chapter eight.

        "YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS, Chris!" Their shouts have been ricocheting off the walls since she came home early (... due to SATs. She has taken it in freshman year because she didn't know whether she was going to continue going school or not. ) it wasn't hard to figure out what they're arguing about, and she knew if they heard her come they'd fall into an act and pretend nothing was wrong so she climbed in through her bedroom window and has been listening on the stairs. "We came back for you, to avenge your family and this is how you treat us?"

"I am thankful you did that, Eden." Chris assured. Their voices were deadly calm, it was intimidating to listen to, not knowing who was going to strike first. "But there isn't need. I've come to peace with it and we've got a much bigger situation."

"What could be bigger then you defending the same beasts that terrorize your home?" Mom asked, she caught a glimpse of her pacing. Veronica agreed, the Argents have been around for over forty years and in less than a month Scott broke them apart, it is impressive if they hadn't been the reason for Uncle Chris to lose everything.    "How can you save the ones that have taken everything from you?"

"They're not the problem." Chris insisted.  "You said you came here to help me, then help me find Kate and, and put her down."

"She's in Beacon Hills?" She asked, her voice quieter in surprise.  "What does she want?"

"I don't know." He answered.  "That's why need your help." Veronica didn't think Kate was that big of deal, sure she cheated the hunter code but there are other hunters who could deal with that like people other than her parents; she doesn't need coming with bones that aren't theirs sticking out of their bodies.

* * *

"SHOULD SHE REALLY BE here?"

You could guess quite easily who said that. You'd think after she helped save Brett's life instead of ending it he put a little more faith in her.  "Have you fought a Berserker before?" Just thinking about made her fingers curl, she's beheaded vampires and stomped on murderous fairies but the thought of those bone creatures made her stomach twist. Her fingers taps on her brand new laptop, "No. Playing with light stabber in your room alone won't help you."

"Lightsaber. We get it, you hunt monsters but we've been doing perfectly fine before you came." Stiles argued, across from her glaring hard. She hummed and stuck her middle finger right to his face and he returned it gladly. Jeez she hates his face.

"Guys, Stop now is not the time." Scott intervened, grabbing their wrists and places it back on the table. Though the glare on their faces remained.

"Is three enough?" Kira spoke up after a few seconds, wide eyes glimpsing at Scott.

"Depends on how many cameras they have." Stiles answered, shifting his closed laptop. "But I think so."

"Are we really doing this?" Liam asked. She didn't need to be a werewolf to smell the anxiety reeling out of him.

"We're doing it." Scott insisted with a firm nod. "Tonight."

"But isn't it kind of dangerous?" Liam fired back.

"This plan is incredibly dangerous. And borderline idiotic." Veronica answered, biting her bottom lip. Kira is in inexperienced Kitsune, so many things could wrong in this plan the biggest one being Scott dying. The amount of money she'd earn for her family  and like she said before, if the head gets cut off then the bodies will die but that was before she knew Peter Hale was lurking around and for some reason keeping quiet, was that because of Scott? Does he have something over him and if he does, what would Peter do to those around him if Scott died?

"Have you guys done something like this before?" Liam's voice brought her back, his hands hitting the table lightly to ease his nerves.

"Something dangerous?" Stiles inquired before Scott could. "Or something idiotic?"

"I think it's a yes to both." Kira piped up, bobbing her head.

"You don't have to be part of it if you don't want to." Scott reassured, an honesty in his eyes that made you know he wouldn't judge you, it looks comforting to Veronica even though he wasn't looking at her.

His shoulders squared and chest puffed unintentionally, stating, "I'm not scared."  Veronica felt her lips quirked, he reminds her of Yoselin in a strange way; constantly worrying about their safety and yet when asked to back down she refuses.  It's an admirable trait, not that she'd tell either of them.

"Then you're borderline idiotic." Stiles winked, slapping a hand on his shoulder. All humor drains from his face when he looks away from him, "If we do this, we don't know what's coming for us. You know that, right?"

"How do we even know something's definitely coming?" Kira questioned.

"Because the tape from Garrett's bag said visual confirmation required." Scott replied.

"Simon said the same thing. He couldn't get paid by The Benefactor until he had proof that you guys were dead." Stiles explained. Nothing about this was news to her so she kept her mouth shut looking confused so they wouldn't get suspicious.

"So the idea is, what if you kill someone on the dead pool, but you can't send the proof?" Scott continued, eyes flickering around the group lingering on Veronica who was tracing the symbol on her laptop.

"...You don't get paid." Veronica finished, grinning at Scott.  Their plan wasn't out of the world but they're doing something, saving the supernatural people from a horrific death and she's liberating hers from death too. Weird, they actually have something in common.

"But how does that get us any closer to The Benefactor?" Liam questioned, looking at the older teens.

"He still needs to know if the target is really dead." Scott explained.

"Especially if it's someone high on the list." Stiles added.

Catching on, Liam nods fist tapping the table, "So, if he wants visual confirmation..."

"He's going to have to come get it himself."

* * *

STRETCHING HER ARM OVER her head to keep her nerves from spiraling. There are many reasons for her to be anxious about tonight, people in the hospital could get hurt, Scott could die before she figures out what keeps Peter under control, the Berserkers could show up. She texted Yoselin and Perseus telling them about the plan (... strictly telling them not to come. ) since between them three it's an unspoken rule whenever one goes out towards danger the others follow, always.

She doesn't know why she stayed with him whilst everyone else separated to do their part of the plan, maybe because she has nowhere to be and being with him is intriguing; he's showing her the lighter side of the ones she hunts without even realizing it. Veronica still believes Scott McCall must die, maybe once he does then she could take control of him ━ not in the cliché villain way more like he'd quiver at the sound of her name, imagine having that kind of power over somebody she wouldn't know how to act.

"Was that a tattoo?" Scott asked, sounding almost timid when she looked at him leaning on the banister above her his cheeks rosy a hand behind his neck.  "On your ribs. It's looks pretty cool, does it mean anything?"

She wanted to laugh, an Alpha getting flustered from catching a peek at the tattoo on her ribs. It's fucking adorable ━ she's lying it's not (... it totally is. ). Her heeled boots was tapping the wall debating on whether or not to speak about it, it's apart of her family legacy who wouldn't be proud to talk about it.   "It's a tradition in my family whenever a hunter completes their training we get a Tribal Warrior tattoo."  Lifting up her cropped top just below her bra, Scott clears his throat and hesitantly nears it admiring it.

"What does it mean?" He asked, leaning on the step below her flickering his eyes to look at her for a second then back at the tattoo.

Having his eyes on her naked skin made her heart beat a bit too fast, it was strange ━ a nice strange like he wasn't looking at her as someone with a pretty face or a murderer just looking at her just because, Veronica doesn't know how to explain it so she pushes it down and ignore it, she shouldn't be feeling this way about an Alpha werewolf.

Swallowing, her eyes remained on his face just taking it in for a few more seconds. "It represents a connection to family, honor, and a fearlessness to combat any opponent no matter how large."

"It sounds beautiful." Scott admitted, his hand reaching forward and stopped realizing what he was about to do. "Can I?"  She blinked at him copping on after a few seconds nodding. His cold fingertips touched her warm skin it was... relaxing, it felt nice his finger tracing the design with this amazement in his eyes that made her bit her bottom lip to keep herself from smiling. "Do you think our lives will always be like this?"

The moment his fingers left her his spell on her broke, she straightens serving around placing her boots on the same step as him taken back from the question and the faraway look in his eyes.

"I think so. Danger never takes a breather."  Veronica answered, her shoulders shrugging. She's made her peace with it. "I'm fine with it though, I already know how my story ends."

His head tilted, looking back at her. "Your end?"

"How I die." She answered, leaning her head on the wall, the exotic sensation of his fingers on her skin pushed behind a locked door. Talking about death is like talking about the weather to her at this point, it doesn't scare her because she's imagined it so many times. "It's at the edge of a blade or the barrel of a gun. That's how it's destined to be."

"You can't believe that, Veronica." Scott argued, eyebrows furrowed. "You have a choice, we all do. It doesn't always have to revolve around this."

"They'll always need us though." Veronica retorted, glossed lips pursed. Not yet has she meant someone in her generation that done something other than hunting in their lifetime so why should she be different? Thats just way it is. "And I'm okay with that."

"I'm not." Scott disagreed, standing up on the stairs. "We can find a way to make things work. Not everything in our lives has to be supernatural. Maybe some could just be... natural."

Yeah right. That could never work for either of them, especially not with the blood on her hands.

"Even with so many people dying around?" Veronica asked, wondering how deep does this weird optimism goes living in a town that the Grim Reaper calls his home.

"Yeah." He has a boyish smile that made her want to smile, he held his palm out for her to take but if she does, what would it mean? Trust. If she takes his hand then he'll trust her to help him get through this and she will, because in the end all he'll have to worry about is whether he'll see his friends up there. Her palms fits right in his and he pulls her up, his glimmering eyes looking at her again like he done before. "We could make it work."

Veronica is broken out of her memories at the sound of Ms. McCall walking through the morgue doors sniffing, no one dares to speak noticing the tear stains on her cheeks and the puffiness around her eyes. Stopping in front of her son's corpse, she reminds them. "I still hate this plan. I mean this is pretty significantly terrifyingly. He looks dead."

Her parents would never let her die for a minutes even for a plan.

"Give me your hand." Ms Yukimura says, expression stoic holding out her hand for her. Ms. McCall looks to Stiles for reassurance.

With glossy eyes and thumb between his lips, he nods. It's okay."  Seeing him like this made her feel nothing; no sympathy or anything else, it's normal right. Ms. McCall gasps her hand on his cold skin over his heart feeling no beat. "Wait for it."

Relief noticeably courses through her bones that makes the corner of Veronica's mouth twitch. She asks. "Is that enough to keep a werewolf alive?"

"Enough for an Alpha." Ms Yukimura corrected.

"How much time do we have?" Ms. McCall questioned, hand still over his heart watching him.

"Forty-five minutes."

"What happens after that?"

"I bring him back the same way." Kira piped, stepping forward into the light next to Veronica.

"No, I mean what happens if he stays like this longer than forty-five minutes?" Ms. McCall repeated, glimpsing away from him and to them. Veronica swallowed a scoff knowing this wasn't the time nor place, it makes sense why she had gone through it now because she hadn't known about the consinquences.

Ms Yukimura arched an eyebrow glancing around the teens in disbelief. "No one's told her?"

"What?" She demands at their silence, straighten eyes sharp. "What happens after forty-five minutes?"

It was silent, nobody daring to say the words out loud so Veronica does. "He dies."

* * *

THE BENEFACTOR HASN'T BEEN somebody she was interesting in discovering since they'd each done their own part in their jobs. Nothing they did affected her because she was doing her job, keeping people safe from terror whether they knew it or not. It always has been like that then money was brought on the table, everyone lies saying money doesn't bring you happiness it does in more than one way. This person helped her family and the people of Beacon Hills, sure people die everyday from natural causes but here nothing is ever natural about it.

"Is that supposed to look like that?" Liam questioned, squeezing himself forth in between Stiles and Kira to point at the middle laptop bottom left camera that went grey.

"No. No, it's not." Stiles confirmed, hands pressed on the bed before he began clicking keypads to get it to work but it done nothing.

"Where is that?" Kira asked, not recognizing the number on the screen. If it went out then that means there's somebody out there that wants their attention, clearly a trap but Veronica knows how to slither how of those.

"The roof." She wasn't surprised he knew the answer just maybe wanted to know why he does. "Someone's gonna have to check it out."

"Me." Veronica volunteered immediately. She was tired of standing and doing nothing, she wants action and if it comes with a side of pain then she'll take it. It's better than dying slowly of boredom waiting for someone who might or might not show.

Kira nods, having partly the same idea as her. "Yeah, I'll come too."

"I don't need your help." Veronica argued, the handle of her dual kindjal keeping her from taking another step. "I can handle this on my own."

"I know you can." Kira agreed. "But I want too." She held her stare and thinks back to the Berserkers, they could be out there waiting for and not that she needs her help but there is safety in numbers. She nods.

"Whoa, whoa." Stiles intervened, a causation in his voice. "This might not just be a malfunction."

"That's why I'm bringing this." Kira yanked back a maroon sheet revealing her sword and Veronica took it out of her bag.

"Try not to cut yourself while we're out." Veronica taunted over her shoulder, tucking her hair back with her wooden sticks.

"I'm coming with you." Liam shouted, sprinting after them.

"Try not to cut yourself." He mocks in a childish voice making her eyes rolls. "Okay. And you're all coming right back. Immediately. Kids."

"Any quick tips?" Kira murmured, storming down the dimmed hallway Liam trudging behind them.

"I'll tell you when I figure them out." Veronica replied, shooting her a tight lipped look.

"We'll be fine." Liam voiced in a chirpy tone. She doesn't say anything not wanting to break his confidence. The power in the building go out and the three freeze momentarily before sprinting to the rooftop, the cold air hitting them immediately. At the sight of its bone back, Liam growls; fangs and claws bared and runs straight into battle. The Berserker dodges all his punches with ease then throws him across the roof and into a chain link fence. Veronica bits her bottom lips, Kira swings her sword when it's eyes fall on her next.

Veronica chosen to go around the fences behind it trying to find any weaknesses or gaps in its suit of amour, every inch of its skin was covered in bones. Kira is punched down to the ground knocking her out too leaving her alone with it, her hand threatens to tremble but takes a deep breath reminding herself, if it can bleed then it can die. She leaps on top of a wide tube and sliced its shoulder and stomach, it stumbles. Veronica cuts and swings around it, falling on her knees and smacked it leg with her foot but it does not affect it. She pants, tryin to keep her mind from racing and distracting herself. Kicking it's leg again and tried to trip it up only making it stumble due to its heavy weigh, it grabs her her shoulders and uses her legs pushing him from her breaking out if it's hold and lands on the ground.

She winces shoulders aching, her weapons slipping out of her hands. Get up. Get up. Get up. The ground thunders with every step he takes towards her, she picks herself back by the time she turns around to get her weapon it'd probably have a bone through her spine. A growl caught their attention, Liam crouched on top of the fence.  Jeez why couldn't he let her handle this!? He leaps off the fence and it caught him by his throat, he scratches it but it proves useless.

"You really shouldn't have thought we'd listen."  She heard a voice chirp behind Liam, recognizing it wouldn't having to think.  Red and orange flames burst in its direction tinting its bones charcoal, Liam falls out his grasp shielding himself and the Berserker growls a arm over its face trying to shield itself.  Veronica takes a head start once the flames stop leaping, her legs clutching its thrust and grips its face  ━  destroy the head and the body will die. It's bones sink into her shoulders and she shouts in pain, it's arm are snapped the bones cracking under pressure on arms, she couldn't glimpse to see who it was feeling the wind hit her as she fell her heart threatening to jump out of her throat.

Her feet smacked onto the ground fingers aching still trying to force it apart, she couldn't feel it's skin only the rough bone sharp enough to cut her fingers. The bone face shifted but she couldn't take it off, not with her human strength.  Her body is yanked off it and she catches sight of Perseus swinging a hammer straight for its head dust splattering everywhere.

Perseus chokes, wiping the dust from his eyes and shouts.  "I think it got in my mouth!"

Yoselin breathe out a laugh, still clutching her eldest's sister by her underarms on the ground.  "Stop being a pussy."

The tension in her shoulder had disappeared the moment they'd gotten here and now that monster was turned to dust, she was act relieved to see their annoying faces. And even cracked a smile.

"I could've handled this would you."  Veronica comments, breathing through her mouth as stands up collecting her dual kindjas from the ground then looks back at Perseus and Yoselin, man have the grown from babies who could barely lift their heads to warriors.

"Yadda yadda yadda."  Yoselin mocks, picking up her flame through.  "I'd rather not pretend I haven't heard that one before."

"Is dust suppose to have a taste?"  Perseus interrupts, standing in between them eyebrows draw still littered with beige dust.  "'Cause I can taste it."  In sync both girls roll their eyes.

"Veronica." Liam called. Her eyes found him Kira already gone to bring Scott back to life.  "We gotta check on Scott."

"Right. Eh Liam, meet my brother, Perseus and sister, Yoselin. Brats, meet Liam."  Veronica introduced half heartedly, he held his hand out for them to shake but she snatched his wrists before their hands could touch dragging him away.  "As always, your services were a six out ten. Go home and I'll explain everything when I get there."   They didn't have time to argue because she shut the door in their faces.

"Wow," Liam breathes out as they ran down the empty staircase and into the hallway, she shoot him a perplexed look.  "So, being a badass runs in the family?" She laughed, though it was interrupted by Melissa screaming for help.

"Find Kira." Ms. McCall demanded when Liam kneeled besides Ms. Yukimura, her hand over her gushing thigh. A doctor rounds the corner with a gurney lifting her onto it with Veronica's help.

Due to Liam being fastest (... only because of his werewolf speed. ) he burst into the room first breaking Kira and Scott apart though when their eyes lands on him he struggles to find the right words.  Veronica arrives, leaning on the doorframe panting.

"Kira."

"What?" She asks. Veronica smacks Liam telling to speak because her lungs are being dramatic bitches.

"It's your mother..." He stammered. "She's hurt." Kira didn't waste time sprinting out the door, Veronica rests her hands on her hips strolling over to Scott, his skin brighter and breathing. His arms latch her waist tight like it's been awhile since he's seen her, it has to be one of the weirdest reactions she has gotten so please explain why she's smiling then?  Her eyes happen to meet Stiles and quickly looked away and pats Scott's head lightly unsure where her hands should be.

"Its nice to see you breathing again." Veronica said, lips pursed to the side when he pulled back, eyeing the other cabinets that maybe contained bodies.

She could feel the sunshine radiating off him, she took one peek and was nearly blinded by his smile.    "The feeling is mutual."

"We get it, you're both breathing."  Liam grumbled from behind.  She shoot him a glare over her shoulder silently thankful for his interruption because she didn't know what she was saying or suppose to do.

"I forgot I need to drop that rugrat home." She replied, stepping backwards and shoots him fingerguns.  "Catch you tomorrow."

"Yeah. Got home safe." She hadn't seen his face instead choosing to close the door with her back facing it just because.

"I'm happy you're breathing." Liam mocks, once they were further down the hall hoping Scott could not hear that far down.  "Oh, the feeling is mutual. You guys are funny."

"I will light your clothes on fire and leave you in a toilet stall." She threatened, hands stuffed in her pockets. Her jaw clenched counting her steps until she was outside and able to breath properly without smelling bleach and her shoulders hurting.

"Hey, you know the plan didn't work." Liam changed the subject, a slight disappointment in his tone eyes glimpsing around the wrecked hallway; sheets littered on the ground and doors flung open.

Her head tilted. "It actually did. I don't know who she is but I know what."

"What does that mean?"

"I forgot you're still new to this." She murmured, taking in the fresh air outside and sprints to her car one of the few still in the parking lot.  "There's this Irish mythology about a female spirit who power to know when someone's dead, but doesn't need to see the body to know it happened. A banshee."

"Like Lydia?" Liam suggested.

"Exactly and banshee can only be women. Lydia is just one of many possibly living in Beacon county." Veronica explained, turning up the AC and starts the car. She feels like she's home already just being somewhere familiar. "I'm like ten minutes past curfew so I'll be driving past the speed limit, not recommended though. If you need a diaper now is the time to tell me."

"I will cut you." He threatened, a glare on his face flexing his claws.

"Keep threatening me with your cat claws and I'll cut them off."