Prologue

Beacon Hills, California. A town that is believed by most to be just a normal small town in the middle of nowhere. Yet some knew better.

Six years ago The Hale family resided in Beacon Hills where they quietly kept to themselves in their family preserve located in the forest. They had successfully hid for many years, never have being detected. Until one young boy made an innocent yet fatal mistake. One that unknowingly would cost the lives of everyone he loved most. The Hale fire was a tragedy to many, mainly so to the very few who survived. Soon after the fire two of three remaining siblings, Laura and Derek Hale, decided when it became clear they were not fit to take care of their youngest brother and that their comatose uncle, Peter Hale, would not be waking up anytime soon- or ever, packed their bags and regretfully left town. Hoping it was for the best.

Six years later when Derek Hale deems his sister missing- he packs his things and enters his hometown once again, not knowing that he had just entered something far bigger than him, that he and his sister were unknowingly in the center of. Something that starts to become clear when two best friends go looking for a dead body in the woods, and become one step closer to tearing off the web of lies that had Beacon Hills wrapped up tight.

Chapter One

Ian Hale was many things. Intelligent, handsome, loyal, a brother, and filled to the brim with sardonic humour- but he was in no way dense enough to go looking for a dead body in the woods at night- woods his adoptive father and all of the Beacon Hills police department were scouring at the same time his spastic brother wanted to go explore.

Which was why when his adopted brother, Stiles Stilinski, came to his room, bouncing excitedly on his heels, ranting about overhearing his father's, -something Ian wasn't and probably never will be comfortable calling him-, conversation about half a body and practically begged him to go. He very 'politely' told him to fuck off, only hearing the words, 'body,' 'woods,' 'young woman,' and 'only found half.'

Stiles had left muttering under his breath, no doubt firing insults directed at him- but he was too in shock to care. It was too much of a coincidence. Eyes burning a harsh blue he slowly unlocked locked his phone with numb fingers and reluctantly typed the message.

Body found in the woods, young woman, only half. New alpha.

All but five seconds later he got a response, or maybe it was longer, he couldn't say. Shit. We need to take them out, as soon as possible. How you holding up?

Ian let out a harsh breath as he replied, Still in shock I guess, you?

Need for vengeance ran through both Ian's and the person on the other side of the phone's blood, both of their eyes glowing a vibrant blue. Neither wanted to believe it, but both sadly knew it was true. Laura Hale was dead. Murdered.- and along with her life someone had also taken her alpha status.

Yet not too far away, standing in the burnt remains of the Hale house, Derek Hale pursed his lips, face set in a blank mask before typing in his phone. Meet me at the house.

Something Ian prided himself in was his senses. While growing up he was heavily taught to always rely on them and always to be attuned with his surroundings. It was the sound of the police cruiser following the sound of Stiles beat up jeep that he heard first. Sensitive ears picking up the squeal of tire sets as they both parked in the driveway, one after the other.

Anger was a very familiar taste in his mouth and he could feel it in the air as both father and son entered the house, the former sternly lecturing about the invasion of privacy and the dangers of going in the woods at night. If only they knew, Ian thought to himself solemnly.

Any other day he might've laughed at the fact that Stiles had been caught, yet tonight he was just impatiently waiting for them to go to sleep so he could get out of the house. Ten minutes later he heard Stiles go to his room, quickly falling asleep and another five before the sheriff let out a heavy sigh and the soft thud of footsteps leading to his room.

Quickly shutting off his phone and then his eyes, he pretended to be asleep as Mr. Stilinski hesitantly opened his door and paused for a few seconds. Ian felt his eyes on him and the scent of sadness radiating off the man. Eyes still closed he waited until his door shut and heard the sheriff lay down then let out a deep regretful sigh.

The last thing he wanted was for the sheriff to be sad because of him, he hated it. Noah Stilinski was a good man with a kind heart and was gracious enough to fully adopt the young man, giving him a home and never tried to force him into his family. Ian was very thankful for it and had said so many times but they both knew this would never truly feel like a home to him.

Not wanting to dwell too much on the subject he waited until he heard two sleep induced hearts beating before he quietly slipped out of bed throwing on a black tee-shirt, some sweatpants, his leather jacket and a pair of shoes. Taking a deep breathe Ian carefully opened his window and gracefully slipped out, not quite sure if he was ready to see his brother after a few months under such unfortunate events.

The forest was something Ian Hale both loved yet loathed. One one end the woods had always given him a sense of comfort and belonging, yet on the other end they brought forth many painful memories.

Though he walked with a blank face, careful not to step on too many broken branches and attract attention, his mind was plagued with bittersweet memories. As images of his youngest sister ,Cora, his oldest sister, Laura, his mother, father, and his brothers, he furiously fought down the urge to cry.

Having eidetic memory is having the ability to remember every you see, hear, smell, taste and feel - not just with your hand, but with your heart too. A curse in disguise as Ian liked to call it.

Though he was only ten when his family had violently burnt to death, he could still remember everything perfectly. His mother's gentle yet firm expression, his father's musky cologne, his brothers comforting hand, yet his last memory of them was forever charred into his brain. Burning flames dancing all around them, wrapping around his pack like a poisonous snake, sizzling flesh melting them as his mother yelled for him to run and oh god the smell. He could smell it clearly as if it was still happening.

Ian shook his head violently from side to side, attempting to clear his head of the torturous memories that invaded his mind and focused on blocking off his emotions for he knew he had to be strong, if not for him then for his brother. They were the only ones left now.

Arriving at the charred remains of his house was nothing new to him, they always met here, so he had gotten used to the sight of it after awhile but that still didn't stop him from blinking harshly at the sight of it. He looked down at his shoes as he heard his brothers footsteps draw closer to him from inside the house, not looking up when he heard the familiar squeak of the front door, or when he smelt his brothers scent as he finally stood in front of him.

Leather, cologne, outdoors, and just a tad of wet dog, not powerful enough for the human nose to detect. That's what he smelt as he finally lifted his head and stared into the eyes of his brothers face that he missed so much. Green eyes that were creepily similar to his own stared at him, holding so much pain. Pain Ian knew he was reflecting in his eyes also.

"Derek." he finally choked out. Not seeing him for almost a year and knowing he was never going to see Laura again was finally settling in on him and it was slightly overwhelming.

"Ian," Derek said slowly as his lips lightly twitched into a reluctant frown as if he was about to tell him something he didn't want to.

"I-I found the other half." Derek said looking as if he had swallowed something sour, his eyes briefly flashing. The younger boy frowned as he eyed him, knowing that Derek was blaming himself because that's just what Derek did and Ian knew there was no changing his brothers mind when it was set. Especially if his mind was set on taking the blame.

So he left his features fall into an emotionless mask and curtly nodded, "We should bury her then."

It only took roughly ten minutes for them to dig the grave and it would've taken less but neither Hale was in a hurry. Having pre-wrapped his sister knowing that if his brother saw her like this he wouldn't be able to forget, Derek gently laid the knotted wrapped body in the hole, jumping out to wrap an arm around his baby brother as they both looked at it sadly.

A teardrop slid down Ian's face as in a rare moment of weakness he began to harshly sob. His knees fell weak and Derek instantly wrapped him in a bone crushing hug as he too felt a burning in his eyes, face wetting as he listened to the youngest Hale's gasps for breath and sobs.

"What are we going to do Derek?" Ian asked his brother hopelessly, never taking his eyes off of his sisters covered body.

Though he wanted to tell him that everything would be okay - that they would make it through this, he couldn't make that promise, not when he wouldn't believe the words himself.

Instead he gently pulled Ian from his grasp and the boy sagged onto Derek's body and trembled against him. In rare softness Derek Hale only showed his little brother, he softly cupped his brothers face in his hands, their teary eyes connecting as the bond between the two grew unbreakable at this very moment and said the only words he knew would keep them them both going, "We avenge her."

As soon as the words left his mouth both identical eyes glowed in a new fierce determination and later, when they had both gathered themselves, created a spiral around the now filled grave in rope, the ending wrapped around a wolfsbane plant.

They softly uttered one word in unison, the one word that finally snapped the last chord in the Hale brothers and broke them, deep down neither knowing if they would ever be the same again.

"Goodbye."

This is something I had posted to my Wattpad a bit ago, felt it was better suited for this site though.