MY THREE COMPANIONS LEFT ME BE after Derek and Scott left. They didn't crowd me, they didn't stress me out, they just left me to it. It was what I wanted and I sat in the corner of the right side of the loft. The space was pretty much unused and it was dark in the night. It was a hiding spot, really, or at least that was what it felt like. Peter, Isaac and Stiles could still see me but I felt as if I was out of their view and that was all I needed.

With every minute that progressed I felt my grip on reality lessening, I felt the red ball of energy at the back of my mind growing and I felt the anger hiding away building. I was scared but I knew fear was only going to make this harder for me. My mind needed to be as clear as it possibly could be and the only way to do that was with the triskelion.

I could feel the palms of my hands as they grew clammy, beads of sweat rolling down the back of my neck as I sat in only a pair of running shorts and a loose fitted top. I'd never felt so hot in my entire life and it made me feel sick. I groaned as my bones ached, it was a dull pain but in my mind it was the worst type of pain because it was constant. I dug my head into the wall as I tried to cancel out the sound of Peter and Stiles talking, I could barely understand what they were saying — their voices were just loud in my ears.

It was getting worse and as I scrunched my eyes together I dug my feet into the floor before I coughed loudly. Nausea bubbled in my stomach, forcing me to cough more and just when I thought I was going to be sick I forced it down.

"Alex?" I heard Isaac's voice then and I saw his figure appear in the hole in the bricks, "Are you all right?"

I shook my head as I kept my eyes closed, "It's starting to hurt." I told him honestly, "I think I'm going to be sick too."

"Sickness during your first shift isn't rare but it's not common either." Peter said then from the other room, "Talia was sick the first time she shifted. It's from the temperature spike."

I dropped my head and rested it against my knees, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest and I knew the faster the beat the quicker the shift was. I didn't want to shift but I knew I couldn't prevent the inevitable, no matter how hard I tried. This was going to happen soon.. whether I liked it or not.

I lifted my head to look at Isaac and I noticed the sharp change in my vision. It was like looking through night vision goggles and I knew I was slowly starting to shift. I swallowed the lump in my throat, "You might wanna go get that duffle bag."

Isaac's hands fisted at his sides as he looked at me for a second before he left. I could hear him retrieving the bag from further inside the loft before he walked back to me. He halted in the same spot he'd been in before and stood there for a minute before he began to walk towards me slowly. He was hesitant in his steps, most likely cautious incase he triggered a short wire in my brain to fasten the shifting process. I knew how temperamental werewolves were, they were unreliable and I couldn't blame Isaac for treading slowly.

He placed the bag on the floor near me slowly before he crouched down to meet my eye level. I tried to blink fast, I tried to get rid of my enhanced vision but I couldn't.

"My eyes are glowing aren't they?" I asked Isaac tentatively.

"Yeah." He nodded, "They are."

"I can feel it." I said to him, "That anger you were telling me about."

"It's strong isn't it?" He said in distraction as he slowly picked up the silver links from out of the bag.

"Really strong." I nodded, "It's almost like I can feel it growing."

"Remember your past, present and future." Issac reminded me and he softly picked up my wrist.

I felt the bite of the cold metal enslaving my skin as I scoffed bitterly, shaking my head as I stared at the wall, "My past is bullshit. I can't remember any of it... that fucking fire."

"Tell me about your mom." Issac said then as he pulled my wrist back gently until I heard a padlock clicking into place, "What did she look like?"

"She was beautiful." I said to him, "She had long black hair.. the type that dried into natural soft waves. Her eyes were a blue-green colour, her irises were mostly green but they had a blue rim and the tiniest of blue specs in them. She always wore long cardigans and she had this beige trench coat as well. I loved it, I'd always get it out of her wardrobe, put it on and walk around the house in it."

"Seems like you remember more than what you think you do." Isaac said to me as he locked my other wrist down.

I looked to him and my lip curved into a smirk, "I know what you're doing.. you piece of shit."

I couldn't help the words that spilled from my mouth, the smug tone of my voice.. it was all out of my control.

"Yeah?" Isaac said. He wasn't humouring me or my insults I threw to him and it only made the anger grow. I wanted him to retaliate, I was craving it.

"You're trying to distract me while you chain me to a wall like a dog." I spat.

"You asked me to do this." He shrugged nonchalantly before he said, "Are they tight?"

"Are they tight." I scoffed humourlessly, "Stiles could get out of these and he's as strong as my pinky finger."

Isaac nodded before he leaned closer towards me and looked me directly in the eye, "Alex." He said clearly and I felt the clouding in my mind lighten. It wasn't so hazy anymore and my thoughts could process, not the thoughts belonging to the anger, "Are they tight enough?" Issac asked me.

I blinked rapidly, finally clearing my enhanced vision as it returned to normal, my eyes returning to their natural brown colour. It was like I could make sense of things again and I looked down to the metal wrapped tightly around my wrists. I pulled harshly, trying to force my arms in to hug myself but they wouldn't meet. I put all my strength into it too but the chains didn't budge.

"They're good." I told him with a puff of air.

"Good." Isaac said to me and I watched as he got up and walked away, leaving me alone to my thoughts. I could feel my mind becoming hazy again, the process fast approaching me and I knew I had to control it before I completely lost myself. I wouldn't be able to bring myself back naturally if I didn't but it was too overpowering. I didn't know how to fight it and the anger was like a poison that attacked every crevice of my brain and natural thought of my own. I couldn't think for myself anymore.

I could feel the moon and it was indescribable. This darker, more aggressive side of myself loved the power and strength that increased with every passing second. She was like my alter-ego, the voice of my curse as some would call it. She inhabited my body and attacked my mind like a parasite telling me how much I loved this feeling, how I had to embrace it to make myself stronger.. she told me to break out of these pitiful chains around my wrists and tear apart my three companions.

I dug my head into the wall as my teeth started to ache suddenly and I cried out sharply as razor-like canines replaced my own. They scratched my lips when I tried to close my mouth and I pulled against the silver links constricting me. I wanted out, she wanted out.

Break them, she said to me, break them and kill Stiles, kill Peter.. you know we want to Alex.

I shook my head as I screwed my eyes together tightly, "Shut up!" I snapped.

Alex, she called to me quietly. Her voice was deadly, her tone dripping with venom and it sent a chill down my spine.

Open your eyes, Alex, she instructed and I obeyed her command like a dog waiting for a bone. She was standing in front of me though I knew she was only a twisted fragment of my imagination. She was an exact replica of me yet I felt as if I was standing in front of a stranger. Her hair was curled to perfection and sharp winged eye-liner hooded her lids, she wore lipstick in the shade of blood red and her leather jacket fitted perfectly around her body. The black ripped jeans and healed boots were a reminder of how I used to dress. She looked like the old Alex — the pre-break up Alex — but she sounded nothing like me.

"Look at you." She said to me then, "You're pathetic."

"Go away!" I shouted at her, squeezing my eyes shut.

"Crying over a boy who doesn't even care about you." She said in disgust, "It's revolting."

"Get out of my head." I snapped lowly as my chest heaved. When I opened my eyes again my enhanced vision had returned and I felt my claws slowly growing from my nail beds.

"Kill him." She said to me, "You know he deserves it."

"Stop it!" I snarled, a low growl rumbling in my throat and reverberating off the walls of the loft.

"How about your good for nothing dad while you're at it, huh?" She suggested as she knelt down in front of me, "I can make a list for us if you'd like."

"I told you to leave me alone!"

She pouted at me then as she said, "Oh, honey, I can't. I am you... I'm that part of you that wants to kill everybody, to feel the power that engulfs you when you kill your Alpha, to know what it's like to have somebody else's blood on your hands."

"You're a psycho." I spat.

"We're a psycho." She corrected me, "Remember.. I'm you."

Her eyes glowed a vibrant red then, the same colour of that same ball of energy in the back of my mind. I realised she was my anger, she was the side of myself that surfaced whenever I dipped too deep into the anger that had been heightened due to my shifting.

I just wanted to strangle her, I had to kill her to get rid of her and so I tried to wrap my hands around her throat but the chains prevented me from doing so. I fought with them.. against them.. trying anything to break free of them. I stood up, wrapping the links in the palm of my hands and I pulled with all my strength.

She scoffed beside me, "Oh, come on Alex. This is pathetic... dig deeper."

I clenched my jaw as I turned my focus the the chains on my left wrist and I pulled harshly, hearing the clatter as I pulled them taught. I put my foot against the wall, digging it into the stone, for extra leverage and I felt the brick crumbling under my vans. The effort elicited a strenuous groan to tumble passed my lips and with another heave the padlock broke and the chains fell loose from around the metal frame work.

I immediately wrapped my hands around the chains constricting my right wrist and I put just as much into pulling that, heaving.

"Think of how badly you want to rip into Stiles." She said to me, her voice a callous whisper in my ear, "He's done everything to deserve this.. he kissed another girl, he cheated on you, he broke your heart. He's worthless."

"Worthless." I muttered. I slipped off the edge and I fell into a pool of red as rage consumed me. It was intoxicating and suddenly my sole purpose was destruction. All I wanted to do was get my hands around Stiles' throat or anyone's for that matter.

"That's it, Alex." She said to me, "Like this we're invincible. That power surge never goes, it strengthens with every kill."

With one last tug the padlock snapped and the sliver links fell to the floor. I was free and as I looked to the already healing cuts and bruises around my wrists I noticed my claws. I looked to the gap in the brick work and I charged towards it, walking further into the loft. I was desperate to feel the strength — I needed more and I needed it now and the only way I could get it was by taking it from the three undeserving people in this loft.

The first person I saw wasn't who I was initially after but he would do. He'd terrorised me enough and it was about time he got his comeuppance.

"Alex." Peter said to me warningly, "You know this isn't you."

It is, she said to me, tell him that this is us.

"Oh but you're wrong." I said to Peter then, my tone embodying hers. It was cold and it was vicious, cutting through the air like a knife, "You should be proud of me. I'm everything you were."

I watched as he brought his claws out and cracked his neck slightly, his irises shining a cold blue werewolf hue, "I didn't want to have to do this."

Peter ran towards me but his speed was by no means on the same level as mine. It was an unfair fight really but it only spurred me on more. It was like a challenge to see just how quickly I could beat him, tearing down one target just to get to my other.

I caught his wrist effortlessly as he tried to slash his claws at me and I squeezed tightly, feeling his bones crunch under my tight grip. He groaned in agony but he didn't give in like I thought he would and I kicked him in the stomach, watching as his body flew through the air before he skidded across the floor.

I watched as he sat up, re-positioning his wrist with a grimace and this time I ran towards him, red seeping into my vision. It corrupted me and I punched him in the face. With every act of violence — every bit of pain I inflicted upon him — I felt as if I was getting stronger.

Peter saw an opportunity as I punched him again and he slashed his claws sideways across my stomach. It hurt — like thousands of scolding hot little needles penetrating your skin and staying there — and I growled in pain as I stumbled back.

As Peter caught his breath during my brief pause I saw Stiles standing behind him. He'd dug himself into the corner of the loft, as far away from me as he possibly could and I fixed my attention upon him. I could smell his fear from a mile away and it spurred me on like a chase. 

I took a step towards him — fighting Peter now a distant memory — and I took another step as she said, he's ours now.

I growled at him, feeling my claws faintly against the palm of my hands as I stalked my prey.

I didn't want to rush. I wanted to take my time.. to make this as painful as I possibly could.

I wasn't too far away from him when I was suddenly intercepted, constricted by a pair of arms wrapping around my body and pulling me up off my feet.

"Alex, calm down!"

It was Isaac. He dragged me backwards away from Stiles, forcing me to turn my attention to him and I dug my claws into his arms. Isaac grunted behind me in pain as he swore and he threw me harshly across the room.

I skidded across the floor, hitting my head off the concrete and landing in a heap in front of the brick. I looked up him and growled menacingly as I got to my feet and charged for him.

I used my knowledge as an advantage, dodging his attacks with my speed and covering myself to tire him out. I knew Isaac's weak spots from training with him and I knew he left his right side open and so I punched him twice but it didn't deter him. He carried on, holding his frame strong and as I went to attack again he swooped in quickly and he caught my wrist. He span me and pulled me against his chest, wrapping me in a tight choke hold while he dug his claws into the side of my abdomen.

He didn't withdraw though, he kept them tucked deep inside of my skin and a sound that resembled a strangled cry mixed with a roar passed my lips. I gripped to his arm around my throat, clawing at it for my freedom but I couldn't think straight as he dug deeper.

"Isaac, stop, please— god, argh!" I pleaded with him, a sense of normality taking control of my brain for a split second before she regained control, "Get off me you asshole, I'll kill you!"

"Alex, come on." He said strenuously as he panted behind me, "Remember what we were talking about? Past, present, future.. past, present, future."

"Past.." I mumbled, screwing my eyes together as every memory I'd ever regained of my mother exploded in my brain like a fire.. like the fire.

"This isn't you and you know it's not. It's every negative thought in your body taking control of your mind but it's not theirs to control, it's yours."

"It's mine." I repeated as I exhaled, "It's mine.. not hers."

"It's not hers." Isaac said, "She doesn't belong there."

"She isn't real." I said to myself, "She doesn't belong here.. this is mine."

"That's it." Isaac said to me as I felt my claws retract, "Keep breathing, past.. inhale.. hold.. present.. exhale."

I listened to him as the ball grew smaller and smaller, the haze my mind was stuck inside clearing somewhat. "Past." I muttered, taking a deep breath. I held it as I thought of my present and I exhaled as I said, "Future."

Past, present, future.

Past, present, future.

Past.. my mom. I saw her face in my mind. I saw her standing there, trapped behind an array of flames that she couldn't pass through. She smiled at me as comfortingly as she could, she reassured me even though she knew what fate she was about to suffer.

"It's okay, Alex." She nodded, "Everything is going to be okay.. I love you."

"Carmen? Carmen!"

"Peter!" My mom shouted then, "We're here! Help us, please."

I saw Peter as he ran to me and he picked me up quickly. I wrapped my arms around him as he hugged me tightly, "Alex.. thank god."

"Mom!" I screamed, "Mom!"

"Peter, take her!" My mom cried over the fire.

"Mom, no! Don't— I can't leave you." I cried.

"I'll be right behind you, baby." She smiled at me, "I promise, okay? I love you.. Peter is going to take care of you."

My mom faded out of view as Peter carried me through the Hale house and my cries and pleas to go back echoed in my ears loudly.. painfully. I screamed for my mom, my younger self pounded on Peter's back for him to turn around but he didn't and when the bright light of day blinded me I felt myself falling. I slipped out of Peter's hold and I fell back into the basement again.

There was no vision of my younger self, no younger version of Peter to rescue me as the fire blazed. It was just me — the real me — and silence. I looked to the fire and for the first time I wasn't scared of it. I told myself it couldn't hurt me and it contained itself, not daring to spread an inch further. The flames dipped in the middle of the fire and a figure appeared with a soothing smile on her face.

I recognised the trench coat and black hair instantly and slowly I ventured towards the fire, closer to her. My mom's encouraging smile beckoned me further until I was standing inches from the flames. The heat was nothing to me and I looked around to see the flames as they didn't move. It was like an invisible force was controlling them.

"I'm very proud of you sweetheart." My mom's voice echoed in my head, bringing me to look at her again.

She held her hand up, her palm facing me, but her skin touched the fire. I was hesitant at first as I looked at her hand but her skin wasn't burning, it was like she was immune to the fire and it's deathly bite. I swallowed as I clenched my jaw and I nodded to myself determinedly, slowly reaching up towards the flame and pressing my the palm of my hand against my mothers. The flames erupted around us as I looked around but my mom kept her eyes on me the entire time and after a minute they disappeared entirely, along with my mother.

"Past, present, future." I mumbled, collapsing into Isaac as I opened my eyes and exhaled heavily. Immediately I was overwhelmed with memories as they invaded every crevice of my mind, pushing what remained of the bad out. I saw so many faces, so many flashbacks, from the first nine years of my life and I embraced them with open arms.

Isaac lowered me to the floor, removing his claws from within my stomach and he held me in an embrace for a further minute as I regained complete control of myself. I relaxed into him entirely, resting my head against his shoulder as I smiled breathlessly in an array of emotions.

Not only had I taken control of my anger but I had somehow managed to distinguish a difference between fearing fire and having a fear of the Hale fire and by doing that I'd recovered the memories my subconscious had tied to that event. I'd found my anchor in my memories and with it I'd resisted the shift.

"I did it." I exhaled proudly as I closed my eyes briefly.

Sweat clung to my body like a second skin and for a minute complete exhaustion overwhelmed me.

I opened my eyes again to see Peter getting off the floor and walking over to Isaac and I as Stiles hesitantly stepped out of the corner he'd sought out protection in. The both of them slowly made their way over to Isaac and I as my friend helped me up off the floor. I lifted my shirt to see the four claw marks healing already though blood stained my skin and I looked up to my three companions, "I'm so sorry." I fumbled out then, "I had no idea what overcame me.. I just.. there was a voice in my head telling me that I wanted to kill you all and—"

"It's okay." Isaac told me, "You controlled it, you found your anchor."

"I did." I nodded as I looked between the three of them, "My memories came back too."

"They did?" Stiles asked me suddenly.

I nodded vigorously as tears welled in my eyes. I'd been waiting for them to come back to me for years and for a long while I'd gone with the notion that I wasn't ever going to remember my life before my tenth birthday ever again, yet here I was.

Stiles lips parted as he held my gaze and he said, "Alex.. I—I'm so happy for you."

I choked on a happy sob as I wiped my eyes while smiling. I couldn't remember the last time I'd ever cried tears of joy.

I'd survived my first full moon, I'd recovered my memories and I'd found an anchor and I couldn't of asked for anything else.

__________________

An hour had passed and the four of us were yet to here from Derek or Scott. After I'd gotten control of myself and regained it, Stiles and Peter had made a gut-wrenching discovery. The walls of the vault the Alpha pack were holding Boyd and the unknown girl in were made out of a mineral called hecatolite, or more commonly — and somewhat ironically — known as moonstone. Hecatolite scattered the moonlight which in this case kept it from getting into the bank vault preventing Boyd and this girl from feeling the affects of the full moon.

We knew Boyd and Erica had been missing for four months and since then three full moons had passed, three full moons that Boyd hadn't felt. It meant he and the girl were going to be stronger, faster, more savage, more inclined to their animalistic instincts to kill. It was a trap essentially and one we couldn't of stopped ourselves from walking into.

We had tried to warn Scott and Derek but it was already too late and the call had ended suddenly, leaving us with no indication of whether they were both alive or not.. that was until Scott had called Isaac five minutes ago to enlist his help. Boyd and the other girl had escaped the vault and were now running around Beacon Hills like wild animals, ready to kill anyone they came into contact with. They had to find them and stop them quickly before either of them did kill anyone.

Scott had said to Isaac that they needed all the help they could get and that's where I came into it, wanting to go and help but being dragged back by Peter and Stiles. I wasn't sure why, I think they didn't trust me still to not do a complete one-eighty and shift again under the pressure of the moon but something to take my mind off of it would do me good. It was a way to burn off the excessive amounts of energy I had while taking my focus out of the full moon for the rest of the night. The moon was no longer at it's peak but the effects of it were still strong.

I had already shifted though and I felt more in control now than what I ever had done before. I had my anchor now and I had the triskelion.

It was how I found myself leaving the loft with Isaac, uncaring of Stiles' and Peter's reasons for me to stay. I was my own person at the end of the day and neither one of them controlled me. They couldn't tell me what to do.

Isaac and I took Derek's Jeep to the preserve and we parked it at the main entrance into the woodlands where Scott said he would meet us — or rather Isaac. None of them were expecting me and so when I climbed out of the car Derek and Scott looked pleasantly surprised. They looked slightly batted already and Derek furrowed his brows at me hesitantly, "What are you doing here, Alex?"

"I came to help my Alpha." I said to him, "I'm okay, Derek, I'm in full control."

Derek looked to Isaac and he only nodded in response.

"Are you sure?" Scott asked me then, "I know it's easier for people who are born but—"

"l already shifted, okay?" I said to them both, "That murderous 'I wanna kill everyone phase'? Been there, done that. I found my anchor, I pulled myself back."

"She did." Isaac said to them both, "She's been fine for well over an hour."

"You found your anchor?" Derek said then as he looked to me. I noticed a hint of pride circulating through his features and it only boosted my self-esteem.

I nodded faintly as I smiled, "My memories.. all of them."

Scott's jaw dropped as he said, "You got them back?"

"I did." I said before I looked to Derek, "Dog."

He chuckled faintly under his breath in amusement as I called him by the name I'd given to him when I'd found out he was a werewolf when I was younger. I called him a dog at first purely by accident but after seeing how much it had annoyed him I kept up with it as a running joke. It used to drive him mad.

He looked to me sincerely then and said, "I told you to stop calling me that."

I smiled at him in response before saying, "Derek, I'm fine.. please, I just wanna help."

He nodded in response, "There's something you should know." He said though and he turned to Isaac, "You should both know."

I glanced fleetingly to Isaac and saw as he swallowed deeply. I had a feeling what Derek was about to say but it didn't make it any easier.

"Erica.. she's dead."

No, it wasn't any easier. It was horrible even when the two of us hadn't gotten on, I couldn't imagine how Isaac was feeling. I pressed my lips together as I gravitated towards him, placing my hand on his shoulder comfortingly while I looked to Derek, expressing my condolences. She was his pack member at the end of the day and she was a loss to them both.

A sudden but steady flow of anger poured through my body then — directed towards Ethan and Aiden. I didn't understand how they could kill Erica like that, or if they didn't kill her how they took part in it.

"The girl in the vault with Boyd." Derek began again before he took a deep breath, "The one we didn't know who it was.. it's Cora."

"Cora?" I voiced then as my eyes widened. That was a name I never thought I'd hear ever again. I thought Cora had died.. as far as I could recall from my memories she had been with Talia when the fire broke out. Talia was telling her of how she was going to take my memories of her because I was leaving. My mom had told me to go and wait upstairs while she did, that's how we all got separated when the fire broke out in the basement.. because I was upstairs.

I shook my head in disbelief, unsure of what to do with myself, "Cora was in the basement.. I—I thought she was trapped."

"So did I." Derek told me, "But somehow she made it out."

"I can't believe it." I muttered.

"She hasn't felt the full moon in three months so don't be offended if she tries to kill you instead of hugging you."

"I won't." I replied, shaking my head as I looked up from the ground, "Are we going?"

"Yeah." Scott nodded, "We're gonna split up, try and cover it that way."

"Alex you come with me." Derek said to me and I nodded.

"Keep your phone on." Scott said to Isaac then, "Just incase."

"Got it." My friend nodded before we all went our separate ways.

Derek and I walked through the preserve to start with and he said to me, "I'm going to teach you how to use your nose." He said to me, "How to follow a scent. It's easier if we have something of theirs but we don't so we'll have to go off another werewolves scent .. can you smell anything?"

As we walked I inhaled deeply through my nose while I looked around. There was a faint scent but it felt as if it was just out of my reach. I tried again, this time closing my eyes as I tried to figure out which direction it pointed to and when I thought I had it I looked to Derek and pointed east, "That way."

He nodded at me, a faint smile on his face as he said, "I can't believe how quick you're learning."

The two of us picked up our pace into a jog and we ran through the trees, "Think about it." I replied, "I've essentially been a werewolf for years, I've just had the abilities suppressed.. and they had to keep on increasing the dosage because it wasn't working as well as it was supposed to."

"It's just crazy to me." Derek said as we ran, "I mean, Isaac found his anchor on his second full moon but it's like you're a natural."

I scoffed, "I'd hardly say that." Was my reply, "You should've seen me trying to kill Stiles and Peter two hours ago."

"Rea—" He began but he stopped as we heard a threatening growl echo close by. It sounded more feminine then it did male and I assumed it to be Cora.

Derek and I looked to each other and I said, "Oh, I hope she's growling at Scott or Isaac and not someone else."

We picked up our pace as another growl spilled through the preserve, a lot closer this time, and we pushed our legs to move faster. I couldn't recall the last time I'd ever been able to run this fast and suddenly I regretted picking track this year because I didn't really need to build up my endurance and speed anymore, my werewolf abilities had helped me out there.

When Derek and I arrived to the small clearing Scott and Isaac were already there with Cora and she looked to the both of us and growled threateningly. Even in her shifted form she looked completely different to how I remembered her and for a minute I was dumbstruck seeing her in the flesh. It was like my brain didn't truly believe it until I saw her and now that she was standing in front of me it was very real.

Derek growled at Cora, as if asserting his dominance over her and she turned and ran up the hill further into the preserve. Derek, Issac and I followed her as she ran and it wasn't long before Scott caught up to us too but we lost her easily through the masses of trees. Derek slowed to a stop first and the three of us slowed down after him, our breathing somewhat heavy and I watched as it crystallised as it met the cold air.

"What do we do now?" Isaac said.

"We can't just chase them around the preserve all night, there'll come a point where we push them out and on to the main road straight into town." I added.

"I know." Derek said begrudgingly as he thought but before he could say anything else Scott's phone began to ring.

The sound echoed around us and it made me wince slightly as the high pitch of the tone pierced my sensitive ears. Scott answered the phone and I heard Stiles' voice on the other line as he spoke in a rushed tone, "Hey, man, we got a huge problem right now."

Scott looked back to Derek, Isaac and I before he said, "I'm trying to look for Boyd—"

"Yeah and that's why you're gonna wanna hear this." Stiles interrupted, "Lydia called me, she found a dead body at the pool."

This time it was me who looked to Derek and Isaac and the three of us shared looks of worry. A dead body on the night of a full moon? It wasn't a coincidence.. especially when we didn't have a whereabouts on Boyd right now either. 

"Are you sure?" Scott asked him.

"Yep." Stiles replied, "Throat ripped out, blood everywhere. It's like the freaking Shining over here, if two little twin girls come out of the woods and start asking me to play with them forever and ever I'm not gonna be surprised."

"Can you get a little closer to make sure it was them?" Scott asked him.

"Make sure it was them? Scott, who else is going around ripping throats out?" Stiles said before I heard him sign, "God, it's not Alex is it? Is she still with you guys?"

Scott glanced back at me as he said, "Stiles she's here, she's fine... can you please just check."

There was silence from Stiles' end of the line before he eventually said, "It has to be them. No one else could've done anything like this."

"Okay." Scott sighed in defeat as I looked briefly to Isaac. The both of us shared a glance, a silent conversation happening between us, as we thought the same thing.

We were in serious trouble if Boyd or even Cora for that matter had killed someone.

Scott finished up on the phone to Stiles and put his phone back into his pocket as he turned to the three of us. His eyes were full of concern as he said, "What are we going to do?"

"We're going to have to stop them." I said then as I crossed my arms over my chest. I was starting to get a headache and my eyes were getting tired. I felt as if I could easily curl up and go to sleep right now and I hadn't had that feeling in just under a week. Lately, sleep had been hard to come by but the one night I was actually tired I was stuck trying to resist the full moon while searching for my long lost cousin and one of my pack mates.

"This doesn't make any sense." Derek said, "The public pool is all the way on the other side of the woods. We haven't tracked them anywhere near there."

"Derek, they killed someone." Scott said firmly.

"How are they moving so fast?" Derek muttered in disbelief.

Scott's glare hardened as he snapped, "Derek."

"But they can't be that fast on foot."

"They killed someone. Some totally innocent kid is dead... and it's our fault." Scott said to him as he talked to himself.

Derek shook his head, "It's my fault."

"This isn't anyone's fault." I told them both, "If we're seriously thinking about blaming someone we should be pointing our fingers towards Deucalion and his pack."

Scott nodded before he said, "We need help."

"We have Alex and Isaac now."

"I don't know how much longer we'll have Alex for." Isaac said then and I looked up to him with a confused frown as he continued, "You're exhausted, I can see it in your eyes."

"He's right." I nodded, "My head is aching too."

Derek swallowed as Scott turned to him, "We need real help. They're too fast for us, for all of us. They're too strong, too rabid."

"We'll catch 'em."

"What happens if we do? We just gonna hold them down until the sun comes up?" Isaac asked.

Derek sighed in defeat, "Maybe it would be easier just to kill 'em."

"Woah." I said then, "You can't seriously be telling me you're thinking of killing your own sister?"

"Alex is right, killing them isn't the right thing to do."

"What if it's the only thing to do?" Isaac said as he looked to Scott, "If we can't even catch them, what else do we do?"

"Find someone who knows what they're doing."

Derek shook his head, "Who?"

"Someone who knows how to hunt werewolves."

____________________

Our hunt for Chris Argent had been put on a huge back burner when Melissa rang Scott to ask if he was with me or knew where I was. The four of us were beyond confused when Scott passed the phone over to me and Melissa asked me if I could come to the hospital. I had no idea what was going on and I couldn't take anything from her tone either, it was completely poker but Derek had to make a detour to drop me off.

I climbed out of Derek's Jeep and looked up to the hospital before I turned back to him as he rolled his window down, "Have you got your phone on you?" He asked me.

"No, I forgot it at the loft." I said to him, feeling my pockets for it.

"Okay." He nodded, "Just call one of us whenever your done and I'll come pick you up.. or if you can get a ride or anything—"

"I'll let you know." I said to him, "Just go, don't be worrying about me, you've got enough to deal with right now."

"It's just the full moon—"

"I know." I nodded, "But it's three in the morning and all I'm feeling right now is exhaustion."

"Okay." He replied.

"Try and let us know what's going on." Isaac said to me as he leaned over the centre console, "I'd come with but.."

"It's okay." I reassured him, "I'm fine, just go."

"See you soon." Derek said to me before he rolled up his window and drove away. I watched as he exited the parking lot before turning right on to the street and disappearing. I turned and walked into the hospital knowing he was gone and I saw Melissa sitting at the front desk, her head in her hands.

"Melissa?"

She looked up to me then and a tired smile crossed her face. She got up and walked around the desk as she walked over to me and embraced me, wrapping her arms around me and sighing. I hadn't seen her since I'd discharged myself from the hospital on Monday morning.

She pulled away, her hands on my shoulders, "How are you?"

"I'm okay." I said to her honestly, "I tried to kill Stiles earlier but I'm fine now, I found my anchor."

"You did?" She said to me as her eyes widened, "Good for you."

"Yeah." I nodded, "I got my memories back too."

"Oh, Alex." She said then as she smiled in happiness. I noticed as tears welled in her eyes then and she hugged me again while rubbing my back, "I'm so happy for you, sweetheart."

"Thank you." I mumbled, resting my chin on her shoulder before we pulled away again.

I looked around then and noticed how busy it was for such a late time at night. There were people everywhere although not all of them were patients — I noticed quite a few police officers were around and I furrowed my brows as I looked to her, "Is this because of the body Lydia found?" I asked her.

"Partially." She nodded, "Come on, I want to show you something."

"Okay." I nodded hesitantly then and she guided me down the hall until we stopped before a female police officer.

Melissa wrapped her arm around mine as she looked to me while the officer turned to us, "Alex, this is Deputy Tara."

"Uh, hi." I said to her, forcing a smile to my confused face.

"Hi, Alex, I've heard a lot about you." Deputy Tara said to me then.

"Oh." I managed to choke out, "Good things I hope."

She chuckled before she nodded and pointed to a room, "How about we take a seat in there? I've got a few questions for you."

I looked over to where she was pointing to and noticed the door had a 'relatives room' sign on. With every passing second I was starting to regret agreeing to whatever this was more and more. A sick feeling of dread crept into my stomach and it settled there heavily, knocking me completely for six.

Once Melissa closed the door and sat down besides me I watched as Deputy Tara got her notepad and pen out.

"Oh, no." I muttered then, looking to Melissa with wide eyes, "I-I don't like this."

"Don't worry, Alex, you're not in any trouble." Deputy Tara reassured me, "I've just got a few questions to run through with you."

I swallowed hesitantly as Melissa took my hand and squeezed it, "Okay."

"Where were you on the night of the tenth?" She asked me.

"The tenth?" I muttered, "What.. Wednesday night? I, uh, I was with Scott and Stiles at the animal clinic. Alan Deaton was there and so was Isaac and Derek."

"Derek Hale?" She asked me with an arched brow.

"Yeah.. he's—I'm living with him at the moment."

"Okay." She nodded, "And will these people confirm your alibi?"

"Alibi?" I exasperated then as I turned to Melissa, "What— what is she talking about? Why do I need an alibi?"

I was beginning to panic. I didn't know what was going on but it was scaring me.

Deputy Tara looked to Melissa then and she arched her brows in surprise, "She doesn't know?"

"Doesn't know what?" I panicked, "Melissa what's going on—please tell me."

"Okay, okay." She nodded, gripping to my hands, "Just calm down, Alex."

"Alex.." Deputy Tara said to me then, "I'm very sorry to have to tell you this.. but we believe that your dad has been murdered."

"M-murdered?" I muttered, my heart shattering before seeping down from my chest cavity and falling into the deepest pit of my stomach, never to be recovered again.

___________________

A/N; So there's a long ass and very interesting chapter for you all! I'll keep this note short and sweet but I do want to forewarn you all the next chapter will explore feelings of helplessness, feature talk of the deceased and identification of the deceased and I will be touching on the topic of depression too. I will post a warning at the beginning of the next chapter just incase any of those topics happen to trigger any of you for any reason. I just wanted to give you all a heads up❤️