The final installation of this story. It took me 2 1/2 years to get this story completed. For those of you who have read this story, I hope you enjoyed it and come back to it. I will always be editing this piece, always trying to make it better.
ALSO! Keep a look out! I will be posting two oneshots that will be linked to this story. They will take place before the epilogue. So for those of you who liked this story be sure to keep an eye out.
I want to say thank you to all of those who took the time to favorite, follow and review this story. It means a lot to me and deeply appreciated.
Now for the final chapter...
Epilogue
Six Years Later…
"Finstock was loud and obnoxious today." Lydia said, walking into the house.
The late sun glimmered in scattered rays into the living room and on the hardwood floors. The deep homey feeling made her nostalgic. The place always smelled of summer. It shouldn't have at the tender age of twenty-six, but it did. Lydia clung to her memories quite a lot lately.
"Oh?" Melanie laughed. This news was nothing out of the ordinary. Lydia told her at least three times a week about it.
"Yeah, there's this new kid. He says that he reminds him a lot of Scott. A lot of potential on the field. His name is Liam." Lydia said.
Melanie was pulling on her black leather jacket when Lydia came into the living room. The smell of lavender swelled Lydia's senses. They were so sweet and tender. Isaac kept a few vases filled with the flowers, and Melanie and Laura were always tending to the garden out back. Isaac could be found there from time to time as well. She sat down in the comfy chair near the wide window.
"Lydia!" came the shout of two loud children; one five the other four. The pattering sounds of their bare feet on the wooden floors followed.
Melanie sat back on the couch and watched as they tackled the ginger in her seat.
"Are you eating dinner with us!?" Laura asked-the five year old. She played with one of Lydia's fiery red curls. She admired the luscious length, and was always saying how she reminded her of Lady Godiva. She was pretty smart for a tiny girl.
"I sure am!" Lydia said with a beaming, cherry smile.
Melanie sighed. It wasn't out of annoyance or exhaustion. It'd been years since she'd sighed like that. This was one of joy and contentment. This was her life. These children. There was nothing like that. Even Lydia mentioned it every once in a while.
Jordan, the four year old boy, squeezed his tiny body in the space between the arm of the chair and Lydia. His bright eyes were focused on Laura and his hands fidgeted in his lap. He followed her everywhere and anywhere. Their bond formed the moment he was born. It was unspoken, but known between them that they would be best friends forever. He looked so much like his father.
"Alli is coming over in a little bit too." Lydia said as she tickled Laura some.
"Yay!" both kids exclaimed.
"We can play hunter and wolves!" Jordan shouted. He shoved his fist up in the air.
"I call hunter!" Laura shouted.
Melanie closed her eyes in a soft scoff. The little fem-wolf as a hunter. That's ironic, she thought.
"Let's go play on the tire swing," Lydia said, patting the girl's side. "I'll meet you out there."
Both children hopped up and ran outside. The screen door slammed. Melanie watched out the large bay window behind Lydia. She sat at that window often and watched them.
"Are you nervous?" Lydia asked. "Because I'm not going to lie, I'm a little scared."
"We've been waiting for this for years. I'm ready," Melanie replied. "You'll be okay and so will the kids. Ethan and Aiden will be coming by as well to check on you."
"You think we might get hurt?" Lydia asked.
Melanie could see the worry on her face contort into panic. Melanie moved to sit on the arm of the chair beside her.
"You've turned into one badass chick over the years, ginger. Take a deep breath." Lydia did. "Do you feel anything?"
Lydia concentrated and then shook her head after a minute. She'd learned to sense more than just death. She'd learned to sense danger. Melanie smiled at her.
"Then I'm not worried at all. This is just precaution." Melanie said. "Isaac will be working tonight and can help protect Melissa. Scott asked him to. And Stiles is at the station. You know he's covering the area."
Lydia nodded. The reassurance quelled her jitters. It had been three years since there had been a serious encounter with anyone seeking death in Beacon Hills.
"Just be careful." Lydia said.
"You know I never am."
Lydia laughed then and sank back into the cushiness of the chair. Melanie never ceased to diffuse a situation whether it was tense or panicky. Outside, a silver car pulled up and Allison stepped out. She swept up Jordan and spun him around when he came running to her.
"Will Cora be with you guys?"
"Yes. She insisted. She's glad that Jordan will be here. Laura and him are hooked at the hip. They remind me of Scott and Stiles." Melanie replied as the two of them made their way out to the porch.
Lydia laughed and nodded in agreement. It was true. They even covered for each other when one lied.
Allison set Jordan down and he ran back over to Laura who was climbing onto the swing. Melanie looked up at the sky. The sun settled in the trees.
"Scott says hello and to be safe," Allison said as she hugged Melanie and then Lydia.
Lydia gave Melanie a pointed look obviously stating 'See? It's not just me saying it.'.
"I have to go. You all have fun. And no letting Laura play with the crossbow. She shot Jordan in the leg last time and yelled "I'm Katniss!"." Melanie said with a slight glare.
Allison burned red in the cheeks and bit the inside of her cheek guiltily. She nodded heavily.
"Won't happen." She promised and then saluted.
Melanie went over to the kids and pulled Laura from the tire swing, hugging her tightly and showering her face with kisses. Laura erupted in giggles and pushed her away with her tiny hands. Lydia and Allison watched longingly.
"I have to talk to Aiden tonight," Lydia said suddenly.
"Is something wrong?" Allison asked.
"I just have something important to tell him. I hadn't thought much about it until I was watching them." Lydia nodded at Melanie swinging her daughter on the swing. Jordan chased Laura as she went back and forth. "I think he'll be surprised."
"Are you…" Allison didn't finish.
In the calmest that Allison had ever seen her best friend, she looked at her and then nodded.
"Yes, but I wasn't so sure."
"Wow," Allison croaked.
"I said that after the fourth pregnancy test."
Allison hugged her tightly.
"I think it's great. We're all at that point in our lives, you know? You should be happy." Allison said.
Laura and Jordan skipped over to them. Their feet and clothing were smudged with dark patches of dirt. This was how they always looked after playing outside which was all the time. They were truly children of nature.
"What's wrong," Laura asked. "Are you sad? Why are you sad?"
"I'm not sad at all." Lydia said with a small bit of protest.
"Come and push me!" Jordan pulled Allison by her brown leather jacket sleeve with all of his weight.
She laughed and got up. He nearly fell on his butt, but caught himself. He pulled her by the hand.
"It's okay," Laura said with a toothy smile.
Lydia looked at Laura. She felt very uneasy that Laura knew. She couldn't have. She was only five. Her senses could be that in tune, could they?
"It's only just a jelly bean." Laura said quietly. "The heartbeat is so fast and quiet. You should name it Jack, like jack rabbit. They're fast buggers."
Melanie took Derek's SUV out to the old spot where the nemeton used to be. Parrish, god rest his soul had demolished it, though at a price. The large tree stump was charred black. Its power was long gone. It wasn't the only source of power in town, but it had been a major one.
Melanie smiled at the sight of Scott who was looking down at his phone.
"Hey!" she greeted.
They snared each other in big hug.
"How are you?" she asked after they pulled apart.
"The usual. I have a Rottweiler with a kidney infection."
Melanie's nose wrinkled. Kidneys were terrible. They made more small talk while they waited on Cora and Derek to show up.
Cora's black Rover pulled up fifteen minutes later. The headlights were off. Derek got out and opened the back door, pulling out a dark and beaten form. Melanie's chest rumbled with a heinous growl. Both hers and Scott's muscles tightened at the sight that came toward them.
Derek shoved the shadow covered form down into the dirt. A cloud of dust blew up and he scrambled up onto his knees. Peter. There was a spray of blood, no doubt his own, across his grey shirt. His hair was a mess and stuck out in places.
"Well, this is a nice little reunion." Peter said out of breath. His chest moved up and down fast and out of breath.
Scott could hear his heart racing in his chest. There was no way out this time and the alpha knew it.
"You sure are good at running," Melanie quipped.
Cora came up beside her. Her claws were already free. Peter cackled like a crazy man.
"Oh, Melanie. It's so good to see you."
Derek jerked him by the shoulder. He didn't get the privilege to speak to any of them.
"We've come to a decision. By order of this family-" Derek said.
"FAMILY!? I am your family you pathetic halfwit! Not them! They don't share our blood," Peter screamed. The veins in his forehead pulsed and bulged with hatred. He turned to Cora. "Certainly you see that."
Cora's lip reared up and her glare furrowed deeper as more and more fury and hatred came to the surface. She wasn't holding back. None of them were, not after all he had put them through.
"It is decided by this family," Derek continued, but colder than before, "that you are sentenced to death for the countless murders you have committed and careless dangers you have put this pack in."
"Kill me?! You cannot kill me!" Peter shouted.
He writhed trying to get free. The veins in his forehead bulged through his redden face with rage.
"Your bonds were soaked in wolfsbane." Melanie said. "I helped Chris perfect the recipe for it. I bet your skin is burning and peeling right now."
"You bitch! I'm going to kill you!" Peter shouted.
Melanie leaned in close. Their noses nearly touched. Her dark eyes looked black almost.
"I told you was going to kill you. Today is the day," she snarled.
"According to old tradition, which I am enforcing, you will receive a ten second head start," Derek said.
His face, stoic and emotionless, ignored Peter as he started to laugh and plea with each of them. Melanie huffed. Pulling out her knife from her boot, she cut Peter's bonds, avoiding touching them herself. The rope fell to the ground in a coil, like a snake.
"Run," Derek ordered.
Peter didn't need the order. He stared at each of them. None of them wavered. He ran, kicking up dirt behind him.
"Ten." Melanie muttered as soon as the darkness and the trees shrouded him.
Isaac was sitting on the front porch with Allison when the four of them came back to the house. The lanterns that sat on the banister of the wrap around porch glowed warmly in the summer night. The two old friends were chuckling with one another.
Allison lit up at seeing Scott. She got up and wrapped her arms around him immediately. They were safe and it was all over.
Melanie heaved a sigh, walking into Isaac's arms.
"You're home early," she said. "What happened to staying at the hospital?"
"I wanted to be here." he said.
Melanie snuggled her cheek to his chest. Heat radiated from him. His arms were the safest and most comfortable place to be. His hands held a little tighter around her.
"Derek!" came a shout.
Laura and Jordan attached like leeches to Derek's legs. He feigned death and fell to the ground where Laura and Jordan jumped on him. The rugrats, as he called them, were his world.
"Oh dear god." Melanie breathed in exhaustion.
"Aiden gave them chocolate." Isaac said.
"Oh, so we're not sleeping then." Melanie joked.
"It's celebratory night," he said. He looked down at her, wondering if he'd guessed right.
"Indeed." She replied with a smug grin. "The last serious problem is taken care of."
"Good." Isaac kissed the top of her head.
Lydia and Aiden came out onto the porch and settled on the porch swing. Melanie smiled at the two of them. Aiden held her close as they came to them. Melanie looked back over at the others. Cora had teamed up with Laura and Jordan. They were facing off against Scott, Allison and Derek.
"Do the eyes!" Laura pleaded. Their eyes glowed red and Cora's blue. "I hope my eyes do that one day."
Melanie's smile faded. Though she had a great life now. It was one she couldn't complain about. She didn't want that for Laura. That girl's eyes would never turn blue if she could help it. One day she would have to explain why to her. If her instincts were right however, Laura and Jordan had an interesting future ahead. The two of them would be inseparable.
"They are so in love," she mumbled.
Isaac chuckled.
"God help them that they don't become us." He said.