Allison's POV:

"It's always so cold here." I mutter, rubbing my arms for warmth as my dad and I approached closer to the armory room in the Argent Arms International building.

"It says a lot about what we're about to face." He whispered.

"You don't think Gerard will agree with peace?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"We're just here to show that we know Gerard is behind it all."

We turn to enter the armory and my eyes slightly at the sight of the packaged crates filled with guns and ammo stacked practically to the ceiling on top of the shelves.

I share a hesitant look with my dad, seeing that he knew exactly what I was feeling. These guns were enough for war.

"I take it you're not here to rejoin the fight." The familiar raspy voice remarked.

I look away from the crates and turn, meeting Gerard's unamused expression as he continued to screw in the bolts to the mid-built crossbow.

"We're here to stop it." My dad simply answered, taking a few steps closer to the table Gerard sat in front of. "We want to talk."

"So, it's 'we' now, huh?" Gerard dryly chuckled. "It's not too late for you to switch, Allison."

"I'll never abandon the code to switch over to a side with no morals." I scoffed. "I'm not going against my real family."

"Family?" He mocked, shaking his head in disbelief. "They're toxins to our society."

"We want to propose a meeting." I sternly state and move to stand in front of the table across from him. "We don't want any sort of conflict but we want to negotiate a peaceful solution before this gets out of hand."

Gerard stops screwing the nail and looks up to meet my eyes. "If Scott McCall is so keen on meeting, he can ask me himself."

"Well, I thought, given the history the two of you share, this seemed like the wiser choice." My dad remarked.

"Funny you say that since the last bullet I took was fired by you." He emphasized before his eyes landed on mine. "And you, my dear granddaughter, released an arrow as a warning shot and pointed another at my head."

"Only because you had a gun aimed at my girlfriend's head." I hissed.

"Allison." My dad warningly spoke and I huff, taking a step back to stand behind him. "If you still believe in the code, you'll meet with him."

Footsteps approached behind and I turn, seeing as a muscular man twice our size threateningly glared at my father and I with a shotgun in his hand.

"Don't worry," Gerard innocently smiled at the man behind us. "they're just the messenger."

"What is the message we're taking back?" My dad questioned with annoyance laced in his tone. "What do I tell Scott?"

"You tell him to run."

Phoebe's POV:

"I overheard Nolan talking to Gabe." Corey suddenly spoke up from behind which causes me to jump at his voice.

"You're spying on them?" Mason asked in disbelief.

"Since he stabbed me? Yeah!" He scoffed, continuing to keep up with our pace in the school hallways as he looked at Liam. "Nolan's gonna try to get you to shift. He wants proof, and he wants everyone to see it."

"In class?" I asked with shock. "There's no way the teachers would stop everything they're doing."

"So what's he gonna do?" Liam worriedly questioned.

"I don't know. That's all I heard."

Liam pauses near the guidance counselor's office and slowly turns to the hallway we just walked from, his brows creasing with worry.

"Could you stop obsessing about what people are saying?" Mason sighed but Liam quickly shook his head.

"Nolan's coming."

Liam tries to turn to the exit but I grab his arm. "If you go that way, who knows if they have other people already waiting to drag you off of campus to do something worse."

"Well do you have any better ideas?" Liam exasperated.

I look around us, searching for any other solutions until my eyes landed on the guidance counselor's door.

"I do." I state before pulling open the door and dragging us both inside before I slammed the door shut.

Liam quickly brings the small curtain down and lets out a sigh of relief. "Nice thinking."

"Uh...hey guys?" I freeze at the sudden voice from Ms. Monroe and slowly turn around, meeting her confused expression.

"Oh, sorry!" I quickly say with a nervous smile. "We didn't--"

"I thought we had an appointment." Liam interrupted.

Ms. Monroe warmly smiled. "Not that I'm aware of...?"

"I think what he meant to say was...we wanted to make an appointment." I explain with a small smile.

"Great! When?"

"Uh--"

"Now." I cut him off again. "If you're available."

"I'm kind of in the middle of something--" I proceed to take a seat as Liam did the same. "...but, I guess it can wait."

"So, we're having a lot of issues." I awkwardly clear my throat, placing my binder and backpack near my feet. "Big issues, lots of issues concerning our friendship."

"I wouldn't say they're that big--"

I fake a smile, fighting the urge to roll my eyes at Liam's comment. "They're pretty big, Ms. Monroe."

"Well...if we get to the source of what caused these issues, let's start with the beginning. Phoebe, why are you not happy with Mr. Dunbar?"

"He hid something from me when I was going through a tough time of my breakup in the summer." I explain and her eyes slightly widen in curiosity. "It played a part in the reason why my ex-girlfriend left Beacon Hills."

"I see...and what did that make you feel?"

I fiddle with my fingers. "It hurt, but I think what made it worse was that he's one of my closest friends. Even if he would've told me, I--"

Liam shook his head in disbelief. "I told you, I didn't want you to suffer more from your breakup, Phoebe."

"Mr. Dunbar, it's still Phoebe's turn." Ms. Monroe gently warned before turning to me. "Go ahead, continue."

"I would've understood why you hid it from me. I mean, I would've been mad but then I could have eventually gotten over it. You're my best friend." I mutter.

Ms. Monroe nodded with a sympathetic smile. "Very good, now Mr. Dunbar, is there a reason why you hid something like that from Ms. Jimenez?"

"Back then, there was...just a lot on my plate. Especially since now that I have to rely on some of my decisions on my own without help," Liam softly answered. "I feel a bit on edge."

"I know. I heard a rumor going around." Ms. Monroe nodded in understanding.

Liam's brows narrow. "What--What kind of a rumor?"

"Some kids are giving you a hard time?"

"Kinda...?"

"I'd like to help. But, you're gonna have to be honest with me, Liam. I need to know who's harassing you." She stated seriously.

He sat up a bit straighter, confusion still evident in his expression. "Why?"

She shrugged. "I think I can give them a little direction."

He scoffed. "They're already directed...at me. Even Phoebe for just being associated with me."

"I won't condone bullying of any kind. You don't have to think of it as turning them in. You're just helping them be better classmates." She reassured before digging through her desk and pulling out a small notepad. "I'm going to need their names."

I watch as she briefly picked at her neck before jotting something down on the notepad, but I couldn't help but stare at the dry-bloodied scratch mark on her neck.

"What happened?" Liam questioned, seeing as he kept his eyes on the scratch mark as well.

"Excuse me?"

"The scratches. Uh, how'd you get them?"

"Oh, um, from a branch in the woods." She lightly chuckled, grazing her neck with her hand to show it wasn't that serious. "Why don't we get back to you?"

"What were you doing in the woods?" Liam persisted, ignoring her question.

"Running."

"From who?"

"Whom." Ms. Monroe emphasized, leaving Liam's expression to shift into confusion. "'From whom?' Not 'From who?' 'Whom' is grammatically correct. We don't like to use it because it sounds unnatural. But, some things that make us uncomfortable are still the right thing to do."

Almost as if the atmosphere shifted, I tap Liam's knee, indicating for us to leave. This was the woman who poisoned Brett. The same woman who had help from Gerard to lead Brett and Lori to their demise.

The new hunter.

"So...whom were you running from?" Liam sternly emphasized.

Ms. Monroe's expected calm demeanor was completely washed away and replaced with a more serious manner. "Liam, are you gonna give me the names or not?" He stays silent at the question in which she tilted her head upward with a sigh, leaning back into her chair. "Then I guess I can't help you."

"It's alright," I nervously laugh, reaching for my bag and binder from the ground. "You helped us talk things out, Ms. Monroe. Thanks." I say as I stand to my feet with Liam reluctantly following behind.

I shut the door behind us and I worriedly turn to Liam. "Okay, that was--"

"Intense." He finished with a sigh. "We've got to tell Scott."

Olivia's POV:

"Dad--"

"I told you. I warned you, Olivia." My dad scolded as he and my mom towered over me as I sat on the living room couch. "You shouldn't have stayed."

"Thomas. Relax." My mom warned.

"Relax? You want me to relax?" He raised his voice. "Elizabeth, you heard Argent. Gerard isn't interested in negotiating so Olivia has to go. They all have to get out of Beacon Hills before more lives are lost. This guy wants genocide for god's sake!"

"There's no way an old man can be that furious at Scott, right?" My mom worriedly asked me. "He has no reason to be mad at you either."

I inhale through my teeth with an awkward smile. "Well...in his eyes Scott killed half his family, turned his daughter into a werejaguar, turned Argent, his only son, against him." I hesitantly explain before I gesture to myself. "And you know, his granddaughter is dating a supernatural and turned her against him."

"Which is why you, Allison, and the rest of your friends need to leave. Hell, take Phoebe with you just in case." My dad emphasized. "You all deserve to live a normal life."

"Thomas, do you honestly think they will leave them alone if they left? You said it yourself, Gerard wants to kill them all and would chase after them." My mom countered before turning to me. "I agree with Melissa on this one, don't let this scummy old man force you out of the city in fear of being something that you are. I've raised you better not to run away and you're not going to start now."

I nod in agreement. "It's home. I can't abandon a place I consider home."

"But Olivia...you could still die." My dad softly spoke. "You sacrificed your ability to resurrect from the dead to save Phoebe. What if this is the one fight you don't come back from?"

I stand up from the couch and grab onto both of my parents' hands with a small smile. "I promise we'll be safe." I reassure. "Even if there's a fight, no one's going to die on my watch, I promise."

"There doesn't have to be a fight." The three of us look up and turn, seeing as Scott entered the house with his phone lit up in his hands. "Sorry to barge in but this is important."

I furrow my brows in confusion. "What do you mean?"

He hands the phone to me, showing me the text messages between him and Liam. "Tamora Monroe. She's the new hunter."

"Okay, then let's find her." I say but he quickly shakes my head. "What?"

"Allison and Lydia are already on it. If we go, she'll run off and assume it's an attack since we're both supernaturals."

Allison's POV:

"You wanted to see me?" I hear Ms. Monroe ask, watching as Lydia innocently smiled as soon as the woman walked in. "Sorry, I must be in the wrong place. Someone said Ms. Martin was looking for me."

"Oh, it's the right place," Lydia lightly assured as she gestured to the desk behind her. "wrong Ms. Martin."

"I know who you are, Lydia." Ms. Monroe took a few steps closer, giving me a clear view of the two. "So, what am I here to talk to you about?"

I close the door behind her which causes Ms. Monroe to turn with a brow raised, seeing the realization fill in her expression that it isn't just only them two. "Coexistence."

Ms. Monroe's eyes flicker up and down, sizing me up until they slightly widen in recognition. "Allison Argent. Gerard's...?"

"Granddaughter." I finish with a fake smile, not too happy at the title.

"Ex-protégé." She slowly nodded. "It's a shame you were deterred from the path he set for you."

"It wasn't for me." I answer, ignoring the memories from when Gerard manipulated me. "I wanted to follow a new code where it goes for everyone that can't defend themselves."

She tilts her head to the side with an amused look. "Is that so?"

"Which brings up the term Allison mentioned!" Lydia clapped her hands together, breaking the staredown between Ms. Monroe and I. "Coexistence. For people like you two...and people like me."

"That's a bit of a challenge," Ms. Monroe scoffed. "especially considering people like you aren't quite the same as people like me."

"That's usually where coexistence breaks down," Lydia gently smiled as she gestured for Ms. Monroe to sit down in the two chairs behind her. "when we highlight our differences."

Ms. Monroe takes a seat as Lydia sits down in front of her and I lean against the wall behind. "What is it you really want, Lydia?" She questioned, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"We want a peace summit." I simply answer. "We asked Gerard and he refused."

"Then you got your answer."

"Which is why we're asking you to convince him to meet." Lydia quickly explained. "What if you're the only one that can stop this?"

She tilted her head to the side. "What if I don't want to?"

"Then why did you become a guidance counselor? You didn't become one to hunt people." I point out. "You're supposed to help them."

"I'm sorry. I can't help with this." She shrugged. She tries to stand up from the chair but instantly Lydia grabs onto her wrist, keeping her in place. Ms. Monroe's eyes slightly widen in realization but Lydia quickly pulls away. "Is that how you do your predictions? You have to touch someone?"

Lydia slowly leaned back into her seat. "No."

"Then how do you do it? How do you know who's gonna die next?"

She lets out a groan. "There doesn't have to be a next! On either side. I--"

Noticing her discomfort, I take a step forward to stand next to Lydia and place my hand on her shoulder. "All we want is peace. You don't seem like the type that enjoys conflict so please don't let this escalate into something worse for both sides." I softly plead. "Convince Gerard to meet for the peace summit."

Her expression softens as she glances between Lydia and I before giving a resolute nod.

"I'll see what I can do."

➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵

"So...just like that?" Olivia grunted as we carefully carried the heavy box to my room. "She agreed?"

"Mhm. In the underground tunnels." I say as I step over the wrinkled rug. "We can place this here."

We slowly drop the box near the dresser with sighs of relief. "I need a break." She muttered before laying flat on my bed.

I chuckle at her tired expression before walking over to lay down next to her and wrapping my arms around her torso. "Five minutes because I don't think Malia and Lydia will like it if they saw us taking a break without telling them." She simply nods but I poke her face with concern. "What's wrong?"

"Isn't it sort of weird that Monroe chose that place specifically?" She worriedly asks.

"Gerard's recruiting new Hunters, and he's murdering innocent supernaturals that just want to live out their lives." I grab onto her hand to play with her fingers. "He's not gonna stop unless Scott can convince him that we're not his enemy."

"I know that but...it feels off." She muttered. "There's no way it's not a trap."

"That's because it is!" Olivia and I jump at the voice and look up, seeing Malia stand near the doorway with a look of annoyance before dropping the duffel bag on the chair. "Scott is gonna get himself killed and all we're doing is nothing!"

"I wouldn't say nothing." Lydia emphasized as she walked into the room, placing the small box near the closet. "We're killing time by helping our friends with their things."

"What we should be doing is heading over there as backup." Malia emphasized. "We need him!"

"I've never seen you this worried since the tunnels." Olivia raised a brow in suspicion. "Or in general."

She furrows her brows in confusion. "Well, Scott's the leader. We can't lose him."

"Not more than that?" Lydia questioned.

"What else would it be?"

My eyes widen in realization and I turn to Olivia. "Are they...?"

"No, but I don't think either of them realize it yet." She snorted.

"Normally I'd be confused and ask what the hell are you two giggling about but I don't care." Malia harshly remarked, causing Olivia to immediately stop laughing. "Either you guys join me to go after Scott at the peace summit or I'm going alone."

Malia pushes past Lydia to walk out of the room in which Lydia hesitantly glances between us and the werecoyote. "Lydia." I warn.

She shrugged. "She might have a point. It doesn't hurt to have backup."

"Then I guess we're going."