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Chapter 5: Are You A Bad Person?
….Depends Who You Ask
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"Come on, I'm right here," Stiles murmured, fingers laced with hers as he stuck close to her side.
Stepping into the loft, Ivy glanced around in interest.
The same dark-haired guy she'd run into at the high school, Derek, was standing by the windows, his attention focused on the table as he looked something over.
On the couch, there was a man in his thirties, short dark hair and vivid blue eyes, lounging comfortably. His attention was focused on a book he held in his lap.
Scott was standing with Derek, his eyes lighting up when he saw them come in.
"Derek, this is who I was telling you about. Ivy, this is the Alpha of Beacon Hills. I think she's a born werewolf," he commented to Derek, who raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise. "She kinda smells like you and she's a lot more in tune with her wolf than I've ever been with mine."
"Rogue," the correction left her automatically, shoulders straightening as all eyes focused on her. "My wolf, she's named Rogue."
The man on the couch scoffed in disgust, rolling his eyes. "Oh yes, I can see she's in full control. Your wolf is a part of you, not a separate identity you can just shove aside."
"I know that. I just call her that because she's the part of me that would rather rip out throats than talk and I've been told that's wrong in today's society," Ivy snarked, insulted at the casual disregard.
Instead of getting offended, the man laughed, blue eyes gleaming with amusement and approval. "I like you. You have a bit of savage in you, don't you?"
Ivy just smiled sharply, all sharp teeth and clear threat.
"Peter, stop," Derek ordered, making Ivy clench her jaw and step closer to Stiles.
She looked over to Peter, her birth father, in interest, eyes scanning him curiously.
He smirked back, almost preening at her perusal.
"It's Ivy, right?" Derek's question drew her attention and she nodded. "Did an Alpha bite you? Or were you born a werewolf?"
"I've met werewolves before but I was never bitten or scratched. Rogue's been a part of me since I was little but I wasn't able to shift until I turned fifteen," she explained, keeping it short and simple.
Derek nodded, taking that in. "So you know about the supernatural then. Have you ever hurt anyone when you shifted?"
"No," she shook her head, quirking a smile. "Unless you count a few dozen rabbits and a buck I brought down in the forest one time."
His lips quirked in amusement. "That doesn't count. Hunting game is natural for us. Scott mentioned you knew about the Alpha Pack. Care to explain that?"
"A friend warned me about them and I was threatened by the guidance counselor at the school, who I'm pretty sure is working with them in some way," she shrugged, smile broadening into a smirk.
"You never said she threatened you," Stiles sighed, eyes scanning her form for any hidden injuries.
"Her threats were uncreative and lacking, to be honest," she remarked, offering him a playful grin. "I'm fine, no injuries to speak of, but you can check for yourself if you want?"
Peter chuckled and Stiles rolled his eyes with a put-upon sigh.
"You know, you're ruining the whole 'prim and proper' British stereotype," he informed her.
"I went to school in Scotland. We were a bit wilder than that."
He nodded in acceptance to that, conceding the point.
Her eyes caught on the table, noticing that there were blueprints spread across its surface. Blueprints to a very specific bank.
"You're looking into the bank?" She asked in surprise, head tilting. "Why? Are you planning a pre-emptive strike on the Alpha Pack?"
"You know about the bank?" Scott was confused.
"Of course you know about the bank," Stiles sighed in exasperation.
"No. They have two of my betas held captive and we're going to save them," Derek answered shortly, green eyes considering. "What do you know about it?"
Ivy knew she couldn't tell them about Hel. Not at this point, when she didn't really know anyone beyond Stiles, and she didn't trust them not to use her as a weapon.
But she could offer something.
"Something led me there last night and I found a blonde girl unconscious in the closet so I took her," she bit her lip, meeting his eyes apologetically. "I didn't know there was anyone else there or I would've taken the other beta too. I'm sorry, Derek."
The Alpha sucked in a sharp breath and closed his eyes, glowing ruby when he opened them. "Where did you take her? Is she safe?"
"She's in my spare bedroom at my apartment, safe and sound. She was half-dead when I found her but she's looking better today."
"Alright," he breathed out carefully, giving a sharp nod. "That means we'll be getting Boyd and whoever is in there with him. Peter and Stiles, on the other hand, will be going with you to check on Erica."
Ivy nodded in understanding, leaning her head on Stiles' shoulder briefly, and he squeezed her hand in return.
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"Thank God, Isaac said he saw her body but he must have mistaken her for dead," Stiles breathed in relief, sitting against the side of the bed and checking the blonde's vitals. "She seems okay. Has she woken up at all?"
"None," Ivy shook her head, shifting nervously on her feet as she tossed glances at Peter, who leaned against the wall.
She wanted to talk to him about her identity.
It seemed like the best time for it, since it was just the three of them and Stiles knew about it.
"Go ahead and step out. Have that little talk I know you want to have with the zombiewolf," he seemed to read her mind, throwing a comforting smile her way as Peter looked between them in puzzlement. "You've got this. I'll be right here if you need me."
Ivy nodded jerkily and looked to her birth father, who followed her into the other room.
"I confess I'm curious about what exactly you want to talk to me about," Peter admitted, watching her pace as he leaned against the wall casually.
Taking a hand through her hair, she forced herself to still as she reached into her bag and pulled out the birth certificate, handing it over.
"I know we don't know each other and this is probably going to seem unbelievable but I feel like you should know. I'm sorry for dredging up the painful past but you deserve to know the truth."
He took it and the paper crinkled as he unfolded it.
She could see the moment he understood what he was reading as he stiffened, every joint locking up.
When he looked up, his eyes were glowing an icy blue and his fangs were out.
"Where did you get this?" He growled, furious.
"The hospital-"
Before she could finish, his clawed hands closed around her throat in a tight grip and Ivy choked, eyes widening as she reflexively grasped his hands.
Her feet left the floor as she was lifted into the air, fingers sharpening into claws as she desperately clawed at the hands locked around her throat.
"Did you steal them?! My daughter is dead, you horrid bitch! Is this you claiming to be her? You'll find I'm violently protective of my family and I don't mind getting my hands dirty," he promised darkly, claws sinking into her throat. Warm blood spilled over her skin and Ivy allowed her instincts to take over.
Fangs grew and she snarled, feet flying up to slam into his chest hard. Her magic reinforced the hit and he staggered back, his claws ripping out of her throat.
Ivy landed in a defensive crouch, scrambling to stand with her back to the wall.
"Peter, stop! Whoa, hey!" Stiles rushed in, placing himself directing in front of her, arms spread as he shielded her from the angry beta. "Leave her alone! Listen to her heartbeat, dude, she's not lying."
Peter snarled lowly but listened, subsiding. "She can't be telling the truth, Stiles. My daughter died with my wife in childbirth seventeen years ago. I've made my peace with it."
"Then take a paternity test if you want to be sure," he shot back, deliberately turning his back to the older man to crouch in front of her. "Hey Ivy, let me see."
She flinched back violently when his hands got close to her throat, snapping her fangs as icy blue eyes glowed. "You know I'm not going to hurt you, beautiful. It's okay, everything's going to be okay. You're safe," he promised and she whined quietly, shift receding as she pulled him closer, letting him check her neck.
"Not-not safe," she murmured, wincing in pain as he held paper towels to the cuts in her throat. His arm tightened around her and she curled into him, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for ever coming here."
"Shh…it's okay. You're alright. I'm here," he soothed, throwing a vicious glare at Peter and the beta only sneered back.
Fine. You don't want me? That's fine. It's nothing new. I don't need you.
Sucking in a shaky breath, Ivy allowed her magic to coat her mind in steel, allowing nothing to escape as a mask of calm fell over her.
Her emotions were dull and diluted, a state that was dangerous if held too long. She just had to hold out until she could take care of the Darach and then she was free.
"Excuse me," she muttered to Stiles, disentangling herself from him as she stood, moving into the bathroom. She took the First Aid kit out from under the sink and wrapped the cuts on her throat in gauze, layering bandages over them.
Ivy breathed in deep, letting it in slow increments.
Stepping back into the living room, she offered Peter a bland smile. "I hope you got that out of your system because that won't be happening again. If you touch me again, I'll rip out your intestines with my bare hands and strangle you with them. Are we clear? Good."
A tense silence filled the room as they digested her words.
"Uh, Ivy, what are you doing?" Stiles asked, watching as she moved into the kitchen and grabbed one of the knives.
She cut the inside of her forearm, careful to avoid the veins, and filled a small vial from her bag with the blood.
Twisting the cap closer, she tossed it to Peter and he caught it effortlessly, raising an eyebrow.
"In case you want that paternity test Stiles mentioned," she offered shortly, bandaging up the cut.
After that alarming event, Stiles received a call from Scott and found out that the vault had been built out of Hecatolite, otherwise known as moonstone. It blocked moonlight and prevented them from shifting for the past few months. Now that they'd been released from the vault, the unknown beta and Boyd were on a rampage through Beacon Hills as the two frantically tried to catch them.
Darling, you have an appointment with a rather traumatized young boy, Hel whispered in her mind, drawing her attention.
She distantly noted Peter leaving, slamming the door behind him.
"I've gotta go. Lydia just found a dead body apparently," Stiles rushed over to kiss her cheek hurriedly. "Are you going to be okay here with Erica? The others should be back soon."
"I'll be fine. Be safe," Ivy gave a small smile.
"You too!"
After he left, she took a moment to update the wards on the apartment, wanting Erica to be completely safe while she was vulnerable, before apparating away.
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From what she'd gathered, Michael Harkins was a sixteen-year-old boy who died by the Three-Fold Death. Blow to the head, sliced throat, and strangulation by garrote were the three parts of the ritual.
He wore a purity ring, which made her think that he was picked as a sacrifice for that.
The poor boy was distraught and panicked, on the edge of a breakdown as he worried about his family and where he was going to go in the afterlife.
Ivy did her best to calm him before passing his soul off to one of the reapers with instructions to take him to Heaven. He deserved it, with how pure his soul was.
Once that was taken care of, Ivy apparated back to her apartment. No one was back yet so she focused on Erica.
While her body was healed and alive, her soul was still lost, lingering.
"Erica Reyes," Ivy twisted her ring three times, watching as the Resurrection Stone flared with violet light before fading back to onyx.
"Where am I? Who are you?" Erica shot off questions as she appeared in the room, eyes widening and jaw dropping when she spotted her body laying on the bed. "Oh my God, is that my body?"
"Yes, that's your body, Erica," Ivy snickered, shoulders loosening as she watched the soul in amusement. "Trippy isn't it? You're in my apartment, safe and sound. I'm Ivy, the one who stole you from the Alpha Pack."
"What about Boyd? Cora? What happened to them?" She demanded, worried. "Did you get them too?"
"No, your Alpha's bringing them here in a few hours," the witch answered calmly, checking her watch for a moment. "I need to get you back into your body. Are you ready?"
"You can bring me back to life?! Yes, please!"
Grasping her hand, Ivy pulled her over to her body and set her hand across her chest, concentrating.
There was a burst of violet light as Erica's spirit sank into her physical body.
The blonde werewolf bolted upright, gasping loudly as wide brown eyes locked onto Ivy.
"Welcome back to the living," Ivy smirked, crossing her arms over her chest.
After a long hot shower and borrowing of the witch's comfiest sweatpants and t-shirt, Erica was seated at the kitchen counter happily, devouring the fourth bowl of soup given to her, complimented with crackers.
Ivy leaned against the counter across from her, recording her newest notes on the Darach on a notepad.
"So what are you exactly? Cuz you have to have some serious mojo to be bringing me back to life and all."
"I'm a hybrid, half werewolf, half witch," she answered absently, chewing on the end of her pen as she made a note about Mrs. Blake with a question mark.
"Alright then, Enchantress," Erica munched loudly. "I see you. Your help is appreciated."
"Enchantress?" Lifting her eyes from the notepad, she raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Yeah, like from the DC comics? Figured it'd fit you since you've got that whole otherworldly, vaguely threatening, mysterious aura going on. Plus, we already have a Batman and a Catwoman so might as well branch out a bit."
"Oh," Ivy blinked, nodding. "Makes sense, I suppose. I don't know much about comics, only what Stiles has told me. If you wouldn't mind, would you keep the truth of your resurrection a secret? No one knows I can do that and I'd rather hide it for now."
"Oh sure thing, my lips are sealed. You know Batman?" Erica lit up, grinning. "How?"
Her lips curved into a mischievous smile as she answered. "I saved him from a bunch of runaway apes and he took me on a date. My first date actually."
"Oh my God! You're dating Stiles?!"
"We have a thing," she grinned, shrugging. "It's nothing serious for now but I'm fond of him, I'll admit."
Before their conversation could go any further, the door burst open as the pack came in.
Peter dragged Derek over to the couch and plopped him down onto it while Scott ushered in two unfamiliar betas, a dark skinned boy and a dark-haired girl.
Erica was up and off like a shot as she collided with the two, their arms latching onto her as they all huddled into a puppy pile.
Scott nodded to Ivy and she nodded back, watching him leave before switching her focus to the three betas in a pile.
"If you want, Erica can show you where the shower is and where you can borrow some of my clothes," she offered, lips twitching in mirth as the blonde dragged them both into her spare bedroom.
Shaking her head, she made her way over to where Derek was lying on the couch, eyeing Peter warily for a moment until he backed up.
"You alright, Alpha?" She cocked her head, studying the healing gashes across his sides and chest. "There's a shower and a change of clothes if you need it. There's also plenty of food in the kitchen. You can help yourself to whatever."
His hand flew out to grasp her wrist and she paused, looking down at him. Green eyes watered as he squeezed her wrist gently.
"Thank you," he managed, voice ragged with gratitude.
She smiled softly, twisting her wrist to clasp his in return. "You're welcome, Derek."