Within seconds, Liam shifts and lunges at the two men, completely unaware of what he was facing. Up until this point, the biggest threat he had gone against was Garrett, who was no match for Calavera hunters.

"Liam, no!" I shout to hold him back, but it's too late of a warning.

He swings a clawed hand toward Miles. Before the impact can land, Miles thrusts the electrified cattle prod into Liam's chest. He falls to his knees, crying out in agony as the electrical current courses through him. It reverts him back to his fully human state, the lack of his shift making it even more painful.

I instantly draw my gun and aim it at Miles' head. The other man directs his revolver at me as a result, but I don't flinch at the unspoken threat. My eyes remain on Miles, narrowing on him. He turns off the prod but doesn't retract it. He lets it sit against Liam's neck, telling me he would happily crank it back on to full power at any moment. 

"Drop your gun," the bald man grunts. I don't bother to respond in any way. 

Liam whimpers at our feet and I resist the urge to check on him. My focus needed to be on the men in front of me. 

"You're not that dumb, Argent," Miles taunts, motioning to the revolver pointed at my skull. 

The use of that name fills me with bitter repulsion. I swallow it down because with Liam here as an obvious hostage, I had to gain whatever upper hand I could.

I force a cruel smirk. "I'd still get the shot off."

Araya sighs as she comes further into the room, closing the door behind her. She puts her hands into her pockets ever so casually, and she stands between her two men. With a wrinkled smile, she peers down at Liam. He pants heavily and tries to fight off what the high voltage had done to him, unaware of exactly who he was in the presence of. 

"Let him go," I demand, trying to hide my desperation. "I'll stay, but he goes." 

Araya chuckles and her eyes sparkle with delight. She studies me for a moment before reaching for Liam. He lets out a low growl at her touch, making Miles grab his neck and roughly force him toward her. Araya grabs the chain he wears and holds it up, showing off the bullet attached to it. 

"He stays," she tells me. 

I feel my stomach twist as I've allowed Liam to be exposed as my weakness. I should have never taken that necklace from Mexico. 

Araya ventures away from her men, going to sit on one of the chairs at my small dining table. She gestures for me to take the only other seat like a hospitable host, as if this were her place and not mine. She also motions for the bald man to lower his gun. He easily does as she commands, even going so far as to take a step away. He definitely has more self-control than Miles. 

"We can be civil," Araya states simply. 

I almost wanted to scoff at her idea of civility. Something told me she was only here now because she knew Scott and the others were on lockdown. They wouldn't be able to aid me, which meant she could say and do whatever she wanted without running the risk of my friends backing me up. That hardly felt like even ground. 

My gun remains poised in the air as I scowl at Miles. I fight with myself over what to do but settle for putting my weapon away. I couldn't waste any more time being here; time that could be spent saving my friends. I also didn't want to keep Liam in this situation much longer. I had a feeling that Miles would beat him bloody if it meant getting to me. 

"Don't even think about touching him again," I warn Miles. 

I cast one final glance at Liam before joining Araya. I look at her, but sit at an angle so my body is aimed at Liam and the two hunters that stand above him. If they tried anything again, I needed to be on them in an instant. Araya smirks, fully aware of what my body language exposed. 

"Where is she?" she asks, getting into the thick of it. She doesn't need to say Kate's name for me to know what this is all bout. 

"No idea," I reply simply, and honestly.

Araya sucked her teeth with false pity as she gestures to my bruised face. "Don't tell me the Alpha did that." 

My eyes narrow upon her insinuation. I didn't care for her taunting me, but her trying to imply that Scott would ever do such a thing aggravated me. I do my best to bury my frustration, as it would do nothing but harm. 

"Last night, she was at the old Argent Arms International warehouse," I say. "She ran after we found her. I don't know where she is." 

Araya hums in disbelief, not buying any of what I was telling her despite it being the truth. 

"The Argents went unchecked for too long, Jacqueline. They were able to destroy the very code they created. I won't allow that to stand any longer," she starts, her voice rigid with tension. 

"Kate needs to be put down. It is your duty as a hunter to do that, or did you forget who you are while chasing fairytales?" Araya got more irate as she spoke, and her false smile ceased to exist.

I shake my head at her claims. The Argents and their betrayal had nothing to do with me, yet she was putting it all on my shoulders. Hunters have walked away from the cause before. I didn't understand why she couldn't let me be already. 

"You have no idea who I am," I defend myself with a taut jaw. 

"Don't I?" Araya shoots back. Her eyes travel to Liam who's still on his knees, his attention on the both of us. 

"What about you, lobito, do you know what she's done? The blood she's spilled of your brothers and sisters? Do you know what that bullet around your neck really means?"

Liam's body trembles with rage as he tries to control himself. I stiffen at that, because Araya was only saying those spiteful things to earn a reaction from either of us, and she was about to get it. 

"Shut up!" Liam snarls, his voice deepened by his surfacing shift. 

Miles takes that as an open invitation to kick him in the back. Liam drops to the floor fully because of it, his hands shooting out to catch himself. Miles doesn't stop there, though. He lifts his cattle prod with the intent to drive it into Liam's unprotected spine. I'm out of my seat before he can deliver the blow. 

I slam my foot into the center of his chest, pushing him back. When he finds his footing, he swings his cattle prod at me as I advance on him. I duck under his extended arm and weapon, drawing out the push-dagger from my sleeve, and swiftly rise again. I jab the blade into his wrist, forcing him to drop the cattle prod and cradle his injured appendage. 

The second man moves to assist his companion, but his movements aren't quiet. I hear him coming, his breath and steps too loud. I spin to face him after re-sleeving my blade, finding his revolver aimed at me once more. I instantly take hold of his outstretched wrist, pull him forward, and use that momentum to swing him and twist his arm behind his body. I forcibly rip his weapon from his hand before shoving him roughly into Miles. They both drop to my carpeted floor upon impact.

I bring out my own pistol with one hand and grip the man's revolver with the other. Miles and his fellow hunter leer up at me as I aim one weapon at each of them. 

When they know not to move, my eyes go to Liam. He stares up at me with surprise, his mild shock keeping his shift docile. I don't say anything to him, only tilt my head to the side. It's a signal for him to join me. He comes to stand behind me quickly, and I have to stop myself from sighing in relief when I feel his body's warmth. The sensation of it was welcoming, because if he was close, that meant I could keep him safe.

Araya glares at me from the edge of her seat, but doesn't move. 

"You told me you hold no loyalties to Kate," she snaps, taking my actions against her as a complete betrayal.

"I don't," I grit out.

"Then why, even after everything she did, do you protect her?" she practically yells, her voice filled with rage. "Incluso después de que la espada cayó?"

My attention on the hunters at my feet falters, and my breath grows shallow. I stare at Araya with widened eyes, gaping at her words. 

"How do you know about that?" I almost whisper. 

Even after the sword fell...

Her words echo through my head and I can picture Gergard cutting that Omega in half so clearly. I tense at the memory and Araya doesn't miss the reaction. Her words had done what she intended them to.

She stands from the table, creeping toward me with slow and intimating steps. 

"Your debt can be forgiven, but only when you take the revenge that is rightfully yours," she says spitefully, not giving me an answer to the question I asked.

She knew what Gerard had done to my family's sword, but she shouldn't have. The only people that knew what happened that night were the people that were there. Yet, here Araya was, using the shame I held over allowing Gerard to dishonor my family's legacy against me.

I could feel an old and familiar rage rise within me. I wanted to lash out at her for using something so personal, but quickly realize that's exactly what she wants. She wants to get me angry and react violently; to be a monster like Kate and Gerard. 

I think back to last night, though. I remember what Liam had said to me, about how I didn't have a choice in the things I had done, and it was time to forgive myself for it. It wasn't selfish, it was healing, and that was something I had withheld from myself for too long.

Araya's narrowed eyes study me, waiting for something I won't allow to happen. 

"I know I'll always be a killer, I can't change what I've done, but that doesn't mean I have to kill Kate, too. Scott McCall believes in a better way, and I believe in him," I admit to Araya. 

"I respect that you want order, but I'm not getting my hands bloody for you have it." 

My voice holds firm as I speak. Araya's face falls when it dawns on her that her words didn't affect me the way she thought they would.

I look at the men below me. I still glare at Miles, but my face softens when I peer at the man beside him. I turn his revolver in my hand, facing the handle outward. He's hesitant as he reaches to reclaim it, debating whether or not I was trying to trick him. I don't, and allow him to hold his weapon properly, and then put mine away, too. 

Araya does nothing but watches me. Not a word, not a move. Though, for a moment, I swear I see a flash of regret in her eyes. The silence isn't permission to leave, but it's not an objection either, so I move toward the door. I open it and allow Liam to exit first before turning back to the three hunters that remain inside my room. 

"You better be gone by the time I get back," I say, shutting the door behind us. Part of the frame is busted from where they had kicked it in, but I tell myself it was something I could fix later. Now, I had to worry about my friends, and getting Liam to a safer distance. 

I straddle my motorcycle and he follows my lead, coming behind me. I speed off once he's settled, wanting to get some proper distance between us and the Calaveras. 

On our way to the hospital, I pay attention to our surroundings to be sure we're no longer being followed. I had allowed my attention to slip earlier but I wouldn't make the mistake again. I even take us on a longer route to Beacon Memorial by cutting through a populated neighborhood, all to shake any tails I couldn't spot. It cost us a couple more minutes of travel, but it would be worth it. 

Lydia had texted to go to the morgue, already doing us the favor of texting Melissa and Deaton about where to meet them as they worked on a solution to all of this. When we finally arrive at the hospital and park my bike, Liam and I both make our way to the lower levels of the building. We rush through the lobby, pushing past the random people on our way to get to the elevator. It's silent as he and I stand inside of the lift, both of us staring at each other's distorted reflections in the metal of the double doors. 

"What'd Araya say to you?" he asks after a moment. 

I hesitate despite him already knowing the truth of what happened that night. The shame over my failure would always be with me. 

"Even after the sword fell," I quote Araya. "It means she knows what happened to my family sword. She knows Gerard used it to break the code." 

I wasn't sure how Araya knew about that, but I tried not to focus on it. It only worked to add to my aggression and I didn't need that at the moment. I also didn't want to feel such hatred for Araya. She may have not been at her best lately, but I still had a great deal of respect for her through it all. In some way, I also hoped she had some for me. 

Liam doesn't say anything, and the doors to the elevator open before he can even try. 

He and I pass through the threshold, walking through the short hallway of the empty floor. The heavy doors up ahead that lead to the morgue open as we venture further, revealing Derek. He pauses as he looks between Liam and I, his light eyes studying the scattered bruises on my face from where Kate's boot had kissed my skull.  

"You look like hell," he tells me. 

I sigh at his words, though there's some light laughter there, too. 

"Liam, this is Derek," I introduce them, glancing at the Beta. He's already staring at the man in our presence, a firm scowl on his previously neutral face. 

"We've met," he grits out through clenched teeth. 

Derek smirks down at Liam, not arrogantly, only amused. I'm not fully aware of what transpired between them, but Scott had mentioned he wanted to get some Alpha advice from Derek when it came to Liam. Considering the Hale hadn't exactly been the best with Betas, though, I could see it going terribly, especially with Liam's short temper. 

I usher Liam inside to put a stop to his glowering, allowing him to enter the morgue first. I follow behind him but stop to send Derek a scolding glance. 

"You can never play nice, can you?" I quip, making his smirk widen. 

Melissa and Deaton stand inside of the abnormally cold room, as well as another shorter woman with taut features. They're the only living people in the room, but a dead man is splayed out on an examination table between them. His death was clearly a product of whatever mysterious infection we were facing as his body is covered with black blood and goop. His head was cut open, too, revealing inky splotches on the interior of his skull. 

Liam makes a subtle gagging noise as he falls back and lets me pass him, still new to the more gruesome aspects of our world. I hear Derek chuckle at his reaction and send the Hale one last lecturing look before making my way over to Melissa. 

"I'm sorry I didn't come right away," I apologize to her. 

"You're here now," she brushes off my guilt. 

I smile comfortingly at her, able to see the stress that sits below the surface of her expression. She was trying to stay strong but if I was freaking out over Scott being in danger, I could only imagine how she felt as his mother. 

"Are you the hunter they spoke of?" 

I turn as the random woman speaks from behind me. I don't answer her, only settle for eyeing her frame up and down with judgment, and take a protective step in front of Melissa. To me, an unfamiliar face on a day such as this wasn't welcomed. 

Sensing my distrust, Derek moves toward us. 

"Jac, this is Satomi," he says to calm me. 

Embarrassment stings my chest for my reaction as realization hits. I remember when Scott told us the story Noshiko had passed down to him and Kira about the Nogitsune, and how she encountered it during World War II. Satomi had helped her defeat it, only the two of them against the vile spirit. Their triumph had always impressed me, and I never thought I would one day stand in the presence of one of the oldest living werewolves ever known. 

"Satomi, it's an honor," I breathe out. 

I extend my hand to her, and she stares at it with caution. It takes her a second to reciprocate the gesture. When she does, it's brief before she pulls away from me, looking back at Deaton with a questioning face. 

He chuckles, smiling at me. 

"I think you'll find Jacqueline isn't like most hunters you've met," he says, making me smile, too. It fades when I remember what we were in the middle of, and how none of this was to be taken so lightly. 

I step away from Satomi, focusing on Deaton and the body he had been examining. 

"Tell me everything you've got," I order, and he nods. 

He goes back to the man, tilting his head to the side for me to get a better look. Liam, who had been over my shoulder, vocally cringes and backs away further. Derek grins at that, making me glare at him before refocusing on the corpse, and the odd ebony liquid that dripped from his eyes.

"It's a variant of canine distemper," Deaton explains. "A few years ago a similar outbreak in Yellowstone killed forty percent of the wolf population."

I study the darkened veins on the man's skin, seeing how they all converge toward either his brain or his heart. Whoever made this strain of infection was surely experienced, because not even wolfsbane had this kind of direct impact in a non-noticeable dose. 

"What's it gonna do to our wolf population?" Melissa asks. 

"Well, it's been altered to infect quite a bit faster," Deaton replies, unsure. 

Derek crosses his arms, frowning as he thinks over Deaton's words. 

"You mean it's been weaponized," he clarifies, earning a stiff nod from the vet. 

"It infected my whole pack," Satomi says grimly, making us turn to her. It's hard to miss the suffering in her eyes and not sympathize. 

Werewolves can't bear to see their own in pain, especially Alphas. She felt all of their suffering, and each death was one she endured along with them. She would feel that phantom pain for the rest of her life and it didn't matter how many wolves she added to her pack. None of them would be able to replace that loss. 

"Everyone except for you," Deaton notes. "That's the real question. Did you not get infected, or are you immune?"

"And if your pack was infected, then who was doing all the shooting at the entrance to the woods?" Derek adds, referring to whoever shot Braeden. It was unlikely an assassin would poison and shoot up a pack, so that meant two separate killers. Maybe, even more. 

"Apparently another assassin," the alpha sighs. "Personally, I'd rather face a gun than a variant of smallpox."

I hum in agreement with her words, not caring to deal with such a threat either. I would take a hand-to-hand brawl any day over an illness I couldn't see or even treat. That notion only increases the amount I've stress I feel at my core. 

"Braeden doesn't have any leads?" I ask Derek, shaking off my hesitancy.

"Nothing we can use," he says. 

"And before you ask, she's okay," he promptly adds with a knowing smirk. 

I share in his amusement as he's completely right. Words aren't necessary between Derek and I, and he understands my gratitude without explanation. Satomi observes the interaction with her dark eyes focusing on Derek. They're glazed over the slightest bit, which makes him send her a puzzled look for her odd reaction. 

"Sorry." Satomi laughs to herself. "I just noticed how much you remind me of Talia." 

Derek's smile softens at the mention of his mother. I watch him with adoration, aware of how much she had meant to him. It was difficult for him to speak of her often but he would mention her every now and then, and did so with great respect and care. He carried her memory with him in all that he did, and I always admired how he upheld his family name. It was something I wished I could do. 

"I used to visit her a lot, you know. Do you remember me?" Satomi asks earnestly.

Derek pauses in thought, his eyes gleaming with nostalgia. "I remember the tea. You always brought that tea that smelled terrible."

"I brought that tea as a gift. Your mother loved it," Satomi tells him. It was a tender moment for her and him, but Deaton doesn't allow it to linger. 

"What kind of tea?" he cuts into their conversation urgently. 

All of us stare at him with confusion, unsure of what made him so alert. 

"What?" Satomi asks. 

"The tea. What kind was it?" Deaton repeats after himself. 

"Reishi. Wild purple reishi. It's very rare," the Alpha explains. 

Her words allow two broken pieces to connect in my mind, and Deaton's reaction is suddenly understandable. Reishi mushrooms were a powerful remedy. They had certain natural properties, but when it came to the supernatural, it was a cure. Noshiko had even used it to purge Mister Yukimura of a fly the Nogitsune put inside of him once. I could imagine what miracles it could perform for us now. 

"It's also a very powerful remedy for sickness," Deaton explains to the others. He wears a triumphant grin on his face, one that I can't help but eagerly match. 

"Satomi, you didn't get infected because you've been inoculated," he informs the Alpha, leaving her in a stunned silence. 

"Okay, okay, how rare is it?" Melissa rushes out. "Can we find it?" 

"We don't have to," Derek says. "My mother kept some of it. It's in our vault."

I turn, looking to Liam. He's still disgusted by the corpse only a few feet from us but makes the effort to meet my eyes. His face instinctively lifts with a smile when he notices the one I wear. 

"Let's go save our friends," I say, hopeful once more. 

~

||| A/N |||

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