I do not own Teen Wolf

I am going to warn every one now that there are multiple trigger warnings on this fic. Mentions of rape, torture, depressive thoughts, and self-harm. I put an extra trigger warning on the chapter with the mention of rape AND a trigger just before it happens so that you can skip the three sentences where it happens when we get to it. The depressive thoughts and self-harm are in the first chapter, just as a heads up, and will be mentioned and carried through for quite some time. I put a warning on the chapters with torture as well. I tried to keep everything to a minimum and I didn't go into detail with everything as a way to ensure that the fic was still readable to anyone who has issues with the topics.

The characters will get better and stronger, just like anyone else who struggles with self-harm and depression. For anyone in the US who is struggling with self-harm and depression, text HOME to 741741. In the UK, call 116 123 or go to how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan

If you are in a bad situation where you are being harmed, please call (US) (800)799-7233 or (UK) 0808 2000 247

Chapter One

"It's not a quad date," Lydia insisted. "It's a group thing."

"Do they know that?" Allison asked.

"If you and Jackson are there, and Erica and Boyd are there, it's already a date," River added.

"You were in France and didn't do any dating for four months," Lydia defended. "And River, you were completely ghosted by Isaac and Stiles!"

"Why did Stiles ghost you?' Allison asked.

"Erica here let slip about the mate bond," River glared at the other blonde in the backseat. "Lydia has been trying to hook me up with Greenburg ever since."

"She refuses to look at anyone I suggest," Lydia explained.

"He isn't my type," River defended.

"We know," Lydia smirked. "You prefer guys who need some mothering."

"I still can't believe Jackson's dad tried to ship him off to London," Allison stated, changing the subject before River could try mauling Lydia.

"Thank you River for being a good influence apparently. Also, can you imagine that?" Lydia joked. "An American Werewolf in London? That would have been a disaster."

All four girls laughed as they stopped at the red light. Erica noticed first, bumping River's arm to point at the Jeep beside them. River sank in her seat, hiding her head in Erica's lap with a groan.

"What's wrong?" Allison asked.

"We have company," River said, pointing next to them.

"Oh, my God. Lydia, go!"

"It's a red light."

"Please, just go!"

Lydia took off and, once the light was green, the Jeep followed.

"Can I die now?" River asked Erica's lap.

"I'd rather not have to bring you back yet again," Lydia stated.

"Yeah. That did suck."

"Are you both alright?"

Both nodded, River sitting back up.

"Lydia, stop. We need to go back and talk to them," Allison said, looking torn.

"You can go talk to Scott. I would rather go on the date."

"So, you are open to dating?" Lydia questioned.

"Lydia!" Allison yelled, causing the other girl to slow the car to a stop.

They all turned and looked behind them.

"They stopped, too. Why would they stop?" Allison asked.

"It's Stiles and Scott," Lydia scoffed. "Do you really want to try applying logic to those two?"

"Fair point," Erica stated.

"Maybe we should go back…"

The rest of Allison's statement was cut off as a deer crashed into the front window. All four girls screamed before jumping out of the car. River pulled Lydia back, checking her over for injuries as Erica did the same to Allison. Stiles and Scott ran over to them.

"Are you alright?" Scott asked them.

"It came out of nowhere!" Lydia yelled.

"Are you hurt?" Stiles asked.

"It ran right into us," Erica explained.

"Are you okay?" Scott asked Allison.

"I'm okay," she nodded.

"Well, I'm not okay!" Lydia yelled. "I am totally freaking out! How the hell does it just run into us? I saw its eyes right before it hit us, and it was like it was crazy!"

"No," Erica shook her head as she and Scott approached it.

"It was scared," Scott added. "Actually, terrified."

"I'll call for a ride," River sighed. "No way we're all fitting in the Jeep."

"Three can fit in the back and in the front," Stiles defended.

River sighed before turning to him, just in time to see him turn away from her. She took a deep breath before speaking.

"Fine," she said. "Lydia, call the guys. I'll text the group chat."

Boyd and Jackson got to them quickly in Jackson's Porsche while they waited for triple-a. Once the car was towed, Erica, Boyd, Lydia, and Jackson piled into the Porsche and Allison and River sent death glares as it drove away.

"Ready to get home?" Stiles asked, still not looking at River.

"My dad will actually be here any second," Allison explained and River closed her eyes, hating that Derek was too busy to come get her. "It'll just be River."

"Hi, Mr. Argent," River gave him a kind smile when he showed up.

"River," Chris smiled, simply nodding at the two boys. "How are you? Allison told me that you got a job this summer?"

"Yeah," River nodded. "A nursing home one town over. I work in the kitchen."

"Is that something you want to do one day? Cook, I mean?"

"Yeah," River nodded. "I want to go to culinary school once I'm done with high school."

"I'm sure it'll be great," Chris nodded. "I'll have to share some recipes with you. We should get going though."

"Have a good night," River told them as they walked away.

River turned towards the Jeep, climbing into the backseat without looking at either of the boys. They climbed in after her and River ignored the pain in her chest as she remembered the day Stiles had found out.

"What mate bond?" Stiles asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, shit," Erica whispered as she and River stared wide-mouthed at Stiles in the doorway.

"Nothing," River immediately tried lying.

"Erica, can you give us a minute?" Stiles asked and Erica bolted from the room, sending an apologetic look over her shoulder to River as she went, closing the door behind herself. "What mate bond?"

"Do you remember Peter's letter?" River asked and continued once he nodded. "Well, I wasn't sure who the mate that he mentioned was at first."

"You know now?" Stiles asked.

"It's you," River whispered, watching Stiles as she waited for his reaction.

"No," Stiles shook his head.

"What?" River asked, confused.

"You're wrong," Stiles told her.

"Stiles. I literally saw the bond when I tracked you the night Gerald attacked you. It's a mate bond."

"I don't accept it," he said, voice and expression hard.

"Yeah, I got that from how much you freaked out when you remembered us making out," she said, her voice soft.

"How long have you thought it was me?" Stiles asked. "Is that why you and Isaac broke up? I can go tell him that you're wrong."

"Stiles!" River stopped his rambling. "I've known since before Isaac and I started dating. Hell, Derek knew from the moment that he read the letter."

"So, you used Isaac?" Stiles asked.

"What?" she questioned, feeling angry.

"You used Isaac to try and make me jealous and to make me believe that I'm your mate," Stiles said as if it was the most believable thing in the world.

"Do you really think that I would do something to hurt Isaac like that?" she questioned.

"I mean, you've been hurting a lot of people recently. You used Jackson before he was cured, you killed Matt and Gerald. I don't know what you would be willing to do. For all I know, your mate could be Scott and you just don't realize it."

"What did you just say to me?" River asked in disbelief. "We've known each other for seven years now. Do you really think I could be capable of that?"

"You literally killed two people in front of me," Stiles deadpanned.

"I protected you," River stated, standing and causing Stiles to take a step back, River flinching at his action. "I would never hurt you."

"I don't know who you are anymore," Stiles told her. "I don't want to be stuck with someone who could be like that."

"Get out."

Stiles had packed his stuff and left the pack house, Scott following soon after. Noah and Melissa hadn't moved in, but they didn't come back to the house. River tried to go to the police station to organize files for Noah but he had told her that she needed some distance, saying that he didn't want Stiles to come in and get upset by seeing her. She had tried setting up lunch or dinner with just Noah and he had always claimed to be busy last minute. She knew he was lying because Derek had the Stilinski house included in his patrol and would tell her if they were both home safe.

They pulled up to the River's house and Scott jumped out of the Jeep. Scott helped her climb over the backseat and out of the vehicle before waving goodbye as he and Stiles drove away. River took a deep breath before turning to her house, hating how quiet it was. Derek, Isaac, Erica and Boyd still lived there but they were almost never home, tracking the alpha pack every second that they got. Derek had just given Erica and Boyd the night off so that they could get some rest and time together, which was why they were supposed to all hang out that night.

River's feet finally moved to the house, taking her up the porch steps. She walked inside, locking the door behind herself before going to the kitchen and grabbing leftover pizza from the fridge. After eating a cold slice of cheese pizza, she headed up the stairs, staring into Peter's room for a few minutes before closing the door. She went to her room and laid down, staring up at her ceiling until she fell asleep.

When her alarm went off for school the next day, she groaned into her pillow, not wanting to go. Derek had insisted that they keep up appearances and go to school even though River had begged to do virtual learning instead. She got dressed in the outfit that Lydia had laid out for her, staring at the plaid that would cover her arms. She tossed the plaid to her pillow before grabbing her bag and walking down the stairs, scars on full display. She started the coffee machine before dropping her bag by the door and going back upstairs. She banged on the door to Boyd's room, knowing he and Erica would be in there together before knocking on Isaac's room, poking her head in and frowning when she saw his empty bed.

"He didn't come home last night," Erica admitted as she and Boyd came into the hall, fully dressed and ready to go.

River felt the pack bonds and sensed that Isaac was alive. Ever since breaking up with her, River could feel the strain in the bond and couldn't feel as much towards him anymore. It frustrated her in moments like this. The three teens walked down the stairs, grabbing coffee to go, and headed to their cars. River drove by herself as Erica rode with Boyd in his truck. River went looking for Allison and Lydia when she got to the school, the three girls having grown close over the summer even with Allison in another country.

"Freshmen," Lydia smirked, staring around the halls. "Tons and tons of fresh men."

"You mean fresh boys," Allison started. "Lydia, they're fourteen."

"Eh, some of them are more mature than others," Lydia shrugged. "Besides, River's only fifteen apparently. I'm looking for her."

"Don't remind me," River sighed, referring to her age. "I'm so annoyed about it."

"Annoyed about what?" Jackson asked, walking up to the girls.

"Annoyed that she's the baby of the group," Lydia smirked.

"What group?" Jackson asked. "It's just us."

"Still the baby," Lydia smirked before looking down the hall.

Lydia's eyes widened and she bumped River and Allison, pointing to where her eyes had locked onto two guys. They were dressed in jeans, plain t-shirts, and leather jackets, motorcycle helmets in hand.

"Brothers?" Allison asked.

"Twins," Lydia corrected. "One for each of you."

"One of them has to be gay," River stated.

"Fine," Lydia rolled her eyes. "One for Danny and one for you."

"What happened to Greenburg?" River joked.

"I'm gifting him to Allison," Lydia shrugged.

"Which one do you think needs the most mothering?" Erica joked, her and Boyd standing behind the small group.

"Oh, you've both got jokes," River fake smiled before glaring. "So funny."

The group separated from, Jackson, Erica and Boyd going one way while River, Lydia and Allison went another. The three girls walked into their first class of the day together. River and Allison froze when they saw the only two seats available. They exchanged looks before nodding to each other and taking their seats. Allison sat in front of Stiles and River sat in front of Scott, each girl helping with the awkwardness. Everyone's phones rang and River opened her messages, confused.

"The offing was barred by a black bank of clouds and the tranquil waterway, leading to the uttermost ends of the earth, flowed somber under an overcast sky, seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness," a woman read out as she entered the classroom and then leaned against the desk in the front. "This is the last line to the first book we are going to read. It is also the last text you will receive in this class. Phones off, everyone."

River smiled and followed along with the short lecture before they were all told to begin reading quietly among themselves. Ms. Blake called Scott out of the classroom and River watched curiously as he went, not liking the idea of him alone with Ms. Blake for some reason. She ignored Stiles and Lydia whispering back and forth as a piece of paper fluttered onto her desk. She opened it and saw Allison's handwriting.

'Are you okay?'

River turned and gave her a nod and a weak smile before going back to the book. Ms. Blake returned a moment later and they were all back to reading. River heard Stiles and Lydia whispering again and rolled her eyes before jumping at the sound of something hitting the window of the room. She looked over and saw blood on the window before looking pass it and seeing hundreds of crows flying towards them. Another bird hit and then another. The glass broke and the birds flew in.

"Get down!" Ms. Blake screamed.

River reached over and pulled Allison towards her as Stiles did the same for Lydia. River covered Allison's body with her own, blocking her from being attacked by the birds and refusing to move even as one of the birds began pecking at the back of her head. She swatted at the bird, putting magic behind her hands to hit it. The bird fell to the ground, dead somehow even though River had just wanted it to leave her be. She noticed all the other birds were lying dead now though and knew it hadn't been anything that she had done.

River looked over towards Stiles, checking him over with her eyes and seeing blood on his forehead. She helped Allison to her feet before walking over to Stiles and tilting his head down so she could see the injury. Before she could move his longer hair out of the way so that she could see it better, he swatted at her like she had at the birds, pulling away from her with a look on his face that made River cower.

Noah and a few deputies showed up pretty quickly, along with a few paramedics. River sat on a desk in the corner, Allison sitting beside her. Allison was looking at the back of River's head, dabbing at the points where the crow had pecked at her with a cotton pad, Chris standing beside them. Noah came over and River looked up, hope in her eyes. Instead, Noah completely ignored her to ask Chris if he knew a reason why the animals may be acting up.

Chris had no answers and Noah walked away, not even acknowledging River or her injuries. River felt like curling up in a ball and crying as her dad walked away from her as if he didn't care if she was injured or not. As if she didn't even exist.

"How long has that been going on?" Allison asked, voice soft.

"All summer," River told her, looking down at her feet as Lydia joined them.

"I didn't know that your dad wasn't talking to you," Lydia said, her voice loud and blunt. "Why didn't you tell us?"

River flinched, knowing Lydia was saying it loud enough for both Stilinski's to hear.

"Can we just go please?" River asked in a whisper. "I don't think I can do school today to be honest with you."

"Do you need one of us to drive your car?" Allison asked, her voice soothing as she set down the cotton pad covered in River's blood.

"I'll be fine," River shook her head. "I just want to go home."

"Don't go to sleep when you get home," Chris told her. "Wait a few hours just in case. If you get nauseous, call Allison and I'll come get you."

"Yes, sir," River nodded, standing and walking away from the group.

When she got home, she gasped when she saw Isaac on the dining room table, Derek holding purple flowers beside him and Scott giving her an awkward wave.

"What happened?" she asked, moving forward but getting dizzy from the sudden movement.

"What happened to you?" Derek asked as he caught her and set her in a chair beside Isaac.

"A bunch of birds flew through the windows at school and attacked a bunch of us," River explained. "One decided to go at the back of my head while I was covering Allison."

"Allison?" Scott asked, worried.

"She's fine," River assured him before looking to Isaac. "What happened?"

Scott's phone rang and he went to the living room to take the call as Derek began to speak.

"An alpha attacked him. He healed on the outside but the inside still has damage. I did what I can and now we just have to wait."

"Is there anything I can do?" River asked.

"Just stay with him?" Derek asked. "I have to give Scott a tattoo."

River looked confused before shrugging. She took her seat beside Isaac, taking his hand and trying to ease the pain with her magic. She didn't use her magic as much anymore, only for little things like when someone around her got hurt. She didn't want to feel the pull of the moon ever again after the last time.

"This is so stupid," River groaned into her pillow.

"Oh, you poor thing," Erica joked, reading a magazine beside her. "Does someone need to get laid?"

"Yes," River answered honestly, not even embarrassed.

"I could always ask Boyd?" Erica offered.

"No," River glared.

"I could ask Boyd if he would be mad if I helped out," Erica smirked.

"I hate you," River continued glaring.

"Lie," Erica smirked. "Take a nap or something."

"Can you go away?" River asked.

"We aren't supposed to leave you alone right now," Erica reminded her. "You told us not to so that you wouldn't do anything stupid."

"Greenburg is stupid. Can I do him?"

"Do you really want to?"

"Not even a little."

"Then, no."

River groaned into her pillow.

Her magic had felt neglected ever since and River sighed in relief as she released some of it to help Isaac. Stiles came into the house a moment later, blood still on his head as he went straight to the living room, not even realizing River was there. Derek used his alpha eyes to see where Scott's tattoo had apparently been the night before.

"Yeah, I see it. It's two bands, right? What does it mean?"

"I don't know," Scott shrugged. "It's just something I trace with my fingers."

"Why is it so important to you?"

"Do you know what the word tattoo means?"

"To mark something," Stiles provided with a smile before he noticed River and Isaac, a confused look crossing his face before he turned his attention back to Scott and Derek.

"Well, that's in Tahitian. In Samoan, it means open wound," Scott explained and Stiles glanced at River again. "I knew I wanted to get a tattoo when I turned eighteen. I always wanted one. I just decided to get it now, it makes it kind of a reward."

"For what?" Derek questioned.

"For not calling or texting Allison all summer. Even when I really wanted to, even when it was so hard not to sometimes. I was trying to give her the space she wants. Going on four months later, it still hurts. It still feels like an…"

"Like an open wound," Stiles provided, eyes locked on River as she stared at Isaac, brushing some of his hair away from his face.

"Yeah," Scott nodded, still looking at Derek.

Derek sighed.

"The pain's gonna be worse than anything you've ever felt."

"Ah, that's great," Stiles groaned, catching River's attention.

"Do it," Scott nodded determinedly.

Derek pulled out a blow torch then and Stiles and River both felt a little queasy.

"Oh, wow. That's a-That's a lot for me. So, I'm gonna take that as my cue,' Stiles started moving away from the two wolves. "I'm just going to wait outside—"

"Nope," Derek reached out, pulling Stiles back. "You can help hold him down."

"Oh, my God," Stiles gagged.

"I've got it," River said, standing and walking over. "Stiles you can go outside so you don't have to see this."

Stiles nodded and ran from the room, slamming the front door closed behind him and sitting on the porch steps. River turned to Scott.

"Is it okay if I use my magic to hold you?" she asked. "I'll use it to ease some of the pain as well."

"Yeah," Scott gave her a smile.

River held up her hand, concentrating on holding Scott still and taking as much pain from him as she could. She nodded to Derek and he got to work. Scott flinched for a second before the pain eased quite a bit. His eyes locked on River, seeing tears streaming down her face and realizing how she was able to help with the pain. His eyes went big and he tried to speak, to rush forward and stop her. He was held still by her magic though, unable to do anything other than watch. By the time that Derek was done, River had wiped the tears from her face and opened the front door.

"It's safe," River told Stiles before going back to Isaac's side.

"It worked!" Scott said excitedly.

"Well, it looks pretty damn permanent now," Stiles sighed.

"Yeah," Scott nodded. "I kind of needed something permanent. Everything that's happening to us, everything just changes so fast. Everything's so, uh… ephemeral."

"Studying for the PSATs?" River asked with a smirk.

"Yep," Scott smiled.

"Nice!" Stiles cheered.

Scott walked over to River, brushing her arm with his hand and flinching at the pain, pulling away quickly.

"What was that?" Derek asked.

"What?" River asked, eyes trained on Isaac as she continued easing his pain as well.

"How do you ease their pain, River?" Derek growled out.

"It doesn't matter," River shrugged.

"You take it," Scott whispered out.

"Is that what you've been doing all summer?" Derek asked, shocked that he hadn't realized it before. "Every time we came back from a fight in the woods, every time that Lydia got hurt from using too much magic, right now with Isaac and Scott? You're taking the pain and feeling it yourself."

"I take it and feel it over a longer period of time so that it doesn't hurt as much," River explained still staring at Isaac.

"River, stop," Derek said, pulling her away from Isaac.

Isaac's face contorted in pain immediately, the relief she had been offering disappearing when River faced Derek. She glared at him before feeling her shoulders droop.

"It's fine," she told him. "I can handle it."

"You don't have to," Derek told her, still confused.

"I deserve it," River shrugged.

Derek released her in shock, taking a step back.

"What?" Scott asked confused.

River sighed and looked to Stiles.

"You were right," she told him, taking Isaac's hand again. "I was hurting a lot of people. I had changed. So, I'm fixing it."

"By hurting yourself?" Stiles asked in disbelief.

"I call it penance," she shrugged, looking back to Isaac.

"I call it self-harm," Stiles spoke up, anger in his voice.

"Why do you care?" River asked and the three boys then realized that River hadn't had any emotion in her voice the entire time that they had been speaking to her. "You said you didn't want anything to do with me. I've only seen the three of you when someone was hurt this summer. Dad didn't even look at me when the birds attacked earlier even though I was hurt. It doesn't matter."

"You matter," Scott's voice was soft and he tried reaching out to her again.

River flinched away from his touch, refusing to look at any of them.

"Isaac's pain is gone," River stated. "He should be waking up soon. I should go before he does. He doesn't want to see me right now."

"How can you tell?" Derek asked.

"His wall is down while he's healing," River shrugged. "I can feel his emotions right now."

River turned and walked up the stairs, hiding in her room. She was curled up on her bed, hugging a stuffed animal to her chest for a few minutes when a soft knock made her sit up. Her door opened and Isaac looked into the room.

"Hey," he whispered.

"Hey," she said back, giving him a confused look as he came into her room.

"Derek is yelling at Stiles and Scott is yelling at Derek," Isaac explained as he sat on her bed. "I pieced together what was going on."

"Oh," River nodded, looking at her lap.

"Were you really taking all of our pain?" Isaac asked, staring at her with sad eyes.

"I deserve it," she whispered out.

Isaac moved up the bed, taking the spot beside River and pulling him to her chest.

"Did I deserve for my dad to hit me when I got a bad grade?" Isaac asked.

"Of course not!" River said, pulling away and staring at him.

"Does Allison deserve another chance after being manipulated by her grandfather to attack you and all of us?"

"Yeah. She had no control over that."

"Did Peter deserve to be killed for going after the ones who hurt your family?"

"He attacked Lydia," River whispered.

"That isn't what I asked," Isaac pointed out. "Did he deserve to be killed for avenging your family?"

"No," River shook her head.

"So, why do you deserve all of that pain?"

"I killed them," River's voice was so small and she had curled in on herself. "I used Jackson to paralyze everyone."

"Do you think Jackson wouldn't have protected you anyway?" Isaac asked. "Jackson doesn't care about a whole lot but he does care about you."

"I know, it's just that…"

"It's just that Stiles and I are both idiots," Isaac pulled River close again. "You chose me over your mate and I pushed you away. Stiles pushed you away before even knowing that you were mates and before any of that had happened. Whatever he thinks doesn't matter, because he's wrong. You are the reason we all work as a pack. You're our glue, our alpha. Derek is good at the combat and tracking but you make us a family. We've all been keeping our distance for different reasons and you didn't deserve that. You didn't deserve to be abandoned by us again."

"I'm not a good person," River stated. "I like violence too much and it felt right to kill them."

"Do you want to go killing random people?" Isaac asked.

"I want to kill whoever hurt you," River offered.

"Because you love me."

"Yeah," River nodded.

"You want to protect everyone from everything but you can't. We have to learn to protect ourselves."

"I can help though."

"Your idea of helping is doing it for us," Isaac smirked. "It worked when we were all human. We always relied on you and we still do, just in a different way now."

"It hurts," River said, tears in her eyes.

"Give some to me," Isaac requested, holding him hand out for River to take.

She reached over slowly, resting her hand in his. Black veins travelled up Isaac's arm and he grunted at the pain but held River to him. River took her hand away after a moment and wrapped her arms around Isaac's middle. A knock at the door got their attention, both turning their heads to see Derek walk in.

"Are you okay?" Derek asked Isaac.

Isaac nodded as Derek sat on the edge of the bed and looked to River.

"What about you?"

"I'll be okay," River told him.

"I might have talked some sense into her," Isaac smiled.

"How's your head?"

"It's okay. I'm not dizzy anymore."

"What happened to your head?" Isaac asked.

"Birds flew into the classroom and attacked us. I covered Allison and a bird got in my hair; thought I was a scarecrow."

"It's the hair," Isaac joked.

"My hair was fine this morning. It looks terrible now."

"I'm sure," Isaac joked, holding her tighter.

"Chris and Noah were there."

"Noah?" Derek asked, looking confused.

"Yeah. The sheriff. The person people call when bad things happen," River explained, ignoring the real reason Derek was questioning it.

"What did Chris say?" Isaac asked.

"He isn't sure," River shook her head. "Is it because of the alphas?"

"Yeah," Derek nodded. "The deer, too. Why didn't you tell me about that?"

"I tried calling you last night," River told him. "You didn't answer."

"Shit," Derek sighed. "I'm sorry. How'd you get home?"

"A very awkward Jeep ride with thing one and two," River smirked. "Thanks for that."

"I'm sorry," Derek apologized again. "Do you want to talk about it? About the things you said downstairs?"

"No," River shook her head. "Isaac and I talked already. I'll figure it out. Might take a bit to break the habits though."

"We'll help," Isaac assured her.

"Don't tell the others?" River begged. "I don't want them to know."

"We won't," Derek promised before turning to Isaac. "You said something about a woman?"

"She saved me," Isaac nodded. "She was in the hospital with me."

"What happened last night?" Derek asked.

"I think I found where the alphas are hiding but I can't really remember it."

"They took your memories," Derek nodded. "I know one way to get them back but I don't know how to do it."

"What is it?" River asked.

"Someone would have to stick their claws in the back of his neck and go through the spinal cord to his brain. Peter knew how to do it."

"He did it to Scott," River nodded, remembering. "Did Scott leave?"

"He and Stiles had a party to get to apparently," Derek sighed. "I called Melissa and the woman who was there with you is gone, disappeared."

"Well, that's reassuring," River sighed. "I'll see if there's anything I can do to help with your memories. I tried looking through Peter's eyes but it was too dark."

"Get some rest, both of you," Derek told them. "You've both had a long day and it's only one. You're both going to school tomorrow."

Isaac and River slid down on her bed, Isaac refusing to leave River when he knew she was still in pain. They stayed up for a while, talking until the sun was set and they fell asleep. They headed to school together the next day and caught up with Derek, Scott, Stiles, Allison, and Lydia in an empty room.

"What's going on?" River asked as she walked in.

"I don't see anything," Derek told Allison and Lydia, ignoring River and Isaac as they came to stand by his side.

"Look again," Scott insisted.

"How is a bruise going to tell me what happened to Isaac?" Derek asked.

"It's the same on both sides! Exactly the same."

"It's nothing."

"Pareidolia," Lydia spoke up.

Everyone seemed confused so River rolled her eyes.

"It's seeing patterns that aren't there," River explained.

"It's a subset of apophenia," Lydia added.

"They're trying to help," Scott explained.

"These two?" Derek asked, standing up straight and looking down at the girls. "This one, who used me to resurrect my psychotic uncle—thank you—and this one, who tried to shoot River full of arrows?"

"Okay, all right, now, come on," Stiles tried. "None of us died, all right? There may have been a little maiming, a little mangling, but we all lived!"

"I died," River mumbled under her breathe, Isaac squeezing her hand gently.

"My mother died," Allison said, louder than River had been.

"Your families little honor code killed your mother, not me," Derek scoffed.

"That girl was looking for Scott. I'm here to help him, not you," Allison clarified.

"What girl?" Isaac asked and looked to River once Allison finished describing her. "She's the one who saved me. She was here?"

"And looking for Scott," River nodded.

"We should get to class," Isaac stated, leading River from the room.

They sat in econ, waiting for class to start and watching as Danny, Scott, and Stiles walked in. River stared at the two seats that were in front of her, hoping Danny would take one of them. Instead, Stiles took the spot, not even noticing her as he spoke to Scott. Coach slammed a book on his desk, grabbing their attention.

"The stock market is based on two principals—what are they?" Scott's hand went up. "Yes, McCall, you can go to the bathroom. Anybody else?"

"Uh, no, coach," Scott gave a small smile. "I know the answer."

Coach began laughing and River held in the glare, reminding herself that Scott had abandoned her, too, this summer. Isaac's words replayed in her mind.

"Oh, you're serious," Coach frowned, waiting for Scott to answer

"Yes. Risk and reward," Scott nodded.

"Wow!" Coach exclaimed moving closer to Scott's desk. "Who are you and what have you done with McCall? Don't answer that! I like you better! Does anybody have a quarter?"

Stiles dug into his pocket, trying to find a quarter. With the quarter came a condom that fell to the floor. River and the rest of the class stared at it as Coach picked it up, trading the condom for the coin is Stiles' hand.

"Stilinski, I think you dropped this," Coach said quietly before smirking. "And congratulations."

River felt Isaac's hand rubbing small circles on her back as coach kept talking about risk and reward, something about throwing the quarter into the cup and a pop quiz. Stiles ran from his seat, taking the coin and lining up a shot when Noah walked in.

"Stiles…" he tried.

"Yeah, coach, I got it—"

"Stiles," Noah said more firmly, getting both River's and Stiles' attention.

Stiles left the room and River looked to Isaac, pointing at her own ear. Isaac nodded, listening in on the conversation as coach offered her the quarter. River sighed and stared at the cup that sat in front of coach's desk.

"Step on up and take a shot," Coach smirked.

River tossed the quarter, using her magic so the quarter landed in the cup with a 'plink' sound. Coach stared at the cup before turning to River.

"You get an automatic 'A' this semester," Coach smirked. "I'll make it the year if you join any spot."

"I was thinking track," River smirked.

"Deal," coach smiled before going back to the cup.

Stiles came back into the room, realizing then who had been sitting in front of. River stared him down, daring him to say anything or even look at her a certain way. The class felt the awkwardness of the situation and Isaac let out an annoyed breath before tapping River's shoulder. The two automatically switched seats without speaking a word to each other and Stiles finally sat down in his original seat.

"My turn?" Danny asked, breaking the tension.

"Sure," Coach said, deciding to ignore the teen drama.

Danny stepped up, tossed the coin, and made it in.

"Yes!" Danny yelled excitedly.

"Reward! Okay, who's next?" Coach asked before rolling his eyes. "Greenberg, put your hand down. You don't have a chance."

At the end of class, Isaac walked River to her locker, arm around her and no one able to see the black veins running up his arm through his long sleeve shirt.

"Are you two back together?" Scott asked as he and Stiles rushed to Isaac's side.

"Fuck off," Isaac and River said at the same time, causing both boys to flinch.

"We're going to ask Deaton if he knows a way to help you remember what happened," Scott stated. "Meet at the clinic after school?"

"Maybe don't bring your homicidal girlfriend?" Stiles asked, trying to sound playful but just coming off as an ass.

"How about I rip your throat out with my teeth?" Isaac asked.

"You've been spending too much time with Derek," Stiles stated. "Will you meet us there or not?"

"We'll see you then," Isaac said, pulling River to his side and leading her to her next class.

River didn't like this plan. In fact, she hated it. It was the worst idea she had ever heard of. Isaac was already stripping off his shirt and handing it to her. She set it on the table beside herself and watched as Isaac stepped into the ice bath and Derek and Scott pushed him under the water. Isaac, always the fighter, fought the wolves.

River stepped forward, one hand going to Isaac's chest and the other grabbing his hand. Isaac went under without any sort of struggle, knowing River would never let anything happen to him. He slowly came back to the surface, eyes closed as he took a deep breath, his hand still gripping River's.

"Now, remember," Deaton explained. "Only I talk to him. Too many voices will confuse him and draw him out. Isaac? Can you hear me?"

"Yes," Isaac sounded far away. "I can hear you."

"This is Dr. Deaton. I'd like to ask you a few questions. Is that alright?"

"Yes."

"I want to ask you about the night that you were attacked. Is that alright?

"I don't wanna do that. I don't- I don't wanna do that."

"Issac, it's all right. Just relax. They're just memories. You can't be hurt by a memory."

"I don't wanna do that."

River hissed as Isaac's claws extended in fear, digging into her hand.

"Relax. Relax," Deaton calmed Isaac enough that his claws retracted. "Good. Now, let's go back to that night—to the place you were in. Can you tell me what you see? Is there some kind of building? A house?"

"Not a house. It's stone. I think marble."

"That's perfect. Can you give me any other descriptors?"

"It's dusty and so empty."

"Like an abandoned building? Isaac? Isaac?"

"Someone's here. Someone's here!" Isaac was panicking again and River expected the claws this time.

"Isaac, relax."

"No, no, no, they see me! They see me!"

River placed her hand on Isaac's chest and he calmed again, his eyes opening, glowing gold.

"It's just memories," Deaton reminded him. Tell us what you see. Tell us everything."

"I hear him. I don't know who he is. He's talking about the full moon, about being out of control when the moon rises."

"Who's he talking to?"

"I can't see either of them."

"Can you hear anything else?"

"They're worried about what they'll do during the moon. They're worried that they're gonna hurt each other."

"If two werewolves are locked in together on the full moon, they're going to tear each other apart," Derek whispered to the room.

"Isaac," Deaton's voice was firm. "We need to find them right now. Can you see them?"

"No."

"Do you know what kind of room it is? Is there any kind of a marker? A number on a door? A sign?"

"They're here! They, they."

"It's all right."

"No!"

"Just tell us—"

"They see me! They found me! They're here!"

"This isn't working," Derek had grown impatient. "Isaac, where are you?"

"It's too dark!"

"Just tell me where you are."

"You're confusing him—" Deaton interrupted.

"I can't see!"

"Isacc, where are you? Just tell me where you are!"

"His heart rate. He could go into shock."

"Isacc," River's voice was soft and everyone else grew quiet as she began to hum.

Isaac relaxed again.

"It's time to come back now, Is," River spoke. "Come back to me."

Isaac sat up, taking a huge breath. River stood, helping him out of the water and wrapping him in blankets.

"A vault!" Isaac explained. "It's a bank fault! I saw it! I saw the name. It's B-Beacon Hills First National Bank. It's um… it's an abandoned bank and they have people locked inside."

"Are you sure about the location?" River asked.

"Yes," Isaac nodded, staring at River's wide eyes. "Why?"

"When Lydia and I did a locator spell, that's where Peter was," River explained. "I never got to checking it out."

"So, they have Peter locked in a vault with another wolf?" Stiles asked. "He's going to kill them."

"Why would they be worried that they were going to hurt each other?" Scott asked quietly, confused.

"We need to get them out tonight," Derek stated.

"I can get us in and out," River nodded.

"You aren't going," Derek immediately said. "It's too dangerous."

"I wasn't asking permission," River seethed. "I will leave right now if I want to."

Isaac pulled his shirt on, standing tall beside River.

"I'll go with you," he nodded to her.

"You need rest," Deaton told Isaac. "This ritual took more out of you than you think."

"River, you're bleeding," Derek stated.

River looked down at her hand and saw the deep puncture wounds from Isaac's claws and cursed.

"Fine," River sighed. "I'll heal my hand at home, get a nap, and then we'll go."

"We'll meet at the house after school to make a plan," Scott sighed. "See you at school."

Stiles and Scott left quickly. River rolled her eyes and looked at the mess on Deaton's floor.

"Where do you keep your mop?" River asked.

Derek and Isaac dumped the water outside as Deaton and River dried the floor off. Once they were done, the three left Deaton's and headed home where Erica and Boyd had brought home Chinese for everyone.

"How'd it go?" Erica asked.

"The alphas are staying at the abandoned bank that I tracked Peter to," River sighed, flopping down onto the couch and taking the box that was offered to her.

"They have Peter and another wolf trapped together there," Derek explained. "Peter's going to end up tearing them apart. Stiles and Scott will be here after school tomorrow to help come up with a plan."

"How did I forget to check the bank," River sighed to herself. "I should have known."

"We all forgot," Derek told her. "You told me the moment you had Peter tracked. It isn't on you."

The next day Stiles had blueprints of the bank laid out across the dining room table. River was eating leftover Chinese and leaning back in her chair as she watched Stiles flailing and failing to come up with a plan. Derek was looking annoyed and punched Stiles open palm to prove a point, sending the teen to the ground.

"How about I just magic us in?" River offered. "Wouldn't be very difficult. I just make us silent and invisible, then we hold each other's shoulders and Isaac leads us to the correct vault. I magic the door open, knock Peter and the other wolf out so they don't eat us like the grandma in Little Red Riding Hood, and we lock them up in the basement until morning?"

"What if there's a magical trap?" Stiles pointed out.

"What if there's mountain ash surrounding the building," River shot back. "My idea is better than punching through a wall repeatedly. This way it's a surprise rather than announcing our presence."

"Who invited you?" Stiles asked rudely.

"You're in my house," River reminded him, the legs of her chair hitting the floor hard. "Peter is my father and we're doing this my way and we're leaving now. Who's coming?"

"You know I'm with you," Isaac told her.

"I'm coming," Derek nodded as Erica and Boyd nodded, too.

"I want to help," Scott stated.

"Great," River stood. "Stiles, you can get the basement ready. Power rangers, it's morphin' time."

They drove as close as they could to the bank without the alphas hearing them. River muttered in Latin under her breath and they all blended into the background and their footsteps, breathing, and heartbeats were silent. They began walking single file, Isaac in the front, River behind him, followed by Erica, Boyd, Scott and Derek. They saw two of the alphas but kept moving, sticking to the walls as they looked for the safe. Once in front of it, River put Erica's hand on Isaac's shoulder, standing against Isaac's chest so that she wouldn't lose him.

The vault opened slowly, River casting a spell that would make the vault look like it was still closed to everyone but herself and the people touching her and another spell to keep the door quiet. Once the door was open, she stepped through the opening, shooting a spell at the two wolves that were inside. She made her way to them and, once she could see both wolves hovering in the air, she added spells to make them invisible and quiet as well.

River made sure to have a hand on Derek as he carried Peter and Boyd as he carried the girl. Erica had her hand on River's back and Isaac was pulling on the bottom of her shirt as they headed out of the bank, Scott taking up the rear. They got to the cars and all climbed in, spells still in place. Once they reached the house, River lifted the spells and they all rushed inside, passing Stiles as they headed towards the pantry. Derek put Peter in one cell and Boyd put the girl in another.

River could feel herself getting tired but waited until Boyd and Derek were clear and the doors were locked before she let the spells that were keeping the two asleep and made mountain ash appear around the cages as an extra precaution before having more mountain ash surround the house. Isaac caught her as she began to fall, too tired to hold herself up anymore. Isaac lifted her into his arms, carrying her bridal style to the chair that was still in the dungeon and set her on it.

Peter woke first, growling and snarling as he threw himself at the cage, trying to reach them. River just stared at him until his eyes found hers. He let out a warning growl at Isaac's hand that was on the back of River's neck, scenting her and taking her pain.

"Get away from her!" Peter bellowed, trying to get to Isaac.

"It's okay," River assured him. "He's taking my pain. It's okay."

"Mine," Peter growled, still fighting. "Mine, mine, mine. My daughter. Get away!"

Isaac stepped away and Peter continued trying to escape the cell. The girl woke then, her dark hair covering her face as she began growling as well. River reached for Derek, letting him help her stand so that she could get a look at the girl. Peter was growling at Derek now but Derek ignored him, keeping a hand on River's back as she walked to help steady her.

"Who are you?" River asked, unable to see her face.

The girl threw herself at the cage but it didn't budge. This seemed to piss her off and she threw herself against it four more times before letting out an angry yell. She pushed her hair from her face and ran towards where Derek and River were standing. Everything and everyone in the room seemed to stop as River stared into the girls eyes. The girl froze, too, as she stared at River. Derek gasped as he recognized her.

"Cora?" River asked, her voice broken.

"Brook?" Cora asked, just as broken as River. "I thought they got you."

"They did," River told her. "They were going after you, so I howled."

"I heard," Cora nodded. "I heard."

"I ran as far as I could but they found me. They kept me for a few months but I got away. I got away."

"River?" Isaac asked.

"I got away," River was crying tears streaming down her face. "I remember. I got away."

Cora was crying as she stared at River, both girls sinking to their knees. Cora shook the cage, growling as she tried to get to River. No one could tell if she wanted to rip River apart or hug her and no one was willing to take the chance. Derek held River as she cried, the memory of the night of the fire flooding back in.

"I remember," she kept repeating, clinging to her cousin. "I remember."