This Chapter was inspired by – Skillet – Whispers in the Dark

No,
You'll never be alone
When darkness comes I'll light the night with stars
Hear the whispers in the dark.


Anna enjoyed track that day. She got changed in a hurry and was happy just to splash through puddle and get as filthy as possible with Carly, which turned into an all-out water fight. The two girls arrived back the latest, giggling as they passed Coach Remington. She did not comment on their pitiful time so she must have been in a good mood.
Anna and Carly got a ride home from Stiles who had promised to linger close by to pick them up seeing as Carly didn't have a car and Anna's mom was in Boston for an indefinite amount of time leaving Anna and Georgina alone in the house if Kyle was still sulking over his fight with their mother. Even Anna agreed she could be a bit of a nightmare to live with, when she was actually at home of course, which was rare. At least when Carly was gone they didn't have to worry about being secretive when discussing all things werewolf.
"Stiles, what does your dad think about the murders?" Carly asked him and she leaned forward in her seat. There was an uneasy silence between the three of them, mainly because Carly knew nothing of werewolves. It had put a fracture in their once easy friendship. Back before everything with the Alpha and Scott, Carly had hung out at her house almost every day – a wordless agreement they had going. But since Scott was bitten and Anna had sort of left Carly and Erica (until she became a part of Derek's pack) out of things it had left a somewhat prominent tension between herself, Carly, Stiles and Scott. Sometimes she noticed Carly's loneliness at being left out of the group and felt incredibly guilty but there was nothing she could do. Too many people already knew. It would just be selfish to put her life in danger just so she could have someone to share the burden with her.
"My dad isn't any further and he won't tell me anything," the lie came a little too fluently to Stiles's lips. Anna tried not to give everything away by gawping at him.
"It's weird," Carly said eventually, "There were the murderers a couple of months ago and now it's started up again. I remember when Beacon Hills was such a peaceful little town, hardly ever got noticed now it seems to news mongrels can't get enough," she shook her head sadly, "It puts honest journalists like me to shame."
"Believe me," Stiles said more to himself, "I know."


Stiles dropped them off at her house and Anna waved to him as Carly retrieved her dirty track uniform and overnight stuff off the seats. She gave Stiles an appreciative smile before he drove away.
Anna shuffled up the porch and unlocked the door, flinging the trees into the customary ashtray after locking it behind her. She dumped her and Carly's track uniform next to the washer to remind Anna she needed to do that by Friday. She pulled a box of Pringles and some dip from the cupboard before retreating upstairs to her room. Whilst Carly was using the bathroom, Anna kicked off her Converse and stumbled towards her drawers to take out her earrings. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a piece of paper amidst all the junk on her dresser. She pulled it free and read it aloud.

I'm sorry I couldn't be here to give this to you, I forgot you had track. I hope Derek lets me see you soon or I might go crazy. Hope yhr gr8 g-ma is okay.

Love you.

~Isaac.

Her chest constricted. Anna hugged the note to her chest as if somehow Isaac would reach through it and would hug her back. She missed him a lot, too and he'd only been eating breakfast with him this morning. But they both needed to focus on Jackson right now. The Kanima had to be stopped before more people died, even if they weren't completely innocent and Jackson needed to be saved. She never knew she'd be able to feel sorry for Jackson the way she did now. He'd bullied her throughout middle school, terrorized her friends and was just a raging jerk but she couldn't help the pang of sympathy and knew she needed to save him.
"Aw." The voice from the doorway made her flinch; it was Carly beaming at her with a knowing grin.
"How long have you been standing there?" Anna demanded. She didn't drop the note, if anything she held it possessively closer.
"Long enough," Carly smiled, "I take it all back. I love Isaac now! He's so sweet!"
Anna growled at her, "Hey, I have dibs. He's my boyfriend."
Carly's mouth dropped to the floor, "Boyfriend?!" she pointed at the double bed in the center of the room, "Talk. Now."
Anna spent the next ten minutes begrudgingly sharing the Pringle tube and recounting the evolution of their relationship minus the tiny details of him scratching her, kidnapping and drugging her, beating the shit out of her and so on. She bit her lip before telling Carly about last night.
Carly smacked her repeatedly, "You ass!" she moaned, "You lost your virginity and you didn't think to tell me about it immediately?"
Anna shrugged as if it was a mediocre topic, "I was too busy having breakfast with him."
"Breakfast?" Carly whispered dramatically. She stage-fainted before continuing, "From now on, you tell me everything immediately. Does Stiles know?"
Anna blushed, the redness in her cheeks displaying her honesty, "You told Stiles before me?"
"I didn't tell him," She pointed out, "He guessed and plus, he's my ride to school. Of course he would be the first to find out."
Carly looked thoughtful and dreamy for a moment, "That was some kiss in Chemistry yesterday," she said, "I wish I had a boyfriend like Isaac."
"He has friends," Anna reminded her, "Hot friends." Because she couldn't really deny that.
Carly laughed, "Who, Scott? He's been our friend since elementary school and totally into Alison and Stiles is a goof-ball and sweet but so not my type."
"Boyd?" Anna suggested.
Carly rolled her eyes, "I thought he had the hots for Erica, last time I checked," she looked almost mournful when she spoke again, "But how would I know. She hasn't spoken to me since her last seizure."
Anna put a supportive hand on Carly's, her olive skin tone contrasting against Carly's chocolate one, "I talked to her, she wants to make up with you C-lee," Anna told her, "She's just waiting for you to make the first move. She thinks you're still mad at her."
Carly scowled, "Don't be ridiculous. I can never stay mad at you guys." She shoved Anna playfully, "And I totally love Isaac now. He makes you happy, and that's what matters. Maybe you could invite him round so I can speak to him sometime. I'd liked to get to know my best friend's soulmate."
The use of the word soulmate made Anna inhale sharply but she covered it with a laugh, "I'd like that, C-lee, I'd like that a lot," Anna changed to subject back to their previous conversation, "What's up with you and the new guy?"
Carly shot her a questioning frown, "What do you mean?"
"Derek Hale," Anna prompted, "Last time we spoke you were starry-eyes over him." Anna didn't really know what to think of this. On one hand, it could just be a little crush. Derek was a hot guy – and probably had loads of girls wanting him but crushes always seemed to turn into something much more strong and passionate in Anna's experience.
"Nothing," she blushed and Anna giggled at her, she threw a cushion at Anna, laughing too, "Okay, so he's hot and brooding and mysterious and pretty much every time I see him I lose the will to breathe but I've never properly met him."
"I could introduce you if you like," the words tumbled out before Anna could stop them. She didn't know how well that would go, or even if Derek would want to meet Carly in the first place. Derek didn't do human contact unless completely necessary like in herself and Stiles's case.
"Oh no, no," Carly smoothed over luckily, "I wouldn't put you out like that. I'll just admire from afar and hope one day he speaks to me."
Anna nodded, unsure how to respond to her final statement. Luckily, she didn't have to because the chiming of the doorbell followed by very loud elementary school children sounded outside interrupted their conversation. Carly grimaced, "The evil has returned." She jumped off the bed with Anna and followed her downstairs to the front door. Anna swung it open and greeted a haggard looking Mrs. Lloyd warmly.
"Hello, Anna," the older woman said as Georgina ducked into the house under Anna's arm, she moved past Carly as if she was a piece of furniture, "I heard about your great-grandmother. I hope she gets well soon."

Anna nodded considerately as Mrs. Lloyd began to turn away, "Thank you," she called as she closed a door. Anna rounded on Georgina in the kitchen, "Hey kiddo."
"Hey," Georgina replied absentmindedly as she pulled trotted up to her room.
"Pizza for dinner, that okay?" Anna yelled before the blonde could fully disappear. Georgina just nodded at her, a deflated look on her face.
Carly winced, "Family problems?"
"I think it's mom," Anna admitted as she rotted in the fridge for pizza. She pulled out a peperoni one for her and Carly and a vegemite for Carly, "She's barely here anymore. We're practically raising ourselves." The fact that the topic had been brought up only amplified her mother's constant absence. She kind of understood but it didn't mean she had to like it. Most of her friends' parents worked too, but they always found time for their kids. Her mom on the other hand was yet to discover the bruises or work out that Anna kept sneaking out late almost every day… oh, and the small fact she'd had sex with a werewolf.
"At least you can leave when you're eighteen, like Kyle has," Carly added quietly. Anna placed the pizzas in the oven but didn't respond. Talk of the future still unnerved her. It shouldn't have, she would be graduating in less than two years but it still made her feel sick to her stomach, mainly because she had no idea what she was going to do when she left school. Carly had everything planned out, she was going to go to college and become a journalist. Anna on the other hand, doubted if she was going to survive long enough to get to college.

Anna and Carly had always plotted to blow town as soon as they were old enough for some other city, state or even country. Anna had always liked the idea of London whereas Carly aimed to get to New York and have a job at the New York Enquirer. Now, Anna didn't know whether she'd ever be able to leave her home town. Beacon Hills had grown on her in the past few months and now she had attachments, things she had to stay for like Isaac.

It all came back to Isaac.

"Yeah," Anna said vaguely as she shuffled aimlessly around the kitchen. If Carly knew the truth, they probably wouldn't be discussing this. Alas, Anna was alone.


That night, Anna lay awake in bed, unable to sleep. She switched to the other end so her feet were up against the pillow and she could watch the night sky through her window. A thousand glittering stars punched holes in her conscious as she turned restlessly black waves of hair knotting. Carly was firmly asleep beside her, snoring softly and just feet away in her sister's room all was silent. She was unable to get her brain to shut up and let her sleep and she knew she would suffer for it in the morning. All she wanted was the Kanima gone so life could fall back into balance – well, apart from the werewolves but she could work with that. Soon, she would become a junior and with the days to graduation creeping ever closer she just wanted to escape.

She thumbed the notes Isaac had left for her, her heart aching with a strange loneliness. Her best friend slept beside her, a constant reminder of a strong friendship yet still she felt incomplete without him. She studied his sloppy hand writing and it made her smile for some reason. She blinked back a tear and continued to watch the sky. Anna had a theory that all her unexplained behavior – the enhanced healing, senses and strength was all due to some of the powers being transmitted to her through scratches.
In silent acknowledgement there was more to her senses than she let on, she gave into them and they became sharp, efficient. Dimly, she now heard faint sounds of animals moving outside her house in the undergrowth that had previously gone unnoticed. The breeze that leaked through her open window sent her stacks of information that brought out memories in her head – this scent meant squirrel, that scent meant grass. It also brought her imaginary maps of which animals had crossed where and how long ago. The stars seemed brighter, the dark outline of shapes in her room more predominant.

She fell asleep to the sound of Tybalt's noisy purring, Carly and Georgina's soft snores and the incredibly distant and mournful sound of wolves howling.


The next morning, Kyle picked the three of them up and dropped them off at their separate schools. After he'd given Georgina a ride to Beacon Hills Elementary, Anna began prying about the fight, "I hear you're not coming back." Anna asked tentatively as the Tempo rattled into the school's parking lot.
Kyle sighed as he switched the engine to neutral, "I don't know," he bumped his fist lightly against the steering wheel, "Could you just – drop it, for now?"
Hesitantly, Anna nodded and climbed out of the Tempo. She must have looked depressed because Carly smiled at her and put an arm around her delicate shoulders, "Give him space," said Carly, "He'll open up in time."
Anna just shrugged and made her way into the school. She had a feeling it was going to be a long day.


Luckily, her feeling didn't last long and soon the day was over. Carly said goodbye and told her to be ready for nine o'clock when she was coming to pick her up for the rave. Anna trudged towards the beaten jeep and slid into the backseat, greeting Scott and Stiles. They both gave her a stern look. "What?" she asked cautiously, "Is something wrong?"
"Did you see Isaac last night?" Scott demanded. Stiles slouched guilty in the seat beside him as he started the engine.
Anna shot him an implausible look, "It's fine Stiles, you know, just blurt my love life to everyone."
"Anna," Scott said to get her attention. She looked back at him and saw disappointment dancing in his eyes, "This is serious. You can't see Isaac, he's dangerous."
"Alison's dangerous," Anna shot back feeling more than a little aggrieved, "You still see her."
"It's not the same-"
"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Anna suddenly screamed at them, her outburst took Scott and Stiles by surprise and they edged back in their seats but she couldn't seem to calm down, "It's exactly the same! He is fine! And it's none of your business anyway!"
"Anna, you're like a sister to me," Scott said gently, "I'm only saying this because I don't want you to get hurt."
Stiles scowled, "And did you forget the part when him and his little pack tried to kill Lydia-"
"Shut up, Stiles!" she yelled, anger making her voice cracked. She'd rarely been this angry at someone and never at Stiles. He looked hurt, "Just – all of you shut up! Ah!" she felt pain contort her leg and neck, where the scars where. It was like the worst form of cramp. She clamped her eyes shut, screaming in pain. The jeep juddered to a halt.
When Anna opened her eyes again, both of them were staring at her with a mixed reaction of shock and terror, "You're eyes." Stiles whispered. She looked at herself in the driver's mirror and amber reflected back at her – burning from her irises. Then they flickered away.
"Did you let Derek bite you?" Scott asked immediately, checking her bare arms for bite marks.
"No," she pulled away biting her lip, "No. It's not that. This kind of thing happens during the full moon a lot. I think it's from the scratches."
Scott turned around bodily in his seat, "What scratches?"
Anna looked at Stiles as realization found him, "Do you remember when Anna was attacked at the school by Peter?" - Scott nodded - "He left some scratches. Then Isaac put some more on her, remember? Anna's been able to do things recently. See, hear and smell things impossible for a human being, enhanced strength, ect."
Scott regarded them for a moment, eyes lingering on Anna as if analyzing her, "And you think it's the scratches?"
"It doesn't happen all the time," Anna insisted, "Just after I got them and again during, up to and after full moons."
"I'll talk to Derek," Scott promised, "See if he's ever heard anything about this."
Anna nodded promptly, hurrying to change the subject, "So, where are we going?" she pointed out the car window to the intersection they'd turned into, "Because that's not the way to my house."
"We're going to see Dr. Deaton," Scott explained, "He's showing us a way to catch Jackson and his master without killing him. We're doing it tonight at this party."
"Party?" Anna prickled uncomfortably, "You mean like the rave that me and Carly are going to?"
Stiles frowned, "You're going?"
"Well that's perfect!" Scott suddenly interjected, "You can keep an eye on Jackson, make sure he doesn't kill anybody."
Anna rolled her eyes and shoved him playfully, "Oh. Thanks, guys."


Anna stepped in with Scott and Stiles in toe and the bell jingled. A tired looking Dr. Deaton staggered into the waiting room, "Hello, Anna." He greeted with a warm smile, he inclined his head in the direction of her friends, "Boys," he gave each of them an even look, "Are you ready?"
Anna gave him a wary look, "You know?" she asked with increasing uncertainty. Not everyone who knew about werewolves had the best of intensions at heart.
He nodded and motioned the three of them towards a door in the back room, "I have. For quite some time now, too. I also know that some of the abilities of the wolf have been transmitted to you somehow. Now: Scott, Stiles have you told her your plan yet?"
They both nodded and Dr. Deaton led them through to what looked like an examination room. It stunk of lemon polish and that hospital smell Anna now despised ever since encountering Peter Hale for the first time. She shuddered and tuned out her hyper-sensitive nose. "How did you know?" Anna prompted the vet, "That I some powers?"
"When someone becomes a werewolf, or takes on some of the werewolves abilities through a scratch or some other injury, it not only gains the abilities but also the attributes of a wolf as well as facial expressions and body language," Deaton explained as he rooted through his draws, "I noticed when you came in you were weary of me because you've never met me so you turned sideways and smiled a lot – or, showed me your teeth. That's what a wolf does when it feel threatened," he shot her a knowing, "You coming here at all shows me your loyal, brave and intelligent – all attributes you share with a wolf. For the most part, you manage to stay composed under pressure and works as a team – even forming uneasy alliances," Anna let her mouth fall open. Deaton was basically reciting her entire existence since the Alpha attacked her at the school. It was kind of unnerving but at the same time reassuring, "Ah. Here it is." Deaton held up a small vial for them all to see.

"Ketamine?" Scott asked as Deaton revealed a syringe.
"It's the same stuff we use on the dogs, just a higher dosage," Deaton explained, placing both the vial onto a small table in the center of the room, "If you can get close enough to Jackson it should slow him down enough to buy you some time," Scott reached forward, taking the syringe in one hand and the Ketamine in the other, "This," Deaton said, gesturing to a tub of some sort of black powder with a strange symbol on the jar that looked sort of like a sideways T to Anna, "Is some of what you'll use to create the barrier. This part is for you, Stiles, only you."
"Ah, sounds like a lot of pressure," Stiles said taking the jar with the black substance off the table it had just been placed on, "Could you maybe find a slightly less pressured filled task for me?"
Scott raised an eyebrow at him as Deaton continued, ignoring Stiles's previous comment, "It's from the Mountain Ash tree. Which is believed by many cultures to protect against the supernatural. This office is lined with ash wood," he said, gesturing to the walls around them, "Making it difficult for someone like Scott to cause me any trouble."
"So, what?" Stiles inquired, "I just spread this around the whole and then either Jackson or who ever's controlling him can't cross it."
Deaton inclined his head, "They'll be trapped."
"Doesn't sound too hard." Anna finally said. Deaton interrupted her, "That's not all there is. Think of it like gunpowder, it's just powder until a spark ignites it. You need to be that spark Stiles."
"If you mean light myself one fire I don't think I'm up for that." Scott looked genuinely concerned.
Anna rolled her eyes, "Not that kind of spark, genius."
"Let's try a different analogy," Deaton mumbled, "I used to golf. I learned the best golfers never swing before imaging where they want the ball to go. They see it in their mind and their mind takes over. It can be pretty extraordinary what the force of your own will can accomplish."
Stiles nodded, "Force of will."
"Hey," Deaton said, getting Stiles's attention, "If this is going to work Stiles, you have to believe it."
Everyone stared at Stiles as he nodded slightly.


Alec took the gun steadily in his hands from Argent, "You okay, kid?" Chris asked, more like a concerned parent than his employer. Alec nodded, though he wasn't. The metal felt uncomfortable and bulky in his hands. He didn't like this plan, it had far too many holes and he sensed Alison didn't like it either. He glanced down at her from the side of the staircase he was leaning against. Victoria – Alison's mom – had been trying to get them alone together at every opportunity. I think she desperately wanted them to like each other so Alison would forget about Scott. But as much as Alison loved Scott, Alec couldn't picture himself being with anyone else but the girl he'd danced with at the winter formal – the girl he'd been trying to get alone ever since. Carly Hamilton.
"Alright," Chris barked, snapping him to attention, "The party's in a warehouse just inside an industrial sector. Alison learned Jackson Whittemore will be there seeking his next target in the crowd. Seen as we still have little clue as to just how strong he is, we need to be extremely cautious. When Alison has Jackson's location and has determined him to be at the optimum form when we can take him down, she'll signal me. Optimum meaning as far away from the crowd as possible," Alec swayed uneasily on his feet at Argent gruff voice, "There will be no collateral damage tonight," Chris looked back to Alison, "Go ahead." He muttered.
Alec watched her leave. He still felt totally uneasy about this. He remembered Anna's stricken face as she'd tried to justify herself and Isaac and knew that he was betraying her trust, like he had the last time.
"A willing a participant as she seems," Gerard commented dryly from where he stood, "Your young protégé there also appears to be under the impression that we are planning a trap." Alec's mouthed dropped slightly. He'd thought that, too. Chris shot his a discrete look as he loaded his gun. Alec understood the message, keep his mouth shut. Gerard wasn't exactly the best confidante.
"She doesn't need to know any more than that." Alec's mind raced. He had to warn Anna, stop this. Sure, he had made mistakes but he thought they were going to find a way to save Jackson – even if he was a murderer, he didn't condone taking him down if the real Jackson didn't know what he was doing. Anna had been right. He needed to leave the hunters.
"For the rest of us then, let's be perfectly clear," Gerard said, casting a glance in Alec's direction, "You don't trap a creature this dangerous," he chastised, pulling out a switch blade with a metallic clang, "You kill it."