Chapter 24: Master Plan part 2

Stiles was mulling over everything at his desk as he looked at the screen on his phone. There were so many messages from Scott but Stiles didn't move to open any of them. He just kept staring at his phone until he just set it back down with a glum look on his face. He could hear his father approaching at the door and spared him a look as he let himself in.

"She left, huh?" his dad said.

Stiles nodded. "Yeah."

"So…is there…anything there?" he asked with a small smile.

Stiles shook his head. "No. She's…in love with someone else. I guess I've known about it for a while now. I try to tell myself that: 'I should keep trying' or 'It's just a matter of time'." Stiles blew some air out. "But what I want to come from her when we're together…it comes out with someone else," he finished lamely.

Stiles could sense it. The love that Lydia feels for Jackson. Over time, he'd been sensing interest, or happiness, and sometimes even comfort coming off Lydia because of him…but never attraction. Not the type that Stiles wants to feel from her. His dad nodded and Stiles could feel the sympathy hit him hard. He took it as a sign that the traces of Gerard's poison in him was almost all gone now.

His dad moved to sit next to him. "I know that getting beaten up and with what happened to Jackson has gotten you pretty shaken up, but, be happy about one thing."

"What's that?"

"The game," his dad said with a small smile.

"Thanks dad," he mumbled back.

"No, I mean it. In the beginning, you didn't have a very good start. Actually, no one on the team really did. It…it was pretty much over and then you went and turned it all around for everyone. You got the ball…and you scored. And again. And again. The whole team's playing seemed to get better along with yours. The passes between all of you and your friend Danny at the goal, they all seemed to take after you. You weren't just the MVP Stiles, you were the hero."

Stiles stared at him and then shook his head. "I'm no hero dad."

But the smile didn't fade from his dad's face. "You were last night." With that, his dad left the room.

"I'm no hero," Stiles mumbled lowly after him.

There was another beep from Stiles' phone and he saw that it wasn't from Scott this time. It was an unknown number. Stiles opened the message and his eyes widened after reading it.

Lydia stepped out of her car in the hospital's parking lot as she started to calmly make her way to the main building. She got a few feet away when headlights shined on her and a horn honked in her direction. She stopped and looked as Stiles' jeep stopped right in front of her.

"He's not in there," Stiles said to her from inside.

"What?" Lydia said to him.

"Get in. I'll explain on the way." Lydia seemed hesitant for a moment and Stiles narrowed his eyes. "Lydia, you're the only one that can save Jackson. But if we don't move now, we'll lose him for good."

Lydia's watched him for another moment before she moved to open the door and let herself in right next to him. "What changed your mind?" she asked after she closed the door.

Stiles took a deep breath in and let it out. "I'm not a hero Lydia…but I sure as hell don't want the bad guy to win."

Lydia gave him a wide smile as he went and started to pull the jeep out of the parking lot.

The mini-van pulled up in front of the warehouse and Scott, Isaac and Chris moved to get out.

Isaac went to check on the bag and his eyes narrowed at the sight of it. "I think he stopped moving," he said to them.

Chris eyed the space ahead of them. "Where's Derek?" he asked.

Scott let his senses try to reach out to pick up any kind of sign and his ears found one. He then looked off as Derek came into sight, running on all fours for them. He then jumped off in front of them before flashing his red eyes when he straightened himself up.

Off to the side, hidden from view, Peter rolled his eyes. "Someone sure likes making an entrance."

Derek's eyes narrowed at the sight of Chris and he immediately turned to glare at Scott who just stared back at him unflinchingly.

"I'm here for Jackson," Chris said to him. "Not you."

"Somehow, I don't find that very comforting," Derek all but spat at the hunter. He then looked over at Scott and Isaac. "Get him inside."

Scott and Isaac went to grab the body bag and carried it off into the warehouse. Scott then looked around but it seemed that Derek wasn't expecting anyone else which made him feel a bit lost. "Well? Where are they?"

"Who?" Derek asked.

"Peter and Lydia." Derek didn't answer him. He just went to the body bag and started to open it. "Wait, hold on a second," Scott started. "You said that you knew how to save him."

"We're passed that,' Derek said not stopping.

Scott shook his head and started to hound on him. "But what about-"

But Derek harshly cut him off. "Think about it Scott! Gerard controls him now. He's turned Jackson into his own personal guard dog. He set all of this in motion so Jackson could get bigger and more powerful."

Chris felt his breath get caught in his throat and shook his head. "No," he said drawing in all of their attention. "No, he wouldn't do that. If Jackson's a dog whose turning rabid…my father wouldn't let a rabid dog live."

"Of course not." Everyone turned to see as Gerard started to calmly walk into their sights. "Anything that dangerous, that out of control…is better off dead."

Derek wasn't going to spare another moment. He quickly brought out his claws and moved to rip and tear Jackson's throat out but his eyes opened and he brought out his own claws to strike into Derek. Jackson then started to rise out of the ground and when he was fully standing, threw Derek off into the wall. Chris then brought out his gun as Scott and Isaac looked off at the hole that Jackson had thrown Derek through.

"Well done to the last Scott," Gerard said drawing his attention back onto him. "Like the concerned friend you are you brought Jackson to Derek to save him. You just didn't realize that you were bringing Derek to me."

Suddenly Scott's eyes picked up the sound of an arrow and he ducked but the arrow didn't head for him. It had gone into Isaac. Scott then looked to see that Allison was off to the side with her bow on hand.

"Allison?" he sputtered. She had fired the arrow.

As soon as Scott said her name, Allison moved out of sight. Scott then moved to try and help Isaac get to cover. Chris eyed them for a moment before he went and started to empty the chambers of his gun into Jackson. He got two shots in before Jackson moved off into the dark and Chris kept opening fire. Jackson disappeared behind his van as Chris tried to shoot after him. When Chris was empty, he tried to reload but Jackson appeared, in full Kanima form, and used his tail to snatch the gun away from him. He ran to try to find higher ground but didn't see any so he just pulled out his spare knife but the Kanima charged at him and pushed him off. During all of this, Peter was hiding in the shadows, watching it all silently.

Derek then came into sight, fully shifted. Not just him but Scott and Isaac as well. They then charged for the Kanima together. Even though they had him outnumbered, Jackson was throwing off their blows, and them, like nothing. Derek was slashed by the Kanima's claws and he found himself starting to go numb thanks to the venom. Isaac was thrown to the side and Scott tried to attack Jackson from behind in that moment. Jackson was pushed off but quickly recovered himself. Scott tried to go for him again but Jackson's tail went and slammed into his chest and sent him sliding off a bit. The Kanima was now staring down at the helpless Derek. Isaac got to his feet and saw that his Alpha was in trouble but he was blocked off by Allison who started cutting into him with knives. When Isaac was down, Allison turned for Derek and tightened her hold on the knife in her hand.

"No!" Scott roared at her. "Allison!"

Allison didn't listen or slow in step. All that she had in her train of thought was driving her daggers into Derek's heart. But Allison's arm was then grabbed by Jackson who went and disarmed her before grabbing at her throat.

"Not yet sweetheart," Gerard called out to them.

"What are you doing?" Allison asked in full out confusion.

Scott glared at him. "He's doing what he came here to do," he announced.

Gerard's focus actually broke and his eyes widened at him. "Then you know?"

Chris started to limp a bit towards them as he stumbled onto everything.

"What's he talking about?" Allison cried out.

Gerard spared her a look before he narrowed his eyes back at Scott. "It was that night outside the hospital, wasn't it?" he realized. "When I threatened your mother. I knew I saw something in your eyes. You could smell it, couldn't you?"

Isaac brought his head up and he started to pick up a scent from Gerard. A scent that he recognized from the animal clinic. Now he realized what was going on. "He's dying."

Gerard looked over at him. "I am," he said calmly. "I have been for a while now. Unfortunately, science doesn't have a cure for cancer yet. But…the supernatural does."

Allison gasped out in shock. Gerard didn't want Derek so that they could kill him. He wanted Derek so that he could get the bite from him.

"So…it's you," Chris spat out. "Stiles…he was your scapegoat. Your cover because you knew we would want to believe it. He didn't kill any of our men, did he? You're the one that killed them. Our men, our friends, with that," he said looking over at the Kanima.

Gerard didn't falter at all as his son laid that all out. "They became liabilities. One of the first lessons that I taught you: There is no room for weakness. Not in this world and…I had to erase my own."

Chris' glare intensified. All of it. Their people, his sister, his wife and even his daughter were all being taken away. They had been hunting teenagers, threatening innocent people, tortured kids; all for a lie. Everything was just for Gerard to betray their code and betray everything that their family stood for. He had to plunge a dagger in his own wife's heart because of the bite and Gerard had not shown any mercy for her when he'd been planning to have that fate all along. The next two words rolled out very easily for him. "You Monster."

"What are you doing?" Allison cried out.

Gerard gave her a look and Jackson's grip on her tightened.

"You'd kill her too?!" Chris angrily sputtered out.

Gerard looked into his eyes unflinchingly. "When it comes to survival, I'd kill my own son!" His words made Chris break so harshly that everyone could almost literally see it in his face. Gerard then looked over at Scott. "Scott," he said giving him a look.

Scott bent his head down for a moment before he began to make his way to Derek. His face went back to normal as he slowly stepped off to him, looking back at Chris to stop him from moving closer and sparing Allison a look momentarily. Scott reached down for Derek and held him up.

"Don't," Derek groaned out. "You know he's going to kill me right after. He'll be an Alpha."

"That's true," said Gerard. "But I think he already knows that, don't you Scott?" he finished smugly. "He knows that the ultimate prize is Allison. Do this small task for me and they could be together. It's what Scott has wanted more than anything and now he is close to having it." Scott spared him a look before he turned away. Gerard's tone got harder as he looked down at the Alpha and began to take off his jacket. "You are the only piece that doesn't fit Derek. And, in case you haven't learned yet, there is no competing with young love."

Scott flinched as he kept his hold on Derek.

"Scott," Derek gasped. "Don't."

Gerard rolled his sleeves up and made his way over to them.

"I'm sorry," Scott said as he looked over at Allison who was staring back at him, freaked out. "But I have to."

Scott then pulled Derek's head up and forced his jaw open to expose his fangs. Gerard moved his arm to his mouth and Scott forced Derek's fangs to pierce his skin. Gerard then moved away and smiled as he lifted his bitten arm to them all. However, their fear was replaced with shock as his arm started to bleed black blood.

In his hiding spot, Peter especially was beside himself. "What the?"

Gerard hadn't noticed anything as he was still smiling and thought that they were all just stunned until he looked at his arm and noticed the black blood too. "What is this?" He then saw that Scott's face was calm unlike everyone else. "What did you do?" he muttered.

Scott spared Derek a look as he seemed to silently ask the same thing. "Everyone always said Gerard always had a plan. I had one too."

Gerard didn't understand until he felt around for his pill case. He then noticed that it was a close copy but not exactly his. It was the one Scott had picked up for him back at the station. He took the pills in his hand and crushed them to reveal black dust.

"Mountain Ash!" he angrily spat out as he grit his teeth. Scott had dosed him with it to hinder the effects of the bite and reverse it on him. Gerard then started to feel weak and he slowly fell to his knees. He then started to bleed black blood from his eyes, nose and his mouth. He then regurgitated a large amount of black goo to the astonishment and disgust of everyone there. He then collapsed.

Derek broke his sight of Gerard to look back at Scott. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because, you might be an Alpha, but you're not mine."

Small sounds drew them all to look back at Gerard who was glaring out towards Jackson. "Kill them," he said as he spat more of that black goo. "Kill, them ALL!" he commanded.

He then collapsed and the Kanima spared his fallen master a look which Allison quickly used to slam her elbow at its head and freed herself. Before the Kanima could do anything to respond to that, the long wooden doors were rammed down as a Jeep started to roll in and slammed at it.

Stiles was angrily gritting his teeth as he hit the break. He looked back at Lydia who was whimpering. "You okay? Lydia!" he barked at her.

She nodded. "I'm okay," she said softly.

In the shadows, Peter let a small sigh loose. "Looks like he got my message."

The teens in the jeep then jumped in their seats when Jackson jumped on the hood and let out an angry hiss. They both let out a scream before Lydia moved to get out of the jeep. She moved for the side of the hood and the Kanima was eyeing her.

"Lydia!" Stiles growled as he let out his claws and hopped out of the driver's seat.

He was about to move to pull the Kanima away from her but Scott moved over and pushed him back.

"Stiles wait," he said holding him back.

"Jackson!" Lydia quickly pulled out the key on her chain and the Kanima froze.

It was eyeing the key in her hand and its mind started to go to the night that he had given it to her. It was a few weeks before any of this had even started to happen. They were in his room, in his bed and he moved over to give it to her.

"Here," he said softly. "It's for the front door."

Lydia smiled as she took it. "A key to your house? Already?" she asked playfully.

"Promise, it's not a wedding ring," he grumbled lightly but equally playfully.

Lydia laughed a bit. "Oh, so you're just making me an accessible night booty call?"

"Night, afternoon and morning," he said planting some kisses on her bare shoulder before he snuggled up close to her.

Jackson's face started to slowly shift back until it was half-scaled as he took the key from her. Derek then started to feel the venom in his body start to dissipate too. It's effect was weakening. He then caught Peter moving into position and caught his eye as he smiled back to him. Jackson was starting to move away from Lydia and he was leaving himself open. Derek then got up fully and Peter took that as the signal. Both of the Hales moved in and drove their claws directly into him to the horror of everyone present. Jackson started to gag as the claws tore him apart inside. They then let him go and he started to topple around and his feet were starting to give way.

Lydia quickly moved to grab him before he could fall. "No. No," she cried as she helped him to his knees.

Derek moved back to stand with Isaac as he started to move towards them but he grabbed the young man by the shoulder and kept him back.

Jackson was now looking up at Lydia's crying face. "Lydia," he choked out. "Do you still-"

Lydia didn't need him to finish. She tearfully nodded. "I do."

With that, all the werewolves in the room then heard Jackson's heart stop beating.

Jackson then collapsed into her arms as the key fell from his grip and clanged on the floor. Lydia then lightly set him down to lie with his back to the floor. Lydia then got up and started to walk away from him.

Stiles moved to go to her when he stopped. His ears started to pick up something. All of the werewolves heard it. The sound of a slowly beating heart, that was starting to beat a bit louder and faster each second. Jackson's hands started to sport claws and were twitching against the ground. Lydia stopped walking as she seemed to feel something happening herself. She turned to look over at Jackson and saw that all the scales from the Kanima were now gone. Jackson was starting to move a bit and his eyes then sprang open to reveal themselves to be bright blue. He then slowly rose up to his feet as his face started to shift and his teeth grew out into fangs. He let out a roar as he was now reborn as a werewolf. Everyone watched as Jackson became what he set out to become from the beginning with blank faces. His howl lasted for a few seconds before he shifted back to himself. He looked over at Lydia with a soft expression and Lydia ran to give him a tight hug.

Stiles nose twitched as he sensed the love that the two of them were giving off, for each other. It actually made him start to cry. Both for them and for himself. Scott seemed to notice it and he shrugged. "He scratched my jeep."

Allison was with her father watching before she moved over to them. "Lydia?"

Yet, before she could get too close, hands grabbed her by her shoulders and then pushed her to the ground, hard and she even slid back a bit.

Scott moved forward a few steps. "Stiles!"

Allison looked up to see Stiles glaring down at her. His hands were sporting claws and his fangs were making an appearance.

"You stay away from them," he growled at her. Chris made to move for them but Stiles raised a clawed finger at him. "That's far enough!" he barked savagely at him. "Unless you want matching scratches on your other arm and your face."

Allison was glaring at him which Stiles was returning in full.

"Stiles!" Scott yelled. "That's enough! It's over! It's done!"

Stiles looked over to him and Scott's widened a bit as the bruise he noticed earlier on his face started to fully disappear leaving him fully unblemished. "Over?!" Stiles shook his head harshly. "None of this changes what she did," he pointed to her before he went to look at her father. "What he did. What-"

But Stiles stopped there. He went to look over at the spot where he noticed Gerard before but found that there was nothing but a spot of black blood. Derek and Isaac looked over and saw that he was gone too.

"C'mon," Derek said to Isaac as they ran off to see if they could find any trace of him.

Scott moved to get closer to his friend. "Stiles, please just stop. Okay."

"Do you know Scott? Do you know what they did to me? What she did? Or…does it not matter?" Stiles asked him with savage sarcasm.

From behind him, Lydia was helping to support Jackson who still seemed to be a bit weak. "Stiles, Jackson needs to get to the hospital. They would've noticed he's gone now and his parents must be freaking out." Lydia then moved to help Jackson into his jeep.

Stiles spared them both a look before he looked back down at Allison. She was staring back at him with a hard look of her own. Stiles grit his teeth before he closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. His fangs and claws started to fade away. He opened his eyes and looked down at Allison with disgust in his eyes. He then moved to reach into his pocket. "Here. You should have this back." He then threw the dart that he had been shot with over to her where it clanged on the floor right by her hand. Stiles then looked up at Scott and his eyes had the look of hurt and disappointment.

"Stiles," Scott started.

But Stiles didn't heed him. He just turned around and headed for the jeep's driver's seat. He put the car in drive and started to quickly drive them out of there for the hospital.

Allison was helped to her feet by her father. Scott went over and bent down and picked up the dart that Stiles had thrown to her.

"What is this?" he asked them.

Chris reached over and took hit from him. "We should talk," he said to him lightly.

They then moved off to head for his mini-van. The only other occupant in the warehouse was Peter who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and an amused look on his face.

Outside the warehouse, there was a trail of the black blood that was being touched by a gloved hand belonging to Deaton. He was then joined by Morrell who was looking down at him with amusement.

"You're not planning to get your hands dirty, are you?" she asked with a small smile.

Deaton looked down for a second before he rose to his feet. "I do what I have to."

He then started to walk off but Morrell walked with him.

"Good," she said putting her hands into her pockets. "I never liked you being retired anyway."

He looked back at her. "Whoever said I was retired?"

Scott was with Allison in her room. On the ride back, Chris explained that they had been the ones to capture Stiles and brought him to their basement where Gerard beat and tortured him. And also that they had been the ones to also catch Erica and Boyd. Allison saw that her father was trying to spare their feelings so she went on to say that she had shot arrows into the two of them and she was the one that had shot Stiles in the first place with the poison dart.

"I'm sorry," she said to him as they held hands.

"You didn't know. It's not your fault."

"It is," said Allison. "I'm sorry Scott. For everything I did. Everything I said." She then let his hand go. "Especially for what I have to do now."

"You don't have to apologize to me."

"I do Scott."

"No, you don't."

"Scott…I'm trying to break up with you."

But Scott didn't lose his poise at all. He just nodded. "I know. The truth is…so am I."

Allison caught his eye on that one. "Really?"

Scott honestly didn't see any other choice. A part of him wanted to fight himself on this. It seemed that Allison's father was now too tired to try and keep them apart after everything that happened and they truly had no better chance than this to be together. But, Scott had made up his mind before everything that happened after Stiles had vanished.

He nodded. "Yeah. Lately…I've started to think that we might've gone into this a little too fast. There are…things that I have to take care of before I can even think about being together again. And I think that you have some things to take care of too. Things that we can't see to if we are together."

Allison bowed her head down at that. "It's more like a mountain of things," she said back to him.

Scott went and ran his thumb smoothly over the knuckles of her hand. "I think we both just really need some time. Maybe even a bit more than some." His face then brightened up a bit. "But, it's okay."

"It's not okay." Allison shook her head as she wiped the tears from her eyes away. "How is any of this okay?"

"Because I can wait."

Allison face fell a bit more. "Scott, I won't let you do that. I can't ask you to wait for me. What if we never are ready?"

"It's fine," he said. "Because I know that we'll be together, someday."

"There's no such thing as fate."

"There's no such things as werewolves," Scott said back.

Scott moved to wipe away a new tear in Allison's eyes before the two of them leaned in to share one last kiss. It started off simple but it seemed to want to be more but Allison forced herself to break free before they got lost in it. Scott was secretly grateful for her doing that. If it kept going, he might decide to change his mind, and he couldn't do that. Not now.

He then got up and started to leave her room. As if on cue, her father walked on in. The two of them shared a soft look before they both kept on walking. Scott stood at the door for a moment and watched as the two of them sat together on her bed and Allison fell into her father's arms as he lightly squeezed at her. He then moved to head on home.

Erica and Boyd were deep in the wilderness, panting as they hadn't stopped moving since they had escaped the Argents. They stopped to finally catch their breath when they started to hear some growling. Hard and rough growling. In the dark, they saw two figures appear, standing side by side. Then off to the other side of them was another figure, bigger, and he growled at them. There were two more and they also growled. And they all brought their claws out. Erica and Boyd started to pant again as each one of these new werewolves started to show the glaring gleam of their red eyes.

Jackson was in his room, looking out the window as he reflected on everything that had recently happened in his life. It had been two days since that dreadful night at the warehouse and his life was now changed forever. He had done it. He had become a werewolf, just like he had wanted when he first learned of Scott and Stiles being one…and it didn't please him in the slightest bit.

When he got to the hospital that night, he met his parents that were besides themselves. He had never seen his mom and dad look so…broken. Before they had noticed him moving for them alive, he saw that they were pale and their eyes and noses were bright red. When they saw him, they looked like they might collapse in joy or shock, maybe both. The next day, he had gone to see his friends from school, especially from the lacrosse team, and they eyed him like he was some kind of leper. Like he was a freak, which he guessed that he now was. Even Danny seemed uncomfortable around him. It was like they were scared of him now.

As for being a werewolf itself, he had gone to Derek to find out what was going to happen to him now. According to him and his uncle, Jackson wasn't a beta like Scott and Stiles were. He wasn't an Alpha like Derek either. He was an Omega, which was the weakest and lowest class of werewolf of them all. They guessed that even if Jackson did become part of a pack, he would always be an Omega due to how he was 'broken' from being the Kanima. A sign of how broken he was would be shown in his eyes. He let himself see the reflection of his new blue eyes in the window. They told him that his eyes were that way because he had taken the lives of innocent people and they would always be like that now instead of the golden eyes that the others like Scott and Stiles had.

He hadn't really talked to either of them since he had seen Scott at the warehouse and Stiles dropped him off at the hospital. He didn't really expect anything more. They did what they set out to do, save him, and that was it. They've all never been friends and that didn't seem to be changing any time soon. And a part of him couldn't blame them for not wanting to see him. He was starting to think back on the argument about him that the two of them had that he overheard. Scott had said that they were better than him. That was true. Jackson saw that it was true even before they became werewolves. Sure, they weren't popular around school like him or had his kind of money but the two of them didn't need it, not like he seemed to. Stiles' comments about him were right too. He was a snake. He didn't care about anything but himself. Not his parents, even if they were adopted. He didn't care about anybody he knew or saw that had bad things happen to them. He hadn't cared about the fact that he almost killed his best friend Danny who had always been there for him even at his worst. He even treated Lydia, the one person that he actually really loved and loved him back so much that it saved him, like she had been meaningless. But despite that, she still is standing by his side and forgave him for everything. He didn't deserve her. He didn't deserve any of them.

Scott and Stiles tried to warn him but he wouldn't listen. He was a damn fool. He thought the bite would give him everything. Raise him to be greater than he ever dreamed. Instead, it took most of what he had and never even appreciated. And he was now lower than he ever could be, even by werewolf standards. He now had blood, a lot of innocent blood on his hands thanks to both Matt and Allison's grandfather. He never felt so violated or repulsed by himself in his whole life. Maybe his father's idea for them all to have a new start might actually be a good idea.

Stiles pulled his jeep into the lacrosse field where there was no one around. Right now, that's what he wanted. There was a net still set up there and he took his lacrosse stick and started to practice his swing. The coach had told him that he could look forward to a spot on the team, if he actually made it to the games. Stiles readied a ball and flung it hard into the net. He let a small smile loose as he went and got another ball and flung it into the net too. He then went off for the other end of the field and then broke into a small run and made a jump as he made a long distance shot. The ball flew through the air and hit the net so hard that its sound vibrated in the air. Stiles' feet landed flat on his feet as he panted at the sight of it.

"Nice shot."

Stiles looked over and saw that Scott was leaning on his jeep with a small smile on his face.

He went over and scooped over another ball into his lacrosse stick. "What are doing here?" He asked him.

Scott kept his smile but his eyes were clearly saddened a bit. "You haven't been answering my calls."

"I've been busy," Stiles said before he went and made another strike into the goal. "How'd you find me?"

"Your dad," said Scott. "I stopped by your house and he said that you were heading here."

Stiles let a breath loose. "Scott, look I came here to be by myself and clear my head. I just want to be left alone."

He then went to grab another ball from the pile and went to make another shot but the ball was caught mid-air by Scott with his bare hand. Scott was looking at him with narrowed eyes while Stiles threw him an annoyed look.

"We need to talk Stiles."

"There's nothing to talk about," Stiles said as he moved to start putting his gear away now that practice seemed to be over.

"Yes there is. About what happened that night."

"Scott," Stiles cut in. "If you're here to yell at me about pushing Allison then please spare me."

Scott let out a huff. "I'm not here about that." He then decided to just blurt it out. "Allison and I broke up."

Stiles actually froze in the middle of what he was doing as he turned to look back at Scott. His shock lasted for a moment before he recovered. "Oh, well no offense Scott but I don't feel like hearing and listening to you talk about Allison dumping you again. I told you that I was done with that so if that's what you came here for then you're out of luck. Try talking with the school counselor. She's actually a pretty good listener."

Scott nearly bit the back of his tongue. "Stiles, you don't understand. She didn't just break up with me. I broke up with her too. We chose to break up. Together. Actually, I had been thinking that we needed some time…ever since the game." That made Stiles eyes widen a bit. "I mean, it's actually the best time for me to be with her. Her dad seems to be tired of fighting us on this and with Gerard gone there's no more danger from the two of being around each other now. But, I still wanted to break up."

"Why?" Stiles asked shaking his head in disbelief. "With everything that's happened…this is what you wanted. To be with Allison was…well, everything to you." Stiles was almost speechless.

Scott nodded as his face went a little sad. "Yeah, I know. It's all I wanted. Believe me, I didn't like that I was just giving up after going through so much and getting so close…but I knew I had to." He then looked up to look Stiles square in the eye. "Because I didn't like what I had turned into."

Stiles sighed. "Scott, I know that you've hated being a werewolf since you found out but-

But Scott cut him off. "I'm not talking about being a werewolf Stiles," he said gently. "I'm talking about what I've been like since I met Allison. I started to forget about school and homework, all so I could be with her and now I'm failing three classes and could be held back and that's the least serious thing I let happen. I…I went and risked people's lives, including you and even my life, all so I could impress Allison. I stood back and watched as my mom was getting threatened and scared, for Allison. I…betrayed you, because of Allison. At the game, after you said all that stuff to me…I began to realize that you were right. You were right all along. I was turning into a terrible person, son and friend."

What Scott felt like he was really turning into...was Gerard. He was a man so desperate to have what he wanted that he was willing to betray and even kill his own friends and family. It didn't matter who or what got in his way and he didn't care what he had to do, as long as he got what he wanted. Scott was seeing that he was doing and acting just like Gerard when the man taunted him at the game. When he said that everything he did was all about him having Allison. That was what Stiles had said to him but while Stiles had said it with anger and disappointment, Gerard had said it with amusement and approval, like he could relate. And that made Scott feel sicker than Gerard's cancer ever could make him.

Stiles saw that Scott was starting to see some sense now, just like he wanted for a while. Now that it seemed like he finally was, it wasn't making him feel as good as he thought it would. To be honest, it made Stiles feel worse. He had wanted Scott to snap out of his 'Allison' daze and get his head clear, not have his whole world crash all around him and think so low of himself. "Scott…look, maybe I overreacted a bit."

Scott flinched. "Stiles, don't. Don't try to make me feel less worse about this. I deserve all of it." Scott's face looked a bit tortured now. "Allison and her dad told me what happened. What Gerard did to you. What…I let him do to you." He remembered the sight of the bruise and state of his lip when Scott had seen him. He could only imagine what Stiles had looked like right when it was happening.

Stiles was hit full blast by the feeling of sadness and self-loathing that Scott was feeling right now. Stiles deflated even more. "Scott, that wasn't your fault. Besides, you did manage to stop Gerard. I spoke to Derek yesterday. He filled me in on what happened before I got there. You were trying to trick Gerard so, I guess I kind of get why you did what you did. You did beat him in the end."

But Scott only shook his head. "That doesn't change anything Stiles. I mean, I keep saying that I was just trying to keep to my plan to stop Gerard, but that's not really true, not completely. I wanted to stop him but it was a plan I made, to really try and be with Allison. It may have worked but…I could've lost my mom, and you. He almost took the both of you."

"But he didn't," Stiles reminded him. "Your mom and I are okay."

"Yeah…but I'm still not sure that I haven't lost you two. My mom, she knows about me now. This whole thing still has her a bit scared."

Stiles just shrugged. "She just needs time I guess. You did too, remember? She'll come around for you, I know it."

Stiles saw Scott let a small smile shine its way through but it quickly dropped.

"And you? I honestly don't know if I still have you or not?"

Stiles sighed and was silent for a moment. He looked down at the ground for a bit before he breathed out and looked back up at him. "I think…you might still have me," he finished with a small smile.

Scott's signature smile returned. "Yeah?" he said hopefully.

"Only just," Stiles said half-seriously. "Maybe…we just need to try and start over."

Scott nodded. "Yeah. I think that's a good idea. How about I help you practice?"

"I think that's a good place to start," Stiles said with a smile. Scott then went to get Stiles spare net from his jeep.

Scott went to the goal with the net on hand and Stiles went to ready another ball. Scott bent down and took everything in. "Hey Stiles, you know what I just realized?"

"What?"

"I'm right back to where I started. When the year started, I planned so much, and I got it. But now I'm back to where I was before. No girlfriend. No lacrosse. Not popular." But Scott was smiling through that whole grim speech.

Stiles smiled too. "Well, it looks like you really are starting over then."

"I just hope I don't have to start the year over too," Scott said a little off-handedly.

"Don't worry. You won't. I'll help you."

"Thanks," he said gratefully. "And what about your plan? Your ten year plan for Lydia. I noticed that she didn't seem too surprised by you shifting in front of her that night. That's a good sign."

But Stiles shook his head. "Nah Scott, I think I'm putting the kibosh on my ten year plan. Lydia...she doesn't love me. I know that now and I'm cool with it."

"You sure?" asked Scott doubtfully.

Stiles smiled a bit sadly. "Well not right now...but I think I will be." He then started twirling his lacrosse stick. "Now, enough of this downer talk. I came here to get some practice in."

Scott smirked at him. "Oh, you will."

They then eyed each other and narrowed their eyes a bit as a gold glow shined through both their eyes and the need for some predator like fun started to take hold. Stiles then went into a small run and jumped to make a shot as Scott moved to try and catch it.

It was bright and sunny but the mood was dark and gloomy as Derek, Peter and Isaac stood in front of the Hale House. Their eyes were focused on the door.

"You haven't told him everything yet, have you?" said Peter.

Isaac looked away from the door to stare at the two of them as they stared at each other. "What do you mean?"

Peter then moved to lean against a nearby tree. "Why do you think Derek was in such a hurry to build his pack? So eager to strengthen his power and his numbers? When there's a new Alpha, people take notice."

"People like who?" Isaac asked tensely. He then looked back at the door. "What is this? What does this mean?"

"It's their symbol," answered Derek. "It means they're coming."

"Who?" asked Isaac.

"Alphas," Derek said simply.

Isaac's eyes narrowed as he caught the 's' in that. "More than one?"

Derek nodded. "A pack of them."

"An Alpha Pack," Peter emphasized. "And they're not coming. They're already here."

They all focused their vision back on the house's front door that had the symbol painted on there of a triangular triskele.