From two failed dates to a girl supposedly murdering her own father, last night had fallen into utter chaos. After Lydia revealed that Tracy was one of her mother's patients, Stilinski confirmed she was really Donovan's lawyer's daughter. He sent deputies to their house in hopes of finding her as she became the lead suspect, but when they arrived she was nowhere to be seen.

Even after we searched for her all of last night to early this morning, the Stewart girl was in the wind. I had wanted to keep looking for her, but Scott was adamant that we would do it after school today. He didn't want us to skip when it wasn't necessary as Stilinski already had plenty of men on the case. However, he also said that we would meet up before classes, that way we could have a finalized idea of what our intentions would be if we were actually able to find Tracy.

I paced beneath the bleachers of the field, dry grass crunching under my boots, waiting for Liam to arrive. The two of us agreed to meet here before we had to deal with the rest of the pack and a missing alleged murderer. My hands kept flexing over and over again, guilt coursing through me as I remember our almost-disaster yesterday. It only worsens when Liam finally shows up, effortlessly crossing the field to join me behind the cover of bleachers.

"I'm sorry," I say right away when he reaches me.

Liam's too decent to hold a grudge and simply leans forward, pressing a light kiss to my forehead. I close my eyes as he does so.

"I made you jump off a building," I mutter shamefully.

He chuckles lightly as he pulls away from me.

"You suggested I climb down a few floors," he clarifies, as if that makes it any better.

"Did Brett hit you?" I ask him, thinking back to the punching motion he had made when we talked yesterday.

He and Liam already didn't get along, and I could only imagine this would make the situation worse. Neither of them ever told me what happened between them at Devenford but I could tell by the occasional anger Liam would direct at Brett, and the sincere guilt Brett would direct at Liam, that it wasn't anything good. I'd asked each of them about it but they both refused to tell me, one of the few things they agreed on, and I definitely wasn't someone who could judge another person for wanting to keep their past to themselves, so I didn't press.

"Lori," Liam corrects me. "You'll be happy to know your training worked, she's got a clean right hook." 

I cringe at his words, a low whine coming out of the back of my throat as I picture the scenario of Lori's dainty fist connecting with his face, both of them surprised at the action beyond belief for two separate reasons. My idea had been absolutely stupid and undeniably selfish. This wasn't how things were supposed to be. It was becoming complicated, and complications always led to worse problems if not dealt with, but I didn't know how to fix any of this.

"I'm sorry," I repeat myself, trying to cope with the guilt. Unfortunately for me, those two measly words don't feel like enough.

Liam's hands come up to gently cup my face, his thumbs moving back and forth to tenderly coax my nerves into submission under his touch.

"Stop saying that," he urges me, but my embarrassment is unwilling to fade.

"I'm so-"

He cuts me off with a kiss. My breath falls short because of the action and my lungs beg me to pull away to take in air, but I don't. I fall into his lips without caution, finding peace. 

When we do separate, my unease has settled and all I care to think about is the boy smiling at me. His hands fall to my waist as I begin to lean against him, using his body to support me as my exhaustion creeps in now that I don't have any anxiety to distract me.

"Did you sleep last night?" he asks, noticing the dreariness in my actions.

"We just kept looking for Tracy until this morning, and by then there was no point," I answer and Liam nods in understanding.

He was aware of what happened last night though he wasn't actually actively a part of the search. Scott texted him a briefing of events, not wanting to waste any time today on filling him in.

"You can sleep now? I'll watch over you," Liam suggests, gesturing to the ground beneath us.

I smile at the thought, remembering the first time he'd allowed me to nap under his watch on campus. It felt like so long ago, but that didn't make me sad. Quite the opposite really. We'd come such a long way since that day under the tree. 

His proposal was one I intended to accept, but as our phones chime simultaneously we both know it's impossible now. Neither of us makes the move to check the waiting messages, because we already know it's Scott announcing his arrival, informing everyone of his current location so we'll convene there. A vain idea crossed my mind, wanting to shut off my phone and ask Liam to stay here with me under the bleachers, both of us ignoring the responsibilities required of us. For more than one reason, we can't.

Not only would it be cruel to any possible victims of Tracy, but there was also a high possibility of Scott tracking us down because of our absence. The last thing we needed was for him to stumble upon us cuddling on the field.

"I'll see you over there," I say dismissively as it's clear our time together has come to an end for the time being.

Liam's hand catches mine as I pull away, keeping me in place.

"Actually, not just me," he says with a sheepish wince. I remain quiet, allowing him to use that silence to explain what he meant.

"Mason is gonna be there, too. He's been begging me to let him listen in on a meeting."

His words fill me with amusement, thinking affectionately of my two fellow sophomores. Mason and Liam were often prone to ridiculous antics that bordered in similarity to Scott and Stiles, both duos capable of annoying me and entraining me simultaneously. It was endearing, in some way.

Hearing that Mason was taking well to the world of the supernatural was also pleasing. There were a lot of possibilities of how he could have reacted to his best friend being a werewolf, and thankfully, we were in the most positive one.

The thing was, not everyone was so taken with Mason's occasional overbearing and overenthusiastic personality. Everyone being Stiles.

"Did you tell the others Mason was coming?" I inquire delicately, because I already have a decent idea of what the answer would be.

"Nope." His tone is nonchalant, though his eyes openly show the worry he held.

"Then, I'll see you and Mason over there," I correct myself.

I step away from Liam once again, our hands slowly falling apart between us as we hold onto each other for as long as we can. This time he doesn't stop me and when we finally let go of one another, and we walk off in opposite directions.

He leaves to find Mason, wherever he is, while I head in the direction of the school's bus stop after checking Scott's text on his whereabouts. The location was isolated enough to give us some privacy while also not making us stick out like a sore thumb as we all gathered up.

Scott is already standing at the front of one of the long buses, Lydia and Kira at his side. On the courtyard end of the parking lot Stiles and Malia approach at the same time I do. My gaze passes them when I catch sight of Liam over their shoulder in the distance, he and Mason trailing not too far behind the couple.

Mason has a broad smile on his face and practically skips over. Liam's eyes connect with mine and he gives me a desperate look, a silent plea for me to keep attention off of his best friend, as he was bringing in far too much energy to a group of people who stayed up all night in search of a potential teenage murderer.

"Did your dad find anything new?" I direct the question to Stiles when we reach the bus at the same time, everyone else turned to him too as they wait patiently for his answer.

"Nothing. Donovan won't talk about what he saw either," Stiles sighs.

As he speaks, Liam ushers Mason over to stand slightly behind Scott. He doesn't linger, leaving his best friend beaming at all of us as he rushes to Lydia's side, and by default, mine, too. My body suddenly feels cold and begins to beg me to take a step closer to him, desperate to cling to the essence of his natural heat.

I have to resist the urge to roll my eyes at my own reaction to his presence, feeling a little pathetic for it. It takes effort to remind myself that finding solace in Liam isn't something I needed to berate myself for. Still, I'm grateful for Stiles at this moment as he gives me a much-needed distraction.

"Oh, really? The psycho's giving you the silent treatment? Who saw that coming?" I retort with a little too much arrogance in my tone that makes his left eye twitch.

Donovan had been incredibly reluctant to help us after Scott dragged him back to the underpass. He kept ranting about wanting a new lawyer as the deputies put him in a squad car, prepping to take him back to the station and return him to a holding cell.

"Take the sarcasm down a notch, alright? We have to focus on finding a ninety-pound girl who goes on murderous rampages 'cause she can't make a basic sleep schedule," Stiles snaps, and I'm unsure if he even hears how ironic that was.

Lydia takes a step closer to the bus, getting our attention. "Tracy wasn't just having trouble sleeping. It was a real disorder. It was night terrors." She aims a perfectly shaped brow in Stiles' direction, probably not fond of how he simplified Tracy's actual condition.

"Well, now she's the night terror, especially since no one can find her," Stiles responds.

"Okay, I know we're all tired and miserable..." Scott gives us all a sympathetic once-over but pauses when he finds a giddy Mason next to him. "Except for you."

Mason realizes he's being spoken to and doesn't miss another beat before jumping into the conversation.

"Oh, I'm sorry. This is all just mind-blowing," he apologizes without any real trace of guilt. He scans all of us up and down with wide, crazed eyes. His gaze lands on Kira, the kitsune frowning as he gestures to her entire body.

"You're a kitsune. I don't even know what that is." Mason shrugs happily. That was the first time I ever saw a person confused and glad at the same time.

"I'm still learning," Kira says slowly, not wanting to seem rude. Stiles didn't have the same sentiment.

"Liam, we said you could tell him, not invite him to the inner circle."

"I'm in the inner circle?" Mason grins hopefully.

"No." Liam and Stiles shut him down at the same time. Mason deflates and I give him a thumbs up to remain optimistic, but Stiles promptly reaches out past Malia to swat my hand away.

"Guys, look, back to Tracy." Scott gives us all pointed looks for getting easily distracted. "She's just one lone wolf, we can find her."

"One lone serial-killing wolf," Malia points out.

Stiles holds his finger up, shaking his head. "She only killed one person. The other two were mauled."

"Important distinction," I mutter. Stiles hears me and winks in my direction, his annoyance at Mason now fading to be replaced with pride toward me. I scoff under my breath, though, it is laced with amusement.

"What do we do when we catch her?" Stiles continues. Just because we had yet to find Tracy, it didn't mean she'd stay hidden. We needed a clear plan.

"I say we put her down," Malia answers.

The others sigh and exchange judging glances, brushing off her typical blunt and emotionless words, while I can't help but take it seriously after seeing what Tracy had been capable of last night.

It wasn't a full moon, which meant the manic state she was in was purely because of her own mind. If she was capable of harming her own father, then what made our chances any better? She could rip us to shreds without even second-guessing it, and we still didn't fully understand her behavior.

The inconsistency of her father's wounds was getting to me. They didn't make sense, not logically. Stiles told me that it was probably due to Tracy's assumed lucid state but there was something about it that nagged at me. The rest of the pack didn't have the experience that I did so it was hard to take them seriously in moments like this. They didn't understand how off-putting all of this was as known rules of the supernatural were disobeyed.

"We're not doing that," Scott insists.

"What if we have to?" I ask him, making him still.

The others remain quiet, thinking over my words. Malia gives me a supportive look, glad we were on the same page, but the others keep glancing toward Scott for his reaction.

"Intense," Mason quietly breathes out in fascination with our current predicament. His speaking snaps Scott out of the deliberating silence he was in.

"Let's concentrate on catching her first. We'll figure out the rest later," he says, glancing at me from the corner of his eye before looking at the rest of the pack.

"After school, meet back here. We'll split up to search for her around town. Okay?"

Everyone nods in agreement, and Scott gives a nod of his own, this one having some finality to it as an unspoken order for disbursement. The girls move as one, and Liam goes over to Mason to start murmuring lecturing words to him, while Scott and Stiles begin to have one of their silent conversations that they still think is subtle after all this time.

Stiles jerks his head in my direction and Scott's eyebrows wiggle. I sigh and move to leave them and head to my first period, but Scott's voice keeps me in place.

"Jac."

I turn, finding him tilting his head off to the side, instructing me to follow him. We don't venture far from the bus, it's only enough space between us and the vehicle to give me the illusion that Stiles can't overhear us, but I know he can.

"You know that's not what we do." Scott frowns. His disappointment in my support of Malia's murderous idea is obvious, but my pride didn't allow me to apologize just yet.

I keep thinking over the possibilities of what could happen if we were to corner Tracy in her unhinged and homicidal state. What if she attacked Lydia or Stiles? They didn't know how to properly defend themselves against a creature of her caliber, nor could they heal if she seriously injured them.Then the thought of her hurting Liam crossed my mind. 

I wouldn't be able to hold back against her if she left him in a similar state to her father, or even attempted to do such a thing. She was too dangerous, too unpredictable, and I needed to keep the people I cared for most far away from the products of her madness.

"Scott, you saw what she did to her own father. She doesn't even know us. She could hurt a lot of people and we might not be able to convince her to stop," I argue.

He pauses, only for a brief second.

"But we can always try," he reminds me gently.

My pride shatters at his words as I realize I'd unwittingly begun to slip into old habits. I wasn't seeing Tracy as someone in need or even a basic threat, I was viewing her as the enemy and another result. I was thinking only as a hunter.

I hang my head, avoiding Scott's eyes. "I'm sorry."

He reaches out, his hand hovering over my shoulder. When I don't wave him off he allows it the rest there, a tender gesture within the limits of my boundaries.

"It's okay. You're still learning." He offers me a simple smile, not holding it against me. He's giving me the same amount of care he does with Malia, treating me like another creature born to kill.

I mirror his smile as best I can, but I'm sure it seems hollow.

"Get to class," Scott says, and I don't bother to argue.

I allow his hand to drop from my shoulder, heading in the direction of the school's main building. I glance toward Stiles' direction as I walk away, but quickly avert my eyes when his gaze on me seems eerily similar to the way he'd watch someone like Theo. Someone unpredictable. Someone untrustworthy.

My mind is blank as I enter my first period, sitting at the back of the room without acknowledging anyone else even when class starts. The teacher's voice is in the back of my mind as I stare ahead, replaying that look in Stiles' eyes even as everyone begins to do their work.

My phone vibrates in my pocket after some time, alerting me to a text and pulling me out of my daze. I bring it out under the cover of my desk so I can read whatever's been sent to me. A text from Liam displays itself on my screen, and my stomach twists as I read it.

Yukimura's. Emergency. I need you.

My chair scrapes harshly on the tiled floor as I push myself away from my desk, getting the attention of everyone in the room because of the abrupt movement. I don't bother to stay and explain myself, running to leave the room through the back door.

"Jacqueline?" My teacher shouts after me. I know I'm in for it as I openly skip class but I can't be bothered to care as I sprint in the direction of Mister Yukimura's classroom, my breathing shallow with fear at whatever was waiting for me there.

When I reach the room, I find Liam outside of it, nervously bouncing on the balls of his feet. He faces me when he realizes he's not alone in the hallway anymore. I race over to him, my hands gripping his upper arms as I scan his body for any signs of physical harm.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?"

He reaches up to place his hands over mine, stopping my panicked search.

"I'm fine, but it's Tracy, she's here. She's in my class."

He pulls me with him to the back door of the room, allowing me to peer through the slim window to see into the class. Tracy sits at the very back, her long hair cascading over the front of her face to block her from view. I can't confirm it's her, but I take Liam's word for it, especially when I see her filth-covered bare feet curling beneath the desk.

Hayden sits beside her, leaning over the gap between their desks to speak to Tracy. Her round face is etched with concern for the girl who appears to be shaking as her rapid breath moves her thin body. She has no idea who she's really talking to. 

"We need to find Scott," I utter worriedly.

"I already did," Liam replies, and right on time, the Alpha himself comes running down the hallway a millisecond later, his face set with determination.

I take a conscious step away from Liam since I'd been practically stuck to him since the moment I arrived. Liam doesn't notice, nor does he see the scolding look I send his way for the lack of heads up.

"What do we do?" I ask Scott when he comes to stand beside us, watching Tracy through the window.

We had to figure out a way to get her out of there but we couldn't alert Mister Yukimra's students as to what was going on, or put them in harm's way. Tracy seemed docile now but she could easily be set off again.

Scott begins to think, trying to form a plan. That becomes unnecessary as Liam steps away from us to cross the hall, pulling the fire alarm that hung there. He and Scott flinch as the school's alarm blares with an occasional flash, alerting everyone in the building to evacuate. Doors around the hall start to open, teachers and students flooding the space as they follow the parameters of our escape drill.

"You've been hanging out with Stiles way too much." Scott laughs despite the situation, referring to his best friend's affinity for fire alarms being his usual backup plan. It almost always worked, though, so I'll give him that.

The three of us push against the flow of students to enter the classroom. Mister Yukimura pauses from directing everyone outside when he spots us, now understanding this alarm was merely a cover.

"Oh no," he mutters.

"Find Stiles," I order him softly, and he nods, rushing out of the room to do as I've asked.

Stiles could alert his father to Tracy being here, but I also asked Mister Yukimura to do that to keep him safe. He was a gentle man who would probably allow Tracy to tear him to bits because he refused to hurt her. He did know how to handle himself, he simply chose to avoid violence.

Tracy was still seated at her desk, Hayden standing in front of her. She was worried about the obviously troubled girl, completely unaware of the threat she possessed. We approach them and Tracy vacantly leers in our direction, not really looking at us, but rather through us.

"Hayden," I say her name, getting her attention.

She turns at the sound of my voice, her movements stilling when she sees all three of us. She's smart and takes note of our cautious steps, her eyes widening as she comes to realize her mistake in trying to help a stranger. I motion for her to come toward us, but before she can, Tracy's hand shoots out and clamps down on her wrist, keeping her in place.

Hayden whimpers painfully, Tracy probably not holding her strength back in the slightest.

"Tracy," Scott reprimands her.

I intended to move forward and pry her grip off of Hayden, but Scott holds his arm out, sensing my plan and putting a quick stop to it. He sends me a quick shake of his head, urging me to realize I could do more harm than good. I obey his order because I didn't want to risk being the reason Hayden lost a hand. She was exactly the type of person I swore to protect, but I couldn't help her if I made the situation worse.

Scott says Tracy's name a few times, getting her attention.

Her light brown eyes snap to us, and she moves to stand from the desk, staring at us with fear. She's analyzing us like we're vile monsters, having multiple heads and grotesque tails, not three people who hold up their hands to her in a tender manner, not at all threatening.

"Tracy," Scott continues to say her name, trying to get her to focus on us.

The sound of his voice makes her grip tighten on Hayden. Blood begins to drip from her wrist as Tracy's claws dig into her skin.

"You're hurting me," Hayden gasps, trying to get Tracy out of whatever trance she's clearly in. Her other hand comes up to try and remove Tracy's hold on her, an action that might set the other girl off.

"Hayden, you have to stay calm," I whisper hurriedly, making her look at me. 

Her eyes are filled with terror. I make a calming motion, trying to reassure her. She nods and takes a deep breath, looking at Scott and Liam too as she realizes despite her precarious situation, we were in it together.

Scott's eyes dart between the two girls and the blood that's starting to collect at their feet.

"Tracy, let go," he demands in a firm voice.

Her eyes finally meet ours, as if seeing us for the first time.

"They're coming," she breathes out, her hand falling from Hayden's wrist.

I don't even think twice before grabbing her and shoving her behind me. Her hands grip the back of my jacket, clenching the denim between her fists as she gapes at Tracy from her protective cover.

The deranged girl begins to sway from side to side.

"They're coming for all of us." 

Her cryptic words are her last before she collapses to the floor, not even bothering to break her fall. Her mouth falls open and a thick silvery substance begins pouring out of her. I hear Hayden cringe behind me, and I mirror her disgust mildly, though, curiosity is my more prominent emotion as the foreign substance.

My attention goes to Hayden, as she lets go of my jacket to cradle her injured wrist. She gives me a grateful glance, and she's not the only one of us that feels appreciative. 

After this morning, I needed a reminder that I was capable of helping to save people's lives, not only taking them.

Scott crouches next to Tracy, examining the liquid. He tilts his head to the side, probably listening for her heartbeat, and I'm sure he finds one judging by the relief on his face. I join him at his side, kneeling to examine the mysterious ooze. It was unlike anything I'd seen before.

"You should take her to Deaton," I say quietly. 

Scott agrees, easily picking her up off the floor to cradle her in his arms.

Loud sneaker squeaks in the hallway draw near, and Stiles appears in the doorway to the classroom. Malia and Mister Yukimura are right behind him, mirroring his surprise.

They help Scott carry Tracy out into the hall, supporting her head and feet. Hayden, Liam, and I follow behind them,  stopping outside of the door to the classroom, watching as they bolt out of the double doors and disappear around the corner of the building outside.

"She wasn't even supposed to be in our class. Where are they taking her?" Hayden asks, more confused than we were.

"Uh, the hospital, I guess," Liam answers. Hayden isn't satisfied with his useless response and gives him a soft glare.

He isn't bothered by it, and his focus lands on her wrist.

"Do you need help getting to the nurse's office?" he offers her, analyzing the blood smudged on her skin

Hayden narrows her eyes at him. 

"I think I'll make it," she says spitefully before turning and marching away down the hall with fury in each step. Liam watches as she does so, sighing to himself as he realizes Hayden will continue to despise his very existence for the near future.

"She really hates you," I comment, humor in my tone.

"Most people do," he mutters, making me frown. My fingers reach out, lightly grabbing at his. I don't hold his hand, it's more of a caress than anything.

"Most people suck." I offer him a gentle smile that I only ever wear for him.

His expression shifts to one of contentment, and there's so much gratitude in his eyes that it almost hurts. His attention leaves me, directing his stare to something over my shoulder. I turn, finding Kira and Lydia joining the scene at the end of the hall.

We move together, meeting them halfway. I can tell by the looks on their faces they saw the others running off with a passed-out Tracy.

"They're taking her to the Animal Clinic?" Kira questions us.

"Yeah, to see if Deaton can figure out what's wrong with her," Liam answers.

"What's wrong with her is that she killed two people. Her father, and according to Parrish, her psychiatrist," Lydia adds.

Tension fills me with the new piece of information that Lydia lays onto us without much preamble. Another victim has been added to Tracy's list and now she was on her way to the clinic with the few people in this world I cared for most. Not exactly the most optimistic probabilities of what could happen filled my mind.

"Isn't there anyone else we can talk to? Does she still have her mom? Any family?" Kira asks us, trying to be helpful as we reach a dead end.

Liam and I both shrug while Lydia perks up. "Alpha. If she's a werewolf, she has an Alpha, right? Anyone know if a new one's moved into Beacon Hills?"

I would point out that there was a very real possibility that Tracy could have been an Omega, but the chances were slim. Her strength was too much for a wolf that didn't have any other sparks of fellow pack members to feed off of.

Kira's eyes focus on Liam and I as she answers Lydia's question. "No, but there's an old one, one of the oldest, and we know her." 

Liam sighs in realization. "And her pack."

"We'll take care of it," I say, ignoring the way Liam's lips curl in disdain at my words. 

"Kira and I will go to Tracy's house and see if we can find anything useful," Lydia informs us, much to Kira's surprise. 

"We will?" she squeaks in disbelief. 

The banshee doesn't bother to say anything else, simply waving her hand, a silent command for Kira to follow her as she heads toward the same double doors the others had taken Tracy through minutes ago. We watch as Kira reluctantly trails behind her, her feet dragging with each lazy step. 

"Am I calling him, or are you?" I ask Liam. I don't face him, already able to picture the disgruntled grimace he wears.

"You," he grunts. 

I can't help but be amused as I pull my phone out, dialing the number of my favorite neighbor. 

~

||| A/N |||

vote and/or comment if ya want!

<3