A cold, rugged hand gripped at Stiles' chest, squeezing his heart as the darkness around him closed in. The cooling air wrapped itself around him, seeping deliberately into his skin, sticking to his bones. He shook. Hot, angry tears ran down his face, leaving boiling red streaks behind on his pale skin. His heart went off in his chest, beating hurriedly, his fear fueling it. His hands slide down to grip at a hard, frozen body, rubbing them up and down the skin in an attempt to give him warmth. "Stay with me," He urgently commanded. "Just hold on."

"I can't much longer," Was the simple reply. His voice was low, the words coming out husky.

Stiles sucked in a breath, letting his fingers slip around the wolf's wrist. He was an ice cube, his skin feeling cold even to Stiles' frozen touch. "Derek will be here soon," He promised, his eyes locking with blue ones. "He will know what to do. How to save you."

He shook his head, taking one hand and softly touching Stiles' tear stained face. "Tell Derek thank you for taking me in, for letting me be pack, even when he didn't turn me." His voice was forced, his eyes dropping. "And thank you, Stiles, for loving me like you loved all the others, for helping me heal, and for being here, right now."

Stiles broke into sobs, his whole being shaking with every painful breath. "Don't die on me, Sam," He begged, his hands clawing desperately at the boy. "You're... you're only sixteen. You have your whole life a head of you. You... Derek... please." Sam looked up at Stiles, his blue eyes slowly glazing over. He smiled, a small, blood filled, smile.

"I'll be alright," He promised, holding onto Stiles arm gently. "Goodbye." Stiles felt the bond he had formed with the wolf snap like a rubber band that had been pulled to far. He ran his hands through his hair, yanking at his clothes, screaming at him to get up, to not die. His body was still, stiff and cold, and Stiles knew he was gone, but he didn't want to believe it.

He stood up slowly, his knees banging together as he shook, and looked out into the darkness. Shapes lurked in the shadows, silently watching him, waiting. He gulped, anger pulsing through him, hitting him in waves in time with the beat of his heart. His bright eyes jumped from figure to figure, his lips pulling back in a snarl that would rival Derek's. "Argent. I want to talk to Argent," He growled.

"Your time with the wolves certainly has changed you, Stiles. You're starting to act like one, but as far as I know, you aren't one. Have thing changed?" The hunter stepped into the clearing. His face was stern, but his eyes were wide, wild, jumping from Stiles to Sam and back again.

"What the hell is this?" Stiles hissed, motioning towards Sam. "We had an agreement. We follow your rules, and you don't attack our pack. We've kept up our end of the bargain, what about you?" He hunter looked at Stiles apologetically. He was tense, as stiff as the body next to Stiles.

"I wasn't me and my men," He answered. Stiles shook his head, not believing his lies.

"What do you take me for-"

"It was my men." The voice was unfamiliar. There was a crack of a twig as the woman made her way forward. She had dark hair, watchful eyes, and a proud smirk. "An unidentified wolf running through the woods with a human boy. You could imagine our concern, so we acted. We had no idea you were a pack, or of your relationship with the alpha, until Argent and his men showed. We are terribly sorry," Her voice was cold, sardonic. She held her head as if she was a queen and looked at Stiles like he was a bug. In her hand she held a shot gun, but Stiles didn't care, he wanted to hit her.

"I thought this was Argent territory. What are other hunters doing here?" Argent looked down, shifting from foot to foot.

"We are here to investigate whether or not Argent is fit to run things here." Stiles took in a sharp intake of breath, his nails digging into his skin.

"Why now? It's been three years since the Kanima, three years since Kate, three years since Gerard, so why are you here now, when things are finally looking alright?" Anger boiled inside of Stiles. The woman rolled her eyes.

"That's exactly why we are here. We believe Argent and his men are too comfortable with your pack, that you've developed a sort of bond, and he would allow you to get away with things. We are here to make sure no such bond exist, but I have to admit, the way he's acting right now is only proving there is one." Argent looked over at her suddenly, his eyes dark, his teeth gritted together. "Don't give me that look. The way you told him it wasn't you who killed the wolf is answer enough. So he's dead, who cares?"

"I do," Stiles said, staring at her coldly. She sighed, acting as if Stiles was a child. "You killed my friend."

"That's life, sweetheart."

Stiles moved forward, his fist raised, swinging at her. Hunters were around him instantly, grabbing him back and blocking him from her. "So we're good then? You'll leave us alone now?" Stiles asked once he was calmed down. The woman shook her head again.

"No. We'll keep coming after your pack, killing you off one by one because that's what you do to us. You kill so we kill. It's like dominoes." Argent looked at her, shaking his head.

"You can't-" She laughed, rolling her shoulders back.

"I can and I will, unless you can give me something I want." She was staring at Stiles, her dark eyes looking deep into his soul. He spit at her.

"What do you want?" He asked, his hands bawled into fists, his jaw clenched.

"It's an even exchange. At least in my opinion. I want the one who does all the research, who studies day in and day out, and the one who trains to be able to do magic. I want the one who holds the pack together, and I want the alpha's mate. I want you." Stiles stared at her, his eyes wide, his face grim. "In exchange for you, we will tell our bosses that the Argents are fine, and should be able to continue to have reign over Beacon Hills. All you have to do is give us yourself, and we will let your pack be."

Stiles looked down, staring at Sam's corpse. In his mind, he could see Scott, Isaac, Erica, Boyd, Jackson and Derek's bodies lying next to Sam's, all of them dead. He looked back up at her, stared her directly in the eye. "Fine. I'll do it. Whatever you want me to do."