Allison all the rant she wanted. 

"Fine." Allison keyed the ignition and drove back to Malia's house. 

They were lucky to leave when they did or else they might have been found out by Deucalion who got out of a taxi moments after they left and surveyed the area with his blind eyes. 

... 

When Allison and Malia arrived, they were shocked as they saw Lydia and Boyd helping set the table to get started with dinner. 

Dismissing Boyd's presence as he wasn't exactly a stranger, what had them double guessing what their eyes saw and captured was not only Lydia's presence, but also the fact that she was helping with the cooking. 

Allison quickly got over it but Malia apparently didn't as her peering eyes glued themselves to Lydia that the latter could no longer shrug it off as it was making her a little uneasy. 

"Mind toning down with medusa gaze? It's not like I'm trying to steal your boyfriend or anything." Lydia tilted her head, staring squarely at Malia with both hands on her waist. 

Malia scoffed. "I'm not worried about that happening and I don't think you need me to spell that out for you again, do you?"

Lydia clicked her tongue, knowing fully well no one could fight Malia on that front and irately dissatisfied with herself for completely agreeing with Malia. "Then mind the glare, would you?"

"Don't worry. I'm not being hostile or anything today, it's just that I can't help but wonder at how much you've changed in such a short time. The you I knew before the whole mental relapse thing was a lot bitch-eir."

Just like it always was between her and Malia, the safety on the retort was off as it was just at the tip of her tongue, ready for tactical deployment at any given moment… but she didn't release it, instead… 

"Thank you." It was a genuine one, same with the small smile plastered on her face. 

Seeing Lydia turn and go back to helping Tristan in the kitchen instead of the usual biting jab, an incomprehensible look came on Malia's face until it turned into one of shock and uncertainty. 

She forcefully grabbed Boyd who was sitting close to her with a strong grip that made the boy wince while Allison just watched amusedly. "Malia, strong hands! Strong hands!" 

Ignoring all that, she asked him a simple question, almost disbelieving even as the words came out of her mouth. 

"D-did I just compliment Lydia?" 

"Huh? Uhm, maybe, yeah. It might as well be a compliment with how you said it." He sighed in relief and rubbed when she grabbed him, still wondering how she acquired such insane grip strength. "Still, aren't you behaving a bit too dramatic for a simple compliment?"

Malia could only shake her head, knowing he wouldn't understand, just like she also didn't. 'Tsk, better to think about that later.'

Thinking that way, she turned to Boyd and asked. "Why are you here anyway?"

Boyd pointed at her, Allison and Lydia, and held up three fingers. "Tristan said being the only guy in the middle of you three easily gets him frustrated and tired. He wanted me here to 'balance things out' as he puts it."

"Dinner is set, let's eat." Tristan called out while walking out of the kitchen. 

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