THE SUN CONTINUED to rise and fall, and Peter Hale continued to construe his web of lies and manipulation. On the eve of that months full moon, the day before school reopened, he prowled the woods with his Selena by his furry side.

They stalked Scott and Stiles from the tree line as they drank and lamented on their desperation for the female gaze. Selena grit her teeth as she watched Scott pout. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but she was angry.

Scott nearly turned her against Peter. She was still struggling to forgive herself. Selena was a traitor of sorts, no matter the situation.

Then she set sights on their real prey. Unger and Reddick. Weird names that Selena memorized. She watched as they approached Scott and Stiles, trying to cause a scene.

In the end, Scott scared them off, shattering the bottle of Jack Daniels he and his best friend were sipping from. Unknowingly, he'd led them deeper into the woods, and into deeper danger.

Selena and Peter followed from a distance. Then, Peter paused, nudging Selena closer to the arsonists. He wanted her to lead. She wondered if this was a sort of punishment for her doubt in him.

Feeling the urge to prove herself, Selena advanced. Her feet made a soft crunching noise, and both men swiveled to face her. As their eyes swept along her figure in the brisk moonlight, they were intrigued.

"Why hello there little lady," greeted the taller and darker one. Reddick, Selena knew him to be. She showed them a charming smile, stepping a bit closer.

"Hello, boys," she greeted, twisting a strand of bright hair around her finger. The two men shared arrogant looks, like they were about to have the night of their lives.

Really, this was the last night of their lives.

"What's a fine piece of ass like yourself doing out here all alone?" asked Unger, the shorter one with a cap on his head. They were both dressed in loose fitting and basic clothes.

"Lotta bad men out there, you need some protecting?" Reddick offered, as if he wasn't one of the bad men in question.

Selena swallowed her gag, instead batting her lashes with a giggle, "Oh, I can protect myself."

The two chuckled, Unger stepping closer and causing Reddick to do the same, "Really now?"

Selena nodded, "Yessir. Want me to demonstrate?"

Reddick grinned, "Baby, you can demonstrate whatever you'd like."

Within the same second they were engulfed in flames. A circle of thick and tall fire surrounded them, forcing them to stumble into one another.

"What the hell?!" Reddick shouted, heart racing as the red sparks inched closer. By now, the two men were forced back to back, the heat causing sweat to lick their skin.

Selena's facade of a cocky smirk dropped. Her face was bland as her eyes were illuminated against the dark forest. Her fist balled shut, urging the flames to advance.

"Stop! Please!" they begged in terror.

Screams filled the crisp air. Both men were ablaze, jumping around and stumbling in a craze. Their clothes charred to their skin, igniting it with a pain unlike any other. Selena watched as they suffered the same fate the Hale family did. Her stomach clenched uncomfortably.

Peter nuzzling against her arm stole her attention. The flames diminished. Both Unger and Reddick were already sobbing on the ground, eyes heavy with fast approaching death.

Peter's wolf did a nod, almost approving of her actions. Selena had to turn away as he tiptoed closer, finishing their prey. Even with her stare adverted, she could hear the tearing of flesh and final little yelps for help. It was pointless, as both men met their demise.

Two more people were added to Selena's body count.

* * * * *

The day of the full moon arrived. Selena didn't know how she was feeling. Her ears still rattled with those pained screams only a few hours old. Her heart longed to rekindle with Lydia, and a swell of anger flourished when she thought of Scott.

As she took the big exam of the morning, she felt Stiles' eyes on her. It was like he was expecting something, or maybe he was just watching. Then, Scott did the same. It was clear he wanted to talk, and it was even more clear Selena didn't.

Not even halfway through, Scott left in a hurry. He was clutching his head in pain. Shortly thereafter he was followed by Stiles, both brunets ignoring Harris' shouts to come back.

So, the school day continued. Selena got dressed and ready for cheer practice, her pony tail high and tight. She carried herself with the same air of confidence as always, despite the numb scowl she wore.

She wasn't even halfway across the field when a buzzcut in his jersey stopped her, "Hey, Selena—oof," Stiles was surprised when Selena shoved him harshly away from her.

"Don't come near me," Selena spat. Sizzles were heard as the grass beneath her feet became crispy, "Same goes for Scott, you lying assholes."

Stiles' eyes blew wide. He was about to reply when Selena stormed off. Her pony tail nearly slapped him with how vigorously she turned. All Stiles could do was watch and wonder what the hell Scott could've possibly done to garner this reaction.

Cheer practice occurred simultaneously as lacrosse. It was partially a dick measuring contest between the two coaches, trying to see who's team did better.

"Let's go girls, work it!" Coach Grover was shouting over the lacrosse drills a few yards away. She watched as her squad ran through their routines, practicing for the next lacrosse game.

Selena was forcing herself to do better. She put her entire heart in every little move, wanting to work out her stress. The feeling of sweat dripping from her brow was satisfying, like she was forming a new layer of skin.

Things continued peacefully for a while. That all ended when they heard the startled shouts next door, however.

"Danny!"

"Stop! Please!"

For a moment Selena was thrown. She couldn't tell what was present or past. The warm liquid dampening her skin was no longer sweat, but thick blood staining her crimson. It all snapped back into place once everyone ran over to the injured goalie.

Blinking several times over, Selena jogged along. Scott had practically attacked him, causing an injury on the field. While everybody crowded around him, paramedics rushed to the scene surprisingly fast.

Lydia appeared next to Selena. Except, she wasn't there for her former friend, she was addressing her boyfriend, "Is he okay?" she breathed out.

Selena looked elsewhere, wiping her forehead dry with the back of her hand. Sweat, just sweat now. Not blood.

"Yeah, looks like he just has a bloody nose," Jackson replied before properly looking at his girlfriend.

Under the magnifying glass, Lydia spoke up, "What?"

"Your lipstick," he nodded to her plump lips. Lydia produced a compact mirror, nudging her gloss back into place.

"Huh," she mused sarcastically, "Wonder how that happened."

"Yeah. I wonder," Jackson chose to play along.

Fed up with eavesdropping, Selena turned, "Lydia," she waited for the ginger's attention, "Can we talk?"

Lydia pursed her lips, glancing at Jackson before agreeing. The two girls stepped off to the side, out of the mess of worry for Danny. Lydia's arms were crossed.

"I wanted to apologize," Selena said nervously, one hand scratching the leftover scars on her arm and chest, "You're my best friend, Lydia. I should've told you the second I found out I was pregnant. Scott and Allison weren't even supposed to know, I never wanted that to happen."

Lydia felt an inkling of remorse. She wasn't used to this hollow version of her blonde counterpart, "So why didn't you?"

"I was scared," her eyes glimmered with tears once more, "I was terrified, Lyds. I'm only sixteen. I thought you'd think I was a slut or something, or that you wouldn't be my friend anymore."

Lydia frowned. Looking up at Selena now, she remembered who she was. Her best friend for as long as she could remember. Lydia had been consumed with needs for popularity, the urge to climb higher.

"I'm your best friend," Lydia placed a calming hand on Selena's elbow, offering a small smile, "I could never hate you, Lena."

With a relieved laugh, Selena hugged her. She still wasn't sure she was doing the right thing, but at least she was right where she belonged. Selena found solstice in Lydia's arms. Finally she could close her eyes without seeing those men pleading for their lives, surrounded by her own flames of fury.

Selena determined that things would be okay, as long as she had Lydia and a grasp on control.

* * * * *

Selena couldn't catch her breath. She was out in the woods behind her house, bent over as she threw up. One hand was against the trunk of a tree while the other clutched her stomach. With the weeks of school blurring by, Selena could feel the bump, although it was still small.

Tears streamed down her cheeks. She was so lost, so clouded by different sides of the same story. Nothing felt right. Selena owed Peter her life, in her mind, for him teaching her control so quickly. Yet she was sick of being haunted by her own actions.

She didn't want to live like this.

"Selena?"

The blonde quickly swiped her hands across her cheeks, trying to dry them. She turned, spotting Scott McCall standing there.

Selena huffed, going to storm off in the opposite direction. She didn't make it far before Scott slid in front of her, his face scrunched in concern.

"What's wrong?" he asked, glancing her over to assure it wasn't physical. He couldn't smell any blood which was relieving. Unlike the blood Selena felt all around, choking her.

"Scott, please, I don't have the energy for this," Selena pleaded, her expression conveying her utter exhaustion where it was illuminated by the small bursts of the moon, "Just leave me the hell alone."

Scott frowned, brows furrowed just a tad. It was strange to see her so delicate, so tired, as opposed to her usual quick wit and angered exclamations. He was also confused on why she was saying these things, "What? I thought you believed me."

Selena sighed, shaking her head, "I thought I did too," she looked down at her hands, "Then I heard his side of the story, and he told me how you lied."

"Lied?" Scott scoffed, "I didn't lie about anything."

"You attacked him," Selena snapped, "He said you and Derek did, and he had no choice but to fight back. He said you were out of control, and it was you trying to kill everybody," she blinked harshly, trying to rid herself of the new tears forming but instead only knocked them down her cheeks, "He thinks you're trying to use me."

"What?" Scott blurted, appalled by her drastic twist on the truth, "Selena, he's the one lying. I would never do something like that," he could see the way her lips quivered, her whole body hunched like she was curling in on herself. Both hands cradled her stomach protectively, "I haven't asked you to do anything but trust me. He's the one making you kill people. You said it yourself, you don't want to be a killer. I'm not asking you to be anything."

Selena croaked out a slight sob, turning away from him, "I don't know what to believe. I don't want to believe he's lying, and everything I've done is wrong. I hate this, Scott."

"Just think about it, Selena. I have no reason to lie. He's doing this because he needs you, he knows you're strong enough to protect him and do anything he asks," Scott tried to reason with her, both for his sake and hers, "What about my boss? He was there at the school, did the alpha mention him?"

Selena sighed, "No. He didn't."

"Because it only makes sense from my side of the story," Scott emphasized, "You can ask my boss himself, he has no part in this."

Selena silently processed it all. It was a hard truth to accept. The pendant around her neck felt heavy as she weighed each side of the same story. Looking at it from an objective stance, Scott's made far more sense. But, from Selena's point of view, Peter was only looking out for her.

"I don't know what to do," Selena muttered, at a loss. Scott quickly stood in front of her.

"Hey, that's okay," he assured, placing both hands on her arms in an attempt to comfort her, "I'm not asking you to be on my side, I just don't wanna see you get caught in the cross fire."

Glancing up at him, Selena believed it. Scott was a good guy. She wasn't sure how that fit into Peter's narrative, but she knew it as the single truth in a web of uncertainties.

In a fit of emotions, Selena hugged him. Scott was surprised by the notion, but let it happen. He rubbed up and down her back with lips quirked downwards with sympathy.

"I'm sorry," Selena sniffled, "I'm so sorry. I don't want to hurt anybody."

"It's okay, Selena," he whispered, "I'm not mad at you. I understand that the alpha was there for you when nobody else was."

Selena pulled out of the hug, wiping her face again, "I believe you, but I'm still not sure if the alpha is as horrible as you think. For now, I'm with neither of you. I promise I won't help him anymore, but I can't help you kill him either."

Scott nodded, albeit a little dejected, "That's good enough for me."

Selena watched him for another moment before nodding back.

She turned, walking home.

She was tired of being a puppet.