CHAPTER 80

Tristan, against his character, laughed hard when he heard the results of what McCall and Stilinski had tried doing with Jackson's kidnap which ironically had ended up with Mr. Whittemore filing a restraining order against them. It was quite the serious affair given that it not only involved the Sheriff and McCall's mother, but also Gerard.

"That's got to be the most stupid thing I've ever heard. Did they not think twice about what would happen after they nabbed him?" 

"Apparently they told Jackson's dad through a text that he'll be spending a couple of nights at a friend's place but somehow messed up the text and that was how he knew."

Their little stunt went over two days before it was found out and it was also Jackson who said that it was a poor prank taken too far otherwise the allegations would have been more serious than just a restraining order. 

'There's no way that the Argents won't move after this with everything that's been happening.' Tristan thought. 

His line of thinking was simple: Lahey, Erica, McCall and Stilinski, he assumed, were all under the Argent's watch, regardless of whether they were or weren't. 

As far as he knew, the Argents were simply bidding time and it wouldn't be long before they start going after the kanima and Derek at the same time. 

As long as Allison didn't make any mentions of them during family bonding time, he was sure that they weren't under suspicion from the Argent patriarch. 

And in the off chance that the others really were under Argent supervision, then he'll be able to read their play. It wasn't really a hard thing to do as long as one is smart enough to some degree and add in the bonus of living under a 100+ year old Buddhist Alpha, then the pattern was easy to see. 

'They probably want to draw everyone out and then start sniping them at their legs to cut their retreat off, figuratively speaking.' 

Following the fiasco of Jackson's kidnapping, McCall and Stilinski were also temporarily suspended from the team due to the restraining order filed against them. 

"It must be something interesting if you're still amused." Malia rolled over and ended up on top of his body and started stroking his soft hair with her fingers. 

He kissed her nose before kissing her lips and looked at her with the shadows of a smile resting on his face. "The kanima killed a Hunter, at least according to Derek."

He said much to her confusion, not understanding why it was a good thing that he went after a Hunter. "And that's good how?"

He snuggled her close, their naked bodies fully melded with the other, and explained. "We know that the kanima is used to carry out vengeance on killers, right?" She nodded. 

"Which means that if these people who the kanima targeted were really killers then that means that they all share something in common and that is-" 

"Whoever is controlling the kanima!" Malia blurted out. 

"Exactly, which means that something must've happened sometime in the past that brought all these people together where they must have killed someone, probably someone close to our elusive snake master, which birthed a desire for revenge, one that he is currently carrying out." Tristan expanded. 

Malia's eyes brightened as she finally understood what Tristan was implying. If they can find out the link between all these people then they will unravel the identity of whoever was controlling Jackson. But then she remembered that they had no clue on where to start. 

Knowing what was going through her head, Tristan came up with a solution. "We don't have to dig up the pieces of the puzzle ourselves when we can have people do it for us."

"Scott or Derek?"

"Both."

Malia looked at their bedside alarm and noted that they still had half an hour before the bell for the first period. 

"Well that's good and everything, but I have something more important for you to take care of."

"You are growing more insatiable by the day, Malia." Tristan snickered as Malia straddled his waist, letting the sheets fall off her body and giving him one of the most breathtaking views his eyes had ever captured. 

She grinned with a remark of her own. "And you are growing more relentless every passing night." She wiggled a bit, feeling the instantaneous reaction she had on him. 

"What can I say? We are a perfect pair."

"…And that's something I fully agree with." She lowered herself till her face hovered just a few centimeters from his. She loved how he never tried restraining himself when it came to her, blatantly showing his dark desires to her. 

Time seemed to slow down for them as their lips met halfway, marking the beginning of a battle of passion where neither side cared for victory, only focusing on relishing the thrill of their wild tango. 

.... 

As soon as Tristan pulled up to the driveway, he instantly notices the awkwardness of some of the students, particularly a certain duo. 

"Think something happened?" His partner in crime asked as she too noticed the weirdness of some students. 

"Probably-" His words died in his throat as he came across a familiar ginger haired woman with strict eyes that melted into a kind smile the moment their eyes met. 

"Tristan. Malia. At least that's a familiar face in a sea of teenage students." Victoria Argent, Allison's mother, said. 

Not just Tristan, but even Malia's brain short-circuited, as they tried understanding why she was here of all places. 

Not knowing their train of thought and taking their silence as surprise, she spoke on. "I took after your former English teacher who was transferred out."

"Oh…"

"Yes, oh look at the time! I'll see you guys later, I have a class to catch up to. Can't afford to be late on the first day." She said with urgency before hurrying off to her class.

"Think it's a coincidence?" Malia asked as they took out their books from their lockers. 

"Most definitely not. And I think this means only one thing: They have started their hunt."

He shrugged and was about to make his way to his shared class with Malia when he heard his name being called through the PA system. 

[Tristan Hayes, please make your way to the guidance counselor's office] 

'That's abrupt.' He left Malia and made his way to the guidance counselor's office wondering why he was being called out of nowhere. 

Knocking on the door, he waited patiently for a few seconds before he was called in. 

"Erm, Miss… Morrell," He paused and looked at her name plaque before continuing. "I was called here out of the blue. Am I in any sort of trouble?"

He asked the formally dressed black woman sitting behind the desk. She looked quite young, possibly in her late 20s or early 30s but what drew Tristan's attention to her was the feeling he was getting from her. She was no doubt human, but.. 

'She somehow feels 'too' human. If such a thing is even possible.'

Hearing Tristan's question, she gave him a quizzical smile and asked a question instead. "Do you believe you are in trouble?"

"No, I do not." He didn't know her reason for asking such a roundabout question but he gave her his answer. 

"Such a quick and straightforward answer."

"It's an unfettered truth." He said. 

She leaned forward, her interest poked by his specific wording. "'Unfettered truth'. That's quite an apt description."

Apart from the weirdness of her presence, he generally felt uncomfortable spending more time in the same room with a therapist, such as the woman in front of him. 

"Is there any particular reason why I was called here?" He asked again, drawing her attention back to the main matter at hand. 

She smiled at his effort in changing the subject but nevertheless addressed him professionally. "The reason I called you here isn't because of you per se, but because of your friend, Lydia Martin."

"Friend is quite the close word to use to describe my relationship with her." Tristan said, not knowing what Lydia had to do with him that brought him to the counselor's office. 

"Then what will you call your relationship with her? From what I could gather, you are one of the few people she frequently converse with apart from her circle of friends." She pointed out. 

"I'd rather you use the word 'friendly' to describe us. That aside, what does Lydia's matter have to do with me?"

Seeing his guard raising up she shook her head and explained the reason she called him out. "I'm afraid that she needs genuine mental support rather than the emotional one she's unconsciously seeking out. Drugs are the last things she needs at this stage."

Now Tristan was getting really confused and he made it known to her. "And how exactly does that tie to me being here, if you don't mind me asking, Miss Morrell."

"Doctor-patient confidentiality-" 

"I'm not a patient though." He aptly pointed out. 

"Works either way. Due to her current fragile mental state, it's up to me to know the kind of environment she interacts with on a daily basis."

"And that isn't me. Perhaps she took Jackson's breakup too hard, who knows?" He asked. These were his genuine thoughts after Malia had told him how weird the girl was acting. 

"Do you really believe that?" Miss Morrell asked with a neutral smile. 

"It's not about what I believe. It's about what happened to her, or rather what's happening to her, and it probably might have started after Jackson broke up with her."

The two of them fell silent and a few seconds passed before Miss Morrell reclined comfortably into her chair before speaking once again. 

"I've told her to take a few days off and also called her mother. Thank you for your time, Tristan. I'll be speaking to some of her friends before the end of the day. Hoping I see you later, Tristan." She said as he left his office. 

'What the hell was that last bit about?'

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