𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐

"𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦 "

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╰┈˚ · ° .  I DROVE THE CAR THOUGH THE OLD PATHWAY ACROSS the woods that led to my old house. The terrain was uneven making the car jolting every once and a while. The burned structure of the Hale house appeared into my line of vision. I could still remember how it looked. The oak walls and the white framed windows with black shutters. The three brick chimneys on the ebony roof. The mahogany door framed by the egg-shell colored porch. The manicured courtyard with the stone pathway.

From that night, sometimes I could still smell the scent of burnt flesh, hear the sound of the agonizing screams of my dying family and I could still feel the heat from the scorching fire that left the scars on my skin. They never healed. My left arm had patches of burns, same with my right side. My grandmother said it was because my mind wouldn't let me heal. I was alive, they were not. She called it survivor guilt. And she was right.

The familiar scent of my cousin drifted up my nose as soon as I exited my car. "I know you are here. No need to hide"

"What are you doing here?" The gravel voice of Derek Hale sounded from behind me.

"This is my home too" I said playfully without turning around before a seriousness fell to me as I remembered why I had come here. I turned around and faced my cousin. Cladded in jeans and leather jacket, dark hair, blue green eyes and facial stubble. A scowl plastered on his features joined by seriousness. It was quite creepy how similar our expressions could be. I walked to stand near him, not breaking eye contact. "Hello cousin"

And after a second, I threw my arms around his neck inhaling his musk and amber scent. I felt him stiffened before his entire body softened and melted into the hug. His own arms wrapped around my middle "Hello Ellie."

As we separated from the hug I smiled softly up at him before changing my expression to one of worry "What are you doing here, Der? What is happening?" His eyes darkened as sadness filled them before his stoic expression came back quickly.

"Nothing, you don't have to worry about it." He looked to his left, to the side of the house before turning towards me again quickly. But his movements made me frown. He started to walk inside again "Go back home Elizabeth"

"I'm already home" I said

"You know what I mean" He clarified with a clenched jaw. I smelled the air quickly noticing the scent of death. And Laura's.

"Der?" I looked at him, but his eyes once again filled with misery. I rushed to the side of the house and there, there was a fresh grave next to the wolfsbane plant that I grew for the sixth anniversary of the fire "Laura." I whispered. I fell to my knees, tears clouded my eyes as I stared at it suppressing the sobs in my throat. I felt Derek's hand on my shoulder, squeezing it before he crouched next to me. There was a rope next to the shovel that he had used. He was preparing the funeral ritual.

"Ellie"

I clenched my jaw and stood up once again. I took the rope and kneeled next to the wolfsbane. My hand grabbed the plant, magic flowing out of me and it eradicated from the soil at my command. I looked at my cousin who without a word came to me. He knotted the rope on the roots of the plant before he started to walk in circles around the grave until the end connected to it, the rope forming a spiral. I placed once again the wolfsbane into the earth "Voco super naturam, ut radices, petalis crescere, consacrate spiralem."

The claws that now replaced our nails pricked into our skin until a drop of blood fell onto the flower. The spiral lightened up, glowing red as nature recognized Laura as an alpha. Earth swallowed the rope as soon as it stopped glowing. The breeze caused by my magic ceased and with it, the ritual came to an end. I knelt outside the spiral with my cousin, grief striking our hearts. We didn't move nor talked until our tears dried.

"What happened?" I asked "What was she doing here?"

"In the beginning, I thought that she came here to see you but when she wouldn't answer her phone I called your grandmother. She said that Laura never passed or even called, so I came here and... I found her."

"The girl that they found in the woods..."

"Yes, it was her"

We both stood up, and without looking away from the grave, through clenched teeth I stated: "There is a new alpha."

"They already bit someone" Derek said, his fist clenched to his side

"I know, Scott McCall"

"Do you want to know what is worse?" I turned towards him in confusion "He is dating an Argent"

"An Argent?" My eyes widened in realization. No no no no. "Allison"

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╰┈˚ · ° .   Monday passed in a blur. I distanced myself from everyone else, I was in a bubble in my own mind. As the last bell rang, I ran out of the class only to collide with Lydia.

"What is happening to you today?" She asked me, her arms crossed on her chest. I ignored the look that she sent me, instead I kept my eyes wandering around the hall and my jaw clenched. "Elizabeth!"

"I'm sorry, today is not a good day" I softened once I saw the look of exasperation and hurt "Too many memories" She would understand that. It's not that I could tell her that our new friend's family burned mine alive. Lydia knows of the fire, all the town knows about it, but she understands how to this day the memories of that night still haunt me. Awake or asleep. I didn't like to lie to her, but sometimes the lie was better than the truth. Or this is how I chose to see it since I lied to my best friend since the first day.

"Alright, you know that if you want to talk about it..."

"I know, I just need some air" I pressed my lips tight together trying to send her a smile, knowing that I failed miserably when her expression fell even more. "I will call you later, okay?" I waited for her nod before rushing out of the school.

I walked through the tree, still keeping the school in my sight. I ended up near the lacrosse field where the training was in full course. I went to sit on the benches but the sight of Scott McCall colliding with Jackson freezed me on the spot. Jackson was still laying on the grass, his teammates and coach surrounding him. Scott kneeled away from them, his best friend the only one next to him.

"I can't control it, Stiles. It's happening." I heard with my enchanted hearing

"What? Right here? Now?" Stiles panicked "Come on. Get up. Go!" Without thinking about it twice, the boy dragged his best friend away. My eyes met the green-blue one of my cousin's who from the benches on the other side had watched the commotion. I spared him a last glance before following behind the human and newly turned werewolf.

I stood outside the male locker room watching Stiles use the fire extinguisher on his friend succeeding in turning him back human.

"Stiles? What happened?" Scott asked, totally confused by his predicament.

"You tried to kill him." I said. My words made the attention fall to me. The two widened their eyes continued to switch between looking at each other and me

"That- I–Don't–" Stiles sputtered

"You don't have to try to find a lie that would explain what I just saw" I rolled my eyes at the two. "I know"

"You know?" Stiles asked wide-eyed. I honestly thought that they would be more smart than this. Derek told me what happened the night of the full moon, I know that they met him.

"What's my name?" I questioned already fed up with the two teens

"Uhm, Elizabeth?" Scott said, well actually more asked

"My last name, you idiot." I said huffing from my position against the wall

I saw the moment that they realized. Their jaws clenched and from the look that they shared I knew that my cousin didn't make a good impression on them. Not that I cared anyway.

"Hale. Your last name is Hale" The Stilinski boy stated

"Ding, ding, ding. Ten points to Ravenclaw" I smirked at Stiles. He was definitely a Ravenclaw.

"What do you want?" Scott stood up, positioning his body to cover Stiles'

"For you to not kill anyone?" I raised an eyebrow at him

"Well, she is not wrong." The Stilinski boy's head popped from behind his friend. His finger pointed towards me. "Wait, are you a werewolf too?"

"I'm something more" I smirked. My eyes flashed gold showing my werewolf side. Yelping, Stiles took a step back, his eyes never leaving me and still full of curiosity. Scott put an arm in front of him, his glare pierced into my head. "You don't want to shift in front of everyone and turn the lacrosse field into a battlefield, don't you Scotty?" I said stepping closer to him until we were almost chest to chest. "Well there wouldn't be much of a battle though. The term massacre would be more accurate." I pointed out "Everything that accelerates your heartbeat, anger, lust... It's a trigger. Control your shift and then you can play." My eyes turned gold as my own anger rose, his own glowing in response. "The Argents won't think about it twice before killing you. They don't care that you are a kid. If you shed blood or not. So don't give them any more opportunities to justify them killing you" With that I turned around, walking away from them.

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It was afternoon when I entered through the door of the Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital. My feet carried me past the nursed desk where two women cladded in uniforms worked on the computer. Their heads raised when they heard my footsteps, smiles growing on their faces. Both of them sent me a nod of acknowledgement before going back to their tasks. The staff already knew where I was directed from my weekly visits during the years. The elevator chimed as I arrived at the floor. As soon as I was in front of room 231, I knocked on it to announce my presence even if I knew that it didn't really matter. The room was lit by a lamp, the industrial lights not turned on. The bed was made but on a wheelchair turned towards the window, was a man. Wavy brown hair, unseeing blue eyes and pale skin from the lack of sun. But what was more evident, were the burn scars that marked the left side of his face and down his neck. 75% of his body was covered in third-degree burns.

"Hello Uncle"

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╰┈˚ · ° .   I spent an hour with him, obviously doing all the talk. His werewolf healing had put him into a coma, unable to heal. Not even my magic helped. I kissed his cheek, saying my goodbyes, before walking out of the long-term care ward. As soon as I reached the small entrance hall my eyes widened at the amount of people that I recognized. Lydia was kissing Jackson, Scott and Stiles talking a bit farther away.

"Oh for fuck sakes" I groaned under my breath. Lydia snapped her head towards me, her brows furrowed before a look of understated came to her. She quickly dragged Jackson away with her without giving him time to open his mouth

"What are you doing here?" Scott asked grinding his teeth

"None of your business" I hissed, eyes flashing gold. My shoulder collided with his as I stalked off. A faint scent of death still lingered on him but my sense of smell was too overwhelmed by the chemicals in the hospital that I didn't give it a second thought about it as my steps carried me further and further away.

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╰┈˚ · ° .   It was the middle of the night when I woke up. This time it wasn't because of the nightmares. A wave of magic filtered through my brain, imagine after image showing behind my eyes.

I saw Stiles pulling the wolfsbane plant, the rope then glowing spiral as the black wolf turned into Luara. I breathed heavily as the vision played in front of my eyes. Visions such as this were usually sent by nature itself. To warn the witch, to send her messages.

Panicking, I dressed as fast as I could, ran downstairs and quickly got into my car. I drove definitely above the speed limit to reach the house. The sun was already up when I arrived, the police already dragging a handcuffed Derek out of the house. He looked briefly at me before he was shoved into the sheriff's car. Deputies crowded the area, taking evidence and what not. Scott stood next to a blue jeep, his eyes widened as they landed on me.

"What have you done!?" I said, my breath was heavy as I glared at the teen

"He killed that girl. I did what I had to" Scott spat back

"You don't know anything. I am warning you McCall, don't let me see you here again. You won't like the consequences" I turned around and walked towards the sheriff who was talking with his son, Stiles "Sheriff"

"Yes" His eyebrow raised as he noticed the way his son jumped at the sound of my voice

"How much time will you still be here?" I questioned rather abruptly. My arms were crossed on my chest, fists squeezing as my eyes darted between the deputies around the propriety.

"This is the scene of a crime." Stiles scoffed, his incredulous face would have made me probably want to laugh in another situation.

I huffed out a calming breath before addressing the Sheriff again "I am sorry" I said apologetically for my previous tone "My name is-"

"Elizabeth Hale, I know." He told me with a small smile. One of sadness and pity. He lowered his eyes to the ground, sighing. "We will do it as quickly as we can." he assured with a nod.

I ignored the pity and the disbelief across Stiles face as he stared at his father "Thank you" I mumbled quietly and with that, I started to walk back to my car

"Wait, what!? Why would you do that!" Stiles shouted

"Because almost her entire family died in this house, Stiles" The Sheriff replied. That was the last thing that I heard before I drove my car away.

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╰┈˚ · ° .   As soon as I entered from the front door, I saw my grandmother. She sat on her armchair, her hands occupied by yet again one of her knitting projects. In the background, a soft melody emitted from the record player. Candles were lit throughout the space, frankincense resin burning in the incense holder. Her eyes lifted from the pink quilt with red heart shapes that she was neatly knitting, narrowing before shifting into a hard stare.

"Someone is in trouble." Citrine said from his perch. A hum soon followed.

"What happened?" Grams said, making me stop glaring at her familiar and look at her. A movement of her hand and music stop playing.

My eyes caught the quilt in her hand "That is certainly not going on my bed" I said pointing at it with a grimace.

Grams rolled her eyes "It's for Lydia, not you." Her stare shifted to the framed photo on the little side table next to her armchair. Her and Lorraine Martin in their mid twenties. They too, best friends since childhood. "Now, back to our conversation. I know something happened"

My shoulder sagged as I followed her command for me to sit next to her, simultaneously summoning Hex. Amethyst glowing eyes shined from the purple mist as it dissipated, her black scaled body coiled around my arm. The events of the past week or so spilled from my mouth one after the other. Laura's death, a new Alpha, the newly turned werewolf, Derek's arrest and most of all, Allison Argent.

"Does she know? About her family, the supernatural?" Grams asked

"No. Well, I don't think so."

"Then why should she be at fault for the crime of something that she has no idea of. For the hatred of her family that she has no knowledge of." She stated with a soft smile

"Yes but what about the time when her family will explain everything to her? When they will start training her as a hunter."

"That time has not come yet. I can tell that you want to be her friend. You and Lydia never even thought to add another girl to your friendship before her. What do we know, maybe she will be different, don't give up on her just yet." Her words made me furrow her eyebrow, deep into my thought as I continued to per Hex with my fingers "Follow your instincts, sweetheart, not your mind. It's too clouded by grief, pain and sadness for allowing your heart to open up to someone else. Your magic will lead you to the right decision. Mother nature will always come to your aid. Now I have another Hale to take care of."

With her parting words my grandmother sat up from the couch. A wave of her magic blew out candles and resin. Citrine hopped from her perch and followed after grams "All see you tonight, my darling" She said before she and her familiar were out of the house

"It will be okay, Elle. Magic will always guide you" Hex said with her raspy voice. Her words made me smile down at her, her forked tongue now out of her mouth, hissing slightly. "Now, give me food. I'm starving"

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╰┈˚ · ° .   The drive to the Hale house was one that I knew very well. Typically, I would prefer to walk. Brushing my fingers through the leaves and against the bark of the tree. Feelling the wind against my skin, the earth beneath me. Connecting to nature had always felt like a calming balm to my witch side, to nourish the magic and pleasing it. But alas, the news of Derek's release from jail the night before had made me rush first thing in the morning. And of course, I didn't know if the police had sequestered any of my tools that lingerie around the house for evidence. I couldn't really walk through the forest with the heavy chest that was now in the trunk of my car. The forest gave away to the burned down house and I didn't waste another second to get out, not forgetting to take the chest with me. My boots clunked on the charred wood of the parquet as I opened the mahogany colored door.

"Derek, I know you are here" I said, already heading to my left. The room used to be a big living room now black from the fire and filled with fallen planks of wood and sooth. Passed that, on the other side of the glass door, there was a sunroom. The veranda windows were almost all shuttered, so it was more open to the elements. Through the years I tried to clean it as best as I could. I brought some of the hand-made blankets made from my grams, some pillows. Even a new couch. Plants littered the room with candles. The magic supplies that I had here were usually in this room. There was a long rectangular coffee table that was filled with framed photos, herbs, crystals and anything that I could find that didn't burn in the fire. Some jewels and toys. A triskele was painted on the oak surface. I could at least see that they hadn't touched it. The wooden chest that usually would have been next to the sofa was amiss. It was spelled, so no one would be able to open it or break it.

Fuck them—

I put the new chest were the previously was before I heard the sound of steps

"Ellie, what are you doing here?" Derek said. He stood next to the glass door, his arms crossed on his chest.

"I came to see if my cousin was alright after being arrested" I nonchalantly said as I used my magic to nourish the plants around the room. "And I need to see if they had touched my things" I added cheekily earning an eye roll from the man "They took my chest" the annoyance in my voice was apparent

"Well sorry about that, it's not like I was arrested for murdering my sister" His sarcastic comment made me smile. A snapped my fingers together and the candles lit up, casting shadows around the room. "Thank again your grandmother for me, will you? It think she scared the deputies so much that they released me three hours earlier than what they should have"

"Hell hath no fury like an angered Warren witch" I said, adjusting the quote to the citation.

A snort caught my attention, it wasn't Derek who had made the sound but a boy who I had not seen in more than six years. I could recognize his scent, his heart beat even after all this time. And even more so, the slightly trace of Warren magic infused in his blood was unmistakable

"Oh, don't I know that." His husky and gravelly tone sent shivers down my spine. Cladded in black jeans, shirt and a leather jacket on top of an obsidian colored hoodie. Its hood raised on his head slightly hiding his messy curly brown hair and even darker eyes. I could see a tattoo on his neck, the resemblance with shadows was uncanny. It crawled from under his shirt, probably it was the same one that adorned his hands trailing down his silver rings cladded fingers. He leaned on the door frame, an amused grin on his pink full lips "Hello, little witch."

✎

˗ˏˋ 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 ˊˎ˗

Hello everyone!

Here it is chapter two and the first appearance of our male oc, Alec!!

Yes, this fiction will have some changes and yes, there will be a lot of magic, spells and rituals. I love writing them. And honestly, I love Rosalie Warren. Grams has my heart.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this! See you all on Saturday!

˚ · ° .  𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 . ° · ˚

𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 

𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 

𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞!

– 𝐋𝐨𝐥𝐚 ☾