I started living with Scott.

I'd explained everything to him, feeling petrified because he was all I had left, and if he turned me away I'd have no one. I explained Isaac, and Derek, and Allison's mum and my parents. I told him everything, laid everything bare, and waited to see if he'd still take me in, knowing everything that happened.

He did, thankfully. He wasn't upset with me and even comforted me about my parents. I was eternally grateful to him, and Stiles who accepted my presence with a quick hug and a grin. I wasn't alone, and the relief that came with knowing that was overwhelming.

Still, things were far from perfect. The Argents were my enemies. Derek and his pack were my enemies. The Kanima was my enemy. Everywhere I looked there were people I had to fight against, people who I once considered friends but were now my rivals.

I found myself reading my spell book more and more often. I was distracting myself from the mess that was my life, throwing myself into my magic practise, learning new spells and strengthening my abilities.

I couldn't sleep much anymore. I'd be lying in my bed, haunted by my parents, by what ifs and the life I could have had, if only Kate hadn't murdered my parents. I was haunted by Isaac. Haunted by my feelings for him that hadn't just disappeared no matter how much I wished they had. About how he never cared about me, and just used me to get into Derek's good graces. I was haunted by the dead look in Allison's eyes and the chokehold Gerard seemed to have on her.

So many things and problems, piled on top of one another and making it impossible to get a moments peace. I thought of Matt, who'd turned out to be the one controlling the Kanima, and his death. Drowning. After all that effort to get revenge on the people who had drowned him before, only to end up drowning again, this time for good.

I was brought out of my thoughts when a loud bang came from Scott's room. Startled, I closed the spell book in my lap and crept out of my room and over to his, opening the door only to wish I hadn't.

Gerard sat in the corner of the room, sitting comfortably as if he owned the place. Next to him, clinging to the ceiling, was the Kanima, its tail wrapped around Melissa McCall's throat. Scott stood tensed, claws out, near the other side of the room, eyes darting to his mother worriedly.

"Oh Y/n, perfect timing," Gerard greets warmly, as if I hadn't run away from his house after finding out his daughter murdered my parents. "Come in, come in."

Hesitantly, aware that Melissa could be killed at any second, I entered the room, taking up a position next to Scott.

"Let her go," was the first thing I said, and I was grateful to find my voice came out even. Seeing Gerard brought up a lot of emotions I'd been struggling to lock away, but I refused to let them overwhelm me in this moment.

"Can't do that," Gerard sighs regretfully. "But let her live? Well, that's up to the two of you."

Melissa's expression was one of pure fear, for herself or her son I wasn't sure.

"What do you want?" Scott demanded.

Gerard moved in the chair, finding a more comfortable position and letting us wait with bated breath for his answer.

"I want to talk," he eventually said. "Neither of you have been answering your phones."

Scott bared his teeth. "Let her go and then we can talk about whatever you want."

Gerard ignored Scott, getting out of the armchair. "I want the same thing I have always wanted. I want Derek and his pack."

To make his point, Gerard stood in front of the Kanima, forcing us to stare at Melissa as she clutched at the tail around her throat. Any tighter and it would restrict her airflow and strangle her.

"You have them all in hiding. How are we supposed to know where they are?" Scott snapped, eyes on his mother.

Gerard shrugged. "I think with the proper motivation you could draw them out, and if you hadn't noticed I now have a fairly impressive means by which I can motivate people." The Kanima hissed, reinforcing Gerard's words. "Why do you think I'm able to control him? You know the myth. The Kanima is a weapon of vengeance."

"This is about Kate?" I spat, anger rising.

Gerard laughed humourlessly. "I didn't just come here to bury my daughter. I came here to avenge her."

I couldn't help but hiss, "why avenge a murderer?"

"I see you found out about your parents," Gerard noted, observing me through his beady eyes. "A pity, I did want you on our side."

At that moment the Kanima dropped Melisaa, the woman falling to the floor. Scott darted towards her, and I couldn't help but follow, making sure she was alright. By the time I looked back up Gerard was gone.

. . .

I entered the Beacon Hills Vet quietly, visiting Scott, when I heard multiple voices in the back room. Two to be exact, one belonging to Scott and the other...

My heart dropped as I recognised Isaac's voice. I hadn't heard it since the night of the full moon. Hearing him now brought back painful memories. Memories I would have rather kept hidden. Still, I couldn't bring myself to leave. I still cared for him, and as I stood behind the door I couldn't help but listen in, making sure I was out of sight.

"I trust you," Isaac said, his voice like a stab in the heart. Even more so because of what he was saying. I'd thought he trusted me, once upon a time. I was wrong, and apparently it was Scott who held the title of people Isaac trusted, not me.

"Why?" Scott asked.

There was a beat of silence. "Because you always seem to want to do the right thing."

"I usually have no idea what I'm doing," Scott answered back. "Actually, I always have no idea what I'm doing."

I couldn't help but crack a smile at that.

"Do you want to let me know what you're doing right now?" Isaac asked.

There was a shuffle of movement before Scott spoke, "I'm not going anywhere if that's what you mean. I have too many people here who need me."

"Well I guess that makes me lucky because I don't have anyone. Not anymore." Isaac said.

I wondered if that was about me, and then cursed myself for it. I shouldn't care about anything Isaac said, and I hated that I still did.

There was another shuffle of movement as Isaac, I guessed, started walking towards the door.

"Are you gonna go with them? Leave with Erica and Boyd?" Scott asked.

A beat of silence passed. "Yeah, I think I will."

I hated that those words upset me. Leave? Isaac was leaving?

"Take care of Y/n for me, yeah?"

And oh, how that made me hurt even more. Made me wonder if he did still care for me, and if that could mean anything for us.

"You still haven't talked to her?" Scott asked, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"I don't think she wants to see me," Isaac answered, "and to be honest I understand why."

Scott asked, "will you say goodbye to her?"

There was another bout of silence as I listened in, waiting, for his response.

"I'd like to," Isaac admitted quietly, "but I think it's best if I don't."

I tried my best not to cry at his words, because even though he hurt me more than anyone else, even though he broke my trust and helped ruin the precious life I'd made for myself here, I still wanted him to say goodbye to me.

"Good luck on the game though," Isaac said.

"Oh thanks but I'm not going either. Can't even think about playing some meaningless game right now," Scott answered.

Isaac stayed silent for a second before speaking up, concern lacing his tone. "You weren't at practise last week were you?"

I frowned, confused, and leaned in slightly closer.

Scott also seemed confused as he asked, "no, why?"

"And you didn't hear?"

"Hear what?"

I held my breath, nervous, for Isaac to continue.

"Jackson was there."

Well shit.

I heard Scott's panicked tone as he spoke. "What do you mean there? Like he was-"

"-as if nothing had happened," Isaac finished grimly.

"That means- the game tonight?" Scott asked.

Silence, before, "yeah. He's playing."

With that, Isaac started leaving, and I quickly cast a disillusionment spell so he would walk past and not see me. My heart gave a sudden squeeze as I saw him with my eyes, walking with a sort of dejectedness that reminded me of when his dad was still alive.

I watched him go, eyes trailing his figure, until he disappeared from sight. Then I undid the spell and walked into the room Soctt was in.

"I'll go to the game tonight," I said as a greeting. "Just in case."

Scott looked surprised, before realisation dawned on him that I must have been listening. He gave me a once over before asking, "and Isaac?"

I ignored the way my heart still fluttered at his name. "What about him?"

"Are you going to say goodbye?"

I looked down at the ground, thinking. Eventually I shook my head. "No. It'll hurt too much, looking at him and knowing all that time we spent together was because he was following orders, not because he wanted to be there."

"But he does still care for you-" Scott tried.

I cut him off. "It doesn't matter. He lied to me and broke my trust. I'm not saying goodbye to him. End of story."