Author's note: set during the summer, prior to season 3A.


Sometimes Lydia thought it would've been easier if she just told Danny everything, because this was something she shouldn't have to keep from him. But she knew that if she started babbling about werewolves and kanimas and hunters, it would only result in him asking questions. Even if he did believe her, she'd do her best to make sure he remained uninvolved. Because she absolutely refused to drag another human into any of this supernatural shit.

Which was more than okay with her, because she didn't want Danny to be like Stiles, who blundered his way in and nearly got killed several times because of his involvement. Or end up a hunter like Allison and her family. Or being used by a psychotic werewolf and almost driven insane in the process. The less Danny Mahealani knew, the safer he'd be. Fuck it all, Danny would not become battle-hardened and scarred like the rest of them.

In fact, it was one of the few things that everyone else, especially Jackson, had agreed on.

Lydia knew she ought to keep her distance, though she was unwilling to push him away. Since Jackson left, and with Allison in France, she and Danny had been spending most of their time together. Over the summer, they took dance lessons and had Friday night movie dates. It was a refreshing change, doing something normal, instead of thinking about dead bodies or how utterly batshit her life was lately.

But then Danny met Ethan and she found herself threatened by their newfound relationship. Not because she was jealous, but because she sensed that Ethan had an ulterior motive for pursuing her friend. Her suspicions were confirmed once it was revealed that Ethan was part of the Alpha Pack. Then she became downright pissed. Not only did the supernatural world not leave her alone, but Ethan, for whatever reason, was shadowing someone she swore to protect.

However, this course of action puzzled her. While Danny was friends with nearly everyone, he himself had no ties to any of the Hales. He was neither werewolf nor hunter, and unlike Stiles and herself, possessed no knowledge of the supernatural world.

Lydia wished that she could warn Danny of the danger he was in, and it frustrated her that she couldn't. Even though she was sorely tempted to snarl back the hell off to Ethan, she was not about to confront a fucking werewolf, especially when said werewolf could quite possibly kill her. And anyway, Ethan could easily convince him that she was a jealous liar. Or worse, declare her insane.

Instead, she could only watch as their relationship grew stronger, and the closer they got, the more on edge she was. As if she weren't terrified enough, she also lived with the constant fear that someday Danny would find himself in the middle of the secret war.

Lydia would rather be killed by one of the Alphas before ever allowing that to happen.