Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Beacon Hills High School was no different than any other high school. It's halls echoed with the sounds of clattering lockers, whispered conversations, the shuffle of sneakers on the worn tiled floors. The students, a mix of the usual cliche's: jocks, bookworms, everything else in between, hurried between classes, their faces a blur of teenage excitement. The lady at the front desk seemed just as bored of her job as every other receptionist in the country, staring at Aurelia with empty eyes and a furrowed eyebrow as if she was inconveniencing her by making her do her job.

Beacon Hills High School was no different to any other high school. Yet there was something about it that set Aurelia on edge, something that sent a lingering feeling of unease throughout her entire body.

"Hi, I'm Allison. I'm supposed to be your guide."

As soon as Allison stepped within the same proximity of Aurelia, her senses were overwhelmed. Along with her presence comes an engulfing sense of warmth that spreads throughout Aurelia's whole body before settling in her chest. Her hands and arms were tingling, as if the magic that flowed through her blood was pounding against her skin, begging to get out.

Most witches who are gifted with the ability of soul sight will go an entire lifetime without a truly pure soul presenting itself to them. Yet here Aurelia was, 16 years old, about to start her first day at a new school and the first person she meets is literally one in a million.

Suddenly realizing that she was staring Aurelia forced out an introduction, "Hi, I'm Aurelia." Her words came out strained. Aurelia hoped that Allison would just put it down to the nerves of being new.

"Have you got your timetable? I'll see what lessons we have together."

She handed Allison the piece of paper that the unhappy receptionist had handed her. She'd already studied it herself, trying to see which days would be her best and worst.

"Looks like we actually have a lot of lessons together!" Allison said gleefully once she had completed her own analysis, handing it back with a smile. Aurelia was still somewhat star-struck, as if she had just met a Hollywood actor or some kind of pop star, but she felt drawn to Allison, which she assumed was just her magic reaching out, aching to be close to a such a virtuous soul.

"Great," Aurelia smiled at her, relieved, "It'll be nice to have at least one familiar face."

"I totally get it. I was the new girl at the start of last semester, I didn't know anyone." Allison shared. She started to walk so Aurelia followed instinctually, despite not knowing where she'd end up, "But my family moves around a lot, so I'm kind of used to being the new girl."

"Well not anymore." Aurelia attempted at making somewhat of a joke, cringing internally at herself immediately after.

Thankfully, Allison laughed and Aurelia felt her magic hum at the sound, "Yeah, thanks for that. Anyway, we have Chemistry first, so Harris will probably just give us a Pop Quiz. I was gonna find a seat somewhere to get some last minute studying in if you wanted to join?"

Aurelia wondered for a second if Allison actually expected her to say no, which would be ridiculous, considering she knew no one else and had nothing else to be doing. So she nodded and smiled and followed Allison to what appeared to be the cafeteria. There were other students in there, all chatting or studying, some even appeared to be eating their breakfast.

"So where did you move from?" Allison asked as we sat down opposite each other.

"Massachusetts."

"Oh I lived there for a while! Where abouts?"

"Salem."

Allison froze, "Salem? Like the witches?"

Aurelia laughed, "Yeah, like the witches."

"Are you...?"

"What?" She laughed as convincingly as she could. There weren't many rules about being a witch, but there was a general consensus amongst all witches - and probably other supernatural beings, though Aurelia was yet to meet any - that you don't go around spreading information about what you are, "No, no. I mean, witches? Really? That kind of supernatural stuff doesn't actually exist."

Allison seemed to relax instantly, almost too instantly, setting of alarms in Aurelia's head that she fought to ignore, "Yeah, you're right."

"So, do you know what's going to be on the pop quiz?" Aurelia asked quickly, eager to change the subject.

Allison launched into an explanation about what could come up on the pop quiz, although Aurelia didn't really listen, she doubted she would struggle with whatever came up anyway. One of the many benefits of being a witch; the magic that flowed through her veins absorbed knowledge like a dehydrated sponge absorbed water and she a memory like a goldmine.

It was safe to say she had never struggled academically.

She toyed with the idea of going into Allison's mind, seeing what had made her react so weirdly to the idea of Aurelia being a witch, but then decided against it. If she had recognized this girl as being pure of soul, she should trust her, right?

"Did you learn all of that at your old school?" Allison asked once she had finished explaining, bringing Aurelia out of her daydreams.

"Uh, yeah. I'm sure I'll be fine." She nodded in return.

"Great." Allison smiled, "You like Chemistry?"

Aurelia shrugged slightly, "Not really. English is my favourite. I love reading. We were worried that we wouldn't be able to fit all our boxes in the moving van because so many were just full of books."

That made Allison laugh quietly, "Did you manage it?"

"Oh yeah, I was not moving across the country without them."

Nodding, Allison laughed louder now, "Got it. So, why did you move?"

"Uh.. we just bought a new house here. Me and my older siblings moved in about a week ago." Aurelia knew that she had blatantly avoided the question, but she didn't want to make things awkward by telling the truth. Most people would probably advise against dropping the, my parents died five months ago, bomb on someone you've only just met.

"What about your parents?"

Aurelia tried not to sigh so obviously, knowing that she wouldn't be able to avoid the truth on this one, "Uh.. my parents died a few months ago."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"No, no. It's okay," Aurelia exhaled deeply, deciding she may as well tell the full story now, "They had already bought the house, so they were coming to see it for the first time and they got in a car accident. You probably saw it on the news."

"Was it the one back at the start of last semester?"

"Yeah."

"Oh my god," Allison said sadly, "I'm really sorry."

"No, I promise it's okay. It was months ago."

Allison sighed and shook her head, "Still, I can't imagine losing either of my parents." Aurelia nodded but didn't reply, unsure of what would be an appropriate response.

"God, sorry," Allison's hands flew to her face, "I keep saying the wrong things, don't I?"

Aurelia laughed, "It's fine. Someone at the funeral tried to comfort me by saying, 'Everything happens for a reason and that I'd feel better in a month.'"

"Wow, brutal honesty. Nice" Allison chuckled.

They kept talking up until the bell, not getting much Chemistry studying done at all, but Aurelia didn't mind and Allison didn't seem to either.

Aurelia had expected Chemistry to be a boring affair, but found herself rather amused by a few of her fellow classmates.

There was one boy sat at a desk across from her with a buzz cut, who was whispering very indiscreetly. At first she had thought he was talking to himself, until he started leaning over his desk intensely and it became apparent that he was communicating with the boy in front of him, although Aurelia found it hard to believe that Buzzcut's friend could hear him, which only amused her even more. Their teacher, Mr Harris, seemed to have quite a short temper when it came to Buzzcut.

"This is a pop quiz, Mr Stillinski. If I hear your voice again, I might be tempted to give you detention for the rest of your high school career." The teacher threatened him, sounding simultaneously very annoyed and also very bored. Aurelia noted that Buzzcut's actual name was Stilinski, but decided she preferred Buzzcut.

"Can you do that?" Stilinski responded, stupidly Aurelia thought.

"Well there it is again, your voice." Harris surmised, his voice tainted with sarcasm, "Triggering the only impulse I've ever had to strike a student repeatedly and violently."

Despite the severeity of the threats, Aurelia, along with most of the other students in the class, suppressed her laughter as she sped through the questions on the sheet.

The boy next to her seemed to be getting through them with less ease, his pen hovering above one of the multiple choice answers. Feeling a pang of sympathy for the boy she pointed her pen at the box labelled A.

"The answers A." She whispered.

The boy seemed to be almost stunned for a moment, as his gaze flickered between Aurelia and his quiz, "Thanks." He finally returned, ticking the box.

Aurelia watched as he turned his gaze to the next question. The boy had a curly head of hair, Aurelia couldn't decide whether it was dark blonde or light brown. Probably somewhere in between. His features were soft, adding a sense of youthful vigor to his face. Aurelia used her abilities to read his soul, feeling a pull of confusion and tension, a swirl of unresolved pain and untapped strength. There was a quiet struggle within the boy, as if his soul was torn between the goodness within him and a deep hurt that was yet to heal.

He was hovering over the question with his pen again, his brow furrowed. Aurelia, feeling a sudden sense of empathetic care for the boy, nudged her own completed paper towards him and let him copy her answers.

"Thanks." He said once again as he began to scribble her answers down onto his paper.

Suddenly, a boy sat at one of the desks behind them got up and rushed out of the classroom, clutching his nose which was dripping with some kind of black bile.

"Mr Whittemore, where are you going? Jackson?" Mr Harris called after the boy as he stormed past, leaving the classroom.

Aurelia frowned, staring at a drop of the black bile on the floor, fairly certain that humans don't bleed black. Her gaze wandered to the door that the boy had run out of, her suspicion rising.

A weird feeling sent a shiver up her spine, like someone was watching her. She tore her gaze away from the door and looked around the classroom, landing on the boy with the buzz cut and his friend, who were both turned around staring directly at her. The buzz cutted boy turned back to his friend, whispering something that she couldn't hear. The other boy shrugged in return, Aurelia read his lips as he responded.

"No, she's not like me. But she's something." He paused for a second, and then "I can smell it."

Aurelia tore her gaze away quickly, looking back down at her pop quiz. When she looked up again the two boys were still staring. She raised her eyebrows at them and both of them turned quickly.

"I wouldn't... um, I wouldn't pay them any notice," the boy next to her said quietly, barely above a whisper. "They're kind of always like that."

Aurelia laughed under her breath, shaking her head. She could feel him watching her from the corner of his eye, curious but cautious.

"I'm Isaac," he offered after a moment, his voice a little uncertain. "Thanks for the help. With the answers, I mean."

"No worries. I'm Aurelia."

Isaac blinked, then gave a small, sheepish smile. "That's... um, that's a cool name."

Aurelia tilted her head, amused. "Cool, huh?"

He scratched the back of his neck, already regretting how awkward he sounded. "I just meant—it's different. In a good way."

"Sure you did," she said, rolling her eyes, though her smile made it clear she was teasing.

Mr Harris collected in their papers five minutes before the bell, tutting at Buzzcut Stilinski's paper when he picked it up before continuing collecting the rest, which caused a few giggles throughout the classroom and a hefty eye roll from Buzzcut.

Aurelia spent the rest of the day with Allison, who as it turns out also needed a friend.

Allison had explained that the only other friends she had made once she had moved to Beacon Hills consisted of her ex-boyfriend and his best friend, whom she no longer spoke to after a messy breakup and a girl called Lydia Martin, who was currently missing. And to add salt to injury, most people at Beacon Hills High were giving Allison a wide birth following the death of her Aunt, who had gone on a killing spree and murdered loads of people the previous semester. And the funeral was tonight.

Aurelia started to feel as though her trauma-bomb that morning was not really as big of a deal as she had thought.

The last lesson of the day was History, which Aurelia usually enjoyed but not as much when it was last period on a Monday.

By the time the final bell went Aurelia was practically dying to go home. She made her way to Allison once everyone had swarmed out of the class, reaching out for her through the crowd of students.

"Well, that's your first day at Beacon Hills High done. Was it everything you dreamed of?" Allison joked as they walked towards the schools exit.

"Everything and more." Aurelia joined in, the pair of them giggling to eachother.

Allison paused as they reached the front of the school, the same place they had met earlier that day.

"I gotta go to my locker and get my dress for the..."

"Yeah," Aurelia nodded understandingly, "Good luck, with tonight. And thank you for today, for being so... nice."

"No worries. I'll see you tomorrow?"

Aurelia felt a pang of relief in her chest at Allison's words. "Yeah, definitely."

She left the school with a skip in her step and a smile that didn't leave her face until she got into the car with her sister.

"How was your first day?" She asked immediately, her blonde hair was tied up in a ponytail. Everyone always said they looked more like twins than sisters, both blonde aired, green eyed, fair skinned.

"It was good! Or as good as first days go anyway." Aurelia replied. "You're downplaying it, just say you had a good time. Your happiness is intoxicating."

"Your so overdramatic!" Aurelia rolled her eyes as she fastened her seatbelt.

"It is!" Her sister insisted, laughing, "Is it a boy?"

"Oh my god Celeste, it was my first day!"

"So?"

"No, it wasn't a boy!"

"Okay, okay." Her sister nodded, "So you made friends then?"

"Yeah. She's called Allison, she's really nice."

"Great! You should invite her over!" Celeste suggested eagerly.

"I've known her for like one day." Aurelia shook her head, "You know, I can do this whole making friends, new school thing on my own."

"I know, I just worry about you."

"Well, you don't- Celeste!"

Aurelia looked up to see a man stood in the middle of the road, hands tucked into his pockets, not nearly as worried as he should be about the car hurtling towards him at full speed. Celeste swerved just in time, but sent the car spiralling as she did. Both of them shrieked as the car spun, Aurelia clung onto the door handle unable to stop the images of her Mom and Dad in a similar scenario months before flooding her mind. The car eventually came to a halt and Aurelia immediately jumped out of the car to search for the man.

"Wait- Aurelia stay in the car!"

She looked up and down the road, but saw nothing other than trees and tarmac.

"What the hell? He's gone. How can he be- Did you- You saw him, right?" Aurelia spluttered, turning on her sister who had also exited the vehicle.

"Yeah, I saw him," Celeste confirmed, looking more serious than Aurelia had ever seen her, "Lets just get back in the car. I'll tell Gideon once we get home, he'll let the police know."

Aurelia, shaken and unwilling to argue, followed her sisters instructions.

That night, Aurelia shut herself in her room. Her mind wouldn't stop swirling.

The car accident had really worried her. She couldn't get the image of that man in the road out of her head. Or the thought that it was oddly poetic how her and Celeste had nearly gone out in the same way as their parents only a few months after them.

She also couldn't stop thinking about Chemistry that day as well. The boy, Jackson, and his black nose bleed. The other two boys who had looked at her like she was some kind of foreign being. And Isaac.

Her thoughts about Isaac were less antagonistic than the others, more focused on the conflict within him, the quiet softness in his features and eyes, the somewhat endearing quality about his awkward nature.

All ridiculous things to be thinking about, Aurelia concluded, considering she had spoken to him for all of about five minutes. Even less.

She was thinking about Allison as well, how her soul had presented itself to her so proudly, how she had been so nice to her all day.

Although she couldn't help it when the doubt crept in that maybe it was just her magic - this thing in her blood, older than her, brighter than her - that made her more likeable, more desireable. Maybe without it Isaac wouldn't have spoken to her in class. Maybe Allison wouldn't have spent the whole day with her.

Eventually the thoughts subsided and Aurelia fell asleep, welcoming the darkness as it consumed all her thoughts, leaving nothing but silence.

She woke up at around seven with a rumbling stomach. Her room was freezing, having left her window open while she napped. Slowly crawling out of bed, she made her way to her window to close it, her eye catching on something across the street.

A man.

Stood so still she would've missed him if it weren't for the streetlights dotted up and down the sidewalk.

Startling her, she stepped back, tripping over her own feet and landing flat on her back. She scrambled back up, clutching the windowsill as she looked in the same direction, but the man had already gone.

"What the fuck?"

Had that been the same man that was stood in the middle of the road? He had the same posture; stood straight, hands in his pockets, so still he could've passed as a statue.

She shook the thought away, trying to think about the car accident as little as possible.

Instead, she started to make her way downstairs, praying her someone had left her some food from whatever dinner had been.

The kitchen door was closed, which was unusual in their house, where her brother usually forgot to lock the toilet door. Just as she reached out to turn the door knob, she heard her brother's voice.

"You're sure it was him?"

And then Celeste's, "I can't be 100% certain but the resemblance was there."

"And he didn't come anywhere near you or Aurelia? Or the car? He just stood there in the road?"

"Yeah."

She could hear her brother pacing, "I should tell Argent. He'll want to know."

Aurelia's interest piqued; wasn't Argent Allison's last name?

"I think Aurelia was quite shaken but it," Her sister went on, "I mean, we could've got in a car crash. She thinks Mom and Dad died in a car crash."

Gideon jumped onto the end of Celeste's sentence, "She has to think that. If she finds out about any of this it could make her a target."

"I know, I know. I just- don't you feel guilty? Lying to her?"

"I'd feel more guilty if I she ended up like Mom and Dad."

Suddenly the door swung open, her brother stood there, eyebrow furrowed, nearly walking into her as he left the kitchen.

"Lia, I didn't realise you were there." He said, stopping himself right before they collided.

Deciding to feign ignorance, Aurelia shrugged, "Well obviously not, there was a closed door between us."

"What have we said about sarcasm?"

"If you stop saying stupid things, I'll stop being sarcastic." Aurelia shrugged again, walking past him, pretending not to notice the wide eyed glances that her siblings shared. "Is there any food left from dinner?"

"Yeah. In the fridge. Just heat it up in the microwave." Celeste told her.

Her siblings settled into an awkward silence, which set Aurelia on edge. Their household was never ever quiet.

"Why are you both being weird?" She demanded.

"We're not being weird." They replied in unison.

She shook her head and turned her back to them as she watched her plate spin around in the microwave, "Whatever." Once the microwave beeped and her food had warmed up, she grabbed it with the hem of her hoodie so as not to burn her hands. "I think I'll just eat upstairs."

Neither of them spoke until Celeste called up the stairs, "Remember to bring your plate down later!"

Aurelia was seriously starting to think something weird was going on in Beacon Hills.

Chapter Text

PART I: AURELIA

Aurelia was trying not to think about the conversation she had overheard her siblings having. But it turns out trying and being successful were two very different things. There were so many questions swarming her head; Had her parents not actually died in a car crash? What did Gideon think he was protecting her from? Why were they hiding things from her? No matter how many times she tried to come up with excuses for them in her head, she couldn’t push away the feeling of isolation that was closing in on her.

She had driven herself to school after accidentally or maybe, slightly on purpose avoiding both her siblings which probably only made her feel more lonely and separated, but part of her wasn’t sure what to say to them. She didn’t know whether to confront them or just act like she hadn’t heard anything. What she really wished was that there was someone who could just make the decision for her, someone that could either make her forget she ever heard anything or force either of her siblings to have to tell her the truth.

She was so lost in her thoughts on her way into school that she didn’t even notice Allison stood at the entrance with a red-haired girl.

“Aurelia!” She exclaimed, cutting through the fog of thoughts absorbing the blonde girl, laughing, “You nearly walked right past us.”

“Yeah, sorry. I was just lost in my own thoughts.” Aurelia laughed along, trying to seem upbeat. She assumed that the red-head was Lydia Martin. On the news that morning she had seen that she was no longer missing, but hadn’t expected her to be back so soon.

Allison frowned slightly but didn’t dwell on it, “This is Lydia. Lydia this is Aurelia, she’s new she moved from-”

Lydia stepped forward, interrupting Allison, “I love your skirt! Denim, very fashionable,” She turned back to Allison, grinning, “I like her already.”

Allison laughed and Aurelia did, although uneasily. Lydia wasn’t what she had expected. She seemed more confident, bolder, didn’t act at all like someone who had just returned from being missing. Allison turned to Lydia, her expression softening.

“Are you ready for this?” She asked.

Lydia laughed breathily, “Please,” She shrugged, “It’s not like my aunt’s a serial killer.”

With that she turned on her heel and walked inside.

Allison didn’t move at first, momentarily stunned by Lydia’s comment. Then she turned to Aurelia with a small smile, shook her head and shrugged, before following after her friend.

Aurelia did the same, finding that Lydia had not gotten very far upon her return to the school and was stood frozen in the hallway, all eyes fixed on her as every other student stopped to stare. Aurelia instantly felt uncomfortable, unsure of what to do until Allison leaned forward and whispered something in Lydia’s ear.

Whatever it was, the change in Lydia’s demeanor was instant. She straightened her back, flicked a strand of hair out the way and strutted forwards.

Aurelia and Allison continued after her at a slower pace.

“She seems… nice.” Aurelia commented awkwardly.

Allison laughed knowingly and nodded, “You’ll get used to her. She means well and she’s been through a lot so…”

“Yeah.” Aurelia nodded understandingly.

“And she said she already likes you, so you’ll be fine.” Allison smiled.

The girls exchanged a grin and laughed again. Aurelia already felt her worries dissolving in Allison’s presence, the same warmth she felt when they had first met yesterday settled in her chest, and the constant murmur of her thought finally stopped.

---

Aurelia Parker never skips lessons. She made a promise to herself long ago that she wouldn’t, ever.

But here she finds herself trying to navigate around a school that she doesn’t know her way around, not really sure about what she’s even looking for.

It had started in Chemistry.

Isaac was absent, leaving an empty seat next to her. As was Black Blood Boy who usually sat behind them.

Buzzcut and his friend were sat next to each other, whispering away the entire lesson. Aurelia had a feeling they were up to something and had tried to eavesdrop on their conversation but to no avail. She was too far away to hear the sweet nothings they were intensely whispering to each other.

That was until Buzzcut turned around to one of the boys sat at the back of the room, his volume increasing enough for Aurelia to overhear.

“Danny!” He whisper-shouted, grabbing the boys attention, “Where’s Jackson?

Aurelia recognized the name Jackson as Black Blood Boy’s actual name.

Danny, the boy who Buzzcut had called out for, Black Blood Boy’s lab partner, looked up hesitantly with a slightly furrowed brow, “In the Principal’s office talking to your Dad.” He responded.

Aurelia frowned to herself. Why was Black Blood Boy talking to Buzzcut’s dad in the Principal’s office?

Buzzcut seemed to be equally as confused, “What? Why?”

“Maybe because he lives across the street from Isaac.” Danny retorted as if it were obvious.

Buzzcut turned back to his friend and launched into another round of intense, scheming whispers.

“Everyone turn to page 73.” Mr Harris’ monotone voice dragged her attention away from the pair and back to the fact she was in a Chemistry class.

All of a sudden, a paper ball went flying at the back of Mr Harris’ head, causing most of the class to errupt into giggles. All eyes turned to face Buzzcut and his friend accusingly, including the harsh glare of Mr Harris. Like something out of a cartoon, Buzzcut and his friend pointed at eachother.

“Both of you, Principal’s office. Now.” Harris demanded.

The pair collected their things and practically sprinted out of the room.

Aurelia debated with herself for a while as to whether she should follow or stay. Skipping class wouldn’t impact her grade and she didn’t know whether Gideon or Celeste would actually care if they found out. But a little voice inside her head kept reminding her that skipping class is supposed to be a bad thing and she shouldn’t just do it because-

Oh well. Curiosity killed the cat, or whatever.

She raised her hand, her leg bouncing impatiently as she waited for Harris to stop speaking about ionic compounds and to notice her.

“Yes, Miss Parker.”

“Please can I go to the bathroom?”

Harris sighed, “I don’t let students miss out on lesson time to-”

“Please,” Aurelia interrupted him, tilting her head, “It’s an emergency.”

Mr Harris baulked, his mouth open but not producing any sound until he finally spluttered, “Yes. Fine.”

Aurelia grabbed her bag and wandered out of the classroom, feeling very triumphant.

Until she found herself definitely, certainly lost.

She was meandering around near a small set of stairs, certain that the Principal’s office was somewhere around there, when Buzzcut’s friend came running down them, paying no attention to her as he sprinted outside. Aurelia followed, watching out of the window as he came to a halt, a cop car with Isaac in driving away. Buzzcut’s friend sighed, his shoulder sagging as her turned around, clearly disappointed.

Aurelia ducked out from behind the small window in the door just before he could spot her. She was confused for many reasons, why was Isaac being arrested? What had Buzzcut and his friend expected to be able to do? Talk the police out of taking him?

Nothing seemed to make sense. Aurelia was starting to see a pattern, concluding that nothing ever seems to make sense in Beacon Hills, and that she should probably get used to it before she sends herself insane.

She turned back to the window, peeking outside to see Buzzut’s friend talking to someone else in a car. She pushed the door open slightly so she could hear.

“Are you serious?” Buzzcut’s friend was shouting, “You did that. That’s your fault.”

Had Isaac been framed by this mysterious man in the car? Aurelia tried to crane her neck to see the man, but Buzzcut’s friend was blocking her view.

“I know that.” Mysterious Man acknowledged, although it sounded as if he was having a hard time admitting it, “Now get in the car and help me.”

“No, I’ve got a better idea.” Buzzcut’s friend stepped towards the car, Aurelia could nearly see the other man, “I’m gonna call a lawyer. Because a lawyer might actually have a…”

The rest of his words faded into static as the man in the car came into view. Aurelia’s eyes widened and jaw dropped as she realised who it was.

The man from the middle of the road.

The man who had been stood outside her house.

Was in the car. Outside her school. Talking to Buzzcut’s friend. About Isaac.

Aurelia ducked behind the door again, her heart racing and an ominous nauseous feeling rising in her stomach.

“Oh my god.” She whispered to herself, “Who the hell is this guy?”

When she looked out of the window again, the car was driving away and Buzzcut’s friend was nowhere to be seen.

---

PART II: SCOTT

Scott was angry. Angry at Derek, angry that Allison’s grandfather was now their Principal, angry that Isaac had been arrested. He was angry.

So that’s why he had gotten in Derek’s car. Because he was angry, so he was going to channel that anger into helping Isaac.

Because that’s the right thing to do.

He thinks.

They were sat in silence, which Scott preferred to having to listen to one of Derek’s evil, alpha, ‘i hate everyone and everything’, monologues, because it allowed him to stew in his anger.

But of course, it didn’t last long.

“There’s something else.” Derek began ominously.

Scott’s jaw clenched. What now? What else could there possibly be?

“There’s a new girl. She’s not human.”

Scott’s gaze snapped to Derek, who was facing the road in front of them.

“How do you know about that?” He asked.

He and Stiles had already sussed her out in Chemistry the other day. He knew that she wasn’t a werewolf, but he could smell that she wasn’t human but with Derek turning Isaac and Isaac getting arrested, he hadn’t had much time to figure out whether she was evil and going to try and kill them all or not.

“So you already know.”

“Yes, obviously I already know, I go to school with her!” Scott retorted, his temper getting shorter.

All of a sudden, Derek’s expression looked very strained, “I- I might need your help.”

“Why?” Scott asked, his suspicion heightening. Derek was impossible to read. Whenever Scott came close to feeling like he had the older guy figured out, he did something that messed up his entire perception of him. So Scott feels that his suspicion around Derek asking for help is pretty valid.

“She might be a threat,” He paused, “To me.”

“To you specifically?” Scott question, his suspicion morphing into confusion.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I know… of her.”

“You know of her?”

“Yes! Look, I can’t explain how. I just do. And it’s not just her”

Scott shrugged, feeling helpless, “Well, I can’t help if I don’t know anything. What do you mean she’s a threat? What if she doesn’t even know that she’s like… not human?”

“She knows.” Derek insisted, glaring intensely as if the road had insulted him personally.

Scott shook his head, clearly not getting anywhere, “Okay, what do you mean it’s not just her?”

“She has a family.”

“Most people do,” Scott sighed. The last thing he needed was to be running around helping Derek save himself from whoever he’s pissed off now. “Look, Derek, I’m not gonna help… eliminate a threat that isn’t even an actual threat yet. She’s done nothing to prove that she’s dangerous. You can’t just point a target at someone and expect me to help you because.. because you’re scared of them.”

“I’m not scared of a 16 year old girl.”

“Okay, good! Because she’s not our issue right now. Right now, we’re focusing on Isaac, who is actually in danger.” Scott snapped, willing for once in his life that Derek would listen.

The older man’s mouth closed slowly, as if he had chosen against arguing even more. “Fine.”

And that was that.

---

PART III: AURELIA

She didn’t wait around after the last bell went that day. Dashing to her car and driving away as quickly as she could. When she arrived home, both her brother and sister were at work, leaving the house empty.

Aurelia must have paced around the house about fifty times before an idea sprung into her head.

She checked the time, 5:43. Surely her brother would be getting tired now, working at the Sherriff's station is bound to be pretty hungry work, right? She pulled out her phone and dialled his number, pressing ring before she could even think about what she was going to say.

“Aurelia? What’s up?” He asked when he answered, sounding concerned.

“Nothing, just checking in. I was wondering if you were getting hungry, want me to bring some left overs from last night in?” She suggested, speaking at about 100 miles per hour.

Her brother was silent on the other end for a second, probably trying to process whatever his younger sister had just word vomited all over him, “Uh, yeah, actually that would be really great.”

“Okay, be there in ten.” She said cheerily before hanging up the phone.

She raced downstairs, putting some leftovers in a small container before running out to her car and setting off to the station.

She arrived at the same time as what looked to be one of the Deputies from the uniform he was wearing. He was limping slightly, so Aurelia stepped forward to open the door for him as he went in, sending him a polite smile as he hobbled past.

There was a woman at the front desk, who smiled at her as she walked over.

“You’re Aurelia?” She asked, “Gideon’s waiting for you, he’s just in that room down there.”

Aurelia thanked her and followed the direction she had pointed, glancing in the small window of the door to make sure it was definitely her brother sat in there before she walked in, placing the container on his desk.

Gideon was up on his feet in less than a second, “You are a life saver.” He said, messing up Aurelia’s hair as he walked past her to a microwave that sat in the corner of the room.

“Busy day?” Aurelia asked, eager for information about Isaac.

“Yeah, actually. So I am starving.” Gideon dragged out the word starving, making various happy noises as he took the container out of the microwave and brought it back over to the table Aurelia was stood at.

“Did you bring a fork?” He asked as he took a seat.

Aurelia handed one over, still stood awkwardly despite there being a chair right next to her.

Gideon eyed her suspiciously, “Are you gonna sit?”

“What?” She frowned, oblivious to her awkward stance, “Oh, yeah.” She slid into the chair opposite him, staring at him with a weird intensity. “So what happened?”

“What do you mean?” He asked with a mouth full of food.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full.” She scolded before continuing, “I mean why was it so busy? What happened?”

Gideon shook his head, “Nothing for you to worry about.”

Aurelia opened her mouth to protest, to nag him to tell her, but was cut off by the fire alarm. Gideon stood, his brow furrowed as if he were confused, “Stay here. I’m gonna go see what that’s about.”

Gideon walked out of the room and turned left. Aurelia watched from the window as her brother went into a small cupboard-like room, messing with some switches on a fuse box as he tried and failed to turn of the fire alarm.

Looking down, Aurelia noticed a trail of blood on the floor, leading further into the Sherrif’s station. She turned back to her brother, who was still preoccupied and then as quietly as she could, slipped out of the room, following the blood.

It led her out of the break room she had been sat in, down the corridor, right and then left, to a small room which had three holding cells in it. One of the cells doors was wide open, which she probably would have been more concerned about, were it not for Buzzcut on the floor in front of her, behind the deputy that she had let in earlier, who was now holding a syringe with some sort of inconspicuous liquid.

Stupidly, the first thing that came out of Aurelia’s mouth was just, “Buzzcut?”

The boy in question turned to face her, startled, his face crumpling in confusion, “Wha- New Girl? You should not be here,” He started shaking his head at an alarming speed, so quick Aurelia was worried he might get whiplash, “You need to go, like no-”

Before he could finish his sentence, someone had charged across the room and slammed the deputy onto the desk to their left before throwing him into the wall at the other side of the room. Aurelia was frozen to the spot, she didn’t know where to move, had no idea what was going on — who the fuck attacks a deputy at the sheriff's station? Stiles, however, shuffled himself across the floor into a corner, bringing his legs up to his chest to conceal as much of himself as possible.

It wasn’t until the person attacking the Deputy let out a low, animalistic snarl, sharp and primal, like a warning, right before slamming the Deputy’s head into the wall with brutal force that Aurelia’s instincts screamed — *run*, *hide*, *do something* — but she froze.

The figure turned slowly.

Light caught its face and everything inside her stilled. Amber eyes, glowing like molten metal, locked onto hers. Fangs flashed beneath curled lips, and coarse, bristled hair shadowed the angles of his cheeks and jaw. He looked like something torn out of the dark, all violence and instinct, beautiful in the way a storm is right before it destroys everything in its path.

Her breath caught. Something tugged in her chest — a fear that didn’t just say danger, but other. And yet she couldn’t tear her eyes away.

He tilted his head, the motion distinctly inhuman. Curious. Animal. The growl that followed reverberated in her bones, and for one fractured second, Aurelia swore—

She swore she recognized him.

Not just the shape of his shoulders or the glint in his eyes. But something deeper. Something *beneath* the monster.

“Isaac?” She whispered shakily.

The Isaac-looking creature didn’t respond, but just stalked towards her slowly, like a predator cornering its prey. Suddenly it lunged and Aurelia raised her hand instinctively, sending the creature flying back into the wall. However that only made it more angry, and as it looked up again it growled, this time more than just a warning but a threat.

Before it could get any closer to Aurelia, another man appeared in the room, stomping his foot down on the syringe that laid discarded on the floor and stepped in front of Aurelia and Buzzcut, placing himself between them and the creature. Then, as if the situation could get any more bizarre, the man growled as well and suddenly the creature retreated, curling into a ball at the side of the room.

“What the fuck?” Aurelia gasped, breaking the tense silence that had settled, “What the fuck just happened? Why- What are you doing here?” She questioned, turning on Buzzcut who was still sat on the floor, “And that’s Isaac, but it’s not Isaac, because Isaac is a human and that was definitely not a human!” She gestured with her arms wildly, “And who-” She was about to demand the other man’s identiy, before he turned to face her and her stomach churned, “You!” She exclaimed, “My sister nearly hit you with her car! And you were stood outside my house the other day!”

The sound of footsteps getting closer stopped anyone from answering any of her questions, as Gideon suddenly came around the corner. His eyes snapped straight up to Derek, narrow and full of hate.

“Derek.” He enunciated, curt and clipped,

Derek didn’t respond, Aurelia’s eyes flickered between the two men, their expressions mirroring each others as they glared at one another.

Gideon reached out for his little sister, grabbing onto her arm, “Come on, Aurelia. We’re going now.” He told her, his eyes still trained on Derek.

“Did you not see that?” Aurelia asked, trying to pull her arm back.

“Come on,” Gideon demanded, his tone more authoritative than Aurelia had ever heard it before, “I said we’re going.”

Aurelia didn’t argue with that, sending one last confused glance at Buzzcut before allowing herself to be dragged away.

Gideon didn’t let go of her arm until they reached the car. Aurelia hadn’t stopped asking questions.

“Get in the car.” Gideon instructed her, his eyes darting back to the station as if someone might have followed them.

“You knew that guy. How did you know that guy? When the hell are you going to tell me what is going on?” Aurelia protested, stood by the car door with her hand on her hips.

“Aurelia, get in the car.” Her brother repeated.

“No, I want you to-”

“If you get in the car, I will explain everything!” Gideon snapped, slamming his hand on the car roof and making Aurelia jump.

She got into the car, staring forward with a blank expression as she waited for Gideon to do the same. He slid into the drivers seat. For a few seconds they just sat in silence.

“I didn’t mean to shout.”

“It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not,” Gideon stuttered a few times, as if he were searching for the words to continue, “I just- I need you to stay away from that man.”

Aurelia turned to look at her brother, “Who even is he?”

“He’s called Derek Hale and he’s dangerous. I want you to promise me that you will not go near him.”

“Well I don’t usually go out seeking random men that growl at teenagers.” Aurelia retorted.

“Aurelia, I’m being serious. Promise me.”

“Okay, I promise.”

They went back to silence.

Aurelia’s mind was racing.

Derek Hale. Derek Hale.

Who is Derek Hale?

What is Derek Hale?

Then her mind went back to Isaac. The fangs. The eyes. The hair. The growling.

“What are they?” She asked, her voice quiet.

Gideon looked at her for a moment. Aurelia hated how small she felt. How helpless and unknowing she felt.

“Werewolves.”

Aurelia laughed, “You’re kidding. Werewolves?”

“I’m not kidding.”

Her expression immediately straightened, “Seriously?”

Gideon let out a small laughed, “You’re a witch, but you’re finding it hard to believe that werewolves exist?”

“I- Well, when you put it like that…”

“So, Derek’s a werewolf? And Isaac?”

Gideon nodded. “Well, we think that Isaac was turned more recently.”

Aurelia cast her mind back to the conversation between Celeste and Gideon that she had overhead.

*“I should tell Argent.”*

“We? You mean you and Celeste?” She asked, testing the waters.

He paused for a second, mouth opening and closing. “No.”

“Who?”

He paused again, as if debating whether or not he should tell her. She decided she would make it easier for him.

“Argent?”

Gideon’s face snapped towards her. “How did you know that?”

“I’m friends with Allison.”

“Did she mention anything? Tell you anything?”

“Uh- no. Just that you knew her family.” Aurelia lied unconvincingly, although it seemed to work anyway.

“Right,” Gideon nodded, “Okay, let’s get home.”

Aurelia nodded, leaning her elbow on the car door as they pulled out of the Sherriff’s station car park.

Despite everything she had seen that night, it wasn’t the danger or the violence or the fighting that branded her thoughts, but rather Isaac’s face, imprinted in her mind like a tattoo.

---

PART IV: DEREK

The situation at the Sherriff’s station was nothing but a wake up call.

Gideon Parker had gotten close. Simultaneously too close but not close enough.

Derek needed someone who was going to do something. Someone who was going to be able to get answers.

And if Scott wasn’t going to help him, he’d find someone who would.

The idea presented itself to him in the Sheriffs Station.

*“And that’s Isaac, but it’s not Isaac, because Isaac is a human and that was definitely not a human!”*

The youngest Parker sibling knew Isaac. That planted the seed.

He did feel slightly bad. Isaac was still shaken after attacking the Argent’s fake-Deputy, nearly attacking Little Parker and Stiles, then being transformed back by Derek.

But when an opportunity presents itself, it must not be wasted. Or else that’s what Derek was telling himself.

He slightly hated how much it sounded like his Uncle Peter.

“I need you to get close to that Parker girl.” He told him on their way back to abandoned train station they were staying in.

“Aurelia?” Isaac clarified, his voice sounding slightly weary.

“So you do know her.”

“Yeah, I sit next to her in Chemistry. How am I supposed to get close to her when I’m a fugitive now?”

“You’re a werewolf.” Derek dead-panned.

Isaac frowned, “So?”

“You’re faster and stronger than any cop that’ll be looking for you. And you have a heightened sense of smell and hearing so you’ll know when they’re coming before they even get close.” Derek explained flippantly.

“So what, I just show up at her house?”

“Not at her house, there’s no way her brother would let you in. Her bedroom window or something.”

“Like… Romeo?”

Derek rolled his eyes, “If you want to be Romeo, be Romeo.”

“What about the Argents? She’s friends with Allison.” Isaac questioned. Derek could feel his hesitance to the plan.

“If she’s friends with Allison then that means she’ll probably be with Scott soon enough. If she’s with Scott and you’re with me then she won’t admit to Allison that you’ve befriended her because then she’ll be admitting to fraternizing with the enemy.”

“If I’m the enemy then she just won’t just let me befriend her.”

“She will if you do it right.”

Isaac didn’t respond right away, stewing over Derek’s words.

“Why do I need to get close to her?”

“I need to know what she is, why she’s here, what her brother wants. If she joins Scott, we can use her to know what he’s thinking.” Derek explained, watching Isaac take in his words as he spoke.

“So you want me to get information?”

“Yes,” He confirmed, but he still noticed Isaac’s hesitation to the idea, “You have to understand I wouldn’t be asking you to do this if I didn’t think it was important. If I didn’t think it meant life or death.”

The last sentence caught Isaac’s attention, his gaze finally meeting Derek’s, eyes slightly wide. He remained still and silent for a beat, until he nodded. A sharp, precise movement.

Derek set his plan in motion—now there was no turning back.