"Turns out it was the zookeeper, just like Johnathan suggested." Alex reported not long after. "He lobbied long and hard to get those hyenas here and the police found Masai ceremonial robes in his office along with details on the ritual."
"What happens to him now?" Giles asked.
"He's insane, Giles. Religious beliefs are one thing, religious practices that violate the law are something else entirely and while we can't prove this ritual actually works because the law doesn't acknowledge Magic, we can prove his interest in doing it and the fact that it requires a violent act to do it. And since he sincerely believes he would have been possessed by a hyena as a result of it, the law sees him as insane. He and Catherine Madison will both be enjoying the hospitality of the nearest asylum, probably for the rest of their lives. Tor and company will need massive amounts of therapy because not even the willful avoidance spell is enough to make them forget. Principal Flutie has had a crash course in the reality of Sunnydale and the Alpha was stronger and more powerful than the pack mates, a residue of that power and strength is still in him and it may be months before we know the full extent of any changes he might experience as a result. Mr. Chase is trying to help him adjust. He's going to take some time off to adjust and figure things out, but he does plan to come back. He just needs a little, maybe a lot, of time."
"And once again a human is the reason other humans are suffering." Buffy said softly. "This is the third time we've dealt with human since I got to Sunnydale, I never had to deal with humans being the problem in Los Angeles. Is it something about Sunnydale that makes people crazy?"
"It's a possibility." Giles said, equally as softly. "The Hellmouth can warp perceptions and people here don't want to face or deal with reality. The willful avoidance spell wouldn't work on them if they did. But just because they can't face it doesn't mean that they don't know Sunnydale is different. The Hellmouth, Mayor Wilkins making this a safe haven for demons and vampires. Mayor Chase's efforts to change this from a haven for demons and vampires to a haven for normal humans and others may eventually change that. But for now, humans will remain in denial and we must deal with the fallout of that. Until they are ready to deal with it."
"So what do we do now?" Willow asked. "I can't do any studying of Giles' books because Mayor Chase made sure only Giles could open this room, aside from Ms. Cooper and maybe a few others. He says it's dangerous information, not to mention, dangerous Magic and I'm too young and inexperienced to be exposed to it. But I still want to help Buffy."
"You are helping me, Willow." Buffy told her sincerely. "By being my friend and by helping me investigate problems and using the computer to do research. Between you and Johnathan, for the first time in my life I feel like I have real friends. The kind I can count on, that won't abandon me when things get hard and messy. I can talk to you both about more than just vampires, I've got Giles for that if that's all I wanted or needed. I can talk to you about real life stuff and feel like black clouds are lifting every time I do. It cleans out my mental and emotional places. So you really are helping me, in the most important ways."
"As a partner and a friend." Alex smiled at his old friend. "Everyone needs that, Willow. I've got my pack and you've got yours. Treasure it."
Unfortunately none of them were aware that the ancient vampire that the souled vampire named Angel had warned Buffy about, known as the Master, was still plotting an escape from his prison. Or that he blamed the Slayer for all of his setbacks. The loss of Darla the same day Buffy arrived in Sunnydale, as reported by his minions, though he didn't know the pack destroyed her. The failure of the Harvest as a few survivors had managed to report she was there and staking his minions left and right. His only win so far had been to successfully turn the child known as the Anointed One without her finding out about him. And while he was vaguely aware that wolves prowled Miller Woods and the National Forest, he had no idea that they were Wolfbloods and wouldn't have really cared if he did. Individually they didn't match a Slayer in strength, so of what import were they to him?
But the Slayer, that was a different matter and one he'd decided needed to be dealt with quickly, the sooner, the better, as far as he was concerned.
"Send for the Three." He ordered his minions. "They should be more than enough to deal with one upstart Slayer."
"Yes, Sire." His minion scurried away to call for the fanatical warriors sworn to serve him.
"Yes, they should be more than enough."
Buffy was walking home alone a few days later when the Three attacked her. She managed to stake one right off the bat because she felt them coming and was prepared. But her senses could only tell her there vampires around, they couldn't tell her how many. Consequently, she was having trouble dealing with the two remaining vampires and one of them succeeded in getting his arms around her as the other prepared to stabbed her with her own stake when Angel appeared and tackled the one with the stake away from her. While he attempted to wrestle the stake away from the warrior vampire, Buffy slammed her head back against the vampire holding her and twisted out of his arms. Once free, she used his own sword to decapitate him. As he crumbled to dust she whirled toward the third one, just in time to see Angel drive the stake into its heart and reduce it to dust.
"Alright, who the Hell are you and why the Hell do you keep following me?!"