Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville, Superman, Teen Wolf, or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

AN: I've tried to keep it so anyone who isn't familiar with the Teen Wolf universe can reasonably follow along. A big shout out to nowhereman (xoverfiend) for the help on this chapter. Wouldn't be the same without it.


"Are you sure Scott knows what this symbol even means?" Lydia asked as they drove to the party Scott and Stiles were attending.

Allison glanced at her passenger, "No, but if anyone does, Scott is our best guess. Plus he knows stuff about the other pack."

"Don't remind me. Things just keep getting weirder in this town," the strawberry blonde shuddered, "It started with werewolves, but now we have a mystery murder, crazy animals, and werewolf wars. It's all Scott's fault, he started it."

Allison knew Lydia didn't mean what she said about Scott. It was just her way of coping with their crazy situation. The bruise mark spanning both their arms was a little disturbing and they needed to get to the bottom of it. It might hold a clue to where Isaac had been tortured. They might even be able to rescue the other werewolves.

"Let's talk about less depressing things," Lydia said, "Are you ready for some double dates yet?"

When she received a dirty look, Lydia raised an eyebrow.

"You've got to know why Scott and Stiles are at that party. They're probably striking out with some girls right now."

Allison tried not to think about it, "Scott said he'd be waiting for us outside."

"Doesn't mean he wasn't doing anything earlier," replied her best friend.

The brunette continued to drive, but remained silent.

Lydia sighed, "Okay, what do you think of the new guy? A complete beefcake, am I right?"

"I'm pretty sure he's still hung up on Faith," the brunette replied without thinking.

Her friend pounced on that detail, "How do you know his ex's name? Did you spend some extra time with him that I don't know about?"

"I kind of ran into him in the forest," Allison admitted. Lydia didn't need to know the nitty gritty details.

"Well I want details. What happened?" demanded Lydia.

Not happening. Allison signaled a right turn before turning the wheel. When they pulled onto the next street she replied.

"I just saw him sitting there so I went up to him and we talked," she said.

"He was just sitting there?" Lydia asked. She made a face, "That's kind of weird."

"I think he likes the peace and quiet. He looked pretty relaxed," Allison offered.

"And absolutely nothing happened?" the strawberry blonde asked.

She narrowed her eyes when the brunette kept her eyes firmly on the road. She noticed a slight blush on her friend's cheeks.

"Something did happen!" Lydia exclaimed. "Good for you."

Allison almost jerked the wheel in surprise.

"No, nothing happened," she denied.

"Uh huh," her friend replied clearly disbelieving.

"I'm serious. Nothing happened," the brunette insisted.

"Mhmm," Lydia hummed in response.

The car slowed as they pulled up to the house party. Allison parked the car and turned off the ignition. They both took off their seat belts and unlocked the doors.

"Seriously nothing happened," Allison insisted yet again.

Lydia gave her a knowing smirk, "I expect all the details later."

Great.

They made their way up to the house. Scott was waiting outside for them on the lawn. He pretty much skipped over to them in eagerness. He looked a little like a puppy. A sexy, muscular puppy.

"Hey," he greeted shyly.

"Hi," Allison replied, quieter than in the car.

Lydia rolled her eyes and grabbed her friend's arm. She rolled up both their sleeves and shoved their forearms together. With a deliberately aggressive gesture, she thrust the symbol into Scott's face.

"Does this look familiar?" she demanded.

Scott studied the bruises. He narrowed his eyes in concentration. His nostrils flared and he quickly looked up at Allison. Uh oh.

"Why is his smell all over you?" he demanded.

Lydia startled. She definitely hadn't been expecting that.

"I already told Stiles. He checks out," Allison replied trying to remain calm.

"That doesn't explain why his scent is all over you," Scott pointed out. He did not look happy.

"I may have started a fight with him," the brunette admitted.

Scott suddenly looked concerned. Lydia watched their interaction with interest and a raised brow.

"Everything ok? He didn't hurt you, did he?" the werewolf asked.

"I can take care of myself," Allison reminded him.

"I know, but he's not exactly a small guy…" Scott replied.

"Don't worry, I won," the brunette reassured him. Kind of.

"I thought maybe he'd put up more of a fight. I mean did you see arms? You didn't even get to have fun with him." Lydia commented in mock sadness.

Scott gave her massive stinkeye. He clearly didn't like the idea of Allison being close to Clark regardless of the circumstances.

"It was actually pretty close," the hunter admitted. He was holding back though.

Lydia perked up. She did have a vague idea of how good Allison was at fighting. The redhead was probably evaluating Clark's potential including the new information she'd just gleamed. His scowl made it obvious Scott didn't feel the same way.

"He could still be dangerous," the werewolf growled out, "His scent is weird. I've never smelled anything like it."

"I know that already. I've talked to Stiles remember? I called him after I made sure Clark wasn't a threat," Allison replied.

"He still smells off," Scott countered. He was not letting it go.

"All this talk of smelling is kind of disturbing," Lydia interjected.

Allison sighed. She gave Scott a soft look, "You trust me right?"

"Always," he replied reflexively. He reluctantly relaxed his stance and expression.

"I still don't really know about him," the werewolf said quietly.

"Trust me. Clark is not a threat."

Allison reached up and gently cupped Scott's cheek. She missed their closeness. He grabbed her hand and met her gaze longingly. With a slow nod, he let both her hand and the topic drop. He was choosing to trust her.

The moment was ruined when Lydia mimed gagging in Allison's peripheral vision. The hunter shot her friend a dirty look. The redhead shrugged her shoulders unrepentant.

"What next?" Lydia asked.

"We need to show the mark to Derek," Scott replied unusually serious.

Allison nodded in agreement despite her reservations, "Get in the car. We'll go find him."

They all piled into the car and pulled away from the party in search of the alpha.

"What happened to Stiles?" Lydia asked as they started down the road.

Scott shrugged his shoulders, "Last time I saw him, he was with his friend, Heather."

The redhead sighed, "Something is really wrong with the world when Stiles is the one getting laid and I'm out looking for a werewolf."

Scott and Allison couldn't disagree.

.

Wesley picked up the phone in surprise. He listened carefully to the voice on the other end of the line.

"I see."

"Thank you for passing on this information."

"If we see anything we will let you know."

Clark heard the brief hesitation in the Watcher's voice.

"Unfortunately I don't think there is much we can do at the moment. My charge is still in Los Angeles and I am sorry to admit, but depending on the situation, I may be a liability rather than a help," Wesley answered his caller's question.

By this point, Clark realized it had to be Chris Argent. Considering their last experience with him, Clark knew the situation had to be pretty bad if the hunter was reaching out to Wesley.

Clark would likely be able to help, but Wesley would want to keep his involvement secret if possible. The two of them had come to appreciate one another though they weren't necessarily close. Wesley valued both Clark's physical abilities and his mind.

The Watcher had adopted the role of Clark's supernatural tutor. Wesley enjoyed expanding on Clark's knowledge from the limited reading material they had access to. They engaged in frequent debates of morality within the context of the supernatural. Both had come to respect the other's point of view and they'd each since revised their views to settle somewhere closer to the middle.

While Wesley was supposedly the teen's guardian, their relationship was more of equals.

Wesley sighed into the phone, "I see your point. I feel I must warn you my previous personal experience dealing with a werewolf is limited to Sunnydale. I was always armed with tranquilizers and the werewolf in question willingly caged himself before transforming."

He paused briefly as he listened to Chris.

"No I will not let teenagers handle this situation alone," snapped Wesley. Amazing how far he'd come since last year.

The Watcher nodded his head as though Chris would be able to see it.

"I will meet you at the school soon," Wesley confirmed.

"No Clark will not be joining us. He did enough in Sunnydale, it's time he got to act his own age," the Watcher grimaced and met Clark's eyes. Clark understood the Watcher's look completely.

"I will get there as soon as possible. See you there."

Wesley hung up and explained the call, "Two feral werewolves are on the loose."

"From what I understood, pack werewolves don't go feral," the teen commented puzzled.

"They were prisoners and deprived of the moon for months before being allowed to transform," the watcher replied grimly, "Their human sides have absolutely no control at the moment."

"But they'll return to normal if they're stopped tonight?" Clark asked slowly.

Wesley gave him a knowing look, "Today is not search and destroy. We're aiming to capture and restrain."

Clark breathed out in relief. He began planning his search and made sure to grab several syringes before he headed towards the apartment door.

"If you happen to locate them, please drop them off at the school," Wesley called out as gathered his own materials.

"Will do," Clark replied as he left, "If you need me, my phone's on."

With those parting words, Clark began his search the moment he left the building. His first step would be to listen for the wolves. Failing that, he'd try a different side of town. Focusing his hearing, Clark didn't pick up any distinctly werewolf sounds.

He figured he would have more luck near the outskirts of town by the reserve and sped towards the forested area. Picking up on wolven growls, Clark slowed down and focused all his senses. He could hear the wolves heading towards the school. There was also a distinct, but faint scent of blood in the air. Someone was baiting the werewolves.

Clark ran to catch up with the wolves. In a matter of seconds he was running right behind them. Reaching out with a foot, he kicked the female's legs out from underneath her. She tumbled into a nearby tree. Her partner stopped and growled at Clark.

The werewolf sniffed the air and approached the teen cautiously. Clark waited patiently for the wolf to make the first move. Suddenly, the male werewolf charged, howling loudly. He was trying to cover his partner's sneak attack.

Clark heard her footfalls despite the loud howling in front of him and turned to grab her as she jumped into the air. He hurled her towards the other werewolf. Both wolves yipped on impact, though the male wolf looked like he had tried to catch the female.

They were intelligent and feral. A great combination.

Before either wolf could properly recover, Clark sped behind them and dealt two decisive strikes to the back of their necks. Both wolves fell to the floor. As they struggled to recover, he injected them with a small dose of specialty tranquilizer.

"Sorry guys, but some people are really worried about you," Clark apologized.

He lifted both of their limp bodies onto his shoulders and began running towards the school. Careful not to injure either wolf on foliage or any obstacles, Clark ran slower than usual. He noticed a familiar figure as he left the forest. Allison was making her way to the school with blood dripping down her hand. I should have known thought Clark.

Clear of the forest, he sped up until he was a complete blur. When he passed Allison, she wouldn't be able to pick up anything but a brief flash of colour and a gust of wind. Imagining her surprised look, Clark grinned to himself. His good humour evaporated as he neared the school.

He hadn't noticed the high pitched whine until too late. The noise caused him extreme discomfort, bordering on being painful. Even when he stopped, the whine continued to increase. He recognized the hunter tactic to herd werewolves from his readings, but thankfully hadn't actually heard the sonic emitters until now. Someone was activating more and he winced with each additional activation. A particular vicious emitter switching on made him stagger. He almost dropped the two wolves.

The high frequency sound disrupted his internal balance mechanisms. He swayed like he was drunk and actually dropped the werewolves on the floor. Wincing, Clark closed his eyes and focused on his hearing. The emitter was even louder when he focused on it and he fought the urge to keel over. Taking a deep breath, Clark pushed down on the sound.

He thought of his mother's calming voice and when she'd used it to help him control his overwhelming hearing. Through sheer force of will he pushed the ringing back until it remained a faint, but annoying buzz his ear. Reaching down and shouldering the werewolves, Clark realized he'd lost track of time regaining control.

Clark shook his head and turned around. If he got any closer to the school he wasn't sure he could stay standing. He ran to put distance between himself and the painful noise. Unfortunately that left him at a loss of what to do with the two wolves.

After a few moments he smiled mischievously. He had an idea.

.

Allison was feeling on edge. Despite leaving a reasonable trail for the wolves to follow, she hadn't heard their howls for a while now. The large gust of wind soon after they went silent felt too coincidental and stressed her nerves. She swore she'd seen blur go by, but in the darkness she couldn't be sure.

The school was still a fair distance away and if the wolves had fallen silent for malicious reasons, she needed to keep up the pace. She was running near the street when she felt a strong gust of wind blow towards her. Allison instinctively threw her hands up in front of her face and closed her eyes. She felt dirt, leaves, and small rocks bounce off her hands and face. Her hair blew back and likely tangled with some of the debris. When the wind finally settled, she opened her eyes.

Startled, Allison pulled out her knife on pure reflex. Both werewolves lay in front of her breathing gently. Her eyes struggled to process what she was seeing. One moment she'd been running down an empty road and the next, both her targets had appeared in front of her fast asleep.

Allison shifted into a ready stance just to be safe. The sound of clinking brought her eyes downwards.

"What the hell," she said staring at the syringes on the floor by her foot.

She had a feeling the amber liquid inside was a tranquilizer agent. The same tranquilizer agent which had been able to put two out of control werewolves to sleep.

Her eyes swept the area as she checked for potential threats. The situation reeked of some sort of trap or setup, but she couldn't see anything. Nothing new appeared either when she used her infrared goggles. Reluctantly, she took out her phone and hit a number she still had on speed dial.

"Hey Scott?... I don't know how, but I've got the missing werewolves," Allison said.

She winced at the volume of his reply. He was not happy.

"Look, I'm already here. And I'm fine. They're actually asleep right now. You know what? Just get over here," she rattled off her location before putting away her phone.

Neither werewolf looked like they were going to wake soon. Still, it couldn't hurt to be cautious. She pocketed the syringes and kept her knife out. It was nerve wracking standing guard over two unconscious werewolves. Allison would much rather be doing something other than standing guard over their bodies.

Allison felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise. Someone was watching her. She didn't know who or from where, but she couldn't shake the feeling of being observed. The most logical guess would have been from the treeline of the forest, but it was too far. There would be no way for anyone to really see or hear anything.

Turning around she called out cautiously, "Who's there?"

Her only reply was a slight gust of wind. She readjusted the grip on her knife. At least it felt natural that time.

Trying one last time, she yelled out, "I know you're out there!"

A low growl let Allison know she'd woken Boyd up. Spinning in place, she brought up her knife as the second werewolf struggled to her feet. The two werewolves began menacing and circling around the hunter. She reached into her pocket and uncapped the syringe.

The werewolves were either waiting for a better angle of attack or until they'd shaken off more of the tranquilizer's effects. Whatever they were waiting for, they seemed to find it several tense minutes later. Allison readied herself as the werewolves lowered themselves to the ground. Then the wolves pounced.

The world suddenly blurred all around her. Allison screamed. Something grabbed her and she felt pressure in her pocket. The world snapped back into focus less than a second later. Allison was standing on the other side of the street and both werewolves were collapsed on the floor. She felt briefly nauseous from her displacement.

The syringe she'd been holding onto was gone. Reaching into her pocket, she found the other syringes were missing as well. Confused and more than a little scared, Allison carefully approached the downed werewolves. She noticed they were still breathing as she got closer and that Boyd was definitely snoring.

She was still trying to piece together the most recent series of events when she heard a car pull up. Her father, Derek, Scott, and Wesley all piled out of the car. Derek was on her in an instant.

"What did you do to them?" he demanded with a growl.

The alpha of his pack was looking more angry than usual which was a feat in itself. His brown hair was windswept and his dark clothes were dirty from his run through the forest. Scott intercepted his hand when the alpha made to grab Allison. Everyone heard the hammer of a gun being cocked back.

"We're only here to help, Derek," Chris warned, "If we wanted you dead, you would be already."

Her father didn't look too happy with Allison either. There was definitely going to be some serious discussion when they got home.

"What happened?" Derek demanded, his eyes glowing red. He shook off Scott's hand, but kept himself under control. Barely.

Allison struggled to find the words, "I don't really understand. One moment I was running, the next both of them were in front of me asleep on the road."

Derek snorted in disbelief while Scott frowned.

"That doesn't make any sense," her ex replied perplexed, "Are you sure?"

"No. It was all a blur. Literally. They woke up and the next second the tranquilizers were gone and they were back asleep," Allison recalled in frustration.

"What tranquilizers?" Derek questioned, "You never mentioned them before."

The brunette shook her head, "They just appeared the same time as the two werewolves."

"Where are they now?" Scott asked.

"I don't know. They're just gone," Allison replied hopelessly.

Derek did not look happy with her explanation and snorted. He rounded suddenly on Wesley who was kneeling over the two sleeping werewolves. The Watcher was slathering a rather pungent salve onto both werewolves' wounds.

"What the hell do you-" the alpha began.

"This should help enhance their natural healing. They're both healthy and in reasonable condition all things considered. It seems that whatever tranquilizers were used, they did their job," the bespectacled man gave his assessment.

"It fucking stinks," Derek, shot back angrily.

"I would rather overwhelm your sense of smell and assure their good health. Thank you very much," Wesley shot back. He looked up at the Alpha when he finished his work.

He raised an eyebrow at Chris who was still pointing his gun to Derek. The alpha werewolf was ignoring it and choosing to loom over the Watcher menacingly.

"What a pleasant arrangement you have here," Wesley said sarcastically.

Chris ignored him, "Can you play nice with our guest Derek?"

The werewolf was quiet for a long time assessing Wesley. He finally moved to check on the werewolves himself. Chris lowered his gun and clicked on the safety.

"Hunters," Derek snorted.

Neither Wesley nor Chris corrected his assumption.

Scott was checking on Allison and ignored the drama between the adults. He also tried not to scrunch his nose even when he stood slightly upwind from the two wolves. That salve really did stink.

"You ok?" he asked quietly, rubbing her arms.

"I'll be fine," Allison replied, still shaken, "Even if I'm retired, I was a good hunter remember?"

"I remember," the teen wolf laughed softly.

"I just don't understand what happened," the brunette said.

Her eyebrows crinkled in thought. She really didn't have enough to go on.

Scott made sure to meet her eyes, "We'll figure it out alright? We can talk to Stiles."

"Yeah, I know. I'm just tired," Allison replied, "This might make more sense tomorrow."

Her father walked over and put a protective hand on her shoulder.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

She gave him a small smile, "I'm fine dad. Really."

Derek stood abruptly the same time Scott turned his head towards the forest.

"Something's there."

"Something's watching us."

They spoke out simultaneously. They both tensed and relaxed after a moment. The others looked questioningly at the two.

"Whatever it is, it's gone," explained Derek gruffly.

He turned to the two hunters, "Thanks for the help Argents but leave my pack the fuck alone in the future."

"You're welcome," grumbled Allison.

Everyone else struggled to keep a straight face. They understood Derek's words stemmed from worry for his pack. Besides, the alpha thanking hunters was basically a miracle.

Chris gave him a quick nod, "You can handle things from here. It's almost dawn."

"Allison, Wesley, are you ready to go?" he asked.

They both responded in the affirmative. Allison gave her father a look before indicating her ex with a jerk of her head. Her father stared back until he finally caved after several seconds.

"Scott?" he offered reluctantly.

The teen shook his head, "I'm going to stay with Derek and make sure everything's alright."

"Let's go then," Chris said to his two would-be passengers.

"We need to disable the sonic emitters once we return to the school," Wesley pointed out.

The hunter nodded in agreement as they piled into the car. Allison watched Scott the whole time as they drove away from the scene. When he was finally out of sight, the brunette wracked her brains in concentration. What the hell had happened earlier?

Clark was calling himself all sorts of stupid as he headed back to the apartment. He'd underestimated the dosage required to keep the feral werewolves down, something he could have easily avoided. If he had accounted for the fact they hadn't transformed for months he wouldn't have used such a low dosage. If a similar situation ever came up again, he wouldn't make the same mistake.

Allison had almost gotten hurt for that mistake. The fact that he had to expose his powers a second time to her was a minor issue. He'd taken back the syringes as a precaution. Clark was grateful he'd stayed to watch, but regretted the unnecessary danger he'd put Allison in. He owed her an apology and it was one he'd never be able express.

Then again, guilt wasn't a new feeling for Clark.

.

Clark relaxed into the couch. He hadn't slept the night before and constantly worrying about the werewolves was stressful. The feral wolves had been worrisome, but school was the main problem.

The feud between the two werewolf groups was spilling over into the public domain. Or at least he assumed the fighting and resentment were a result of werewolf politics. He'd never gained verbal confirmation that the twins, Ethan and Aiden, were werewolves, but the assumption wasn't too much of a logic jump.

Isaac, Scott and the returning student, Boyd,clearly had an issue with them beyond regular high school squabbles. Clark didn't really know why both sides were clashing, but he drew the line when it risked other students' safety. If anyone transformed in anger, the risk of collateral damage was high. Nevermind what exposure to the supernatural might do to the unaware. He'd been surprised when Allison joined in.

He assumed she would be more cautious. Helping mess with a werewolf's motorcycle in the middle of class was both indiscreet and risky. A crowded classroom and its adjacent hallway was a perfect example of a terrible place for a werewolf transformation. Thankfully, Aiden had managed to hold off on the impulse.

Clark was so deep in thought he didn't notice Wesley until the Watcher placed the cup of tea in front of him.

"Rupert finally pulled through. Give it a try," Wesley took a sip from his own cup before relaxing into his seat with a contented sigh.

Clark took a drink and sat back, "Thanks. I really needed that."

"You look absolutely knackered," the watcher commented. The question was implied by his tone.

"These werewolves are fighting during school time. On top of last night, I've been a little stressed," the teen explained.

"Remember why we're here," Wesley reminded him.

"Yes I know, the portents of rising darkness," Clark said. He rubbed his temples, "We don't have anything to go on beyond the sacrificed virgins."

"Actually, I have reason to believe the killer has moved onto a new series of victims."

The teen cocked an eyebrow. This was new information.

"I do believe that the most recent murder was, in fact, not a virgin," Wesley explained, "Considering this region's druidic history, I believe I have identified the ritual our dark practitioner is following."

Clark sighed. Sometimes he forgot how much Wesley enjoyed listening to himself talk.

"And?"

"I believe we are dealing with a Darach. As you are familiar, in essence, a dark druid. I believe our caster is attempting to gain power through sacrifice in threes," the watcher continued, "Power can be drawn from three virgins, warriors, guardians, healers, or philosophers."

"Then they've already finished with the virgins," Clark grimaced. He couldn't remember when he became so accepting of death, "Do you know what group is next?"

"Warrior is the only group which makes sense considering our most recent victim," Wesley replied. He took another sip from his tea, "We need to identify potential victims before they can be taken."

"So I need to somehow keep watch over every police officer, former military, and all current military personnel. Maybe even the local black belt," Clark replied sarcastically, "Warrior is a very general term Wesley."

The watcher nodded sadly, "Until we know more you'll have to remain vigilant. I will see what research I can dig up, but I must admit my competency with computers is barely passable."

Clark winced. The next logical step would be to look for matching profiles within the town, but that was a lot of people to go through.

"I'll help," Clark offered.

The watcher reluctantly shook his head, "I think it would suit our purposes better if you were out in the field. You may get lucky or at least keep this town from ripping itself apart."

When Clark looked at him questioningly, Wesley rubbed his forehead.

"As reluctant as I am to wade into werewolf politics, we cannot allow their violence to hurt others. It is something to do until we have more information."

"You mean another victim," Clark accused.

He immediately regretted it. Wesley looked just as upset about the situation.

"Sorry. I didn't mean that," the teen apologized.

Wesley waved it off, "I understand the last day has been quite trying. Nothing to worry about."

"We could really use Faith right now," Clark pointed out reluctantly. He didn't know how he'd feel finally seeing her again.

The watcher nodded in agreement as he took another sip from his cup. He put it down gently.

"She's already on the way. Angel said she should be arriving within the next day or so," Wesley gave Clark a knowing look, "Then again, you know Faith."

"So anytime within the next week then," joked Clark.

"Indeed."

Both men sat quietly enjoying the companionable silence and their tea. Wesley had brought some cookies to go with his. Stealthily, Clark reached over and stole one off the Watcher's plate. Wesley gave him a scathing look, but didn't openly object. The biscuits were a bit dry though they paired reasonably with the tea.

Wesley was the first to break the silence.

"We should speak to the Argents," he said.

"Why?" Clark asked. He intended to talk to Allison about the wolf packs, but he wasn't sure why Chris Argent needed to be involved.

"I just realized, if the murderer is aware of the Argents' true history-" Wesley began.

"Then they might be in danger," Clark finished for him.

He stood up abruptly letting a few cookie crumbs fall to the floor.

"I wanted to talk to Allison anyways. I'll head over right now," Clark said.

Wesley raised an eyebrow, "The young miss Argent is a pretty young woman."

"That's not why I wanted to talk to her," Clark replied startled.

"I notice you didn't disagree with me," the Watcher said straight-faced. The crinkling in the corners of his eyes were the only sign of his amusement.

"Wesley…" Clark groaned.

"I'm only stating my observations," he replied airily.

Wesley relaxed into his chair and opened the newspaper. His air of casual nonchalance was completely artificial. Clark resisted the urge call him out on it.

"Don't you have a beautiful young maiden to see?" Wesley asked through his paper.

A cold blast of air slapped the newspaper against his face. He spluttered as he flailed about in his seat. When Wesley finally restored some semblance of his dignity, he looked up and Cark was gone.

.

"Mr. Argent."

"Clark. What brings you here?" Chris looked mildly surprised. He narrowed his eyes, "Allison isn't here right now."

Clark shifted awkwardly, "I was hoping to talk to her privately, but there's also some things you both need to hear."

Chris examined him critically. He kept his face a blank mask knowing it would unnerve the teen. Clark fidgeted slightly but bore a serious expression. He probably did have something important to say.

With a small nod of his head, Chris opened to front door further, "Come on in."

Clark winced visibly.

The former hunter paused and gave him a knowing look, "We aren't in Sunnydale Clark."

"I still worry Mr. Argent. Better safe than sorry," the teen responded sincerely.

Chris was caught somewhat off-guard. Looking for any signs of insincerity, he found none. He smiled and moved down the hall towards the seating area.

"You're certainly more polite than the Watcher," Chris commented.

Clark walked in step with him, "Wesley is polite. He just sometimes… puts his foot in his mouth."

The older man gave him a critical look.

"Ok fine, he does it a lot."

Chris surprisingly let out a light laugh. He was more comfortable with Clark's presence this time around. It could have also been the lack of the Watcher.

They both took a seat and Chris sat forward, steepling his fingers together. His eyes flickered from Clark's face to down the hall. The teen seemed completely willing to let Chris take the lead in their conversation.

"You really shouldn't be involved in this world," Chris said finally, sitting back in his seat.

His voice was serious with a touch of concern.

"I already am sir. There's no going back now," Clark replied with a determined look.

"You can always leave. Or just turn a blind eye. You're much too kind for what this life can do to you," Chris argued. The kid was.

"I can't do nothing," Clark replied.

"I'm not sure you understand what this life can cost. There's a reason we retired," the ex-hunter said. His sister. His wife.

"Allison seems to have lost that memo," Clark replied.

"She can be wilful…" Chris stopped as he recognized the same look in the teen's eyes.

His talk would be respectfully received and then completely ignored. He might as well be talking to a wall.

He sighed, "I see there's no point."

Chris stood up and walked to the doorway before yelling, "Allison! We have a guest. Come out, we need to talk."

Clark looked at him startled, "You said she wasn't home."

Chris made his way back to his seat. He didn't acknowledge the teen's accusation until he was comfortably seated.

"I lied," he responded unrepentantly.

Clark was about to reply when Allison appeared in the doorway.

"Who is—oh hey Clark," she greeted. She joined them at the coffee table and took a seat near the other teen.

Her father raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment.

"Hey," Clark replied shyly.

The wilful teen from before was gone. He sat there completely focused on Allison and fiddled at their closeness. He did not look comfortable.

Not that she noticed. She seemed to be stubbornly ignoring the signs. That didn't mean she wasn't reacting to Clark though. Chris couldn't help but notice the small blush on her cheeks. He didn't like what he was seeing.

"You two seem much more comfortable than last time," he commented.

"We had a chance to talk through our differences," explained Allison confidently.

Clark was a completely different matter.

"Uh.. yeah, what she said," he stammered out.

Chris was not impressed. Where had the confident young man he'd just met gone? Had he imagined Clark's determination? This stammering schoolboy was quickly losing the respect he'd earned earlier.

"What did you need to tell us?" Chris asked frostily.

If Clark noticed his change in tone, he didn't acknowledge it. Instead he became solemn and met Chris' eyes.

"We have reason to believe the two of you may be in danger," the teen explained.

"Is that a threat?" Chris demanded.

"It's a warning, right Clark?" Allison interjected.

"It is a warning," Clark met the elder Argents' gaze unflinchingly.

After a moment, Chris nodded for the teen to continue. The confident young man was back.

"We believe that a Darach is behind the recent murders," he explained.

"Darach?" both Argents asked, unfamiliar with the term.

"Simplified, they're dark druids. We believe whoever it is, is employing sacrifices of three to gain power," Clark continued.

Allison looked disturbed, but Chris remained unmoved.

"I have yet to see why we need to be concerned."

His daughter shot him a look. She knew him better than that, but Clark was associated with the Council, even peripherally. Chris needed to keep some things close to chest.

"Three virgins have been sacrificed and we believe the Darach has moved on to a new group of people," Clark said. He looked at Allison in worry before looking back to Chris, "We believe the next three sacrifices will all be warriors."

"You think we could be targets because of what we were," Chris surmised.

Allison bit her lip worriedly.

Clark nodded, "The most recent victim wasn't a virgin and he doesn't fit the role of healer, philosopher, or guardian. Warrior is the best fit."

"We're retired," Chris repeated from earlier. His voice didn't carry the weight it should have.

Clark gave Allison a knowing look which she returned rebelliously.

"It might not matter. We don't know what conditions the Darach is looking for in terms of a 'warrior'," at Allison's questioning look, Clark continued, "The next victim could be anyone. You two just came to mind as potential warriors."

Allison clearly looked flattered, but Chris wasn't sure that was a good thing.

"We appreciate the warning. If we see or hear anything we'll get in contact with you," Chris said.

More ambivalent about Clark than before, he wanted the teen out of the apartment so he could talk to his daughter.

"It might be better if you tried to get in contact with Wesley. He's easier to reach and he can always pass things on to me."

Chris grimaced, he would have preferred Clark of the two, "Wesley then."

"Thank you Clark. Let me see you to the door," he said, standing up.

The teen looked startled. His eyes darted between Chris and his daughter. Clark finally settled on the elder Argent.

"I need to talk to your daughter privately."

"Now is not the time," Chris replied.

"I think it should be my choice," Allison cut in.

Allison challenged her father with a silent look. Chris was fine with her trying to stare him down. He'd faced worse in his lifetime, though possibly nothing as stubborn. She was still his daughter though.

Clark shifted in his seat. He kept glancing between them before he spoke again.

"It's about school," the teen added.

Allison looked at Clark confused and Chris took the opportunity to study his visitor again. He wasn't acting like a shy schoolboy even with his daughter's full attention. This told Chris more than it should. If Clark was going to survive in the world, he really needed to work on developing his poker face.

"I expect you back before dark. We need to talk as well," he met Allison's eyes. He eventually waved a dismissal to the two teens.

Allison hopped up and gave him a peck on the cheek, "Thanks dad."

Chris grunted in response. He looked at the other teen. Clark sat on the couch completely flabbergasted by his sudden change of heart. The teen really needed to work on his facial expressions.

"Get out of here before I change my mind," Chris commanded.

"Yes sir," Clark stood and walked into the hallway. He paused to wait for Allison near the front door.

"He called you sir," Allison giggled.

"Just come home soon," Chris said.

There was that at least. Clark was infallibly polite.

"Sir," his daughter gave him a mocking salute and made her way down the hall.

Chris caught the flush of Clark's ears from all the way down the hall as the two left. The man sighed and rubbed his forehead. Thinking about Clark was starting to hurt his head.

.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Allison asked.

They'd walked a fair distance from the Argents' apartment. Their walk had been relaxed on the surface, but Clark had been debating internally the whole way. He wasn't sure how he wanted to approach the problem. He knew what he wanted to say, but it probably wasn't going to go over well. Like a band-aid then.

"What you helped Isaac do today was stupid," he stated.

Of all times to channel Wesley, now had to be one of the worst times. He definitely could have worded that better.

"I'm sorry. What?" she looked more confused than angry.

Clark could work with that.

"What you all did with the twins' bikes. That was dangerous," he clarified.

"I don't know what to say Clark. Aiden was the one showing off his bike," Allison tried to play it off.

"Aiden rode his bike into the hallway. From inside the classroom," Clark raised an eyebrow in disbelief, "That's what you're going to go with?"

"Sure," the huntress replied glibly. She gave him a cheeky grin.

Clark was not nearly as amused. He stopped walking and Allison turned in surprise.

"Your prank was dangerous and could have gotten people hurt," he told her seriously.

She clearly did not appreciate being criticized. Crossing her arms, she glared at him defiantly.

"They had it coming," she said, "Besides, it was harmless."

"Provoking two werewolves in a crowded school is completely harmless?" Clark demanded angrily.

"It was fine! They wouldn't have transformed," Allison shot back.

Clark would have shouted back if he hadn't picked up the brief hint of hesitation in her voice.

"Allison, intense emotions and enhanced strength can be a very dangerous combination," he explained more calmly.

When he finished speaking, he saw Allison reach towards her arm unconsciously. Intercepting her hand, Clark got her attention. He asked her a question silently with his eyes. Meeting his gaze for a moment, she sighed and nodded her head.

Clark dropped her hand and gently took her other arm in his hands. He slowly rolled up her sleeve. When he reached the bandage, Allison let out a soft hiss. The blood had dried, but the bandage itself was still quite fresh.

"What happened?" Clark asked quietly.

"He didn't mean to. Someone locked Isaac with me inside a closet. The tight space brought back traumatic memories for him and he panicked. It's not his fault," Allison defended.

Clark wanted to drive his previous point home.

"Accidents happen despite the best of intentions," he said softly.

He was basically saying I told you so, but she needed to understand how childish and risky her actions had been earlier that day. Taunting potentially dangerous werewolves was not a good idea for public safety.

Taking her arm back, she rolled down her sleeve.

"I get it," she said finally. She didn't meet his eyes.

As though through an unspoken agreement, the two began walking again, though at a slower pace. Allison turned to Clark with a sad smile.

"We really were stupid today, weren't we?"

Clark winced, "I didn't really mean to-"

"It's fine. I'll try to make sure Scott, Isaac, and Boyd keep things under control," the brunette replied steadily. Her natural confidence and volume were returning.

"Though Isaac and Boyd might be harder to control," Allison frowned, "Considering their history, they're understandably angry."

"Do I even want to know?" he asked reluctantly.

"No. It's bad," she said. Noticing his questioning look, she added, "And no. I won't tell you. That's not for me to tell."

"Fair enough," Clark said, understandingly. He had secrets of his own.

"You know I'm quite good at keeping a secret," she said cheekily.

Not this again. Her smile was disarming and Clark resisted the urge to tell her about the more personal parts of his life. He'd resisted more than just a pretty face in the past; now was not the time start revealing his secrets because of a few batted eyelashes.

"No," Clark shut her down before she could ask a question.

"I didn't even get to say anything," she pouted.

That was hardly fair: it was almost as bad as crocodile tears. Clark tried to ignore the small voice telling him to open up. Caution, valour, and all that.

"Fine, ask. I might not answer though," he acquiesced, caving despite himself.

"How fast can you really go?" her eyes were widened in an exaggerated doe-eyed expression.

Her attempt at emotional manipulation was obvious yet, difficult to resist. Clark felt nervous and picked his words carefully. He didn't want to lie, but he still had secrets to keep.

"Fast enough," he said cryptically.

The two matched pace as they walked. After a while, Clark thought Allison might be letting it go for now. She had been quiet for several long moments. If she had a follow-up question she'd have said it by now.

Suddenly, as though asking about the weather, she asked, "Fast enough to tranquilize a pair of werewolves without really being seen?"

Clark faltered briefly. Busted.

He might've been able to lie if he hadn't just given up the game, but there was no way she'd missed his reaction. She had very sharp eyes and it would be insulting for Clark to pretend otherwise. Internally sighing, he looked at her.

She wasn't wearing a gloating expression. Instead she surprised him.

"Thank you for last night," she said sincerely, "You really helped me and my friends."

She placed her hand over his as she spoke. They'd stop walking in the middle of a random suburban street.

Clark flushed slightly and answered demurely, "It was no big deal."

He pulled his hand back. The warmth of her's was making him uncomfortable.

"Maybe not to you, but I can say it definitely isn't normal," Allison said, awed at the memory.

Clark's expression turned somber. He'd come to terms with his origins back in Sunnydale, but sometimes he still wondered what it would be like to be a regular human. He'd never know, living in his fragile world.

Small reminders of his alien origins were normally fine, but sometimes they brought up old emotions. His terror of his ability to hurt others as a child, his pain when he first became overwhelmed by the sounds around him, and his sadness knowing he could never feel things the same way as all his friends and family.

Unfortunately in this case, Allison's benign comment reminded Clark that he stood apart from humanity.

"What's wrong?" Allison's asked, her eyes widening in concern.

"Nothing," he replied.

She crossed her crossed her arms before stating, "You aren't a good liar."

"I've heard that before," Clark said darkly. The phrase brought up painful memories.

"That's not necessarily a bad thing," the brunette said, "It lets people see what a good person you are."

Clark grunted softly in acknowledgment, but remained silent.

Not discouraged by his response, Allison reached out again. She lightly grabbed Clark's hand, pulling his attention to her face.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Her voice was demanding and understanding at the same time.

Clark still held himself back. He barely knew Allison and it could be dangerous for them if his secret became known. Struggling with his emotions, Clark knew his turmoil was written all over his face. He really needed to work on that.

Allison watched him with concern. She opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it. Letting go of his hand, she stepped backwards to take all of him in.

"Clark it's okay," she said, "You don't need to tell me if you don't want to."

"I want to," Clark croaked out, "But I can't."

"Why?" there was no judgement in her voice.

"It could put us both in danger," he said.

He heard her heart rate jump at his statement. Her face resettled in a calm appearance almost immediately. Clark was envious of her ability to mask her worry.

"I can take care of myself," Allison said confidently.

"Just because you can handle it doesn't mean I should put you in danger," Clark countered.

"I think that should be my choice," she replied flatly. Her voice remained calm.

"It is my secret to tell," he reminded her.

"I know. I won't force you to tell me. I just don't want you holding back because you're worried about me," the brunette said.

She smiled understandingly, "I've already learned more about you than anyone else in Beacon Hills. I'm a hunter, I know how to wait."

"Thanks, I appreciate that,' Clark said softly.

He returned her smile. He'd made his decision.

"I am scared."

Allison arched an eyebrow at his statement and said nothing. Clark felt the words form in his mouth before slowly letting them out.

"There are parts of me you won't understand. Part of me wants to tell you, but logically I shouldn't. We barely know each other, so I can't," he said.

He watched Allison quickly mask her hurt. His words were not intended to be a dismissal. He wanted to tell the truth. That's all he ever wanted to do.

"I see," Allison's voice didn't hide her disappointment.

She turned and began walking back the way they came.

"We should head back. We're pretty far from my place and dad won't be happy if I'm late."

Before she could walk too far, Clark grabbed her hand. He spun her around and met her surprised eyes. If he was in the mood, he'd have teased her for her shocked expression. Instead, he needed to say something.

"You didn't let me finish," he said softly.

Allison pulled her hand back and crossed her arms, "I didn't think you had more to say."

Clark knew it was a small misunderstanding so he smiled, "I wanted to say that I want to be able to tell you about me one day. If I get a chance to get to know you better, I might be able to tell you more."

Allison stood there poleaxed. There was definitely a struggle to process his statement. The slightly opened mouth was cute, but definitely wasn't natural to her face. Clark wasn't going miss this opportunity. She already knew about his speed anyway.

She flinched at the flash and shutter sound. It took her a second to gather her wits and regain her balance.

"What did you do?" Allison demanded. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Clark shrugged his shoulders, "I didn't just take a picture of your stunned face. I swear."

If his tone didn't give him away, the shit-eating grin probably did.

"Delete it," she demanded.

"Delete what? I never took any picture remember? If I did though… it would be on this phone," Clark casually held his phone in front of Allison's face.

When she made to grab his phone, he pulled it back and pocketed it.

"Calm down Allison, it's just a picture," Clark consoled. He knew he was doing the opposite of calming her down.

"I want that photo deleted," she said.

Narrowing her eyes aggressively, she began to advance on Clark. He backed up and raised both hands above his head.

"There's no photo to delete. I promise."

"I hope you remember what happened the last time we fought. I'm getting that phone one way or another," the brunette warned.

"You mean when I let you win?" Clark asked teasingly.

Allison's anger disappeared. She stopped moving and her face fell. She was thinking about their fight and looked unhappy about it.

"You really did, didn't you?" she asked rhetorically.

Things had suddenly taken a turn for the worse. She ducked her head and Clark lost sight of her eyes.

He instinctively moved forward to comfort her. Clark raised a hand to Allison's chin and hesitated before making contact. He wasn't sure if what he wanted to do was going to be too familiar or not. Throughout his indecision, he heard her heart pounding in his ears.

Even if she was looking down, there was no way she hadn't noticed his proximity by now. Her breathing and heart rate were elevated and she hadn't backed away. Clark decided to be bold for once and go for it.

He lifted Allison's face gently to look her in the eyes.

Unfortunately, her eyes were closed.

"Allison, I-"

Before he could finish speaking, her eyes snapped open. They were filled with determination and nothing remotely resembling sadness or insecurity. The next thing Clark knew he was staring at the sky and Allison standing above him.

"Got you again," she said with a smirk.

Clark groaned and covered his eyes with one hand, "Did I really just fall for that?"

There was a flash and he looked up at the brunette. She grinned and waggled his phone in front of his face.

"You really need to lock your phone," she teased.

"In my defence, not just anyone can get my phone away from me," he replied with a smile.

"Flattery will get you nowhere," she said looking down at him.

Allison put his phone into her back pocket and laughed, "I really can't believe that worked."

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. It's not like you took advantage of my worry," Clark said sitting up.

He held out his hand.

"Help me up?" he asked.

Allison shook her head and laughed again, "Nice try, but a big guy like you should be able to get up on his own."

"Fine."

In a burst of speed Clark stood up and appeared in front of Allison. He wanted his phone, but remembered where she'd put it. He stopped unsure of how to proceed. There was a little bit of a problem and no easy solution.

"Uh, could I get my phone back please?" he asked awkwardly.

"Not going to reach for it?" she teased knowingly.

"That's not what I had in mind when I said getting to know you," Clark replied, shifting in discomfort.

"I know. But I'm not going to lie, part of me wanted you to go for it," Allison admitted before taking the phone out of her back pocket.

She handed his phone back to him. Clark took the opportunity to check it. He saw both photos were in the camera log and didn't delete either of them. When he looked up Allison cleared her throat.

"I just wanted to be clear," she began slowly, meeting his gaze, "Did you indirectly ask me out earlier?"

"Wait, what? That's not what—I mean, I… maybe?" Clark stumbled over his words until he gave up with a shrug.

"You really know how to make a girl feel wanted," laughed Allison.

The bright sound helped Clark relax.

"It depends I guess. I meant it when I said I want to get to know you. If it's as friends or something else, whatever works," he said simply. Sometimes things could go right when he spoke from his heart.

Allison seemed unsure herself and she bit her lower lip in thought. Clark paid special attention to when it flicked back out from under her teeth.

"I don't know what I want right now, to be honest," she said before explaining, "I still care about Scott, but we aren't together and things are just very complicated."

Clark understood her sentiment all too well.

"I understand," he replied.

"Why don't we just see how it goes?" suggested Allison.

It was nice to see her slightly insecure as well: a nice contrast to her usual self-assured self. When it wasn't an act, obviously.

Clark nodded in agreement at her suggestion. A light breeze blew past them scattering some dirt into the air. Neither teen looked away from each other. Clark thought she actually looked better with her brown hair slightly windswept.

"I'm keeping the photo, by the way," Clark teased.

"That's fine. I sent myself a picture of your loser face," Allison shot back, grinning.

Clark checked his phone's history and to his astonishment she did manage to send the picture earlier. He had no idea when she had found the time. He also couldn't decide if she'd inadvertently given him her number or if it was on purpose.

Allison checked her own phone. She looked back up Clark regretfully.

"We need to start heading back. I don't really want dad hunting you down with a gun," she joked as they began to walk.

"Well he'd have to catch me first," Clark replied cheekily.

"Remember, he's an Argent. With all the skills and everything. Plus he's better than me," Allison reminded him with soft shoulder bump.

Clark didn't mention Chris Argent was nowhere near as pretty and probably less distracting as a result.

They traded childhood stories as they walked back to Allison's apartment. The brunette was interested in his life on the farm. He had many stories about his adventures by himself or with Pete. Lots of shenanigans and silly embarrassing moments. Chloe was brought up and even Lana was mentioned briefly. Though the story with the beauty fit the theme of Clark's more embarrassing experiences.

Allison laughed at all the right moments, tossing her hair around when she did. Clark enjoyed the warmth her laughter gave him. He obviously avoided any mention of his developing powers.

In turn, Allison shared some of her life growing up. While she had been less adventurous as a child, she still had her fair share of stories. From what Clark could infer, she hadn't come into her role as a hunter until Beacon Hills. It spoke of her determination and natural talent to have reached the level of mastery she had now. Her strong athletic background helped too.

When they finally got to the main entrance of Allison's building they both stopped.

Clark ruffled his hair awkwardly. His hair probably looked messy by the fourth pass of his hand.

"Good talk," he said suddenly.

Allison smiled knowingly, "Yes, it was."

"Ok."

"Ok."

She was not making this easy on him at all. Based on her tone and playful smirk, she was being difficult on purpose. Clark needed help and not a handicap.

"I'll see you at school," she said cheerily. She was amused by his struggle.

"See you," he replied lamely.

She gave him a final smile before heading inside. When she was out of sight, Clark walked up to the nearest wall and banged his head against it gently. While it didn't hurt him, it was the sentiment.

"I've seen, well, heard worse," a voice chuckled from nearby.

Clark turned to see a man standing confidently in the shade of a nearby tree. He stood with his legs slightly spread and both hands resting on his white cane. His eyes were slightly obscured by his sunglasses, but Clark could see they were unfocused underneath. Nonetheless, the man acted as though he knew Clark's exact location with absolute certainty.

"It could have gone better," Clark replied walking over to the man.

The man's stance was relaxed yet powerful. It spoke of extreme confidence. He nodded in acknowledgement.

"It also could have gone far worse," the blind man said wisely.

"True," the teen admitted.

"My name is Deucalion," the man offered graciously.

"I'm Clark."

"I know we just met Clark, but I need to ask you a favour," Deucalion said with a frown.

"What is it?" Clark asked cautiously.

"I recently just moved into the penthouse upstairs and I'm not completely familiar with the building and its surroundings yet. Could you guide me back up?" the man asked.

"Yeah, sure. No problem," the teen replied.

Clark walked over to the man and offered his arm. Deucalion placed his hand in the crook of Clark's elbow and the two made their way to the building entrance. When they got to the doors, the teen opened the door and guided the man through.

Getting across the lobby and into the elevator had been relatively easy. Once inside the elevator, Deucalion dropped his hand.

"The penthouse right?" Clark confirmed.

When the other man nodded he pressed the button for the penthouse. The elevator rose at a calm pace.

"Was that miss Argent I heard you talking to earlier?" Deucalion asked curiously, "I thought I recognized her voice."

"You know Allison?" Clark asked surprised.

"She and her father do live directly below me."

Clark conceded that it did make sense. The apartment building wasn't that big and it would be easy to acquaint yourself with some neighbours.

"Yeah, that was Allison," he replied.

"Well I wish you luck. By all accounts she is a most delightful and beautiful young woman," Deucalion said amiably.

Clark rubbed his arm awkwardly, "She is."

"I apologize for making you uncomfortable. It wasn't my intention to meddle. Sometimes my curiosity gets the better of me," the other man apologized with a chuckle.

He must have sensed the discomfort Clark had been broadcasting.

"Don't worry about it," Clark replied.

The elevator pinged for the top floor. When the door opened, Clark guided Deucalion into the small hallway. There was only one door so the teen assumed that would be their destination.

At the door into the penthouse, Clark turned to his companion.

"This is it. Are you going to be ok from here?"

The man shifted and reached into his pockets to pull out his keys. He ran several keys through his fingers before selecting the correct key. With little effort he unlocked the door.

"That should suffice. Thank you Clark," Deucalion said.

Placing a gentle hand on the man's shoulder, Clark said his goodbye and began to walk away.

"Sorry, I just realized some movers may have dropped off the rest of my things today and might have made a mess. I'm a little concerned to be honest," said Deucalion suddenly.

Clark frowned. He couldn't let the man stumble around his apartment. It wasn't like he had any other plans for the rest of the day.

"I can help a little if you need it," Clark offered.

"That would be greatly appreciated," Deucalion replied with a smile.

Clark opened the door to see a clean entryway. He noticed the lights were on further down the hall and he could hear faint conversation.

"Were you expecting anyone?" Clark whispered urgently.

Deucalion frowned, "The movers should have left by now."

"Stay here," Clark said firmly.

He focused his hearing down the hall as he crept towards the home invaders. Several voices were talking from the living room. Two of them were actually quite familiar. The twins, Ethan and Aiden, were talking with two others in the living room.

"This place really is fancy," Ethan commented.

"Way better than our old place," Aiden added.

There was a snort and a feminine voice replied, "We're not going to be here too long. Don't get comfortable. Remember why we're here."

Angry at the home invaders, Clark realized this was probably the other werewolf pack in Beacon Hills. They were about to attack a blind man within his own home. Clark rounded the corner and stepped aggressively into the room.

"You all need to leave," he demanded.

The occupants of the living room stared at him in surprise. The twins were lounging on the couch while a woman sat on a chair with her legs propped on a fancy glass coffee table. Her feet were clawed like an animal's. The fourth person in the room was off standing in the corner. Their responses were relatively quick.

'Who the fuck are you' and 'What are you doing here' were the general sentiment.

"We have a guest. Behave."

Clark turned in surprise. Deucalion stood in the doorway of the room with his cane resting lightly in his hands. The man was smiling and Clark suddenly had the sinking feeling he'd been duped.

Deucalion's statement did not dampen the werewolves' surprise and anger, but their aggressive stances relaxed. Some curiosity wormed its way into the twins' gazes. They clearly recognized him from school.

"We don't have time for your little games," the woman told Deucalion. She gave him an angry look, "We should be killing the kiddy pack."

Clark flinched at her casual talk of wholesale murder. He had known the second wolf pack was bad news, just not how bad until now.

"Kali, that's not why we're here," Deucalion reminded her. His smile never left his face, "Besides, you're not paying attention."

The man in the corner sniffed and flared his nostrils. Growling, he stepped towards Clark.

"What are you?" the werewolf demanded.

This was becoming at unwanted and repeating theme in Clark's life since arriving in Beacon Hills. The twins looked startled before cautiously sniffing the air. They both stared at Clark in confusion.

Deucalion walked past them and sat down in the most luxurious chair in the room. He faced Clark with an expression of curiosity.

"I was hoping to find out the same thing Clark," he said. He gave a lopsided grin, "If I didn't know better, I would have asked about the nature of your relationship with Allison Argent."

"You tricked me," Clark accused.

"I did," the older man acknowledged, "Like I said, my curiosity can get the best of me."

"So he smells a little funny. What the hell Deucalion?" asked Kali.

"I'm leaving," Clark said decisively. He turned with the intent of leaving.

"Ennis."

Clark heard the man leap at Deucalion's command. The growl told Clark the werewolf was transformed to some degree. He turned his head before reaching out to grab the werewolf mid-air. With a casual motion, he sent his attacker into a nearby wall.

The throw had been gentle and well within the realm of human capabilities. Still, Clark found himself wary of Deucalion's thoughtful expression.

Kali's predatory expression wasn't comforting either. Before he could say anything, Clark heard the werewolf, who he assumed was Ennis, try to grab him from behind. Reaching over his shoulder, he used the werewolf's momentum to toss him at the twins' sofa.

The two yelped in protest before Ennis impacted them and flipped the sofa onto its back.

Kali showed all of her teeth in a feral grin, "I take it back. You're very interesting."

Deucalion remained silent in his seat.

In a burst of motion, Kali jumped up and delivered a quick kick towards Clark's head. He dropped down to the floor, dodging it. He followed it up by kicking her foot from out beneath her. More out of surprise than anything, the werewolf couldn't stop her fall to the floor.

Her tumble gave Clark a second to look at the sofa. The twins were looking at him in admiration, while Ennis was back on his feet. The adult werewolf snarled as he approached Clark.

Distracted, Clark didn't return his attention to Kali in time. A vicious kick sent Clark flying into the coffee table. On the floor, glass rained down all around the teen. He got up quickly, more upset at himself than anything else.

The twins were standing now as well and eyeing him critically.

"Not even a scratch," Ethan commented.

"The view's pretty good too," Kali said from behind Clark.

Spinning so his back was to Deucalion, Clark looked at Kali. Clark thought her expression was disturbing earlier, but her current look was even more so. He wasn't sure if she wanted to kill him or jump his bones. Probably both and in that order. Clark shuddered.

"He's in our class," Ethan said, "And a minor you sicko."

His brother's brow wrinkled in thought, "Actually I'm pretty sure he's legal. He's doing a repeat year. You'd still be cradle robbing though."

"Enough," everyone stopped at Deucalion's command.

He directed his attention to Clark, "Tell us what you are and your intentions in Beacon Hills. We'll let you leave in peace if you do."

Ennis and Kali made noises in disagreement, but didn't move when Deucalion raised his hand. The twins kept their faces carefully blank.

Clark was not having any of it. He hated it when people abused their power. It was just bullying in another form.

"No," he replied angrily.

"Suit yourself," Deucalion said with a shrug of his shoulders.

Kali and Ennis took his words as a signal to attack. Winding up, Kali sent a spinning kick at Clark's side. Ennis went to bite his shoulder. Neither of them connected.

In a blur of motion, Clark sent the female werewolf flying across the room with a blow to the chest. Ennis was smacked down with enough force for his head to break the woodwork flooring.

Kali managed to stumble back to her feet, but Ennis stayed down. The twins traded unsure looks while Deucalion sat in his throne-like seat. Coming to a decision, the twins came together and fused into large single werewolf.

Clark was briefly reminded of Dragon Ball Z.

The large werewolf swiped at the teen with a huge claw. Clark stepped back to avoid it. Other clawing attacks were met with a similar response as Clark dodged each attack easily. He narrowed his eyes when the werewolf moved to impale his chest. These werewolves were trying his patience.

A powerful blow to the gut sent the large werewolf towards the sofa. Before it hit the floor, Clark watched in amazement as the werewolf split back into Ethan and Aiden. Both teens vomited violently the moment they were able to.

Kali stopped in her tracks. It seemed like she was reconsidering attacking Clark.

"Most impressive," Deucalion said with a wide smile, "You should join us."

"I'm not a werewolf," Clark replied flatly.

"You aren't human either. Who would understand you better? Them or us? You're superior to them. So are we," the werewolf countered. The smile never left his face.

"You're wrong," Clark said adamantly. He shook his head, "No one is above anyone else. Especially me."

"You have power. Together, our pack would be unstoppable," Deucalion tried a different tactic.

His statement might have been more impressive if three of his pack wasn't currently incapacitated. Clark shook his head angrily.

"Even if I wanted to join a pack of werewolves for some crazy reason, it wouldn't be yours. Scott's pack doesn't seem full of psychopaths," the teen shot back.

Kali laughed, "They're pathetic, weak, and useless."

"We are all alphas. Our pack is unique amongst all werewolves," Deucalion proclaimed, "We are the strongest."

"Strength isn't everything," Clark replied stonily.

Deucalion's smile faded and he looked thoughtful instead. He was gaining a measure of Clark's character.

"It is where werewolves are concerned."

"Good thing I'm not a werewolf then," Clark snapped back, "Your brand of politics needs work."

"This is getting stupid," Kali said.

She assessed Clark as a non-threat and walked out of the room without a second glance.

Deucalion looked unhappy with her abrupt departure. He returned his attention back to Clark.

"You're young and idealistic. You'll see one day that regular humans will be unable to accept your existence. Even that pretty hunter of yours. Our door will always be open for when that day comes," the werewolf offered sincerely.

He indicated the wreckage of a living room.

"We won't even ask you to pay for damages," he added as a joke.

"Just leave 'regular humans' alone and I'll leave you alone," Clark snapped as he stormed out.

He slammed the front door hard enough to destroy the hinges and door frame.

As the doorway collapsed, Deucalion sat down thoughtfully. He grinned to himself.


AN:I hope you enjoyed the update. I will likely be semi-regular with updates throughout the summer, but I can't be sure about after. If you're waiting for Faith, she's almost here. Feedback is greatly appreciated!