We had all heard what happened to Matt, he was found dead near a bridge. Drowned to death, such a watery grave. I do feel sorry for him though, Scott had told me about his past. How he drowned when he was a child, things like this could set anyone up for murder. 

I also heard what happened to Allison's mother, she had killed herself due to getting bit by an Alpha, aka Derek. They must have had a fight and she couldn't get away in time. Their hunter code did this to her, and my heart went out to Allison. We hadn't had contact lately as she's been dealing with her mother's death. But that was more my choice, to let her grief in her own way because I know what it's like to lose a mother...

We all had secrets to keep...

Derek had wanted me to come by the Hale house to talk to him about the whole Kanima and see if I can help him out in his research. I didn't deny his request to help him, I needed the distraction from not having my magic back yet... I still was holding onto hope...

 I stood in the main room of the Hale House, Derek searching through books as I did the same. My red leather jacket around me, as I flipped the pages of an old book gave me. 

"You know this is pointless," I state to him as I slammed the book shut, as it held no real information as I turn to face the back of him. "There isn't going to be any new information on the Kanima in these old books," I held the book out as I went by his side and placed it on the table. 

"Keep looking," his strong, husky voice filled my ears as I turned my head to him.

"There's nothing in my books, why do you think their be any in yours?" I replied back to him, as he shut the current book and plucked a new one from the table.

"I just think there will be," he states as he opens the new book. I wasn't having it. I placed my hand on the book to stop him from reading it. As his head cocked to meet my gaze upon him, our eyes connecting like prey and predator. 

"Don't do this to yourself, Derek. I know too well what guilt is like," my eyes pleaded with his like we were at war. But he finally submitted, and sighed deeply as he placed the book back down. "Have hope that some sort of miracle presents itself... Because hope is all we have," 

Derek didn't say anything, and he didn't need too to know that I was honest about my answer. Before he could answer, he stood still in his place, our eyes locked onto one another. But we both heard Erica and Boyd enter the house. 

"You decided," Derek states, as he turns to face them, as I turn my head to their gaze. "When?" Though I didn't know what was happening right now, but I had a wild guest of what it was. 

"Tonight," Erica states, looking at Derek.

"Everyone's gonna be at the game... And we figured it was the best time," Boyd had pipped up, looking to Erica as they made the packed of leaving the pack. 

"It's not like we want to," Erica added. Derek took steps closer to them, as I followed his lead.

"What do you want?" Derek asked, wanting to know.

"Since I just turned 16 a month ago, I wouldn't mind getting my license," Erica states, as she just wanted to be normal, but they choose this life, they choose to be a werewolf. "I can't do that if I'm dead you know," for the first time, I saw Erica hold fear in her eyes. 

"Well, I told you there was a price," Derek replied to her, kind of coldly.

"There kids Derek. And with the hunters lurking around, they aren't safe," I state to the group,  my hand held out to Erica and Boyd, gesturing to them.

"Exactly," Boyd began as his eyes went to mine but shot to Derek's. "You didn't say it would be like this,"

"Yeah, but I told you how to survive. You do it as a pack. And you're not a pack without an Alpha," Derek states to them before turning around and walking away.

"We know," Boyd said with a strong tone, making Derek halt in his place, before turning back to face them. 

"You wanna look for another pack?" Derek states, his tone almost hurt. Erica had looked away from Derek, not wanting to make eye contact as she felt guilty. "How are you even gonna find one?" 

"I think we already did," Boyd replied, making my face frown in confusion. There wasn't another pack in town. So began the tale of how Erica and Boyd heard other werewolves howling in the night...

After they explained what they had heard in the woods, I was kind of dumbfounded on it. "Like all of a sudden we heard all this howling. It was unbelievable," Erica had carried on from the conversation. 

"There must have been a dozen of them," Boyd added.

"Maybe more," Erica had replied to Boyd's comment. 

"Yeah, or maybe only two," Derek states, his voice was going to get louder . "You know what the Beau Geste effect is? If they modulate their howls with a rapid shift in tone, two wolves can sound like twenty," Derek was really strong about this, that there wasn't going to be another pack out their for them. 

"Look that doesn't matter, okay? There's another pack out there. There's got to be," Erica was insistent that there was another pack out there. She moved closer to Boyd. "We've made up our minds,"

"We lost, Derek. And it's over. We're leaving," Boyd states, his eyes locked with Derek. 

"No. No, you're running. And once you start, you don't stop. You'll always be running," Derek spoke with honesty, and he didn't want to admit it, he was hurt deep down. 

Erica grabs Boyd's hand and started to go. "Wait," I state to them and they stopped in their tracks to look at me. I walked towards them with a small smile on my face. "I know I can't change your minds about this, but take this," I started to take off my Rose Quartz necklace as it was the only thing that might work as I still had no magic. "Though I'm having difficulty with my magic right now." the necklace came undone by the small connector and I held it out to Erica. "If you need any help or get into trouble, hold onto the Quartz and call my name," Erica looked at me weirdly as did Boyd, confusion on their faces.

"Why are you helping us? We've done bad things to you," Erica states, but I couldn't help but smile.

"And I've done the same to you, but your still kids, and I'm a Witch. Witches help people," I replied with softness in my tone, as I still held the necklace out to her. She smiled grateful for my help as she took the necklace, before both of them nodded and left the Hale house. 

I turn to look at Derek who's face held a softness and his eyes grateful of sorts. "Don't give me that look, Mr Hale," I spoke as I took steps towards him as we faced the cabinet in front of us. His eyes shifted down, to the cabinet top and then to me for a brief moment as I put a strand of hair behind my ear. 

As I was lost in my own head and feelings right now, I noticed that Derek became stiff, and grabbed a shard of glass from the cabinet top, and looked into it, but fast as he could go, he spun around and threw it to the person standing there. 

I shot around, as Peter Hale stood there, holding the piece of glass, as the point had barely touched his throat. Derek and I tense, both anger bubbling inside of us. 

"I expected a slightly warmer welcome," he states all high and mighty, as he looked at Derek. "But," he holds the shard up, gesturing too it. "Point taken," Peter eyes glanced over to mine, as a wicked smile crept on his face. 

"The Witch, helping the werewolves now?" His face was smug looking. I still haven't forgotten what happened in the school, him clawing me. 

"I'm helping because it's what we do," I spoke through clinched teeth, as I wanted nothing more to rip his head from his shoulders. 

"Where was my help when I needed it?" Peter replied as he does a fake pout. 

"I would never in a million years help you," I spat at him, as I was about to lunch at him, but Derek saw my move, and quickly grabs my waist to hold me back, but I tried to push forward.

"She's feisty, I like it," Peter replied with a smirk on his lips. 

"I show you feisty," I snapped back at him, struggling against Derek's hold. 

"Alice, he's not worth it," Derek states in a calm manner, his voice kind of soothed my temper. I stopped struggling against his hold and relaxed into his touch. "Go," he replied in a gentle tone, as I nodded to him. He had let me go and I began to walk to Peter because I had to pass him. 

Peter's eyes never left my body, as I neared him, his smirk only grew wider. "See you soon," he states, as I narrowed my eyes at him. But me being me, I stopped in front of him and gave him a smile. 

"Or never," I replied in an innocence tone, but before he could say anything else, I threw my fist hand at him so fast he didn't see it coming, and it connected to his noise. He stumbled back with the force of the punch, and hit the stairs behind him. "That's for clawing my stomach,"   

I smiled pleaded as I smelt blood coming from Peter, and with that done, I left the Hale house, slamming the door behind me. Though Peter might be here to help Derek or hurt him, the message Deaton had given us was still fresh in my mind.

But the deep feeling in my stomach wasn't going away, something bad was going to happen. I just know it...

........................................................

A/N

Omg, guys!!! I've nearly finished this book, there are still a few chapters to go, but we are close. I want to thank everyone who has supported me, and read this book. Thank you all!!

-Josh (Yoshi)