Hope couldn't remember the last time she had slept so soundly. She woke to incredible bliss. A peace that had grown inside, calming the anxiety she'd felt these last few weeks.

She knew it wasn't over. She knew there were still dangers out there, waiting for her. Prowling Beacon Hills like a wild, starved animal. Still, she felt calm.

It wasn't that she thought she was safe, she knew she wasn't.

But...she didn't feel that overwhelming fear anymore. Maybe it was because she discovered what she was capable of on her own, or maybe it was Derek's words last night. She didn't have to worry about being trapped in a bubble, a prison cell. She was free to make her own choices while having access to help when she needed it.

She turned over in bed and gazed at the place he had been lying. She wasn't sure when he left last night, but his words hummed gently in her mind over and over. A repeating record she never wanted to lose.

The way he understood made her smile.

For a little while longer, Hope watched the birds outside her window, watched as they hopped from branch to branch chirping to each other. Singing to each other. She didn't start to move until she heard movement beneath her. She frowned.

Was Derek still here?

Did Stiles come over?

Scott?

Him?

Hopes muscles and wounds had healed overnight, but she was still a little stiff as she pulled the covers off of her and slipped off the bed. She worked out the stiffness as she shoved herself into a quick outfit and tied back her hair messily. Ready to defend herself.

Descending the stairs quickly and quietly she listened carefully. Taking in the scents, the sounds. Anything unfamiliar. She paused at the bottom of the staircase and a slow smile spread over her lips.

It was the smell of strong coffee and Derek's unmistakable...irresistible scent.

She rounded the corner and stopped to see him standing in the kitchen, pouring two mugs of coffee. Her defensive posture melted away immediately and she smiled.

He'd stayed the whole night and for some reason, that thought excited her. They hadn't done anything other than talk, but he'd stayed.

Derek flashed a crooked grin over his shoulder, "I uh...thought you might want some coffee."

"Your thought was exactly correct" she let out a little laugh and closed the gap between them with vampire speed. One moment she was in the doorway and in the next wrapping her arms around his waist, burying her face into his shirt.

Yes, the smell of smoky pine and musk. Delicious.

Before Hope could say anything more, he had lifted her up by the waist and set her on the top of the counter. Grinning broadly as his gaze pierced hers. Oh, she could stay like this forever.

"Thank you," she said in a soft, wistful whisper, watching his gaze flit over to the coffee. Smiling, she shook her head and took his face in her hands. "For last night. It just...feels nice to have someone believe in me."

Derek's hand rose to brush wisps of baby hair from her neck that had escaped her hair tie.

She closed her eyes. That touch would be the end of her.

"I know...we need to talk more about last night and everything that happened, but if we could just hold off...for like...five minutes…"

Derek's lips skimmed hers before dipping his head to press a kiss to her throat.

"Or...five hours...would be nice too…" she shuddered.

He chuckled against her throat "As much as I'd love that...Scott and Stiles are at the front door" he said, pulling away to look at her.

Hope raised a brow "Really? I'm actually a little surprised they're not barging in."

"Yeah, well, I think when you walked in covered in blood Stiles has...reconsidered his habit of entering unannounced."

"That's really all it took?" She grinned a little and shook her head "That...sounded really bad."

Chuckling again, Derek shook his head and kissed her forehead before lifting her off the counter and onto the floor.

Hope bit her lip, squeezing his hands as she looked up at him. They'd be having a conversation later. A private one.

Until then, she knew she had to figure out what came next and four heads were better than one. She invited them in and soon they were all in the living room drinking coffee around the table.

Scott sat across from her. She hadn't seen him in a little while and he didn't seem happy. He looked terrified.

"Allison said her dad was called to someplace out of town. She didn't hear much, but enough to know they were talking about some new threat in town. A threat that needs to be put down...immediately." Those brown eyes glimmered with concern and fear "Is that threat you? What did you do?"

Hope furrowed her brows and stared at him for a moment "Why...does that last part sound more like an accusation?"

"Maybe because it kind of is…" Scott continued. Hope felt Derek shift beside her, but he said nothing.

"And what exactly are you accusing me of?"

"Murder."

Hope pursed her lips and nodded curtly "Right, but if they had successfully killed me, then what would that be called, Scott? They wouldn't call it murder. They'd call it their right. They have the right to kill me, but I don't have the right to defend myself? They came after me, alright? I did nothing to them. I entered a diner at the wrong place at the wrong time. They chose me to be a victim and I said no."

Scott sat back on his heels with a sigh. She watched his expression, realizing he hadn't known that portion of the story. Whoever this Allison was, was probably being fed lies too.

Cringing a little, Stiles broke into the conversation.

"I think we all know this thing isn't over. Whatever is going on between the hunters here and the ones from out of town...it's bad. Like, really bad. So we want to help. To stop any more people from dying."

Hope nodded "Okay, I can agree to that."

"Great. So what happened last night...without the gory details" he made a face.

So she told them, and as requested, left out the details of the kills.

Derek furrowed his dark brow and shook his head, asking the same question she was sure was on everyone's mind.

"Who's he?"

"I don't know," she shook her head, "The guy just said he would want me."

"And you said the guy had an accent?" Stiles asked.

"Yeah, it was really thick. Scottish I think."

"Anyone know of anyone around here with a really thick Scottish accent?"

Both Derek and Scott shook their heads, leaving Stiles to sigh and nod "Yeah, me either."

Hope frowned and shrugged "I assumed he was part of the group that followed me here. You said there's a group here in town?"

Scott nodded now "Yeah, the Argents. My girlfriend's family."

She was quiet for a moment and arched a brow "You're...dating a girl who has a whole family of werewolf hunters?"

"Yeah, we know, it's crazy and chaotic," Stiles started, "Let's get back to this other truck. What did it look like?"

"It was huge. Black, sleek. It blended right in until the lights came on, but the lights...they were...massive, like panels on top, and so bright they blinded me," she continued, "There were these speakers too, they played crazy loud music. It was like being blinded all over again. And the windows were so tinted I couldn't see the interior at all."

Scott frowned "You'd think a truck like that would stand out."

Hope took a long drink of the scalding coffee. It helped bring some life back into her joints, her fingertips feeling less chilled. She would need to grab a bag of blood soon, but she wasn't too keen on indulging in front of them.

"So what's the plan?" Stiles asked, eyes on her "You did after all take out a crap ton of hunters last night."

Hope shrugged "I don't know. Wait it out. See if they try to kill me."

She was met with silence from all of them before Stiles, in his lovely sarcastic tone said, "Well, that's just great...that's proactive thinking. Why didn't I think of that?"

"What exactly do you expect me to do? Walk out and hunt down the rest of them? Take them all out in some bloody massacre?"

"I mean, not necessarily, but waiting around doesn't seem like such a good idea either."

Hope took another sip of her coffee and nodded. She understood, she did. What she did last night was something she did to protect herself against an immediate threat. She knew the face, she knew the man that threatened her existence. Now she didn't. She had no idea what she was up against anymore, and she wasn't about to lap it up like a stray dog.

"If I walk in ready to 'take care of business' innocent people could get hurt. The man I killed threatened me directly, the others shot me with arrows. I will not make that first move. I can't justify it. When my life is threatened, then yes, I'll do what's necessary.

"That's always been my father's mistake. His life has been filled with such paranoia that he never let himself live. He constantly planned, constantly conspired. Always thinking about who might wrong him and how he can prevent it or avenge it. I made myself a promise that I wouldn't live my life like that, that I would never become him. Because that's not living. It's a prison without bars."

The afternoon passed with Hope describing the world of vampires and witches and werewolves. Her species, anyway. The differences between them were a little jarring, but she anticipated that. She knew there was a lot to be discovered and this was a mere stepping stone into that never-ending journey.

Stiles asked many questions and Hope did her best to answer without giving up her own family's past.

"So what you're saying," Stiles took a bite of the pizza they'd ordered, "To become a werewolf for your kind they have to trigger the gene they're born with by killing someone. That's awesome…"

Everyone shared the same look as they looked up at him.

"I mean," he narrowed his eyes and clenched his lips, "Totally sad and horrible, but more like...movie-action awesome." He cleared his throat "I didn't realize there would be such a difference. What about wolfsbane, does that affect you too?"

Hope nodded, popping a pepperoni in her mouth "Hm, yeah. It's toxic in any form, but I have a bit more of an...immunity to it."

"Really?" Scott asked suddenly interested "How? Is that a...tribrid thing?"

Hope shrugged "Somewhat. It's like how people in the past have taken venom to grow a resistance to it. I take a little bit every day so that eventually if someone uses it against me, I'm not as vulnerable."

"Wow," Stiles started, "Maybe you should have the pack do that…" he said, looking over at Derek, whose expression darkened immediately.

"Or...not…"

Hope looked over at him curiously "You have a pack?" It clicked then and she raised her brows "Oh...the out of town business?"

Derek offered a hint of a smile "I planned to tell you today…" he cast a wicked glance at Stiles who immediately hid his face in the soda can he was drinking.

"Hm, alpha with a pack to lead. I like it. When do I get to see it in action?" She asked, raising a brow and she absolutely did not regret making anyone else uncomfortable.

"There's a training session tonight. You're welcome to...spectate."

"With pleasure" she couldn't help the small smirk from sneaking up on her. She'd trained her whole life, but this was the first time she was actually excited to attend.

"Maybe you might want to partake?" he asked, raising a curious brow.

"Oh absolutely. I'd love the chance to put you on your ass…" she smirked, biting her lower lip.

The expression from Derek was enough for Stiles to shift in his seat before standing up.

"Okay, please, God...just...wait till I leave the room," he started for the kitchen door, no-doubt to get himself another slice, but turned, "But you know I will say he's a lot less of a sour wolf since you got here…"

Derek turned his head to him. If looks could kill, Stiles would be dead.

"There it is…" he quickly retreated into the kitchen.

Hope just smiled and hugged onto his arm, pressing a soft kiss to his shoulder. Tonight was...something to look forward to.

She hoped.