AN: Hi everyone! I'm glad you all liked the last two chapters, and I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update! But I'm going to try to get another chapter posted in the next few weeks - but I have so many other stories and with work it will probably take a while - this draft fifteen of this chapter! Anyway, I hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think!

Derek was sitting on the edge of his childhood friend's bed, looking down at his hands. He had just finished catching her up with everything that had happened since she'd gone to England. He couldn't bear to look at her face, so he stared at his trembling hands. He started when a delicate hand covered his own and he heard her breathe,

"Oh, Derek." She sounded so heartbroken, but before Derek had the chance to move, think, to even begin to shrink in on himself in preparation for her hatred, he was in her arms, clinging to her, his head cradled against her breast, her fingers carding gently through his hair. She didn't say anything, just continued to hold him, petting him soothingly. Derek was stunned. Of all the reactions he had imagined when he had made the decision to tell her everything – to tell her the truth, because, out of everyone, she deserved it most – he had not expected this. He had not thought she would comfort him. Yet, here she was, her arms around him, exuding acceptance, calm, and – most impossible of all – love, as she comforted him. He hadn't dared hope for even a mildly positive reaction. Then her arms were leaving him and he froze. Had it been an act? Had she been lulling him into a false sense of security, giving him hope, only to rip it away? But she merely gripped his chin, kissed his brow, and said the last thing he ever expected to hear from any of the old Hale pack.

"I forgive you."

He stared at her in disbelief. She forgave him? How? He'd caused the decimation of their pack – their family – he couldn't even forgive himself. But, as she spoke the words, he felt a weight lift from him that he hadn't even realized he was carrying. He was brought from his thoughts by her pressing a chaste kiss to his lips.

"I love you," she continued, in the same soothing voice she'd spoken in before, "I don't blame you." She finished softly. He kept staring and she sighed, leaning in and nuzzling his cheek.

"I'm serious, Derek, I don't blame you – I never will – but I forgive you." She told him gently. Now he took her into his arms, holding her tightly. He buried his face in her hair.

"I don't deserve you." He choked, horrified to realize that he was near tears, but she ignored them, except to wipe away a few stray tears that had fallen from his eyes. She smiled up at him,

"You may not think so, but you have me, and the only way you're getting rid of me is if, as Alpha, you banish me from the pack." She told him firmly. He growled.

"Never." He swore. She laughed, cupping his face.

"Then, Derek Hale, you shall never be rid of me." She told him amusedly. He grinned, nuzzling her neck.

"Good."

She yawned, and he chuckled, looking at the clock. It was nearly two in the morning. He winced. He was pretty sure his friend had to wake her charge in the morning.

"I think the rest of our conversation will have to wait, you need to get at least a little sleep before you have to wake Harry up."

She looked at the clock and snorted.

"Damn, you're right." She looked at him with an unreadable expression, "Bring Isaac over later – I'll get a room set up for him and the two of you can stay here."

He stared at her again.

"You know we're both fugitives, right? From hunters and the police?"

She waved a dismissive hand.

"I'll get a lawyer on Isaac's case in the morning. As for the hunters – anyone or anything with ill intentions towards the inhabitants tries to step on the property will be fried – being friends with an English wizard has its benefits." She added with a grin. Derek arched a brow, and she rolled her eyes, still grinning.

"Not like that. Besides – Bill's into blondes." She added with a snicker. She had struck up a fast friendship with the redhead two years ago when they had met at the World Cup. He had volunteered to put up the wards around the house to her specifications when he'd heard why she was moving. The Weasleys were all rather fond of Harry, and none of them agreed with the Headmaster's decisions regarding the teen. She saw Derek shake his head and chuckled, leaning over to hug him.

"I'm serious, though, I want you both here by ten tomorrow morning." She added sternly. He laughed and mock saluted her as he stood.

"Yes ma'am." Then he kissed the top of her head and jumped from her window. She rolled her eyes. Honestly, the Hales were such drama queens.

Harry sighed as he sat beside Stiles. Scott was staring at him, and Stiles was watching his friend in exasperation.

"Dude, stop looking at him like some sort of freak show."

"Dude, he just said Derek had friends!"

"No, he said Derek has a friend, and that friend just so happens to be his guardian." Stiles corrected irritably.

"Derek doesn't like anybody!"

"He likes her." Harry snickered. Stiles looked at his new friend with interest.

"Oh?"

Harry shrugged.

"He and Isaac moved in with us after we broke Isaac out of jail, and he and Becca spend a lot of time together. At least, they do when Becca's not snarling at him for being an ass." He added with a smirk. Stiles snorted.

"So, not much then?"

Again, Harry shrugged.

"He's really not that bad – he just gets in these 'must keep everyone three arm-lengths away at all times to keep them safe' moods and Becca tears him a new one." He replied mildly. Stiles gave him a considering look. That actually explained a lot about the Alpha's attitude. Harry grinned at him, but before he could say anything else, Scott froze and looked to the door. Stiles and Harry followed his gaze in time to see Erica strut into the cafeteria. Lydia put her hands on the table and leaned in while Erica was taking a bite out of some kid's apple she'd stolen from his tray.

"What, the holy hell, is that?" she demanded incredulously.

"Erica." Scott replied in a stunned tone as the girl left the room. Scott and Stiles shared a look and scrambled after her. Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Hales." He muttered under his breath – and yes, he included those bitten by Hales as Hales. He turned to Lydia, "Sit with me, love. I've been told about your encounter with the psychopath and I believe I can answer a few of your questions."

Lydia immediately sat down.

"I'm listening."

Harry chuckled. Intelligent women were so predictable.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME I HAD BEEN BITTEN BY A WEREWOLF?!"

Harry was snickering as Scott, Stiles, and Allison all glared at him. He arched a brow.

"What? She deserved to know what had happened to her – as it did happen to her." He added pointedly. They all looked down and Lydia huffed and, to his and everyone else's surprise, placed herself in Harry's lap.

"Harry is my new best friend now." She told them factually, and Harry snorted, stroking her spine in a soothing manner.

"Don't be like that, love. They were just trying to protect you, misguided though their attempt was." He rolled his eyes when he saw Stiles glowering at him, "Don't look at me like that, Stiles. I'm bent."

Stiles rolled his eyes.

"I know that, but I wanted to sit there." He pouted. Harry blinked. The others stared in shock. Scott spluttered.

"I thought you liked Lydia?" he demanded in an almost wounded voice. As though Stiles had hurt him by not telling him that he was no longer interested in the girl. Stiles shrugged.

"I can like more than one person, Scotty, and I happen to be bisexual."

Scott looked bewildered. Harry however, was looking at the spastic boy in a new light. The Brit smirked.

"Oh, really?" he purred. Stiles smirked.

"Yep." He replied, popping the 'p'.

Lydia cleared her throat, gaining their attention. She pouted.

"You two can flirt later, I want to talk about this now." She commanded. Stiles and Harry both chuckled. Typical Lydia.

Becca tilted her head as she stared at the blonde in front of her. She looked at Derek in confusion.

"Why is the puppy trying to challenge me?" she asked curiously. Derek bit back a snort and shrugged.

"Instinct?" he suggested, not really caring. Brown eyes cut to Derek and Becca smirked.

"No, I think the pup believes she has a chance with you. She wants to challenge me for the position of Alpha Mate."

This time, Derek did snort. As if he would ever give that position to anyone but Becca. The only reason the two weren't mated was because they had agreed to take it slow and get to know one another again. After all, a lot had changed in the last six years. He sauntered towards Becca and slipped one hand around the back of her neck.

"Allow me to correct her assumption." He murmured huskily, not giving her a chance to respond before kissing her deeply. She hummed contentedly into the kiss, a happy growl rumbling in her chest. Eventually, the two did, regrettably, have to part for air. Derek, forgetting that his two betas were watching, lowered his head to nuzzle her neck at the juncture of her neck shoulder. He wanted to sink his teeth into the flesh there and mark her. However, she seemed to sense his intentions, because she took a step back and shook her head, smirking. He huffed and she chuckled.

"Train your puppies, Alpha. I'm going to go make snacks. I don't think Harry will be coming home alone." She added with a grin. Derek smirked, kissing her a second time, much more chastely, before he turned back to his betas. Isaac was avoiding looking at them, and Erica looked stricken. Derek arched a brow, and the girl's face cleared, though she had a calculating look in her eye that he didn't like. Maybe Rebecca was right. Maybe his entire pack, minus Harry and Rebecca, were doomed to dramatics due to Hale genetics that somehow transferred through the bite.

"Honey, I'm home!" Harry called as he entered the house that was now housing the Hale pack. He heard Stiles and Lydia both snort behind him and grinned, which widened upon hearing a call from the kitchen.

"In here, pet! Derek's in the basement, training the puppies." She added with a chuckle and Harry arched a brow.

"What happened?" he questioned curiously as he entered the kitchen, the others behind him. Becca snickered.

"The new pup wants Alpha Mate." She told him in amusement. Harry snorted. Loudly. Anyone with eyes and, in the case of the wolves, a functioning nose, could see that it was only a matter of time before Derek claimed Rebecca.

"Obviously she hasn't seen the goo goo eyes Derek is constantly making at you or she would understand she doesn't have a chance."

Becca chuckled.

"Oh, Derek made that very clear this evening." She replied with a smirk. Stiles and Harry both snickered. A throat cleared and the three looked to see Lydia, Scott, and Allison watching them, Lydia with amusement, Scott with surprise, and Allison with wariness. Rebecca's eyes lit up and she rounded the island where she had been preparing snacks for the teens.

"Harry, Stiles, you brought a banshee!" she sounded delighted. Lydia looked offended.

"Excuse me?"

Rebecca tilted her head and looked at the girl in seemingly innocent confusion.

"You didn't know?"

Harry cleared his throat.

"Bec, how did you know that?"

Rebecca turned to him with a frown.

"She smells like death and fear." She replied, as though the answer were obvious. Harry sighed.

"Bec, Allison, Stiles, and I don't have super wolfy senses."

She pointed at Scott.

"He does."

Stiles snorted.

"Yes, well, Scott's a bit of an idiot." He replied, and Becca nodded, as though this explained everything to her – which, to be honest, it kind of did. Scott looked offended.

"I am not an idiot!"

Now Becca snorted.

"Says the Omega dating a hunter." She snarked in reply. She rounded on the hunter in question.

"If you ever harm any member of my pack – and I'm including Stiles, Lydia, and Harry in that – I will hunt down you, and your entire family, and I will kill you slowly." She told the girl solemnly. Upon getting a wide-eyed nod, the she-wolf smiled brightly and went back around the counter, gesturing for the five teens to take a seat at the island.

"Fantastic! Would anyone like a snack? I have sandwiches, crisps, a vegetable tray with caramel dipping sauce, fruit salad, and a few bananas. Dinner is at seven for anyone who's staying." She added cheerfully. Harry had to laugh at the stunned expressions of the others. He grinned at them.

"She's willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, but, you are an Argent and she wanted to get the whole 'I-will-end-you-if-you-hurt-my-pack' thing out of the way before Derek could get to it."

"And Derek does not want the little Argent in the house." Said Alpha groused as he entered the kitchen. Rebecca snorted.

"Tough cookies, D. Where are the pups?"

He growled.

"Running."

She arched a brow. He huffed.

"They were whining."

She nodded as understanding flooded her features.

"Ah." She wrinkled her nose, "Well, you stink, so go take a shower, and I want the pups doing the same when they're done running. Which, by the way, had better be soon, because Erica needs to be home by nine and I promised her parents that she would be fed and her homework done." She told the Alpha sternly. He rolled his eyes and, just to annoy her, walked around the island and hugged her before he went to take the 'requested' shower. She wacked him with a dish towel as he left, gaining a chuckle in response.

"Prick." She muttered under her breath. That just caused Derek to actually start laughing, because, of course, he heard her. She turned back to the teens to see that Scott and Allison were staring at her in surprise, and Stiles in awe. Lydia and Harry looked amused. She frowned.

"What?"

Stiles grinned at her.

"You are my new hero." He told her solemnly. She stared at him in confusion for a moment, then she remembered the interaction in the Jeep, and laughed.

"What, with Derek? Benefits of being not only his oldest friend, but also the intended Alpha Mate." She told him with a grin. Scott looked at her in confusion.

"Alpha Mate?"

Becca nodded.

"Title is pretty self-explanatory. Basically, it means that the only person in the pack that I answer to is the Alpha. Below the Alpha Mate is the Alpha's second and third, then the pack's… enforcer… so to speak… followed by the rest of the pack." She finished, pursing her lips.

"Enforcer?" Stiles asked, intrigued. Becca grinned at him.

"Sorry, Stiles, but not with Mini Kate here – at least, not until Derek thinks she can be trusted." She added, staring Scott down when he tried to object. He scowled at her and she arched her eyebrows.

"Just because you want to be an Omega doesn't mean I will go against my Alpha to appease you. I don't know… Allison, was it? And after her aunt decimated my pack, I'm not about to trust any Argent. I've told you things that the Argents should be able to figure out for themselves. Besides, I don't want them going after Lydia because they think she's the new creepy-crawly running around Beacon Hills and want to kill her. They already tried to kill Isaac." She added with a growl. Allison frowned.

"You barely know Isaac." She pointed out, unnecessarily. Rebecca growled again, her eyes flashing amber.

"He's pack!" She snarled at the huntress. Harry laid a calming hand on her arm.

"She didn't mean anything by it, Bec. She's thinking as a human."

"But she's not just a human! She's a hunter! She needs to learn these things before she gets herself killed because she accidentally offended the wrong wolf!" Rebecca snapped. She took a deep breath and forced herself to smile.

"Help yourselves to the snacks. I'm going to check on Erica and Isaac. Then I'm going to call in a few favors." She added as she stalked from the room.

Rebecca was curled up next to Derek on the couch, Harry, Isaac, and Erica in a pile at their feet as they watched the second Pirates of the Caribbean movie when her phone rang. Derek paused the movie while she checked the caller I.D. and frowned. She put the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

Her eyes widened.

"Stiles, calm down." She ordered sternly, "Take a deep breath and tell me what happened." She continued when he stopped babbling. Her brow furrowed.

"Okay, I'll be right there. None of you move." She commanded. He said something else before she hung up. Derek looked at her questioningly and she leaned over to peck his lips as she stood.

"Lydia." She said by way of explanation, ruffling the pups' hair – and, yes, she did include Harry in that description – as she left the room.

"I don't know how long I'll be, so go ahead and finish the movie." She encouraged them as she looked for her keys and ran upstairs for her shoes. She smiled reassuringly at them as she walked towards the door.

"I'll call you when I head back. Don't wait up for me." She added, looking pointedly at the three teens, who stared back at her rebelliously. She snorted at the expressions, opened the door, and was gone.

Stiles watched as Rebecca's expression became darker and darker the more Lydia spoke.

"How long has this been going on?" she demanded of the redhead once she had finished. Lydia bit her lip.

"Since they found me in the woods." She admitted reluctantly. Rebecca stared at her for a moment, then shook her head and sighed.

"Okay, I think I have an idea of what's going on, but I don't want to say anything until I've confirmed my theory through other sources. I'm kinda hoping I'm wrong."

Stiles scowled.

"Why?"

She met his gaze solemnly.

"Because, if I'm right – it can't be stopped." She replied cryptically. Stiles watched helplessly as she then got back in her car and drove away.

"– I don't wanna be forced to pursue you." Rebecca felt her lips twitch and her eyebrows shoot up at the words as she approached her childhood home.

"Now, that just doesn't sound right." She said as she entered the burnt remains of the Hale house. She smirked at Argent's scowl, waltzing past him towards the stairs. There was a trick step where Peter had kept his laptop that only she had known about.

"Call off your dogs, Argent." She added in amusement.

"Who are you? And what are you doing here?"

She turned to him with an arched eyebrow.

"You can call me Rebecca. As to what I'm doing here – I grew up in this house, Mr. Argent. What's your excuse?" she replied coolly. Seeing the once grand structure in this state caused her almost physical pain. She had been fighting back a whimper since she had pulled up in the yard. She found what she was looking for and pulled it from the weak wood with ease. She heard the click of a gun and pulled the semi-automatic from her waistband, aiming it in the direction of the noise – much to the surprise of the hunters. She smiled sweetly.

"If you think I don't know how to shoot a gun just because I'm a member of the Hale pack, Argent, you're very sadly mistaken. Now, let the boy go, and if I find you on this property again, you'll suddenly find yourselves facing trespassing charges." She told him firmly. She ducked when she heard one of the guns go off and fired back with a snarl. She smirked when the hunter cried out in pain – she'd gotten him in the leg.

"You might want to go to the hospital for that – and remember – gunpowder residue doesn't wash off." She added with saccharin smile. Then she was gone, and Chris was wondering just what the hell his father had gotten him into.

Becca ran a hand through her hair in frustration as she approached the door to the veterinary clinic. She just hoped the man would be cooperative. She sighed as she opened the door.

"Alan, I need your help."