"I got to meet with the medical examiner and try to figure out what happened with Jackson. I've got an APB out on Stiles. His jeep is still in the parking lot, so that means - the hell, I don't know what that means. Um - look, if he answers his phone, if he answers his emails, if either one of you see him—"

"We'll call you." Isaac said with a light-hearted smile as I nodded.

"We'll make sure he gets home." I added and turned back to where Stiles Jeep was sitting.

Thoughts circled my brain the moment I knew Jackson had attacked himself. Like he had tried to stop himself from hurting anyone else.

Maybe he was going to hurt Stiles and didn't.

"We going to find him by his scent?" Isaac asked as Scott nodded.

"We all are."

𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎

"Peter Hale. Y'know, I'd say it's a pleasure, but I've recently discovered the truth about your little murder spree so...  I'll pass on the friendly greeting." I said with a forced smile as Peter frowned at me.

"Mm. Well, I don't remember your name."

"It's Dean." I deadpanned as Peter's eyes widened.

"As in... Dean Edric?" Derek slowly turned to Peter with a quizzical look. The way Peter had said my last name wasn't anything about remembering a time before he was a killer.

It was more like he had been scared because of it.

"Uh... yeah?" I raised a brow as Peter cleared his throat.

"Well. Can't say it's good to see one of you Edric's alive again."

"So... who are you?" I turned my head as Isaac finally spoke up.

"That's Peter, Derek's Uncle. Little while back, he tried to kill us all, and then we set him on fire, and Derek slashed his throat." Scott informed as Isaac's eyes widened in confusion.

"How is he alive?"

"Unimportant right now." I said and placed my finger against Isaac's lips, and he raised a brow. "What is important is that he knows how to stop Jackson."

"Can all of you stop talking like I'm not in the room?" Peter groaned as I dropped my hand, turning to him.

"Look, the short version is he knows how to stop Jackson. And maybe how to save him." Derek said as I sighed, chuckling. "What's so funny?"

"Well. It'll be hard to stop Jackson when he's dead."

"What?!" Derek bellowed as Scott stopped Derek from stepping forward.

"It just happened on the field." Scott explained as Peter and Derek shared a look.

"Okay, why is no one taking this as good news?" Isaac asked as I raised my hand.

"I'm taking his death as great news." I smiled as Scott glared at me. "Oh hush. I can be glad that the accessory for my brother's murder is dead."

"But if Jackson is dead, it didn't just happen. Gerard wanted it to happen." Peter frowned as furrowed my brows.

"What?"

"But why?" Derek asked as Peter rolled his eyes, annoyed at the many questions.

"Well, that's exactly what we need to figure out. And something tells me the window of opportunity is closing. Quickly."

𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎

I sat down against the wall as I listened to Peter and Derek's hushed talking, though it was pointless since we were all werewolves with super-human hearing.

My phone rang, startling me for a moment before I looked down at it, Stiles name in bold letters.

"Stiles? Are you okay? Where are you? Are you hurt?" I asked as Stiles sighed quietly. "Sorry."

"No no it's okay... I'm okay. I'm home. Got a punch or two to the face but... have you figured out how to stop Jackson?" Stiles asked as my worried face turned cold.

"Jackson's dead." I muttered, already knowing Stiles' eyes were widening with shock. "I'll tell you later. I need to talk to everyone."

"Oh... okay. Um... I'll see you later?"

"Definitely." I hung up and slid my phone back into my pocket, rejoining the group. "Stiles is home. I gotta go."

No one tried to stop me as I ran out the door and to my car, speeding off to Stiles' house.

𒊹︎𒊹︎𒊹︎

"Stiles— Jesus what happened to your face?!" I grabbed his face gently as I ran into his bedroom, forcing him to have me look at the bruise under his eye and the busted lip. "Who did it?"

"It doesn't matter—"

"Who did it?!"

"... Gerard. He took me to the Argent's basement and tied me up with this... electrical wire. And— Erica and Boyd are there." My eyes widened in fear at what Gerard could be doing to them at this moment.

"Are— Are they..?"

"No! No they are... well. They aren't okay but they aren't dead." I slowly sat down on his bed as I got a strong smell of perfume, turning my head to the door to see Lydia.

"Lydia?" I stood up again as Stiles spun around. "What are— what are you doing here?"

"Stiles' dad let me in."

"He did? Yeah. Of course he did he still thinks that I— um... nevermind." Stiles scratched the back of his neck as Lydia's eyes widened.

"What happened to your face, Stiles?" Lydia asked as I just stood there awkwardly, having no idea how to interject myself into their conversation.

"Oh, uh - yeah, no, it's nothing. Don't worry about it. I'm fine. Do you want to come in? How are you doing?" Lydia walked into his bedroom as Lydia looked over at me and tried to smile, but she couldn't.

"They won't let me see him. I'm supposed to give him something. He kept asking for it back."

"I'm sure they'll let you see him soon. You'll just... have to wait, I guess." I said softly as Lydia nodded, fumbled with her fingers, her perfume scent being washed over by sadness as a tear slowly trickled down her cheek.

"I'll um... be right back." Stiles ran out to go search for something as Lydia just stared at the floor.

"Will you be okay? I know it's hard to lose someone you love." Lydia looked back up and wiped her tears away.

"I'll be okay... I think. I've never had to deal with a big loss in a while. Not since my grandma died." I sighed quietly.

Definitely was going to be a long night ahead of us.

THE LAST CHAPTERS ARE HERE NOW! I'll be honest, I'm excited to finish this book!