Chapter one

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Derek's raised voice had everyone in the police station stop to look back at him. Ignoring him, Cora pushed past, only to be stopped by a grip on her arm. Getting jerked back, she growled in defiance, thankfully quiet enough to not be overheard by any humans.

"I'm not in the mood, Derek." The alpha jerked her again when she tried to pull away.

"Well I am. I had to get a call from Scott, telling me you attacked two high school seniors. You put one of them in the hospital."

"They made me angry. I put them in their place."

The sheriff came out from his office with a piece of paper in hand, thankfully halting any lecture brother dearest was about to give. For now. By the look on the human's face, he didn't like intruding on others' personal business; unlike everyone else in the joint.

"Okay everyone this isn't a movie, continue with what you were doing," he announced with a clap, everyone quick to fall back into their routine of paperwork and debriefings. Sheriff pulled out a pen and handed it to Derek. "I'm going to need your signature as well as hers. Luckily the boys aren't pressing charges."

Derek nodded his thanks, the two wolves signing the paper. "Oh and by the way," the Sherrif added, "Cora, you didn't...You know..."

"Don't worry Sheriff, I kept it tucked," Cora reassured.

Derek's camaro wasn't parked too far from the station. They didn't speak at all on the walk over, or during the drive. It was only when they got to the apartment that the dreaded conversation began. To make matters even worse, he was there.

Looking up as they entered, Peter closed his book with a grin.

"Ah, hello my trouble making young niece."

"Go to hell," she growled, walking past him.

"Love you too!"

Cora gunned for the fridge, taking out the beer she was saving. Half of it was gone in one go. While werewolves couldn't get high or drunk, she did favor the bitter taste. She tried to listen to something else, tuning out her brother and uncle discussing her arrest.

She didn't understand why Derek was riding her on this so bad. It wasn't like she killed anyone. Hypocrisy, honestly. She remembered when they were younger, back when the Hale family were at their strongest. Around the time when Derek's eyes became blue, all he did was fight with humans. He was quick to throw the first punch at any little comment thrown his way.

One time he'd even put four students in the emergency room. Their mother had thrown a fit when she learned about it.

Humans were too easily broken. Pathetically overpowered. A punch from an alpha could be an equivalent to getting hit with a sledgehammer to a human. Thank God she was a purebred. Being human would be too pitiful.

Cora didn't realize Isaac was here until he came into the kitchen, stopping when he saw her.

"Oh hey, Cora."

"Sup."

"Nothing. Just, uh, coming to get a sodas for me and Boyd. Um..."

It was obvious he was trying to give her some room; of course he knew about what happen. Isaac was all buddy buddy with Scott, and he was best friends with the Sheriff's son. No doubt Stiles had gotten the entire rundown what had happened from his father. Cora could appreciate that. If there was one thing she liked about Isaac, it was that he never pried. Grabbing two cokes, the beta retreated back to his and Boyd's shared room.

Hearing large door slide open, Cora already knew who it was.

"What the hell is wrong with your sister?" Scott shouted. Great. Just fucking great. That was her cue to go back on stage. She looked up at the alpha, annoyed.

"You here to lecture me too, boy scout?" She purposely used the nickname that irritated him.

"You attacked two humans. One's in the hospital. Are you serious?"

"They started it," she argued.

"And what? You just had to end it? You couldn't just walk away?" He looked heatedly at Derek. "Why weren't you watching her?"

"I'm not a damn baby! Screw you McCall, you're not my alpha!"

"No, but I am," Derek interjected. "You have been losing control lately. Unable to control your anger, and you've been getting into more fights. You went too far with this one, Cora."

She shook her head." My control is fine."

Peter spoke up. "Clearly you're not. Something is upsetting you and now you're letting any little thing rile you up." Cora knew that wasn't true; it wasn't a something, but a someone. A certain human she couldn't get out of her head. "If you need to talk about it, we are here for you."

That made her laugh, expression humorless. "Please Peter. Don't give me any of that 'we are family' crap. Lets stop pretending that we all love each other, and care for one another, shall we." That made Peter flinch, and Derek to get a look of hurt in his eyes. Cora instantly regretted what she said. She knew she went to far with that one. Without another word she turned, walking out of the apartment.

She expected them to come after her.

They didn't.

Ouch.

Seventeen years old on a Friday night, and Stiles was bored out of his skull.

Honestly, you'd think when you live in a town of werewolves that there would at least be some excitement, but no. Derek was as boring as any normal human. Every since the whole alpha pack fiasco and Peter showing Derek how to revive Boyd and Erica, all sourwolf did was make the other wolves train. Except Scott, who was busy learning how to be a true alpha from Deaton.

Stiles had been left to his own devices. He'd taken the opportunity to find a new hobby, thinking things could go well if he did something to keep him busy. Only they didn't.

He tried learning how to skateboard like Scott. He'd busted his ass.

He tried learning how to play the banjo. Derek took it from him and ran it over with his car. His father was way too pleased when that happened.

He asked Peter to teach him to dance. Turns out he had the moves and grace of two epileptic hobos fighting over a sandwich. So that was a major fail.

The only thing that wasn't a major bust was when Stiles learned how to cook by watching online videos and youtube. His dad and Scott now commented on how good his meals had become. It was a start, he guessed.

Dinner had already been made and eaten before his dad had to go back to the station and Scott went to Derek's. Both talked about the incident involving Cora and two guys. Her being a werewolf made it painfully obvious that she could hold her own against two humans, but Stiles still worried for her.

Strange right? He wouldn't say he and Cora are particularly close. Her bad attitude and short temper made it hard to get close to her. Why bother? Scott's words from their last talk about the female wolf played in his head. She's too hard headed and stubborn. Lets just ignore her and let Derek deal with that girl.

You didn't have to be a genius to see that he didn't like her at all. Hell, Stiles was sure Scott didn't like any of Derek's pack except for Isaac.

His phone rang and he checked the screen for caller ID. Boyd. "Domino's pizza. How may I help you?"

Even over the phone he could tell the dark skinned wolf had on that bored are-you-serious expression of his. " You're hilarious, Stilinski. Anyway, Cora got into an argument with Derek and Scott and ran off."

"And what? They didn't try to stop her?" Wasn't she just let out of jail?

"No. They just let her go so that she could blow off some steam."

"Didn't she put a guy in the hospital last time she blew off some steam?"

"That's why I'm asking you to go check on her."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. Look... Right now she's too unpredictable and in a bad place metaphorically speaking. If we come for her I think she might lash out. All this werewolf business is taking its toll on her, and maybe she needs to feel more human. Just to even her out. Understand?"

Hell no. Since when did he become a werewolf guidance counselor? Morrell probably wouldn't appreciate the competition. Couldn't they just get her a stress ball?

"What's in it for me?"

"What do you want?"

Stiles smiled as an idea formed in his mind. "I want a new Banjo."

"Oh hell no-"

"No banjo. No deal."

The wolf let out a string of curses on the other line. When Stiles heard Boyd mutter about Derek going to kill him again he knew he'd won. Boyd hated his banjo playing as much as everyone else.

" Fine. God forgive me, but fine." He agreed miserably, as if doing so gave him great pain. Thanks for the confidence boost, Boyd. The line went dead and he put his phone into his pocket. Throwing on some shoes and a jacket he grabbed his car keys and started to think about where he would look for Cora first.

The moon would be full in a few days. She could feel it. All wolves when properly trained could feel it, but pure breeds were more in sync with the moon's pull. It was a low whisper, yet not a sound at all. A gentle lullaby, a mother caresses urging her cub to sleep in peace and allow instinct to take over.

A peaceful sleep that came with a lot of nightmares. Once the sun rises up, and the haze vanishes, you're left with the sight of blood on your hands and dead bodies at your feet.

That's what it was like for Cora the first few years after the fire. Being so immersed in sorrow and anger it left little control on her basic urges. It hadn't even taken a full moon for her to go out of control. She'd killed wild animals, hunters, and even other omegas.

Sleeping in various woods around the country and having to hunt for food, she became more animal than what most of her race tried to fool themselves into being. Human. At one point Cora hated humans. They were cruel, weak; small minded, hypocritical liars; cheaters, thieves and deceivers. And don't even get her started on turned wolves.

It was only when she was locked in the vault with Boyd and Erica that her views began to change. When she met Scott and Stiles- the two banes of her brothers existence- is when she began to self reflect and struggle with what she was learning and what she had believed in. Her opinion on humans was still the same, but the two showed her that there was a lot more to humanity than she'd thought.

Perhaps that was what her mother had seen in them. Something that the rest of them couldn't, or attempted to. After all, it wasn't just werewolves who looked down on humans, it was almost every other supernatural species out there.

And here she was liking one of them. Rich. How fucking rich. Whatever, it was a slight infatuation at best, over time it will go away.

Thunder boomed from above, heavy rain began to settle in. Great, just freaking perfect. She was close to the old Hale house, that would be her cover. Breaking in a run she made it there in a matter of minutes, though soaking wet and shoes covered in mud.

The place still smelled of ash and the woods itself. All the furniture that had survived was still in the exact same spots. For a moment she saw her old home for what it use to be. Colorful, filled with happiness and smelled of pack. Of family. But in reality it was dark, burnt down, and filled with the echos of what once was.

Cora had walked into the living room after her shower, having heard the small quiet sounds of sobs. She had thought herself alone, Laura out with her friends, and Derek moping in the woods, usual scowl in place.

She paused when she saw her mother crying on the couch. Her face was buried in her hands, fingers clawed and her sobs alternated with animalistic whines. Cora knew what this was about. There was only one thing her mother cried about.

Dad.

Thalia Hale saw her daughter watching her, and gave a warm smile. "Sorry you have to see me like this." Wiping away the tears she patted the seat next to her, Cora by her mother's side instantly.

"Please don't cry mama." Seeing her strong alpha mother crying brought tears to her own eyes.

"It's hard not to child. Sometime, its better to cry then to hold it all in."

"Peter told me emotions show weakness. Is that true?"

"That's what your uncle and I were raised to believe, as are all wolves. But long ago I learned from humans that it doesn't make you weak to express emotions. It makes you stronger because you learn how to better deal with them. I love your father more than life itself, just as I love the three of you. I am thankful for the gods that he was given to me, and I curse them because they also took him away from me."

"One day Cora, you will find someone you will love. If you're really lucky, as I was, you'll find someone you can give your heart to, and they will give theirs in exchange. I pray that for you as well as your brother and sister. One day, you will find true happiness.

"Cora?" The voice of Stiles Stilinski startled her. He came into the living room and stopped when he saw her, a look of relief flitting across his face. "Somehow I knew you'd be here."

The human shook his head, raindrops splattering freely. Wearing a red hoodie and green baggy pants, he looked as dorky and un-stylishly as always. This was why Cora never understood about her attraction for him. He wasn't strong or muscular, he sure as hell wasn't the best looking guy she'd ever seen. And yet...

She wanted him naked and beneath her. Begging, wanting, panting under her as she rode him nice hard and fast. And when he came he wanted her name on his tongue as he was tortured in ecstasy.

Speaking of his tongue, she could think of better uses than talking back...

Pushing those dirty thought away she raked him with a glare. " What are you doing here, kid?"

Stiles arched a brow. "Kid? How old are you exactly?" Old enough that if she acted on her fantasies she could be arrested for rape charges. When she didn't answer he sighed. "I came looking for you before you put anyone else in the hospital."

"Hop off it, Stilinski. I want to be alone."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Didn't you hear me? I want to be alone. There's nothing to talk about."

"Then why are you crying?"

Shit. She hadn't even realized that the memory manage to spill tears. She turned around so he wouldn't see her face, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hands. She didn't want his pity or sympathy. Didn't need it.

"Just go," she said in a hard voice.

"Cora-"

"Go!" she roared at him, shifting into her wolf form in her anger. It seemed enough make him get the message, Stiles fleeing the house. No surprise there. They always run. She wasn't as graceful with boys as Laura was. Usually she'd scare them off by her strength, the bastards. Obviously men still had problems with strong women.

Well whatever, men were only good for one thing, and even then they were bad at it.

Just for once, once, she wanted a male to look at her the way both wolves and humans looked at her sister. Not with just attraction, but lust and admiration. She got lustful looks that said they wanted sex, but it wasn't attractive nor was it to the degree of the ones Laura got. And they were always quickly replaced with disgust or fear.

Flopping down on the worn couch, she indifferent to the dust that floated up to stick on her still-damp appearance. Letting the silence soothe her, she regained her human form. She remained like that for a while, eyes shut limply as she listened to the sounds outside. The rain pelting the house, the thunder booming, the wind picking up, the...

Heavy breathing?

It only occurred to her then that the only way Stiles could have gotten here was by driving that shitty jeep of his. She hadn't heard the engine start or the wheel plowing the, by now wet, dirt. The human was just outside, he hadn't left.

Just as she suspected he was sitting on the porch, hood on and his arms wrapped around himself tightly. Shoulders trembled slightly in the cold, he looked over his shoulder at her approach. His face was hard. "I'm not leaving you alone!" he yelled over the thunder.

Huffing in defeat, she nodded. "Fine. But you're not staying out here though. Come inside."