It was odd to be walking through the woods with Allison and Lydia. It was something that I regularly did with Scott and Stiles after long nights of searching for the alpha. Now that we knew who the alpha was things were more complicated than ever. 

Scott wanted Allison watched and protected at all times, considering he and Allison were no longer on talking terms I was the only one able to get close enough to do it. Sure I liked Allison and Lydia enough where being around them wasn't an annoyance, but there were more important things that needed to be done. Ultimately, my being here was an inconvenience.

"Allison, when you said you needed to stop for an errand before we went shopping, a five-mile hike in the woods was not what I was expecting." Lydia complained as she let out an exhausted sigh. I personally preferred the hike than going shopping, yet the fact that Allison was carrying a case that looked like it held a bow and arrow wasn't very comforting. As we continued our walk Lydia's heel suddenly caught onto a tree branch and she quickly reached out to steady herself against me.

"Before I forget, I wanted to ask if you're okay with something." Allison said as she walked ahead of Lydia and I. "Jackson asked me to the winter formal."

"Did he?"Lydia asked, her voice almost squeak. With this news I could feel the tension thicken between the two, but neither would acknowledge the betrayal that they each felt towards each other. Although I hadn't discussed it with Allison it wasn't difficult to assume that she knew that Lydia had kissed Scott. She wouldn't have even considered Jackson otherwise. 

"Yeah. Just as friends. But I just wanted to make sure you're okay with it first."

"Sure. As Iong as it's just friends." Lydia assured, and although she attempted to act unaffected by this I could see the hurt in her eyes. 

Allison stopped for a moment to release a small chuckle before continuing to walk ahead of us. "Well, yeah, I mean it's not Iike I would take him to the coach's office during Iacrosse practice to make out with him or anything."

Lydia and I shared a shocked looked before continuing to walk after Allison. "Uh...about that..."

"Here's good." Allison stated as she abruptly stopped in front of a large tree, clearly having no interest in continuing talking about what happened between Scott and Lydia. Suddenly Allison removed a perfectly crafted bow from the case she was carrying.

Lydia's eyes widened as Allison also revealed a familiar looking arrow. "What does that do?"

"We're about to find out." Allison replied as she finished adjusting the flash grenade arrow. As she drew the string I instinctively took a step back knowing all too well what was going to occur when that arrow hit its target. Although I had learned to care for Allison this was all a cruel reminder of who she was. Of who she would always be.

She was a hunter. Her family had dedicated their lived to hunting us for decades. She was the enemy. 

"Allison are you sure that's a good idea." I said stepping in, realizing that she was getting too close. She was learning too much, and this would only further complicate an already shitty situation. "You don't know what that does."

"Well, that what I want to find out." She stated firmly as she let go of the arrow and I immediately closed my eyes familiar with the blinding affects that it would have on me.

"What the hell was that?" Lydia asked her voice laced with fear and it was only then that I opened my eyes now that the sparks had diminished.

"I don't know." Allison muttered, deep in thought. 

"Well, that was fun! Any more lethal weapons you wanna try out?" Lydia asked sarcastically until the sound of a twig snapping caused her to jump slightly.

"Hold this." Allison ordered as she placed her bow in Lydia's shaking hands.

Lydia's eyes widened as she held the bow away from her. "What? Why?"

"Because I thought I heard something." Allison replied as she removed her gloves and began to walk towards the direction of the sound. 

I rolled my eyes recognizing Scott's scent a few feet away. I should have known that he wouldn't stay away. That he would continue to stubbornly search for a way to get closer to Allison no matter how dangerous it was for the both of them. It was only a matter of time before the Argent's discovered that Scott was the alpha's beta. 

If Scott continued to be this reckless that time would come a lot sooner than any of us were ready for. 

"So what if you heard something?"

"So, I want to find out what that something is." She replied as if the answer was obvious. "Don't worry. It's probably nothing."

"Well, what if that nothing is something and that something is something dangerous?" Lydia began to nervously stutter, an action that was odd for the always confident Lydia Martin. 

"Shoot it." Allison replied before going after the sound. Sighing I turned towards Lydia who was looking at Allison walk away with wide eyes, knowing that the girl who had become her best friend had truly lost her mind. 

"Don't worry its just Scott." I assured her now gaining her full attention.

"How do you know?"

"He's been following us for the past couple of minutes...surprised you two didn't notice." I said quickly, but Lydia didn't ask anymore questions as she visibly relaxed. She handed me the bow before inspecting her nails as we waited for Allison to return.

The three of us went back to Lydia's house to study but we weren't there for long before Allison abruptly stood up. "I need to talk to Scott." She suddenly declared before gathering her things and rushing out of the room without another word.

"Well okay then." Lydia muttered under her breath as she looked back down at her chemistry book. "Okay I just have to ask." She suddenly said as she closed her book shut. "Do you think Jackson likes Allison? Is that why he broke up with me?"

"Listen Lydia you can do a lot better than Jackson Whittemore." I assured her not really wanting to get into the subject, especially because I didn't want her to ask for my advice on the subject. In all reality I knew absolutely nothing about relationships and boys. I simply never had the time to put much importance to such mundane things. 

"Right." Lydia continued as she sat up confidently. "I mean I already have a date to the formal. Which leads to the other question I wanted to ask you."

I sighed knowing that I wasn't going to get out of this even if I tried. Lydia was just as stubborn as me, and it was better to give her some satisfaction than none at all. "Go on."

"Are you going to the formal? If you need a date I'll totally hook you up with someone from the lacrosse team."

"I'm not going to the formal." I stated bluntly as I returned my attention to my textbook, only to have it shut by Lydia who looked at me in horror.

"What do you mean your not going?"

"I mean I'm not going." I repeated annoyance and frustration starting to settle in. There was so much on my mind that going to a school dance was incredibly insignificant. "And before you ask why, the simple answer is I just don't feel up to it."

Lydia gasped dramatically before my phone rang a text coming through, but before I could even pick it the phone began to ring repeatedly as twenty messages came through at once. Annoyed I picked up my phone about to read them as I call came though from Stiles seconds later.

"Are you going to answer that?" Lydia asked just as irritated from all the ringing.

"I feel like I don't have a choice." I muttered as I answered the call, feeling that it had to be important if Stiles was choosing to be ore annoying than usual.

"Where are you?" Stiles questioned before I could have a chance to say anything."

"Lydia's. Why?"

"On my way." He stated before he hung up on me.

"Who was that?" Lydia asked although she didn't seem slightly interested in the answer. To her it was more of a formality. 

"It was just Stiles."

"What the hell is a Stiles?" She asked causing me to look at her in shock, not sure if she was joking or she actually didn't know.

"Stiles? Stiles Stilinski?" I continued, but she still seemed slightly clueless. "Scott's best friend."

Hearing this Lydia looked at me with a small smile. "Oh that Stiles." At that moment a loud honking of a car was heard and I sighed in annoyance as I began to gather my things.

"I have to go. See you at school." I told her as I walked out of her room. When I stepped out side I saw the Jeep parked in the driveway as Stiles continued to honk the car horn.

"What do you want?" I yelled in return as I got into the car, unable to wrap my mind around the fact that someone like Stiles actually existed. Or how someone hadn't taken it to themselves to murder him already for being so incredibly annoying. 

"We have a problem." He replied as he began to hurriedly drive down the road, not wasting a single second. "Peter. Your evil uncle, he's taking Scott's mom out on a date."

"A date?" I questioned mostly to myself. Peter really was multiple steps ahead of us and there was no knowing how this factored into his plans. 

"Yes, a date!" Stiles repeated in irritation. Annoyed by his attitude I growled causing him to jump in his seat. "Oh my god!" The rest of the way we sat in silence before Peter's car came into view parked at the side of the road. "There they are." Stiles said as he pointed at the car.

"Yes, I can see that."

"Alex I really don't need your attitude."

"Stiles shut up." I replied trying to get back to the problem at hand. There was no casual way to interrupt their date, anything we could say could raise suspicions. "So what's the plan?"

"Okay hold on." Stiles said with a sigh as he started to drive towards the parked car pressing harder  on the gas.

"Wait!" I said when I realized that he wasn't slowing down and was heading right towards Peter's car. "Are you crazy?"

"Just hold on." He repeated again as we neared the car. "I'm so sorry." He muttered under his breath as the Jeep hit the back of the car that Peter and Mrs. McCall were in. Turning towards me he sighed again. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I said as I pushed my hair out of my face just in time to see the passenger's door of the car swing open. "But something tells me we won't be for much longer."

Stiles and I sat in the Jeep in silence for a while as we watched a furious Mrs. McCall walked towards us. "Oh, are you kidding me? Stiles! Alexis!" She yelled causing the both of us to rush out of the Jeep instinctively.

"Mrs. McCall?" Stiles asked innocently. "Wow, this is This is just crazy. What a coincidence, huh?" He continued as Mrs. McCall laughed sarcastically, clearly frustrated that her date had been interrupted. I watched as Peter began to look around probably attempting to find Scott seeing right through our little act.

"Nicely done Scott. Nicely done." I heard him whisper.

"I mean I do not know what happened." Stiles continued frantically as Scott's mom continued to glare at us. "You guys just came out of nowhere."

"Came out of nowhere!" Mrs. McCall exclaimed her eyes widening in anger. "We were parked on the side of the road, Stiles."

"How crazy is that?" I suggested awkwardly, not able to lie as easily as Stiles. "We should probably call the cops, and file in an accident report?" I suggested trying to gain my uncle's attention again.

"I don't think that's necessary." Peter replied smoothly as he took a careful step towards me.

"Are you sure?" Stiles asked as he stepped between us rubbing the back of his neck, acting like he was in pain. "I think I'm feeling a Iittle whiplash."

"Whiplash?" Mrs. McCall exclaimed in disbelief. "You hit us!"

"I don't know, there's something definitely wrong with my neck." Stiles continued as he rubbed his neck, he continued to argue with Mrs. McCall but I was focusing on the fact the Peter slowly began to walk away again.

"I know you're there, Scott, and I'm impressed." Peter began to whisper again. "It's too bad most teenagers aren't that smart. It's like that one on the lacrosse team Jackson. Thinks he knows all about us. You know how they say knowledge is power. Not in his case."

Hearing this I looked around until I met Scott's wide eyes as he stepped away from the tree that he was hidden behind. "I have to make a call." I suddenly stated as Stiles' gave me a confused look, but I only gave him a pointed one in return hoping that he would understand. Walking away, Stiles continued to ramble on to Peter, distracting him enough for me to be able to slip into the woods to meet up with Scott.

Scott and I arrived at my old house and I didn't know what to think. This was nothing like Derek, he would never kill someone, even if that person was Jackson. "No!" I heard Jackson scream and I instinctively took a step forward before Scott got a hold of my arm holding me back.

"Look around you! Wouldn't there be someone here trying to save you? There's no one here." I heard Derek yell, the cruelty in his voice sounding foreign to me. Sure Derek was a difficult person, but hearing him now he wasn't the man that I knew."And there's a reason. No one cares that you drive an expensive car. No one cares that you have perfect hair, and no one cares that you're captain of the Iacrosse team!"

Scott let go as he walked forward opening the door to the house. "Excuse me." Scott announced as we stepped into the room. "Co-captain."

Derek growled in annoyance as he took a step towards Scott, not bothering to acknowledge my presence even though he was perfect aware that I was also in the room. "Move!"

"No." Scott replied firmly standing his ground.

"Fine. I'II kill you, too."

I stepped in between the two and growled at my own brother, the shock and betrayal in his eyes creating a sense of guilt in me that I didn't expect. "I'm not going to let that happen."

Suddenly the glass from one of the widows shattered as an arrow flew through the room. "Cover your eyes!" Derek yelled as he pulled me down to the floor with him. Gunshots went off as they flew through the house, Derek covered me from all the gunfire, but Scott wasn't safe as I watched as a bullet went through his side. He almost instantly began to spit out black blood in return, the bullet most likely laced with the same wolfsbane that had affected Derek only a couple days before. "You have to get out of here! Get Scott and leave!"

I shook my head as I looked at him. "What about you?"

"Don't worry about me just go!" He ordered as he pulled me to my feet, before running over to Scott and pushing him in my direction. "Go! Run!

I didn't even have a chance to question his sudden change in attitude towards Scott as my survival instinct took over. Getting a hold of Scott's arm I pulled him towards the back exit of the house as we immediately took of running into the woods. "Alexis I can't." Scott wheezed as he began stumbling, before collapsing on the ground.

"Scott you have to get back up." I urged as I bent down next to him trying to pull him back on his feet but her wasn't even trying anymore. He had completely given up. 

"Allison." Scott said with a small cough, I grabbed is arm pulling it over my shoulder as I dragged him farther into the woods but we didn't get far as instinct told be my brother was in trouble. That the hunters had to have gotten to him. Setting Scott back down on the ground I fell to my knees trying to fight the instinct to run back and help him. It was like every part of my body was telling me to go to him, but I knew that it would be foolish of me to do it. That both of us getting caught would get us nowhere. Taking a deep breath I collecting myself, knowing that Derek had to have a plan. That he wouldn't just let himself get caught, he was a lot stronger than that. 

The crunching of leaves snapped me out of my thoughts, as I stood ready to fight any of the hunters who had been able to follow us this far into the woods. Instead I was shocked to my core at the sight of Scott's boss walking our way. "It's okay I'm only here to help." He told me as he took some cautious steps forward.

"What are you going here?" I asked as I protectively stepped in front of Scott's now unconscious body.

The man, Deaton, took another cautious step forward. Almost like he expected me to attack at any moment.  "Like I said I'm here to help Scott. I know how to help."

I shook my head as I kneeled back down next to Scott. "Your just a vet."

"I know about your kind. I know about you." He assured me causing me to turn back around to face him.

"What?"

"Let me help you. I can save Scott, and it has to be soon or he won't make it for long." Deaton continued and I looked back down at Scott and the black blood the was flowing from the bullet wound and his mouth. I didn't know how to help him, the trouble that Scott went through to find the bullet that almost killed my brother was one that we didn't have time for. 

I stood up in front of Deaton who looked at me in a way that almost seemed like pride, and I didn't understand where that look was coming from. Like if he knew me in some way, and although I knew nothing about this man he was also my only chance of saving Scott. "If you know what I am, you know what I'll do if you..."

"I know, you'll do what you were born to do...protect your pack. You can trust me." He continued to assure, and with a reluctant sigh I stepped aside allowing me the space to do whatever it was that he need to do. Just as I felt that Derek was in danger, I could almost feel the poison starting to spread though Scott's veins. He didn't have much time left. 

"Stop." Scott suddenly mumbled as Deaton attempted to lift him up.

"It's all right, Scott. You're gonna be all right." Deaton replied, the look in his eyes revealing that in some way he did care about Scott. That he was worried for him, and what would happen if they didn't act quickly. Continuing to push aside my reluctancy and distrust I followed Deaton out of the woods, the fear of everything slowly falling apart around us beginning to set in. 

Deaton set Scott down on the medical table as he immediately got to removing the bullet out of Scott's side. I watched silently as Deaton cleaned up Scott's injury using herbs from a glass jar. He worked quickly and clearly knew what he was doing. This wasn't his first time cleaning up a wound like this. "What is that?" I questioned as I got closer, feeling this sense of needing to protect Scott from this man that knew more than he was probably willing to admit. 

"All you need to know is that it will save Scott." He simply replied as he continued to work, but his answer did nothing to ease my disgust of the man. 

"How do yo know about this?" I continued to ask. "How do you know about us?"

"You're full of questions aren't you?" Deaton said with a small smile, and although he was helping Scott I wasn't sure if I could trust him. Especially if he was this reluctant to answer my questions or simply act as if there was nothing unusual about what he was doing. 

I was about to ask another question when Scott began to cough again attempting to sit up. "I wouldn't get up just yet." Deaton told him as he laid him back down on the medical table, his voice just as calm as before. 

"Where am I?" Scott asked as he attempted to look around the room.

"You're fine. And I've given you something that should speed up the healing process."

"But you're a vet." Scott said earning a chuckle from his boss, the action once again unsettling me. 

"That's very true. And 90% of the time, I'm mostly treating cats and dogs."

"Mostly?" Scott said the action alone causing him pain.

"Mostly." He repeated before Scott slipped back out of consciousness.

"I need answers." I stated as I looked away from Scott and back up to Deaton. I was no longer going to stay in the dark, there was too much at stake to play along with whatever game Deaton was playing.  There was no time to waste, if this man had a solution to our alpha problem we had to know. "And I expect to get them."