Hi all! Here's my 100th revision. It was all self-forced, I tried to get back into writing this story and realized how much my style changed in a year. I figured it was time to re-edit it until I felt like I was back in the groove.

Well, here goes. As always, all I own are my OCs.

I wake up to find Derek still sitting beside me, my hand in his. Looking up I realize his eyes are closed but his breathing is too even to be asleep. "I know you're awake." He opens his green eyes and looks down at me. "You stayed?"

"I didn't want you to move in your sleep and hurt yourself." He explains. I smile, sitting up and realizing I'm in the same clothes as the day before. And that I forgot to brush my teeth.

"I'll be right back." I mutter behind my hand and he rolls his eyes, making my way to the attached bathroom.

"Your morning breath is fine, bright eyes." I blush and walk quicker, ignoring his quiet chuckles. After brushing my teeth and relieving myself I take off the bandages. The scratches have already begun to scab over, so I rub some scar ointment I have lying around from the time I hurt my knee and apply it before rejoining Derek in my room.

"Oh, you need a different shirt. Did you go to your house at all?" I ask, rushing over to my cabinet to look for an oversized shirt.

"Only to drop off my car. Then I ran straight here."

"Why?"

"Because the last time you saw me I was being impaled by a feral alpha and tossed into a brick wall." He answers, as if I could forget.

I nod, then pull out a plain white tee. "This should fit." I turn and find him only a few inches away from me. He takes it with a smile and steps back to pull off his leather jacket and bloody shirt. I blush and turn away when I see his abs, and he coughs when he's finished changing.

"I should go." He tells me, stepping back towards the window. "Could be putting you in danger."

"No, stay." I argue as I leap forward and tug him closer to me. "It doesn't matter where you go, the alpha caught my scent anyway. The Argents know where to find me. Besides, we have running water and food. And a spare room."

Derek shakes his head. "It doesn't matter. I can't have you getting hurt again."

"Derek, getting hurt is a part of life." I remind him.

"No." He growls out, hands jumping up to my shoulders and squeezing. "I nearly lost you once, I'm not losing you again."

Someone coughs and I turn to see my parents had opened the door, my dad looking unimpressed but my mom amused. "Super hearing my ass." I mutter, and Derek takes a step away from me.

"No, don't move on our account, Hale." My dad barks, and I bite my lip, looking at the floor. "We just came up to tell you school won't be open until Monday. So, did he spend the night?"

Narrowing my eyes, I cross my arms. "That's a strong possibility."

"Cut the attitude, Patricia Diane -"

"You know what, no. I don't think I will." I snarl back at my dad. "I'm allowed to have my friend sleepover, after spending hours thinking he'd been murdered!"

My dad raises his eyebrows, my mom laughing to herself despite the situation. "Friends don't sleep in each other's rooms."

"Uh, I sleep with Scott and Stiles all the time." Derek throws me a look and I roll my eyes. "What? No, gross, not like that. I meant in their room. On the floor."

"Yeah, but those two are like brothers to you." My dad points out, then glares at Derek. "He isn't."

My eyes narrow as I scowl back at the disgruntled deputy. "He could've been." He recoils at my acidic tone, and while normally I'd be worried about the repercussions, I could give a damn. "Not that I know, since you and mom took that from me!"

My mom steps forward, holding out her hand. "Hon, I promise we'll explain everything. But the boys -"

"I don't care!"

"Don't ever raise your voice at your mother!" My dad roars back at me.

Before I could snap, what sounds like a stampede of elephants rushes upstairs, the twins sliding into my room Han Solo Style. They point at Derek, completely oblivious to the battle taking place.

"Whoa!" Clark exclaims, mouth dropping.

"Who's he?" Chase asks. "How'd he get here?"

Dad doesn't look away from me, but he answers Chase's questions all the same. "Through your sister's window."

Chase giggles, his finger pointing towards me. "Oooh, you're in trouble!"

"Is he your boyfriend?" Clark blinks up at Derek, mouth twisting into a confused grimace. "Why didn't you just use the door?"

Unable to help myself, my lips twitch in amusement. Dad's eyes are still furious, but his shoulders are less tense. Mom breaks into hysterical laughter, probably from a combination of the twins' innocence and the situation. We all watch her, dad frowning helplessly at his wife before turning back to me.

"This is your fault."

I scoff and roll my eyes, relaxing the moment Derek places a hand on my lower waist.

After another couple of minutes of semi-insane laughter, mom finally cooled down enough to suggest moving downstairs. Dad angrily got to work making breakfast while my mom brewed the coffee. The twins were their usual level of crazy, the morning being when they're most hyper. I'd have thought they'd just irritate Derek - who as I know him now isn't very patient - but all he looked was sad. When the twins were called over to help set the table, he whispered that they reminded him of his younger siblings and cousins. That had me pulling him into a hug, ignoring my dad's bitter expression.

With breakfast ready and the coffee poured, we're ordered to the table. I sit next to Derek, the twins across from us and my parents across from each other. My mom tries to send me a reassuring smile, like she didn't help steal a huge chunk of my life from me.

Still, when you've got a chatterbox for a best friend, it's hard to sit in awkward silences. Even the twins have quieted down, finally sensing something's gone down. Unable to handle it anymore, I clear my throat and attempt to break the tension. "These pancakes are great. Mmm. Blueberry." My mom huffs out a little laugh, but my dad continues to glower. "Right."

"So, Derek. How often do you sneak into my daughter's room?" He asks, and I choke on my coffee. Chase pats my back and my mom shoots my dad a warning look. He catches it. "What? A 21-year-old man visits your 18-year-old daughter at night, and you're okay with this?"

My mom gives him a look. "Might I remind you that you did the same thing to me when we were their age." She sends me a wink but I only hum, betrayal still rolling in my stomach like a hyperactive puppy.

"What, so this is karma?" My dad asks.

"What's karma?" Clark asks.

"A bitch." Dad says. I don't even have to be looking at my mom to know she's glaring at him.

"And what's a bitch?" Chase asks.

My dad groans. "Not a word you're going to repeat until you've mastered the English language."

"Ugh." My little brother huffs, and I kiss his temple.

I glance up, watching with narrowed eyes as my dad refocuses on Derek. "So?"

He looks at me and I shrug, hoping he understands he should be honest. "Three times."

"Three times?" My dad confirms, and looks at his wife. "He's visited her three times."

"Oh, honestly, Will. You're just pissed that he told her the truth first - that he had the decency to be at least a little honest with her!"

"No, I'm pissed because that's my daughter." He points at me.

"So I'm a disappointment?" I ask, becoming angry. "Me? I'm not the one 'Neuralyzing' family members."

Dad glowers. "Again, we only did it to keep you… we'll talk about this later." He gestures to the twins, who are blinking around the table confusedly. "And of course you're not a disappointment, honey. I was just worried."

My mom groans, rubbing her temples before glancing over at her husband. "Look, I'm not too happy either. But she's eighteen, and I trust her. She's never given me a reason not to. Besides, we know Derek. This isn't a stranger." She gently reminds him, and my dad starts to relax.

"Fine." He points his fork at the still-nervous look on Derek's face. "But next time, use the door."

"Yes sir."

Dad huffs out a little sigh. "And you're staying here, for now." I look at him in surprise, the same as Derek.

"Dad?"

"He needs a place to stay. There's a guest room on your floor. I may not like where it's located, but we need him to lay low." My dad looks at Derek again. "You're bigger than last time I saw you. I've got some clothes that'll fit."

"Um, thank you, sir."

"Since when do you call me sir?" My dad asks.

"Thanks, Will."

"Better."

My dad turns to address me, but his efforts are thwarted by his phone ringing. He groans and picks up, his tone all business. "Hey Noah. No. Yes. A double? Okay. I'll meet you at the school." My dad hangs up and turns to his wife. "Sorry hon, I've got to go."

She smiles. "It's fine, duty calls. Can you drop off the boys?"

"Sure thing." They kiss briefly and then my dad stands, motioning for Double Trouble to follow. "Come on. Time to motor."

"Can you do the sirens?" Chase asks, excitedly picking up his bag and joining Clark in kissing mom goodbye.

"Absolutely not." My dad walks over to me, crouching down beside my chair as the boys run around. "I promise we'll talk tonight. There's a reason that we… that we did what we did. It was the hardest decision your mother and I ever made, and it might've been wrong, but we had to keep you safe." I only nod, not really sure what to say. Still, I let my dad give me a hug - as awkward as the gesture feels - then watch as he stands and nods at Derek. " I want you to stay here. Don't leave unless you absolutely have to. It'll make my job easier."

Derek nods. "Of course. Thank you."

"It's like Patty said. You're pack." He holds his shoulder and Derek copies him, something passing between them. Then he turns to me. "You, relax. Okay?"

I sniff and clear my throat. "What time should I give my statement?"

Dad sighs, running his fingers through his hair. "Sooner, rather than later. You can stop by the station around… 1 o'clock?"

I nod. "Okay. Then I can get the twins. Since both of you have a lot more to deal with." Now that Derek's a wanted man. Again.

My dad groans at the reminder, but nods all the same. "Alright. C'mon, boys. Time to go." My dad tells the boys. The twins quickly hug me then rush out the door, my father taking the time to kiss his wife before hurting after them. I turn to my mom, who smiles back.

"Well, that went better than expected." She glances at Derek. "I'll go pick out some clothes for you, Derek."

"Thanks, Sofia." She smiles and walks upstairs, leaving the two of us alone.

"You're okay with staying here, right?" I finally ask, biting my lip. "I mean, you don't have to…"

"No, I want to." He interrupts. "As long as you're -"

"Yes." I nod, then blush. He snickers. "Shut up. Of course you can hide out here. It's my fault you're a murder suspect again."

"How?" Derek asks, eyebrows furrowed with confusion.

"I should've fought harder. I should've told them they were being stupid, and made up some other story."

"Scott would've still blamed me." He growls, and I sigh.

Suddenly my phone rings, and I look over to see it's Stiles. I decline his call, returning to my food. The phone rings again, and I let it go to voicemail. It rings some more, and I nearly throw my phone at the wall when I notice it's Scott's landline.

Derek carefully grabs the ringing menace and silences it, flipping it over so the screen's facing the table. "You can still talk to them, you know."

"No. I'm mad at them. God, how could they be so stupid?"

"Easily, I'm guessing." I glare at him. "See, even now you're protective of them."

"It doesn't matter. They know you're innocent, they know you're important to me, and they still decided to blame everything on you."

"I'm important to you?" He asks.

"Obviously. Even though I can't remember why. You just are." Blushing, I get up and start clearing the table, rinsing the dishes and popping them in the dishwasher. Derek clears his throat.

"I just… I don't want you to lose your friends because of me." He finally admits, handing me his plate.

I sigh. "I'll talk to them. Eventually. Just, not now. Not when I've got my parents' lies to deal with, too."

"Okay." He nuzzles my shoulder with his forehead then abruptly stops, straightening. "Sorry, I don't know -"

"It's okay." My phone rings once more, and I reluctantly return to the table to answer, not even bothering to check the contact before picking up. "Scott, stop calling me. I'm beyond pissed -"

"It's Allison."

I pause, then look up at the nervous Derek. "Oh, hi. I'm so sorry, I thought -"

"I know." She lets out a small sob.

"Oh no, what happened?"

"I told Scott I needed a break. I just, last night… I don't know if I can trust him! I mean I do, but I'm so scared. He locked us in the room!" She panics, and I nod. "He made you upset, and then you got hurt, and he didn't even check to make sure we were okay."

"I know, I know. I'm mad at him too."

"Because he said it was Derek."

"It wasn't."

"I believe you." She whispers reassuringly, but there's a slight waver in her tone. "I was wondering, would it be possible for us to hang out today? School's closed until Monday."

"Yeah, of course. Um, I'll be free in an hour or so."

"Great. Meet at my place?"

Despite Derek shaking his head, I nod. "Of course. I'll text you when I'm on my way. Bye, my love." We hang up and he gives me a look. "What?"

"I can't believe you're going over to see an Argent."

"Can we not fight about this again, please?" I ask, crossing my arms.

He breathes out. "Fine. But you better be careful."

"They can't touch me. I'm a deputy's daughter."

"Somehow, I don't think that matters to them."

I get in my car, texting Allison that I'm on my way. Before I can pull out someone knocks on my passenger door and I look over to see it's Stiles. I roll down the window and stare ahead. "What do you want?"

"I've been calling you. I wanted to see how you're healing."

"I'm fine. The alpha barely scratched me."

"Ricky…" I turn my head to glare at him. "I'm sorry. For helping Scott throw Derek under the bus." I nod. "It was wrong. And stupid, but we panicked."

"Stop." I order, and he does so. "I'm more mad at Scott than I am at you. But it hurt that you took his side."

He nods. "I know. I'll, uh, let you go. But you should call Scott."

I snort. "Not likely."

"He's miserable. He feels so bad."

"Yeah, Allison asked them to go on a break." He gives me a look. "I'm going over to see her right now."

"But Scott needs you."

I laugh humorlessly. "So you take care of him. He could have said anything - anything. He could've said a stranger killed the janitor, that some sicko was hunting us down. He could've said we broke into the school because we wanted to prank Harris."

"You could've, too." I look away. "Just… please don't be mad at us for too long. We need you."

"Look." I growl, hands tightening on my steering wheel. "I've got enough on my plate at home. Just give me some space."

"What do you -" I spare him a deathly glare, so Stiles just nods. "Before you go, there's more. Scott and I think the alpha wants Scott to get rid of his old pack. Meaning us."

"Okay. I'll see you at school."

Stiles frowns, backing away from the car. "Fine. Just… be careful."

I nod. "You too." With that I'm pulling away from my best friend, eyeing his fading reflection in my rearview mirror.

When I pull into Allison's driveway, it takes a couple of moments for me to just breathe and get all my thoughts together.

Okay. Focus. Allison. Station to give my statement. Home, so I can get the truth. Ally, station, home, truth. Ally, station, home, truth.

With a final little sigh I get out and lock the Impala behind me. I lean over to ring the doorbell, tapping my foot as I wait. It isn't a long one, the door swinging open to reveal a woman with a stern face and red hair as short as my father's. A slight grin graces her lips, her blue eyes alight with curiosity. "Hello, dear. Can I help you?"

"I'm Allison's friend, Patricia. Is she home?" I tilt my head, putting on my most winning smile.

"Oh. I'm her mother, Victoria -"

"Trish!" I hear Ally call, and her mom steps aside so my tall friend can pull me into a hug.

"Hey girl." Wrapping my arms around her a little too tightly, the sharp twinge from my wound has me wincing.

Allison notices, releasing me immediately. "Oh my God, I almost forgot. How's your side?"

"Still bandaged, but scabbing."

"I'm sorry, what happened to you?" Victoria asks.

I look up at her. Does she know about her husband? She doesn't look like she does. I don't think she does. She might. Alright, Patricia. Play it cool. Chill. You don't know anything. "Uh, I got injured. Last night. I'm lucky I got to your daughter right away, she made sure it wasn't too deep." I grin over at a blushing Allison. "Luckily, it was just a scratch. No stitches, but it's still healing."

Victoria frowns. "Here, let me take a look at it."

"Uh, that'd be great." I eye Allison guiltily. "I haven't actually checked it today."

"Oh my God, what if it got infected!" The girl grabs my hand and rushes us to the bathroom. Her mom joins us as she's lifting my shirt just over the bandage, and Victoria gently moves her daughter out of the way.

"Let's take a look, shall we?" I bite the inside of my cheek at the glint in Victoria's eyes. I watch as she removes the bandage, the woman exhaling and smiling as she glances up at me. "Yes, it's still healing. It should only take a week, if you keep it clean. Allison, can you hand me the FirstAid Kit? Thank you." Ally holds my hand as her mom opens the box and cleans my wound, rubbing neosporin on before covering it back up with a square of gauze. Victoria clears her throat as I pull the bottom of my shirt back down. "You must've been so scared. Did you at least get a good look at whoever did it?"

I shake my head. "No. I did manage to stab them, though. I think I did more damage."

There's pride in the mom's smile. "Good. Women should always be encouraged to fight back."

"Yeah. My parents were big on self defense classes. Totally came in handy last night."

Allison clears her throat, making an impatient face at her mom. Victoria shakes her head, sending us both an apologetic smile. "I'll clean up. You girls have fun. I'm sure your aunt Kate and father will be back from the grocery store soon."

"Thank you."

"Thanks, mom." Allison eagerly tugs me away from the bathroom, through the dining room, and upstairs. As soon as we get to her room she closes the door behind her, laughing incredulously as she jumps onto her bed. "Sorry about her. She's always been intense."

"It's fine. Don't even worry about it. How're you doing?" I ask, laying down next to her on the bed, our feet dangling off the end.

"I'm just… sad." She looks at me. "I know Scott's your best friend, and I want to be respectful -"

"Ally." I interrupt. "I'm your friend, too, and right now I'm as pissed as you are. We are going to vent, we are going to go out for food, we're gonna get ice cream, and we'll watch a movie."

"Oh thank God." We both break into laughter.

"I do have to go give my statement though. And pick up my brothers. Would you like to come -"

"Absolutely." She nods, holding my hand. "I know it hasn't been very long, but I've grown really attached to you. I almost lost you last night."

"I know. God, I was so stupid."

She snorts. "So much for a 4.0 GPA."

"Well, teaching common sense isn't part of our public education curriculum." We both break into laughter. When we finally calm down, I roll over to gaze at her worriedly. "So, talk to me, sugar."

She snorts again before glancing over at me, hands moving as she talks. "Well, I just feel like he isn't telling me everything. I mean, why were you guys with Derek in the first place?"

"We weren't. Stiles wanted to prank Harris and needed our help." I groan and sit up, ankles crossing. "It wasn't Derek. Whoever attacked me -"

"Are you sure you aren't just… in denial?" Allison asks softly, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Yes. Scott and Stiles have a… complicated relationship with Derek. I don't think they would blame him maliciously, but I think he was the first thing that came to mind and they decided to roll with it."

"Even though it hurt you?"

I sigh and look over my shoulder at her. "I don't think they cared."

"You know that isn't true. They love you. You should have seen how panicked they were when you left. They kept insisting you were in danger, which we already knew -"

"Yeah." I sigh. "Yeah, I know. But God forbid anything like that ever happens again, I won't leave you guys. Especially since I'm clearly the only reasonable one. Honestly. Barricading a door in a room full of windows." I mutter. "No common sense. We're all dumbasses."

We both tearfully laugh, until a knock on the door interrupts us. "Come in!" Allison shouts, both of us holding our stomachs.

In walks a tall woman with dirty blonde hair, light brown eyes, and a similar lean muscular physique to me and Allison. So that must be Kate Argent. I've got to say, she does look a bit like a stone-cold bitch. She's joined by Chris, who's still got that stern look in his hardened blue eyes.

"And what are you two laughing about?" Chris asks us, mildly amused. Allison and I wink at each other.

"Oh, you know. Promises we hope don't have to be kept."

"No boy gossip?" The woman asks, looking at us with a smirk, but then becomes more focused on me. I narrow my eyes. Derek. She's wondering about Derek. There's no way Chris didn't tell his hunter sister about the girl who blackmailed him.

I shake my head. I don't trust this woman. I don't like this woman. But I can't approach her with hostility. Especially not when I'm trying to keep Allison safe from the truth. God, I'm doing the same thing my parents did, aren't I? Man, I'm a hypocrite. "Nah, I've sworn off high school boys. I've got college to look forward to."

"Ugh. Lucky. Aunt Kate, this is my best friend Patricia. Trish, this is my aunt Kate."

I smile and stand up, holding out my hand to shake the older woman's. She has a tight grip, so I make sure to match it. Honestly, it feels a bit like a dick measuring contest, but whatever keeps me alive, I guess. "It's so great to finally meet you! Allison's told me all about you!"

She grins back, and it's just as dangerous as mine. More so, actually. She's got this unhinged look to her. Derek's so going to kill me. "You too, Patricia. Thank you for taking such good care of my niece." We drop each other's hands, and Kate keeps smiling. "She told me you're a senior. You're going to UC Davis, right?"

I nod. "That's correct. Communications major." I gesture to myself, a little awkwardly.

"She runs the school newspaper!" Allison joins us, throwing an arm around my shoulders. "She totally puts Lois Lane to shame."

Kate whistles. "Well, that's some high praise. You get a good scholarship?"

I shrug. "A hefty merit one, plus some grant money. I applied to Stanford and Princeton for early action, but the plan was always UC Davis."

"And then Berkley. Which you'll definitely get into, I don't see why you wouldn't. She's got a 4.0 GPA and everything, I'm going to be calling you everyday for help in my AP classes." Allison insists. I shake my head, trying not to feel so flustered.

"Aw, you'll be alright."

Kate smirks as she watches us, and I recoil inwardly at her venomous glee, like she's written me off as nothing more than some oblivious kid. Which, I'm glad she doesn't think I'm a threat, because she looks psychotic and I don't want a throwdown with Kate ending with me losing Allison - but still, I'm not weak.

Priorities. Please, Patricia, figure out your priorities.

"Alright, we've bothered you girls long enough. C'mon, Chris. I know how valuable girl time is." Kate waves to us and practically drags her brother out of the room, closing the door behind them.

I turn to Allison and we laugh, again, collapsing onto her bed. "Man, we definitely need therapy."

Our giggles turn hysterically, until the stress bubbles out and we end up cuddled together, quietly sobbing in each other's arms.

After our shared breakdown, the only irritating part of Friday was when I had to give my statement. Having Allison just outside the interrogation room kept my nerves cool, but I was still figuring out how to keep Derek safe without revealing how I knew he was safe, all while trying to convince Stiles's stubborn dad that his number one suspect is innocent.

"Can you tell me what happened last night? Take your time, Patty, I need this to be as detailed as possible." Noah had said, worriedly glancing at the one-way mirror, my dad no doubt watching from behind the glass. The Sheriff seemed surprised when I angrily shot down his offer to let dad join us, but he knew better than to poke that particular bear.

"Okay. Scott, Stiles and I snuck into the school. But somebody else was there, with us. I don't know who, but he killed the janitor. We wanted to call, but we were scared we weren't alone. I… They blamed Derek Hale for what had happened, but that's not true. The man who attacked me in the hall was not Derek Hale." I insisted. "My attacker was bigger than him, both in height and muscle. It was so dark, I couldn't see what he looked like in terms of facial features or skin tone. All I remember is closing my eyes, and feeling him crouching over me. I heard a weird noise, too, like an animal. A dog, maybe. He may have had a dog. All I know is I managed to get him to stab himself - he scratched me with his knife, I made sure to report that to the EMTs. Then I made it back to the others, and while we waited for the cavalry, they made sure my injury wasn't too deep."

"And you're sure it wasn't Derek Hale who attacked you?" Noah asks me, his eyes hard.

I nod, hoping he only sees honesty in my blue eyes. "Not a word of a lie. Derek Hale is innocent. He may have been easy to blame, but he wasn't there."

Noah simply nodded, frustration written all over his face. Whatever. It's not my fault your son decided to let Scott blame an innocent person. "Thank you, Patricia. You are free to go."

And of course, there was Derek's lovely reaction when he smelled eau de Kate Argent all over me. I barely made it into the house before he was hauling me up to my room, sniffing all over my neck. I tried to keep as still and unaffected as possible, and honestly I deserve a gold medal for my efforts "Tell me you did not talk to her! Tell me she doesn't know who you are!" He practically roared.

"Chris probably already told her, Derek."

"Dumbass. You complete dumbass. You could have been hurt! She could have cornered you, and -"

"But she didn't! I'm okay. I promise, no one hurt me when I was there. They can't, anyway, not without my dad and mom raining hell on them. Chill."

"'Chill'? You want me to 'chill'? Unbelievable." He had stormed off, refusing to talk to me until after dinner.

Oh, wait, no, my mistake - there was another irritating part to Friday. Actually the whole weekend; my parents and I never really did have our talk. If one wasn't busy, the other was. And they both refused to tell the truth without the other present. I don't know; either it was a part of their marriage contract, or they're stalling.

Derek was no help either, mainly because he doesn't know anything about my memory loss. Evidently, my parents only told him they made sure I forgot everything that had to do with the Hales after the fire. You can imagine how hurt he looked when he revealed this. It definitely didn't shine a positive light on my parents' actions. I guess the only silver lining is that my connection to the Hales was so strong, that as soon as I re-met one, my brain knew they weren't actually a stranger.

Not that I remember anything. The other Hales still only come to me in random dreams and sporadic voices in my head.

I sigh as I walk through the halls of the packed school, standing in between Allison and Lydia - our strawberry blonde friend is still bitter her parents refused to let her hang out with us.

As the bell rings, Allison looks around. "It's just weird. Everybody's talking about what happened Thursday, and nobody knows it was us." I shift my bag and hold my copy of Julius Caesar by Shakespeare close to my chest, my stomach covered by the floral-print dress I'm wearing rather than my usual cropped shirt.

Lydia scoffs. "Thank you, for the protection of minors."

"I mean, technically I'm not a minor, but no one wants to get on my dad's bad side."

"Lydia, do you think I made the wrong decision?" Allison asks.

"About that jacket with that dress? Absolutely."

I snort. "Lyds, you know what she meant. And I told you, Alli, your feelings matter, too. Scott messed up. Big time."

"She's right." Lydia points out. "Helloooo? Scott locked us in a classroom and left us for dead." Not really, but it's not like I can tell them the truth. Besides, as pissed as I am, I know Scott

well enough to understand he was protecting us. Not just from the alpha, but also himself. Especially since he and Stiles believe the alpha was trying to get the floppy-haired idiot to kill us. "He's lucky we're not pressing charges, or making him pay our therapy bills."

I nod. "I should probably sign up for that, by the way. Therapy."

"You mean you haven't already?" Lydia asks, disappointment written all over her face. "You should. You were attacked, you could have died."

I nod and take her hand, stopping the three of us and squeezing the limb. "I know. And I'm sorry for scaring you. I promise I'll see someone."

"Fine." She straightens, popular girl look back in place. "Allison and I have class. Are you going home after AP Lit?"

I nod, thinking about Derek off by himself in my house. "Yeah. Our night at school made me appreciate hanging out at home more."

"Hear, hear. Bye, Trish."

"Kisses, Tricia." Allison and Lydia wave and walk away from me. I sigh and put my hand on the doorknob to my AP Literature classroom, and the scent of blood fills my nostrils. I can smell the alpha's rank, hot breath. I can feel his fur over my body, his sharp claws scratching my side -

Someone clears their throat and I open the door, letting the guy behind me pass. With a sigh, I enter the classroom after him, hurrying over to my seat.

I know I only have to be here for a couple of hours, but it's going to be a long day.

I groan as I enter my car, head banging against the steering wheel. Today was the worst. Classes were fine, that wasn't the issue. It was the constant gossiping about what had happened, and if I were a werewolf I'd have been driven crazy by the noise. No wonder Scott looked so frustrated whenever I saw him in the halls.

No. I haven't talked to him or Stiles. I only ever said I'd see them, remember?

I start my car with a heavy sigh and pull away from the school, the drive home completely silent. I really don't think I can handle any more noise today.

I park my car, noticing the driveway's empty. Right. Mom has to be at the office now, all the time, just like my dad, because Scott and Stiles couldn't just blame something else on what happened, rather than Derek. As angry as I am, it's still hard to watch both of them come home at different times, completely exhausted and emotionally strained. At least the twins have friends and afterschool programs to keep them busy.

This just means I get the house to myself, again. Well, Derek and I.

Making sure to lock the door, I stalk over to the bowl of fruit and grab an apple, aggressively biting into it as I hop up onto the counter. The curtains are open but the blinds are closed throughout the house, to keep Derek from being seen and then recognized by my nosy neighbors.

Speaking of the newest Abernathy Home resident, Derek walks into the kitchen and snorts when he sees me attacking my apple. "Long day?" He sarcastically quips, as though he hasn't basically been trapped here since Thursday night.

"The longest. Everyone wanted to know my opinion about that night, never mind the fact they don't know I was involved. It was all, 'Patricia, what do you think?'. 'Patricia, what would you have done?'. 'Patricia, we should try to spend the night at the school, last longer than those losers. Get to know each other all over again.'" I blush at the last sentence, Derek raising an eyebrow. His facial expression is blank, but his eyes are amused. "That was my ex, Greenberg."

"You dated a guy named 'Greenberg'?"

"No." I pout. "I dated a guy named 'Dale Greenberg'." Derek's face remains blank for a few moments, until he snorts. The snort becomes a chuckle, which soon becomes a full-bellied laugh. I look at him like I'm seeing a stranger. "Did I break you?"

"You… you dated a Dale?"

"Wow." I mutter, and he coughs, settling down a bit, a little confused.

"What?"

"Nothing, I just… I didn't think you knew how to laugh." He smiles shyly and glances down before looking at me, a new calmness around us.

"Well, you were clearly wrong."

I blush too, then jump down, passing by him to grab my book and head towards the stairs. "Yeah, well, there's a first time for everything."

"Okay, you've definitely been wrong more than once."

I roll my eyes but don't look back, Derek making no effort to mask his footsteps, probably so he doesn't freak me out. "Nope. Never. I'm always right."

"Except for when you decide to angrily storm away from your friends and fight an alpha." I stop and turn my head to look down at him, and he raises a thick eyebrow at me once more.

I roll my eyes and keep walking. "Technically that's your fault. And Stiles and Scott's."

"Excuse me?" He asks, although the offended tone isn't harsh. "I was impaled by the alpha, in case you don't remember. How is it my fault?"

"I don't think I'll ever forget." I mutter, stepping onto the landing of my floor, and for a moment it slips my mind that he can hear me.

"Patricia." He says, taking my elbow in his large hand and stopping me from moving, instead turning my body to face his. Even though he's standing on the second-to-last step, he's still taller than me. "Hey." His voice is soft, just like in the kitchen. The joking tone is gone. "I'm sorry. I know."

"I thought you were dead. And my best friends blamed you for… for everything. Like you hadn't just been killed. Because they thought you were dead, and you being dead meant the lie was easier to get away with. People would have thought you were a murderer. And I… I didn't even stop them. I was just so angry. So I… I reacted."

He walks up the rest of the steps and backs me up near the window by the staircase. His hands move onto my waist and he looks into my eyes. "You shouldn't let me affect you like that. I can't… you can't go putting yourself in danger just because you're angry I got hurt, or -"

"Died. I thought you died."

"I'm not worth it."

I scoff and step away from him, finishing my apple as I walk towards my room, Derek following me. "I think you are. My parents think you are. People are still around to care about you, Hale. You aren't alone."

"I guess not." He mutters, awkwardly standing in the doorway of my room. I toss the core into my trash can then jump onto my bed, crossing my legs under me after removing my shoes as carelessly as possible.

"I shouldn't have run off. But I'd do it again if I meant I could stab that asshole alpha for what he almost did to you." I look away angrily. "I know I don't remember you, but knowing that you were a big part of my life, my parents telling me about our families … it's easy for me to be protective of you." I admit. "And that scares me, Derek."

"Hey, it scares me, too." I look up at him, and he walks over to sit next to me on the bed. "For five years, it was just me and Laura. Now Laura's dead, just like the rest of my family. And I thought I was alone. Then I found you, and I got you back in my life. That's where I want you to stay. So do me a favor, and don't go looking for trouble."

"I promise."

He snorts, and takes my hand. "I can hear you lying."

I smile down at our entwined limbs. "It was worth a shot."

Derek left an hour earlier to go on patrol in the Preserve, needing to check on his house. It took a good thirty minutes for me to let him go, after meeting all the adult Argents and knowing how unhinged Kate is. The sky has started to get dark, and the moonlight pours into my room.

Moonlight.

With a gasp I jump off from my bed, jostling the papers around me. Pulling up the blinds I see the full moon shining, surrounded by stars. Crap. Crap, crap, crap.

Hearing a door slam I look down to see Stiles rushing out of his house with a duffle bag. No matter how angry I am, I can't let him take care of Scott alone. So I grab my phone, slip on my combat boots and rush down the stairs in my exercise shorts and cropped Guns 'n Roses tee shirt, phone and keys bouncing around in my pockets.

I hurriedly lock the door and run across the street, waving my arms in front of the Jeep to stop Stiles. It jerks and he pokes his head out, confused.

"Ricky, what -"

"I'm still pissed. But I'm not letting you take care of Scott alone." He nods, and I rush into the car. After buckling in and watching him peel out into the street, I realize something. There's this burning anger in his eyes. There's a sadness there, too, but… I've known Stiles his whole life. I can read his emotions like a pro. And he looks betrayed. "What's wrong?"

He snorts in disbelief. "'What's wrong?'. I'll tell you what's wrong. My best friend has ignored me for four days. Which, yeah, was my own doing, but still. I miss her like crazy, as she's the only sane person I know. Because - get this - my other best friend decided to let his time of the month get to him and made out with the girl I've loved for years! So yeah, a lot has gone wrong!" He shouts, and I jump at the volume, my mind flashing back to the memory of the alpha above me.

"Scott kissed Lydia?" I ask. "Did you -"

"No." He harshly growls. "I didn't see it happen. But I'm not an idiot. I'm the Sherlock Holmes to your John Watson, remember?"

I huff. "God, Scott's turning into a dick."

Stiles snorts, and we look at each other. Moments later, we start to laugh. "Yeah, he really is. And we thought him going through puberty was rough!"

"I mean, it's only one day every month! It's not like he's on his period. He doesn't get to be a dick, he doesn't have to worry about bleeding through his underwear." I tell Stiles, who laughs harder. "Hey. I missed you."

"Missed you, too. I'm sorry for Thursday. You were hurting, and we made it worse. Are you -"

"I'm fine. Well, except for the nightmares about the alpha and constantly seeing Derek almost being killed every time I look at him."

"Hang on. How often have you been seeing Derek?" Stiles asks me, breaking at the stop light. I smile innocently. "You're harboring a fugitive? Do your parents know?"

"I never got to tell you what I found out, did I?" I ask, somewhat rhetorically. Stiles nods all the same. I inhale and nod, turning my body to face him. "My great-grandma was a Löwenmensch. A lion-man. Lion-woman. Werelion, thing - there's really not a lot of information to go off of. She… I mean my, meaning me… we were part of the Hale pack."

The Jeep screeches to a stop at the red light, Stiles's head whipping towards mine. His eyes practically bulged out of his head in surprise. "What?"

I nod. "Yeah. And if that isn't a painful kick to the balls, my parents somehow got their hands on the Neuralyzer device from Men in Black, because they had my memory wiped after the fire."

"Jesus Christ, Ricky." Stiles steps on the gas as the light turns green. "Man, now I feel even worse about Thursday. Not that I didn't before!" He corrects himself when he guesses I'm gearing up for a lecture. "But… I mean, that does explain some things. Like, okay, you know how Scott and I always used to ask about who your friends were before we got close? Well, you never actually had an answer. Eventually we just assumed you were a loner." Stiles shrugs. "I'm sorry. About everything."

"I mean, you didn't mind-wipe me." I wave him off, but Stiles still shakes his head.

"No. We knew something was bugging you, but Scott and I just ignored it."

"We were trying to make sure Scott didn't murder anyone."

"Yeah, but you're our best friend. Our older sister. You're a priority, too. I'm guessing your parents haven't told you why they Neuralyzed you?"

"Hey, I called it that, too!" We high five without Stiles even having to look. "And no, not yet. They're a little preoccupied trying to prove Derek's innocence."

Stiles has the good grace to blush. "Right. Sorry."

I'm still silently laughing as Stiles parks in front of the McCall house. We carefully get out of the car and Stiles opens the door with the key he managed to copy. Well, both of us did, but mine is at home. Crap, I didn't leave a note for Derek, and it's not like I can text him since he's a fugitive. Oh well, hopefully this all doesn't end horribly, or Derek's going to actually be guilty of murder.

As we quietly enter the house and close the door behind us, Melissa McCall - Scott's beautiful mother who deserves only the best in life - comes into view, dressed in her scrubs. "Scott?" She asks, then stops when she sees us standing at the front door.

"Stiles." My best friend chuckles awkwardly. I raise my hand in a wave.

"Patricia."

"Scott isn't home, so how did you… key." She points to the item in Stiles's hand, answering her unfinished question, and he nods.

"Yeah, I had one made. Well, we both did, so…" I grin innocently at Melissa, who sighs.

"That doesn't surprise me. It scares me, but it doesn't surprise me." She looks at me and smiles. "You, I'm okay with." I laugh at the wounded noise Stiles makes and wraps the older woman in a hug. "Gosh, it's been forever, huh?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry." I apologize. "I'll bring you food on your next shift, okay?"

"Ooh, I'm going to hold you to that." The sound of metal clanking makes us break apart, and I see that Stiles has dropped the duffle bag onto the floor. "What is that?" She asks.

"Uh, school project."

Melissa nods, but obviously doesn't believe him. But, since he's Stiles Stilinski, she doesn't question it further. "Mmm." Then she sighs. "Hey, he's okay, right?"

"Who, Scott?" Stiles asks in return. "Yeah. Totally."

Melissa looks at me, and I give her a sad smile. "He and Allison are just going through a rough patch. But we're gonna take care of him."

"He just doesn't talk to me that much anymore. Not like he used to." She admits sadly.

I bite my lip, realizing just how lucky I am that my parents were the one to know the truth before me. That the only people who don't know the "big supernatural secret" are my little brothers. That happy thought fades when my brain reminds me that, hey, they also took away your memories, stop cutting them slack!

"It's just been a bit of a tough week." Stiles attempts to soothe her, and it surprisingly works.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Yeah, um… okay. Be careful tonight." She peeks into her bag to search for her keys.

"You, too." Stiles awkwardly tells her, and I look skyward.

"Full moon."

That has us both looking at her in shock. "What?"

"Huh?" Stiles and I ask, glancing at each other worriedly. We sigh in relief when Mrs. McCall just shakes her head in amusement.

"There's a full moon tonight. You should see how the ER gets. Brings out all the nutjobs."

"Right." Stiles nods, and she steps passed him, briefly stopping to tell us,

"You know, it's um, actually where they came up with the word 'lunatic'." As soon as she closes the door we rush up the stairs, with me taking the lead and slamming open Scott's bedroom door, only for Stiles and I to jump back and shout in surprise.

Scott is sitting on his cushioned armchair by the window, staring up at us with murder eyes. "Oh my God!" Stiles shouts, dropping the duffle. "Dude, you scared the hell out of us."

"Why are you sitting there like some kind of bond villain, Lestrade?" I ask, but Scott only glares at me harder. "Right. Okay. Rough full moon? Need some Midol? Ginger tea? That always helps me when it's my time of the month." Stiles nudges me and I stop talking.

"Your mom said you weren't home yet." Stiles tells our best friend, who doesn't even blink.

"I came in through the window."

"Okay." As Stiles approaches Scott I kick the bag towards the two boys. "Uh, well, let's get this set up. I want you to see what I bought." He crouches down to open the bag, but Scott remains where he is.

"I'm fine." We look at him. "I'm just gonna lock the door and go to bed early tonight."

"You sure about that? 'Cause you've got this kind of serial killer look going on in your eyes, and I'm hoping it's the full moon, taking effect, 'cause it's really starting to freak me out." Stiles admits, and I nod with him.

"Scott, let us help you."

He looks at me, only coldness in his eyes. "You want to help me? You've left us on our own since that night. Still sad about your 'boyfriend'? Still care more about him than me?" He asks.

I shake my head. "I care for you both. In different ways. Scott, you're my little brother, and you made me upset. I'm still upset. But right now, I need to make sure you're okay."

"Well, I'm fine. You should go now." He growls in my direction, looking down at his hands.

"Alright, we'll leave." Stiles starts to stand up, but stops himself. "Well, would you at least look in the bag and see what I bought? You know, maybe you use it, maybe you don't. Sound good?"

I carefully watch Scott get up from the armchair, hoping Stiles knows what he's doing, because I honestly don't. With how messed up in the head Scott is right now, I don't want to get too close. He harbors the most anger towards me, right now. I'm not eager to be scratched by a werewolf. Again.

Scott crouches down in front of the bag and pulls up a heavy chain. "You think I'm gonna let you put these on and chain me up like a dog?"

From the corner of my eye, I see Stiles putting a hand in his jacket pocket. "Actually, no." Stiles says, as Scott puts the chain back down. Then, quicker than I've ever seen him move, Stiles shoves our best friend into the radiator and clicks something into place. He moves back and I look on in awe when I see he managed to catch the werewolf off guard and handcuff him to the heater.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Scott yells, tugging at the cuffs.

"Protecting you from yourself and giving you some payback… for making out with Lydia."

I lean against the open doorway to Scott's room, watching him as he tries to get out. Stiles returns, waving an open bottle. "I brought you some water." I close my eyes when I see him also hold up a dog bowl with "SCOTT" written around it.

God, this isn't going to end well.

I hear him pouring the water in the bowl before walking towards Scott, presumably to set it down in front of him.

"I'm gonna kill you!" Scott shouts, and I open my eyes right as he throws the bowl at Stiles back, it's contents unfortunately spilling onto me. Great.

"You kissed her, Scott. Okay?!" Stiles yells, turning around as I attempt to pat myself dry. "You kissed Lydia. That's like, the one girl that I eve-" He stops himself, and I straighten to put my hand on his shoulder. "And you know, the past three hours I've been thinking, 'It's probably just the full moon. He doesn't even know what he's doing, and tomorrow he'll be totally back to normal. He probably won't even remember what a complete dumbass he's been.' A son of a bitch, a freaking unbelievable piece of crap friend!"

"She kissed me." Scott says, and I blink. Lydia initiated it? The same Lydia who was telling Allison and I only this morning that Scott's lucky she didn't press charges? The same Lydia who I know loves Jackson, even if the world thinks it isn't true?

I look at Stiles and his hunched shoulders, and step in front of him. There's no way my small frame can block Scott's view of him, but the point is I'm protecting my best friend. But Scott just continues. "Yeah, she kissed me. And she would have done more, too. You should have seen the way she had her hands all over me." I hear Stiles walking away, but stand where I am, arms crossed. "She would have done anything I wanted."

"Shut. Up." I growl, having nothing but anger in my heart towards the stranger in front of me. That isn't Scott. That's not my best friend. This is a lunatic. "When this is all over, Scott McCall, you're going to feel like shit."

I walk out the door, only to hear him yell, "You coward!" It echoes through the night, but I simply roll my eyes. Staring at the hunched over Stiles, I slide down into a sitting position and bring his head to my shoulder, wrapping an arm around his back as his arms shake.

We listen quietly as Scott grunts and moans in his room. I briefly pull out my phone to text Lydia a simple We need to talk.

After a few more minutes of Stiles leaning against me he sits back up, and instead lets me rest my head on his shoulder, one of my legs crossed over his. "This sucks." I mumble.

"Yeah. We never should have looked for that body."

I sigh. "No. We never should have left him behind."

"Stiles… Pat… please let me out." Scott quietly begs. "It's the full moon, I swear." I close my eyes and take Stiles's hand, the two of us squeezing harder than that time we went through the Sheriff Station's Haunted House and a clown drenched in blood popped out at us. "You know I wouldn't do any of this on purpose. Please, guys, let me out. It's starting to hurt." I close my eyes. "It's not like the first time. It's the full moon. It's Allison, breaking up with me. I know… that it's not just taking a break. She broke up with me. And it's killing me. I feel completely hopeless." A tear slides down my cheek. "Just please, let me out."

"We can't." I whisper, knowing he can hear me. "I'm sorry. But we can't."

There's silence, and then my heart breaks. Scott begins to whimper. "No, no, no." Then he howls, wolfing out, and the roar is near deafening as Stiles and I let go of each other's hands to cover our ears, trying and failing to block out the pained noise.

The screaming continues and I curl in tighter. Stop, stop, stop, I beg silently. Please let it stop.

Then, it does. Stiles and I drop our hands and look at each other in shock before scrambling onto our feet. "Scott, are you okay?" He asks, stepping ahead of me into the room. "Crap."

"What?" I ask, and when Stiles steps aside I get my answer.

Scott is gone, his window open, and a pair of bloodied, broken handcuffs lies on the floor.

"We should have used the chains." I mutter, only for Stiles to grab my hand and yank me out of the room and down the stairs. "What are we -"

"We have to find him!" He yells, and we leave the house, Stiles tossing me the key so I can lock it behind me. Then we run into his Jeep and pull away from the McCall residence. All I can hope is that we get to Scott before he hurts someone. No, not just "someone." Allison.

Several distressing unanswered phone calls to my parents and Allison later, Stiles continues driving us around the darkened town. I rub my forehead, nearly screaming at the top of my lungs in fury.

It's not like I can call Derek, either, considering he's Beacon County's Most Wanted.

"Try Allison again." Stiles urges, but I'm already on it.

After ringing a few times, I breathe out a sigh of relief when I hear Allison pick up. "Trish?"

"Hey!" I nearly shout, then even out my tone. She's breathing a little heavily. "What happened?"

"I-I'm with Jackson right now. Something jumped on top of the car, but then it was knocked off. And I don't know what's going on!"

"Why are you with Jackson?" I ask, Stiles rolling his eyes at the name.

"Ran into him. What's with all the missed calls?"

"Chalk it up to me trying to check in on you." I tell her. "Hey, can you put Jackson on the phone?"

"Sure?" I hear her companion take the phone.

"You okay?" He asks me.

I blink. "Yeah, fine. You're the one who almost got attacked."

"It's our fault for parking so close to the woods." The woods, Scott's headed to the Preserve. "Why did you need to talk to me?"

"Jackson, I need you to take Allison home. Get her to her house right now."

"Why?"

"Just do it!" I shout, hanging up and leaning my head back against the headrest. Stiles makes a turn, only for us to see an ambulance and the Sheriff's Department just ahead, a body covered in a sheet being wheeled away.

"No, no, no, no, no." Stiles mutters, slamming on the break. He turns off the engine and we both jump out of the car, running towards the officers. "Dad?" Stiles turns one man around, only to realize it's Deputy Allen.

I spin slowly. "Dad?!" I shout, looking for him desperately. God, what if Scott hurt him? What if he was… gone… and he went thinking I hated him? What was the last thing I even said to him? My fear only escalates when I see the ambulance has two bodies on board, both deceased. What if Scott killed them both, when he realized he couldn't get Allison?

"Has anyone seen our dads?" Stiles pleads, and follows me as I stumble to one of the bodies, only to turn into his chest when I see an arm burned beyond recognition. What the hell happened?

"Stiles, what are you two doing here?"

"Patricia?!" Noah and my dad cry out, and I begin to tear up in relief. Stepping away from Stiles I practically jump into my father's arms, my whole body shaking. "Kid, what's wrong?" He hugs me back, tightly.

"Everything, daddy. Everything's wrong." I mutter, and close my eyes.

I sit on the couch, wrapped up in a thick blanket. My mom sits next to me, holding my hand as my dad settles into the cushioned chair across from us. "I'm so sorry, pumpkin." My mom starts, brushing some wild blonde curls out of my face, pressing a kiss to my temple. "We both are."

"We owe you so many apologies." My dad asks. "We shouldn't have stalled like this. Even with everything going down, you deserve to know the truth." I gaze at him blankly, just waiting. Dad nods, eyeing mom briefly. "Yes, you knew the Hales. You knew Derek. They were - are - your family. Your pack. Our pack. Before the fire, you spent every free moment at their house. You were especially close to one of Derek's younger siblings -"

"Her name was Cora." My mom adds, eyes watering. "God, you were inseparable."

"I know. Derek told me." I whisper.

"Oh. Good." Dad awkwardly clears his throat. "Then there was Laura. She was the designated babysitter. Most times we'd come to pick you up, only for Talia to tell us you were still in the woods, running around with Laura, Cora and Derek." Dad grins. "Grandma always said you'd make a good were. She loved you. And the boys, but she got… she got more time with you."

"Oh, honey." My mom starts to get up, just as teary-eyed as her husband. He waves her off before she can leave my side.

"I'm alright." He blinks over at me, sniffling. "Your great-grandma loved you. More than anything. You're practically her mini-me, she'd be so proud of you." He laughs, voice cracking. "Diane lived at the Hale house, so it was practically your home already. You even had your own room, right across the hall from Derek's, connecting to Cora's. The day," dad inhales sharply, shaking his head.

My mom clears her throat, and I tilt my head to look over at her. She's openly crying, uncaring of the tears sliding down her cheeks. "The day of the fire, you and the boys were at my office. It was 'Bring Your Kid to Work Day', and you begged me all week to bring Cora with us. She'd gotten in a fight at school, though, and nearly revealed herself. Talia grounded her. You were pissed, but you were also angry at Cora for some reason. I should've asked, I'm so sorry -" Mom takes a moment. "But you made sure to let them both know you loved them before we left. Talia felt bad, but she was the alpha, she couldn't show leniency and Cora was reckless. She said I could bring Cora with you to the office the next week."

"Oh." Is all I can say, mind going a thousand miles an hour.

Dad straightens in his chair, clearing his throat. "I got the call about the fire. I went as fast I could, but by the time we got to the scene, the house was gone. So were the others. Peter was burned nearly beyond recognition. He's still in the hospital, recovering. It's a slow process. Your mom and I try to visit every week, but it's hard to see him like that. He was always a dick, but he was like a brother to me." Dad wipes his eyes, clasping his hands together. "I was too late to save them. Sheriff Stilinski saw my head wasn't in the right place, so he sent me to the station with Derek and Laura. Their hands were burned and their clothes were singed, but they were still in one piece. I knew the minute I got to the house, it wasn't a normal fire. It had to be hunters. Laura told me she was going to take Derek and disappear. We both agreed that it wasn't over. But as long as the survivors laid low, no more lives would be lost. We wouldn't be the hunters' top priority."

Mom takes over, squeezing my hand so I knew to look at her. "It was easy to ask everyone to not mention the Hales around you. All anyone had to do was take one look at you and see how broken you were. Humans in a pack don't feel the loss of their pack the same way as weres, but you… your connection was different."

"Great-grandma thought I'd make a good were…" I trail off in understanding. "Because… because the gene…"

My mom nods. "Diane wasn't the only one who could sense it. Talia and the other Hales could as well. Your scent wasn't always human. Talia compared it to the air just before it rains. She loved her metaphors." Mom's smile is sad, and I squeeze her hand this time. "Diane was the last Löwenmensch of the family, but that didn't mean the gene just disappeared. It's in your father, and his father, and your brothers. But with you… it was fighting to come out. And if that happened, if the hunters heard there was a new Löwenmensch in town… we'd lose you, too. Your father and I couldn't let that happen."

"We figured," my dad jumps in, "that if you didn't know about the supernatural, about the Hales, we wouldn't have anything to worry about. You could never turn, because you wouldn't know that was an option. We found someone who could help you forget." He clears his throat, standing up. "What we did was wrong, very wrong, and we're sorry. We just wanted you safe. Your mother and I were barely keeping it together when we lost our pack. Losing you? Not an option. So -"

I jump off the couch and rush around the coffee table, pouncing on my dad to hug him. "I know!" I insist, holding him tight. "I know you're sorry. I understand. I'm still mad, but I understand."

"We're so sorry." Mom joins us, and I'm surrounded by their warmth, and their tears. That's alright, I'm a crying mess, too. "I wish we could get them back, but we lost touch with the alpha who has them years ago. I'm so sorry."

"I know." I nod, stepping away to wipe my tears. "I think I'm going to head to bed. It's been a long day, and I've got… I've got a lot to think about."

"Of course." Mom pulls me into another hug. "I love you."

"I love you, too." I let my dad hold me next, smiling when he kisses the top of my head and ruffles my hair. Then I'm rushing up the stairs, barely stopping at my brothers' room to check on the sleeping twins before I reach my room. I close my door behind me, forehead pressing against the wood. I feel myself begin to slide down, hiding my face in my hands as I start to break down.

I freeze as two large arms wrap around me, settling as soon as I recognize the voice. "Shh, Patty. I've got you."

"Der." I sob, scrambling to twist in his hold. Derek keeps me from falling over in my haste.

"Hey. It's okay." He lifts my chin, our eyes meeting. His are full of concern, and mine flutter shut as he gently swipes at the tears staining my cheeks. "Scott's alright. He's mad at himself, but he's alive." The werewolf assures me, frowning. "What happened?"

"They told me… they told me everything." I murmur, his eyes widening with understanding. "It still hurts, but I get it. We're not sure I'll ever get my memories back, mom said the 'alpha who has them' can't be found." Derek makes a noise. "All those years, gone. All those memories"

"Yeah." He presses our foreheads together, holding our hands to his lips so he can kiss my knuckles. "But we can make new ones."

"Really?"

Derek smiles at me, and I sink into his warmth. "Really. I promise." He pulls back and stands up, lifting me with him. As soon as I'm on my feet, he's leading me towards the bathroom. "Get ready for bed."

"Are you leaving?" I hate how lost I sound.

Derek's lips twitch downwards, and he shakes his head. "No, bright eyes. I'm not going anywhere."

I fall asleep with his arms wrapped around me, my head pillowed on his chest, uncaring if my parents find us.