We'd been in hiding for days, per Derek's orders. I could only imagine what our our parents were thinking, that was if they'd even noticed. They hadn't noticed anything else going on in our lives. The continuously late nights, the blood that stained our cloths, the fact we went days without speaking a single word to them. Most parents would have probably been worried, ours apparently didn't care. It made things easier I guess, so I shouldn't complain.

It had been after the full moon that Derek gave the order, telling us to scatter and to hide out until he called us back together. The reason for this was because Gerard – the leader of the Hunters and Allison's grandfather – now had control of the Kanima, having taken it from that Matt guy me and Erica had shared detention with. Apparently, he'd been the puppet master behind this entire thing. Thinking about that now made me more scared than ever. If it had been that deadly in the hands of a kid who had no idea what he was doing, then how strong would it be under Gerard's reign.

I'd fully agreed with Derek's decision to scatter, to hide and see how the Hunters responded. Derek had taught us how to survive, now it was time to use those skills.

I'd kept Erica with me, unable to stand the idea of going days without knowing she was okay. If we'd separated I would have thrown myself at the mercy of the Hunters just to know whether she was alive or not. At least with her at my side, what ever happened would happen to both of us.

We'd gone home together after Derek gave the order, gathering up supplies and the bare minimal of what we'd need over the next few days. Then we'd gone out into the woods, as deep as we could.

It had been tranquil at times, little moments with Erica were everything going on just slipped away. It never lasted long but it had been nice, just the two of us, alone in the woods, camping. Mostly though, it was tense, not knowing what was going on with the rest of the Pack, not knowing what the Hunters were up to and if they were coming after us or not.

It was days before Derek had howled for us. That howl had been a message, telling us to check our phones or to find him if we couldn't. Being as deep in the woods as we were, me and Erica had to venture back to town until we got a signal.

As it turned out, our parents had noticed our absence, as both mine and Erica's phones were full of missed phone calls and text messages from them. I supposed it was nice to know that they cared, but it wasn't going to change anything. Derek had made it clear to those of us with family, that getting in contact would not only put us in danger, but them as well. So I scrolled past all the texts and opened up Derek's. He'd told us to meet him at the Hale house before sun raise. That worked for us, it was on our way back to our camp site anyway. And me and Erica had come to a decision.

As a Pack we'd told Derek before we split up. He hadn't wanted to hear it then, but he would now, now that we'd had time to think. At first he'd dismissed it as the full moon, messing with our heads, but it hadn't been. I for one had been feeling that way for a while, and I suspected the others had too. I'd been warning him for a while now, trying to get him to be more honest with us, or at the very least me. Trust breads loyalty, and it was clear Derek didn't trust me or the Pack as much as he claimed.

For one thing, he was still yet to explain to me about what had happened with Lydia. I'd asked him when I saw him after. Asked him repeatedly, but he had either ignored me or told me to drop it. I couldn't stand either of those things, and thoughts of Lydia had been haunting me along with those of the Hunters. I'd had several more nightmares since we came to the woods, ones of Lydia using that same purple wolfsbane on me, and then dragging me to the Hunters, offering me up like she was a delivery girl. I had needed answers, and Derek had refused to give them to me. He hadn't even given me a reason either, thus, he'd now pushed me further away than ever before.

Well, by tomorrow he wouldn't have to push me much further. I'd be gone, along with Erica and whoever else wanted to leave.

On our way to the remains of the Hall house, we ran into Boyd who was on his way from where he'd been hiding out on his own. It was nice to see him again after all this time, so much so that we spared a moment for a group hug before continuing on. It was comforting to have him with us again, and I could feel myself getting stronger and more confident with his mere presence. Being in a Pack definitely made us stronger, but with it just being us three, I realised that maybe an Alpha wasn't as necessary as Derek might have claimed. Perhaps it could work with just a group of Betas, at least for a time.

As we walked, we talked, and it became apparent that Boyd had come to the same decision as us. That brought on a new decision about where we should all go, since we seemed to be in silent agreement that if we left, we'd be leaving together. But then midway through the conversation, Boyd stopped. It had taken me several steps to realise, same for Erica. So when we stopped, we both turned around to frown at him. "I thought I heard something," he said.

We stood there, in the dark woods, listening for a moment. I used my senses, the tracker training that Derek had been grinding into my head. I picked up many scents and smells and signs of life, but nothing that could cause us any damage or pain. The biggest and most harmful thing out here right now was a deer, and it was a good mile North-West of us. "There's nothing out here," I said before turning, ready to continue on.

"Derek told us to be back before sun up," I then added with authority. We may be leaving, but for now we were still in Derek's Pack and I was still his second – for whatever that was worth. But before I could get far, Boyd ran up behind me and grabbed my arm, pulling me back.

"I'm telling you, I heard something," he insisted, and I could tell by the look in his eye he really thought he'd heard something.

"Look, if we're gonna do that whole, 'I thought I heard something' thing, then we shouldn't be stopping. We should be running," argued Erica as she walked over to us, feeling the safety of numbers. I could hear it in her voice too, her voice going from timid and scared, to insistent and angry the closer she got.

"No, just listen," Boyd pressed, grabbing Erica's arm too. I was about ready to pull away from his grip and tell him to shut up and walk when I heard it. A lone howl in the night.

"Coyote?" Erica asked as she looked around, before looking back to me and Boyd. "Wolf?"

"No, it can't be. There are no wolves in California," Boyd said confidently. Though he was still looking around uneasily.

"No, but there are Werewolves," Erica and I pointed out in unison, which only freaked us out more all the more.

"That didn't sound like Derek," Boyd then said, once the freakiness of me and Erica speaking in unison passed.

"Maybe it was," Erica said with an unsure shrug, but I was all ready shaking my head.

"No, that definitely wasn't Derek," I contradicted.

"So then who the hell is it?' Erica asked urgently. "Another Werewolf?" Just then several more howls began to echo around us, each coming from a different location. I could for certain pick out three, but it could have easily been five or maybe even more than that. It was another Pack, and they were passing through Beacon Hills.

There was never going to be a better time to do this, so once the howling passed, I got Erica and Boyd to move. They obviously had questions, but I didn't have answers, at least not yet, and I certainly had plenty of my own. But we still needed to get to Derek's. We could catch up to this new Pack later. Besides, in a large group they wouldn't travel as far, giving us – the smaller group – a chance to catch up if they did leave before our business with Derek was concluded.

We ended up arriving at the Hale house just as the sun was rising, and when we entered we found Derek inside the remains of the former living room, rummaging through stacks of books. He continued on for a second before stopping, as his head lifted. He'd realised we were here. "You've decided," he said knowingly as he turned around to face us, all three of us stood in the large door way. Me in the middle with Erica and Boyd on either side. None of us particularly happy about the decision we'd come too. However, it was better than the alternative.

"When?" Derek asked.

"Tonight," Erica answered. I cursed at myself for not being the one to say. I was the oldest, I was Derek's second, if we were leaving it should have been me to speak up, but I hadn't. Instead I remained silent from in between my sister and my friend, while they did all the talking. Staring dead ahead at Derek with what I imagined was a dazed look in my eye, I let the moment pass by, like it was a wave and I was just sitting under the surface of the water.

"Everyone's gonna be at the game," Boyd explained. "We figured it was the best time."

"It's not like we want to," Erica added mournfully.

"What do you want?" Derek asked Erica point blank, as he took a step towards us.

Erica shied away at first, but then looked back up with an uneasy smile. It wasn't the way she should have been looking at her Alpha, but then again, we weren't really his Betas anymore. Not in our hearts anyway. "Since I just turned sixteen a couple months ago, I wouldn't mind getting my license. I can't do that if I'm dead, you know," she answered sadly.

"Well, I told you there was a price," Derek responded, as if that justified everything that had happened. In his head it might of, his warning about the Hunters and the full moon. That was what he'd told us. He hadn't told us he was a new Alpha, hadn't told us about the possibility of other things out there, that his bite might turn us into the something like the Kanima. But out of all of those, the lie that irritated me the most was his facade, the one he'd put on for all of us when he'd offered us the bite. The charming charismatic man who made us believe. He'd never been that man, or that Alpha.

Whatever he was, he wasn't our Alpha anymore.

"You're a bad Alpha, you know that?" I asked, edge to my voice as Derek's gaze honed in on me.

"Excuse me?" Derek growled, advancing. I matched his step forward with my own. I wasn't backing down this time, he needed to hear this for his own good.

"I told you that before, remember. After Erica's seizure, the ones you said she'd never have to go through again," I said, voice scarily calm, like before a storm.

"I hadn't known then–"

"It's surprising how little you actually know, considering your meant to be our Alpha," I cut in sharply. "Everyone knows more than you. The Argents. Scott. Heck even Stiles – who's using frick'n google – knows more than you!"

"I'm still your Alpha," Derek growled, eyes flashing red as he stepped into my personal space. "And you will respect me." His voice deepened, but I wasn't deterred by it anymore. I wasn't his Beta, and he was not my Alpha. He had no power over me other than the physical.

"No, Derek, you're not! Not anymore," I shouted, before my voice then dipped as the realisation passed over his face. I did feel sorry for him then, seeing the hurt in his eyes, but I couldn't cave in. I had to do what was best and this was the best decision. Even if it wasn't for him.

He stepped back, turning away briefly as he ran his hand across his jaw. Then he turned back around, eyes back to normal and gaze set on all of us, not just me. "You need me, you need the strength of an Alpha. Without one you can't even call yourself a Pack."

"We know," Boyd spoke up.

"So what, you're gonna look for another? How are you even gonna find one?" Derek shouted, trying to get us to see his way. But he couldn't make us see his way anymore, not without being our Alpha. And we'd rejected him now.

"We think we all ready did," Boyd answered.

"What?" Derek exclaimed, unable to believe us.

"We heard other Werewolves when we were out in the forest," I answered for him, arms folded as I met his gaze, taking it all so the others could speak more freely.

"It was unbelievable," Erica said, sounding a little giddy. "First we heard this one howl – we thought it might have been you. And then suddenly, like, seven or eight others started howling too, all around us."

"It could have easily been a dozen of them," Boyd added, just as eagerly.

"Yeah, or maybe only two," Derek cut in condescendingly, the way he usually did with us. And then followed the lecture… "You know what the Beau Geste effect is? If they modulate their howls with a rapid shift in tone, two wolves can sound like twenty."

"Even if you're right–" I began before he cut me off.

"I am right."

Apparently he just had to get that in there. "There has to be other Packs out there. You can't expect us to believe you're the only Alpha in the world?" His silence answered my question for me. And then in a moment of petty I stepped towards him, bringing his gaze solely on me.

"I'm sorry about calling you a bad Alpha, Derek. But look at this from our perspective. You show up all charm and mysterious, offering us this gift and then when we take it you turn into this." I gave him a look up and down to help my point. "You're not a seasoned Alpha, your new. You didn't even have a Pack before you made us. That means you were an Omega. And just like you told us, one can raise and fall between the three."

"Are you saying you would have taken the bite from me like this?" Derek snapped, as if accusing me of being in the wrong.

"I don't know, and we never will. But I am grateful that I did take it Derek. You've helped me and my sister come out of our shells, you've given us friends in Boyd and Isaac. It's just a shame you couldn't be one of them." He frowned at me, as if not understanding.

"That's your problem, Derek. You might be an Alpha, but your not a leader. A good leader doesn't tell his men to shut up. He doesn't shoot down their opinions or suggestions, he doesn't go looking for fights before they're ready to fight and he doesn't lie. He's open and honest with his men, he befriends them and earns their trust, the trust they need to lead. But you don't have that, Derek. You don't have our trust or our friendship. And if you really wanted it you'd come with us. But as far as you're concerned it's either your way or no way. That's a dictator, Derek, not a leader."

I back away then, sorrow in my eyes as I looked into his haunted green ones. It wasn't until I was back in line with Erica and Boyd, that I spoke again. "I am grateful, Derek. I truly am, for everything. And if it was just me I'd stay with you. But I have to look out for Erica, I have to protect her. And we clearly aren't safe here anymore," as I said that, I took Erica's hand, feeling her squeeze back, knowing that she felt the same way.

Erica then gave a firm nod, and added, "We've made up our minds."

"Yeah, we lost, Derek. And it's over. We're leaving," Boyd then said, equally sorry as me, but still wanting to live, just like I wanted Erica to.

Derek started shaking his head at us, smiling crazily as if knowing he was right. He was losing it, going in insane with either the power or the prospect of being alone. Or maybe it was just because of the continual losing. That had certainly taken a toll on me, after all, it was partly why we were leaving.

"No," Derek said, before pointing an accusing book at us. "No, you're running. And once you start, you don't stop. You'll always be running," he said, as if we were beneath him now, because he was choosing to stay, and fight, and die. Instead of choosing his friends and to live and fight another day. Further evidence he wasn't the Alpha I'd originally thought him to be. But I'd stuck with him long enough now, given him a chance to improve and now it had come down to two choices. Us, or himself. He'd chosen himself. That was the kind of Alpha he apparently was.

I shed a tear for the Alpha he might have been, the one I thought him to be. And then I shed another for him, hoping he would survive impossible odds. Despite everything I didn't want him to die. But this was no longer my fight. So I turned, taking Boyd's hand too before I pulled, and my fellow Betas naturally fell into a run beside me as we fled the Hale house.

We returned to the campsite me and Erica had set up, spending the day there as we checked over our supplies. It was enough to last a couple more days if we rationed it and it was all moveable if we decided to leave Beacon Hills and follow the Pack we'd heard. We didn't know for sure they had left yet, but we hadn't heard anything else since last night, or picked up any scents either.

It was too risky to look for them during the day, so we would do so at night. If we found no trace of them, we'd leave Beacon Hills and search for another Pack. One thing was for sure, we couldn't afford to stay in this town any longer.

The day was long, most of it waiting and sitting around until the sun to set. It was one of the longest of my life. But the sun did set, by which point we were all packed and ready to go. We began our search by heading back to where we'd originally heard the howls. Then after a discussion about which howl had been the closest, we headed off in the direction we believed to have heard it from, hoping to find something that would lead us to this new Pack.

In the end we didn't find anything, but we did hear more howling, and this time it was just a few wolves together. Two was our guess, which made for an ideal meeting. Presuming they were with the Pack, it wouldn't be as intimidating as going up to the all of them at once, and we wouldn't come across as threatening when three of us jumped one lone member. So we took off towards those howls with excitement and hope in our run.

That vanished though when we heard the sound of engines charging through the forest. I came to an abrupt stop, Erica and Boyd skidding aside to avoid crashing into me. I looked around, taking in the sound as they asked what was going on. Then I saw lights in the distance, coming towards us. They bobbed up and down, something fast going over the bumpy terrain. And there was only one group of people that would be out here in the night going at that speed. Hunters.

"Get down!" I hissed at Erica and Boyd before grabbing Erica's wrist and pulling her towards the base of a tree. With our backs pressed to it, I found Boyd on my other side having joined us, all of us squeezing in between the roots as we held out breath.

The Hunters approached on ATVs, which came to a stop right on the other side of the tree we were against. Erica looked as if she were about to cry, so I pulled her against me, hoping to muffle her tears if she did start to cry. "Play it again," I heard one Hunter say, then a second later came the howls we'd heard.

I felt like such an idiot, falling for what was probably a basic Hunter trick. Recordings of Werewolf howls. I should have known, should have recognised something wasn't right, but in leaving Derek I had been eager to find a new Pack for Erica and Boyd, and in so doing I'd fallen right into their trap.

When the howling passed, the Hunters continued on, engines reeving as they drove off into the forest. A second later I felt Boyd's hand slid into mine. I was still holding Erica against me, but I turned to see how scared he was. He was just as scared as Erica, which meant I was going to have to be the honorary Alpha of our little group.

"It's going to be okay. They don't know we're here yet. All we have to do is get out of the woods and get out of Beacon Hills," I said reassuringly as I squeezed Boyd's hand and tightened my hold on Erica. "I promise you, I'll get us out of here."

"So sweet," came a voice that I recognised but have never heard using that tone before. We all turned, finding Allison, a dark smirk on her face as she aimed her bow at us, arrow loaded. "But I'm not about to let you murderers get away."

"We didn't murderer anyone," Boyd said cautiously, not wanting to provoke the young Hunter, who'd apparently abandoned her former position on the fence.

"Tell it to someone who cares," growled Allison before firing her arrow. I dove into Boyd, knocking him down as the arrow pierced the tree trunk sending splinters of bark flying out around us.

With a huff, Allison reached for another arrow, but by the time she'd loaded it we were already running. I glanced back, watching as another arrow came towards my head. At the last second I managed to throw myself into a tree, dodging the arrow as it wizzed by ahead of us, lost in the darkness. I pressed off and continued running, shouting at Erica and Boyd to do the same since they were ahead of me.

A whistle sounded from behind us, and then I heard the ATVs coming back around. Before long they'd caught up to us, their bright lights on our backs as two of them chased us. From up ahead I could hear Erica shouting at me to run faster. I honestly could have, but I wanted to be the one at the back, I wanted to be their first target instead of her or Boyd. So I stayed behind while Boyd ran just ahead of me. He might be the strongest Beta I know, but he's also definitely the slowest too.

We finally got ahead of them when we jumped through some closely gathered trees, allowing us to run straight while the Hunters had to go around. Our progress was then aided further by a dip in the ground that caught the front wheels of both ATVs. They could get out, but it'd take time and they'd never catch us with out them. It finally seemed like we might actually lose them, as we ran out across an open area.

But then an arrow hit my leg from behind and I went down. I looked back at it, finding the slick arrow firmly embedded in me, blood ruining my jeans. That was the least of my worries, because I could hear the Hunters coming on foot, and with this arrow in me I'd never out run them. Even if I removed it, by the time it healed they'd be on me, and I already knew I wouldn't be walking, never mind running with this wound.

I looked ahead, seeing Erica screaming at me as she tried to get back while Boyd held her. "Go!" I shouted at them, ripping the arrow from my leg as my face contorted in pain. "Go, I'm right behind you!" A lie, but one I had to tell in order to protect them both.

"Dylan!" Erica cried out.

"Just go!" I cried out, feeling my own tears begin to mirror Erica's. "Boyd! Get her out of here!" He hesitated but in the end did as told, grabbing Erica who fought against him as he ran off into the forest ahead. I had never been more grateful to anyone in my entire life. I didn't care what happened to me, just so long as Erica got away, and Boyd would make sure of that. I trusted him.

So sniffing back the tears, and wiping my eyes, I rolled over, giving my injury a chance to heal as I saw Allison emerge from behind me. She walked from the woods, bow already loaded, the mist giving her an edge of danger. But more than that, I could see her eyes – cold, nothing like they were before. Something had happened, I didn't know what but something had changed her from that girl and into this. I found it ironic that she'd called us murderers, because from where I was sitting, watching her advance towards me through the thin layer of mist – she looked like more of a murderer than me.

"Done running?" she mocked, drawing back her bow.

"From you?" I shot back, arching my brow. "Why would I need to run?" I saw the irritation flash over her face, before she let the arrow fly at me. It slammed into my shoulder knocking me onto my back as my hand shot to my pain consumed shoulder.

"That's why," Allison snapped, before taking a breather to load another arrow. "Now," she then said, tone more calm and dark. "Let's have some fun." She fired her next arrow, this one hitting me in the stomach, forcing blood up into my mouth. She smirked at my pain. "Come on, Dylan. Where's the girl that was going to steal my boyfriend?" Allison asked mockingly, loading another arrow. "The one who was going to kill me, a Hunter?"

The third arrow hit my other arm, bring out a scream of pain before I bit down on my lip, refusing to give her the satisfaction. Though she seemed to already have it by her grin.

"I don't know," I answered honestly, pushing myself up so that I could face her without being on my back. I was breathing heavily, battling through the pain and trying not to show how much it hurt. Because as long as I had her attention she wouldn't go after Erica and Boyd. I just needed to stall her long enough for them to get away. If talking to her and taking arrows did that, then I'd play along.

"To be honest, I kinda wondered why Derek never had us kill all of you. Sure would've made things easier for us. But then I realised, that would make us the monsters you think we are."

"You are monsters," Allison snapped. "And murderers."

"Even Scott?" I asked.

She didn't answer, didn't even flinch, didn't react in anyway. And that really did scare me. How cold and detached was she now?

My thoughts suddenly switching, I let out a chuckle that was swiftly cut off by the pain of the arrows already inside of me. "What's so funny?" Allison asked, almost sounding curious.

"Scott, of all things," I admitted with a weak smile towards his girlfriend. "You know I wanted to kill the Kanima – or rather Jackson. After what it did to Erica, I was so sure that was the right thing to do. I wanted to be what you think we are, all to protect her.

"And then Scott asked me not to, he convinced me not to because he cared about Jackson. He cared about all of you…and yet, even though we were fighting him, he still cared about us too."

I lowered my head, too tired suddenly to hold it up. "I don't know why, but I listened to him. I didn't kill Jackson even though I had the chance. And all because he actually cared about me and my sister, because he didn't want us to get hurt."

"If you think bringing Scott up is going to make me stop, your wrong," Allison said, voice shaking just enough to give away the game. I grinned, lifting my head back up with renewed strength.

"I'm not bringing him up to stop you. I'm bringing him up because I only now realise how good he was to me, to all of my Pack, even when were we fighting him and trying to kill people. He never gave up on us, he always cared." I met Allison's eye.

"Kinda makes me wonder how he fell for a girl like you."

I saw the twitch in her eye, and I knew I'd gotten to her, I'd managed to get one last shot in at her. That made me grin.

Until I heard Erica scream from behind me. I swung around, finding her running back towards me with Boyd racing after her. Tears flying from her eyes. "No," I heard myself whisper, before an arrow shot by me, hitting Erica in the leg and taking her down. "NO!" I cried out, turning around just in time to see Allison shoot another arrow, this time taking down Boyd. "Leave them along, just let them go, you have me!"

Now it was Allison's turn to grin. "But I want all of you," she said coldly before loading another arrow. "And I've still got more arrows to use."

"NO!" I shouted again as she fired another arrow. It wasn't aimed at me though, but at Erica instead. Like me, Allison hit her in the shoulder and sent her into a cry of pain. Boyd shortly followed, shot in the stomach as he tried to make his way over to Erica, to protect her. Why couldn't they have just run?!

"Stop it, Allison!" I shouted at her.

She only looked at me with those hallow brown eyes and smirked, not even looking as she fired another arrow into Erica. Then another, and another, each one making both me and Erica scream louder. Allison just ignored us, happy with her work as she fired another arrow. But this one didn't go into Erica, this time it went into me – despite the fact Allison had been aiming for my sister.

My. Sister.

I was on my feet now, having moved without any realisation myself. My head was lowered, but it soon rose, revealing my glowing furious eyes, burning with a passion to battle Allison's cold glare. "I won't let you hurt them anymore!" I growled, roaring as I felt the shift take over, this time on purpose.

Allison didn't seem to care, firing another arrow at me in the chest. I took it, still standing as I spread myself so I could protect my Pack. Another arrow hit me, then another, and another. But still I stood, taking them all as Allison fired with cold hard precision, never wavering not once. But then, neither did I. Not while I was defending my Pack, my Sister. Not ever.

Arrow after arrow hit me but still I didn't go down. And when Allison tried to fire around me and hit Boyd or Erica, I used my limbs to take the hits. I saw it was irritating her, but I was going to protect them both with my life. I'd made that decision now. Once it would have only been Erica, once I didn't have the strength. But now I did, I had the strength to face anything, even hell like this, just so long as I was protecting the people I loved – and I now realised, that no longer just included Erica.

"Please, Allison, stop!" Erica cried out from the behind me.

"She's had enough!" added Boyd.

"We're done fighting, we'll do what you want just stop!" Erica pleaded as Allison fired three more arrows into me. I was like a porcupine, arrows covering the front of me. I was honestly amazed I hadn't died yet, or at the very least passed out. But my will wouldn't let me, not while Allison still had arrows and my loved ones were in danger. I would see this through.

Down to her last few arrow, Allison loaded it in, taking aim before a gun shot rang out. I thought that would have been it, me dead, but instead I saw Allison's bow hit the ground, having been shot in two. I looked over along with Allison, seeing her father, Chris, pointing a gun at her. However when I laughed, that gun turned on me, as did Allison's glare.

I took a step forward, still laughing even though I knew I only had one more step in me after that. And then I heard myself say something I thought I'd never say, and I have no idea why I said it, but I did. Maybe it was my instincts, something primal inside me that knew something was wrong. Or maybe it was just me, knowing what I'd done and feeling guilty as I said, "Allison…I'm sorry…"

It turned out I was wrong. I didn't have another step in me. Because before I could take it, my remaining will power left me, and I went down.