Averi leaned against the seat in the back of Stiles' jeep, her and the boys getting ready to leave the station. Because of how old the jeep was, they were having trouble with getting it started. Again. Averi had no idea how old this jeep was, but it had to be a couple years, considering how much it broke down and didn't start.

Stiles was clearly frustrated which was understandable. His jeep had broken down many times before and was a pain in the a**. She knew it meant a lot to him though, he probably would never get rid of it.

"Why don't you get a new car?" She asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"Oh, so now you're insulting my jeep?" Stiles asked, sending her a playful glare.

"Well, no." She said, her cheeks turning pink. "I was just curious. Look, I know love it -" After seeing the look he sent her, she quickly corrects herself. "Roscoe, but wouldn't it be easier to have a new car? One that wouldn't break down all the time and shouldn't have to use duct tape to hold everything together." She explained, her voice taking a teasing tone.

"First of all, duct tape holds everything together." Stiles points out, sending her a playful glare. "And secondly, it adds more character to the jeep." He said, running his hand over the dashboard lovingly.

Averi giggled and shook her head at his antics. She knew the jeep meant a lot to him and she wasn't trying to insult it, but she had to admit, it would be a lot easier and better to have a new car. But she wasn't going to push it. If he wanted to keep his beloved jeep, then so be it.

Scott snickerd a bit, amused by the banter. He was used to it, it had been like that since the beginning of their friendship and they continued to banter even when they started dating. When he heard her giggle, his heart skipped a beat and he was relieved her and Stiles didn't have enhanced hearing like him to hear his heart. He felt guilty for feeling this way. He had no reason to feel this way, but he couldn't help it. He had feelings for Averi and he hated himself for it.

He tried his hardest to bury his feelings for her, but he couldn't. The more time he spent around her, the stronger his feelings became. He had tried to fight them, but it was no use. His heart belonged to her and he didn't know what to do. He knew he couldn't tell her. It would ruin their friendship and he couldn't lose her. So, he did the only thing he could do. He kept his feelings a secret and buried them deep down, pretending like they didn't exist.

But he couldn't help but think back to when that mysterious were creature said they were True Mates. He couldn't be right, could he? And how would he know if he was truly meant to be with Averi? The idea of being True Mates sent a thrill of fear and excitement through him. The implications of it were both thrilling and terrifying. He knew it was a lot to take in and he would have to do some research, but the thought of being Averi's mate was more than enough for him. 

She was a fairy, and the idea of a werewolf like him being True Mates with a fairy was something out of a story. Werewolves rarely had mates outside their kind, and the idea of a True Alpha, like Scott, being paired with an air fairy seemed like an ancient myth—something that couldn't possibly be real. He'd heard of True Mates across species, but it was rare, practically unheard of. Scott didn't know if he could believe it—if it was even possible, or if the creature had just been messing with him. But every time Averi laughed or looked at him with those bright, sparkling eyes, he felt his heart twist in a way he couldn't ignore. She was beautiful, inside and out, and the idea of her being his True Mate made his head spin. 

It didn't help that she was unaware of the silent battle raging within him, oblivious to his stolen glances and the way his heart would race whenever she was near. Scott couldn't help but wonder if she felt anything close to what he did. But he couldn't risk ruining their dynamic, especially not with Stiles in the mix. They were a trio—tight-knit, supportive—and Scott didn't want to jeopardize that. Besides, Averi had never given him any indication that she saw him as anything other than a friend.

He forced a smile as Averi continued to tease Stiles about the jeep, her laughter light and carefree, filling the air around them. He was getting good at masking his emotions, but it didn't make it any easier. Each laugh, each smile she shared with Stiles only deepened the ache in his chest. He watched them, his gaze flickering between Averi and Stiles, both lost in their teasing, and a part of him felt the familiar pang of longing. The sound of Averi's laughter was like a melody, a balm to his soul—and a reminder of how much he wanted more. But he couldn't. Not with Stiles right there, not when she had never shown any sign of seeing him the way he saw her.

Scott shook himself from his thoughts, focusing back on the present moment. He looked over at Averi, watching as she and Stiles laughed about something. His heart clenched at the sight and he swallowed hard, his eyes flickering away. He had to keep his feelings for her buried and locked away, even if it hurt. He knew he had to keep pretending everything was fine. It wasn't fair to Stiles, and it wasn't fair to Averi, either. If he let his feelings slip, everything could change, and Scott wasn't sure he was ready for that. The trio they had—Stiles, Averi, and him—was too important to him. It had been a constant in his life when everything else felt uncertain, and he wasn't about to risk it for something that might be nothing more than a fleeting crush.

As much as it hurt, he knew he had to push his feelings aside. He couldn't let himself get distracted by them, not when they were so close to everything he wanted to protect. Stiles was his best friend, and Averi, though unaware of the internal struggle Scott faced, was someone he cared about deeply.

"Hey, Scotty, you okay?" He heard Averi's soft voice ask. He looked at her, her beautiful eyes staring at him with concern. He felt a small surge of hope when she touched his arm, his skin tingling at her touch. But he squashed the feeling down and sent her a small smile, trying to hide the turmoil of emotions swirling inside of him.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit tired." He lied, the lie slipping easily from his lips. He hated lying to her, but he couldn't tell her the truth. He didn't want to risk losing her and/or Stiles.

Averi gave him a skeptical look, clearly not believing him. "Are you sure?" She pressed, searching his face. She wasn't sure why, but she felt like something was wrong. She had known him long enough to be able to tell when he was hiding something. And he was definitely hiding something. She just couldn't figure out what.

"Yeah, I'm sure." He lied again, forcing another smile.

She nods, though she still looked unconvinced. She decided not to push the subject, not wanting to make him uncomfortable. "Alright." She said, a small sigh escaping her lips. She turned her attention to Stiles, who kept trying to get the jeep going. She lost count on how many times he tried to get it working.

"It's anxiety." Stiles mumbled after a moment of silence, side glancing at Scott, who was looking at him with concern along with Averi.

"What is?" Scott asked, confused by what he meant by that.

"The chemo-signals? Oh, I'm well aware of how you all monitor my emotional state. Yeah." Stiles tried to get the car on again, grunting as he hit the steering wheel angrily. Averi frowned, hating seeing him so worked up and upset. She reached over and rubbed his shoulder, hoping to comfort him. He looked at her, his expression softening, and reached over to intertwine their hands together. He gave her a small, grateful smile, the tension in his body easing slightly under her touch. The feeling of her hand in his always calmed him, even if just a little. Averi's quiet support, the simple gesture, meant more than she could know.

Scott watched them, his chest tightening at the sight. He tried to push down the discomfort, focusing on the present and not letting his thoughts wander back to the feelings he was fighting so hard to ignore. He couldn't let himself get caught up in the moment. Not now.

"You okay?" Scott finally asked, his voice low, trying to mask the emotions stirring inside him. He looked at Stiles, who was still struggling with the jeep, his frustration evident in the way his brow furrowed and his hands gripped the wheel. Scott felt the weight of the question in the air, knowing that Stiles was more than just upset about the car. It was clear he was carrying something deeper, and Scott wanted to be there for him, just like Averi was. 

Stiles is quiet for a moment before he pulls his hand from Averi after squeezing her hand and pulls his phone out of his pocket. "Alright, I got this from Braeden a few hours ago." He hands his phone to Scott while Averi scoots closer to lean against the back of Scott's seat to look closer at what Stiles was showing them. Scott tried not to focus on the fact that Averi was sitting so close to him and looked at the photo on Stiles' phone, doing his best to ignore the warmth coming from her and her sweet scent. "That's the first real bit of information we've gotten on the Desert Wolf in months."

"The Desert Wolf did this?" Scott inquired, staring at the picture in disbelief.

"Definitely don't wanna get on the wolf's bad side." Averi muttered, eyes wide at the gruesome sight. She shuddered slightly, feeling the weight of the image as it settled in her mind. The photo Stiles showed them was gruesome—evidence of a brutal attack, one that looked like it had been orchestrated by someone with a lot of skill and malice. The Desert Wolf was no stranger to destruction, but seeing it firsthand, in such a raw and violent form, made it all too real.

"Yeah. And I'm the one who's been pulling on this thread." Stiles sighed.

"Maybe you should stop." Scott suggested.

Stiles shakes his head. "No, it's not up to me." And with that he turned his keys in the ignition again and it's a miracle that the car actually starts.

Averi sighs softly and sat back in her seat, buckling herself in. "That's a miracle." She mutters under her breath, smiling when Stiles sends her a playful glare through the rearview mirror. "Thought I would have to call a tow truck." She teased.

"Ha ha, very funny." Stiles gave a mock glare to his girlfriend, who just giggled and grinned back at him in response. He can't fight the smile that tugged at his lips as Averi's playful nature lifted his spirits, even if just a little. It had been a rough day, but her lightheartedness helped distract him from the weight of the situation. Averi was glad that Stiles was able to get the jeep going, because she really didn't feel like sitting outside while waiting for a tow truck. She loved being outside, especially with nature, but not when she was standing outside in the cold at night.

Scott, meanwhile, forced himself to focus on the task at hand, mentally putting aside the mix of emotions he was feeling. He couldn't let himself think about Averi and Stiles too much, especially not when everything around them was becoming more complicated by the day. Still, the jealousy gnawed at him—he hated that feeling. He couldn't help but feel it, even though he knew it was irrational. Stiles and Averi were a couple, and he had no right to feel this way. But no matter how hard he tried, the feeling of longing wouldn't go away. Scott forced himself to think about the situation at hand—the Desert Wolf. That was what mattered right now. His thoughts had to stay focused on the threat they were facing, not on his tangled emotions. 

Averi's thoughts drifted back to the mysterious were creature and what he had told her and Scott when they were fighting it. He had claimed they were True Mates, which didn't make any sense. How would he know that? And how was that even possible? Was it even true? Averi had done some research after the incident, but hadn't found much. She would most likely need to research books or find someone who could tell her more.

But the question was, would she want to? She was with Stiles, and she loves him. He makes her so happy and she can't imagine being with anyone else. So, why was the were creature's words sticking with her? She had no idea. She decided not to dwell on it, knowing that the were creature was probably just trying to mess with her and Scott. But her gaze flickered towards Scott, wondering if he had thought about it too.