OMG IT'S AN UPDATE!

I really suck at keeping promises, huh... oops.

Well, here it is, Book 2!

The worlds been real crazy since the last update. I hope everyone has been staying safe. I have so much I want to say, but I feel like it's best to blab at the end.

So, Enjoy your read and thank you for still supporting this story :)

Once again, not edited.

P.S: There's a bit of a time jump since last chapter. About 2 and bit months.

Book 2: Twisted Keys

Chapter 1: A day in the Life.

Stiles tapped his foot impatiently as he watched his phone. The screen stubbornly remained blank with no notification. Despite all he's so far faced in his life, in this moment the teen thought nothing else had been as torturous.

"Come on, come on, come on…." He mumbled.

The anxiety gripping his insides threatened to drive him insane. This was not how he planned to start his year. Just as he was giving up hope, his phone vibrated with alert prompting him into action. Stiles started his jeep and sped to his needed destination. He only just swerved into place, unlocking his passenger door as he did, allowing Scott to scramble inside. The teen Alpha slammed the door and with a harried glance back, began to shout for Stiles to drive.

Way pass the speeding limit, the two teens made their escape, swerving and making sharp turns to lose any potential pursuits as they did.

"Did you get it? Scott, Did you-"

"I GOT IT! I GOT IT! JUST DRIVE!"

An ominous howl echoed through the night and both boys shivered with anxious fear. Stiles stepped harder on the accelerator ignoring everything but the road. Scott heard the snuffling snarls and thudding paws of their pursuers. The terror the two felt, the exhaustion and adrenaline were the only things keeping them from slowing down. The howling grew louder, seemingly coming from all around them and echoing in the dark woods.

Stiles had looked away from the road for a second, certain he'd seen a flash of blue to his right. A mistake as seconds after he could only hear Scott roaring his name and shielding him completely. The jeep flipped as Stiles slammed his foot on the brake in attempt to stop. They were going too fast and the momentum had the jeep rolling.

Both boys groaned in agony and pain as they attempted to escape the turned over vehicle. They heard the crunching of glass as a blurred figure approached them. Stiles could blearily make out the shiny leathers of the owner's shoes before the vehicle was being flipped back on its wheels. Scott whimpered as his right arm was broken and his back had huge glass pieces embedded in its flesh. Stiles himself was suffering a few shallow cuts and a concussion.

The pale skinned teen groaned as another figure ripped his jeep door from its hinges.

"ngh A-asshole…." He groaned.

The blurred figures only came into focus thanks to the oncoming headlights of an approaching vehicle. Whoever had just happened upon them was spitting mad as Stiles could hear shouting, but the sound came and went like ocean waves upon the shore.

"… I can't fucking believe you Nikolas- "

"YOU know why! They are too…Why not? Huh Rai? You gonna- "

Fingers snapping in his face spooked Stiles out of the dizzy trance he'd fallen into. He squinted and tried to focus on the blue-eyed teen before him.

"Oi? Stilinski? You with me?" Jackson growled.

Stiles tried to reply but only managed a weak whimper, or perhaps it was Scott who managed the sound? He's not sure.

"Shit. Araiya, get over here." Jackson snapped.

There was shuffling and Stiles tried to smile as Araiya replaced Jackson in his line of sight. She looked different compared to usual. Or perhaps that was only because he was seeing two of her?

"Stiles? Stiles? Stay awake…" the rest of her words faded out of focus.

When Stiles next woke up it was to the familiar tenor of his father's concerned whispers.

"This is the sixth time Araiya! My son-"

"I know chief. I know. I'll talk to him."

"What good is talking when he just doesn't listen. I trust you. Your father sure as hell made it hard, but I trust that bastard too. But Stiles is my son and I will not lose him. Do you understand?"

There's a heavy sigh full of weary exhaustion and the shifting of feet before his dad speaks again.

"I know his intentions are good, but they really are just kids. Not soldiers. Talk to him Araiya. This has to be the last time."

"Yeah…. Okay chief. I'll have a word with him."

He heard them shuffle further away from his room and twisted onto his side. Despite the throbbing of his joints, the sting of his cuts and the ache of his head, the ache in his chest hurt worse. Nikolas had them running the same scenario for the sixth time and once again they'd failed. At this point it wasn't just exhausting, it was also frustrating.

The scenario was simple, or it at least sounded that way the first time. Nikolas would alert them to a code red at whatever time of day- an item was stolen, a hostage taken, a building under threat, a territory breech, a pack member ambushed- and their objective was to solve the situation. The situation was only considered successful if they'd managed not to breech any of the rules.

Rule 1) No causalities

Rule 2) Do not alert the civilians.

Rule 3) Do not disturb or alert the public to any chaos in progress.

Rule 4) No injuries.

Rule 5) All pack members involved in the situation must maintain a believable cover and alibi to explain to civilian authorities.

It didn't matter how long they took to complete the mission, so long as they obeyed the rules.

But Nikolas was a fucking slave driver and expected only the best.

The first time they'd failed was the worst.

The second to fourth are too horrible to even bother mentioning.

The fifth time… they almost did it, almost won. But Nik failed them over a fucking papercut. Of course, they got angry- so angry their control might have slipped, and a few attacks may have been unleashed.

But Nikolas beat them down on his own one by one.

Stiles could still see the jerk standing over them all with that cold blank stare of his, unwavering like a statue. He couldn't get those words out of his head either.

'When you bleed, it's a sign you were vulnerable. A single drop, a small cut, that's all it can take if you're facing the worst kind of foe. Don't get cut, don't bleed.'

Danny hadn't been kidding about Nikolas being a monster.

Stiles could only imagine what kind of torture poor Kira was suffering during her own 'training'. Though, Lydia did have a point. Nikolas's teachings were tough in the worst ways, but they were learning. Stiles found himself more aware of everything around him. He'd stopped taking his pills and was now able to multitask to an extreme degree.

Constantly aware of every shadow throughout Beacon Hills, able to listen and sense when something wrong invaded. Lydia found her connection to the Nemeton growing stronger, and consequently, so was her relationship with death. She looked haunted some days, and it was no longer strange to have her suddenly zone out mid conversation. Her ears and eyes able to hear and see beyond this realm.

Even Scott, for all he liked to deny, healed faster, and grew stronger.

Stiles sighed as a shadow wisp cooed for him to rest his tired mind, warning him that a new day is soon to rise. He twisted in his sheets and found his back feeling cold, just as its been for the past few weeks.

Gods, did he miss her.

He closed his eyes and tried to focus on the bond connecting him to his absent mate.

As if waiting, the connection linking him to her curled around him and a warm thrum grew greater in his heart.

"Good night…" he whispered as her bond gave a tugging response.

*Augusta's Mansion*

Araiya returned to the mansion and was greeted by darkness and silence. She could sense only one heartbeat and knew Jackson probably warned the other kids to hide out at Derek's or something. A good thing too, as it meant she and Nikolas wouldn't have to restrain themselves.

Nikolas was waiting for her at the back entrance.

She took a few moments to observe him. From behind, the resemblance between him and their father was obvious. They shared the same build but exuded two entirely different auras. Nikolas stood tense and ready, while their father always exuded ease and comfort. Davian always conveyed cold powerful silence, as if gravity were his to command. Araiya watched her little brother with sorrow in her eyes. She wondered how deep Nikolas's paranoia ran. When was the last time he'd truly let himself relax?

"Stop it," Nik snarled.

"I didn't say anything," she countered but he turned to her with a blue-eyed glare.

"You don't have to say anything for me to know what you're thinking. I could sniff it out with ease."

Araiya sighed and took a step forward, gearing up for another fight.

"Nikolas…"

"No! You can't keep fucking doing this!" he snapped.

Araiya let her own frustration and anger seep into her words. She glared at her little brother with eyes flickering between gold and honey brown.

"And you think you can? They're fucking kids Nik! Not soldiers."

Nik laughed meanly and trembled where he stood. The atmosphere between the two siblings writhing with tension and rage.

"I'm trying to keep them alive, just like you asked."

"By killing them first! How many times will I have to ask you to ease up? How many scenarios do they have to run for you to be satisfied?"

Nikolas growled and his fangs dug into his bottom lip as he tried to refrain from saying something he'll likely regret. Araiya eased back, knowing from his reaction that neither of them were in good enough moods to have this argument.

Though Nikolas might be a werewolf, he too was still the son of a Fury. A hybrid of wolf and fury himself. Luckily, the wolf blood in him dominated over his Fury heritage, allowing him more stability in comparison to Araiya. While he was more emotionally driven than the average supernatural being, he had far greater control. Some days, Araiya thought Nikolas had greater control over his Fury heritage than her and Davian combined. There's a reason their mother travelled a lot and kept her distance.

Furies encouraged their young to seek and create separate packs and clusters away from their blood bonds. Part of why they were so rare was because their young often slaughtered each other. All the child would need to feel is a big enough tantrum against a sibling and their demons would urge them to kill to feel satisfied. When the haze would end the grief and guilt would depress the children so much, they turn on themselves to end their own misery.

The bond between Araiya and her brothers was complicated in that sense.

When Nik was turned and Araiya's awakened creatures were brought into light, it was too late to separate the siblings. Araiya's wolf claimed Nikolas as pack and so had Nik's. They recognised their human older brother as their Alpha and encouraged his own inherited Fury nature to seep through.

Araiya might have held the Alpha down, but it had been Davian who slit his throat.

They're still not sure if Davian had received the Alpha wolf's power despite being human, but Nik and Araiya treated him like one anyway.

Regardless it had been a headache for their Uncle Ricardo and his council to deal with.

Araiya stared at her little brother and tried to seal away the frustrated anger she felt towards him. It was hard but eventually the simmering rage in her blood eased and her love for him soothed the demon cravings in her heart.

Across from her, Nikolas stood tall as he did the same.

"Nikolas…." Araiya croaked with a weary sigh.

"Enough. If you say anything else, we'll just get caught up in this useless cycle. I'll ease off the brats alright," he growled.

Araiya slouched with relief and her lips turned upward in a small but thankful smile.

"Thank you, Nicky," she whispered.

Nikolas scoffed but the sneer on his face proved just how ridiculous he thought she was being.

"But you have to promise me this is the last time. You can't keep fighting for me to go easy on them when we don't have the time. I know their important to you. I know you want to ease them in and go slow, but we can't. Satomi's pack is sacrificing a lot to keep the borders safe and Cordelia's trying to navigate civil mutiny within her own coven. Noshiko is helping where she can but she's 900 and this was supposed to be her last century. She's not as strong as her prime years."

Araiya stays quiet but from the dipping of her chin and the shine to her eyes, she knows he's right.

"The parents are worried…"

But Nikolas shakes his head and sighs with obvious stress.

"Good. It means they love their kids, but they should trust them too. I'm sorry you've been playing the middleman between us, but I've already said my piece to them."

Araiya sighs and reaches out for a hug, Nikolas doesn't hesitate to drag her into his embrace.

"The chief is worried. Dad's gone MIA on him again."

Nikolas scowls and hugs her tighter.

"Yeah well Davian's ghosting me as well. Argent's had no word from Mom either."

Both siblings know deep within their hearts why, but don't dare speak about it.

Araiya pulls back and pats her baby brother's cheeks cheerfully.

"They'll be fine," she assures.

And while Nikolas scoffs, he doesn't pull away. Instead he nods his head like a child would and burrows his face into her neck. Araiya holds him and leaves him to scent her like the pup he no longer is and cuddles him close. They're no longer children, both in their twenties, but it's a minor detail of nothing importance.

Nikolas would always need his big sister and Araiya would never turn her baby brother away.

By the time Nikolas pulls away the sky is already threatening to turn light with the sun's rays.

"You should go…" Nikolas grunts with a petulant pout that no one would believe him capable of.

Araiya frowns but Nik is already pushing her.

"Go, you need to rest. I can smell the exhaustion on you and its messing with my wolf."

Araiya winces and frowns guiltily but Nik thumps her on the head and pushes her again.

"Hey!" she whines but Nik rolls his eyes.

"Get lost Raiya. I've got everything under control. You can tell the Parent Pack their incompetent spawns get two weeks off from training."

"Why not a month?" she hedges but Nikolas glares at her until she sighs in agreement.

"Two weeks. Any more than that then I might as well kill them all myself."

"You're a blessing baby bro," she coos.

Nik grunts but they both know that in two weeks school starts up again. The teenagers would be seniors and would need to work towards getting their grades up if they want to go to college. Nikolas would bet his life that college was the last thing on their minds, but it was the primary concern for Melissa and the Sheriff.

In the eyes of the Parent Pack, there was still going to be an 'after' for their kids.

Nikolas wasn't going to argue against it.

Besides, maybe if he roped Ken into helping or kidnapped a civilian student during school hours the brats would take him more seriously and fucking win for once.

Araiya gives him a quick kiss on the cheek and bids him farewell before she makes her way out.

"I Love you, Nicky" she whispers at the door.

"Love you too, sis" he mutters.

There's a quiet click of the door and she's gone.

The mansion is unnervingly quiet without her, but Nik's had a month to get used to it. He sends a text out to Danny, letting him know it's safe to come home. But rather then get some rest himself, he trudges over to Augusta's office and stares at the monitors.

He watches Araiya make her way until she safely arrives at her destination.

Only then does he let his emotions overwhelm him again.

God does he love his sister but sometimes she makes it so hard.

*Somewhere in Australia*

It's hot, near sweltering, but Malia is too distracted to care about it.

*BANG*

"You'll have to excuse him, he gets a bit impatient," Peter simpers to the quivering group of hunters kneeling before him.

Henry Tate has his expression set in a cold slated mask and Malia mirrors the expression on his left. Peter continues his interrogation, but Malia's patience is starting to falter. They've been at this for too long already. She knew they'd be getting nothing else out of the group and from the shifting scent of her dad/uncle he knew it too.

Peter sighed and turned his stare back to look at them.

"You can't give me another hour? I'm stressed," he mockingly defends.

"You've had you're fun, now get on with it," Henry grunts.

Peter rolls his eyes and mutters under his breath but complies.

Malia can't help but smile a bit, it's progress at least.

The she-coyote had been travelling with her dads for the past month and could honestly say the trip was incredibly beneficial. When Araiya, Derek and the Sheriff had suggested it, she'd been rightly reluctant. It was still weird for her to think of Peter as her dad and her dad as her uncle. Some days she could get really confused which upset her coyote. It also didn't help that her dad and Peter had managed to form a weird tolerance for each other. One that always seemed strained when it came to her.

When school had ended for the year and she'd managed to pass all her classes, things got worse.

Nikolas had used Malia as bait for one of his training scenarios against Stiles. Things got complicated because Nik didn't tell anyone about it, and Malia didn't think it was that big a deal. If not for Araiya and Derek restraining Peter, or the Sheriff and Chris keeping hold on Henry, shit would have gone explosive.

"I don't get it. Why do they care if I'm helping Nik or not?" she'd grunted to Araiya with utter confusion.

Araiya sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Derek was too busy suffering under Stiles' ranting to offer any help. Not that Araiya is complaining as she'd take Malia over another Stiles rampage against Nik any day.

"Malia, sweetie, their your fathers and they love you very much. I know things were different for you in the wild and as a coyote, pack has a slightly different meaning, but you're the only daughter your dads have. They're just feeling very protective right now."

Malia frowned still feeling confused.

"But… nope, I still don't get it." She huffed.

Araiya wore a strange smile as she settled down beside her. She leaned back into her seat and started to speak, her tone patient but sad.

"Look, I know Peter's done you wrong in the past. I also know Henry confuses you. The thing is things are kind of weird right now and they're not sure what to do about it."

Malia growls with frustration then asks Araiya to explain why it's weird. So, she does. Araiya explains it all, how Henry is her uncle, how Talia made Peter forget, how her aunt/mum stole her from her real mom. By the end of it, Malia's not sure what to think or feel.

"I know it's a lot to make sense off, but Peter wanted you. He wanted you so much you have no idea how greatly it hurt him to know he was robbed of you."

Malia feels awkward and Stiles must have sensed it as he wanders over. He doesn't say a word, growing uncharacteristically quiet as he holds her hand. She grips it tight and tries to think of what to do.

"He's not my dad…" she blurts and Araiya looks heartbroken at that but accepting.

She looks to Derek, but he makes it obvious that it's her decision.

"I have a dad. He can't replace my dad!" she continues but something in her words sparks an idea for Stiles.

"Maybe not replace…" he mutters thoughtfully and Araiya grabs at the opportunity with frantic desperation.

"Yes! Of course! Maybe you don't have to choose!"

Before any of them could say anything else, Araiya's running for the door and gone.

A few days later, Henry and Peter sit her down and explain what's going to happen.

"A trip? With just the three of us?" she slowly repeats, wondering if they're serious.

Peter doesn't say a word, but Henry nods and reaches for her hand with a smile.

"Araiya thinks it might help your coyote get used to the changes between us. There's a lot Peter and I need to sort through and rediscover about our pasts. Our main priority throughout this trip will be bonding better as a family for you, but we'll be investigating a couple of old hunting families I used to know."

Henry hesitates and glances over at Peter, but decides the wolf is going to remain stubbornly silent. He takes a deep breath and drops the bigger bomb they'd been nervous of talking about.

"We're also going to try and track down your mom."

Malia feels her eyes widen in shock as they dart between the two men before. She wants to find Stiles and ask after his opinion. She wants to run away from the terror of excitement and anxious worry she feels. But its too great of an opportunity to ignore. She swallows and starts to slowly nod her head.

"Okay then."

Henry smiles but Peter just watches her.

"We can take a trip, but I want to come back in time for senior year. Stiles said this is the most important year of high school and Lydia warned me it's going to be way harder than last year. She's offered to help me review before we start."

Henry easily agrees but Peter still says nothing. She looks to him and meets his stare without hesitation. She's not sure what he sees when he looks at her, but it's not uncomfortable. If anything, it just leaves her curious.

"I don't know you and you're not my dad," her words are blunt and piercing.

She smells the slightest bit of hurt in his scent, but it fades before she can confirm it. Henry shifts uncomfortably and his scent reeks of awkward sympathy, but he keeps his silence. It's okay because Malia wasn't done.

"But the Sheriff said it's possible to have two dads. Stiles also said that I don't have to forgive you for Mexico if I don't want to."

Again, Peter's scent shifts into one of acceptance. Malia eyes him and can't help the curiosity that overwhelms her about the man. Mexico really was a sore point for her. Peter had betrayed her and used her in a bid for power. But… he'd done worse to Derek and her older cousin still forgives him.

Malia decides, just this once, she'll give him a second chance.

Peter must have smelt it in her scent or made a guess based off her body language. She's shocked when he laughs with his eyes bright and his shoulders loose.

"Well then, I guess that makes us co-parents," he croons at Henry.

Then it turns weird as the two men begin to argue.

By this point of their trip, Malia could confidently say she has two dads.

Though it's still plenty weird, especially when she labels them both in public. It usually starts another argument between the two of them and starts a bit of drama. When she texted Cora about it, her she-wolf cousin called her just so she could hear her laugh. When she asked Stiles if she should do as Derek suggested and just call Peter by his name, Stiles vehemently disagreed.

"Think about it, Peter's probably loving it. What better way than to feel like a dad then to have you call him yours. Oh no, you should absolutely keep calling him that in public! Especially when he's around women!"

She tried differentiating them by calling Peter 'father' like Araiya suggested but that was weird too. In the end, she settled on labelling both as her dads but usually called Peter by his name out loud. Only when she was with one without the other did she call Peter dad. It never failed to make the wolf preen like a peacock.

"You didn't have to drag it out you know," Henry huffed as he drove back to their hotel.

Peter rolled his eyes as he cleaned himself with some wipes from the glovebox. Malia slouched in her seat at the back in the middle, resting her feet on the divide between them. Cora was texting her about the pack's latest failure. They were having quite a bit of fun plotting plan #72 on how to best kill Jackson.

"They were a minor family, trust me, no one would have missed them," Peter scoffed while ignoring Henry's glare.

Malia watched from her seat and texted it all back to Cora.

[To: She-Wolf-Hale

My dad's scolding Peter again. Not Happy :( ]

[From: She-Wolf Hale

Lol. Tell them to bang it out! LMAO. We at Danny's aunt. Kira's a snoozefest and Lahey + Jackass are flirting.]

[From: She-Wolf Hale

*picture attached*]

Malia opened the attachment and snorted at what she saw. Danny was seated on the floor with his hand at his temple. In his lap was a deep sleeping Kira cuddling with a textbook while she drooled. On the bed were Jackson and Isaac in what looked to be a violent argument. It amused her how despite not actually being there, she could smell the tension with ease.

"Something interesting?" Peter prompted having finished cleaning up.

"Nik failed them again. Scott was sloppy with retrieval and both he and Stiles were too frantic during the chase. Stiles had a concussion because Jackson flipped the jeep. The Sheriff wasn't happy and Araiya was sent to talk with Nik again."

"Ah, that's not good," Henry muttered.

"Hm…. I'll make a call later." Peter amended.

Both Henry and Peter knew the Parents were getting rather antsy the longer Nik 'trained' the teens. They weren't seeing results only injuries and it was affecting their outlook on things. Henry would probably check in with Melissa and Chris anyway. He'd give his own parental opinion while Peter talked with Araiya and the Sheriff.

Malia got another text from Cora, a picture of a pile of empty pizza boxes obviously intended to mock her.

Not to be outdone, Malia leaned forward and looked between her dads with a demanding frown.

"I'm starving, Cora and the others got Pizza."

Henry sighed but shook his head.

"No hunting tonight. We might have gotten rid of the hunters in the area but were too close to a lot of preserves."

Malia frowned harder and looked to Peter.

"We'll hunt next time, pick something human," Peter corrected.

Malia sighed and let out a short whine but mulishly asked for McDonalds.

Henry gritted his teeth but didn't say a word as Malia rattled off her order. All the while Peter tapped away at his phone, undoubtedly texting Araiya or Derek for an update. When it was time to pay, Peter made no move to get out his own card which left Henry to grab for his wallet. He must have looked murderous as the cashier quickly shut the window and waved him off.

Malia hoarded her order in the back seat on either side of her.

"Peter, take a picture so I can send it Cora!" she demanded.

Henry tightened his hold on the wheel and continued to drive.

"Do be careful with the turns, I'm trying to take a picture of our daughter," Peter tutted with a glare.

Henry lost it and again started another argument on how Peter was spoiling her. Malia ignored them and happily chomped on her fries while texting her photo to Cora.

Sure, things were still a bit weird between the three of them but…. Malia rather liked the dynamic they had going on.

At least she was benefiting from it.

*Beacon Hills: Danny's Aunties house*

Danny sighed with relief when Nik texted him. Thank god they could return to the mansion. While he was certain his aunt wouldn't mind, Danny didn't want her exposed longer than necessary to the drama that was Jackson and Isaac.

"Mansion's clear, we can go back now," he quickly blurted.

Cora grunted in acknowledgement but continued to tap at her phone. Kira snuffled a bit but continued to sleep in his lap, while Jackson and Isaac just got louder.

Look, Danny had a lot of patience, but he also had his limits.

The past two months had been hard and incredibly trying but somehow, he'd managed to keep his cool. With Nikolas managing to piss off the Parent Pack and Scott being mad at them, things were awkward.

Nik's plan to isolate the True Alpha from his own pack had worked wonders.

There was a clear divide among them now, something that had worsened after Malia left.

Isaac now stayed at the mansion with the rest of them and wasn't on speaking terms with Scott. Although, Kira officially still lived with her parents she spent more time at the mansion than at home. The Kitsune and the True Alpha were officially broken up. It was a rather messy one too. None of them dared to mention Scott's name around Kira even now. Then last month Cora moved back in while Araiya moved out and well…. Things just kind of stuck.

It was exactly as Nik had wanted it and Danny couldn't have been more impressed at how easily it happened.

The real kicker is that Nik barely had to do anything. It all happened on its own.

Which of course, just made the training situations more awkward than anything. Nik actively pitted Scott against his own pack. He often had Scott face off against Isaac and Kira, taunting him into attacking them and leaving the True Alpha to wallow in his confliction. Scott's indecision and hesitation to attack Kira only pissed her off even more. Isaac and Kira had also gotten rather close which seemed to have pissed off Scott and ramped the drama meter up to like 100.

Cora of course proved to be incapable of keeping out of things and stuck her nose into the drama. She'd grown rather protective over Kira and was her strongest supporter when it came to Scott. Then Jackson and Isaac were still being petty over their old history and wouldn't stop goading one another.

Safe to say, Danny was incredibly done with the teenage bullshit that was his life.

"Ugh, spoiled bitch! Look at this," Cora scoffed as she showed Danny a picture of Malia surrounded by a bunch of burgers.

On the positive side of things, at least the cousins were getting along.

If only Malia hadn't of left, maybe things wouldn't be as bad as they were. The she-coyote had been the only one capable of mediating between the groups. Danny couldn't because everyone knew his loyalty was to Jackson and Stiles was in the same boat with Scott. Lydia kept her distance because Danny wouldn't let her near Jackson until she was certain of what she wanted to be in his life. Danny wasn't about to risk Jackson's heart in one of her games like before. Matt had really screwed Jackson over when he turned into a Kanima and used him as his personal assassin.

Besides, Danny was starting to think she'd have competition if she wanted to win Jackson's heart this time around.

"Fuck off, Lahey! It was your shitty idea to use the trip wire," Jackson snarled.

"Get out of my face, Whitmore" Isaac growled.

Danny pressed at his temples again and willed his headache to disappear.

Kira whimpered and started to shift in her sleep causing him concern. The others were still distracted and didn't notice. Soon enough, Kira shifted again only this time she was a little bit louder. Danny knew her heart rate must have spiked, and her scent must have shifted as the arguing immediately stopped and Cora had put her phone away.

Kira whimpered again and Danny stroked her hair soothingly.

It did little to help but it at least let her know they were there.

"ngh…. W-wait…. Mmf… no-no…please!" she whined.

Isaac and Jackson each placed a hand on her back, rubbing in circular motions. Danny continued to stroke her hair, but Cora was the one to speak.

"Sh… it's okay Kira. It's only a dream…. Shh!"

Eventually, the Kitsune eased but the tear tracks down her cheeks had yet to dry.

"We should take her back to the mansion," Jackson whispered.

Isaac nodded in agreement, he moved to pick her up, but Cora shook her head and volunteered instead.

"I'll carry her."

It was unspoken, but they all knew why.

It was best not to risk Scott hearing about something like this. Not with things being the way it was. Isaac sighed but agreed and started ahead of them. Just as Danny had packed up the last of their things, his Aunt knocked on his door.

"Going home now?" she questioned with a cautious smile.

"The Mansion's free and we all figured Kira would do better there."

"Mmh…. You take good care of her. Poor girl looks exhausted. I guess it's to be expected when dealing with your first heartbreak."

Danny doesn't say anything else just hums in agreement, he kisses her goodbye and settles into the car. As Jackson drives them back with Isaac in the passenger seat, Danny spots Scott ducking round the corner.

He doesn't tell the others and lets the ride continue in silence.

*McCall House*

Melissa takes a deep breath and tries to ignore the croaky feeling in her throat. She sits at the table and tugs at her hair with stress. The opening and slamming of the front door lets her know he's come home.

"Scott?" she shouts, knowing he'd hear regardless but feeling the need anyway.

He doesn't answer.

Instead she just hears his footsteps thunder up the stairs until his bedroom door is opened and slammed shut.

Melissa winces and tries to keep her frustration from bleeding out in a scream.

"Melissa?" Chris softly calls as he joins her.

She takes another deep breath and tries to wave him off, but the hunter doesn't listen. Instead he pulls her into his arms and holds her tightly. She buries her face into his embrace and does her best to will away her tears.

It doesn't work, but Chris pretends not to notice and she's more than grateful for it.

*Parrish's Apartment*

Jordan knows he needs to stop letting this happen. He's got neighbours and more than enough chatty old ladies living nearby. He's also got a reputation to keep clean and this is by no means helping.

Once again Lydia Martin is in his bed, happily sleeping off another night of failure.

He's aware of what this might look like to civilians.

Lydia is way too comfortable with coming over to his place. Sometimes, Parrish isn't even home when she lets herself in. He didn't even give her a key…officially. He just let her keep his spare once she revealed she'd been using that. But still, he's warned her already to be careful with coming over too often.

He should have known by the impish smirk she'd worn that she wouldn't listen.

"Ugh… the Sheriff is going to judge me so hard for this…." He moaned into his hands.

Bottom line is, Jordan knows what this looks like, but it's completely innocent!

He walks out of his room and collapses onto his couch while speed dialling the Sheriff. He knows, despite the early time, the Sheriff is still awake. He never sleeps when Stiles is 'training' with Nik. Jordan can't blame him for it either.

"Parrish," the Sheriff greets.

"Everything go alright last night?" he starts while relaxing back into his seat.

If he leans back far enough, he can see into his bedroom. From the glimpse he catches, Lydia's still sleeping and doesn't look to be waking anytime soon. It's become a habit of his to check on her, especially as the one time he didn't she'd disappeared on him and slept walk to the cemetery. He listens as the Sheriff recounts what went down last night. He winces at the sharp anger the Sheriff speaks with when talking about Stiles' concussion.

But at the end of the day, Jordan knows the Sheriff is still going to let Stiles train under Nik.

"Do you think he'll listen this time?" he can't help but ask.

He hears Lydia shifting around in the sheets. She's still asleep and doesn't look to be waking up any time soon.

"… I hope so."

Their talk mellows into a contemplative silence, but eventually gets disrupted by the blaring of an alarm. Jordan freezes and inwardly groans because it's certainly not his phone going off. The Sheriff's silence shifts from contemplative to judging, and Parrish wished the ground could swallow him whole.

"I guess I don't have to concern myself with Lydia's whereabouts again."

"Um…"

Sheriff Stilinski let out a loud sigh that says plenty and Jordan winces.

"Just be careful Parrish, that's all I ask."

"Yes sir," he sheepishly agrees.

Following that, Jordan whips up a quick breakfast and tidies up a bit. He dresses quickly, only a little disgruntled over being off duty for the week, before scribbling a quick note. He leaves it by his bedside dresser and double checks that everything's locked.

He doesn't notice the slow growing smirk on Lydia's lips throughout it all. She waits until the front door clicks shut before she sits up and snatches the note on his dresser.

Lydia,

Please stop coming over to my apartment at odd hours. Mrs Lakes is starting to give me weird looks.

Parrish.

P.S: Breakfast is on the table.

Lydia giggles to herself and strolls out of bed, sauntering through the house like she owns it. The smile on her lips turns soft at the quickly made avocado on toast with two boiled eggs and some juice. She wanders over to the fridge and grins at seeing the fresh punnet of strawberries.

"Not a chance in hell, deputy" she giggles as she gleefully helps herself.

*Derek's Loft*

By the time Parrish reached Derek's, the doors unlocked, and the wolf is midway through his morning workout.

"Mrs Lakes definitely thinks I'm sleeping with Lydia!" Parrish blurts out with a defeated whine.

Derek grunts but doesn't stop his work out.

It's a testament to how common this has become when Parrish finds a jug and glass waiting for him on the table. He pours himself a drink and just sulks at the table while Derek finishes up.

"Are you sleeping with her?" Derek drolly repeats as he wipes at his sweat.

"Of course not," Parrish exclaims, but Derek just shrugs.

"Then it doesn't matter."

Derek leaves Parrish to sulk and goes to take a shower.

By the time he's returned, Parrish has found someone else to unleash his woes to. Araiya's nodding along, easily splitting her attention between scrambling the eggs and listening to Parrish whine. Derek steals a few seconds to just savour the moment. It's strange how completely normal this has become for him. Derek's never been this in tuned with his wolf before and it's strange but completely welcome.

"Seriously Pretty boy, it's not a problem unless it's true. Since it's not, then I don't get why your so weird about it. You should feel proud, Lydia obviously trusts you and considers yours somewhere safe," she absently lectured.

Parrish frowned looking conflicted.

"I am, but it's just a little uncomfortable. I mean, she's seventeen!"

"So? She'll be eighteen this year, and like you said, you're not even sleeping together."

Parrish let out another whining groan and Derek smirked.

Araiya must have sensed him because she vaguely gestured in his direction with a light scolding in her tone.

"I don't know why you're finding this so funny. You don't have a leg to stand on when it comes to this."

Derek scoffs but wanders over to join them.

From there, his morning continues rather easily. He and Araiya tease and comfort Parrish about his awkwardness regarding Lydia's sleepovers. They enjoy breakfast with one another idly chatting about the station and the current conflict brewing among Cordelia's coven. It's odd how domestic it is, but Derek finds his chest growing warm while his wolf purrs contently.

"Pretty boy, what's really getting at you?" Araiya sighs

Parrish purses his lips unsurely but then opens his mouth to speak.

"Lydia wants to tell her mom about everything but is terrified of what might happen."

Araiya slumps in her seat and shares a look with Derek.

They both knew it was coming. Afterall, Lydia had been running out of excuses that were believable. It was her choice, but her fear was also real. Who knows what her mom would do? Araiya let out another sigh but nodded her head in agreement.

"Alright, I'll talk to her about it."

Parrish relaxed a bit at that and missed the amused expression Derek and Araiya exchanged.

"Ahem, so…. I guess you really care for her then, huh?" Araiya started with a teasing taunt.

Parrish visibly tensed with his fork halfway to his mouth. Derek sipped at his drink with a smirk while Araiya grinned. The deputy blushed a little at the ears and wildly began to shake his head.

"No. No. Uh uh, That is not what's happening."

Araiya widened her eyes innocently but it was enough to set the Deputy off. It was a rant that rivalled Stiles' usual level of dramatics. By the end of it, Araiya was clutching her sides with laughter.

"God, you make it so easy, pretty boy."

Parrish glares at her but she's too giggly to care. Derek turns his head, hearing the familiar stomping of Liam and Mason up the stairs.

"The kids are here," he informs causing Araiya to sigh and pout at him.

"I really think its stupid that you ask the baby beta to come in this early," she grumbles.

"Liam needs the discipline and Mason tags along," he refutes.

Araiya rolls her eyes but starts to clear up their plates. She makes sure to cover the leftovers and fill two jugs of water. She lets out a quiet yawn but doesn't bother to hide the exhaustion in her scent. Derek watches her carefully while Parrish grows quiet.

"You should sleep," he softly encourages.

Araiya looks to him with dopey eyes that turn soft. Derek doesn't move even though he wants to, instead he stays seated and waits. He keeps his heart steady and fills the link between them with comfort and ease. He knows she receives it when her shoulders sag and her eyes turn grateful.

"I should…" she mutters.

She bids a lazy goodnight to Parrish and moves towards the guest bedroom, only hesitating just before she passes by him. Derek forces himself to stay put and not move. He feels his heart rate steadily rise as she steps closer to him. He forces himself to remember how to breathe when she reaches out a shaking hand and cups his face.

"…wake me up…" she requests in a shaky whisper.

'Always' he thinks but doesn't say.

She feels his intentions anyways and turns red before hastily hurrying to her room.

He hears her stumble and then there's a loud thump, loud enough for Parrish to catch. Derek grins as he hears Araiya cuss and whimper about how embarrassing she is. Parrish snorts gaining Derek's attention, but the wolf is shameless with his response.

"Pfft, are you sleeping with your unexpected roommate, Derek?" Parrish mocked.

"At least mines not in High School," Derek shot back enjoying the scowl Parrish wore.

The loft door then slid open with a bang allowing Liam and Mason to trudge through. The dark-skinned teen hurried over to the table with an eager grin.

"Did she kiss him?" Mason pestered with eager eyes.

Derek scowled but Parrish answered with slow shake of his head.

"Nope, guess its another Forty today kids."

Liam and Mason both groaned which annoyed Derek. He stood from his seat and shoved Liam over to the open space for training. Despite Liam's bemoaning about unfairness, he obeyed Derek begrudgingly. Mason on the other hand got to sit with Parrish and start on breakfast. Parrish refused to train the kid on an empty stomach which always left Liam feeling disgruntled as Derek was the opposite.

Liam eventually learned why after he threw up the one time he didn't listen.

"So, did they pass Nik's scenario last night?" Mason questioned.

The sad shake of Parrish's head made the boy sigh with pity.

"Scott's gotta be pissed," Liam muttered, and Derek gave a nod in agreement.

"Maybe I should check on him?" Liam awkwardly offered but Derek shook his head.

"No. He's too erratic right now. He didn't properly check the object for tampering and Kira's spell set off a low-pitched transmitter that allowed Jackson, Isaac, and Cora to follow. They also forgot to keep a cool head and ended up flipping the jeep."

Liam hissed while Parrish shook his head with sympathy, but Mason summed it up perfectly.

"Shit. Pissed? Scott's probably apocalyptic at himself right now. Was Stiles okay?"

Derek nodded but assured the two teens he only had a mild concussion. Liam grew sullen while his fists curled tightly. Derek watched the younger boy carefully, wondering if an angry outburst was on the rise.

"I don't understand why Nik is being such a dick to Scott. It's not fucking fair! He knows Scott's trying his best and with everything that happened with Isaac and Kira-"

Parrish interrupted before the baby beta could really get riled up in his Alpha's defence.

"I know Nik's methods are cruel and hard, but his goal is the same as ours. He's just trying to keep you kids alive. It's unfair to Scott, but it's necessary. Scott is a True Alpha and you're all apart of the McCall pack."

Liam scowls at the ground but Mason is quietly playing with his food.

"Liam…." Derek sighs and the baby beta looks up at him stubbornly.

"Think about Nik's position as well. He's got hundreds of different creatures arriving and requesting sanctuary here in Beacon Hills. He's got his Keeper responsibilities, training for the pack to organise while the parents often fight him about it. He's got the borders constantly under attack and various leaders to mediate between to maintain peace."

Liam starts to look guilty while Mason looks wide eyed.

"With Araiya and Peter no longer able to help out, he's shouldering a lot of the responsibility on his own," Parrish confirmed.

"I just- I hate what it's doing to Scott. Now that he's broken up with Kira, no longer speaking with Isaac and with Malia gone, only Stiles can get the Alpha to back off. Its…"

Liam looked uncomfortable but Mason finished his sentence for him.

"It's terrifying. I never thought of Scott as scary but when he's the Alpha…. I don't even recognise him."

Derek and Parrish share a quiet look with one another. With Nikolas working the older teens to the bones, Liam and his human side kick had become their responsibility. Mason was rather helpful, willingly offering a hand at the hospital, school and whatever else. Parrish respected the kid for going above and beyond for the sake of his friend. Araiya liked to tease Stiles that Mason was vying to follow in his footsteps as the trophy human to his werewolf best mate. Of course, Stiles always ignored her and would change the subject.

Derek knew Araiya wasn't exactly wrong though. Mason did sort of hero worship Stiles but more so because of his loyalty to Scott. The green-eyed wolf also suspected that at some point Liam's anchor had shifted. Whether the baby beta knew it or not was questionable.

"Scott's stronger than he knows. I trust him, I believe in him. He'll figure it out." Derek concluded.

Liam sighed with relief at the reassurance while Mason smiled. The younger teens then spent the rest of their day with the Deputy and Older wolf. They didn't need to stay, having finished their morning training already, but wanted to.

Derek's loft had become a haven for Mason and Liam, a neutral zone where the tension within the pack couldn't affect them.

For Derek, his house finally felt like a home.

*Somewhere in Florida*

The room was cold and poorly lit, but the figure at the table continued his writing with a focused gait. He was stiff in his seat but pristine dressed, wearing a crisp white shirt with glinting cuff-links made of obsidian stone. The scratching of his pen to paper the only disturbance among the quiet. At least until the knock on the door disrupted his focus.

Grey stone eyes darkened with annoyance before sharply allowing his visitor entry.

The man who entered strolled without care, his loosely controlled limbs lazily moving with each step. The two figures exuded vastly different aura's, one cold and sharp, the other lazy with careless ease. Yet, their features mirrored each other. They shared eyes of grey stone, dark raven locks with high cheek bones that hinted towards nobility.

"What? What do you want?" the colder man snapped with a dark glower.

The lazy man growled inhumanly, and his eyes bled a dark crimson red while his teeth lengthened into fangs. The man did not speak words but a series of growls that none could discern besides the seated man. When silence reigned again, the seated man rose and fiddled with his ring in thought.

"Well then, if Antonio thinks we'll wait for him he's sadly mistaken."

Ricardo Black turned his attention to the painted portrait of his parents. He eyed his smiling mother and stern-faced father and wondered after their well being. He heard his twin release a series of snarls and growls and sharply turned to glare at the man. Mikael barred his fangs while his form began to shift into a monstrous sight, exposing the added hardships he's endured from his recent losses.

"I don't care! Antonio's hybrid spawns might be managing to protect the Nemeton well enough now, but they're unfit to hold it forever."

Mikael snarled while slamming his hands down on the table in front of him, digging his claws into the wood. The crimson red of his eyes darkening with blood lust and rage. Ricardo sneered as his brother and leaned forward without fear.

"Your chosen brat does not share our blood and knows nothing of the complications that will arise with her silly little trinkets."

Mikael leans forward to snap at his twin, furious at his insult towards his pup. Ricardo bats him away with his ringed hand, the sneer on his lips rivalling the feral wolfs snarl.

"If our cowardly sister insists on ignoring our missive, the two of us will go grab her ourselves. She'll go back to Beacon Hills even if I have to drag her by the hair myself."

Mikael growls but looks begrudgingly agreeable. Ricardo narrows his eyes and turns back to their parents portrait.

"Whether she likes it or not, she's a Black. If the Branch family wish to go to war, then so be it."

Mikael grinned as his mouth began to shift. It stretched until it resembled a snout, his bones snapped slowly as his form grew bigger. Soon enough a beastly creature stood on hind legs with crimson red eyes and a salivating maw. The beastly creature tipped its head back and howled causing the room to tremble. All the while, Ricardo stood before his parents with a cold stare, thumbing at his ring while his brother let loose his battle cry for blood.

*Somewhere in Kansas*

Boston stumbled into his chair as he felt his heart pound rapidly in it's cage. He closed his eyes in acceptance, knowing instinctively what had been declared. He snickered to himself and trudged his way to his alcohol cabinet. Instead of reaching for the booze, he clicked open a hidden compartment and dragged out the cushioned ring that glinted under his eye.

The obsidian stone deceptively devoured any light that touched its surface while the moonlight silver reflected it.

"Heh, just couldn't help yourself could you brother…" he muttered.

He slipped the ring onto the chain around his neck and poured himself a generous glass of whiskey.

He lifted his drink to the faded photo of his parents and toasted to them with wry cheer.

"To family," he mocked before downing his drink.

Tonight, he would drink.

Tomorrow, he would set out and begin his hunt.

*Somewhere in Australia*

"Now you take care of yourself and watch that arm! If it still feels a bit tingly just call in and book an appointment. I'll fit you in as soon as possible."

"Thank you so much Dr Black,"

The doctor named only smiled in return. The crinkle by her eyes and the dimple of her smile charming her patient with ease. Lenora Black had a reputation among the staff. She was known for being the most charming, the kindest and earnest. Many who worked with her had nothing but praise for the woman who always succeeded with the hardest of cases.

It wasn't until the patient had left and her office was empty, that the smile on her face disappeared.

The crinkle by her eyes smoothed out while her dimples faded from her cheeks. The cheery aura surrounding her had darkened as she pulled out her kit of sharp tools. She'd only polished a third of her tools when she felt the declaration.

It resonated in her chest and echoed off the walls of her mind.

She could feel her heart begin to race as her stomach twisted and the creature sleeping in her soul opened it's eyes.

Lenora's grey eyes bled a cold inhumane blue and her fangs lengthened with want for blood.

"Oh, dear sweet, I'll avenge you…." She crooned while stroking the picture of a young boy framed on her desk.

Lenora let out a cackling laugh before jumping to her feet. She cried for her assistant nurse and promptly instructed the woman to cancel all her bookings.

"Mrs Black?" the nurse cried with concern.

"No time! I've a family reunion to prepare for!" she blurted with a wild cheer.

Her husband must have sensed something, or perhaps her brother had called, regardless he was ready by the time she arrived. He kneels before her with a velvet black box in hand, offering it to her like the day he'd proposed.

"I do! I do! I do!" she sung while plucking the obsidian stone ring and slipping it onto her finger.

She claps her clawed hands while her beastly wolf yawns and stretches its' limbs in her soul. She takes a second to inhale deeply, savouring the scent of the world around her like it was her last opportunity.

"Mmh… oh Tristen, baby my baby, mummy's going to make you so proud," she cooed.

For a second, Lenora thought the portrait of her parents smiled at her in approval, but she quickly chased the thought from mind. It wouldn't pay for her to be distracted, not when she needed to pick her best white outfits for battle.

It's been a long while since she'd been allowed to play.

*Somewhere in Colorado*

Jeanne laughed at the joke of her date, trying her best to ignore the boredom seeping into her mood. It was as they were about to start desert that she felt it. The thudding pull of the declaration squeezing in her chest and prompting her to choke on her breath.

Terror filled her and it must have shown on her face as her date quickly rushed to apologise.

"I-I'm sorry. There's something- I need to go. I'm sorry!" she foolishly stuttered before all but sprinting back to her home.

Jeanne was no stranger to the hunt. She knew the ways of the predator, was intimately familiar with the game. Which was why it was rather ironic that the tables had turned on her. She frantically stuffed her duffel with as much of her needs as possible. She emptied her secret vaults of her emergency cash and weaponry. Once she was certain she'd had all she needed, she soaked the house with gasoline.

She ignored the smell and the headache it wrought, determined to be done with it all within the next hour.

When all that was left to do was strike the match… she hesitated.

The obsidian stone taunted her from it's place on the table. It dared her to abandon it to the flames like she'd attempted to abandon her family.

"I can't go back…" she croaked while staring at the portrait of her parents above her fireplace.

The pictures didn't reply, and she quickly struck the match. The flame danced on the tip of the stick, but she couldn't help but think it was taunting her.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered before dropping the stick.

The flames engulfed everything quickly, but the obsidian stone still had her gaze.

The flames rose higher, and she knew she should move and leave. She started to fidget in place, her indecision overwhelming her before one last glance at her father's depicted stare had her cursing.

"FUCK!"

Jeanne jumped through the flames and grabbed the stone from it's perch. The blistering burns and soot on her skin were ignored for the moment as she hurried to get as far away as she could. She kept going, driving away from the burning remains of her normal life. She couldn't bring herself to look back, or even glance at her rear-view mirror.

The tear tracks down her cheeks were both out of anger and grief.

Yet it was the obsidian stone on her passenger seat that haunted her.

The next morning, to her co-workers and friends, Jeanne Black was announced dead due to a house fire.

*Somewhere in Europe*

A loud explosion causes the ground beneath his feet to shake, but Antonio steadies himself quickly. He can hear the carnage of bullets being unleashed behind him but is too busy with the bomb in his hands.

"Another fucking decoy," Isabella roared as she tore open the chest of her opponent.

Antonio laughed at the rage in his wife's voice while his fingers quickly separated the coloured wires.

"I know love, but just think of the satisfaction when it's all done," he playfully quipped.

"Duck," Davian lowly instructed.

The parents quickly obeyed as their son shouldered his bazooka and aimed for the building across from them. The explosions that followed caused another rumble of the ground and the pained roar of the creatures trapped brought a pleased smile to Isabella's lips.

"That's my boy," she crooned.

She then stepped forward, her bloody visage only making her even more beautiful in Antonio's eyes. The slow saunter she moved with had him sighing hopelessly. There was always something about watching her stroll through blood and corpses without care that called to him. She was barefoot and dripping with blood and gore, but it added to the beauty of her amethyst rage. Antonio let out another infatuated sigh and ignored the eye roll of his son.

"Did I ever tell you about how I met your mother?" he absently commented.

Davian ignored his father with practised ease and instead studied the battlefield. He ignored the proud cheer his dad gave as his mother fed on the terror, anger, and hatred of their enemy. Eventually, there was silence, and Davian knew they couldn't risk staying any longer in this realm.

"Ugh, can you believe some of those fuckers were happy towards the end? Fucking cowards always leave a bad aftertaste," she sneered with complaint as she shifted back into her human form.

Antonio sympathised with his wife while idly tossing the defused bomb in his hand up and down.

"I know, love. How about you and I enjoy a late-night rendezvous? I've got a shipment coming in and one of my informants warned me of a set up. What do you say? I'm sure a good dose of betrayal and greed would wash the happy taint right off your palette"

Isabella's honey brown eyes widened with glee before she jumped at her husband and lavished him with kisses. The sickening in love couple only separated when Davian made a noise of frustration.

"Grr, times up. We have to go now or else the Fae will have grounds to sentence us to the Queen's exile."

Isabella and Antonio nodded prompting the three of them to run back towards the realm gate. They didn't relax until they'd passed through the rippling field of magic. Safely on the other side, Davian quickly held out the obsidian ring on his finger while his parents destroyed the crystal stones marking the gate points. He could see the wild Fae racing to break through the gate before it could close, but a quick chant had the portal disappearing with a loud clap.

Antonio grunted as he dusted off his pants and made his way to Davian's side.

"Now, tell me son, how on earth did you manage to gain a favour from the Fae? Ricky can't even get a meeting!"

But Davian was distracted with his phone, tapping away at all he'd missed while they'd been in the Fae realm.

"Ex-girlfriend. Didn't know she was the princess," he absently answered.

Isabella made a noise of approval as she scrubbed at her face with water from the nearby stream.

"No shit? And she's queen now? Damn son…" she praised.

They lulled into a comfortable silence as they tended to their scratches and cleaned up. The three of them stubbornly ignoring the frustration growing among them as their hunt neared its third month. This was the sixth decoy trail they'd followed, and it only served in pissing them off even more. Davian was using a lot of his favours just to get information alone, but this chase was proving useless.

Isabella and Antonio knew it was only a matter of time before they'd have to force their son to drop the matter once again. Something neither were looking forward to as last time had been trying enough.

"Davian…" Isabella started, but Davian interrupted her before she could even start.

"Shit. Ricardo's called for war."

"What?" Antonio blurted.

Only then was he aware of the strange ache in his chest and pulling tug that connected him to his siblings.

"Oh, I thought that was just a bit of heartburn," he muttered earning identical flat looks from his wife and son.

"If Ricky's called the family home, they're bound to be heading to Beacon Hills," Antonio warned.

Davian's jaw tensed angrily, and Isabella soothed him with a soft coo as she dampened the emotion.

"Hush darling stop your stressing."

Davian melted into her touch, but his words were still frosty.

"I knew he'd call for the Family to gather in Beacon Hills, but I hoped he wouldn't have declared war so early. Nikolas is barely managing to hold off the kill cry for the McCall pack and now he's bringing the family civil war there? What the hell was he thinking?"

Antonio joined the family embrace by gripping his son's shoulder.

"Your Uncle doesn't care about the McCall pack. So long as the Nemeton is safe and the Branch family is dealt with, he won't care about the death toll."

Davian gritted his teeth but knew better than to say anything else. Not when he would choose the same as his Uncle had the situation not been what it is. If the McCall pack hadn't become important to Araiya, he would have been content to wait and see the result.

"Davian, you have to have already known that Ricardo wouldn't approve of them as part of the council anyway," Antonio added looking strangely serious despite his earlier behaviour.

Davian tensed his jaw but the frost in his tone turned frigid with ice.

"Ricardo named me his heir. I don't care if he's your brother, I will do as I see fit."

Isabella steps back, leaving her husband and son to confront each other. She could taste the rising tension in the air and knew conflict was brewing in the horizon. It was best for her to stay out of this argument and simply monitor their emotional states.

The Fury found it rather sorry that her husband was forced into such a position. She'd fallen for her husband because his ability to love and be loyal had been unlike anyone she's ever met. He was a paragon of duty, love, and loyalty, three attributes she craved in a mate. She should have known their children would embody him to an even greater degree.

She looked to her son and she inwardly sighed at his youth. The last human child she had while her other two had been turned against their wills into hybrids. Davian was too clouded by his vengeance to think clearly about Antonio's position. She could only hope he would not unintentionally break his father's heart.

The argument between the father and son ended when Isabella's phone began to ring. She answered the call with a sharp tone and listened with a furrowed brow. By the time she'd ended it, both men were looking to her expectantly.

"We've got a sighting in Rio. There's been recent activity among the underground about a new buyer. He's been making noise about being the Collector's best supplier before you gutted him."

Davian was quiet, hard at thought, while his parents watched him closely.

They didn't worry when his face twitched, and his eyes darkened with realisation. Not until their son's entire body stiffened in place.

"Son?" Antonio prompted carefully.

Isabella startled with a hiss as Davian's furious hatred all but exploded out from him, encasing him in an invisible cloak of energy. Antonio couldn't sense it, due to his humanity, but Isabella recoiled as her Fury demon roared in response to the emotion of their young.

"We need to get to Beacon Hills," Davian coldly hissed.

"What happened?" Antonio demanded, his own demeanour now shifting to match his son's rage.

Davian trembled as the screen of his phone cracked from how tightly he squeezed it.

"He's fucking taunting me."

*Somewhere in Italy*

A tall woman scowled irately down at the phone in her hands. The dark colour of her clothing helped her blend in with the shadows of her location, but the cold glowing blue of her eyes made her hard to ignore. Across from her, shackled and bound, was another woman not of human nature. The shackled woman had blonde hair matted and slick with sweat and blood. The blue of her eyes mirroring the inhuman glow of the darkly clothed woman.

"Wow are you sure she used to be a hunter?" a dark-haired teen whistled with interest from where he leaned against the wall.

The tall woman ignored him while the bound blonde let out another roar as her features shifted into something more feline with spots. When she'd stopped her roaring, she turned to the teen and snarled at him with threat.

"I'm going to enjoy killing you," she growled.

The teen smirked not bothering to reply with words but with smug silence. The bound blonde released another roar of anger that finally affected the darkly dressed woman.

"Quiet down," she ordered but only the teen obeyed.

The blonde woman just laughed before hacking a spit glob in her direction.

"Make me bitch."

Before a fight could break out, a beeping noise garnered everyone's attention. The teen perked up with visible interest but did his best to seem nonchalant. The bound blonde fought her chains harder and screamed once more in frustration.

"Is that them?" the teen asked.

The darkly dressed woman read the text and a slow smile stretched across her cheeks. The inhuman glow of her eyes faded from blue to a human brown. She tilted her head with a pleased grin and nodded. She then turned her attention to the bound blonde and sauntered towards her, each step echoing in the abandoned warehouse like a loaded gun.

"You know someone's willing to pay big money for the likes of you."

The blonde glared and said nothing.

"Would have thought a reputation like yours would have earned the dead marker, but ….hm… guess that's not the case."

The blonde lurched forward but her chains kept her from getting anywhere near the taller woman.

"You have no fucking idea what I'm capable off," she growls.

The taller woman just grins, her teeth glinting in the dark like a predator about to leap.

"Oh honey, I know more than you think."

The two women meet eyes and something between them seems to shift. The blonde women rears back suddenly wary.

"You're not the only hunter princess who turned dark side."

Corrine smiles as she lets her features shift while Kate Argent stares at her, bound in chains.

She straightens and snaps her fingers at the boy behind her with command.

"Get her in the truck, we're shipping her out tonight and meeting our buyer at eight."

Theo scoffs but does as he's told, if she's ordering him around then she's probably not mad about the mercenary tail he gained while in the states.

Corrine taps out her confirmation for the drop off and contemplates the added offer.

She's heard enough about Antonio Black and Isabella Fuller to be wary…but maybe it's time she settle with a steady gig for a bit. Especially if the kid's going to keep chasing her tail. She could teach him the ropes for a bit, make him useful.

It wouldn't hurt to have easy bait on hand.

Decision made, The Dessert Wolf hops into the passenger seat and signals for Theo to drive.

She confirms her acceptance and is surprised by the quick response issuing her first assignment.

"Beacon Hills?" Theo blurts, having sneaked a peek at her screen.

Corrine growls at the ache in her chest and the sudden weight of agony that drowns her coyote. Not even Theo looks unaffected as his grip on the wheel tightens and his body trembles.

"Just drive," she orders through a growl.

They don't say anything further, but the ride is incredibly tense.

Corrine tries to fight the hazy memory of a gentle brother who looked at her adoringly.

She loses easily.

She feels her coyote clawing at the thick wall in her mind blocking the rest of the memory. The ache in her chest is unbearable, but she takes it on with forced ease.

Maybe this is just how it's meant to be….

After all these years… maybe returning to Beacon Hills is exactly what she needs.

Maybe this time, she'll be strong enough to discover the truth.

*Unknown Location*

"Patient 345 shows signs of awareness, sir. Following the results of last nights experiment we've succeeded in isolating the frontal persona from the others."

The man in the white coat hummed, but his eyes never drifted from the screen before him. The idle chatter of his assistant ignored in favour of his appraisal for the creature on screen.

"How long is the separation likely to last?" he demands interrupting their tirade of chatter.

"Uh, considering the… exhaustive exposure of last night's experiment? I'd estimate a month of control before the secondary conscience will push for command."

The man in the white coat grit his teeth with anger and turned from the screen to roughly grab his assistant.

"A month? I want a year! A lifetime! What else do I have to do to her before I can get what I want?" he screamed.

The assistant trembled in his hold but managed to stutter their response.

" P-perhaps, p-perhaps a m-more p-personal connection may further extend the intended conscience. A s-stronger connection with influence, sir?"

The man released his assistant with a thoughtful hum… his mind hard at thought. It came to him eventually and he turned to the screen with manic glee.

"Yes… a personal connection… certainly. I know exactly who to get…."

The screen flickered before steadying but the creature it depicted had yet to move. The being was strapped down tightly onto a cold metal table surrounded by water and floating appendages. It's eyes forced open by a metal head piece with a rubber gag stuffed in it's mouth. The table beneath it dyed blood red from the open oozing wounds across it's torso.

The screen flickered, changing angle to a birds eye view of the creature.

It's amethyst gaze burning with furious hatred.

And that's the First chapter for Book 2 ! :D

It's kinda surreal for me to be working on this fic again. I started this in my last year of high school, and now Book 2 is starting as I finish uni.

Freaking weird man.

Well, you'll be happy to know I've worked through my hatred for how the show ended. Even managed to reignite my love for the show. Though sadly, Teen Wolf still doesn't stream on Netflix in my country so I haven't been able to re-watch the show like I want. I could do it illegally but... no thanks.

I lost a chunk of my notes for this fic again. Only the hand written one's tho, my typed notes were safe. Unfortunately that meant I forgot a lot of my plot plans which led me re-reading this entire fic (again).

It's really weird to see how Araiya's character has developed since the first chapter. Not to mention the incredible amount of differences between cannon and my version.

In saying that, I feel I need to warn you all that it's only going to get more insane from here on.

As you could probably tell from this chapter, the Black family (My Oc's) are going to feature very heavily. In fact, I'll be working on two huge groups of characters at the same time. There'll be the McCall Pack/Parent Pack & The Black Family.

The aim is to have everyone meet and collide in Beacon Hills and make peace with each other. Which will lead into Book 3 where the focus will be on the great big war I've been hyping up.

As far as first chapters go, I hope this did okay.

I know there's a mighty bit I skimmed over and you probably have a lot of questions, but all will be answered in the end.

In saying that, please do review and comment what you thought.

I know this fic demands a boat load of patience, but I like to think it'll be worth it.

Remember, if you got questions, you just gotta ask and I'll do my best to answer with the next update :)

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THE SUPPORT!

XX