AN: Woo, turkey day was great! I hope everyone else's went well, we had amazing pumpkin cheesecake, I sweat that was the most full I've been in a long time, delicious.

Reviewers, I thank you once again.

Babe7878: I cringed while writing it, the pain was mutual ._.
But there really weren't too many other words to describe wolf and fox, thankfully they all know each others names now, no more, wolf, wolf, wolf, wolf, fox, fox, fox. Hopefully the times I use them in this chapter don't cause you too much agony.

Again, disclaimer, disclaimer. Did not read through this, sorry for mistakes, there shouldn't be anything too terrible. Reviews make me happy and urge me to update, don't forget to comment. Enjoy the chapter.


"Don't just give up because you're weak." - Milo

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Chapter Three - Dan's Dogs

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"Lay down for a little while and then I'll send you back to class," Ava muttered shaking her head at a student.

After a lot of intense training with her siblings Ava's father said that she was finally ready to go back to Beacon Hills and confront the Alpha about her mark. By now she could control her power, and she was confident that if it came down to fighting she could win, even if she had to face the Alpha. She'd done her research on the supposed coma patient that was Peter Hale, the wolf that had bitten her, and found out that the other one was his nephew, Derek. She already knew that Scott was the other one, and he wasn't the strongest so it was no biggie there, all that she had left to do was find Peter.

It was easy to convince her teacher that since she hadn't finished the last project with Vanessa that she go back to the town and help out Nurse Johnson for a week or so to make up for it. Making sure to say her goodbyes she was on her way to getting everything sorted out with the big bad wolf that was Peter. For now she was doing her job and looking after the students that came into the Nurses office during class because they didn't want to listen to their teacher drone on anymore.

There really wasn't any blood that came with this job except when it came time for P.E, and then there were plenty of kids coming in with bloody noses, scraped up knees, twisted ankles, and all sorts of injuries. It was the most exciting time of the day for Ava, and even then she had only been here for a day and a half, it would be a long week if it took a while to find Peter.

Hearing someone stumbling down the hallway Ava averted her eyes to the doorway to see who would walk in and claim that they were sick when they really weren't. It turned out to be Scott's friend who almost fell into the room, covering his eyes and pressing his fingers into his forehead as if he was in pain.

"I know I'm in here a lot Mrs. Johnson, but you have to be used to me by-," he started to say until he looked up to see Ava grinning at him. "You're not old," he faltered with his words and blushed from embarrassment.

"That depends on what you clarify as old," she laughed standing up to walk around the desk. "Mrs. Johnson is in the break room, did you need her specifically?" She asked watching his expressions change as he realized who she was.

"No, I just wanted to get out of class," he said sheepishly making Ava frown at him.

"Which class is it?" She asked giving him a skeptical look before handing him the sign in sheet. If he wrote down his name then she would feel less awkward talking to the kid, for now she just knew that he was Scott's friend.

"English," he said taking the sheet and writing his name down. "Stiles by the way," he said giving her the paper back.

"Ava," she nodded at him before motioning to one of the beds behind her.

"You're letting me stay?" His eyes widened in surprise.

"As long as you don't bug me," she said with a smile.

"Awesome!" He exclaimed cheerfully. Letting the fake hint of pain leave his face he wandered over to one of the beds and plopped himself down before pulling out his phone and texting Scott about the Nurse being back. Ava listened to the small noise that his texting made as the keys made soft pinking sounds as he sent a message to Scott and received almost immediately.

Scott wanted Stiles to ask Ava for help with Peter, ever since the Alpha had woken up he had been trying to get Scott to join his pack, and he wasn't strong enough to say no to him. But maybe Ava could help, she was a Fox after all, didn't she have some sort of power? Even if she didn't he was sure that if he mentioned how the man wanted to kill people she would help prevent it, at least he hoped that she would.

"James go back to class, times up and I know you don't have a stomach ache," she said rolling her chair over to where she could see the two boys lying down. The kid next to Stiles groaned before rolling himself off the bed and towards the door, mumbling thanks to Ava before trudging back to class with a sleepy look on his face.

Stiles fumbled with words in his brain as he tried to figure out how to word his questions for the nurse, what was he going to say to her? That he knew she was a Fox and if she didn't help his friend people were going to die? She would think he was crazy, he thought he was crazy to even start off with that.

Pulling himself to his feet Stiles walked over to where Ava was sitting in her chair bored, messing with a tongue depressor, otherwise known as a Popsicle stick, between her fingers. She made no notice of Stiles though she very well knew that he was right behind her.

"Uhm," he started off shakily. Finally turning to look at him as he spoke Ava gave him a sideways glance, letting a curious expression fall across her face before he even said anything else. "I know you're a fox," he eventually got out.

"I know Scott is a werewolf," she countered making sure no one else would hear them.

"Why did you come back to town, after," he stopped short trying to think of something to say. "After they all chased you down?" He questioned watching her frown blandly at him. Instead of replying right away Ava reached down to her pant leg and started to roll it up slowly, which made Stiles shift uncomfortably on his feet. He looked away from her exposed skin thinking that she was going to keep rolling it up though she was already done.

"Someone named Peter bit me," she muttered bitterly looking at the mark on her skin. Stiles glanced at her ankle for a second before looking back at it fully; there was a dark bruise that had formed beneath something that looked like teeth marks. "I came back in order to make that signature go away," she explained before pulling the bottom of her pants back down.

"Oh," was all he said in return.

"Tell Scott," Ava said nodding towards the phone in his hands. Reacting almost immediately Stiles typed out what Ava had said and sent it to Scott. He got the return message quickly, having an awkward silence only for a few minutes before his friend saved the day. Skimming through the text Stiles put his phone down before looking Ava right n the eyes.

"If you help us, we'll help you," he said in a determined voice.

"How would you be able to help me?" She asked with a dull smirk on her face. She could gain almost nothing from working with two high school kids who barely knew what they were dealing with.

"We know where Peter is, if you stick with Scott than you'll be more intimidating," he stuttered frantically trying to think of more reasons that what his friend had mentioned.

"Are you saying I'm not frightening enough?" She hissed at him.

"No, it's just," he gulped anxiously. "There's always more strength in numbers. And Peter has Derek to hold you down if the talk doesn't go well," he muttered making Ava raise her eyebrows.

"I didn't know they were working together," she mumbled casting her gaze towards the ground. As far as she knew most of the Hale family had been killed in the fire years ago, the last time she had been here it didn't appear as if they were friendly with each other. Especially since Derek had left his uncle to rot away in a medical holding area for coma patients for six years, where was the love there?

"Let's say I agree to help, what's the plan?" she inquired giving him a mischievous look.

"You help us fight him, we'll lure him out with Scott, Peter wants him in his pack in order to get revenge. As long as you're with Scott Peter won't be too far behind," Stiles said confidently. He was proud of himself for thinking of something that was actually true and could work, mostly because he'd made it up in ten seconds.

"That doesn't sound too bad actually," she murmured crushing the popsicle stick between her fingers. "I guess I'm in," she said nodding over towards him thoughtfully. "Might as well," she said under her breath.

"I also get to ask you questions about what you are," he added on at the last second. He couldn't help the fact that he was curious about how different a Fox was compared to a wolf, what did she look like when she shifted? Did she have any other cool abilities that Scott didn't? Why did she go crazy on the new moon and not he full moon? She would probably hate him by the end of the day.

"Fine," she huffed at him.

=0=0=

The next time Ava saw stiles he was walking in with Scott at the end of the day, he still had the same grin on his face that he did after she had told him about her Fox powers. He was a funny kid, Ava was starting to like him enough to call him a friend, he was already one of the better humans that she had met. Sticking with his buddy despite his life being threatened on many occasions, Ava had never had a human friend like that, or even any type of person like that. There were always her siblings that loved her through anything, but sometimes it was someone outside of her family that she needed.

"Come with us," Scott said in a shaky but stern voice.

"No," she said with a smile. Stiles faltered with his grin for a second before recognizing the sarcastic air and giving her a fake baffled expression.

"Why not?" Scott countered. "We're going to take you to Derek, he's the closest person to Peter right now," he explained letting confusion show in his eyes. Stiles had said that she agreed to help them if they were sure that Peter would follow Scott around.

"Well let's go then," she said finishing up something on the computer before standing up. Scott gave her a befuddled expression, he just didn't understand women most of the time, and didn't she just say no? "I don't have a car so I can't follow you, which means you have to drop me off afterwards," she said giving them hard eyes.

"Of course," Stiles said with a grin.

"Where are we going?" She asked as they walked out to Stiles' jeep quickly. Ava had seen Nurse Johnson on the way out and explained she was going to monitor a small game in the forest and make sure no one got hurt. It wouldn't have really mattered except that while Ava was staying in Beacon hills she was at the kind woman's house using her guest room.

"Derek's house in the forest," Stiles said ushering her into the back seat while he and Scott sat up front. There was a look of sorrow that crossed Ava's face as she remembered some of her dreams over the past days that she had been at home, she kept dreaming of the house on fire and people screaming.

"The house that burned?" She asked already knowing the answer.

"Yeah," he replied softly.

"How are you going to get rid of Peter's mark?" Scott asked curiously. Unlike Stiles he had not spent a good half hour spewing question after question at Ava to learn pretty much everything about her Fox half.

"I have to rub his blood on the mark and then burn it off. Which is why I want to talk to Peter to see if he'll let me go willingly and give me some blood, otherwise I'm going to have to fight him," she muttered itching to get everything over with already.

"You're going to end up fighting him," Scott said without much thought. From what Stiles had told him and after all the people that Peter had murdered there was no way he'd pass up on being more powerful. He'd heard from his friend that her power had something to do with fire, if Peter had a chance at becoming even more powerful, with flames no less, he would fight to keep it.

"I know," she said casting her eyes down.

"What if someone kills the Alpha while you still have its mark on you?" Stiles asked with an excited voice. He'd been trying to think of more questions to ask her ever since he dead panned in the nurse's office and she sent him back to class, so he was happy he thought of a good one.

"More? You still have more?" She questioned giving him an accusing look. He smiled at her in the rearview mirror and glanced to see that Scott was also interested in the answer. "The mark will change and I'll have to deal with the next Alpha, but it'll still be incomplete," she said giving them sideways glances. "That means if you kill him Scott, you better give me your blood," her voice was dark now.

"I will," he assured her. Her face brightened into a smile almost immediately making him wonder how she would have responded if he refused.

Feeling someone behind them in the forest Ava turned her head around sharply, her Fox ears flicked out as her human ones disappeared and an orange tinge flashed through her eyes. There was no one there but she felt a presence in the forest that had been there before now, even Scott seemed a little uncomfortable. Turning back towards the windshield she checked the rearview mirror to see that Stiles was gaping at her and staring at her new hair colored fox ears.

"Watch the road," she said sternly.

Stumbling with words he finally turned back in front of him and sighed when Derek's old house came into view, he was hoping to see Ava's Fox powers in action. It was one of the reasons he'd suggested to Scott to take her to see Derek, he wanted to know if it was like a flame or a burning heat. Behind him Ava had stiffened at the sight of the charred structure and couldn't help but remember it from her dreams. Many times she'd woken with tears in her eyes, from hearing the screams inside her head until she was clawing at her skin and trying to get them out.

Scott noticed the way she stiffened and watched as her expression lessened and died away, leaving her face dead of emotion as she stared at the house with an eerie silence about her. Her ears twitched as she felt the same presence as before behind them again, but she didn't turn to look this time. Instead she waited until Stiles stopped and Scott got out of the jeep before she got out as well and walked calmly towards the blackened building.

"Are you okay?" Stiles asked when she stopped for a moment.

"Not really," her voice was soft. "But I'm going inside, and you're staying out here. If you decide to leave while I'm in there your jeep will suffer," she growled at Stiles making him cringe at the thought of multiple dents.

"We'll wait," Scott said seeing his friend's crestfallen face.

"Good," she muttered before turning back to the house and walking up slowly. The mystery person was somewhere behind her in the forest until she pushed open the old door and walked inside, her nose scrunching at the smell of soot and charcoal.

Taking short breaths Ava was reminded of the screams again as she looked across the half gone house that was laid out in front of her. Feeling her skin burn at the memory of flames Ava let her tail grow out as her teeth sharpened and her claws got a little longer. She whined softly while letting her fingertips slide across the wall as she walked through the house, gathering black on the tips.

"What do you want Fox?" A sudden hard voice asked her from the top of the stairs. Finally locking eyes with the man that had been following them all through the forest Ava saw his fingernails grow to points as he stood above her.

"My name's Ava, I know you're Derek," she said walking into the light that barely made it into the house. She heard him take a quick breath as the light caught her features and illuminated her to his eyes.

Derek had known the Fox was back in town as soon as he'd picked up on her scent again, Peter had said something about almost claiming the girl when she'd been there recently. He also knew that she was back in town and had told Derek that if he found her to bring her to him, because they could use her power. He didn't remember what she looked like, the first time he'd seen her was from yards away, all he'd known was that her hair was red like fox fur. The next time was in the darkest part of night as he was growling at her in the forest, not a very good time to check her appearance.

But now as he stared down at her Derek had time to admire the way that she appeared in the light of the sun. Her coy green eyes were looking up at him defiantly as she took a defensive stance against his unmoving form, the soft expression on her face almost made her look even better. At the sight of the ears atop her head there was an urge within him to lurch forward and clamp down on her skin, to feel her blood rush beneath his lips.

Instead he gave her a stern expression of malice; it was just because she was a Fox that he was feeling like this, not because she herself was actually very pretty.

"Peter's looking for you," he said watching her eyes falter for a moment.

"Tell me honestly," her voice was clear. "Is there any chance he'll let me go and allow me to remove his mark?" She asked asking up the stairs slowly. He watched her warily before letting a mocking smile spread across his lips in a sneer.

"No," was his only reply. Finally she got to the top of the stairs and looked up at him fully, she only came up to his nose, which made him want to grin down at her but he held himself back. Her eyes adopted a more deceiving expression as she started to walk around him lazily while looking his form up and down.

"What if," she started to speak in a low sultry voice. Raising her hand up to his face Derek stared down at her darkly but made no move to get away from her as she let her fingertips brush against his cheek. "I was to threaten his pack mates?" Her voice was soft as she whispered up to him.

For a moment Derek reveled at the feeling of her skin on his, he could feel her soft fingers tug on the ruggedness of his face. Her hand was warm, almost too hot as she trailed her fingers down to his chin, unaware that the soot on her hands had transferred over to his cheeks. Despite his feeling he glared down at her venomously, showing no reaction and making her give him a bland expression before reaching out to touch him with her other burning hand.

He grabbed her suddenly, throwing her against the nearest wall and pinning her hands to the aging wood that was starting to rub off on her clothes, making them get black smudges. He glared down at her with a stern look on his face, his eyes shining blue for a moment before he growled and bared his teeth. She glared right back at him and pulled at her hands uselessly before her eyes started to change colors and her skin began to heat up uncomfortably.

"You can try," he stated staring at her helpless form beneath his. Trapping her legs with the rest of his body he leaned towards the source of heat that her body was, it was like she was her own fire, radiating heat in wave like flames. Her scent was all around him now and he felt his mouth water at the touch of merely leaning forward and claiming her, surely he would be plenty powerful with her powers to help him.

"Let me go before I burn you," she snarled pushing against him again when he didn't respond. Suddenly her skin was smoldering against his but he let his burn for a few seconds, hearing the hiss of his own flesh made him want to cringe and gag. But he kept her in his grip to show her that he wasn't afraid of her power, she could heat up all she wanted and he would deny her.

"I'll heal," he finally said before letting her go.

Ava pushed herself off the wall and glared darkly at Derek as he walked away from her calmly; even with all the training she had gone through she couldn't beat even one wolf. He wasn't even an Alpha and she couldn't move again him when he had her pinned, she'd even started to burn him and he hadn't let go. The next time she got into a fight with another creature she wouldn't hold back, if it meant that she wouldn't be claimed anymore she could afford to be weak for a few days if it meant using a lot of power.

"Next time I won't hold back," she seethed at him. Taking slow steps towards the staircase she tried to calm herself down so she didn't blow up into flames and knock herself out from the strain.

"Neither will I," he replied turning to stare at her powerfully. Ava's let her emotions show and gave him a threatening gaze; usually she tried to keep a calm demeanor so her enemies wouldn't know she was frustrated. At the moment she didn't care, she was angry with herself for being so weak. "You don't have to look for Peter, he's already searching for you," he said with a superior countenance.

There was a low growl in her throat as a response as she walked down the stairs with her hands still glowing faintly from the heat of her body; Derek could only imagine the pain that would come from direct contact with that. Stopping herself short at the door her ears flattened against her head as she looked around the ruined rooms once more.

"I'm sorry," he barely picked out her voice in the silence. "For what happened here," she said softly without turning around, her hands burned ever brighter as she spoke. "Sometimes I can hear them screaming in my dreams," was all she said before disappearing into the light of day.

Derek had to stop himself from lurching forward to follow her, how could she ever hear them screaming unless she had been here? He wanted to ask her what she meant and at the same time mourn for all the family that he had lost with someone who understood. Instead he let his confident expression falter as he listened to Stiles and Scott talk to her when she exited.

"What now?" Scott asked watching her glowing hands in wonder. Ava was trying her best to calm down as her hands began to flicker slightly.

"I'm staying with you," she stated as if it was obvious.

"What? Why?" He protested giving her an accusing look.

"Because Peter follows you, this was part of the deal," she said sternly giving the boy a harsh look. "Or do you not want my help anymore?" She questioned letting her hand glow a little brighter.

"No," Stiles said before realizing what he'd said. "Yes, no, yes," he was starting to confuse even himself before he shook it off. "We need your help, we can go get something to eat in plain sight," he offered giving Scott a demanding expression. "Lure him out," he said as if it was obvious what they would be doing.

"But Allison," Scott complained for a moment before Stiles shoved him lightly.

"The Argent girl?" Ava asked before Stiles ushered them to get into the jeep. "Don't tell me you like her?" She gave him a sour expression. Ava had made sure that she knew who all the threats in town would be, the Argent family was fairly high up on the list.

"Too much," Stiles shouted over the engine starting.

"That's why this has been so hard for you," Ava murmured in understanding. "Oh, you're so stupid, how cute," she gave him an apologetic look. Stiles scoffed at her comment before Scott glared at him and looked out the window with an angry pout; she simply gave him a goofy smile. "So where are we going to eat?" She looked to Stiles for an answer.

"How bout we pick up some burgers and go to the park?" Stiles offered earning a glare from Ava behind him. "What?" He questioned.

"Are you looking to die? Why would we go to a secluded park? It's perfect murder material," she said with emotionless eyes.

"Yes, yes it is," he agreed nodding his head vigorously. "Then we'll go to Dan's and eat outside," he decided while turning to go into town. Dan's Dog's was a hotdog eatery where you ordered your food and sat outside to eat it. After Dan was arrested on false charges of using real canine meat in his food people tended to leave of the later part of the restaurant's name, there was only one shop left open.

"Dan's doesn't even have good food," Scott said unhappily next to them.

"Then order fries and stuff your face, you can't mess up fried potato sticks," Ava muttered giving him a deep stare.

"You'd be surprised," was all Scott answered with.

=0=0=

Peter didn't show up, they got their nasty hot dogs, which Ava couldn't even stand the smell of, and sat sipping their drinks in front of the awful stench for an hour and a half. Finally Stiles got a call from his dad, whom he explained was the sheriff in town, he wanted him home. Deciding to try and do better after the Lacrosse game the next night Ava directed Stiles to where she was staying during her couple weeks in town.

They laughed at her when she told them that she was staying with the school nurse Mrs. Johnson, and that the woman had specifically asked Ava to call her by her first name, Holly. She was a nice lady, but Ava understood that it was odd for a student to know too much about their teachers or any adult at school.

Waving goodbye to each other Stiles sped off towards Scott's house; Ava watched them until he turned a corner and disappeared. Seeing that the house was dark Ava was thankful that Holly had told her where the spare key was hidden, under a fake rock in the bushes.

Without meaning to Ava let her fox ears snap up when she heard someone walking up behind her after she got the key and stood up. Immediately she recognized the smell of him and almost whined at the pain that radiated from her ankle as his mark burned with anticipation at his arrival.

"Ava," he said her name softly. It made her shiver visibly and she turned around with defiance in her eyes before latching onto his gaze as he offered her a gentle smile. "How nice of you to come back into town, now I don't have to chase you down," he said taking further steps towards her. In response she turned around as if he wasn't even there and walked to the door, placing the key into the door before he was suddenly right behind her. Breathing down onto her huskily, making her hair flutter slightly.

"You already did that," she commented stalling her hand on unlocking the door.

"You're right, I did," she could feel a smirk worm its way into his words. "The fire is something I wasn't expecting, but am more than thankful for now," he moved even closer to her as she tried to work out a solution in her mind. "I never knew a Fox would smell this good," he said inhaling deeply.

"We need to talk," she finally said opening the door and walking away from him bitterly. She wasn't expecting him to be so gentle and at the same time so creepy, not to mention attractive, if he wasn't a crazy werewolf it'd be a different conversation.

"Do we?" He asked following her into the house as she turned on one of the lights and went into the kitchen to get some real food. "I barely even know your name," he said walking onto the tiled floor.

Turning to face him Ava leaned against the counter with a stern expression on her face, staring at him dully with her piercing green eyes. For a second she thought about what she was going to say, biting her lip ever so slightly before opening her lips to speak.

"I don't want to be in your pack," she stated coldly. She expecting the wolf to explode like others had when they asked if she wanted to join, sometimes they were so overcome with rage and want that they lunged at her. But Peter merely smiled at her understandingly making Ava glare at him all the more, if had been a regular werewolf and not some weird coma survivor she wouldn't feel so off when they spoke.

"I must have misheard you then," he took a few steps forward. You said that if I was part of your pack you would've taken care of me," he said with an almost fond expression on his face. "Did you lie?" He questioned with fake hurt in his eyes. She snarled at him letting her sharp teeth show for a second.

"I didn't, you're not a part of my pack," she seethed turning to move away from him before he slammed his hand down on the counter to keep her in place. "I'll set you on fire and watch you burn," she threatened glaring up at his indifferent face. Again Peter smiled at her, causing her defensive demeanor to falter before he grabbed onto her forcefully and lifted her onto the counter, pushing backwards until she was trapped against the wall for the second time that day.

"But you will be a part of mine," he said thoughtfully. "I mean, you've already met Derek," he commented catching his scent on her. "Don't you want to protect us?" He asked giving her a wounded stare.

"No," she spat out pushing against him.

"Too bad," he muttered pushing his upper body against hers so she couldn't move around too much. Of course there was the occasional stab of her claws into his skin and she tried to get him off her, but by now Peter was too power hungry to listen to anything.

"I'm warning you," she stated lividly before feeling his hand take off her shoe. She struggled against him all the more as he shushed her softly while letting his fingers travel up her leg as he pushed her pants up to her knee.

"There it is," he murmured glancing at the mark on her ankle that he had made. "Not in the right place though, isn't it supposed to be right here?" He questioned reaching up to touch just between her neck and shoulder.

.

"You can always become stronger." -Milo


AN: Oh goodness, I'm so happy I got this chapter out. I'd already written three thousand words when my dad decided to upgrade my computer, needless to say I lost those three thousand forever. The agony! It's the main reason why I did not proof read this, I just wanted to get the blasted chapter done, so again I apologize for mistakes.

What do you think? Peter? Derek? Obviously most people are rooting for Derek, even I am...
Are there any going for Peter? Don't be shy, he's not too horrible looking.

Anyway, thanks for reading and sticking around, don't forget to review (I hunger for reviews). Happy shopping for Christmas gifts, don't get trampled.