Olivia's POV:

I quickly look out the window to make sure there weren't any hunters yet and thankfully none had arrived.

I look over to everyone and see they were occupying themselves while they waited. Braeden was loading her gun, Kira was fiddling with the sword in her hand, Allison was sharpening her ring daggers, and Scott was in the middle of a conversation with Derek.

I walked over to Scott and Derek and I rub my hands together. "Nobody here so far." I spoke and Scott gave a small nod. I look behind Derek to see Satomi's pack and saw that they were talking among themselves. "Should we be worried?"

"They'll be okay." Scott tried to assure but Derek turned as well before glancing back to us.

"They've got claws and fangs, but they're not fighters." Derek coldly stated and started to walk towards Braeden.

"That why I called you." Scott added as we followed behind Derek.

"Well, try to remember I don't have claws and fangs anymore either." He pointed out.

"That's why he called me." Braeden spoke up as her, Allison, and Kira joined us.

"You know Derek, ever since we met, I've never seen you be positive about one thing." I remark as I gestured behind me. "For god's sake, I'd be surprised if you gave a motivational speech."

"Am I the only one still hoping this is all just a false alarm?" Kira worriedly asked. "I mean, it's possible we could wait here all night and nothing happens, right?"

"Well..." I trail off but Allison elbowed my hip for me to stay quiet.

"Have you guys heard anything from Stiles or Lydia yet?" Braeden questioned.

"I texted Lydia not too long ago and she said she's still talking to Meredith." Allison responded.

"Stiles and Malia are headed to the lake house. They're trying to stop it." Scott explained.

"What is there is no stopping it?" We all turn to see Brett with a curious look. "What if it doesn't end until we're all dead?"

"Then let's send a message. Let's make tonight perfectly clear to anyone with a copy of that list." Derek tried to explain, causing everyone to turn to him. "It doesn't matter if they're professional assassins, hunters, or an amateur who just picked up a gun." He lifted up his gun to show us. "Anyone who thinks they can hunt and kill us for money is gonna be put on another list. Our list. They get to be a name on our deadpool."

I look behind me and see some hopeful expression on the members' faces which causes me to smile before I turn to Derek.

"Now that..." I gesture to him. "was a motivational speech."

➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵

Nightfall arrived and I unzip my sweater, not wanting it to get ruined since the hunters were most likely arriving soon.

"Hey." I turn around and see Allison approach me with a bit of hesitation. "Just wanted to check in to see if you're doing okay."

"Well I was about to ask some of the members in Satomi's pack if needed anything," I say as I pull my arms out from my jacket. "but I feel awkward to ask since they're still on edge."

"Okay...but what about you?" She crossed her arms. "When my dad mentioned that you were second-highest on the list, you did that thing where you get nervous."

I raised a brow. "You were staring at me?"

"I'm serious, Olivia. It's okay to be afraid." She took a step closer to me. "I mean, I'm afraid for your safety."

"You don't need to worry about my safety. I can come back from the dead, remember?" I gesture to my body. "Perks of being a phoenix."

"Okay, but have you read the bestiary at all? Does it say that you can resurrect an infinite number of times?" She ranted and my eyes slightly widen. Now that I think about it, I don't think I've picked up the book to learn more about myself. "I knew it."

"I didn't say no!" I lift my hands in surrender.

"So you read it?"

"...No." I look away which earns a groan to escape from her lips.

"Olivia, what if the hunters finally have something that makes sure you stay dead? You can't just recklessly put yourself out there and expect to come out unscathed. I..." She slightly raised her voice but then paused, taking a deep breath before she continued. "Olivia, you're my first. That means something to me. You mean something to me. If something were to happen to you again and I didn't do everything in my power to stop it, I'd never be able to live with myself."

"I promise that won't happen. To prove it to you," I hand her my jacket which causes her to furrow her eyebrows in confusion. "put this on and give it to me once this is over."

"Olivia—"

The sound of a buzzer goes off, indicating that someone from outside set off the sensors.

"They're coming." Chris announced as he loaded the bullets into his gun. "Get ready."

Suddenly, cans were being thrown inside the warehouse and once it hit the floor, smoke began to come out which causes my eyes to widen.

"Get back!" Braeden shouted as she faced the group.

Allison and I quickly run over to one of the walls, our backs pressed against it, and instantly, bullets were being fired from the hunters.

Allison pulls her arrow back and tries to peek her head to the side, but quickly pulls back as several more bullets came close.

"I can't get a clear shot if I don't want to get my head blown off." She worriedly looks behind and sees her father firing round after round with his gun. "I can't see anything!"

"Just stay hidden," I say before I peek over the wall, seeing one of the hunters aim his gun somewhere else. "I'll get this one."

"Wait, Olivia!"

I quickly blast the flames on one of his arms, causing him to groan and I charge towards him, instantly igniting my hand into flames and swing my fist across his cheek.

He falls unconscious to the floor, but instantly a sharp pain hits my shoulder which causes me to stumble forward. I look behind and see one of the hunters who wore a smirk on their face which causes me to glare, feeling my eyes glow along with my hands heating up.

"Oh, now I'm pissed."

He continues to fire more bullets and I try to dodge a couple as I sprinted towards him, feeling another hit my hip and thigh but I push aside the pain.

I grab ahold of his gun, the weapon instantly melting under my hold but he slams the end of it against my cheek which sends me to the floor.

I attempt to push myself up from the ground but he straddles my body, clamping his hands around my throat which causes my eyes to widen as I tried to breathe for air.

"I'm doing whatever it takes to get my money." He growled, pressing his thumbs tighter against my throat and felt a burning sensation arise. "Even if it means I have to kill the girl with that stupid bow and arrow."

Just the thought alone made something inside me snap and I clamp my hands on his arms, instantly setting him ablaze which earned a cry of pain to escape from his lips.

He loosens his grip and I quickly force us to switch positions with a glare. I quickly take off his helmet and grab ahold of his head, before I smashed it against the floor as hard I could where it was enough to knock him unconscious.

"Get off of me!" I hear Allison cry out and I angrily look around for the voice, feeling my heart practically pounding out of my chest.

Not too far away, she was underneath one of the hunters who had one of her daggers in their hand, preparing to push it in her neck.

Before the blade could make contact, I tackle the hunter to the side and he lets out a grunt, trying to push me off of him but it was almost as if my strength doubled.

I angrily swung my fist across his cheek numerous times, feeling the blood stain my knuckles but the sight of seeing Allison close to dying again, I let out all of my aggression on him.

I yank his helmet off and press my hand against his throat, using the other to ignite into flames.

Assassins have been coming after my friends and me for far too long, almost killed Phoebe, and they threatened Allison's life.

They don't deserve my sympathy.

"Olivia, stop! Don't do it!" I hear Allison shout just before my hand made contact with the hunter's neck, seeing his mouth gurgle with blood as he shakily lifted his hands up to surrender. "You know this isn't you!"

The sound of buzzing comes from the man's pocket, along with the gunfire ceasing causes me to put out the flame from my hand. I slowly grab it out of his pocket and see that the buzzing had come from his phone.

I look at the screen and see the text message from the Benefactor.

ALL CONTRACTS TERMINATED.

I turn the screen for the man to see and his eyes widen slightly, shakily nodding before I get off of his body. He weakly pushes himself up from the ground before taking off to one of the exits.

Allison and I carefully walk over to where everyone else met up together, cautiously looking around but my eyes land on the numerous hunters that laid on the ground.

I nervously glance at Allison who didn't even bother to look me in the eye and instead, walked over to her father to pull him in a hug.

"Is it over?" I hear Kira whisper to Scott. He slowly nods in response and his gaze meets mine, his expression showing concern.

But was it truly over for us?

➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵ ➵

I sneakily open the front door but see Phoebe in the living room with a panicked expression as soon as she sees me walk in.

"What's wrong?" I whisper, carefully shutting the door behind me before I lock it. "Why are you still up?"

"I wanted to give you a heads up about your Mom." She whispered, briefly glancing upstairs before meeting my eyes again. "She was doing laundry and she saw the duffel bag, thinking you had your P.E clothes in there but saw the cash instead."

"Oh shit." I groan. "What did you say?"

"I panicked! I said I had to go to the bathroom but ran downstairs instead." She replied with slight hesitation and I pinch the bridge of my nose in annoyance. "She's waiting in our room though. Probably wants to talk to you."

"Thanks for the warning, I guess." I sigh and mentally prepped myself for the lecture as I went up the stairs.

The door to our room was wide open and I nervously take a step inside, seeing my mom with an unreadable expression as she sat beside the duffel bag filled with money.

"Hi, mom." I awkwardly greet. "How are you doing?"

"Olivia...where did you get this?" She rasped as I nervously approached her.

"I didn't rob a bank if that's what you're wondering." I try to lighten the situation. "This is half the payment from the deadpool. We got it from Garrett's locker."

She rose an eyebrow. "And who has the other half? Scott?"

"Uh..."

"I'll take that as a yes." She muttered. "This money belongs to Derek? How long have you had it in a gym bag inside your closet?"

"I don't know." I sigh and sit down on the other side of the duffel bag. "It's been way too long."

"You know the right thing to do is to give it back." She said and I nod in agreement. "Why haven't you yet, then?"

"As much as you don't want to admit it, but we're struggling," I say and gesture to the money. "What if this was given as our chance to help us?"

"Olivia, I know you have healing abilities to save other people's lives but you can't save them from life. You know that we can't take this as the easy way to survive."

"What if we could? Don't you know what just one stack could do?" I say and grab a stack from the bag and hold it for her to see. "This could help buy a new car instead of having to share and risk losing your job for being late." I grab two more stacks of cash. "This could help with Melissa's bills and not having to work a double shift." I grab two more. "This could pay for Stiles' MRI and Eichen House." I grab one more and place it on her lap. "This one means that you don't have to work the double shift at the hospital too and tiredly come home at two in the morning."

She gives a small smile and reached inside the duffel bag as well. "Can you tell me what else this could do?"

I grab the stack from her hand, seeing a couple of dried bloodstains which sent a sinking feeling in my stomach. "You're right," I mumble, putting the stacks of money back inside the duffel bag. "I'll drop it off at Scott's place before I go to school tomorrow."

"Good." She moved the duffel bag aside and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "Olivia, this isn't the first time we struggled. We dealt with the same thing in Miami and look where we're at right now."

"I know." I rest my head on her. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. We'll be okay."