On the way to the motel, I could feel my stomach growling and realized I hadn't eaten all day, too busy having conversations of axe murderers and lacrosse. There was a small diner across the street from the motel so I stopped there first.

It wasn't much, just a classic burger joint with black and white checkered floors and faded maroon leather booths. The people there were friendly and the food was cheap and edible, plus the location was convenient, so I frequented the establishment often.

When I opened the door the bell above me chimed like usual, some people around looking at me from the noise. It wasn't too packed but almost every other table was filled as it was dinner time.

"Hey Jackie, you want a menu?" The familiar red-headed woman behind the counter greeted me as I came up to take a seat in front of her.

Lily was fairly young, probably a little older than Derek, so she and I got along easily. She never asked questions about where my parents were or why sometimes I came in with far more bruises than an ordinary teenager should have, and she could make a mean apple pie.

"Yeah, thanks, Lily. Thinking of trying something new." I joked with her as I took the flimsy plastic menu she handed me, leaning on the counter with my elbows.

She chuckled and rolled her brown eyes fondly. "So that means you're gonna stare at the menu for ten minutes and end up asking for the same basic cheeseburger, just like every other time, right?"

I hold a hand to my chest and gasp, faking a hurt expression. "I'm gutted at the accusation. I was thinking about getting the tofu burger."

"We don't have a tofu burger." She deadpans with a soft glare.

"Well then, I guess I'll take that cheeseburger you mentioned." I shrugged as if the whole ordeal was an inconvenience for me.

Lily grabbed the menu from my hands and whacked my shoulder with it. I reached out and rubbed the spot as if she had actually hurt me which made her hit me again while laughing.

She walked away from me to go put my order in so I looked around for something to busy myself with, finding my way to the television above. A few other people on the counter were watching a news report about the Walcotts and the home invasion playing.

Lily came back and leaned on her side of the counter with her hip, crossing her arms as she stared up at the television too.

"Such a sad story isn't it? That poor boy lost his whole family." Lily frowned.

"Yeah," I mutter as I stare at the picture of Sean Walcott on the screen.

I had been through what he had. My entire family was massacred and I was the only survivor. The guilt he was facing now must've been eating him alive.

There was nothing we could do for him, but I would be lying if I said at this moment I didn't send out a silent wish for the Walcott boy to end up in a better place than I had.

The screen flashes red and a 'Breaking News' logo popped up over the news report. A reporter now stood in front of the hospital with a dozen police cars behind them, as well as a light coming from above to shine across the property from a chopper.

The woman was saying something but because the television was muted for the sake of conversation in the restaurant I couldn't hear anything.

"Can you turn it up?" I quickly ask Lily, my senses now becoming alert as to what the hell happened. I had just left the hospital not too long ago so what could have occurred that warranted such a heavy police presence.

"...Walcott was found dead on the roof of Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital. At this time the Sheriff and his department are declining to give us any information on what occurred and whether or not his death was an accident." The woman on the screen reported.

"Oh my god." Lily gasped as well as a few other people around the diner.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone, my hands shaking as I dialed Scott's number. I put the phone to my ear waiting for him to pick it up but it went to voicemail. The fact that he didn't pick up might not have been a big deal but I couldn't help but panic.

There was a dead body on the roof of the hospital and he was screening calls? McCall was about to get an earful if he would pick up his damn phone.

I stood from my seat and didn't say anything as I ran out of the diner. Lily called out in confusion for me but I didn't turn back. I would apologize to her some other time for it, but right now I had to make sure Scott was okay.

The McCall house was closer to me than the hospital so I figured I could stop by there first and see if anyone was home to ask either of them what happened. As I veered closer to the house, entering the street it was on, I could see Stiles' Jeep parked in the driveway.

"Stiles?" I mutter under my breath to myself, unsure of what he was doing here.

Had something gone down at the hospital that called for him to leave his study date with Malia? If so, why didn't those punks call the rest of us?

I parked my bike behind the Jeep before jogging towards the front door. I was about to knock but took a chance on the door being unlocked, which it was. That was unusual and I reached for the dagger in my jacket's lining, pulling it out to keep at my side as I crept into the house.

The lights on the bottom floor were all out but I could see a warm glow coming from the top of the stairs, which meant someone was up there. I heard low voices echoing through the hall and followed them, tip-toeing on each step as steadily as I could.

"Scott?" I called out loudly into the house and suddenly the voices stopped, and when I reached the top of the stairs I saw a mildly sweaty Stiles pop out of Scott's room, leaning against the doorway not so casually.

"What up, girl?"

Stiles had a far too wide smile on his face and held his arms out in greeting. I put my dagger back into my jacket since there was no actual threat here, but still stared at him hesitantly, unsure of his attitude.

"Where's Scott? I saw on the news that the Walcott boy was dead at the hospital."

Scott popped his head out of his room, mirroring Stiles' wide smile that was anything but comforting.

"We'll talk about it tomorrow with everyone else. Don't worry, Jac."

After he finished talking a muffled moaning noise came from further in Scott's room and the boys held their smiles but their eyes became full of fear. I blinked a couple of times and licked my lips, taking a moment to myself as I tried to understand what I had just walked into. I was regretting leaving the diner and my burger very much right now.

"Is there someone tied up in your room?" I asked patiently, waiting for an honest response.

The moaning continues and it becomes much more desperate from the sound of it. Stiles glances back into the room because of the noise, then looks back at me. He continued to smile but it didn't reach his eyes, sheer panic reflected in his gaze.

"On a scale of one to ten, how mad would you be if we said yes?"

I sighed and reached up, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"I would definitely be a ten, Stiles."

Stiles nods and follows it with a shrug. "Then, no. We don't have anyone tied up in there."

That answer obviously wasn't what I wanted so I squinted at Stiles as I stomped towards him, pushing him out of the way so I could see into the room. Scott doesn't even try to stop me, just steps aside with his hands nervously picking at each other as he waits for my reaction.

I can feel my jaw fall drop as I take in the sight before me.

Liam was bound by duct tape to a chair in the middle of Scott's room.

He was struggling against his restraints and was covered in sweat, blood and tears as he grunted behind the tape on his mouth for help. His blue eyes stared wildly at me as he tried to motion for me to untie him.

Stiles came back to my side with pursed lips, holding my shoulder gently as he pushed me with him back down the hall. Liam's grunts got more desperate as I left his view. Scott came out of the room too, watching me nervously.

"Say something." He whispered.

My mouth still hasn't closed so Stiles reached out, lifting my chin for me. I slapped his hand away from my face and he jerked back just in case I moved to keep hitting him.

"What happened? Why is he covered in blood? Did you kidnap him? Does this have something to do with the Walcott kid? Are you two actually this dumb?" I glare at them more intensely as each question I ask comes out.

"Have you ever heard of a wendigo?"

I tilt my head at Scott's question that didn't answer any of mine. "Yeah, they're man-eating shapeshifters. Why are you asking me about wendigos?"

"Because Sean was one. He ate one of the deputies at the hospital, tried to hurt my mom, and then he was going to hurt Liam. I - I didn't know what else to do." Scott looked at me like he was begging for me to understand something, but wasn't actually saying it.

"What did you do?" I glance from him to Stiles as he remains silent, unable to say what he wanted.

"Scott bit Liam." Stiles answers for his friend and I feel myself go cold as endless possibilities full of decay and carnage fill my head.

"You're not serious, are you?"

"I didn't know what else to do." Scott repeats as I stare at him in shock.

"He can die," I whisper gruffly to Scott, the possibility of Liam overhearing keeping me from yelling. 

"You don't think I thought of that? You weren't there, I did what I had to do." Scott whisper-argued back leaning down to get in my face.

"Okay, just take a breath guys. We're all on the same side here." Stiles put his hands on either one of our shoulders to push us apart, both Scott and I far too tense to be that close to each other and not lash out.

"Yeah, for now." I mumble as I flex my hands into fists, resisting the urge to punch a hole into one of Melissa's neatly painted walls.

This was bound to end badly if Liam didn't pull through. Hell, even if he did pull through it could end badly. 

Scott had no idea that challenge he just placed forward. Up until now, the only Betas he ever interacted with were given the bite from other Alphas, but now Scott had just claimed one of his own. 

A True Alpha's Beta.

"What are you talking about?" Stiles asks with a perplexed expression.

I sigh as I look up from the floor beneath me. "Kate's not the only one that broke the code. Hunters can't just switch sides like it's a fantasy draft. Araya barely tolerates me running around with you guys just because Scott is a True Alpha, so if Liam dies? So do I."

I recall Araya's threats that day in Mexico. She wanted to give the hunters an example as to what happens when you break the code, and if she couldn't use Kate, well, she'd gladly settle for me.

We hunt those who hunt us.

She'd claim all the hunters I'd fought in defense of Scott and myself deserved justice and bury me in some random grave in the desert. It would inspire loyalty in any other hunter who may feel guilt over the lives they had to take and secure the Calaveras title as one of the most respected hunting families. 

Scott tilted his head like a dog. "It wouldn't be your fault, she'll come for me."

"You really think I'd let her get to you?" He doesn't say anything after that, but I can see any trace of frustration on his face disappear at my statement.

"We can't think like that guys. Liam's going to pull through. I hate to admit it but the little twirp is tough." Stiles gestures towards Scott's room where Liam still sat, still tied up.

"Even if he does take to the bite, tomorrow is the full moon. We have to contain him and Malia." I sigh, realizing how bad the timing of this was. 

"You guys talk to Liam, try and tell him what's going on and what could happen. Leave out the whole possibly dying thing, Stiles." I give the mentioned teen a pointed look.

"Fine. What are you gonna do?" He responds, ignoring my snipe at him.

"I'm gonna call Braeden, maybe she can let me know when the Calaveras cross over. If Liam does survive this and word spreads that you've made your first Beta, it'll draw attention either way."

I go back downstairs, ignoring Liam's pleas as I pass Scott's room. I settle for going into the kitchen, sitting on one of the rickety chairs by the table. I brought out my phone and searched for Braeden's contact. Even if she didn't answer, I could leave her a message. 

Though, the sudden yelling and loud thumping coming from the living room steal my attention. 

I leave the kitchen and find Scott and Stiles laying at the base of the stairs, entangled with each other. Beside them, the front door to the house was wide open.

"I got him! I got him!" Stiles yells as he hugs Scott's legs tightly. Scott sat up to glower at Stiles and the other boy slowed as he realized he was just holding onto his best friend.

"Unbelievable." I shook my head and walked back into the kitchen to sit down again.

Scott and Stiles shuffled into the kitchen, the latter turning on the hanging light above the dining table before they sat beside me, pouting like school children in a timeout.

"I just wanna say it was his idea to take the tape off." Stiles mumbles as he avoids Scott's eyes.

"You told him he might die when she said not to." Scott retorted. 

They started to argue incoherently and I felt myself growing more irritated with each insult they threw at each other.

"Shut up!" I blurted out, making them freeze. I take a deep breath right after to calm down. "It doesn't matter right now. All that does matter is figuring out how we're going to help Liam." 

"Should we try and look for him?" Scott asks.

"I think it's okay that we give him some space tonight and find him tomorrow. I mean, after you got bitten, what did you do?" I reply, knowing Liam couldn't go to the police with this little problem. They'd call him crazy and then the sheriff would bring us in when he hears of his son's best friend biting random teenagers. 

"I went to school," Scott says with a certain innocence to his words that made me chuckle.

"Exactly. We might have to put our Kate problem on the back burner for this, but I know we can figure it out." I tell them truthfully, now able to look at things clearly with a few minutes to calm down.

Scott didn't look as calm though and had a rigid posture.

"I need to tell you guys what happened on the roof." Stiles and I remained silent as Scott began to speak.

"Sean took Liam up there and I chased him. We got into it and Liam fell off the roof so I had to stop fighting Sean to save him. He was too strong and he pulled me away from the ledge, but I was close enough to reach Liam with my fangs."

"You did the right thing, Scott, I see that now," I tell him in an apologetic tone, feeling bad for the edge of anger I held against him earlier.

"It's not that." Scott gulped with an angsty face. "There was someone else up there. He killed Sean."

"Who?" Stiles pressed, leaning forward as the conversation just became something more than Scott recapping Liam's bite.

"I don't know who he was. He was tall and pale, and he didn't have a mouth. His face was smooth, there wasn't any type of scarring. I didn't chase after him but he disappeared without a trace." When Scott was done talking there was a tense silence between the three of us as a new threat had welcomed itself into our lives.

"I guess this is a good time to bring this up," Stiles sighs tiredly and reaches for his phone, placing it on the table in the middle of us. 

"Lydia's notes that she gave Malia, they aren't actually notes."

He starts swiping through the images of Lydia's notebook and even though some of the things written looked like Math, the rest of it was just a jumble of words, letters, and assorted characters.

"It's code."

The last time Lydia's powers controlled her without her knowledge she resurrected Peter, and also drew a tree that led us to a whole journey full of darach sacrifices which ended with us losing almost half the people we knew, so this wasn't exactly a welcome surprise.

Scott took the phone to get a closer look. "What does this mean?"

"It means you were wrong, Stiles." I looked at the two boys beside me, knowing we were about to continue ourselves down a dark path.

"Something bad isn't coming, it's already here."

~

||| A/N |||

If any of you use We Heart It, check out the link in my bio! I have collections for my book under "tw oc; jacqueline knight". There's two of them, one for s4 and another for s5.

They help set the vibe for Jac and her story, so if you're interested, feel free to scroll through! :)