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Chapter 22

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The Serpent 🐍 S. Stilinski

Can you look in the mirror and honestly say the person looking back at you is the real you?

Not just physically but soulfully and spiritually?

No, you can't.

There's not just one you but there are many versions of you. The Japanese say that everyone has three faces:

One, the face that you show the world.

Two, the face you show your close friends and family.

Three, the face you don't show anyone.

Although true in some sense, it's not actually accurate. You see there are many many versions of you.

In the minds of others there are different versions of you. It's based on your relationship with that person. We only show certain people what we wanna show them.

For example, Sweet Pea only shows very few people his vulnerable side and all his life it was only three people: Fangs, Topaz and FP. Two out of three are gone leaving FP to know how weak Sweet Pea can feel.

To the rest of the world he is known as an impulsive hot-head Serpent. Whose a type of guy that follows a code of certain aspects.

An eye for an eye.

A head for a head.

A life for a life.

But besides his best efforts there are people who can see past the facade because they themselves have either experienced such pain or currently living it.

The former who had experienced loss many times and has seen stuff that cannot be explain nor can they be easily forgotten.

Noah Stilinski, the notorious sheriff in Beacon Hills.

He may know the story of Sweet Pea from public records to the hear says from FP Jones. He may not spend as much time with the kid since he arrived but it didn't mean he cared any less. He knows the front --the act the young Serpent puts out because he too acted the same when he younger.

Even if dealing with Sweet Pea was more trouble than he already deals with the delinquent of his own but he would never turn his back on him.

He would never turn his back on one of his own.

The latter who is currently dealing with more than they can bargain. It was one thing after another and no matter how much they try to do good it was merely effortless at the cards they were dealt.

Stiles Stilinski, had already experienced a loss with his late mother. To this day he was still coping and trying to endure but now with his dad currently in the hands of a Darach was too much. Each minute that past his thoughts would question his next move and question if that move will reside in the survival of his father. But to top it off with the impossible cards he was dealt, he was thrown a curve ball.

The curve ball being the one and only Sweet Pea.

Since the young Serpent stepped foot in front of his house Stiles begins to feel things. Things that were familiar and yet completely foreign. The feeling he got whenever the new kid was around or simply nearby. With the little to no amount of time he had to himself he was amazed at the discovery of the feeling. Maybe he realized it when Sweet Pea told him about his mom and then his father.

When the boy was talking Stiles couldn't help but observe the boy and during the time he was telling his story of woe he saw sadness and for the first time Stiles was reminded that even the most heartless or cold hearted human was exactly that.

Human.

A human capable of feelings.

Feelings from anger to joy, from love to pain. It's what makes them human, it's what makes us all human. Just from that simple interaction Stiles got a whole new version of Sweet Pea, a more humane version.

Just like I said, there is not just one of you, no, there are many many versions of you in everyone's eyes. The person you look at in the mirror may be you but is it really?

Or is it merely just one of many versions of you?

•••

After listening to the alpha that called himself Emmett Sweet Pea didn't know who to believe. Who was good and who was bad. Hell he didn't even know who he was, not anymore at least. Now when he looks in the mirror all he'll see is someone who looks like him but actually isn't.

Who is Sweet Pea?

What is Sweet Pea?

Answer:

He doesn't know.

But whatever he was, he was important to the lady named Julia or Jennifer. Whichever she prefers but Sweet Pea didn't care what her name was just the reason why he was so important.

"One more death? I have to die --again before what?"  Sweet Pea asked the older male. Emmett shrugs, he honestly didn't know but he knew the pattern. He just finished explaining that when he and Marin took Sweet Pea to the very same bank, he was dead. He had bled out and he --Emmett didn't hear the boy's heartbeat.

Emmett knew Deucalion was hiding something. There had to be a reason why they had to hide the dead body of a teenage boy. Until Emmett confront the blind male and it's when Deucalion explained that whoever took the body will have the capability to bring him back to life.

"Easy, I just don't die then." Sweet Pea spoke like it was obvious. But Emmett knew better Sweet Pea has already died twice, died of "natural" causes. Sweet Pea scoffs rolling his eyes.

Sure, natural causes. If dying from a deep claw slash mark made by an alpha. Or if being drowned by some psychological memory gaining ritual then yes, natural causes.

"All I'm saying is that before the big move she has planned she will make sure you die one more time. All of these sacrifices died the three fold death and maybe your no exception. only difference is you have to die three times."  Emmett spoke as he pieced together the puzzle. Majority of the pieces are missing but he had enough that he needed to forewarn the boy. Now if only he could make the boy listen and more importantly make him believe.

He was something.

Sweet Pea --despite his best efforts-- he couldn't help but be cautious about everything. Hell, he couldn't even look in the mirror because he knew the person staring right back at him wasn't who he thought he was.

It would be a complete stranger looking at him.

•••

"I don't care about power. Not anymore" Derek spoke as he looked at his sister, one where she looked like she was on her deathbed. Somewhere in the back of his mind he had seen this before.

The girl throwing up black blood, the look of pain shown on their face, the constant whimpers.

Deep down he knew Cora was suffering and he had to do this. He listened to his uncle once and it costed him more than he wanted. Now as his uncle tries to convince him otherwise he would still go through it.

He couldn't save Paige, but now he had a chance to save Cora and he will. Even if it meant he lost his alpha status, he would.

Unlike his mother who still saw Derek like he was before, Derek saw himself different. Every time he looked in the mirror he wouldn't see the boy who was the star basketball player but he saw a broken boy who made the wrong decision because he was selfish.

He had changed and he knew it.

•••

What is reality?

What's real and what's not?

What is life and death?

Stiles didn't know any of it, not at this second. All he knew was that Jennifer had all three guardians and now there was nothing stopping her from killing all three.

The blood pounded in his ears.

His heart thudded in her chest.

His hands shook.

His feet tingled.

His vision disfigured, as if he were looking through a fish-eye lens.

He was having a panic attack.

Lydia helped Stiles into the locker room as her thoughts ran through her mind.

How do you calm a person who is having a panic attack?

Then it clicked. She gently grabbed Stiles's face. She leaned close and placed her lips on his.

•••

"And the taser from your front jacket." Jennifer spoke as she opened the doors and walked down the old stairs. Chris sighs, as he glared at the women who smirks. "Argent. The french word for silver." Jennifer squatted down in front of the hunter.

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