"Where's your brother?" Derek asked as he jumped through my window.

"You're in my bedroom two seconds and you're asking after my brother?' I asked him, eyebrows raised. "Raise your game, Hale." I added teasingly with a smile as I went to go to sit on the bed. Derek pulled me back to him and kissed me deeply.

"Sorry. Forgive me?" He breathed against my lips, a few seconds later.

"Forgiven," I breathed back, giggling as he pushed me onto my bed, climbing on top of me and pulling me into his arms as he trailed light kisses down my neck.

"Hmmm, you smell of Scott," He groaned, in a complaining tone.

"That's because I hugged Scott earlier when he was here, doing math with me," I replied, arching my back slightly as he kissed over my sweet spot. Derek growled slightly in response to my reply.

"Mine," He hissed to himself or to me, I couldn't tell. I smiled.

"You asking that? Or stating it?" I asked him teasingly.

"Definitely stating it," He replied, grinning. He pulled back slightly. "You do realise this is completely illegal?" He asked seriously. I sat up on my elbows.

"You mean, you and I? Our relationship?" I questioned, motioning between us. "Oh yeah. But I don't think everyone would understand the fact that in wolf mythology or fact or whatever, mates are mates and age doesn't matter," I answered. Derek still looked serious. "Look, we haven't had sex yet. We've never been seen in public and the only people who know about our relationship are also the only people who know about werewolves and the supernatural...so, we are fine," I told him, my hands going to his shoulders. "Okay, stop frowning." I added, kissing his forehead.

"The Argent's know," He stated as I pulled away.

"The Argents do not care one one bit about me as they know I'm supernatural too," I replied. "Seriously, our relationship is a whole lot safer than Scott on a whole at the moment," I added with reason. I saw he was still frowning. "Derek, no one will ever find out about us until I am legal and then they can't say a single thing. Well- they can say a lot of things but doing anything about it will not be possible," I leaned down and kissed him again and he groaned and pulled me down on top of him.

"You're a bad influence," He said. I leaned back and raised my eyebrow.

"I'm the bad influence?" I asked with a giggle as he chuckled too. I closed my eyes and then saw an image of Lydia screaming in my mind. I tensed still and Derek stopped kissing me.

"Ellie? You okay?" He asked. I nodded and he kissed my neck softly. Then, distantly we heard a female scream that sounded ghostly.

"Lydia," I breathed, confused. Derek looked at me and I looked back at him in confusion. Suddenly my phone rang and I saw it was Stiles.

"Stiles?" I asked as I answered it.

"It's Lydia," He replied. I nodded.

"I'm on my way," I said and hung up on him. I kissed Derek chastely. "I'll see you later," Derek nodded and then jumped out of the window. I made my way downstairs and then walked outside to my MINI and drove off to the hospital. I pulled up beside the jeep and climbed out, climbing into the jeep with Stiles and Scott. Scott was holding a hospital gown in his hands.

"She just took off?" I asked. Stiles nodded. "I'm not gonna let anyone hurt her. Not again," I added with determination.

"All right, just shove the thing in your face and let's find her," Stiles replied. Suddenly Allison appeared in front of us. "Wow!" Stiles exclaimed in shock.

"I phoned her," I explained to him and Scott.

"What are you doing here? Someone's gonna see us," Scott asked her.

"I don't care- she is one of my best friends and we need to find her before they do," Allison replied.

"I can find her before the cops can," Scott said.

"How about before my father does?" Allison asked.

"He knows?" I asked her.

"Yeah, I just saw him and three other guys leave my house in two SUVs," Allison told me.

"Search party," Scott said.

"More like a hunting party," I muttered.

"All right, but if she's turning, would they actually kill her?" Stiles asked.

"Get in," I added to Allison and her and Scott went into the back of the jeep. We drove off.

"I don't know. They won't tell me anything, okay. All they say is 'We'll talk after Kate's funeral, when the others get here," Allison said. I turned to her.

"What others?" I questioned, a frown forming.

"I don't know, they won't tell me that yet," Allison replied.

"Okay, your family's got some serious communication issues to work on. Scott, are we going the right way?" Stiles asked.

"Take the next right!" Scott exclaimed, head out of the window, catching Lydia's scent.

"Have you seen Derek lately?" Allison asked me, in way of conversation.

"Yeah...uh, about an hour ago, actually," I replied. Stiles shot me a look. "Oh get over it, Stiles," I groaned.

We continued tailing Lydia's scent and ended up in front of the Hale house. I groaned loudly.

"She came here? You sure?" I asked Scott.

"Yeah, this is where the scent leads," Scott replied.

"All right, but has Lydia ever been here?" Stiles asked us.

"Not with me." Allison said.

"Nor me. Maybe she came here on instinct, like she was looking for Derek," I suggested, looking around me.

"You mean- looking for an Alpha," Scott said. I nodded.

"Wolves need a pack, right?" Allison asked.

"Not all of them," I replied before Scott. I paused. Derek wasn't here.

"But would she have been drawn to an Alpha? Is it an instinct to be part of a pack?" Allison asked.

"Yeah, we're- we're stronger in packs," Scott said.

"Like strength in numbers," Allison answered.

"No, like- like, literally stronger, faster better in every way," Scott said to her.

"That the same for an Alpha?" I asked him, curiously.

"That'll make Derek stronger too," Scott said to me. I nodded.

"Whoa, hey, look at this. You see this?" Stiles said to me as Allison and I knelt down to look at what he was holding. "I think it's a tripwire," He said.

"Stiles-" Scott said from behind us.

"Yeah, buddy," Stiles replied as we turned to him. "Oh," He said as Scott was hanging upside down inside a trap.

"Next time you see a tripwire- don't trip it," Scott said to him helpfully.

"Yeah, noted," Stiles said, apologetically. We walked towards him and he held out his hands to us.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait. Someone's coming. Hide. Go!" Scott said. I motioned for Stiles and Allison to go. Scott looked at me.

"It looks less stranger if I'm with you," I hissed to Scott in explanation. I turned to see Chris and two hunters with him. "Crap," I muttered to myself.

"Scott? Ellie?" Chris said, looking surprised to see me and Scott.

"Mr Argent," I greeted, politely.

"How are you both doing?" He asked.

"Good," I replied, again politeness measuring my tone.

"You know, just hang in' out. Is this one yours? It's uh, good. Nice design. Very constricting," Scott added.

"What are you doing out here, you two?" Chris asked.

"Looking for my friend and also you know, seeing if my mate is here," I replied firmly, stepping forward.

"Ah, that's right. Lydia's in your group now, isn't she? Part of the clique? Is that the word you use? Or is there another way to put it? Part of your pack?" Chris replied. I raised my eyebrows and stepped forward but Scott speaking stopped me from moving again.

"Actually, clique sounds about right to me," He said.

"I hope so. 'Cause I know she's a friend of Allison's, and a special circumstance, such as yourselves- Two I can handle. Not three," Chris said, warning in his tone. I felt anger rising through me.

"Just to make it clear to you, Mr Argent and your...friends. I'm a Druid-Witch. I'm part of nature and you try to harm me- nature finds a way to exact revenge," I warned. I saw the other two hunters look nervous at each other and grinned inwardly.

"Scott, do you know what a hemicorpectomy is?" Chris asked, turning to him after a moment's silence.

"I have a feeling I don't want to." Scott replied.

"A medical term for amputating somebody at the waist. Cutting them in half. Takes a tremendous amount of strength to cut through the tissue and bone like that. Let's hope a demonstration never becomes necessary," Chris explained.

"And let's hope a demonstration of my powers of throwing you and your friends through a tree or a window, never becomes necessary. Now, go or I'll get angry," I said with a sweet smile. "And I really don't want to call Derek to say his mate who mythology states is a treasured, treasured thing, has been hurt by hunters, his enemies," I added, threat clear in my tone. Chris and his hunters walked off, away from us. I breathed out and felt the air around me fall still.

"You okay?" Scott asked me.

"Apart from wanting to hit him. Or kill him," I replied. "No offence." I added to Allison who reappeared with Scott.

"You two okay?" She asked us, clearly not hearing me.

"It's just another life- threatening conversation with your Dad," Scott replied, casually with a meaning look to me.

"Stiles, help me with this," Allison said.

"I think I got it," I said, concentrating and snapping my fingers. The rope cut in half and Scott dropped to the floor. "Sorry," I said with a small smile.

"No, it's fine, thanks," Scott replied. "You've been learning," He added to me.

"Well, make out sessions isn't all I've been doing with Derek over the week," I replied. Stiles groaned in hearing this and I smirked at him. "Comin'? I added as I began to walk in the direction of the Hale house.

"She ate the liver?" Scott asked us in disgust as we walked into the school the next morning

"No. I didn't say she ate it. I just said it was missing. And you know what? Even if she did, so what? It's the most nutritious part of the body and something isn't right with her currently." I replied, felling defensive of Lydia.

"I never ate anyone's liver," Scott stated with raised eyebrows to me.

"Yeah, right, 'cause when it comes to werewolves, you're a real model of self- control." Stiles retorted. "Actually, wait hold on. You're the test case for this, so we should be going over what happened to you," He added, in thought.

"What do you mean?" Scott asked. I caught on to what Stiles was saying.

"He means like what was going on through your mind when you were turning, you know? What you were drawn to?" I asked.

"Allison," Scott replied immediately. I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, nothing else? Seriously?" I asked him.

"Nothing else mattered. But, no, that's good. Right? 'Cause the night that Lydia was bit, she was with you two," Scott replied. I frowned as I thought back.

"Yeah...but she was looking for- Jackson," I stated as Jackson drove into his normal place. Right beside my mini. I sighed and shook my head to myself.

I was walking past the guy's locker room on a free period when Coach called me in, motioning with his hands.

"Seriously?" I asked as I saw the guys all looking at me.

"I need your appeal and warmth of heart for a moment," Coach replied off handedly. "It's about Lydia Martin," He added. I nodded in agreement immediately at the mention of her.

"I'm on a free and I don't have anything else to do," I replied.

"Let's go! I have an announcement. Gather around!" Coach called out. "Quicker. Danny, put a shirt on! Stilinski, that means you! Let's go," Soon everyone was crowded around us, looking curiously at me. "Listen up! Police are asking for help on a missing child advisory. It's a sick girl, roaming around, totally naked," At this there were a few whistles. I frowned.

"You Neanderthals," I muttered, in disgust.

"Now it's supposed to get below forty degrees tonight. I don't know about you, but the last time it was that cold and I was running around naked- I lost a testicle to exposure." Coach continued. I looked at him strangely.

"Was there a reason for me to be here?" I asked him. He hushed me in response. I folded my arms and clicked my tongue. I saw Scott and Stiles look at me amused.

"Now, I don't want the same thing happening to some innocent girl. So police are organising search parties for tonight, sign up. Find the missing girl, you get an automatic 'A' in my classes and will also be guaranteed Ellie as a tutor here," He finished. I looked up at him quickly.

"Woah, woah, whoah " I said, holding up my hands. "I'm not being a bribery object for your lacrosse team. Lydia is one of my best friends. If they do it, they do it genuinely because they're concerned for her...but if they do do it, then yes, I will be up to a few tutor sessions or note help," I said with a smile. I took a pen off of Coach and placed it in Danny's hand before walking to join Jackson, Stiles and Scott.

"If Lydia wants to take a naked hike in the woods, why should I care?" Jackson asked arrogantly.

"Because you're a nice person and we have a pretty good idea that she might be- you know, turning," I replied, pushing him backwards as he went to walk away.

"Turning?" Jackson asked.

"Yeah, turning," Scott said.

"Into-" Jackson broke off.

"A unicorn. What do you think, dumbass?" Stiles asked. I frowned as I studied Jackson. He sensed off.

"Well, I think that if Lydia's turning, she's not the one that's gonna need help," Jacksom replied.

"What do you mean?" Scott asked him.

"Oh god, you've got it all backwards, McCall. When I was with Lydia, you should have seem the stratch marks she left on me." Jackson smirked. "What do you think she's gonna do with a set of real claws. Heh," Jackson said, pushing past us. I sighed and leant my head on a locker.

"I'll see you both later," I spoke up as I began to walk away too, out of the locker room and down the hallway.

I saw Scott and Stiles again in Chemistry, an hour and a half later. I was sat beside Stiles.

"All right, it's causing me severe mental anguish to say this, but he's right," Stiles said to me, finally.

"I know," I said. I saw Scott nod in front of me.

"What if the next body part she steals is from someone who's still alive?" Stiles then asked. I shifted uncomfortably as the same thought had crossed my mind before.

"This is a pop quiz, Mr Stilinski." Mr Harris spoke up from the front of the room. I sighed. "If I hear your voice again, I may be tempted to give you detention for the rest of your high school career," He continued. I looked up at him and glared slightly.

"Can you do that?' Stiles asked him. I nudged Stiles in warning.

"Well, there it is again. Your voice," Mr Harris sighed. "Triggering the only impulse I've ever had to strike a student repeatedly and violently." I raised my eyebrows at him. "I'll see you at three o clock for detention," Then Harris trained his gaze on me. "You too, Miss Stilinski?" He asked.

"No, Sir," I bit out with a sweet smile, then I glared at him openly and fully. Mr Harris looked surprised for a moment but turned away. I rolled my eyes and got back to my test, still thinking about Lydia. I then felt a strange feeling around me, like a bad omen. I turned as I saw Jackson run out of the classroom. I moved my with instincts and ran out after him, pausing momentarily to find out which direction he had gone in. I voted for the guy's rest room and went to walk in when I heard Derek's voice.

"If something's wrong, I need to know. You're with me now," He said. I frowned then realised what he meant and widened my eyes. I pushed off from the wall and walked in.

"You bit him?!" I exclaimed at Derek. Both of them looked at me shocked.

"You need to stop creeping about," Derek told me.

"And you need to explain what the hell is going on!" I shouted in response.

"Wait-with you? Me with- with you? What am I, your little pet?" Jackson asked. "I mean, just because you gave me 'the bite' doesn't mean I'm part of your little wolf pack. Sorry but to be honest, you don't exactly show outstanding leadership qualities,"

"Is that so?" Derek asked, looking bored with him.

"Look, I've got my own agenda. Which doesn't involve running around the woods at night, howling at the moon with you and McCall, or even Ellie, okay?" I frowned in offence. "So why don't you back the fu-" Jackson broke off as Derek turned his face to the mirror and I saw the blood running down from his ears. I gasped.

"What is it? What's happening?" I asked Derek, feeling slightly panicked.

"Body's fighting the bite," Derek replied, looking strange.

"Why?" Jackson asked. I put my hand on his shoulder as Derek backed away from us.

"What does it mean? What does it mean?!" Jackson demanded. I felt a tear fall down my face and tried to wipe it away before Jackson noticed. As his nose began bleeding too, I got a tissue and began to wipe it away.

"It'll be fine, Jackson. I promise," I told him. I knew Derek had gone and I swore softly to myself at his cowardness. Suddenly Jackson's hands came to cup my cheeks.

"Why are you crying?" He asked, quietly.

"Because I'm scared..." I replied, honestly.

"For me?" Jackson asked, looking surprised.

"For you," I answered, leaning my forehead against his, momentarily.

"I'll be fine...I'm just going to get on home," He said, moving away from me and almost running out of the door.

"Jackson! Jackson!" I called after him. Then I turned and slammed my hand on the wash basin, not realising I was channelling power. It broke off and fell to the floor and I felt a surge of power running through me. I groaned and ran out, to my MINI, climbing in and driving away from the school. I turned off at the animal clinic and ran through the doors to Deaton.

"You aren't on shift today, Elles?" He said in a questioning tone to me. I shook my head, hurriedly.

"I think I need that Grimoire you promised me," I replied. He just smiled and handed over the leather journal like book to me, instantly.

"Read it. Understand it. Try out the incantations. Increase your powers. If you need me. I'll be here," He said. "I can only help you so much. It's you who needs to figure out and find your full extent of your powers," He added. I nodded and ran out of the clinic and to my car. I found I had had a text from Scott. It read 'Meet me in the woods. Got a lead on Lydia.' I sighed and turned on the engine of the MINI and headed towards the woods. I climbed out of my MINI and met with Scott.

"Right, you track her. I'll just run on behind," I said to him. He nodded and walked off.

Suddenly a man appeared and I fell back with a scream.

"You're not Lydia," Scott stated. I cuffed his head.

"Genius. Who are you?" I asked the wolf. The wolf went to attack me but Scott interceded. I grabbed the gun I had stolen from Dad ages ago and still had loaded. The wolf ran off before I could actually shoot it.

"Wait!" Scott shouted. He grabbed my wrist and we began to run after the wolf. Suddenly the wolf got hauled up in a trap like the one by Derek's house. I gasped as a hand grabbed me and pulled me to a tree, then disappeared and I saw Derek had grabbed Scott as well, bringing him to the tree next to me.

"We've got to help him," I told Derek, trying to get out of his grip. He just pushed me against his body, another hand on Scott who was also struggling.

"They're already here, Ellie. You go out there, I will lose you," Derek told me, in a hissed whisper.

"I can help him!" Scott hissed to Derek.

"Quiet!" Derek hissed back. He turned me to him and kept his arm around my waist.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Chris Argent asked from behind the tree. It took me a second to realised he was talking to the werewolf.

"Nothing, nothing I swear," The wolf replied.

"You're not from here, are you? Are you?!" Chris said in return.

"No. No. I came- I came looking for the Alpha. I heard he was here. That's all. Look. I didn't do anything. I didn't hurt anyone. No one living. He wasn't alive in the ambulance. He wasn't. I swear,"

"Gentleman!" I heard an older voice say. I looked out from Derek's chest and saw the guy who had spoken. "Take a look at a rare sight. You wanna tell them we've caught?"

"An Omega," Chris said.

"The lone wolf! Possible kicked out of his own pack. Or the survivor of pack that was hunted down. Maybe even murdered. And possibly alone by his own choice. Certainly not a wise choice. Because as I am about to demonstrate- an Omega rarely survives- on his own," I watched as the Omega was cut in two. I gasped out and felt Derek turn my head into his chest protectively, shielding me from the sight.

"Look! Look at them! You see what they do? This is why you need me. Why we need each other. The only way to fight them is together," Derek told Scott.

"What are they doing?" I asked.

"Declaring war," Derek replied.

"We have a code," I heard Chris Argent state.

"Not when they murder my daughter." The guy replied. I frowned and then realised. This was Chris's father. Kate's father. "No code. Not anymore. From now on, these things are just bodies waiting to be cut in half. Are you listening?...because I don't care if they're wounded and weak. Or seemingly harmless- begging for their life with the promise that they will never, ever hurt anymore. Or some desperate, lost soul with no idea what they're getting into. I don't even care of they're not werewolves anymore. As long as they're supernatural...we find them. We kill them. We kill them all," I sagged against Derek's body and felt him grip me tighter. It wasn't just about Derek or Jackson or Scott anymore. The Argent's- the hunters were coming after me now and Lydia too, whatever she actually was. Well, hell.