(EMMA'S POV)

"Let's face it," I said. "At this point, you wouldn't believe me anyway."

"Try me," Derek said.

I huffed. This was stupid. But maybe my only chance at redemption. "I came to town looking for Kit because I needed the Kirin." I spoke like the words were being forced out of me by my angry parents. "I needed her help."

"With what? It's been years since you two have seen each other."

"I know. But times change." I thought back, to the cause of this whole mess. "After Kit's parents died, she joined our Pride and my family took her in. I'm sure you at least know that much." He nodded, so I continued. "So, our Pride is made up of misfits, the people other packs or Prides don't want, for one reason or another. It naturally makes us weak. One day, a revival pack, one we were told we were on good terms with, decided they were going to wipe us out. There were only about fifteen of them.

"But, in all reality, we only had about five to ten people who were able to fight. The rest were children or disabled or old. At first they said they came in peace, but that they were now in control. But one thing led to the next. Before I knew it, they were taking complete control and people were dying and there was a war going on.

"We tried to fight back, but were quickly losing. We all felt it when the Nemeton came back to life. That's when I remembered about Kit. I knew she was the Kirin and could help us. But then I find her and she's not the Kirin, has no memories of such a creature. But things are getting worse at home, and I'm out of options. I'm out of ideas." I sighed. "So I haven't told her because I don't know how. Right now, that Pride is all she remembers. And now it's almost gone."

"How many people are left in your Pride?"

"Maybe ten, I don't know." It pained me to say it, but the look on his face only made me feel worse. "Most are dead, but some left in the hopes of surviving."

He gestured toward me. "What about the father?"

My eyes were fixed on one spot in the room. "Dead. He was my husband, Dylan. His adoptive sister, Joy, has been trying to help me figure out how to stop them."

"Where's she?"

"Back with the Pride, I assume. She was here yesterday, but," I shook my head. "She got mad and left. My mother told me that if I couldn't find Kit, she didn't want me to come back. She wants me to live, but that means they'll die. So…I don't know what to do. This baby is all I have left of my husband, but if I don't do anything at all, I'll lose the whole Pride."

He seemed to be thinking it over. I'm not even sure why I just told him all that. I probably shouldn't have. "Let me look into it."

I scoffed. "What can you do?"

"I don't know. But, clearly, I have a lot more resources than you."

"So, what? I'm just supposed to 'rest easy' knowing Derek Hale's on the case?"

He nodded. "Yeah. You are." He turned and headed for the door. He opened it and then stopped to look at me. "I won't tell Kit about the Pride. But you might want to tell her about the other thing, before she hears it, too." And then he was gone.

(KIT'S POV)

I closed the book and sat back. My mind was numb. I wasn't sure what to say…or think…or move. I don't know anything. That was….soooo much information. Who else knows? Why did she – I – tell myself the things I did? Does that mean no one else knows that I was married and had three kids?!

Holy cow. I was married and had three kids. Is that why it's so easy for me to take care of Charlie? Because I've already done it before? And, Tobias wasn't the first person I was with, but he was the straw that broke everyone's backs. Please tell me I don't have a child with him. I don't need that right now.

I opened the car door and slid out. But I couldn't help thinking that Scott and Stiles didn't mention any of that. Not one peep. Maybe they don't know. Does Derek? Surely he knows. Right? Would I have told him? I saw how mad he was in that one flashback. Maybe I thought he'd do that again.

I walked to the back passenger door and opened it. "Hey, buddy." Charlie still sat where I left him. Why is this kid so calm? His mother was a werelion and his father a werewolf. Maybe mixing the breeds helps smooth out the homicidal tendencies? I don't know.

I pulled him out of the car and put him on his feet. Then I grabbed the stuffed animal and gave it to him. He had an iron grip on it's arm. I knew there was no way he'd drop it. We went back to the truck and I drove us home. This time it didn't seem as hard.

When we walked in the door, Emma came around the corner. She smiled. Which was odd. Charlie went off to play as I walked up to her. "Everything okay?"

"I don't know," she said. "But I have something to tell you."

"Okay," I casually placed my hands on my hips.

"I've been keeping something from you, and, I can't give you all the details, but I need to tell you so you won't hate me."

I shrugged. "Why would I hate my best friend?" I smiled. "Especially when she's pregnant."

"Beckett-Ann!" she scoffed. "How long have you known?"

"Since the day you found me, when I had run off as a tiger. You couldn't keep up with me, so I listened."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Telling your best friend you're pregnant for the first time is one of those special moments I didn't want to ruin. But then you never told me."

"So, you kept pretending?" she asked and I nodded. "Last night at Derek's, you got in front of me when those things started coming our way."

"Yeah, I wasn't going to let them touch you, pregnant or not."

She smiled. "I don't deserve you."

"From what I hear, no one does," I said and we both laughed. Then she hugged me, and I felt like we had finally cleared the air. I knew she'd tell me the rest when she's ready. There obviously had to be a man somewhere in her life in order for her to be expecting a child. But I guess she's not ready for that part. I, now, more than anyone know that we all have our secrets.

"Oh," she said. "Your phone's been going crazy since you left." She walked over to the coffee table and grabbed my cell phone. She must have fished it out of the trash after I left. She brought it to me. "Someone really wants to get a hold of you."

"Thanks." I took the phone from her and then began sifting through the string of texts I'd gotten. "They're all from Scott."

"Is everything okay?"

"He wants me to meet him at his house before sunset. He thinks the 'demon ninjas' will be back tonight."

"'Demon ninjas'? That's great."

"Yeah." I sighed and looked at her. "He thinks that because they were staring at us when the sun came up and they vanished, that that means they'll be back to finish off the job."

"So he wants to protect you from them. What about that other girl? Kira?"

"I'm sure she'll be there, too."

"You should go," she said.

"What? What about you? You were there last night, too."

"Yeah, but I don't think they wanted me. They went straight for Aiden and then Scott." She crossed her arms. "Besides, someone needs to watch Charlie. I don't think introducing him to demonic ninjas is a good idea."

"No, but…what if you're wrong? What if they come here?"

"I don't think they will. But I'll call you."

I sighed. This was stupid. Even more stupid is that I'm agreeing to it. "Fine. Scott said that Allison, her dad, and Isaac are working on something that might tell them what these things are. As soon as we know, I'll call you." I knew sunset wasn't that far away, so I left the house and walked to Scott's.

He doesn't live too far. Not sure how I know that. I felt a sense of déjà vu as I neared his house. I'm sure I've done this before, but I don't remember. I arrived at the house just as Melissa was getting out of her car. I slipped my hands into my jacket pockets, noticing just how low the sun was.

"Kit?" she asked, and I looked at her. "Why are you here?"

"Scott asked me to come."

She seemed to know exactly what that meant. She nodded toward the house, motioning for me to follow her. So I did. We walk into the house through the side door that led into the kitchen. And, apparently, right into an argument. "Hey, what's going on?" Melissa asked. Scott and Kira we talking with a man. And it didn't seem like they were getting along. Scott didn't want him here. You could almost smell it.

"Maybe one of you should explain," the man said to Scott and Kira. Then he glanced at Melissa, doing a double take when he saw me. "Do I know you?" But I didn't get a chance to answer. The sun had completely set, and the house darkened. I looked at Scott with questioning eyes, but he didn't seem to be paying attention.

But then my eyes shifted past Scott. One of those masked men appeared in the living room. The man started walking toward the living room. And that's when Scott and the others saw what I was seeing. "Dad, no," Scott said to him, but he didn't listen. "Dad, wait!"

Well, now I know who this man is but that won't do me any good at the moment. Or him. Another one of those ninjas appeared behind Scott's dad, driving his sword into the man's shoulder. He fell to the floor as Melissa and Scott ran forward.

Melissa got down, examining the man's wound as Scott growled. His eyes were fixed on the two masked men. I stepped around Kira, standing next to Scott as my eyes glowed. Melissa drug Scott's dad out of the line of fire. The front door opened and someone rolled into the room, growling.

It was Derek. He was fully shifted. Scott took that as his queue to do the same, and then the two were fighting. I turned and looked at Kira. Through my glowing eyes I saw an orange glow around her. But it was a glow that had form. It was a fox. But the look on her face told me that she didn't know how to use it yet.

No wonder Scott wanted to protect her. I decided to stay back, and keep her company. "Kira, right?" I asked. She nodded with unsure eyes. I heard an indescribable sound from behind us. And I knew one of those things had appeared. "Don't freak out, yeah?"

I spun around to face her, fully shifted. Her eyes widened at my painted skin. But I didn't say anything to her; I just pushed her out of the way. The masked man, demonic ninja, or whatever you want to call it, had it's sword drawn. It swung it's sword and began to bring it down on me.

I grabbed it's hands on the handle of the sword, stopping the blade inches from me. It pushed against me. I growled, trying to push him back. The sound of glass breaking to my right filled my ears. The noise was followed by two growls. I snuck a glance to see the twins, Ethan and Aiden.

They both ran over. One of the boys grabbed me and pulled me out of the way as the other boy rammed his shoulder into the ninja. But that barely fazed it. It righted itself and then swung it's blade with a wide arch. I crouched to miss it as the boys ducked.

Once the ninja had completed it's swing, I ran forward and slammed into it's stomach, driving it back. The twins helped, each getting on a side of me and pushing. We gave it one last shove and it crashed through the door in the kitchen. I stood and looked around the room.

Scott had just shoved his opponent out a window in the living room. "Mom, now!" he shouted. "Do it, now!" I wasn't sure what he was talking about, but I was starting to get used to it. Derek was still locked with one of the ninjas. He got a hold of it and forced him back, toward the door he had come in through.

Melissa stepped out of the shadows and followed Derek. Once he had shoved the ninja out the door, Melissa through a glass jar at the ground. The ninjas had gotten to their feet and were all standing around the house looking in. But that's all they were doing. They didn't actually come in. Mountain Ash, I thought. They can't come in.

I sighed, trying to catch my breath. I left the twins and saw that Kira was fine. Though, she looked at me like I was the monster. She must really be new to this whole thing. I shifted back to human, every part of me returning to normal. I looked toward the rest of the house, my eyes landing on Derek.

He looked away, as if he'd realized he'd been staring. Scott and Melissa were trying to take his dad upstairs. I went to them and helped by taking Melissa's place holding the man up. I was a lot stronger than she was. We took him into Scott's bedroom and laid him on the bed. Melissa resumed her place at his side, putting pressure on his wound.

"How bad is it?" Scott asked her.

"From the way that his arm is rotated, the tendon looks torn," she answered. "He could be on his way to a collapsed lung." I sighed. That didn't sound good. I left the room, leaving them to their own devices. I headed back down stairs and into the living room.

I pulled out my phone and texted Emma. I wanted to make sure the masked men hadn't gone to the house. I went to the kitchen as I texted. I wasn't sure leaving Kira with the twins would be a good idea. Turns out, I was right. I put my phone away to see that the boys had Kira cornered and were pressuring her to tell them what she was.

"What are you doing?" I asked them, using a tone that suggested that they were total morons. Which, let's face it…

"She's a Kitsune, idiot," Derek said as he walked past me, closer to the twins. "Use your eyes. You can see it all around her. The younger ones give off an aura. She just hasn't learned to conceal it yet. She probably doesn't know what kind she is either."

I'm not surprised he knew that. But Kira didn't look too sure as to whether or not it was a good thing that everyone knew what she was. So the boys dropped Kira like a hot potato and turned on me. "Why are you here?" one of then asked.

"Aiden…" the other warned.

"Maybe you're the reason why those things are here," Aiden continued, ignoring his brother. "You just magically reappear, along with a bunch of phantom ninjas that only come out at night?"

"Uh…" I wasn't quite sure what he was looking for. "As much as I'd love to take the blame for this one, I can't. As far as why I'm here, Scott asked me to come."

"Where's Emma?" Derek asked me.

I looked at him. "My house. With Charlie." My phone buzzed so I pulled it out to look at it. "She seems to think they won't come after her."

"Does she know what they are?"

"If she does, she didn't say. But I don't think she'd keep something from us that might get us hurt." Emma replied and said that they were fine. I put my phone away, relieved to hear that.

"So what are you?" Ethan asked. I looked up and found him looking at me. "Now that you're no longer the Kirin," he added. He seemed genuinely curious, unlike Aiden. My eyes slightly shifted around the room. I hardly know these boys. But I still answered. Especially since everyone now knows what Kira is.

"I was born a white tiger," I said. "So that's all I am. Now."

"Do you remember anything from before?"

"If you mean, do I remember you guys and the stuff you did? No. But when everyone I ask has the same story…" I shrugged. "I'm going to believe it." Scott stepped into the room and Kira instantly went to him, wanting to speak with him. She clearly doesn't trust any of us. I don't blame her. I don't trust me, either.

I looked back at the others, after Scott and Kira disappeared into the house. Aiden had a smug look on his face. He clearly wanted to say something, waiting to prove something. "I wasn't going to hurt her," he said. But somehow I knew it was directed toward Derek.

"Not yet," he said.

"Why do you think we're here, Derek? For a study group? We're here to protect Scott."

"We're trying to fight for him," Ethan added.

"I'm sure you are," Derek said, not sounding convinced. "I'm sure you'd kill for him. But are you willing to die for him?" The boys didn't reply. I didn't expect them to. The room fell quiet. As soon as Derek looked at me, I motioned for him to join me in the other room. And he did.

We walked into the front room by the door. I stopped and looked at him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"I need to ask. What all of my past did I tell you?"

The question took him off guard. And I know it's weird timing, but I need to know. "Does this have to do with the book?" I nodded. "Not much. You only told me a few things. We never spoke about either one of our pasts."

"You didn't think that was weird?"

"No. We both had our secrets and things we didn't want to relive. We've both made a lot of mistakes, over the years."

"Yeah, but, whose idea was it? To not talk about our pasts?" I clarified.

"Yours," he replied. "Why?" But before I could answer, the whole house shook. It was like something had hit it. Then it happened again. We walked back to the kitchen as Scott and Kira joined us. The masked men were beating the shield that the Mountain Ash had created around the house.

"What are they doing?" Scott asked.

"Testing for weaknesses," Ethan answered. They kept hitting the house, getting harder with each one. Things were falling off the kitchen counters and breaking, the light fixtures above us were swinging around. They tried jamming their swords straight through it, teaming up. "Guys." One of them pulled it's sword out and then tried with it's hand. And the hand was actually coming through. "We have a problem."

I'd say. This is not good. Scott pulled out his phone and called someone. He was asking Allison for an update. And my nosy butt could hear the whole thing. "They're Japanese demons," she said. "They're called the Oni. They're looking for someone possessed. Someone with a dark spirit attacked to them."

"A Nogitsune," Scott said.

"How'd you know that?" Allison asked. "Scott?"

"Just…tell me what else."

"Okay, they won't hurt you. They know you're supernatural but once they do this check, once they realize that you're not carrying with you this dark spirit, then they won't hurt you, I promise. All they're looking for is the Nogitsune," Allison said, and then ended the call. Scott put his phone away as Kira looked at him.

"I'm right, aren't I?" she asked. "They're looking for me."

"They're looking for a dark spirit," Scott said. "And I know it's not you."

"Scott, we're gonna have to do something," Derek said. I looked away from Scott and at the door, just as the masked man, the Oni, broke the seal of Mountain Ask. Now there was nothing stopping them from coming in the house. The first Oni stepped through the door as Derek and the twins readied for another fight.

"Don't do anything," Scott said. I was slightly shocked by his words. But I should have guessed. Allison just told him that these things won't hurt us. But what happens if one of us really does have the dark spirit inside of us? I don't think I'm the reason why these things are here. But could I be wrong?

"Is he serious?" Aiden asked.

"I said don't do anything," Scott repeated. He then looked at Kira and held out his hand. I sighed. This meant I had to go along with it, too. Derek and the twins have already encountered these things, looked into their eyes. Scott, Kira, and I are the only ones who haven't.

Kira took Scott's hand, and then he looked at me. I nodded, "I know." He nodded and then looked at the Oni. The others stepped out of the way. I could tell the twins didn't like this at all. They wanted to fight them. But part of being in a pack is taking orders, even when you don't like them. And I don't like this.

I walked beside Scott and Kira. We stopped in front of the Oni, one of them in front of each of us. We stood there for a second. And then the Oni in front of me reached out and put it's hand on the side of my face.