Author's note:

I'm so sorry for the delayed update. I stopped before because I wasn't quite happy with the shape of the original chapters, and I'm easily distracted. I have gone back to the original chapters and made some changes. I'm definitely more happy with them now, they feel a little more complete. There's aren't many major changes. I am going to try to update much more regularly. Apologies for the delay!

...

CHAPTER FIVE

"I don't think it was Derek," Stiles said stubbornly.

I rolled my eyes, "Who else could it have possibly been? Do you think the alpha took a break from terrorizing you guys in the school to drive me home?"

"No," Stiles shook his head, "I just don't think it was Derek. I mean, Derek seemed pretty dead to me the last time I saw him. You know, with the coughing up blood and being dead. Dead."

I worked on the combination lock to my locker, "He's not dead, someone drove his car away from the school."

"Well, whatever," Stiles shifted the strap of his backpack on his shoulder, "Have we ruled out teleportation?"

I raised an eyebrow at him, "I can't teleport, Stiles."

"You can't or you just never have before?" He asked, "I mean Harry Potter could teleport."

"Yeah, you should definitely base the real world of magic off of what you read in Harry Potter." I noted drily, "I can't teleport."

"Okay, well, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, still a little sore but I'll live," I smiled at him, "How is Scott doing? Full moon tonight."

"He's freaking out about Allison, and acting really weird," Stiles noted running a hand over his hair.

"Do you have a plan on how to handle him tonight?"

"His mom is working late so the plan is to chain him up in his room and hope for the best," Stiles shrugged.

"I might be a little late getting there, think you can manage on your own until I do?"

"Sure, why are you going to be late?" He shrugged as if werewolf wrangling was no big deal.

I fished out my books and closed the locker door, "I need to go pick up something that could help us with Scott."

"Okay," Stiles nodded, "I'll be fine until you get there."

"Okay, but if you get nervous for even a second you call me," I instructed, "I'll have my phone and I will head right over."

"Sure, sure," Stiles agreed, "Any sign of trouble."

...

I pulled up outside Declan's apartment building a few hours later and sighed. He had seemed reluctant to meet me, much less to help me get my hands on a decent stash of Mountain Ash. I could tell on the phone that he was wondering why I needed it, I figured I would tell him that it had to do with the alpha. I could say I was using it to werewolf-proof the house, or set a trap or something. Besides, I needed to mend bridges with him anyway. I had been researching my mom's fighting spells and honing my magic ever since my run in with the alpha. I had been pretty unsuccessful at taking him on. I could only attribute part of that to the element of surprise. I simply wasn't as prepared as I should be. It had been forever since I'd trained, physically or magically, and I was off my game. I was rusty and I couldn't afford to leave it up to luck. The alpha could have killed me, it had sort of killed Derek. It could have killed Stiles or Scott and I hadn't been able to protect them. So I had been working on my magic since the attack, for the moment I wasn't in any real physical shape to start training to fight again but... eventually I would be. I was using magic to help heal myself so I was already strides ahead of where a non witch would be in the healing process.

I got out and walked up the flight of stairs to get to his apartment and I knocked on the door of 2C. It had been quite a while since I had been here, it felt the same and yet different. The way familiar places do when you've been away for a while. As if everything has shifted only ever so slightly to the left, it's the same but off all at once. It did make me feel a little sad, breaking up had been the right call but I still missed my friend. Declan opened the door after a long moment and was in the process of shrugging into the jacket. He was so tall that he nearly had to stoop to fit through the door. Just like his apartment complex he was the same as ever, but different. I tried to place the differences, his hair was the same dirty blond but maybe longer. His eyes seemed different too, still just as gray, but they didn't look at me the same. Maybe that was the main difference.

Declan nodded in greeting and turned to lock the door behind him, "So, what do you need this for again?"

"I'm working on a plan for what to do about the Alpha," I easily, so I guess it was straight to business now. I wondered if he felt as awkward as I did, maybe not. It was hard to tell, Declan's poker face was probably better than Derek's.

He nodded and lead the way down the stairs and toward his truck, talking casually as we went, "So it has nothing to do with Scott McCall and that tonight is only his second full moon?"

At the foot of the stairs he turned, his keys in his hand and he gave me a knowing look. I blinked and shook my head, "Dammit... how long have they known?"

"Not very long, but they aren't happy that you didn't tell them," Declan got into the driver's side seat of his truck and I climbed in to the passenger side, "As close as Scott and Stiles are the Coven know that you would have known."

I shrugged, trying to sound unconcerned, "I don't have any obligation to tell them."

Declan snorted and just shook his head, "Well, they aren't happy."

"Whatever, why is your source charging me so much for Mountain Ash?" I changed the subject quickly.

"He doesn't know he's charging you, he thinks I want it," Declan corrected, "Mountain Ash is considered old school El, there isn't much demand. So not everyone is stocked up on it these days. He figures he might as well get all of the profit out of it whenever someone does show interest."

"It may be old school, but it works." I shrugged and looked out the window.

"Have you seen much of Derek Hale recently?" Declan asked, "I hear he's a fugitive."

"I haven't seen him since that night at the school," I glanced at him, "He isn't guilty, you know that. Scott and Stiles are just idiots."

"So, you were at the school." Declan noted in disapproval and I cursed inwardly, he always had a knack for getting me to answer questions he hadn't even asked. I had just spilled the beans that I had been involved in the school incident, this was going well. "I heard that you weren't there at all."

"I wasn't there when the police showed up. It wasn't as bad as the papers are making it out to be."

Declan arched a blond eyebrow at me, "You were hurt. Don't lie, your movements are stiff. Bruised ribs?"

I shook my head, "Not badly bruised. I'm fine, the full moon tonight will help with that."

"So, the alpha is the one who bit Scott, I assume?"

"Yes, but don't even start with that," I said firmly, "Scott hasn't done anything wrong. He wants to stop the alpha."

"I hear the influence of an Alpha can be difficult to resist," Declan noted and didn't exactly look convinced by my reassurance. I decided not to respond to that and we were silent for the rest of the drive. The guy apparently lived one town over so it was quite a haul. When we arrived Declan parked and started to get out, "I'll be right back. Stay here."

I nodded and watched him as he strolled up to the house and knocked on the door. A middle aged man answered and let him inside. I glanced around the vehicle, I hadn't been in Declan's truck since before we split. It looked basically the same as it always did, it was pristine. There wasn't a single candy wrapper or speck of dust in sight. A lot of people were surprised to find out that Declan was actually a very tidy and organized person. His appearance often threw them off, he had ruffled hair, tattoos trailing up his arms beneath what was usually a flannel shirt over some faded jeans. He had all the appearance of a rumpled college student, but his clothes were always clean and without a wrinkle in sight. His tattoos were all from the top rated artists in the area and he shelled out big money to ensure that they were all perfectly to his standards. His hair was ruffled in an almost too perfect messy way.

I grinned and just shook my head as he climbed back into the cab, he handed over a large jar of Mountain Ash, "Thanks Dec."

He sighed and nodded, "Sure."

"So, if the Coven isn't happy with me then why are you helping me?" I asked after a few minutes of listening to the radio in silence.

Declan shrugged, "You need the Ash, and maybe I don't always agree with them either." He flashed me a smile, "Scott's a good kid, I can see why you tried to keep it a secret."

It was strange how relieved I was that he didn't share the Coven's disapproval, "Thanks."

I was optimistic that we might actually make it back before the moon rose, my optimism fizzled out when we hit traffic. We were trapped on the highway, inching along at a glacial pace. Clearly there had been some sort of horrible wreck or maybe construction up ahead. We had no real way to get off the road or detour. So, it was going to take a while. Declan was the sort of person that was endlessly patient and he sat there as if we were cruising along at a reasonable rate of speed. He was completely and utterly unbothered by the delay and inconvenience. I, on the other hand, have a fairly low patience threshold. Particularly when we only move about half a mile in 45 minutes. There is only so much to entertain while staring at the same back end of a minivan for an hour. I get it, you have four kids and a dog, why do you need to broadcast it with weird stickers on your back window? Because of that van I hate those stickers now.

"This is ridiculous, don't these people have somewhere to be?" I huffed and pulled out my phone, googling the cause of the traffic jam.

Declan gave an irritatingly nonchalant shrug, "It will resolve itself."

"No wonder, there was some sort of accident up ahead and road work," I gave an impatient sound, "The sun is setting! I'm going to be an old lady by the time we get back."

"Well, that's hyperbolic."

I tugged the top layers of my hair back and tied them at the back of my head irritably, mostly as a way to keep my hands busy, "You shouldn't be so calm about this, you're a few years older than me. Also, men statistically have shorter life spans than women. That means I'll be old lady when we get there, you'll probably have died of old age."

Declan laughed easily, "Patience is a virtue."

"I hate you a little bit right now."

He just laughed again and reached to turn to a different radio station, "You'll get over it, and look! We just moved, it's not all bad."

"We moved exactly three feet," I scowled at him.

Declan laughed but even he grew steadily more agitated as the shadows deepened. By the time the sun had set we were finally out of traffic, but still too far away for comfort. I could feel the moon rising, I could feel it calling my magic up to hover just beneath my skin. I tried to stay calm, to assure myself that Stiles would have chained him up and that would hold at least long enough for me to get there and help keep Scott contained. Then my phone rang.

"Stiles! I'll be there soon, we got caught in some traffic," I answered by way of greeting when I saw it was him calling.

I could hear the sound of the Jeep in the background as he spoke, "He got out! He broke right through the handcuffs and I can't find him."

I paused, "Handcuffs?! You said you were going to chain him up not practice foreplay!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize that they wouldn't be enough," He snapped, "And thank you for that traumatizing peek into your foreplay. That was unnecessary."

I shook my head and pinched the bridge of my nose to try and staunch the oncoming headache, "Let me know if you find anything, and stay out of trouble."

I hung up and started digging through my bag quickly pulling out the little stub of a candle, all that was left of my tracking spell. Declan cast it a judgmental look, "Something that basic won't track a wild werewolf Elise."

"It's a full moon, my powers are heightened, and we have no other option right now." I conjured a small spark to light the wick. I inhaled the stream of smoke and felt my magic surging forth, but it came up with nothing. Declan was right of course, this was the most basic of tracking spells and it was shoddy at best. It would be particularly ineffective when tracking someone driven by pure animal instinct, that sort of thing was too unpredictable for the magic to latch on to.

"Tell me how to get to his house, we can get something there that will make him easier to track," Declan offered, relatively calm. I could tell that he was stressed as well, I could imagine all of the different scenarios running through his head. All of the outcomes that could happen with an out of control teenage werewolf on the loose. Scott could end up killed by hunters, or kill an innocent which would amount to the same thing. I closed my eyes as we sped down the streets and tried to focus on feeling for any deaths. I would feel it, surely, if either of those things happened.

It felt like hours before Declan finally pulled up to the curb in front of Scott's house, I was jumping out before the truck had come to a complete stop. Declan stayed in the truck with the engine running, and I appreciated that he seemed to be taking this as seriously as I was. I sprinted up the walkway and mounted the front steps. I found the door unlocked, likely Stiles had been too panicked to worry about something like that so I jerked it open and charged into the house. I ran right into something very solid, or someone, I got scent leather and then two hands gripped my arms to steady me.

"Derek!" I let out a relieved breath, "Where's Scott?"

Derek dropped his hands from my arms and glanced toward the stairs, "In his room, he should be fine now."

"Oh thank god." I took a moment to catch my breath and let the waves of relief watch over me, I had been preparing myself for the worst if I was honest. I still had to see for myself, I had to make absolutely certain. I hurried up the stairs and toward his room, not believing my good luck. I realized that until now I hadn't entirely been sure that Derek hadn't died. Though I'm sure Laura would have paid me a visit if that had happened. When I got to the doorway the lamp in his bedroom was on and Scott was sprawled on his bed fully clothed and sound asleep. I could see mud and leaves on his shoes and I noted the shattered handcuffs by the radiator. I shook my head and sent a quick text to Stiles before going back downstairs.

Derek was on the front porch, leaning against the railing and watching the still idling truck with an unreadable expression. I could see the outline of Declan sitting at the steering wheel and I gave him a thumbs up before joining Derek at the railing, "Thank you, again, for reigning him in. Again."

He nodded, if you could call it that, he inclined his head incrementally, "I'm sure you would have figured it out on your own."

"I don't think I'm as capable as you give me credit for," I laughed, it was a relieved sort of laughter, "If you weren't here to help teach him I honestly don't know what I would do. I don't know the first thing about training a werewolf."

"I'm not so sure I'm the best teacher," Derek answered, "It's different when they're bitten."

Declan climbed out of the cab of the truck and started around the front of it, all of his agitation from earlier gone. Now he was as calm as ever, if a bit guarded, I figured I had Derek's presence to blame for that. Still, he was the picture of casual as he put his hands in his pockets and leaned against the front bumper of the truck, only casting us a brief glance.

"I should go." Derek straightened abruptly and started across the yard to where his car was parked on the curb not far away. I had been in too much of a hurry to notice it before, but there it stood, black and glistening in the moonlight.

I paused as it occurred to me that I hadn't seen Derek since that night at the school, "Derek!" I hurried down the stairs after him and caught up to him at his car, "Listen, thank you for the other night too. For bringing me home."

He gave me a small smile, "I owe you don't I? I still owe you, actually."

"Oh, just your life and an arm. We'll just say you only owe me the arm now." I joked and he nodded, casting a piercing glance over my shoulder toward Declan's truck before getting into his car. He started it up and nearly peeled away from the curb as he left.

...

"Why would he come back here?" Stiles asked as we looked up at the school and then he gasped, "Oh! Maybe he goes here."

"That's stupid," Derek dismissed this theory quickly.

Stiles glared, "Not necessarily."

"Either way, we are spending way too much time here after class," Scott mused, staring up at the school curiously.

I smiled faintly at that, "Okay, let's go."

Derek had been very cryptic about why he knew the alpha might come here, at this point I just accepted it. We needed to at least try. The alpha had killed again, two thugs had been burned alive. Their bodies had been discovered on the full moon. I had no idea how they related to anything. So far all of the victims seemed completely unconnected to one another and the Hale fire. None of it was making sense and I still had no idea where to start when hunting for the alpha. So if Derek thought he had a reason to come back here then I was just lucky to have a direction to go in. I could press him for the details later.

The four of us hurried up to the entrance of the school and entered as quietly as possible. I had made sure to arm Stiles with a taser, I had one too just in case. The werewolves seemed to think that their claws would be enough for protection. Mostly I just think Derek wasn't a fan of using a taser after his many run ins with electricity. It didn't matter, I wasn't entirely convinced that we would be able to do anything about the alpha tonight. I was mostly healed, but a well placed hit could render me nearly useless. Scott was still only a puppy by werewolf standards, Derek was hardly an alpha, and Stiles was... Stiles. I was really hoping that we could at least chase the alpha away before he was able to kill whoever he was after tonight. Derek seemed certain that he was hunting.

We stood in the dark hallway for a moment, assessing which way to go. Derek looked at me as if I would be able to supply some sort of insight, but I honestly had no inkling. The cosmic forces were deciding I needed to find my own way tonight. Not that they were overly helpful most other times. Derek sighed and then just motioned for the other two to go one way and we would go another. Stiles gripped his taser as the boys started away, keeping their footsteps as soft as possible. We turned and went in the opposite direction. I had a fleeting thought that splitting up might not be the best strategy, it never seemed to work out for the Mystery Gang.

Who would we be in the Mystery Gang? I mused as we walked. Well Scott was Scooby for sure, so Stiles would be Shaggy. Derek could be Fred, attractive and occasionally useful to the group, it was also his idea to split up which was definitely in character. Was I Daphne? No, definitely not, she got kidnapped way too much. I could be Velma, the problem solver. I found myself grinning at the idea, and picturing Derek wearing an orange ascot. Derek didn't seem to notice and continued to prowl the halls silently at my side. He stopped and peered around a corner carefully before looking at me again, silently asking for some witch GPS.

I started to shrug again but then paused, I shivered as my jacket was suddenly doing an inadequate job of keeping me warm. I looked down the hall and saw Laura standing at the other end of it, I grabbed Derek's arm and pointed down the hall. He wouldn't be able to see her, and I hadn't yet mentioned that I saw her from time to time. I still wasn't sure if she was actually here in some form or if she was simply the guide I had subconsciously chosen for my visions.

Derek nodded and we started down the hallway, taking the time to glance cautiously into the dark classrooms as we went. The school was eerie at night, it occurred to me I had only ever seen it from the inside during the day. The classrooms that seemed to mundane and innocent by daylight were suddenly ominous. I looked ahead and Laura turned and started down a different hall, passing beyond my line of sight. I picked up my pace slightly to try and catch up with her. Derek caught my arm before I rounded the corner and gave me a warning look before checking to make sure the hallway was clear.

I shrugged apologetically, we were hunting the alpha, it probably wouldn't be good practice to go barging around in the dark. When we rounded the corner the hallway was clear, not even Laura was in sight. That must mean that we were close, then I saw it. At the end of the hall one of the classrooms wasn't as dark as the others. Light shone through the doorway as if a lamp were one, so it must be occupied. It took me a moment to place whose classroom that was, everything seemed different at night. As we approached I was certain that it was Mr. Harris'. Could the alpha be after him? I mean, he was usually kind of a jerk to Stiles but I hadn't ever noticed anything about him that would make me think he would be on somebody's revenge list.

Derek stopped suddenly and I glanced at him, he looked very alert, clearly he sensed something that I didn't. He could probably feel that an alpha was around. Wait, could Harris be the alpha? We exchanged a look and then just moved closer to the lockers to try and see inside the classroom without attracting attention or giving ourselves away. Keeping close to the lockers meant that we could no longer walk side by side, so Derek moved in front of me. When we were close to the door he stopped and pressed himself back against the lockers, reaching an arm back to do the same to me.

Then I heard it, a voice that definitely wasn't human, the sound of it made a shiver run down my spine. It was definitely the sort of voice you would expect from a giant murderous monster, "Look at me! Look at what you've done!"

There was a crash and the sound of wood splintering against the wall and Derek lunged into the classroom swiftly, "Get down!" He cried in warning and grabbed Mr. Harris by the shoulders, bringing him down to the floor and out of harms way.

I was only a step behind him, and definitely ready for an attack this time. I saw the chair flying through the air toward us and only barely registered the monstrous beast that had thrown it. I straightened and raised my hands, my magic lashing out in an invisible force. The only sign of it was a faint rippling in the air, it knocked the chair off its course so that it missed us entirely and collided with the wall behind. When I turned to confront the beast it was gone and the door at the other end of the room was swinging closed.

Derek stood and we both took a step to pursue when light flooded into the windows and the sound of sirens broke the silence, a voice called out of a loud speaker, "This is the police! You're surrounded! No one leave the building!"

He and I looked at each other silently cursing Scott, not for the first about, for making Derek a fugitive. It really hindered our alpha investigation, especially now that we had been so close but would have to make a run for it from the police. The police who should be chasing the alpha! Or maybe not, they probably weren't trained to take on werewolves. Still, the irony wan't lost on me.

Derek grabbed my hand and we sprinted out of the door we had come through, leaving Mr. Harris still huddled on the floor. He hadn't looked up, I was grateful for that. I definitely didn't need my uncle to know that I was hanging around with a suspected murderer. How would I even explain that? I could say that I was finally going through my rebellious phase, he probably wouldn't buy it. We raced down the hall, taking the fastest route to where Derek had parked his car. When we were getting close he stopped abruptly and looked out the window, the parking lot was empty except for a few cop cars that were streaming into it.

"Where's your car?" I gasped, catching my breath from the mad dash across the school.

"Scott and Stiles must have taken it," Derek shook his head, "We'll have to make a run for it."

"On foot?" I demanded, "Derek, I can't outrun a car. What am I supposed to tell the Sheriff when I'm caught with a suspected murderer? That I'm going through a 'bad boy' phase?!"

He glared at me for a moment and then sighed, acknowledging that I had a point, "You parked over near the lacrosse field right?" When I nodded he continued quickly, "I'll lead them away. Go, and be careful!"

I nodded and turned on my heal to run in that direction, I heard the door to the school open as he ran out and I just focused on moving as quickly as I could. I grabbed the handrail on the stairs and used it to swing myself around to leap down the stairs. I probably should have been worried about bumping into the alpha without backup, but I was too worried that I was going to get arrested or grounded, to consider that possibility. My sneakers squeaked against the tile as I turned sharply and sprinted past the locker rooms. I stopped at the exit and peered through the small windows that the doors provided. I didn't see any sign of the police on the field yet so I shoved through the doors and started my mad dash toward my car.

Fortunately I arrived at the car without incident and only when I was on the road and heading away that I dialed Stiles on speakerphone, "Hey! Where are you?"

"We took Derek's car, someone is chasing us!" Stiles replied quickly and I could hear the sound of the engine in the background, "I think it's that Kate woman, the hunter one."

"Damn," I tried to think of a plan quickly, "Are you listening to the police scanner?"

"Yeah, apparently Derek is on foot, they just chased him into the iron works."

I strummed my fingers on the steering wheel as I drove, thinking quickly, "Where are you exactly?" I was relieved when I heard the road name, "I'm close, head toward the iron works to pick up Derek, I'll take care of Kate Argent."

"How-"

I hung up the phone before he could ask and just pressed down the gas, speeding past a stop sign in my haste. I pulled my care off the side of the road and barely took the time to turn the engine off before I was out and racing down the alley, if I was right then they would be passing the road at the other end any second. I needed to be there. I reached the other end and crouched behind a dumpster. I could already hear the sound of racing cars getting closer. I pulled my magic up, working on the spell, getting it ready. I would have only one shot to get it right. If I missed then Scott and Stiles were on their own.

The Camaro blew past in a blur of black and right behind it was a smaller green car that I didn't recognize, my spell lashed out like a whip and struck her front right tire. I heard the tire blow, that was enough for me, she would have to stop now. I couldn't risk sticking around though. I turned and raced back to my own car, peeling back out onto the road quickly to put as much distance between myself and Kate Argent as possible.

I called Stiles again quickly once I felt confident that I wasn't being followed, "Did you do that?!" He asked immediately.

"So, it worked?"

"Hell yeah, we lost her. Hold on..." I heard screeching tires and the sound of a car door opening, "Get in!" Stiles ordered and then some odd popping sounds.

"Stiles, is that gunfire!?"

There was some shuffling on the other end and then he spoke again, "We picked up Derek. We're cool, we got away."

After some more shuffling Derek spoke into the phone, "Meet me at the house."

"Okay..." I said but he had already hung up, I knew which house he meant.

I hadn't been sitting on the steps of the Hale house for very long when he pulled up and got out of the car, "Do you really think it's such a good idea to come here right now?"

"It's only for a second, besides, they are all still scrambling back at the iron works." Derek started toward me.

"You know, I don't really appreciate you barking orders at me," I noted and then grinned appreciatively at my own joke.

He glared at me, "Seriously? Now?"

"I told you, it's a coping mechanism." I replied defensively, "Are you ready to tell me how you knew that the alpha would go back to the school?"

Derek had been very vague about that, and I had been desperate enough to go along with it. I really needed to stop doing that, every time I followed him blindly it turned out poorly. He wasn't much of a planner, more of a fly by the seat of your pants personality type. Do it first, think about consequences later.

Derek nodded impatiently and glanced around the trees, speaking quickly, "Yeah, the last time I spoke to Laura she said she was close to figuring something out. Something about a man, last name Harris..."

"Wait! So you knew he was after Mr. Harris?"

"I didn't know if Harris was the alpha or a possible victim," It was his turn to be defensive, "Also, she had found this symbol."

I took the small piece of paper he offered me but didn't look at it yet, "Why am I just now hearing about this? You don't think this could have been helpful? If I had known maybe we could have caught the alpha ages ago!"

He shrugged and just motioned for me to look at the symbol, "I'm telling you now."

"Oh, helpful," I snarked and looked down at the symbol. It was a drawing of something round, maybe a pendant or misshapen coin. On it was a crude drawing of a wolf and the moon, "I've seen this before..."

"Yeah, Scott says it's a necklace that Allison Argent wears."

"No," I shook my head thoughtfully, "I mean, probably, but I wouldn't have notice what Allison wears. No, I've seen this way before."

I stared at the image, I felt it tugging on a memory, something I had buried down deep in the corners of my mind. This was something I had seen that day, the day my mother and the Hales had been killed. If I had seen this necklace then that meant I had probably seen the killer, they had probably been wearing it. I shook my head, it was buried too deep. The memory was significant, it was the most important memory I could probably conjure of that day. However I couldn't help but feel like it was more out of reach.

"I can't remember," I handed it back to him quickly, "We should go before the cops show up."

Derek was watching me carefully, "Scott is going to try and get the necklace. We'll see if there is anything on it that might help."

"Yeah, okay." I sounded distracted, and I was.

...

I hadn't had any luck at all remembering by the time I went to school the next day. However, I did know that it was a memory closely connected with the car accident. That was enough to leave me feeling a little lost all day. I barely even tuned into Scott and Stiles in their discussions about how to retrieve the necklace. I was only half listening to Selena as she discussed different ways we might be able to alter a tracking spell and try to find the alpha again. It didn't matter anyway, it was becoming clear that in order to find the alpha I had to solve the mystery. Since I seemed unable to retrieve the memory I would have to go about it some other way.

When the final bell rang I called Declan on my way to my locker, "Hey," I sighed when he answered, "Look, I need your help with something. Something right up your alley. Do you think you could meet today?"

"When, tonight?" He asked simply, not feeling the need to ask any questions right now.

"No, Stiles' first game actually playing is tonight. Could I come over in like an hour?" I finished dumping my books into my locker as I spoke.

"Sure, I'll see you then."

I hung up and closed the locker door to find Jackson standing there, he was leaning against the wall of lockers and smiled at me. I think the smile was supposed to be charming, but I had never really understood Jackson's appeal. I guess he was attractive appearance-wise, but way too immature and insecure for me to fall for it. He shifted so that he was standing upright now.

"Hey, Elise."

I was trying to think of the last time I'd had a conversation with Jackson that wasn't along the lines of: stop bullying the boys. I couldn't honestly imagine why he would approach me in the halls. I mean, I was closer with Lydia then I was with Jackson and I had hardly cultivated a friendship with her either. I gave him a questioning look and just replied generically, "Hi, Jackson."

"I guess you probably heard that Lydia and I broke up," He offered up and seemed to be watching for my reaction. I didn't have one because I was trying to think of a universe in which I would care, so he continued, "Well, I dumped her actually. Trimming some of the dead weight in my life."

"Charming," I deadpanned.

Jackson chuckled with that, "I always thought you were funny. I always thought that was really cool, and pretty hot."

Ew. Was Jackson seriously hitting on me right now? If so then this was easily the creepiest pass that had ever been made at me, "Gee, thanks."

"Yeah, I guess you get that a lot." Jackson noted and tried to act sheepish, "It's so hard to believe that you and Stiles share genes, I mean you're so..." He motioned up and and down me as if that was supposed to finish the sentence for him.

"Okay, I'm going to walk away now. See you later Jackson," I rolled my eyes and turned to go, I was pretty surprised when he actually grabbed my arm.

"Wait, you're right, that was totally out of line." He said quickly, "Don't tell your boyfriend, okay?"

I stared at his hand on my arm until he withdrew it and then I replied to whatever nonsense he was saying, "Boyfriend?" As if someone would have to have a boyfriend already to not be interested in him, what an ass.

"Yeah, the scary guy that was here looking for you the other day," Jackson had a gleam in his eye now, as if this was the point he was really trying to get at, "Big muscly type, leather jacket. He was here asking for you... and Scott." He reached to rub the back of his neck as if the memory triggered something there.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I brushed it off as casually as I could, "But rest assured, if you're ever this weird and creepy in my vicinity again I'll punch you in the face myself."

I turned and just strode down the hall, not looking back. What the hell had that been about? Why was Jackson so interested in Derek all of the sudden? The more I thought about the possibilities of what this might mean the more I didn't like it. I had known that Jackson suspected Scott of using steroids or something to boost his playing, but what if he was connecting a few too many dots? Derek had had the bad luck of bumping into Jackson in the hallway after he'd been shot so that connected him to both Scott and myself in Jackson's mind. I thought back to how sickly Jackson had looked lately, at first he had looked very similar to how Derek had when he'd been poisoned with wolfsbane.

I thought about the movement where he had rubbed the back of his neck and I glanced back to see him retreating down the hall. I could see a scab above the collar of his shirt, perhaps the right size of an elongated werewolf claw. If Derek had asked Jackson for help finding Scott and Jackson had done something to get on this nerves that day... Derek was already impulsive and dedicated to his tough guy facade, but he had also been poisoned too. If Jackson had figured it out then he probably wouldn't have approached Scott first, and Scott would have immediately reported it to his partner in crime.

I got home just as the Sheriff was leaving and I went directly up to Stiles' room. I didn't bother to knock and just barged in, "Does Jackson know?"

Stiles spun around in his computer chair so quickly it almost toppled over and I paused when I noticed Derek standing in the center of the room, "Derek, you're a fugitive and you think hiding out in the Sheriff's house is a good idea?"

"Wait, wait, wait, wait..." Stiles stuttered, "How do you know that Jackson knows?"

"So Jackson does know!" I groaned, "Jackson, the Coven, you. We might as well rent a billboard and announce Scott's werewolf status to all of Beacon Hills."

"Who are you talking about?" Derek asked, brow furrowed in confusion.

Stiles brushed off his question to repeat his own, "How do you know that Jackson knows?"

I snorted, "I just had the weirdest encounter with him ever, that's how." I started to pace the room irritably, "At first it seemed like he was hitting on me, then he was asking about Derek and it was kind of threatening and incredibly creepy."

"He hit on you?" Stiles demanded at the same time Derek asked, "He threatened you?"

I paused to roll my eyes at them, "Calm down boys, I can handle myself, especially against Jackson."

"How did he even know that you knew Derek?" Stiles asked with a frown.

"Apparently when Derek was shot and looking for Scott at the school he ran into Jackson in the halls," I looked at Derek and watched understanding flicker across his face, "He asked him where Scott was but not before he asked where I was."

"Damn..." Derek sighed, "He pissed me off and I accidentally scratched him."

"Well some of your weird werewolf stuff rubbed off on him or something because now he knows about werewolves," I informed him, "Congratulations, you win the least subtle werewolf of the year award."

"Jackson doesn't just know about werewolves, he wants to be one." Stiles added while Derek glowered at me.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, he threatened Scott and said he'd out him if he didn't get him whatever it is he needs to become a werewolf." Stiles explained and held up his finger to his temple, spinning it around to indicate he thought Jackson had gone insane.

I laughed humorlessly at that, "Oh, great, we'll just put a formal request in to the alpha. Though if the alpha were to spend more then two seconds around Jackson he would rather throw himself off a cliff then initiate him into the pack."

"What are we going to do?" Stiles asked.

"Let's handle one catastrophe at a time," I glanced at the clock on his nightstand, "I need to go. I'm meeting Declan."

"Declan... oh the witch guy that talks to ghosts?"

"One and the same, he's helping me with something," I said vaguely and just went to my room. I unlocked my desk drawer and shoved my mom's spell book into my bag. I paused to catch my breath, I had been reeling ever since Jackson had approached me. That was a whole other issue. I currently couldn't think of a decent solution to that problem, we couldn't exactly kill Jackson. Yet I couldn't really think of how we could keep him quiet either.

There was a knock at the front door and before I go to answer it I heard Stiles clamber down the stairs as gracefully as ever. I tossed my bag on the bed and just started to change clothes, I would need to hurry and get to Declan's. I wasn't sure how long it was going to take and I didn't want to miss the game, and what little bit of normalcy it represented. My years of cheering for two perpetually benched players had finally paid off and I would see both my boys out on the field. For however brief a time.

I heard Stiles talking to someone on the way back to his room but I didn't register who it was, I figured it was probably Scott. When I had changed and gotten everything I thought would be useful I started out, pausing at Stiles' doorway again.

"Oh, hey Danny," I greeted in surprise and glanced toward where Derek was sitting in the corner with a book open in his lap.

"H-hey El," Stiles greeted suddenly, "I was just introducing Danny to our cousin Miguel."

I raised an eyebrow and turned to see a very sullen looking Derek, "Hola." I said to him, failing to hold back a grin. This earned me a steely glare, "Look I'll be at the game later, okay. I even made a sign, one side is for Scott and the other is all Stilinski. I'm going to be waving it like crazy for the whole two seconds you're on the field before you get tackled and they have to carry you off on a stretcher."

Stiles laughed, "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Anytime, you boys be good," I waved and then hurried down the stairs.

When I arrived at Declan's I was feeling a little bit better. Well, maybe not better but I was more focused on what I was here to do, what needed to be done. I was going to try to summon Laura, it was time to find out if she was really here trying to help me. If she was then maybe she needed a stronger connection where she could actually just tell me who the alpha was and make this process so much easier on everyone. I had never really dabbled in communicating with the spirit world, it took a very particular sort of witch to be able to do it safely and successfully. It turned out that sort of witch was Declan.

We looked up the proper spell in my mom's book, my mom had never really done this either but I figured her spell would be the one most likely to work for me. Her spells were written for our particular brand of magic. Declan did make a few tweaks as he drew it out in chalk on the floor, this was another thing I had never been particularly good at it. I couldn't draw a straight line to save my life.

When everything was set up he looked at me seriously, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," I eyed the spell, "If she's really here then I need to know. We also need answers, and she can give them to us."

He nodded, he definitely couldn't deny that getting answers directly from the source would be preferable, "There's no guarantee with this. You know that. In all likelihood we won't get any response at all."

"You're a real ray of positive sunshine," I complimented.

He turned out to be right, after several hours of attempting to activate the spell and summon Laura Hale we had nothing to show for it. I closed the spell book tiredly and stared down at the chalk drawing, feeling defeated. I had known it had been a long shot, but I thought that since Laura kept showing herself to me that she would jump at the chance for a direct connection. Maybe it wasn't Laura that I was seeing at all, maybe it was just an image I had conjured for myself. A image borne of my guilty conscience because I couldn't save her.

"I'm sorry El," Declan sighed, "We can try again another day."

I shook my head, "No, I doubt it would ever work."

I packed the spell book back into my bag and Declan nodded, "Maybe Laura Hale has passed on from this plane."

"Whatever that means," I joked, "Thanks Dec, for helping me again. I guess I'll have to get answers the old fashioned way."

"Kicking butts and taking names?" He grinned.

"Exactly," I waved and started for the door, "I better go or I'll miss the game. I'll see you later."

"Later," Declan agreed and closed the door behind me, no doubt going to clean up the mess my failed spell had made in his apartment.

It was really a huge relief to be talking to him again, Declan had been one of my closest friends for a long time. I had really missed him. I even felt a little spark of our more romantic connection from time to time. I didn't really want to go down that path again, but it was nice. It felt normal and stable. Two things I was desperately lacking in my day to day life. With all the time I'd spent worrying about Scott, Derek, and the alpha I had forgotten that I was just a teenager. We were all ill equipped to be handling this sort of thing. It really wasn't fair.

By the time I arrived at the school and joined the Sheriff on the bleachers I was feeling a lot better again. I would figure it out, I had a pack after all. It was, perhaps, the strangest pack ever assembled but it was something. I wasn't doing this alone, and that thought was more comforting then anything else. Even if this went completely sideways and we failed big time then at least I wouldn't be doing this alone. I had my own little Mystery Gang after all. Speaking of, where the hell was my Shaggy?

"Isn't Stiles playing?" I asked the Sheriff as the game started and he shrugged.

"Scott said he would be a little late."

I frowned and tried to focus on the game. Clearly Stiles and Derek were up to something, I just hoped it wasn't something completely brainless. I tried to focus on the game, but it was definitely more difficult now. Instead I focused on acting normal for the Sheriff's benefit. I waved my sign for Scott and cheered just as loudly and passionately as everyone else. We won the game, which I should have been excited about. I really only watched lacrosse because of the boys, but I had developed at least a fraction of the mania everyone else had for it. I just wished that dealing with our very real and very deadly problems was as easy as winning a lacrosse game.

I wandered away from the celebrating hoards of people and checked my phone again. No texts or calls from Stiles, I thought about trying to call him but I knew he probably wouldn't answer if I did. I just hoped he wasn't dead in a ditch somewhere. I thought about calling Derek as well, but I soon dismissed that as well. The parking lot was filling up with people leaving the game so I drifted back to the stands and sat on the bottom bleacher. I would wait for Scott and then we would figure out what happened to Stiles together. Hell, Scott probably already knew. Scooby and Shaggy were basically inseparable after all. It wouldn't be the first time they had left me out of their little loop.

Eventually the parking lot emptied of most of the cars, and there was still no sign of the Jeep anywhere. I hadn't seen Scott either, he would have definitely come to find me before he was leaving. Especially if Stiles and Derek had gone off to do something particularly brainless. The stadium lights over the field suddenly turned off and the whole place was plunged into darkness. I let my eyes adjust, it was a clear night so it didn't take long. I rubbed my chilled fingers together and hugged my jacket closer around me as I started toward the school. I would check the locker room for Scott and if I couldn't find him then... I would go from there.

As I walked I pulled out my phone and dialed Derek's number, I figured between Derek and Stiles he would be the most likely to answer. However, the odds weren't in my favor because it went straight to voicemail. I paused, suddenly my concern deepening. Something was wrong, I could feel it in the air like a heavy fog. I heaved out a sigh that crystalized in the air in front of me before I spoke, trying to sound unconcerned.

"Hey Derek, what happened to you guys? Please tell me you didn't kill Stiles, I know he's annoying but... still." I joked and glanced up at the sky, the stars blinked down at me brightly, "Seriously though, call me. I'm getting worried, about both of you."

I hung up and turned toward the school again, suddenly more determined then ever to find Scott. The doors opened then and a figured came out and started in my direction. It was a man, I could tell it was none of my guys right away. He passed out of the shadow of the school and then stopped when he saw me. Peter Hale showed no signs of fire damage at all. He was the absolute picture of health, and had traded his pajamas for dark clothes and a leather coat. Apparently leather was some sort of werewolf tradition? We stared at each other for a moment, letting the realization sink in for both of us.

Peter smiled casually, "Elise, it's good to see you again."

I glared and flared my magic, about to lash out when the doors opened again and Derek strode out of the darkness. He stopped a few paces behind Peter, something flashed across his face for a moment before he quickly put up a stoic mask. It had been only a second, I hadn't been able to tell what exactly it had been. Maybe pain? Derek didn't look hurt, he seemed calm as ever and not very surprised to see Peter walking and talking.

"I was very impressed the other day, at the hospital," Peter continued conversationally, "You came back to the room and you actually suspected me."

"Derek?" I ignored Peter, not taking my eyes off of the younger werewolf. The one I thought I had gotten to know reasonably well. The Fred of our Mystery gang, or maybe the Daphne as often as he tended to be in distress. He didn't look like he was in distress now. How could Peter have evaporated all that rage? All that lust for vengeance? I couldn't imagine any combination of words that would have worked.

Derek swallowed and took a breath, "Just listen, Elise."

I shivered, the cold suddenly intensely worse for me as Peter began speaking again, "You are so much like your mother. Madeline was a good witch, and a good friend to our family. What I've done, what I'm doing, is for both of our families. They deserve justice."

I had been expecting her to appear the whole time he was speaking, I had definitely felt her coming. On cue Laura walked from somewhere behind me and moved slowly to stand beside Derek, she turned and met my gaze before turning to glare at Peter. I gave a harsh laugh, "Justice? What about justice for Laura?"

Peter gave a very convincing performance, his tone and expression nothing but remorseful. The act was considerably less effective with Laura glaring at him, "It was an accident."

"What a convenient accident for you." I noted, "I mean, what a remarkable number of coincidences must have happened to lead Laura here at the exact time you were waking up."

"I can't help that the alpha spark aided my healing," Peter assured me, "But I would never intentionally hurt my niece, my family. There is nothing more important then family."

Family. Stiles! "Where's Stiles?" I was looking at Derek again when I asked the question, Laura still stood by his side. She was looking at me again and seemed to be trying to say something. It took a moment for me to work out the two words on her lips. Save him.

"He's fine, we left him at the hospital." Derek answered, "Not a scratch on him."

"And Scott?" I challenged and I saw Derek's mask flicker again.

Peter spoke instead, "I am trying to help Scott see things from my perspective. I hope you will come to see it that way as well. The last thing I want is for us to be at odds." He smiled, "Your mother was very close to our family. She died trying to save us, we are allies Elise."

"What you're doing isn't justice," I snapped back at him, "If my mother were alive today she would be hunting you, not helping you."

Peter sighed and then spoke patiently, "Think it over. That's all I ask." He glanced back at Derek before he started walking toward the parking lot. It was a look like a command, apparently the alpha had decided to leave and he expected his minion to fall into line accordingly. Derek hesitated for only a moment before he moved to follow him. I glanced at Laura again, she was still trying to speak to me. Save him. Save him. Save him.

"Derek!" I grabbed his arm and he stopped, turning to look at me, I forced him to meet my gaze, "You don't trust anyone, but you said once that you thought you could trust me. Please trust me now. You're making the wrong choice."

Peter had stopped and turned to watch the exchange, but he didn't say anything. I thought that maybe he was curious to see what would happen, to see if Derek really did trust me. I made sure not to break eye contact, I saw him waver. Derek looked uncertain. Maybe I could convince him, maybe he would listen. We were connected, by fate or destiny or whatever, he could feel it. I knew he could feel it. Even without that I knew he wasn't evil. Derek Hale was not a monster, he was worth saving. I had believed that when I had told the Coven. I still believed that. Derek had shown me in a thousand small ways that he wasn't a monster. He was imperfect, that was for sure, but he was good. I held his gaze. Trust me, Derek. Don't trust him, don't follow him. Please. I could almost feel something like understanding pass between us, and I thought he would listen.

Then my phone rang. I glanced down toward my pocket and the connection between us shattered in an instant. I pulled my phone out, it was Stiles. Now he calls me? I ended the call and looked back up at Derek again, hoping he wasn't lost away. It was too late, he had closed himself off. He was as guarded and unreadable as the first time I had ever met him. Peter had started to walk again, he had won. This time.

Derek pulled his arm free from my grasp, "Scott is in the locker room."

I stood dumbly for a moment, watching the two werewolves retreat into the darkness. Laura was gone as well, and before long I was alone again in the night. Betrayal buried itself in my chest like a jagged blade. It was an acute and inescapable pain. I reached up to wipe wetness from my cheeks, I hadn't realized I had been crying. I had failed Laura again.

I wouldn't fail Scott.

I shoved through the doors and raced to the locker room. It was dark and silent when I entered, the rows of lockers cast long shadows across the tiled floor. It smelled like sweaty teenage boys, but I tried not to think about that. I glanced around warily, suddenly not sure what I would find. Peter wanted Scott for his pack, so he wouldn't have killed him, probably. I crossed the room an found him laying on the floor of the showers, wearing only a towel.

"Scott!" I knelt beside him quickly.

He heaved out a huge sigh, "Peter is the alpha."

"I know, I ran into him outside." I bit my lip and helped him up and over to one of the benches.

"Derek is with him." Scott seemed to be saying this more to himself then to me. It was like he was trying to reconcile that fact, and what it meant.

I had been unsure if we would be able to take on the alpha with two betas and myself. Now I didn't know if there was a way to beat him, not if Derek stayed with him. It felt like a hopeless situation. Scott had been brought into my world, the supernatural world violently and against his will. One way or another his life, or whatever it would have been before was over. I was determined to make sure that he survived this, but at this point I wasn't entirely confident that I would either.

Suddenly Stiles came lurching into the room, "D-dude!" He started, "We have a huge problem."

"Trust me," Scott sighed, "We know."