Teen Survivors

by Divineoverseer

Scott bites a kid named Liam and while he wants to keep his life normal, Stiles decides to train him in being a werewolf in Beacon Hills, but it might only distance them more than they've been getting since Allison's death. But when they and their friends get targeted by assassins and an old enemy, they'll need to come together to survive. Sequel to Teen Madness.

21. Nexus

Chapter 21: Nexus

A/N: With this 'episode', the rating of the story has officially gone up. Originally, this was meant to be one chapter. But it got so big that I had to split it into two. I hope you enjoy it.

---

Talia Hale was inside the vault, pulling out a jar of the Reshi mushrooms that she still had in there from Satomi. She gazed at the one she pulled out to the one that was still there.

"One left," she mumbled. "I better talk to Satomi and see if she could grow some more." Talia really did like this tea. She found it quite soothing, even if her two youngest weren't big fans of it.

Talia moved to exit the vault and had the entrance closed behind her. The high school was empty right now as summer vacation was still in progress for another week. Her son Derek would be starting his senior year. She sighed as she turned away from looking at the deserted building as she thought of her only son. The last few days, he hadn't been speaking to her and he had been going off on his own a lot more than usual. Derek had been detached and secretive all summer and had been going out of his way to avoid her when he was in the house. He was also going out of his way to keep what he was doing out of the eyes and ears of everyone, even Laura, possibly because he knew that she might tell her. Talia had reached out to Derek's known friends but they all claimed that they'd been spending time with Derek no more than usual. Maybe it was nothing and he was just off trying to be alone, and away from her. Talia knew that she wasn't his favorite person in the world right now, and it wasn't simply because of him not being able to play basketball again. A week ago, he had asked her if he could go to the Senior Scribe event that would be held the night before school started up again. The problem was, that was the night of the full moon. Derek was still having trouble keeping himself grounded and she had already told him that it might not be a good idea for him to go. His cold shoulder had now become frigid.

With all this new stress, she hoped that some Reshi tea would help. Well, she would pray that Ray's wedding would help to lift some spirits. Laura was coming back to town to celebrate and Cora was ecstatic at being chosen to be the flower girl. She hoped the good cheer would help his mood. It wasn't easy being both a mother and the Alpha. She was only doing what she thought was the best for everyone's sake. She hoped that Derek would understand that one day, when he was older.

---

Cora was slouching back into a giant plush armchair as she was on a video call with her brother Derek. They hadn't really spoken for a while, given what had been going on. But, with the Deadpool finally over, the two siblings were now trying to help each other get to speed on what was going on. Cora was in her last trimester and was now bigger than anyone could ever remember her being. She was not very happy with that fact.

"Wow," Derek said as Cora moved her arm back to give him a wide view of herself. She was in a fraternity dress and his eyes fell on her giant belly. The place where his future niece or nephew currently was. "Cora, you look-"

"I look what?" she said narrowing her eyes at him, a bit of warning in her tone.

He just smiled lightly at her. "You look beautiful," he said honestly. Actually, Derek thought that Cora at the moment looked exactly like their mom. She was just how he could remember her when she was carrying Cora. "Mom and Laura would be saying the exact same thing you know," he added a little softly with his eyes lightening a bit.

Cora huffed. "Yeah, well I feel like a sack of pumpkins."

Derek let a small laugh loose. "You do know, you only have yourself to blame for that."

"Hey," she said indignantly. "It wasn't exactly intentional."

"Uh, I'm pretty sure that's how this kind of thing usually goes," he joked a bit.

"Wow, you've actually developed the ability to casually throw in jokes. Will wonders never cease."

Derek made a point to noticeably roll his eyes at her. "Ha Ha."

The two of them, even though they were bantering with each other, were smiling. The two of them couldn't remember the last time that either had done this even before the fire. Actually feeling the warm pull of being a brother or sister. Being each other's family.

Cora's face then fell a bit. "What about the other thing? The one that happened to you. You think that was intentional too?"

Derek sighed. He had finally told Cora about him losing his powers. She was shocked to say the least. "We might never know."

"How are you, by the way?"

Derek shook his head as he stared at her. "I'm not sure. Honestly, I don't know how to feel. I never thought I would ever go through something like this."

"Well…if you really want to make sense of it, there is someone that you could talk to that's been through this thing before."

He rolled his eyes. "Him? Oh please, I'm not that desperate Cora."

"Der," she cut in. "I'm actually being serious here."

He deflated. "No…I don't think he could help. It's not really the same thing, on more than one count. I mean, this is something that we were born into. With him, it was something that just happened to him after a year."

"Still, you have to go to someone," she pressed him.

But he just shook his head again. "No, talking won't change this. This is something that I just have to see to the end on my own." Derek then cleared his throat. "But there will be plenty of time for that later. I already have something else I have to take care of."

Cora straightened herself up. "Kate."

Derek let his lingering anger for the woman that used him and destroyed their family and lives set into his eyes. "She's still out there, somewhere. And she's not finished, with whatever she's trying to do."

"She never is," Cora spat out a little more to herself than her brother. "So having any better luck looking the she-jaguar whore?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. "You know, you're going to have to show more restraint. With a baby on the way, you don't want them to have the wrong thing being their first words." His tone was a hybrid of teasing and scolding.

Cora rolled her eyes. "Okay, sorry. How is the search going for that nasty, lying, scheming, no good cougar wannabe that torched our home and family? Better?"

"Much," he nodded amusingly before he sighed. "It's slow. Braeden hasn't found a lead in days. Her trails gone cold since her last appearance."

"Is it too much to hope for that an assassin already took care of her before the Deadpool was shut down?"

"With our brand of luck, probably not. She's probably gone to ground to try to hide from being targeted."

"Is it possible that she doesn't know the Deadpool is over yet?"

"Maybe. I'm going to check in with Braeden and see what's she been able to turn up. Then I'm going to help to find her as fast as possible. After all, I don't want to miss anything," he said giving her a pointed look.

She sighed and she moved her free hand to rub against her swollen belly. "Well, don't worry. There's still over a month left. You should have time."

---

A young woman named Janice was being fitted for her wedding dress with Talia nearby, watching with a smile. Janice was getting married to her beta Ray that coming weekend and she was still trying to weigh the request that Ray asked of her months ago. Janice seemed like a good, calm and collected person. She seemed to be transitioning into knowing about the supernatural nice enough. She'd proven herself trustworthy and the pack seemed to like her well enough. Personally, Talia didn't see any reason not to agree to giving her the bite.

"Well?" Janice asked as she spun on the pedestal.

Talia snapped out of her thoughts as she let her eyes take in the sight of Janice in her dress. "I love it," she smiled. "You are probably going to make Ray speechless when he sees you in it."

"I hope not. It would kind of dampen the day if he couldn't let himself say those two special words." That made Talia laugh a bit with Janice joining her as they moved to help Janice get out of the dress. She then stepped out of the dressing booth in her old clothes. "Thank you for coming with me Talia," she said gratefully.

Talia nodded. "Janice, the pleasure was all mine, believe me. And I'm honored that you chose me to be your Maid of Honor."

Janice's smile then got a little mischievous. "Let's see if you'll say that after you get into your bridesmaid dress."

Talia's own face fell and she narrowed her eyes pointedly before the seamstress went and brought her to the dressing booth where the dress was hanging for her to try on. Janice let a breathless chuckle loose as she went to admire a mannequin bride with a flowing veil covering the top.

"It is quite beautiful, isn't it?" a man's voice suddenly spoke out. She turned around and saw two men standing side by side. "Is that one yours?" the first one asked her.

Janice nodded. "It is."

The other one brought his bottom lip out a bit. "I'm sure you'll make a beautiful bride. I just hope it's to the right groom."

She found that she didn't like how he, and especially his friend, were both looking at her. She started to step a bit off so that she could be in better view of the display windows for passerbys to spot her. "Excuse me but maybe you two should get moving along."

The slightly less creepy one held his hands up as he saw what she was trying to do. "It's okay Janice, we only want to talk. We're not going to hurt you."

That didn't calm her. "How do you know my name?"

"Not just yours," said the creepier one. "But you're fiancé too. Ray, right?"

Janice quickly picked up the closest blunt object, a metallic handbag on a chain, and readied it in her hand. "Leave me alone."

The first one held his hands out further. "Relax, there's no need for that, we just want to talk."

"I believe she said to leave her alone."

The three of them turned to see Talia. She was wearing a hard expression and had the stiff composure to match. However, the effect was somewhat dampened by the frilly bridesmaid dress she was wearing. She glared at the two hunters, Chris Argent and one that she didn't know by name but knew by appearance well enough. The two of them were snickering at the sight of her.

"How good to see you Talia. My," Chris said amusingly as he noticeably took the sight of her in. The dress she was wearing was a peach colored satin dress with lace lining at the bottom and at the top and had flowers of silk pinned randomly at the front, back and sides. "I have to say, I'd never thought to see one of you like this."

"Yeah, aren't you more for that bare and natural look, not that I'm complaining," teased the other rudely. He then snickered and was backed by Chris chuckling deeper as his smile widened.

Talia kept her composure though, even through their sick attempts to be funny. "Chris, fancy seeing you in a place like this. Last I heard, you were already married."

Chris had long put his hands done as he straightened up. "Yes. And I hear that one of your...associates was getting married himself. Seems he picked a nice looking young lady."

"Who has done nothing to deserve the…pleasure of your company," Talia defended.

"Well, maybe she doesn't quite understand the present company that she's associating with and the kind of man she's committing the rest of her life to," he said a little pointedly.

This time, it was Janice who folded her arms. "Uh, don't forget that she is standing right here and can speak for herself and she would tell you that she knows perfectly well the kind of people I'm with and the kind of man I'm marrying."

"No, you think you know," Chris told her. "But its been my experience that no matter how innocent and gentle they may appear on the outside," he threw a hard look Talia's way. "They are not. Scratch the surface and they reveal themselves as the vicious creatures they are who will give in to their primal instincts and lash out. It's always only a matter of time and your future husband is no-" There was then a flash of movement and Chris found himself stumbling back as a hand went to the bridge of his nose.

Janice let out a deep huff from her nose as she pulled her fist back. "Do you mean like that?" she grumbled.

Chris' friend let out a small amused chuckle which made Chris glare slightly at him. "Wow, I think this one could be a lost cause Chris." He then made a show of looking her up and down. "Seems she could be a real dog lover, literally. Maybe she likes the mutt because she actually gets a rush off banging animals. Has a sweet tooth for some good heart pumping bedroom bestiality," he said as he thrust his hips forward a bit to the glares of both ladies. He then looked her up and down a little provocatively. "She does look kind of the vanilla type but they're always the ones that have the spicy tastes, right buddy?" he laughed out before Janice quickly moved and scratched at him with her nails. He hissed as he moved to rub his hand to wipe at the two very thin scratch marks that were already bleeding. "You bitch!" he spat as he was about to go for her.

"Rich!" Chris yelled at him just as Talia pulled Janice back to be behind her.

"What is going on here!" cried out the seamstress as she moved for them with some ribbons, thread and needles. "I'm calling the police!"

The two hunters quickly bolted out of the shop and ran off to where there were two of their friends ready at a van nearby. They hopped on in and drove off, to the silent bitterness and disgust of the two women in dresses watching from the shop window.

---

Stiles straightened up as he looked through the crack in the door at one of the last people that he would want to see. His hand was firmly at the base of the door, ready to close it in an instant. The very last time that he and Argent had been in the same room had been at the hospital and that disaster had ranked the better of their encounters.

"What are you doing here?" Stiles muttered.

Chris heard the bite in his tone but that was to be expected. After all, the last time that he'd come to Stiles' front door, it hadn't exactly been for civil reasons. However, he kept his poise. "To talk. May I come in?"

Stiles rose an inquisitive eyebrow. Argent was still on the most wanted list around here due to the murders the Nogitsune pinned on him and with all the fame that happened with his sister last year, many in town wouldn't forget his face so soon. Stiles knew the hunter wasn't stupid and wasn't buying that he would take a risk for something that trivial. He felt he was up to something. "That's kind of a problem. You see, me and my dad, we don't like hunters in our home."

He then moved to close the door on him but Chris moved to block him from doing so with his foot. Stiles' glare got more focused and Chris held his palms to him. He could see that the boy was expecting and ready for a fight.

"Stiles, I'm not here as a hunter." He brought his arms out. "I didn't bring any of my guns and I don't even have my switchblades or taser. I'm not here to fight with you. I'm here for a talk that I think we've been long overdue."

"There's nothing you could say that I would even want to hear."

"Not even if Scott might be in trouble?"

That made Stiles stiffen up. "What?"

"I'll explain but not here. Ten minutes. That's all I ask."

Stiles wanted nothing more than to slam the door in the guy's face. He didn't know what game Argent was trying to play, throwing Scott's name in like that. He knew that Argent had to be involved with those men based on the evidence he found but wasn't sure how, yet. This might actually help give him some idea. So he sighed and stepped back from the door to open it a bit. "Ten."

Chris was asked to turn over his pockets and leave his jacket behind for Stiles to look through it while he was told to wait in his room. Stiles checked and saw that he was at least telling the truth about having no weapons. He had gone to the bathroom to rinse off which gave Chris a minute to take in the boy's room. There were changes from the last time he'd seen it. He saw two maps of Beacon Hills tacked on the far wall, one a street map and the other one detailing the telluric currents. He saw that there were some colored tacks on them and wondered briefly what they represented when his eyes fell down on something nestled on top of the dresser by them. It was a framed photo of Scott and Stiles. They were both in their lacrosse gear and were smiling widely at the camera as they sat on the bench. They appeared to be a little younger than he was used to and guessed that it was of the boys prior to them turning into werewolves. Chris' eyes were somewhat calculating as he looked at them. He could barely remember seeing Scott smiling like that in person since the night Kate had invited him to dinner with his family and he'd couldn't ever recall seeing Stiles smile. The sound of water running stopped and a few seconds later, Stiles was stepping into the room as he waved his hands to airdry them.

"Okay, your ten minutes start now," he huffed as he went to sit at the edge of his bed.

Chris didn't think it would help to jump into what he was primarily here for and decide to open on what was the biggest change in the room and pointed to it. "You have an evidence board in your room?"

"Yeah. Well when my ADHD came back, I found it hard to keep focus and my Adderall wasn't helping. Laying everything out like this helped."

"But why do you still have it if you could focus clearly again?"

"Well, I saw that seeing everything all at once like this helps me find any holes or pieces that don't fit or are out of place. So, I can find out what's going on around here better and faster. Sure helped out during the Deadpool."

Chris was finding himself impressed. Stiles' problem-solving skills were actually better than he'd seen in most people he knew which actually made him feel that coming here was not only an emotional move, but also an intelligent one. He saw that there was already something on the board. Forms, pictures and notes were spread and were being connected by red yarn. "You know, with problems and mysteries, it's been my experience that they often end where they started. They call it the Nexus. Where everything connects back to and stems out from." Chris looked over at the middle of the board to see that most of the yarn seemed to connect around a bubble. The center point was a question. Who is the Desert Wolf?

Stiles nodded. "Yeah, but I'm sure that you didn't come here to talk mystery lingo. Clock's ticking so how about we get down to it. Now, what's this about? You said something about Scott."

"It's Kate." Chris settled himself as he leaned against the opposite wall. "She went to the hospital because she wanted to confirm if Scott was dead or not and was ready to take his body."

"Yeah, I know that already. I was there, in case you forgot." He folded his arms. "So what?"

"So, why would want Scott's body if he was dead?"

Stiles shrugged. It seemed obvious. "He's an Alpha. Why else would anyone want his body?"

"Yes, but for what? That's what has been bothering me. I can't think of a plausible way that Scott's body would benefit my sister in any way. Not how she is now. Unless it wasn't for her."

Stiles actually straightened up. "What?"

"Kate was sloppy when she came back. The Calaveras were able to easily track her back to Beacon Hills and to La Iglesia. I was also able to follow her movements, especially after she mauled that gas station clerk. That was why she wanted the triskele from the Hale Vault. To learn control. It didn't work out but recently she's found a way to stay out of sight. I tried to track her after the hospital but she was able to cover her trail. It has to mean that someone is helping her and with her history, I'm sure it's not someone that's doing it for free. It might just be someone that is demanding Scott as their price."

Stiles' jaw tightened. "So why are telling me and not him?"

"Because they might be watching him." Chris shook his head. "And I don't want them to know that I'm onto them. Neither does Braeden."

"Braeden?"

"We're both after Kate so we're sharing information." He went and straightened himself a bit as he looked down on Stiles. "I'm sure you could understand, considering you've worked with her. Back in Mexico and I know you tipped her about the hospital soon after it happened."

Stiles folded his arms. "Yeah, I did. I told her about Kate being there, and even about you having her at gunpoint but the only shot you let out that night just missed me," he said pointing to himself. "And you know what she told me? That a hunter like you only ever shoots at what he wants to."

Chris folded his own arms at him. "Stiles, if I really was trying to shoot you, I wouldn't have missed."

"Oh right, because you're on our side now, how stupid of me," he said rolling his eyes. "After all that's the only reason why an Argent is ever here in town. And why you're here now."

Chris narrowed his eyes. He wasn't fooled. "What is this Stiles?"

"What?" he said taken aback.

"I'm not fooled one bit. You're not ranting, you're fishing. You're hoping to get me to slip up and say something. Your father tried the same thing when he wanted to see if I was the Benefactor, only he was a bit more direct. He came out and asked me if the real reason I was back was because I was trying to kill you, for what happened to my daughter? Is that what you're trying to do? Prove that the whole reason I'm back in Beacon Hills is to kill you, because of Allison."

Stiles was surprised that Argent just brought it out like that but quickly recovered and glared at him again. He just wouldn't believe that Argent flew all the way from France just because Scott texted him. He could get that he was looking for Kate, but he knew that couldn't be all that he was here for. "Considering that you smashed a car window and yanked Scott out to pull a gun at his head to shoot him just because you caught him and Allison kissing, I can't help but be suspicious."

"I was never going to shoot him," he defended himself.

"Why, it wouldn't exactly have been the first time," he bitterly shrugged off.

Chris had enough of this. "What do you want me to say Stiles? Huh? Just tell me what you want to hear me say and I'll say it. Do you want me to say that I wish I had killed you when I had the chance? That when you were our prisoner I shouldn't have taken that knife out of you and thrown it away. That I should gone and just slit your throat and plunged it into your heart. Or that when I had my gun on you when we were at the loft that I should've emptied the whole clip into your skull even if your father had a gun on me. That every time I look at you I can't help but always see the sight of you plunging a sword into my daughter and I wouldn't have to if I had just done what I couldn't do. And that the thought of you living and breathing while she isn't will haunt me to no end. That it's all I can do to not just string you up on a tree and take the longest and sharpest sword I could find and slice you in half. If that's what you really want to hear so badly then tell me because I will," he finished with a heated look on his face.

Stiles was just staring back at him with a blank expression. Argent was now facing him, eye to eye and Stiles was trying his hardest to not flinch and look away as he felt a tightness in his chest starting to form. He cleared his throat. "Please, don't hold back on my account," he said in a dry voice.

He disregarded the boy's sarcasm. "Stiles, the simple fact is that I'm not planning to kill you and you know I'm not lying about that."

Stiles just stared hard at him. He would be lying if he said that he didn't feel for Argent, especially after all that, but he couldn't afford to let that blind him to the facts, not like Scott. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean you're telling me the truth." Stiles then went to his desk and opened the bottom drawer and pulled out two chains. "Catch," he said as he threw them Argent's way.

Chris caught them and saw that they were pendants. There were round pendants on chains and he saw that they were both engraved with the same symbol. The Argent family crest. He knew what these were. He turned them around and looked to see where he knew would be initials and while one of them had a pair he didn't recognize, another one did. A very familiar set of initials. "Where did you get these?" he asked Stiles as he looked back up at him.

"From two of the assassins that were trying to kill us. One at the school and one that came to the lake house. As soon as I saw the symbol I recognized it."

Now Chris could see where this was going. "I didn't have anything to do with this."

"But they're friends of yours, aren't they?"

"No," he said to him.

Stiles narrowed his eyes. "Then why did one of them tell me your name?" Chris went silent so Stiles kept going. "He was leading the attack at the lake house and even when the list was shut down, he didn't want to stop until at least I was dead. Before he tried to kill me, he said that you 'had dibs on me but was overdue'?"

"It's not what you're thinking," he started.

But Stiles cut him off. "Oh, you mean if I'm thinking that to protect yourself and cover your ass you went to a couple of old buddies and called in a favor? Then what is it?"

"These medallions aren't like the ones my family has. These are made by recruited hunters that were brought in and trained under a family. They're made as a sign of respect for the training they received under them and a pledge of service to them and their code."

"So they're your cronies? You know, you're not really making a good case for yourself."

"After that whole mess with my father I disbanded my family's operation. All the hunters my family had left I sent them to go their separate ways. The ones you met must have decided to go rogue."

"And I'm just supposed to believe that? Believe you on this like I'm supposed to believe you about Scott having a supernatural stalker that's working with your sister?"

Chris pocketed the medallions. "What did Scott say when you told him?"

"I didn't tell him."

The hunter was surprised. "You didn't?"

"No, and I'm not planning to."

"Why?" This wasn't exactly the kind of thing you keep to yourself. Especially a beta from their Alpha.

Stiles scoffed. "Because there's no point. Scott wouldn't listen to me. He never does, not when it involves you or your family. He trusts all of you and nothing will ever change that. It doesn't matter what he hears, sees or what anyone says, to him you're perfect." He slammed the drawer shut. "The one last night said that you've all been wanting and waiting to take me out. He didn't care about being paid when the Deadpool was shut down. Your buddy wasn't leaving there until he killed me." Stiles let out a small laugh. "It's actually quite the genius plan with the Deadpool giving the most convenient cover. You're off with Scott, looking like the proud hero he seems to think you are and the one that sees you for what you truly are is tragically killed trying to stop the list. But Scott will just toss it all aside so why should I even bother?"

Chris was starting to find real weight behind Satomi's concerns. Something was happening between Scott and Stiles and he was at the root of it. "You know, this picture that you've gone and painted of me is way off Stiles."

"Oh?" Stiles injected. "How exactly am I off? Because even back when you were an active hunter you followed the code? Stuck to the rules the entire time. What was it again?" he asked mockingly as he knew perfectly well what it was. "We Hunt Those Who Hunt Us."

"Yes," Chris spat. "Have I hunted after werewolves? Yes. Did I have to hurt them? Yes, when the situation called for it and believe me, there was plenty of times it did. But, I never killed them, not unless they gave me no choice."

Stiles nodded. "And when they didn't?" he asked in a low tone. "You go out of your way to make them give you one, right? Like say, bashing in their car windows as you're surrounded by your armed friends while they watch. All to make them angry or desperate so they lash out. How about shooting them with poisoned bullets, deliberately avoiding a fatal shot. They don't die, well not directly because of you so the code still sticks. Or how about kidnapping and torturing them with knives, electric rods and jumper cables. You're not killing them so it's technically fair and when they resist you can kill them and claim it justified after the fact. I have to say, for all the talk you put into keeping and honoring your so-called code, you sure love your loopholes. Your code is nothing but garbage and can't be trusted." Chris remained silent so he kept going. "You wanna talk about a Nexus, well your family coming to Beacon Hills over eight years ago is where everything comes back to and stems from. You're the ones who made the Alpha Pack, Darach, and caused us to lose the Alpha that kept this town safe for years. And in the last two years we're all starting to pay for it. I see that, but Scott doesn't. And he won't, not with you, Kate, Gerard or even a month ago with the Calaveras. He doesn't want to see it with any hunter."

"Because of Allison," said Chris.

Stiles let a heated huff out through his nose. "From the very moment he laid eyes on her, Scott was blinded. First it was to risk our secret to try and impress her. Then it was risking his, Derek and my life so that he could date her. Ignoring what she and Kate and you did and were trying to do to us because he wanted to get back with her. Afterwards, it was selling us all out so that he could keep her. Then he downplayed what she, what all of you did and wanted to do to us, because he didn't want her to leave him, even when they weren't together anymore. He loved her and now that he'll never be with her, she has a tighter hold on him than ever and it's like he has to try to win her back through all of you. He can't think straight when it comes to any hunter, even when they are hurting and trying to kill us because, to him, you're all Allison."

"And you?" Chris asked lightly.

"What about me?" Stiles was starting to breathe a little harder than normal.

"Scott loved Allison, but you hated her." Stiles just silently glared at him. "Didn't you?" he pressed.

"Yes," he spat out. "I hated her and I still do. Ever since she came into my life, she's done nothing but make it hell! She messes with my best friend's mind and makes me into the bad guy whenever I said or did anything that didn't make her seem less than perfect! She goes and captures me, leaves me to be tortured and makes my dad go out of his mind and feel totally helpless when he sees me beaten and bruised and somehow, she ends up being the victim?! The only reason that she didn't even go through with any of it was because Gerard betrayed her before she could finish! And she has Scott rushing to her rescue whenever I so much as narrow my eyes at her! Then she goes and dies all to try and save my life. So now, it's like I'm just supposed to pretend that everything she did to me, to Erica, Boyd, tried to do to Derek and put my dad through is all forgiven which makes me mad! But then, I feel guilty because I feel like I'm a bad person for feeling that. And that only makes me madder because it's like she's cheating to force me to have to forgive her. Then I feel guiltier for thinking that she died all so she could hold something over me. Which only makes me angrier because it's like I'm suddenly wrong to feel angry and keep hating her for what happened as I still have nightmares and flashes of all of it. And that makes feel guilty again, which only makes me madder, which of course only makes me feel more guilty, which makes me more mad! No matter what, I'm screwed, thanks to her!" He then let himself reveal his blue eyes to emphasize that point.

It seemed that tirade took quite a bit out of him because Stiles was taking deep, winded breaths like he had just run a marathon and he turned to look away from the hunter as he grabbed the hair on the back of his head furiously. It was obvious to Chris that had all been building and bottled up in the boy for the longest time and he hadn't meant to say as much as he had. As hard as it was, he was actually taking it as a good sign. Some part of Stiles had to believe that it was easy to unload what he clearly had been holding in for a while, even if it was to someone he felt wasn't to be trusted. Hopefully they could build from that. He waited a moment until it looked like Stiles had settled himself before he started talking again.

"Well...I hope you didn't hold back on my account," he said dully. Stiles gave him an annoyed look but Chris didn't give him a chance to respond as he went and dug into his shirt collar and pulled out the chain he had on under it. He then took it off and bunched it into his hand. He looked at it for a moment before he tossed it up at him. "Catch," he said when he did.

Stiles caught it with his right hand and took a look. It was a pendant but it wasn't the Argent pendant that he was familiar with. It had a small shield shape and pressed into the shield was the Argent family crest. Below the shield was a feathered arrow that was pointed down. He also saw that it seemed to be made from pure silver. "What is this?"

"It's something I made myself. It was meant be the new Argent family pendant. The night that she was making her silver arrowhead, I went to make this for her. I wanted it to be a surprise and give it to her after she finished her initiation ceremony…but I wasn't able to give this to her. She never even saw it." He took a moment to despair that fact before he shook out of it. "Turn it around."

Stiles did and he found something on the back of the shield. It was an inscription and it was in chicken scratch but Stiles could make out a motto. There was also something engraved on the neck of the arrow. It was the word Protéger. All the words looked French. "What does it say?"

The shield is a motto: We Protect Those Who Can't Protect Themselves. Allison made it up herself. And the word on the arrow is Protector. That is what Allison wanted to be. For our family's new legacy to be. Not hunters, protectors. After she died, I wanted to leave it at her grave, but with me being a wanted man, I couldn't go near it. So, I've been wearing it ever since."

Stiles let himself stare at the pendant a bit longer. He had to admit, it actually looked kind of neat. But he shook himself out of his stupor and tore his eyes away and looked back at Chris. "Why are you telling me all this? Or showing me this?" he asked with a restrained hitch in his voice.

"Don't worry, I'm not trying to make you feel worse or garner any sympathy. I'm giving it to you."

Stiles was thrown. He wasn't sure he heard that right. "What?"

"Not permanently. At least until I find Kate. I just want you to hold onto it for me. It's all I have left of Allison and is the most important thing in the world to me. I'm trusting you with it. What happens next depends on you."

"Why?"

Chris sighed. "Because trust has to start somewhere. And, with our particular case, it looks like it has to start with me." He then looked at his watch. "And it looks like my ten minutes ran out ten minutes ago," he said, showing him the time. "I told you about the danger Scott might be in, and what you choose to make of it is up you." Chris began to move out of the room but Stiles didn't follow. He kept his gaze on the pendant laid out in his palm. "Oh," Chris said stopping himself at the doorway. "And you don't have to."

Stiles still had his back to him but he moved his gaze towards the window ahead of him. "Have to what?" he mumbled back to him.

"Forgive her," explained Chris as his eyes got a little shiny. "Before she died…Allison had said that you didn't have to do something. She wasn't able, to finish," he muttered sadly. "But I think she meant that you didn't have to forgive her. She wasn't there to try and balance the scale or make up for her mistakes. She wasn't even there for Scott. She had been there that night because she felt you were someone worth protecting and saving even if you hated her and always would. If you still couldn't forgive her, my daughter was okay with that."

"And that's just okay with you?"

"Me? If that was her final choice, then I have to accept it despite what I feel. But, if something happens to you Stiles, then that means that my daughter died for nothing and that I won't accept, no matter what. So you don't have to trust me, but I ask for you to at least trust in that."

Stiles had kept his back to Chris so the man hadn't seen the angry tear running down the side of his eye as the boy kept glaring out in the direction of the window during his final words. As the hunter finally moved to leave Stiles looked back down at the pendant. Allison's pendant. The one that she never got a chance to hold, let alone wear. His eyes, which had stayed glowing blue since the end of his spat, they slowly faded and went back to his normal honey brown as he let his fingers rub over to design.

Chris saw that Stiles wasn't turning to look back at him so he headed off, grabbing his jacket and then out the front door. Chris felt a sting in his arm and his hand went to rub over the scars to try and ebb it away. He wasn't sure if Stiles would really believe what he feared about Kate and whomever she was undoubtedly working with, but he hoped he would at least be on his guard. One thing that he did agree with Stiles about Scott was that the Alpha could be too trusting for his own good. That's why it made more tactical sense to reach out and warn Stiles rather than Scott. And, hopefully it would help in loosening the tension that seemed to be building between the two teens as far as the issue of himself was concerned. But, right now, his meeting with Stiles had given him a new issue. The pain in his arm subsided and he used that hand to reach into his pocket and look at the hunter medallions. Or one of them. The one with RB inscribed on the back with claw mark used to underline it.

---

Laura Hale smiled as she drove passed the Welcome to Beacon Hills sign as she pulled into town in her Camaro. She was visiting for the weekend so that she could attend the wedding of her mother's beta Ray. She was excited to see everyone again. She had been away for over two weeks and she already deeply missed everyone. She pulled into the front of her family's house to see that Ray's car was already parked in the driveway. She opened the front door, expecting to see and hear happy people inside, but was greeted with yelling and the sight of her mother trying to retrain Ray with the help of Peter.

"Where is she? Is she okay?" he asked as he frantically paced with Peter right behind him.

"She's fine Ray," Talia said gently but sternly. "I took her home right after and told her to call the police if she saw them again. You have to calm down."

Ray's shoulder was being pushed down by Peter but he pulled it back and out of Peter's grip. "Don't tell me to calm down! Hunting and harassing me was one thing, but for Argent and his cronies to go after my fiancé. She's innocent and has done nothing wrong and they went after her to get to me." His fangs were starting to poke through his clenched teeth.

"Ray," Talia said sternly, her wolfish nature leaking out in her tone.

"What's going on?" Laura spoke out making the three wolves turn to her in shock.

"Laura!" Talia's face immediately softened and she rushed to go over and give her daughter a hug. "You made it."

"Yeah," she said returning the hug. She then broke free. "What's going on."

Peter sighed. "The Argents. They went and targeted Janice."

Laura's eyes widened. "What?! Is she alright?"

"She's fine," her mother assured her. "They only scared her."

"Only?" Ray growled under his breath.

Peter huffed heatedly through his nose. "Seems the hunters got tired of just watching us to track down the rest of the pack so they are trying to force us into the open. They already know about Ray so they went after his fiancé."

"How did they even know I was getting married and to who? I was so careful to make sure no one saw me with her since you had us go under Talia?"

She was stumped. "I guess they've been asking around about you and studying your history since you're the only beta outside my family they know."

Ray balled his hands into a tight fist, so tight that his claws were digging into his palms and some blood was leaking out. "Well if they want to know me that much then they'll get to know my claws when I go and tear their faces off!"

"Yes, which is exactly what they want Ray!" Talia spat back. "They want you to lose it and go for them. When you do, they can justify killing you as per their code. Don't give them the excuse they want."

"So what?" Ray growled. "I'm just supposed to sit on my hands while they get away with harassing Janice scot free?"

Talia raised her eyebrows a little amused to everyone's immediate befuddlement. "Oh, they didn't exactly get away scot free. Janice left her own impression on them," she said with some satisfaction on top of amusement leaking out in her tone. "She gave Argent one hell of a right hook while she left a good mark on his friend's cheek. Too bad for him that we were saving the manicures for later."

Laura couldn't help the small snickers escaping her and Ray was still frowning but some pride started to swell in him on how his fiancé let the hunters have it.

But Peter scoffed. "So, what? You really think they're going to back off and call it quits just because of a bruise and scratch?" he asked as he rose his voice a bit higher than before. "The full moon is on Sunday; that's three days away. He looked pointedly at Ray. "Ray, I'm happy to see that at least you seem to be taking what they just tried to pull on your fiancé seriously," he said letting his eyes roam back to his now glaring sister. "Can't you see that now no one connected to the pack is safe, werewolf or human, and you still want to do nothing?"

Talia's eyes went narrower. "I never said we do nothing. Ray and Janice are going to get married this weekend and it will be the best time of their lives and no one is going to ruin that. I'll see to it that nothing happens to her. Okay?"

"Oh you'll see to it?" Peter savagely threw in. "Like two years ago when you 'saw' to keeping Laura's little friend safe when hunters had their eye on him because you did such a good job there." He then looked over at his niece. "What was he called again?"

"Peter," Talia said in warning.

But her brother ignored her. "Oh right. Riley."

Tears started to fall from the corners of Laura's eyes as she glared at her uncle. Talia also noticed that Ray's breathing was starting to pick up and she could feel that he was close to losing it again. Talia knew her brother was going too far.

"Peter, that's enough!" she spat out at him. "Go outside and wait for me at the porch, now!" she ordered.

Peter huffed out through his nose but stomped out and slammed the front door behind him. Ray grit his teeth before quickly turned and moved to grip onto the opposite wall. Talia moved over and ran a comforting hand up and down his back. Ray let himself lean into his Alpha as he slowly took long deep breaths and started to mumble. The three hearing sensitives could easily make out his words of 'Alpha, Beta, Omega' being repeatedly uttered under his breath.

When his heart rate settled back down, Talia pulled her arm away. "Laura, can you stay with Ray for a moment?" Laura nodded as she was trying to subtly get rid of the tears that had come out. "Laura?"

"I'm fine mom," she said kind of quickly and sternly. "Really."

Talia just nodded before she followed after her brother. Peter was pacing angrily but stopped when he heard the front door open and close. His back was facing it but he didn't need to see that his sister was there and was glaring daggers at him.

"Something you want to say?" he hissed out.

"Where, the hell, do you get off Peter?" Talia wasn't screaming or hissing out her words. They were calm and collected but you could easily pick out the fierce rage in each syllable she had spoken in. So much that Peter was fighting the urge to flinch. "How dare you throw Riley back in my face, in front of Laura no less."

Peter pulled out all of his inner strength to turn around and face his sister with a steely and unrelenting look. "Why not Talia? After all, isn't that the whole reason why you picked Laura to be your successor? You made her your second after it happened too. All because you're trying to make it up to her for letting her lose Riley and doing nothing about it?"

"No, I chose Laura because she the best suited to take over for me. And I made her my second because I was seeing that my former one was starting to turn into a bloated idiot with self-entitlement issues," she said giving her brother a pointed look. "And I didn't let her lose him or do nothing."

"You didn't hide the fact that you didn't like him. Always trying to talk them away from being with each other, that's why you lied to her about looking for him when he vanished. Then after his body turned up, you just let his killers walk. You know the Argents killed him and let it slide. Old habits die hard I guess."

"We don't know if it was the Argents. For all we know, it was the one that Riley was hunting after. There was nothing on his body to prove exactly who it was."

Peter wasn't done. "At least you're consistent, aren't you sis? I mean, Laura and her first love. Then Derek and his first love. Cora's next in line, isn't she? You going to have her lose her first love too? Complete the tradition?" Peter said no more as Talia had charged forward and gave Peter the hardest slap she could muster. He put a hand to his face to see that it was bleeding as Talia had put her claws into that one. "You know, if only you defended us more often with the same ferocity then maybe then our family, our pack wouldn't be so afraid to actually live in our own town. But instead you let the Argents be the ones who feel secure in this town as they plot to destroy us because they know that they're completely safe to do whatever they want."

"Well if that's what they really believe then they're wrong," she growled. "This is my territory, our home, and they aren't welcome here. But, we can't and won't do anything to them unless they actually do something to us."

"So we just stand back and wait until they draw first blood? Talia, you are insane. When they do finally draw blood, it won't be a spill, it'll be a damn flood. This whole thing with Janice just proves they're getting impatient. What happens when they step up and come for us more directly? Are we just supposed to mope around like lambs to the slaughter?!"

Talia's red eyes started to shine through. They actually flashed bright red, brighter than usual. "If they so much as bend a strand of hair from any of our heads, then I'll personally go and break every one of them in half. I will tear out each one of their hearts and show it to them as their light fades from their eyes. But, this pack won't cast the first stone. We have a code too, and unlike them, we follow it, to the letter. No loopholes or cutting corners." She then pointed a clawed finger at him. "And if you so much as try to cross even a toe out of line, I'll rip it and your throat off. You understand?" she threatened lowly.

He let out a deep heated breath. "Completely," he sighed out.

Back inside the house, Ray was still taking deep breaths as he kept himself in check. Laura was sitting the arm of the couch as she stared off at the front door.

"You okay?"

Laura turned away and looked over at Ray as he looked at her in concern. "Shouldn't it be me asking that?" she asked sadly but with a bit of amusement leaking in.

Ray finally cracked somewhat of a smile even if he was still feeling a bit on edge. He wanted something to distract himself from his own thoughts. "Laura, who was Peter talking about? Who's this Riley guy?" Laura looked back at him and he flinched back. He then realized "Oh, no. Forget I asked."

Laura sighed. "No, it's okay." Ray had been turned and brought into the pack a couple of months after all of that and they all were resolved into not talking about it so of course he wouldn't know who he was. She sighed and cleared her throat. "Uh it was a bit before you first met us. Close to two years ago, this guy came to Beacon Hills and came to visit my mother. His name was Riley Astor. He was a shape-shifter."

"Werewolf?" asked Ray.

Laura shook his head. "No. He was…something else. Anyway, his father had just been killed and he had tracked his killer to somewhere around here. He knew that my mother was the Alpha and this was her territory so he came to ask her permission to track him on our land. My mom not only gave him permission but even offered to help. I was on the track team so I ran the trails on the preserve and would run into him from time to time."

Ray saw Laura's eyes soften a bit and guessed where this was going. "You two got close."

She let a small smile come over her. Laura took a moment to remember Riley's cute dimples that he showed off whenever he smiled at her. His dark and wavy hair that helped compliment a kind of wandering rebel look and he often would try to have the attitude to match. But as he did, she really liked the caring guy that he truly was underneath, especially when he spoke of the younger brother waiting for him back home. "Yeah. We did. Mom found out and she kind of wasn't too happy. She thought that us hanging out together so much wasn't a good idea. I mean, he was older than me for one. He was already out of school for over a year and I was a junior and she kept reminding me that he was only here temporarily so I shouldn't get too attached, but I couldn't help it. He actually became my…first." She had a flash of running her hands along his tanned toned body. Riley was quite tall and toned, not too overly muscular. He was a bit on the lanky side, like a swimmer but it actually helped and worked out for him when he did his 'thing' and shifted to move and fight.

"Oh," Ray said with an awkward nod as his wolf senses started to detect Laura's lingering heavy attraction for Riley. But then his face fell. "Something tells me the story only goes downhill from here.".

"All of a sudden, he went missing. I hadn't heard from him for days and my mother told me that I shouldn't worry as Riley had probably gotten a lead or had left Beacon Hills and I shouldn't worry. But I did and spent two days straight looking for him before his body had been found in the tunnels of the city's water purification plant by some maintenance surveyors."

"What happened to him?"

Laura rubbed at her upper lip to catch a stray tear. "Uh…he had been cut into. It looked like there were knife wounds all over the body. And…someone took his talons."

Ray narrowed his eyes. "Talons? You mean his claws, right?"

"No," She shook her head. "I mean talons. His wings had been clipped too." Ray's eyes widened at the word wings. "Like I said, he was different. Anyway, my mother looked into it and realized that he hadn't been killed there. She had managed to pick up a small trail leading from the plant to an abandoned depot in town where she found a large spot of his blood. His body had been dumped there, away from where he had been killed."

"Did she find who did it?" Ray asked.

"No. Whoever had been there had covered their tracks and concealed any scents to follow from there but she could tell that it was more than one. My uncle thought that the Argents had something to do with it. Their leader Gerard had started poking around for a few days at the time but my mother guessed that Riley might've found who he was looking for and had tried to go for them alone and gotten taken down."

"Oh, I'm sorry Laura. I shouldn't have brought it up."

"It's okay, and it wasn't you. Peter brought it up. I just hope that things can go better for you and Janice then they did for me and Riley." Or Derek and Paige, she had silently added.

---

Scott was looking through a PSAT study guide. There was an announcement made that the PSAT's were being re-given in two weeks. He needed to get a good score on the PSAT, if only to help and make up for his average. Scott was starting to get a little scared at how it was looking. The first half of junior year, his grades had never looked better. He had been getting solid B's and B+'s along with the random A here and there. His mother had been so proud of him, so had he. But, in the last month since the new term started, seeing a B had become rare. After the Quarantine, Scott had been called into the guidance office as the new counselor, Ms. Monroe, had seen his latest drop and had heard concerns from a few teachers that he might be backsliding into the slump he was in last year. Scott had missed a few assignments and the ones he'd done were coming back a full letter grade lower than before. Scott knew why his grades were starting to suffer. What with the assassins and Liam, he hadn't been devoting as much focus in school as he'd been before, but that was just one of the problems. The work had always been hard for him to get right away, even at the start of term, but having smart friends like Stiles and Lydia to help him study and understand had started to change that. Lately though, Lydia's study notes tended to drift towards Malia so that she could catch up with everyone else.

Then there was Stiles. He was also going off and studying more with Malia. She was his girlfriend after all so it would make sense that he would want to help her but it was more than that. Even after he and Malia had their falling out, they haven't come together to study not once. Scott noticed that outside school and pack related matters, he and Stiles weren't hanging around with each other much. And, even in those times, they seemed to be getting at each other's throats. Scott looked back and realized that this had been building for a while, since the school year started. Stiles hadn't been what some would call a people person but he'd been having quite a lot of trust issues lately. Kira and Liam, it was obvious they were good people but his friend had been hesitant to let himself see that. At least now it looked like Stiles was passed that, but was still refusing to see it with Argent. And…with Allison. When Scott went to her funeral, he'd noticed that Stiles hadn't been there. Lydia, Isaac and even Kira had gone, but not him. Even after everything, it looked like he still didn't want to let go of his bitter feelings for her or her father. Stiles was more than just bitter though. Last night, when he was standing over that assassin, ready and willing to rip him to shreds, Scott had actually found the notion…satisfying. And that scared him. But Stiles, it was like he was too eager to indulge himself with tearing into people, kind of like the other him had been. He guessed that Stiles wouldn't be quite the same after he was saved from his possession and went back to being a werewolf but this was a far cry from what he was used to. He'd hardly even seen Stiles old smile or laugh. Anything close to one he'd been seeing lately had always been laced with sarcasm or maliciousness. It was like a part of Void Stiles had permanently set in and wouldn't go away. Sometimes, he swore that he could see it every time Stiles shifted, and he looked into his eyes. Scott took a moment to sigh to himself as a flash of blue invaded his mind and feel as if a knot just tied in his stomach. He swallowed to try and stave it away.

That's why he'd started freaking out about him and Liam when he heard it. He didn't risk having Liam get that part of Stiles to rub off when he already had trouble with his anger. Sure, he'd admit that Stiles tended to know what he was talking about when it came to learning to control and tap into their abilities. It was how Liam might start thinking of using them that had his concern. He didn't hesitate to use what Stiles showed him against Deputy Haigh and was close to losing it. He just hoped that with the danger now gone, things could slow down enough for Liam to start getting back some semblance of normalcy in his life and focus less on learning to be a werewolf and more on being a high school kid. For all of them to.

Scott found he couldn't put much focus on the PSAT guide anymore now and looked over at the clock to see he'd been working for over an hour when he went to give himself a break. He had gone to the kitchen to fix himself a sandwich and he opened the fridge to see that there was not too much in there. The power company had denied his mother's request to have their electricity returned when she called because the payment was just too late and she did end up having to throw out the groceries as they spoiled. She had managed to pay the bill a few days ago so the power was back now though the damage had clearly been done. He saw that there were some smoked ham slices left so he made himself a simple ham sandwich. His mother was still at the hospital, working a double shift to make at least make the main mortgage payment before she worked on the late fees as they were on their second notice. She had been calling the Sheriff to give her a ride to and from work to try and cut down on gas costs for the car. With the Deadpool over and done with, Scott was now free to focus and fully despair on their own financial problems.

He glumly finished his sandwich and got back to his room but froze when his eyes fell on the duffle bag leaking out from under his bed. He found himself bending down and pulling it out. He opened it and his hands went over the piles of money that was inside it. He found himself breathing a little quickly and his pulse spiking at the touch of it. Everything that was running through Scott's mind seemed to be pressing in all at once. The Deadpool was done and all this money wouldn't be missed compared with the rest that was taken. For all anyone knew, it was long gone. Only he and Stiles even knew it was here and even with what seemed to be going on with them, Stiles hadn't said anything to anyone about it. Scott didn't really know what possessed him to think all that, or to do what he did next. Before he knew it, he was taking four one hundred-dollar bills, each one from a different stack to make them still seemed untouched and pocketed them. He was breathing a little hard after he did, before he kicked the bag back under his bed and went to grab his jacket as he moved to get into his mom's car and was driving off for the supermarket. He calmly walked down the aisles with a shopping cart as he slowly loaded it with things that he felt they needed, and in other cases, didn't need. For the first time in weeks, he wasn't worrying about money or costs.

As he was looking at some frozen meat, his phone started ringing. He saw that it was Kira. "Hi Kira," he answered.

"Scott, my mom's fully recovered," she quickly chimed in.

Scott's eyes widened. "What?"

"Yeah. All the scars she had have healed and she's not in pain anymore. She's back to normal. As soon as I found out, I just had to call you."

"That's great Kira."

"It was." Kira's tone then changed. "But, she and my dad heard about what happened last night. They were freaked, especially when they saw the news about all those assassins getting arrested at Lydia's lake house. The pictures that they showed of the bullet holes in the walls and all the damage got to them and they started asking if that was how it was with me."

"Yeah, it was crazy. But, it's behind us now. We can finally relax and get back to our normal lives."

"And what does one do with a normal life Scott," she said teasingly. "It's been only around four months but I feel like I can't remember what passes for normal."

"Well, how about I help you remember? With a date."

Kira paused for a moment. "A date? You mean, you and me?"

"Yeah," he sighed out with a smile but then it quickly fell. "Don't you want to?" he asked, starting to get scared she'll say no.

"Uh, yeah," she panted out. "Of course. I'd love to."

"Great."

Scott was so giddy after that he was getting reckless with the shopping cart, so much that he nearly ran it into three different people. He suddenly found shopping to be one of the most enjoyable things ever. After about an hour, Scott was at the cashier line and watched all the groceries get rung through, and found there was actually some money left over to buy a good decent meal. He decided that he would to surprise his mother at work before he went back home and let her be further surprised when she got back and saw the kitchen and fridge fully stocked. Groceries done, a soon to be happy mom, and he had a real date with Kira, his day couldn't get any better.

As he was rolling the cart out into the parking lot and heading for the car, his eyes fell to the road and he froze when he spotted a familiar blue jeep. It was stopped at the signal light and Scott made out Stiles' face in the driver's seat. Scott focused his vision and saw that Stiles lips were moving, like he was talking to someone and he realized that his friend wasn't alone. Stiles settled back a bit into his seat and gave Scott a clearer view of the passenger seat next to him, where he spotted Liam. Scott then narrowed his eyes as he detected a hint of fear from their direction. It was from Liam. Before he could react, the signal went green and the jeep quickly went off. Scott found himself narrowing his eyes at the distancing jeep and the direction they were going. Scott knew they weren't heading for either of their homes or to the school. If he had to guess, they seemed to be heading for the woods and if they were then he knew why. But what he didn't know was why Liam seem so worried? His earlier high spirit had sunk.

---

The town of Beacon Hills had much in the way of beautiful natural scenery. One of those places was a community garden that had a good view of the mountain cliffside nearby It had been reserved for the wedding and would be the perfect setting for the ultimate ceremony. Talia was helping to see that everything had been ready beforehand both with the ceremony, and with security. Thanks to the owner of the bridal shop making the report of the hunters' little incident, Talia was able to go to the new Sheriff, Noah Stilinski, and collaborate the story as she used it as a precedent to ask for some extra protection for the wedding. She went and manipulated the truth a little and spun that her friend Janice was being harassed and she was worried that someone might do something at her wedding like they did at the shop. Stilinski agreed with her concern and said that he would have a few deputies stationed around the wedding and would personally be there to make sure that no one would so much as step foot around there without an invite. When she smiled gratefully at him, Talia managed to pick up a mild hint of attraction coming off as he momentarily got caught up her gaze before he blinked himself back into focus. She felt it was a good development as him being taken with her could really come in handy in the near future so she went and offered her number, but he politely declined to her surprise. She had picked up sadness and some grief behind his refusal. Later, she learned that his wife had passed almost half a year ago and felt a little guilty for her manipulation attempt. However, they now had what she needed to at least keep her promise to Ray and make sure that Chris Argent and his cronies didn't ruin this time for Ray, Janice or the pack.

As the song 'Here Comes the Bride' played on the musician's keyboard, Cora began walking down the carpeted aisle, glowing and beautiful in her flower girl dress, as laid the flower trail behind her. Janice then began to walk over to the flower arch where Ray was standing in wait with his best man. He was smiling widely as he got closer and he could smell her own joy with his super senses. There were roughly over fifty guests seated, including the whole entire Hale family and the pack as they were nestled on the groom's side. When the vows were traded between the two, as well as the rings, the Minister began the final vows.

"Do you, Raymond Terrell, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health till death do you part?"

Ray smiled. "I do," he said unflinchingly.

"And do you, Janice Martin, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health till death do you part?"

"I do," Janice said just as unflinchingly.

"Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Ray and Janice then moved to kiss each other just as the marriage score started playing and everyone stood to applaud the new married couple. The ladies all then gathered as Janice was getting ready to throw the bouquet. It had gone and been caught by Cora, who had screamed in delight while all the women laughed in amusement.

In the next hour, the garden was full of music and laughter as all the wedding guests were dancing and drinking together. The bride and groom were at the center as they swayed together in the middle of everyone. Talia was strolling through the activity, keeping a watchful eye. She spotted her brother, dancing with one of the bridesmaids, talking and flirting her up and she seemed to like it. She spotted her betas here and there and caught sight of Cora laughing and playing with the other kids. She caught sight of Derek, in some far corner of the party, talking with his sister Laura. It seemed everything was going fine. Talia then looked over and spotted Sheriff Stilinski calmly watching from behind a fence with a focused look on his face. As she stared at him, she couldn't help but think that with how the sunlight was hitting, the man was quite handsome. She then found herself remembering the Tate wreckage. She remembered that Stilinski had been there that day and she recalled that he had taken it upon himself to take the stressful responsibility of breaking the news to Henry Tate personally. And now he was determined to protect everyone here and make sure nothing bad happened. It was clear that he was both a dedicated and compassionate man, and Talia couldn't help but find it adding to his appeal. With everyone caught up in all the fun, she moved on over for him.

"Oh, Ms Hale," he said when he noticed her coming over.

"Please, call me Talia."

"Talia," He smiled at her before looking at the bridesmaid dress she was wearing. "Nice dress."

She let herself look down at the ridiculous peach dress she was wearing and rose a skeptical eyebrow at him. "No, it isn't."

He let out a small laugh. "Well, it's whole lot better than what my wife's bridesmaids wore at our wedding. If you had seen them, believe me, you would agree that you got off lucky."

She let off a small laugh herself before her face softened a bit as she saw that he was now feeling sad. She then remembered what she learned about his wife. "I heard that she just passed. I'm sorry."

"Thank you," he mumbled gratefully to her. "It's been hard, especially for my son Stiles."

She rose an eyebrow, not at fact he had a son, but at what he was called. "That's an interesting name."

Noah's lip curved a bit. "It's what he likes to be called. His name is kind of hard for people to say."

"How old is he?"

"Just turned nine."

"Oh, my youngest is the same age. That's not a good age to experience loss, especially someone like that."

He shook his head. "No, it isn't. He's started to get panic attacks and I've caught him sleepwalking at least two times since then."

"My…where's your son now?" she asked in concern.

"He's over at his best friend's house while his parents are watching them." He then sighed. "I've tried to help but I feel like I'm not doing much to get him through this. Especially when I have my own grief and pain to deal with. I don't know what else to do."

Talia stood there and let the man unload his troubles to her. Sometimes, it was easier to share things like that with a stranger. Her gaze fell a bit. "Keep trying," she told him. "That's all you really can do, try. Just, one day at a time."

"Speaking from personal experience?" he asked and Talia looked down towards the ground. Her silence was all the answer he needed. "You have kids, right?"

"Three."

"But you're alone at a wedding. They lost their father, your husband too?"

"Oh, their father and I weren't married." His eyes widened a little at that. "It was…complicated," she sighed out. "He wasn't really in a situation where he could stick around as long as either one of us wanted."

"Career?" Noah guessed.

She somewhat nodded. "Yeah, you could say that." He was a strong werewolf, one who could shapeshift like her and also like her, was a dedicated Alpha. He and Talia had met through a mutual acquaintance and they had seen each other on and off for quite a few years. They had quite a lot in common and felt a strong, and intimate connection and had given into it quite a few times over the years when they crossed paths. Three of those times resulted in Laura, Derek and Cora. But he couldn't stay in Beacon Hills and be a constant in their lives because of the werewolves in his charge. That was really why she didn't want Laura to get involved with Riley, so she didn't get herself into the same complicated and difficult situation. "He died almost five years ago," she explained to the Sheriff. Killed actually, defending his pack against a rival group of shapeshifters. Talia wanted to track them down and avenge him but she couldn't as she had her own pack and children to focus on. And recently, it felt like she wasn't doing too good of a job keeping them safe and away from those that were trying to hurt them. Talia didn't want to admit it but Peter's words of having a habit of doing nothing as bad things happen to her family was starting to eat at her.

"I'm sorry," Noah mumbled to her as he saw her sinking into her own depression. He looked back out to where the party was visible and decided to get them both out of this fit of self-pity they had both found themselves in. "Well, it had been a great wedding and the party seems to be going well."

She nodded as she tried to push out of her funk. "Yes. Everyone is having a good time. It's all-"

"Going off without a hitch?" he offered.

Talia tilted her head. "Interesting choice of words for where two just got hitched, wouldn't you say?"

Noah let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, I thought so."

'Funny and Handsome,' Talia thought amusingly to herself. Talia looked around and noticed a woman nearby in a deputy uniform. She was able to pick up quite a bit of vigilance coming from her and grew concerned. "Has there been any trouble?"

He shook his head. "No," he said mildly.

But Talia narrowed her eyes. The Sheriff's heart had jumped. "Are you sure? No problems, whatsoever?"

Noah looked over at Talia and saw that she seemed to be trying to stare him into submission. For some reason, he found himself cracking under the pressure of her unflinching gaze. "Well… there was an incident. However, it's under control," he said quickly.

"What kind of incident?"

"It's nothing to worry about now. I don't want you or your friends to have your day spoiled."

But Talia only pushed harder. "Please Sheriff, it's okay, tell me. I need to know."

He sighed. "We didn't want to start a panic but, during the vows one of my deputies caught someone sneaking around, a man. He saw that he was noticed and tried to subtly leave but my deputy went to confront him and ask what he was doing there when the man pushed him down and made a break for it."

"Oh, was your deputy hurt? Did you catch the man?" she quickly asked.

"Fortunately my deputy is okay. Unfortunately the perp got away," he heatedly sighed out. "My deputy said that he had hopped into a van and it quickly drove off. But he managed to get a decent look at the guy when he got pushed. He left to go to our sketch artist while its still fresh."

Talia narrowed her eyes. "What did he look like?"

"Uh I believe he said he was around early to mid-30's, tall, with dark and somewhat long and curly brown hair. Oh and he noticed a long scratch at his cheek."

Talia knew who it was. It was the hunter that had been with Chris Argent at the store. The one Janice scratched. She went back to the party and quickly spotted Laura as she was talking with some of Janice's work friends. She called for her daughter so they could talk.

"Is something wrong mom?" she asked.

"Maybe. It's best that you keep an eye out." But she noticed something missing, or rather someone. "Where's Derek?"

Laura scanned the length of the party but didn't see him. "I don't know."

They didn't see that Derek wasn't the only one that was missing.

At that moment, Derek was heading inside an apartment building and riding the elevator to the right floor. He had talked with his sister about what their mother was planning for this weekend. Since the full moon was on Sunday night, and emotions had been rather high with everyone because of the wedding, the pack was coming together at their house to watch and be with each other during it. Derek realized that he would have all the more people keeping an eye on him so he couldn't sneak out to go to Senior Scribe. In the meantime, Laura was leaving Saturday to head back to Berkeley with no worries whatsoever. He got so mad that he didn't feel in much of a mood to enjoy the party. Laura suggested that he try to talk with one of the daughters of Janice's work friends but he didn't want to. Not when he already had someone that really understood him and he enjoyed being with. Kate. After he had learned that she was an Argent, she had told him that primarily served as her family's lore and tracking expert. She showed him that she actually preferred to limit her experiences with werewolves and other shapeshifters to books and illustrations. She actually wanted to become a teacher which was why she was working as a T.A. at the high school this summer for an internship. He asked if she knew how to shoot and she confessed that she did as she was taught how to defend herself as there would be shapeshifters that hated her family and would go after her as she would be target for getting revenge. As they got more and more into talking, Derek found that he and Kate had a lot in common with how they felt about their families. He felt that he finally had someone that could truly understand him and didn't have to keep secrets from. He got to the apartment door and knocked and about ten seconds later, it opened and there she was, as pretty as ever.

She opened it and her eyes widened at the sight of him in the tuxedo. "Wow, you didn't have to get so dressed up for me," she joked. "Especially when I didn't get a chance to dress for the occasion."

He rose his eyebrows as he saw that Kate was only wearing a simple button shirt and sweats. "Thought I would treat you," he flirted back to her.

She looked him up and down with a seductive twitch in her eye. "Well this treat looks quite good in its packaging. So it must be quite yummy underneath."

Derek moved to step inside. "Then come and have a bite."

Kate quickly closed the door behind him and pulled him into her bedroom. They then slammed their lips into each other as Kate moved to run her hands across his face and hair. Derek wrapped his arms around Kate's hips and pulled her as close as he could to him. Their kisses were hard and sloppy as they banged along the walls as they moved to get each other's clothes off. Derek pulled his suit jacket off and Kate went and ripped his shirt open, sending the buttons flying everywhere before tugging it off making the top part of him bare. She kissed and licked at his chest as he reached down to quickly open the buttons of the shirt she was wearing and pushed it to the sides of her shoulders to reveal that she wasn't wearing a bra underneath. He then threw her onto the bed as he moved to begin to unbuckle his belt and pull his pants down and then took his shoes and socks off before having his pants removed and thrown off to the side. Kate lay on her back to reach to her waist and slowly pull her sweat pants off as Derek's eyes intently followed after her hands as she did so and revealed her dark lace panties underneath. As soon as she tossed her sweats to the side, he moved to join her on the bed and they were on their knees as they started to softly make out. They let themselves feel the contact of their skin as they both had barely any coverings but it quickly started to heat up and they soon became too much to have on. Derek pushed the shirt she was wearing fully off her shoulders and began to kiss at them before he began licking a small trail down to her breasts. Kate pulled at his hair as he worked his tongue on her before she suddenly pushed him away and settled back. She then went and removed the last covering she had left which made Derek stand to the side of the bed to pull off his own and make himself as bare as her. He then leapt over to her and they began to rub, pull, push and thrust at and into each other as they rolled along the bed.

After about twenty minutes, they were rolling away from each other and laying on opposite sides of the bed, basking in the aftermath of it all. They were both covered in a sheen of sweat and panting slightly hard, but there were calm and satisfied smiles on them both. Kate was lying flat on her back and giving Derek a good long view of every inch of exposed skin and curve of her body from her hips to her breasts. Kate was letting herself move the tips of her fingers lazily along the length of his back as he laid on his stomach.

"You know," she said gently as she turned to be on her side and directly face him. "I swear you get better every time. Is that a secret talent of your kind too?"

Derek laughed. "Maybe," he sighed.

She then moved her roaming hand to graze the dimples on his face affectionately. "How was the wedding? You sure that it was okay that you just bailed?"

Derek shrugged as he moved to lay on his back. "No one will miss me. Besides, I'll have all the time to see and hang out with everyone on Sunday night."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, the full moon. My sister told me that because of the high emotions that everyone's been having lately, this one could be a bit rougher for some of them. Especially Ray. So, the whole pack is coming over to my house to spend the night together."

"Oh, like a full moon pack sleepover?" Kate then moved to cuddle into him. "That sounds kind of cool," she said as she went to give a soft kiss at Derek's chest.

Derek just moved to put his hands behind his head as he rested back into them. "Not really. Most of us might end up being chained in the cellar for most of the night. Except for some of the kids and the humans in the group."

Kate narrowed her eyes a bit. "How many exactly?" she asked as she gently rubbed her fingertips down to his stomach.

He let his eyes wander as he stared up at the roof. "I don't know. Maybe 11 or 12 altogether. I was hoping I could skip out of my house that night, to try and make Senior Scribe, but with everyone there I can forget that now."

"I'm sorry about that." She then went and began to move her hand lower as she moved her lips to his ear. "But maybe I could do something to help get your mind off all that?" she whispered seductively.

Derek found himself grinning as he felt her lightly fondle him and then let out a small growl as he pushed her onto her back and moved to start another round. She eagerly went and dug her nails into his back as he went and thrust inside her. As he buried his face into her neck, he didn't see that there was a malicious look in her eye.

Outside the building, Peter Hale was standing there, glaring at the building. He had left the party early himself and tracked his nephew's scent to this place. He let his hearing expand and was able to find his nephew's voice as he heard him moan out a name. Kate.

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AN: Well, I hope you are liking it so far. The character of Riley Astor, Laura's deceased first love. Picture him as Luke Pasqualino. I think you can start to guess how he might be relevant down the line.