Hunting

I had ardently been avoiding Scott at school. I knew Stiles had forgiven him, but I couldn't bring myself too, not yet. The afternoon air was crisp as I stepped outside, hugging my jacket tighter around me. The sting of Scott's words still lingered in the back of my mind, even after days of trying to push them away.

Footsteps sounded behind me, hesitant and careful. I didn't need to turn around to know who it was.

"Cass," Scott's voice was quiet, cautious. "Can we talk?" I stiffened but didn't walk away. He sighed. "I—I was an asshole. I don't even know where to start because nothing I say is going to undo what I said to you. But I need you to know I didn't mean any of it."

I let out a bitter laugh, finally turning to face him. "Didn't mean any of it? Because, Scott, you didn't hesitate for a second before throwing it all in my face." My voice wavered despite my best effort to keep it steady. "You knew exactly where to hit me. And you did."

Scott flinched, guilt evident in his eyes. "I know. I know. I was angry, and I took it out on you. I was wrong. I was cruel. And I hate that I hurt you like that. You're like my sister." He exhaled shakily. "I guess I thought if I pushed hard enough, you'd finally snap. That you'd lash out, be the bad guy for once. But instead, you just... walked away."

"Because what was the point?" I whispered. "You already made it clear how you see me."

"No," he said quickly, shaking his head. "That's not how I see you. I was just lashing out because... because I hate how right you are most of the time. And I hate how sometimes it feels like I can't live up to the kind of person you are. And with everything on my plate, I just snapped."

I studied him, my anger still lingering but now laced with something else. Sadness, maybe. Understanding.

"Did you apologize to Stiles?" I asked.

Scott nodded. "Yeah. And now I'm here, hoping I can make things right with you too."

I let out a breath, the weight of the past few days pressing heavy on my chest. Maybe I wasn't ready to forget, but I could forgive. Holding onto this hurt wouldn't fix anything.

"I forgive you, Scott," I said, my voice softer now. "But don't ever do that again. Next time I'll tell Derek"

His shoulders sagged with relief. "I won't. I swear."

For the first time in days, I felt like I could finally breathe again. I gave him a small smile and tugged him into a hug. "Have fun at practice." I said quietly as I released him, before turning and heading back towards my car.

-----☾-----

My quiet night was interrupted by my phone ringing. Derek's name flashed across my screen. Why was Derek calling? I picked up the phone, pursing my lips.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked, tucking the phone between my ear and my shoulder.

"I'm outside in my car, get out here." He said, before hanging up.

I blinked in surprise, but hurried to put on my shoes and get outside. He was standing outside leaning against the Camaro. "Go pick up the boys, get Argents people on your tail. I'm tracking the Alpha. Drive fast and don't get caught."

He tossed me the keys and then took off into the woods. I blinked slightly in surprise but nodded. I climbed into the car, dialing Stiles. "I'm on my way to your house, get dressed, I'll explain in the car."

I was already starting up the car as Stiles stuttered. "Call Scott too, okay? I'm in the Camaro by the way." She said, pulling out of the driveway and flooring it. I knew where Derek was probably going to head. I had already hung up on Stiles, ignoring his comments.

I skidded to a stop outside Stiles house, unlocking the car. "Cass, what is going on? Why are we in Derek's car?" He asked a thousand questions and I ignored all of them.

"Backseat, now, we need to get Scott." I said, reaching over to slam the door and peeling off his street. I went through basically the same spiel with Scott as he got in the passenger seat.

"Derek was tracking the Alpha. He gave me his car to distract the Argents. We're heading to the Iron Works, keep your seatbelts on and tell me if you see a black SVU." I explained, my voice flat and calm.

As I drove, kind of aimlessly might I add, the black SUV fell in behind us. I swore, pressing down harder on the pedal.

"Jesus Cassie are you going faster?" Scott said, gripping the back of my seat.

"Scott, I don't think you're grasping the concept of a car chase, here," Stiles said, glancing back through the mirror.

"If she goes faster, she'll kill us!" Scott said

"Well, if she doesn't go faster, they're gonna kill us!"

I slammed on the breaks, seeing the SUV pull off and speed towards the Iron Works.

"They're gone... Check the scanner," I said. The voice of the Sheriff crackled through

"All units, suspect is on foot heading into the Iron Works."

I exhaled before making a sharp right, turning to head towards the iron works.

I made two sharp turns as I scanned the scene, spotting Derek crouched behind machinery.

"Get in." Stiles said, tossing open the door as he moved to the back with Scott. Derek complied, jumping in and slamming the door. I pressed the gas again, the sound of tires squealing filling the air.

"What part of "laying low" don't you understand?" Scott asked, looking between us. Derek ignored the question, slamming his hand on the dashboard. "Damn it, I had him!"

"Who? The Alpha?" Stiles asked.

"Yes! He was right in front of me, and the friggin' police showed up."

"Whoa! Hey, they're just doing their jobs-"

"Yeah, thanks to someone who decided to make me the most wanted fugitive in the entire state!" I let out a small chuckle, causing Scott and Stiles to give me matching glares.

"Can we seriously get past that? I made a dumbass mistake. I get it." Scott said, looking at Derek and I as he said it.

"All right. How did you find him?" Stiles asked, breaking the silence. Derek just looked at them and scoffed, turning towards the window.

"Can you try to trust us for at least half a second?" Scott asked, the exasperation evident in his voice.

"Yeah, all of us! Or, just him and Cassie. I'll be back here." He said, sitting back in the seat.

"Look, the last time I talked to my sister, she was close to figuring something out. She found two things. The first was a guy named Harris." Derek said finally after a beat of silence

"Our chemistry teacher?" I said, glancing over as we neared Scott's house.

"Why him?" Scott asked.

"I don't know yet." Derek replied, the frustration clear in his tone.

"What's the second?" said Stiles, peeking forward.

"Some kind of symbol," Derek said, pulling out a piece of paper, unfolding it and showing us the drawing. I muttered a swear word as I slowed to a stop outside Scott's house. "What? You know what this is?"

"I've seen it on a necklace," Scott said after a beat of silence.

"Allison's necklace," I finished. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "We will try to get it. But not until school. Okay?" I clicked open the lock, and Scott and Stiles got out of the car. "Goodnight guys" I said softly, giving them small smiles.

"Goodnight Cassie," they echoed back to me, trudging up the stairs and heading inside. I watched the door shut before I shifted the car back into drive and headed back to my house.

"The sheriff called Blaise after the thing at the school. He said he would be here this weekend." I said finally, breaking the silence. Derek didn't reply, but I saw the furrow in his brow deepen. I slowed to a stop in my driving, putting the car in park.

"Will you stay here tonight? I know it breaks your whole lone wolf facade but... the nightmares just keep getting worse" I admitted.

"Sure Cass. I'll stay tonight." he said after a beat of silence. I grinned, though it was tired and small.

He followed me into the house, and I murmured a quiet goodnight as we split at the top of the stairs. He took a left towards the guest bedroom, I took a right towards my own. I rubbed my eyes tiredly as I shut the door, stripping and pulling on comfortable clothes and crawling into bed.

My sleep was blessedly silent, no nightmares of my friends dying or the alpha haunting my thoughts.

-----☾-----

School was going to be a trainwreck, I could already tell. Derek had left before I had woken up, which didn't surprise me. I got dressed and headed to school, falling in with Scott and Stiles at the front door.

"This is gonna be impossible, you know..." whined Scott, and I let out a weak laugh.

"Why don't you just ask her if you can borrow it?" Stiles asked, shrugging

"How?"

"It's easy! You just say, "Hey, Allison, can I borrow your necklace to see if there's anything on it or in it that can lead me to an Alpha Werewolf that I need to kill in order to get back together with you?"

"You're not helping." I said in a sing-song voice. "Why don't you just talk to her? Like a normal person."

"She won't talk to me! What if she, like, only takes it off in the shower or something?" Scott said, throwing up his hands.

"That's why you ease-- that's why you ease back into it, okay? Get back on the good side. Remind her of the good times. And then you ask for the necklace." Stiles said. I pursed my lips, debating whether to say that was a bad idea. Stiles paused, looking at Scott "...You're thinking about her in the shower, aren't you?"

"Yeah...."

"Ew, gross, that one of my friends" I said, shouldering my bag and heading away. "That's my cue to leave. Good luck boys!" I said as I made my way to the English classroom.

I sat down next to Lydia, fiddling with my pen between my fingers. She looked me up and down before leaning over. "So, have you asked out Lahey yet?"

My eyes widened as I spun to face her.

"What? No! I don't think he even sees me like that." Lydia laughed at the comment.

"Are you being serious Andie? He looks at you like you're the sun, honestly. Plus, he would be stupid to say no."

I hummed and shrugged slightly in response. Looking down at my textbook.

"You should do it. You deserve someone who makes you happy." She said finally, and I couldn't reply as the teacher began class.

Lydia's words stuck with me all of first and second period. If he said no he said no. Plus, I had a killer alpha werewolf stalking me and trying to get me to kill my friends. I might as well live a little.

I lingered by my locker, during the passing period, pretending to rummage through my books while subtly watching Isaac swap his books in his locker. My heart was pounding, which was ridiculous. I was Cassandra Lightwood—I didn't get nervous about things like this. And yet, the idea of actually asking him out made my stomach flip in a way I wasn't used to.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to move.

"Hey, Isaac." My voice came out smoother than I felt as I walked up to his locker.

Isaac glanced up, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Hey, Cassandra," he replied with a small smile. "Are you here to help me not fail the chem test next week?"

I rolled my eyes. "Very funny. No, actually, I was wondering if you wanted to do something. Like... this weekend."

His brows lifted slightly, and for a second, I worried I had read things all wrong. I opened my mouth to correct myself, but then, his smile softened into something that looked almost shy.

"Are you asking me out?" he asked, a teasing lilt in his voice.

I crossed my arms. "That depends. Are you saying yes?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't know. What exactly are you proposing?"

"Well," I said, tapping my fingers against my arm, "there's this little diner I like, and I heard they have the best milkshakes in town."

Isaac hummed thoughtfully. "That's a bold claim. You sure you can back that up?"

I smirked. "You'll have to come and find out."

He studied me for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. I'm in."

I tried to suppress the large grin threatening to break across my face. "Cool. Friday night after practice?"

"Friday," he confirmed.

I took a step back, forcing myself to play it cool. "Good. It's a date, then."

His smirk widened. "Yeah. It is."

"And uh, good luck at the scrimmage tonight. I'll be cheering for you." He gave me a smile.

As I walked away, my heart was still racing, but for the first time in a long time, it wasn't in a bad way.

My joy was short lived as Jackson cornered me before the next class. "I know what McCall is Andie."

I froze, turning to look at him. "What the hell are you on about Jackson?"

"I know what he is. And here's the thing, I want what he has. I don't care how he got it, a bite, a scratch, sniffing magic fairy dust under the moonlight. You're gonna help him get it for me."

"Jackson, I have no idea what youre talking about. That little cut on the back of your neck must have severed some brain nerves because you sound crazy. I'm going to lunch." I said, slamming my shoulder into his as I walked past him.

I sat down beside Scott and Stiles, rubbing my eyes. They were already deep in conversation.

"How the hell did he find out?" Stiles asked.

"I have no idea." Scott replied.

"He cornered and threatened me too," I said tiredly, shaking my head.

"Did he say it out loud? The word?" Stiles questioned.

"What word?"

"Werewolf. Did he say, "I know you're a Werewolf?"

"No, but he implied it pretty freaking clearly!" Scott hissed.

"Okay, maybe it's not as bad as it seems?" Stiles said, looking between us. "I mean, he doesn't have any proof, right? And, if he wanted to tell someone, who's gonna believe him, anyway?"

"How about Allison's father?" I chimed in, and both boys gave me a dark look.

"I need a cure-- right now." Scott said, running a hand through his hair.

"Does he know about Allison's father?" Stiles asked, still on that wave length.

"I don't know," Scott said while I echoed that I doubted it.

"Okay, where's Derek?" Stiles said.

"Hiding, like we told him to. Why?" I asked, looking between them.

"I have another idea... It's gonna take a little time and finesse, though..."

"You guys have that game tonight. It's quarterfinals, and it's your first game." I interrupted.

"I know, I know... Look, do you have a plan for Allison yet?" Stiles said, turning to Scott.

"She's in my next class."

"Get the necklace."

"Right. Get the necklace."

We all headed to class, Scott looking nervous. His eyes sweep the room before landing on Allison, who's sitting in the center of the classroom. He immediately goes for the vacant seat next to Allison but just as he's about to put his books down on the desk, another stack of books almost takes his fingers off.

"Try another row, sweetheart." She hissed, before turning back to face the front. I gave him a weak smile before settling next to Lydia. Scott clenched his jaw and dropped his backpack into the seat behind Lydia.

"Okay, class, let's settle down. Let's get our books out." I obey the teacher's command, settling into my seat. I can hear the low murmur of Scott's voice, but I chose to try to focus on the class. "All right, I'd like to return to our discussion from yesterday with a more in-depth analysis of Iago and the way in which he preyed upon Othello's jealousies." I listened silently to the teacher, but my concentration is broken as Allison's chair screeches and she rushes out of the room.

I swore under my breath as Scott ran to follow her. I didn't move from my seat, letting the rest of class fly by as I tried to tune out my thoughts.

"Did you get her to give you the necklace?" Stiles asked after class, all of us leaning against the lockers.

"Not exactly..."

"Ah.What happened?"

"She told me not to talk to her... at all." I could see the heartbroken look in Scott's eyes as he said that.

"So, she's not giving you the necklace?" Stiles asked.

"No dumbass, she's not giving him the necklace!" I hissed, slapping his arm.

"Well, did you find anything else out?"

"Just that I know nothing about girls, and that they're totally psychotic." I raised a brow at Scott's statement, and he just ignored me.

"Okay, I came up with a Plan B just in case anything like this happened." Stiles said, choosing to also ignore Scott's statement.

"What's Plan B?" I asked in unison with Scott.

"Just steal the stupid thing!"

"Couldn't we try at least getting to Harris?" Scott asked, shifting uncomfortable against the locker.

"My dad put him on a twenty-four-hour protective detail, okay? The necklace is all we got." Stiles said, shaking his head

"Guys, he's watching us." Scott said, turning to us and looking at Jackson.

"Scott... You can hear me? You can, can't you?" I flinched slightly at Jackson's whisper. While it was much quieter for me, it made my blood run cold.

"What's wrong?" Stiles asked, looking between us.

"Jackson's talking to me. He knows I can hear him. Look at me. Just talk to me. Act normal. Pretend that nothing's happening." Scott mumbled.

"Are you trying to pretend not to hear me?" Jackson whispered in a cold tone.

"Say something. Talk to us!" I hissed, glaring at Stiles.

"I can't think of anything-- my mind's a complete blank!"

"Your mind's blank? You can't think of something to say?" Scott said, frowning.

"Not under this kind of pressure! FYI, he's not even sitting with them anymore." Stiles said defensively, crossing his arms.

"Where the hell is he?" Scott said, looking around the hallway.

Jackson's voice came through again, even softer. "Looking for me, McCall? I'm right here. So, what else can you do? Huh? Can you see better? Are you stronger, more powerful? No, I knew there was no way you suddenly got that good at lacrosse... Which means you're actually a cheater, aren't you? I mean, can you even play lacrosse?"

Scott hissed a yes under his breath, even though the two of us were the only ones who could hear it.

"I'll bet my new co-captain's gonna score a bunch of shots tonight, won't you? And while you're pretending you're not a lying cheat, I'm gonna ruin your life if you don't give me what I want. And you know what I'm gonna start with? Her."

Scott froze, his entire body tensing.

"I'm gonna destroy any chance you'll ever have with her. And, when I'm done with that, I'm gonna get her all alone, and I'm gonna get my hands all over that tight little body." I grimaced at that comment but turned to Scott, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Scott, come on, you can't let him do this. You can't let him have this kind of power over you, okay?"

"I'm gonna do everything you never got the chance to do, and Scott? She's gonna beg for more. I bet she likes to get loud. Maybe she's even a screamer. How are you gonna feel, Scott... When she's screaming my name?"

The hallway went silent and I rubbed my eyes, shaking my head. "You have to ignore him Scott, Allison wouldn't do anything with him, okay? And he has Lydia." The bell rang and I sighed, squeezing Scott's arm and giving him a small smile.

I caught up with Lydia, who looked distraught. She was storming down the hall, making a beeline towards Jackson.

"Jackson! This little text? Not funny."

"No, I wasn't trying to be funny. I would have put a "haha" at the end of it-- and see? There's no "haha."

"Lydia, please give back my spare house key at your earliest convenience, as we are no longer dating." She said, her eyes glistening with tears. I stopped a few feet back, knowing Lydia needed to do this on her own.

"You didn't lose it, did you?" he asked, looking at her.

"What the hell is this?" she said, her voice cracking a little.

"Well, Lydia, in preparation for some big changes, I've decided to drop some of the dead weight in my life... And you're just about the deadest."

"Are you breaking up with me?" she asked.

"Dumping, actually. I'm dumping you."

Jackson chuckled to himself and began to walk away when Lydia reached out to grab the sleeve of his leather jacket and pulled him halfway back.

" Dumped by the co-captain of the lacrosse team? I wonder how many minutes it'll take me to get over that!" Lydia hissed.

Jackson gave a shrug and walked off, blowing a kiss back at both of us mockingly.

"Wait-- seconds, actually! Seconds!" She said her voice raised. I moved forward to wrap her in a hug. I could feel the tension in her body, the way she was holding herself together by sheer force of will. But as soon as my arms wrapped around her, Lydia trembled, her breath hitching like she was trying so hard not to cry.

"Cmon, let's go in here" I murmured, tugging her into the bathroom and flipping the lock. "Hey," I murmured, rubbing slow circles on her back. "It's okay. You don't have to hold it in with me."

Her hands clutched the fabric of my jacket, fingers gripping tight like she needed something—someone—to ground her.

"I don't care," she said, but her voice was thin, shaky.

I pulled back just enough to look at her, my hands resting on her arms. "Lydia, you don't have to pretend with me. I've been your best friend since we were kids."

She let out a breath, a humorless laugh escaped her lips. "I just—how stupid am I? I let him make me feel like I'm the one who's not enough?" She wiped at her eyes quickly, as if she could erase the evidence of her pain. "I mean, dead weight? Really? I could destroy him socially in, like, a day."

I smiled softly, nodding. "You totally could. But that's not the point, is it?"

She sniffled, shaking her head. "No."

"Jackson is an idiot," I said firmly. "The idiot of all idiots, really. There is a reason we call him jackass Jackson. And the fact that he can't see what he's losing? That's on him, not you."

Lydia pressed her lips together, eyes flickering downward like she was trying to collect herself. "I know that. I do. It's just—" She exhaled sharply. "It still hurts."

"I know." I squeezed her hands, making sure she really heard me. "But you are Lydia freakin' Martin. Smartest girl in this entire school. Stronger than anyone gives you credit for. And you don't need him."

She let out a breath, something shifting in her expression. The heartbreak was still there, but the steel beneath it—the fire—was starting to flicker back to life. I grinned

"Yeah," she murmured. "Yeah, I don't."

"Come on, Screw him. We have a lacrosse game to get ready for and you have to help me pick an outfit for my date tomorrow."

I knew that would spur her into action and she spun on me. "You took my advice and asked him out?" She said, a true smile on her face.

"I did, and he said yes." I couldn't help the blush painting my cheeks.

"Well let's go!" She said, We both ditched last period, neither of us worried too much about grades.

I lay on my bed as she sorted through my closet, head tilted. She looked like my Lydia again, determined and collected.

"What about this?" She asked, holding up a blue long sleeve and a pair of black jeans.

"What, you're not going to make me wear a dress?" I teased.

"Mm, normally yes, but this outfit shows off your assets, and trust me, he won't be able to ignore them" I laughed and blushed, shaking my head but nodding.

"Okay okay, I'll wear that tomorrow."

"You coming to the game tonight?" She asked after a beat of silence. I could hear the small shake in her voice.

"Yeah. I have to help Stiles with something," I glanced at my phone, realizing I needed to be there soon, "but I will be there before it starts."

She nodded, grabbing her purse. "Then I will see you later." I nodded, pulling her into a hug before watching her leave. I grabbed my car keys and followed after her, but taking a turn to head to Stiles' house. I was made my way in with the Sheriff

"Hey, Stiles!" His dad called, and both of us paused.

"Yo, D--Derek?"

My eyes widened, but luckily he didn't catch it.

Stiles stumbled towards the door and slammed it shut, making it rattle on its hinges.

"What'd you say?" The Sheriff asked

"What? I said, "Yo, D-Dad."

His dad let out a sigh but ignored it. "Listen, I've got something I've got to take care of, but I'm gonna be there tonight. I mean, your first game!"

I leaned against the wall, letting the two have their moment.

"My first game... Guh, it's great! Awesome. Uh, good!"

"I'm very happy for you. And I'm really proud of you."

"Thanks. Me too. I'm happy and proud of myself."

"So, they're really gonna let you play, right?" His dad asked and I let out a little giggle.

"Yeah, Dad-- I'm first line! Believe that?"

"I'm very proud."

"Oh, me, too. Again, I'm–" Stiles was cut off as Stilinski pulled him into a hug, both of them patting each other on the back."Huggie, huggie, huggie..." Stiles mumbled and I fought the urge to laugh.

"See you there." The Sheriff finally said as he pulled away. " You too Cassie. Keep him out of trouble." I grinned and saluted. He walked down the stairs and I watched Stiles exhale in relief, leaning his head back against his door.

"Well, let's go say hi to Derek." I said, pushing open the door

"I'm sor–" Stiles started, but was cut off by Derek immediately grabbing him and slamming him against the door.

"If you say one word..." he growled, and I stepped in between them.

"Woah, okay, take a breath."

"Oh, what? You mean, like, Hey, Dad, Derek Hale's in my room. Bring your gun!? Yeah, that's right. If I'm harboring your fugitive ass, it's my house, my rules, buddy."

Derek's jaw clenched as he slowly nodded, releasing his tight grip on Stiles. He pulled down Stiles' jacket to smooth it. Stiles huffed out a laugh, and did the same for Derek's leather jacket.

"Scott didn't get the necklace?" Derek asked, finally breaking the silence.

"No. He's still working on it. But, there's something else we can try. The night we were trapped at the school, Scott sent a text to Allison asking her to meet him there." Stiles said, moving back towards his desk.

"So?" Derek asked.

"So, it wasn't Scott." I said.

"Well, can you find out who sent it?"

"No, not me... But, I think I know somebody who can..." I sighed, knowing where this was going. I plopped down on the bed as I scrolled through my phone. After about ten minutes, a knock sounded on the front door and Stiles raced to get it.

Danny stepped into the room, an annoyed look on his face. "You want me to do what?"

"Trace a text." Stiles said, looking up from his chair.

"I came here to do lab work-- that's what lab partners do."

"And we will! ...Once you trace the text."

"And what makes you think I know how?"

"I-I looked up your arrest report, so–" I looked at Stiles in shock as Danny got defensive.

"I-I was thirteen. They dropped the charges."

"Whatever." Stiles said with a shrug.

"No, we're doing lab work." He grabbed a stool from beside Stiles' table and moved it beside Stiles, sitting down and looking at the computer screen. Danny curiously glanced at Derek, gesturing subtly with his thumb. "Who's he again?"

"Um, my cousin... Miguel..."

Derek slowly glanced up to glare daggers at Stiles through his eyelashes before looking back down at his book.

"Is that blood on his shirt?" Danny asked and I let out a laugh, causing all three boys to look at me.

"Yeah. Yes. Well, he gets these horrible nosebleeds." He paused before speaking again. "Hey, Miguel... I thought I told you you could borrow one of my shirts?" Derek slammed the book shut, not taking his eyes off Stiles. He walked over to the dresser as he ripped the shirt off his head and tossed it on the ground.

" So, anyway, I mean, we both know you have the skills to trace that text, so we probably should" Stiles turned back to the computer.

"Uh, Stiles...?" Derek cut in.

"Yes?" Stiles asked, an innocent look on his face.

Derek holds up the shirt, galring "This... no... fit!"

"Then try something else on!" he said before turning back to Danny. "Sorry. Hey, that one looks pretty good, huh? What do you think, Danny?"

"Huh?" Danny asked, shifting uncomfortable in his seat

"The shirt?" I prompted, giving Danny a knowing grin.

"It's... it's not really his color..."

Derek scowled before pulling the shirt over his head again.

"You swing for a different team, but you still play ball, don't you, Danny-boy?"

"You're a horrible person." Danny hissed.

"I know. It keeps me awake at night. Anyway, about that text..."

"Stiles! None of these fit!" Derek said, huffing and glaring at the three of us.

"I'll need the ISP, the phone number, and the exact time of the text." Danny said finally, turning away as Stiles celebrated. Danny worked for a few moments in silence before speaking again. "There. The text was sent from a computer. This one."

All three of us leaned forward, looking at the screen "Registered to that account name?" Derek asked, the three of us looking at each other.

"No, no, no, no. That can't be right." I said, but the words on the screen betrayed me. Melissa McCall was in bold black text and I rubbed my eyes. "Thanks for your help Danny. See you at the game later." Danny nodded and rushed out the room. "Well, it looks like we are taking a trip to the hospital."

"Stiles, you need to go to the game, we can handle it." I started, but before he could argue his phone rang.

"Did you get the picture?" he said and Stiles opened his messages, showing the three of us the picture.

"Yeah, I did, and it looks just like the drawing."

"Hey, is there something on the back of it? There's gotta be something-- an inscription, an opening, something..." Derek interrupted, scooting closer to the phone.

"No, no, the thing's flat. And, no, it doesn't open. There's nothing in it, on it, around it, nothing. And where are you? You're supposed to be here. You're first line."

"That's what I said" I grumbled, crossing my arms. Coach's voice echoed through the phone.

"Where the hell is Bilinski???"

"Man, you're not gonna play if you're not here to start..."

"I know. Look, if you see my dad, can you tell him... tell him I'll be there, I'll just be a little bit late, okay? All right, thanks." Stiles said as he hung up the phone.

"You're not gonna make it." Derek said grimily. I shook my head.

"No, Stiles get out of the car. You go to the game and we will handle the lead, okay?" I said, pushing him out of the Camaro. Stiles protested but Derek gave him a glare and he got out silently.

"Good luck tonight!" I called, giving him a smile. He nodded and I turned back to Derek.

"That was nice of you," Derek said.

"I know how excited he was. And his dad." I said, shrugging. "Let's go."

-----☾-----

We pulled up to the hospital, Derek having me go in alone. I walked the halls, finally pulling out my phone to call Derek.

"Yeah, I can't find her." I said

"Look, ask for Jennifer. She's been looking after my uncle." Derek said, and I paused, crossing my arms.

"Yeah, well, your shitty uncle is not here, either."

"What?"

"He's not here. He's gone, Derek."

There was a beat of silence before Derek's voice came through again, panicked. "Cassie, get out of there right now! It's him! He's the Alpha! Get out!" I froze and slowly turned around, meeting Peter's eyes.

"It's good to see you again Cassandra." His voice was silky smooth and sent shivers down my spine. I turned to go the other way, only to be met by his nurse.

His nurse gave me a cold look, "What are you doing here? Visiting hours are over."

I gave her a glare, rolling her eyes as I stepped forward, going to snap at her before she was knocked to the ground. The blur of black leather made me step back again, hand tightening into a fist.

"That's not nice. She's my nurse." Peter murmured, looking between both him and I.

"She's a psychotic bitch helping you kill people." Derek said, his voice cold as ice as he stood back up, standing between me and Peter.

"You think I killed Laura on purpose? One of my own family? My mind, my personality, were literally burned out of me. I was being driven by pure instinct." Peter said, and Derek lunged for him. Derek hissed as he was thrown to the floor.

"You want forgiveness?" Derek yelled, standing up and grabbing Peter. He was easily thrown back, and I stood up, grabbing the knife from my jacket pocket.

"I want understanding. Do you have any idea what it was like for me during those years? Slowly healing, cell by cell. Even more slowly coming back to consciousness. Yes, becoming an Alpha, taking that from Laura pushed me over a plateau in the healing process. I can't help that. I tried to tell you what was happening. I tried to warn you." Derek kept coming at Peter, but was getting tossed aside like a rag doll. I moved forward, placing myself between Peter and Derek. The knife was in my hand, but my hand was trembling slightly.

"Back up Peter. I will stab you." I said, Derek was gasping for air, and I could feel him trying to get up.

"Now little Cassandra. Move out of the way. I will deal with you later." He said, shoving me aside. I hit the wall with a thud, my head slamming into the linoleum floor. I blinked, vision blurry as Peter stepped around my body. I tried to get up, but my limbs felt like jelly.

I blinked again, but the darkness was tinged at the edge of my vision. I could hear Peter's voice, lowly speaking to Derek, but the world went dark before I could act.