the air was incredibly chilly, growing goosebumps on her arms, and the forest was dead quiet, even to her ears. a few days had passed since the station incident, but that didn't stop the tears from occasionally wet her cheeks.

passing many trees and snapping a few branches, she finally reached the spot where isaac was waiting, smiling as he lay eyes on her. aneksi was embraced in a hug the second she neared him, resting her forehead against his shoulder.

"are you alright? i can sense that something's wrong and i haven't seen you since–"

"i know." she cut him off and slowly ended the hug. "since i helped scott at the station. part of me wish i hadn't."

"why, what happened?" he asked and held her cheeks with his hands, frowning.

"after the fight with jackson and releasing his mom and stiles' dad, i went to follow matt since he ran off. and i watched as allison's grandpa drowned him carelessly. he killed the boy without hesitation, and he became the master of the kanima. everything's just... so wrong right now." she explained vaguely, on the verge of crying once again.

"you're telling me that gerard now controls jackson?" he asked, making her give him a look.

"he killed matt! he drowned him, which was the worst thing he could do! your dad, he– there's a reason why matt killed the swim team. your dad arranged a party after they won a match. he offered underage teenagers drinks while you were there, and your brother threw matt in the pool. he couldn't swim and no one helped him, except your dad who demanded him not to tell anyone. and you care about the fact that gerard is the master now?"

isaac swallowed a lump in his throat and looked down. he didn't mean to sound so harsh and cold, and he regretted it instantly. sighing, he caressed her cheek with his thumb and shook his head weakly.

"i'm sorry, that must've been horrible to see. i just want this kanima problem to end, that's why i said that. and yeah, you're right. everything's so wrong at the moment."

"did something happen to you?" she asked as he said those words, wrapping her fingers around his wrist.

"something happened to us. derek isn't really an alpha anymore, i don't feel like i'm in a pack, and erica and boyd are hiding and running, trying to find another pack. i also think the argents are hunting us, but i'm not sure." he mumbled and instinctively glanced around them.

"oh my god. where are they? we need to help them." she said quickly, looking around.

"neks, there's nothing we can do. we're omegas now, we could die just like that. you're not like us, you don't need a pack. don't put yourself in unnecessary danger."

"listen to me carefully. i might hate this, but i'm a part of it. i've helped both sides more than once. allison knows who i am. jackson does, derek. i've already put myself in danger, and i'd do it again if it saved you and my friends." she said with a certain determinant tone laced in her voice. she was dead serious, which he knew.

"i know you would, and i hate you for it." he smiled and pursed his lips.

"scott's working tomorrow. maybe you should talk to him, i'll go with you and–"

"i've already thought about that. i mean, i've really been thinking about scott and what kind of guy he is."

"really?" she grinned and folded her arms together. "is it only because derek's not your alpha anymore? the isaac a few weeks ago would never even consider it."

isaac let out a quiet laugh before leaning in and colliding his lips against hers softly. aneksi raised her eyebrows briefly and wrapped her arms around his neck, closing her eyes.

if anything, this kiss was a lot better, strangely. it was much like their first one with all the mixed feelings, but enhanced. she could enjoy it more now since she felt careless. their lives would never be calm enough or "normal" enough.

the two both parted their lips at the same time, pulling a weak smile before isaac initiated a french kiss by moving his tongue into her mouth. aneksi shuddered when his hands gently fell down to her waist instead, pulling her closer.

as the seconds passed, aneksi didn't realize it at first. her whole body heated up and she felt flustered, but most importantly, she felt so good. that caused her claws to slowly grow out, followed by her fangs.

"hey." he laughed and pulled back reluctantly. "ouch."

"what?" she mumbled and touched the tip of a fang with her thumb, sighing. "sorry, can't exactly help it."

"i know." he smirked and ruffled her hair.

the next day, aneksi followed isaac to the vet clinic as promised. as the two entered the lobby, a bell rang and they heard how a dog started to bark rather furiously. scott peeked his head out a moment later and deaton welcomed isaac.

"it's okay, isaac. we're open."

isaac sent him a grateful smile before walking with aneksi to the table where a sick dog laid. she scrunched up her nose due to the smell and glanced at scott, who she hadn't spoken to since the station either.

"why does it smell like that?" isaac asked the two. deaton and scott shared a look, where the younger one pulled a little smile. "what?"

"scott said almost the same thing to me a few months ago. one day he could somehow tell the difference between which animals were getting better and which... were not." deaton explained.

both aneksi and isaac looked down at the dog with sad eyes. she raised her hand to her mouth and sighed, feeling her whole heart hurt.

"he's not getting better, is he?" he asked in realization, just as the dog whimpered. the sound caused her to blink so that she wouldn't cry, again. deaton shook his head sadly. "like cancer."

"osteosarcoma. it has a very distinct scent, doesn't it?" deaton asked, making scott nod his head in agreement. "come here." he then directed his words to isaac, who slowly placed himself beside deaton. "i know you're well aware of what your new abilities can do for you. improved strength, speed, and healing. you ever wonder what it could do for others? give me your hand."

isaac did as he was told, and the doctor put his hand on the dog. aneksi sent him a smile and nodded weakly, knowing what was going to happen. as isaac let his hand remain on the puppy, his veins turned black and barely cracked. she grinned and watched in awe.

"what did i do?" isaac asked and looked up at them with glossy eyes.

"you took some of his pain away." scott answered with a friendly smile.

"feels great, doesn't it?" aneksi uttered and gazed at isaac.

"only a little bit." deaton butted it. "but sometimes, a little can make quite a difference."

isaac had his lips against the top of his wrist, looking like he was about to cry any second now. aneksi put a hand against his back and smiled at scott, who sent her a little wink.

"it's okay. first time he showed me, i cried too." scott said to help isaac feel like crying was perfectly okay.

isaac looked up at them and grinned with glossy eyes, looked down again and then smiled widely. the aneksi patted the dog as it glanced up at them, smiled and scratched it behind its ear softly.

scott and isaac entered another room smoothly, which aneksi only noticed a while later. she frowned as she leaned her body against the door frame, listening to them.

"they're leaving tonight, during the game." isaac said, referring to erica and boyd, as he touched his jaw.

"so why are you telling me?" scott asked while putting a few jars in a cabinet.

"i'm not telling you. i'm asking you. i'm asking for your advice." isaac corrected him, surprising both scott and aneksi.

"from me? why?"

"because i trust you."

"why?"

"because you always seem to want to do the right thing." isaac answered, glancing down. "i understand why aneksi likes you so much."

"i usually have no idea what i'm doing." scott said, frowning as he looked straight forward. "actually, i always have no idea what i'm doing." he added, making isaac let out the weakest chuckle.

"do you want to let me know what you're doing right now?"

"i'm not going anywhere, if that's what you mean. i have too many people here who need me." scott said, turning around to look at him.

"well, i guess that makes me lucky 'cause... 'cause i don't have anyone." isaac smiled, no happiness behind it though.

"that's not true." aneksi objected quickly, approaching him. "you know it's not true."

isaac just gave her a tired look, silently saying that this wasn't a debate. he didn't have anyone. he wasn't even sure he had her for certain, knowing himself and knowing her goodness. she faintly shook her head and closed her mouth.

"so, are you gonna' go with them?" scott asked quietly, studying the two.

"yeah." isaac answered, standing up as he avoided her gaze. "yeah, i think i will. good luck with the game though."

"thanks, but i'm not going either. can't even think about playing some meaningless game right now." scott said, scratching the back of his neck.

"you weren't at practice last week, were you?"

"no, i skipped it. why?"

"jackson was there, as if nothing had happened." isaac informed him. "he's playing tonight."

isaac left after that, but aneksi quickly caught up with him. she harshly turned him around by grabbing his arm and stared at him with disbelief.

"you're just gonna' leave tonight?" she asked coldly and he glanced to the side.

"yeah. i already told you, we're not safe. we have to run."

"i can't let you do that. and you have me, isaac. i know it's not a lot of people, and i know you're not completely safe anymore, but isn't it enough? for all we know, you might get killed while running. don't do this."

isaac bit his lip whilst placing a hand against the side of her neck. he gave her forehead a soft kiss before taking a step back and twitching the corner of his mouth sideways.

"i have to. please, don't vamp-speed after me or compel me to stay. just go home, be with your parents, and then help scott tonight."

aneksi stared as he turned around and left. she figured scott listened to them, so she did as isaac said; she hurried home while it was still light outside and slowly entered the living room.

"hi, dad." she mumbled, bottling up the emotions she had received from isaac.

"are you alright?" david asked as he stood up.

"not really, but i'm good enough. how's mom? i haven't seen her in a while." she pressed a smile and bit on her thumbnail.

"she's fine, just missing you a little. what's been going on since the station incident?" he asked quietly and neared her.

"nothing much, really. stiles is seeing ms. morrell, scott isn't talking to his mom because she saw us as wolves, allison is dangerous, isaac's leaving with erica and boyd because apparently their alpha isn't an alpha anymore." she rambled, making her dad laugh a little. "what?"

"do you realize how surreal and unbelievable all this sounds? i know i shouldn't laugh, but it's so much."

aneksi did smile. she shook her head and fiddled with her fingernails. it was obvious gerard would be at the game, and that's when it hit her; why isaac and his pack actually had to run.

weeks ago, scott had vaguely mentioned allison's aunt kate and how she died when telling her about the argents. why else would kate's father act the way he did if it wasn't for revenge?

"shit. gerard wants derek and his pack. he wants to kill them because peter killed kate." she thought out loud, looking back up. "that's why they're leaving. and oh my god, derek turned allison's mom, who had to kill herself."

"i miss being a cop with regular cases to worry about." david mumbled and pulled his fingers through his dark hair. "and derek's not an alpha anymore? convenient."

"what if gerard is threatening scott? if anyone would know where derek is hiding, it'd be scott. he doesn't know me or about me."

"what are you gonna' do?" he asked quietly, a worried look on his face.

"i have no idea. i think the best thing i can do is to be at the game. melissa and stiles' dad will be there, lydia, the entire school... i just need to be there and help. what else can i do?"

"as a dad, i should encourage you not to go because i'm worried you'll get hurt." he said, crossing his arms together.

"then why aren't you?" she smiled and raised her eyebrows.

"because i know you can take care of yourself. i trust you can." he caressed her arm and nodded weakly.

"mom would strangle you herself if she knew about this."

"we'll tell her one day, when this is over. in the meantime, you stay cautious."

"well, my dad's a cop and my mom's a doctor." she smiled and sat down on the couch. "i want to find derek, but that'd only make everything worse."

"then maybe you shouldn't. especially not if they're being hunted. maybe you could try and talk to allison?" he suggested, making her scoff.

"please. she won't even talk to scott, not since her mom–" aneksi started but quickly frowned. "since her mom died. allison doesn't know what really happened, she doesn't know that her mom tried to kill scott. i have to tell her that."

"she did? when?"

"during the rave. i have to tell allison tonight before she does anything stupid."

"when's the game?" he asked and checked the time on his phone.

"soon. i should get going." she sighed whilst standing up again. david sent her a smile and watched as she disappeared into her room to dress on something warmer.

"are you sure you don't want me there?" david sighed as he crossed his arms together.

aneksi fixed her jacket just as she ended up in front of him. she gave him a look where her head was tilted sideways and then shook her head. he didn't even bother his fatherly concern, or maybe it was the cop within him, however it was evident on his face. she appreciated it though.

"absolutely not. do you realize someone could die tonight? you stay here all night." she warned with her index finger pointing at him.

"okay, i get it." he laughed and raised his hands in a defensive way. "then be careful. we certainly don't want to lose you again."

with a soft smile on her face, she turned around and walked out, but stopped by the threshold as she realised something. her dad frowned as he waited silently for her to speak or leave.

"dad?" she started and halfway turned around. "love you."

david peered up and raised his eyebrows while parting his lips in surprise. she hadn't uttered those words yet, but now she could feel that father-daughter love, despite not remembering them.

"i love you too, sweetie." he grinned before she returned it and finally left for the game — which she was not late to.

aneksi folded her cold arms together and hurried to the school's field, where she spotted a lot of people. she noticed scott by the bench, and stiles actually playing with the team. without care, she sat down beside scott and gazed at him, whereas he gave her a face due to the fact that she really allowed to sit there.

"stone! what are you doing? this bench is for players only." coach finstock started, but she just locked her eyes with his and opened her mouth.

"i'm an exception. you're gonna' let me sit here all i want." she compeled him and then turned back to scott. coach obeyed and focused on the game again.

"what are you doing?" scott laughed a bit.

"why aren't you playing?" she asked confused and gestured to the field. "i mean, stiles is playing and he's horrible. you're a werewolf with extreme senses."

"i'm failing three classes, so i can't play. i could use you help with the studying after this." he shrugged and nudged her arm with his.

"you're unbelievable." she chuckled and tucked some hair behind her ear.

they sat still and watched the game for a while until a certain voice filled their ears, and theirs only. scott laid a hand against her thigh, which was enough to ask her to act like she couldn't hear it.

"... when that scoreboard clock begins counting down from thirty, if you haven't given me derek, then jackson is gonna kill someone. so tell me, scott, who's gonna die tonight? should it be your mother, who so bravely came out to support you? or the sheriff, your best friend's father? or how about the pretty little redhead who managed to survive the bite of an alpha? or how about the mysterious brunette beside you right now, who seems oblivious to all this? it would be a shame to end a teenagers life just like that. but what do i know, maybe she's just like you."

gerard spoke, and aneksi did her best to cheer for her team and act unfazed, when in reality she was shitting her pants. scott just kept his hand there in a soothing way and looked over at gerard.

"scott–"

"don't say anything." he whispered and quickly stood up. coach demanded for him to sit down, whilst scott tried to convince him to let him play. stiles wasn't exactly providing the team with many goals.

scott sat down again with a sigh, just as aneksi could smell a familiar scent. a second later, isaac sat down between them, ready to play. she widened her eyes and stared him as if she couldn't believe he was actually there.

"you came to help." scott stated, but isaac cocked his head to the side with a smirk.

"i came to win." he corrected the dark haired one. "you got a plan yet?"

"no. right now we're just making sure jackson's not killing anyone." aneksi answered and looked at him with cold eyes.

"that'd be easier if scott was actually in the game." isaac pointed out the obvious, earning an eye roll from her. "we have to make it so coach has no choice but to play you."

"how do we do that? he's got a bench full of guys he can use before he ever puts me on the field." scott said, nodding to the bench of players. the two boys then exchanged a look, isaac looking like he had a plan. "can you do it without putting anyone in the hospital?"

aneksi shook her head over their solution and rubbed her face with her hands. isaac glanced at the players and let out a little exhale before answering.

"i can try."

and so isaac began knocking players down until scott was the one to get on the field. however, jackson managed to knock him down too, making many in the crowd gasp. aneksi rushed over there almost automatically with scott, kneeling down beside him. even if she knew he would be fine, she was still worried.

"isaac? are you okay?" she asked and rested her hands against his arm.

"it's not broken, but i can't move it." he stated, referring to his leg. "i think jackson nicked it."

isaac was put on a stretcher, and she followed them to the locker room. in there, he could finally breathe out and actually look at her, even if she only stared blankly at him.

"you said you were leaving. gerard is going to kill someone if he doesn't get derek. why the hell did you come back?" she almost scolded him and slapped the back of his head.

"i just couldn't leave, okay. i want to help, deep down. but right now i can't move my leg and–" he started, but she quickly shut him up by putting a hand against his mouth.

aneksi could hear footsteps and something scraping against the floor. dead quietly, she rounded the lockers and hid behind them. isaac then saw gerard in the shadows and instantly dragged himself over the floor towards the sink.

"it was a good effort, isaac. it was. this would be so much more poetic if it were halftime." gerard spoke, scraping a large, silver sword against the floor.

isaac used the sink for support and looked behind the old man's shoulder. aneksi placed herself behind the other two hunters, grew out her claws and disfunctioned the hunters by digging her claws against their necks. the two fell to their knees just as gerard raised the sword to swing it.

a smile grew on isaac's face, a proud and satisfied one, making gerard glimpse her black eyes in the mirror. she twitched the corner of her mouth to the side and kneed each hunter on their chins to make them pass out.

punching gerard's cheek, she went to attack him when he quickly raised the sword. freezing with wide eyes, she put her hand where the sword had hit her; on the side of her stomach. within a brief moment, the old hunter pulled it out and disappeared out of there.

"neks? oh my god." isaac panicked as she too fell to her knees. he let go off the sink and did his best to be in the same height level as her.

"shit, this hurts." she mumbled before coughing up some blood. her hand was shaking as it moved from her wound, blood covering it completely.

if she were asked to describe the pain, she probably couldn't. a painful electricity shot through her bones, her throat felt thick and sticky due to the blood and the sharpness from the sword still lingered there.

"you'll heal, right?" he asked with shaking hands himself, barely daring to touch her. "please tell me you'll heal, like right now."

"look at us." she laughed humorlessly and shook her head. "your leg is paralyzed and i just had a sword struck in me, during the lacrosse game in high school. exactly how i want to spend my night."

isaac cracked a little laugh and pressed his hand against her wolf. he didn't know if it was possible when it happened, but his focus on her pain managed to help him absorb it a little. the process made her breathe more deeply for each second.

"i'm gonna' be sappy for a second and say i'm happy my leg is paralyzed with you." he smirked and watched as the wound very slowly started to close.

"i'd punch you if i wasn't so weak." she stated and glanced at his neck, then down to her bloody hands. "i don't feel very good."

"believe me, i know." he snickered and felt his leg get back to normal. "we need to get out on the field."

"right." she mumbled and accepted his hand as he helped her stand up after him.

aneksi kept her hand against her stomach as she limped beside him back to the field. to their surprise, everyone was crowding around a guy on the ground.

"is that..." isaac whispered, right as lydia called for jackson and crouched down beside his dead body.

"oh my god." she mumbled and raised her other hand to her mouth. "gerard made jackson kill himself? why?"

"i have no idea, but i don't like it."

"wait." she said, looking around them and then at mr. stilinski. "where's stiles?"

i honestly have no idea whats going on in my own fic so dont ask cause i have no answer lmao (erspecially the whole derek alpha thing cause when i wrote this months ago, i forgot about cora completely so it doesnt make sense, i know, but bear with me lmao fdfjh)