I sat in the busy cafeteria, snuggly in between Stiles and Scott, the way it had been for the better part of the past three days. I felt like I hadn't been out of their sight since waking up Monday morning to Stiles "making" me breakfast. In reality he poured a bowl of cereal and made coffee, but the gesture was still sweet. It had gotten less sweet as the hours droned on. Scott threatened to go to the bathroom with me after lunch that day and I wasn't allowed to go anywhere without their knowledge and then they were still going to invite themselves along anyway. Today they both had lacrosse practice so I was finally going to get some peace and quiet. I sighed with relief as I glanced at the clock. Only two more hours and I would get some quality alone time.

The school was buzzing with the upcoming dance. Everywhere I went, kids were discussing what they were going to wear, who they were going with, or if they were going to get lucky that night. I still had yet to find a date and Scott had yet to get the courage to ask Alison, though they had finally worked up to being friends again. Going stag seemed like a pretty inviting aspect when I compared it to asking Stiles to the dance. I had managed to spend the last seventy-two hours with him and we hadn't so much as talked about that night, about the kiss. Every time I glanced into his big brown eyes, I wanted to scream, 'How stupid could you possibly be? Just tell me how you feel and ask me out already!' But some how, I contained myself. The dance was this weekend and if I wanted to get Stiles as a date, I needed to get a move on.

"I need to go to class, if that's alright with you guys." I said smartly, acknowledging the bell. Stiles and Scott hopped up from the bench, releasing me.

"Let's go." Scott nodded, glancing around nervously.

"Scott, honestly, do you think the Alpha is gonna barge in here and hypnotize you into biting me?" I sighed, weaving a hand through my hair.

"We're not taking any chances, Mason!" Stiles argued and proceeded to push me out the double doors into the hall. I swiped his hands off my back and glared at them both.

"I can not wait until you guys have lacrosse." I muttered, blowing a stray piece of hair out of my face.

"Oh, you don't think we're going to leave you alone, do you?" Scott chuckled. I looked at them shocked.

"What?" I said quickly.

"Against my better judgment," Stiles sighed, crossing his arms resolutely. He looked like what he was saying was paining him, "We're leaving you with Derek."

I blinked, staring blankly at them, "I'm not a child who needs to be babysat."

"Mase, we know," Scott agreed.

"It's just a precaution until we get through this full moon," Stiles added.

"Don't you think that keeping Scott glued to my side day in and day out is going to just give him an open to change me?" Scott looked ashamed and looked away. "I'm just saying that maybe a little time away would be a little safer. For me."

"Well, Derek isn't dangerous so you'll be safe with him." Scott said in a small voice. I felt guilty but I was at my breaking point and there was a gaping hole in their plan as it got closer to the full moon.

"I wouldn't say he's not totally dangerous," Stiles scrunched up his face in disapproval. It was no secret that Stiles was terrified of Derek. "But we've got no other options, so please just do this for us so we can get through practice without worrying ourselves sick about your well being."

I threw my head back and let out an exasperated sigh. I knew that I was safe with Derek. I was probably safer with Derek than being around Scott so much with only Stiles to protect me if he were to be controlled by the Alpha or lost control himself.

"Fine."

"Yes!" Scott and Stiles said in unison.

Jumping up and down as he and Scott ran off to PE, Stiles shouted, "Meet us at my jeep after school. We'll take you!"

I nodded and trotted off towards my locker. I swapped a few books out and hoisted my bag over my shoulders again. I could hear raised voices coming closer towards me. I slammed my locker hard to make my presence known since this was probably a private conversation. The voices seemed to ignore me and a few seconds later Lydia and Jackson rounded the corner.

"I don't understand what you're even talking about." Lydia seethed. "We're not having this conversation, Jackson."

"We are and we're done, Lydia. I need to get ready for some changes I'm about to make, and for that to happen I need to drop some of the dead weight in my life." Jackson smiled sweetly at Lydia who looked like someone had just smacked her over the head.

"What are you saying?" This was the most vulnerable I'd ever heard her.

"I'm saying, Lydia Martin, you're gonna need to find a new date to Homecoming." He smirked and the next second I knew, they both noticed me standing there, frozen in shock.

Jackson strutted forward, his eyes set on me as he ignored the bewildered Lydia. "Hey, Mason, I need to talk to you about something." I glanced back at Lydia who glared at me, her face was red and livid.

"Uh—I'm not sure that's such a good idea right now…" I cleared my throat, shifting awkwardly.

"Are you breaking up with me for her?" Lydia screeched. I was seriously at the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Ignore her, let's walk." Jackson grinned, grabbing my arm and setting off down the hall. I was too stunned to react.

"Don't you want to go back to Lydia and work this out?" I suggested as we neared the doors. "I kinda need to get to class."

"No, you don't. You have a free period right now, just like I do."

"Well, that thing—with Lydia—you guys just—what just happened?" I stuttered.

He chuckled as he pushed open the double doors, leading off to the lacrosse field.

"We just…aren't compatible anymore." He cocked his head to the side as he smiled at me.

"What is this about then?" I asked, feeling slightly uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Scott."

That took me by surprise. I let out a small chuckle. "What?"

"I know what he is."

"I'm not following." I shook my head. He couldn't know.

"I know what Scott is." He emphasized.

"So do I. He's a teenage boy, plays lacrosse, is madly in love with Alison—" I played dumb.

"—And is also a werewolf."

I choked on my breath. "What? Scott's a what? Were—no, there's no such things as were—" I was pulling a Stiles, mumbling on when he obviously knew that I clearly knew what Scott was.

"Come on, Mase. You're his best friend. You're always with him. I know you know." Jackson brushed his hand over my arm.

"If you're trying to seduce me into giving you something, try again." I said.

"You were always the smart one in our class." He chuckled.

"I don't have to be smart to know your turning up that rich boy charm to get what you want." I snorted.

His eyes narrowed slightly. He chortled, shaking his head. "I want whatever he got to be who he is. I knew there was no way he could suddenly be that good at lacrosse. I thought it was steroids at first but now it all makes sense. The glove, the strength, he never uses that inhaler he used all last year, the nail I found, the wolf's bane. It all makes sense now."

"You only know part of the picture." I said. "There is so much more going on that your self-righteous brain couldn't handle. You don't want this, Jackson. The power isn't worth it. You'll only get yourself killed."

His gray eyes glared at me through angry slits, "I think I can handle it."

"Do you think you know everything?" I questioned. "Do you think you've got this all figured out?"

"Pretty much." He said haughtily.

"Well, I hate to burst your little bubble," I laughed humorlessly, "But you have no idea what you're getting yourself into."

"Why don't you blow my mind and let me in on this secret world of yours?" He demanded.

"Why don't you fuck off and mind your own business?" I retorted. He pushed me up against the tree behind me.

"I don't care what it takes to become one, a bite, magic fairy dust. Just tell Scott I want it or I'll make life very difficult for him." He threatened.

"Oh, so you haven't even been trying?" I said sarcastically, shoving him off.

He smirked, leaning in close to my ear, "Tell Scott he's got three days to give me what I want." He started backing off. The bell had rung but I missed it. Kids were piling outside, hopping into cars or buses as the school day had come to an end.

I watched Jackson walk off with his dumb swagger like he just won the lottery. My eyes traveled around the landscape. I saw Lydia standing, her arms crossed and her face unreadable as she looked at me. That evil smile spread across her face that I hadn't seen awhile.

'There goes that short lived friendship.' I thought to myself. I pushed myself off the tree trunk and sped off to where Stiles' jeep had been parked this morning. Stiles was leaning against his jeep, staring at me with a strange expression on his face.

Once I reached his jeep, I asked, "Where's Scott?"

"He had to stay after to talk to our coach." He grunted. He was glaring at me. Why was Stiles glaring at me?

"Okay, so what's up with you?" He was about to answer when someone came up behind him and covered his eyes.

"Guess who?" Lydia flirted.

Stiles turned around stunned. "Ly—Lydia?"

"Yep," She smiled, playing with her hair, "So there's this dance on Saturday…"

Stiles looked shocked; he rubbed his hands over her hair, fidgeting around in Lydia's presence.

"Stiles, don't you have to take me somewhere?" I spoke up, fearing where this conversation was going.

"Lydia's speaking, Mason." He shushed me. "I'll take you in a second. What were you saying?" He turned his attention back to the Devil. My jaw dropped and Lydia smirked at me.

That bitch. She knew how I felt about Stiles. I should have known that this was all a stupid act to hurt me. She never wanted to be friends, she wanted inside information on my life to make it even more miserable. Now that Jackson had broken up with her, she somehow blamed it all on me because she can't comprehend what a horrible person she is, all the way to her core.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go to Homecoming with me?" She asked, already knowing he'd agree. He stared at her, drool practically falling out of his mouth. I could swear he glanced back at me for a fraction of a second.

"Stiles?" She said impatiently.

"What—Oh yea—Yes! I'd love to!" He laughed, nodding his head. I felt like I had just been stabbed in the back and heart, multiple times. I could feel my eyes burning but I blinked them away as I pinched my arm, trying to focus on that pain instead of my heart's.

I watched Lydia hand Stiles back his phone, undressing Stiles with her evil eyes. "Text me. I'm having a little get-together at my house before the dance. Just you, me, Alison, and whoever she brings." She glanced at me, laughing silently at me. I guess I was officially uninvited. She reached up and kissed him.

I took in a deep intake of breath, looking away at the jeep.

"I can't wait." She whispered seductively. I swear he moaned a little into the kiss. And with that, she skipped off, probably feeling victorious. Stiles stared after her for a few moments before he remembered I was standing there.

"I thought you were over her." I said in a thick voice. "I thought she wasn't what you wanted."

"I guess I was just confused." He looked at me, a ghost of a smirk on his face. I didn't know what to say. It was like he was deliberately hurting me and I had no idea what I had done. We just stood there, staring at each other without saying a word.

"I need to get you to Derek's." I sniffed and got in his jeep. I didn't speak to him the whole car ride and got out without another word. I stalked off towards Derek's burned down house when Stiles finally spoke up.

"Is your boyfriend Jackson picking you up?" I wheeled around, glaring incredulously. His face had a stony expression on it but his eyes were angry and hurt.

"Yeah, and we'll have hot, steamy sex afterwards." I fired back, that crazed anger that had come over me that night at school was back. He swallowed and pulled his car into reverse, speeding off. "Go fuck yourself, Stiles!" I screamed after his retreating jeep.

I took in a deep breath and turned to face the decrepit house. Derek was standing in his usual dark attire with his hands buried in his pockets. It would have scared me that he just was standing there without making a sound, but I was starting to get used to this popping-up-out-of-nowhere stuff.

"You don't have to babysit me." I said defiantly.

"I don't think you need to be babysat." He agreed.

"So, can you just take me home?"

"No," He said.

"Fine," I huffed, "I'll walk."

"No,"

"Then how am I supposed to get home?" I said shortly.

"I can't let you go home yet."

"I thought you said you didn't have to babysit me. I definitely know you don't want to. So why make me stay?" I growled.

"Because Scott begged me to do this and I need his help to get rid of the Alpha." He informed me.

I heaved a sigh and sat down on his porch, feeling powerless, angry, and upset.

"What does a Seducer do?" I asked, it had been on my mind ever since he'd told me about the pack but Scott and Stiles feigned deafness every time I asked about it.

"I told you what a Seducer does already." He grunted.

"You told me what Scott let you tell you. I wanted to know all the details," I argued. "no matter how gruesome. I need to know what I'm up against."

"The Seducer obviously seduces people for what ever purpose the Alpha has. Whether it's for the Alpha to change them or…for other purposes." He began.

"What—What purposes?" Hoping it was something innocent like gardening.

"Mating." He said regretfully.

"Of, course," I let out a hysterical laugh, "What else would a girl be used for but mating purposes? So basically what I'm looking forward to is being the Pack's sex slave?"

"It won't come to that and no. The Seducer doesn't sleep with the pack. Just the Fighter…" He said quickly.

"Who made up these sexist, sadistic rules? Satan?" I exclaimed, "Or does the pack just make these up as they go along? This is sick. I feel sick."

"You wanted to know." He reminded me.

I nodded, "I know. I know. So, the Alpha is expecting us to mate?"

He faltered before replying, "Yes…"

"Have little baby wolf cubs?"

He cleared his throat, looking away as if I was something indecent. "Yes."

"I need to sit." My head was spinning.

"You are sitting."

"Oh," I nodded, focusing on my breathing, "Good."

"I lied when I said the Scout is the one who's supposed to change you. The Scout is only supposed to find candidates for the Alpha to choose from and the Seducer lures them to the Alpha. The Alpha is the only one whose supposed to change someone but this Alpha is different. He's sick in the head which makes him even more dangerous and unpredictable. He wants Scott to do it because he knows you guys are close and it'll change Scott, it'll hurt him to do it. He's going to condemn you to a life of solitude and that changes a person." He said sadly.

"I don't remember you being particularly outgoing when we were little." I joked slightly.

"Yeah, well, I was made for this life. I come from a family of werewolves. My mom was the Seducer and my dad was the Fighter. I've been a werewolf my whole life and I've been surrounded by them just as long."

I stayed silent for awhile. A million questions swarmed inside my head and I couldn't decide which one to ask first.

"Why did you lie to Scott?"

"Scott…" He thought for a bit, "He can't handle the whole truth right now. He needs to grow up. Fast. And he needs to learn that there won't be a happy ending for him and Alison. She's gonna be a hunter one day. It's a sappy; disgustingly cliché love story and it'll end disastrously. Werewolves can only be with Werewolves. It's how it works."

"That's depressing." I commented. He snorted, nodding in agreement.

"I've been living with this depressing truth since I was teenager."

"Love. Be afraid." I joked again. Shockingly, Derek cracked a smile.

"Pretty much."

We sat in silence again. I gazed out at the surrounding forest listening to the birds chirp around us.

Birds lived such simple lives. They could be with who they wanted to be with. They didn't have to worry about being turned into werewolves. They didn't have to worry about killing their friends or living alone their entire life. They didn't have to worry about mating with a guy four years older than them, when you were in love with someone else.

But maybe it wouldn't come to that. Maybe Derek and Scott and the hunters could miraculously come together with some cheesy fighting montage and defeat the Alpha. Maybe Stiles could finally realize how much happier he'd be with me then the soul sucking Devil herself and we'd live happily ever after because I wasn't fated to be with Derek. Maybe this was all a dream and I'd wake up and get ready for the first day of school without a werewolf for a best friend…

None of this was likely, but it was easier to dream about a better, simpler life, then to live in the dark fated one.

"You didn't tell Scott about the whole 'we-have-to-mate' thing, right? 'Cause Stiles and he would sooner lock me up forever then for us to…"

"Of course of didn't tell him!" He reassured me, "And nothings set in stone. Scott and I can stop the Alpha. You don't have to end up with a loner like me. We'd never be happy together."

I looked up at him, feeling my face heat up. His blue orbs locked in with mine and I felt…I felt that same desire I felt towards Stiles that night at the school. I was fighting to urge to stand up and kiss him and I couldn't comprehend what was happening to me. Could I slowly be turning into the Seducer? Because I was feeling the urge to seduce Derek Hale…

"How can you stand living here, Derek?" I questioned hurriedly, changing the subject to get my mind off how good looking I was suddenly finding Derek.

I glanced up at the charred house, practically hearing the screams of lost souls. I felt chills crawl up my spine as I buried my face in my hands, not trusting myself to look at Derek until the feelings had past. "I hate being here. Honestly, every time I'm here, I relive that night in my head and it tears me apart." I let out a shaky breath. "So how can you sit in your house, with all those memories of your family and not go fucking insane?" He didn't speak. I was half-expecting him to tell me to leave, or maybe hit me, but he took a seat next to me and stared at me.

I turned my head to face him. His bright blue eyes were squinting, as if they were taking me in. His eyes swam with more emotion than I'd ever seen him express.

"I live here because I'm safer and farther away from people. It's better that way." He said in a constricted sort of voice.

"Is it really better that way? Being away from people? Isolating yourself from people who love you?" I muttered, wrapping my knees and placing my chin on them.

"Yes. For me." He grunted, "The people who loved me were murdered in that fire. And you're the only one who understands that."

"I do." I said without thinking, but somehow I did understand how he felt.

"What would you do if you found out who it was that took away everything you loved?" He asked quietly. His eyes were burning against the side of my face, begging me for the truth.

"I'd make them pay." I said truthfully, looking him straight in the eyes. "I'd make them hurt the way I've hurt for ten years."

"Good." He stood up suddenly, grabbing his keys from his pocket. "Let's go."

"Are you taking me home?" I hoped foolishly.

"No, I'm going to show you something that'll make sure you feel the same when the time comes." He opened the passenger seat for me. I nodded and sat in the leather seat. He shut the door and jumped over the hood, hopping in the driver's seat. The car rumbled to life and he sped off down the dirt road. It still had that new car smell and I pondered on whether he had stolen this car or not. He didn't have a job and he was a wanted fugitive. So, where was he getting the money for clothes, food, water, and electricity?

We drove in silence, though every once in awhile I could feel him glance over at me but when I looked over, his eyes were on the road.

We pulled up to Mayfield Long-Term Hospital. I glanced over at him, puzzled. He shut off the car and we both got out into the sunny world outside. I followed him into the hospital which was strangely empty, but I guessed that seeing as this was a hospital for no-hope patients, people stopped visiting their loved ones a long time ago.

The smell of bleach burned my nostrils and we walked down the lifeless halls. I felt like I was stuck in some clean maze, with endless halls and doors. It was starting to make me feel sick when he entered a room. I followed in suit.

The room was white, like every other room in the hospital. There was a metal hospital bed in the corner of the room with bland sheets on it. There were machines to monitor breathing and heart beats but other than a wooden chair facing the small window, the room was empty. There was a man in the chair. I would have thought he was dead except his heart monitor was beeping in a steady rhythm.

"Who—Who's he?" I said. The man seemed to be ignoring us, or maybe he couldn't hear us.

Derek glared painfully at the man and shoved the chair sideways so I could see the man properly. A weird mix between a scream and a gasp erupted from my throat as I clasped my hand over my mouth. Half of the brown hair on his head was missing while the rest of that side of his face was horribly disfigured with burns. His brown eyes were cold and dead as they stared at me, but didn't really see me.

"Was—Did he—Who?" I couldn't form a knowledgeable sentence. This was too much to handle.

"Meet my Uncle Peter." He laughed cruelly, "He was there that night of the fire, along with the rest of my family. Your mom wasn't supposed to be there that night. It was a last minute thing because my parents wanted to get us out of Mayfield. Werewolf hunters were onto us. We were having a farewell party during your mom's visit and they were all locked in the basement as they set fire to my house.

Every single person in my family was there except my sister, Laura. Every single one of them died except my Uncle here who's so brain dead that he might as well have died that night." He spat. "And now that you've seen what she's capable of, and how little she cares about what she did, will you help me kill her?"

"Kill who?" I croaked, tears streaming down my face.

"She feels no remorse for what she's done. If thousands have to die for the kill of one werewolf, it's all the same. She would kill your mother all over again if it meant that a lot of werewolves were killed! She deserves to die!"

"Who?" I sobbed, "Who is it?"

"Kate Argent." He said, disgusted with the name.

"Allison's aunt?" I sniffed, not believing my ears. She seemed a little off, but not like a-psycho-killer off.

He nodded gravely. "Will you help me kill her?"

I don't know what possessed me to say it or if it was that crazed anger bubbling inside me from this new found knowledge that my mother had been murdered because she was at the wrong place at the wrong time, or that my heart had just been broken by my best friend that I had been in love with for years, or possibly the raw truth that I was destined to be with Derek because of ancient pack rule bullshit. Either way, my voice was defiant and clear when I said, "Yes."