epilogue

It is only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we do not do. Live and learn and do not be afraid.


Winnie smiled at the hand written note tacked to the top of a large wooden box, it signed neatly from Chris. She leafed through the contents of the gift brought to her house that morning before the Argents left for France.


Chris mentioned on the back of the note that Allison liked to call it the 'Kickass Starter Pack.'


"Win?"


The brunette looked up, shutting the box as her brother poked his head in the door. "Hey, Pete."


"Lover boy's here, but by all means let me paint my room alone," Pete said with half a grin.


Winnie took the box off her bed, putting it underneath. "You know how bad at painting I am," she said jokingly as she stood. In floral print fabric shorts and a loose white top, she kissed Pete's cheek as she left her room. "Have fun, P."


"You too, I'll be there soon. Oh, but not too much fun," warned Pete as he kept his arms crossed. "Be safe. Use a-"


"Please stop talking," Winnie called over her shoulder as she went down the stairs and grabbed her bag off the hook in the foyer.


Pete grinned, going back into his room with a laugh.


Winnie shook her head, opening the front door, spinning her keys around her ring finger.


Isaac looked up, a grin spreading across his face as he leaned on one of the pillars on the porch. "Morning."


"Morning," she said warmly as she went up on her toes and kissed him.


Isaac wrapped his hands around her waist, kissing her back without hesitancy. He set his forehead against hers, "Ready?"


"I do love a lake day," Winnie admitted with a smile. She pecked him on the lips before taking his hand and running for the Malibu parked on the curb.


Isaac ran after her, laughing. "Slow down, speedy. The lake's not going anywhere."


"Buuut we do gotta get going if we want to get there." Winnie was all smiles, going around the front of her car as she let go of Isaac's hand. "So get your cute ass in the car."


Isaac couldn't help but laugh, "Yes, ma'am."


Winnie plugged in her phone to the aux, holding her open spotify to Isaac once he was buckled.


"You're actually trust me with the music? That's brave of you," remarked Isaac as he took the device from her.


"What can I say? I'm in a good mood," Winnie replied as she drove off from the Jones property. "Pete and Mom just moved in, Jake and Libby are coming for the summer, Jackson's doing great. It's calm, Isaac. It's good."


Isaac skimmed Winnie's playlist, selecting at random before letting it play. He put on the sunglasses Pete had lent him, watching her more than the road.


"The alphas, I know, but they're not making a move. For now, it's okay to relax," Winnie assured. She knew he wouldn't be able to question her, well aware she could hear his thoughts. "There's no impending doom that I feel, so it means we have time."


"But how much tim-"


"Isaac," Winnie eased, taking his hand in hers as she drove, "forget about it for today. For me? It's only a month until school's out, then we've got all summer."


Isaac kissed the top of Winnie's hand, leaning his cheek against it. "I'm sorry, Win, you're right. I'm sorry." He glanced over his shoulder, a beach bag already stocked with swim necessities and an 8 pack. "Someone's ready to party. Is Pete not coming?"


"He'll be there once he finishes the three walls he's painting," Winnie told him.


Three?


"I'm doing a mural on the forth," Winnie cleared up as she heard Isaac's thoughts.


Isaac lightly laughed, "I still forget you can get in my mind."


"I don't get into anyone's mind, their thoughts are simply projected to me." Winnie glanced over to him, getting a grin out of him. She kissed his knuckles, their fingers still intertwined. A smile softly grew, trying to keep her eyes on the road. "Stop it."


Gorgeous, outstanding, beautiful-


A dumb look fell across Winnie's face, trying to shy away from the endless compliments her was sending her. "Isaac, stop I'm trying to drive."


"But you're so pretty," Isaac whined. "It's a crime to not tell you."


"Then tell me some other time, hot shot, because you're making it incredibly hard to focus."


Of course, that had been Isaac's motive.


Winnie shook her head, hiding a smile as she watched carefully for the right street to get them out of town and to the lake.


"I can't believe I, Isaac Lahey, nerd of the cemetery, is going to a party at Lydia Martin's lake house."


"It's not a rager," Winnie told him. "Just a group of us, something small. Easy weekend chill to blow off steam while exams loom overhead. Plus it's an excuse for me to see you with your shirt off."


"Right back at you, Jones."


Winnie laughed, pulling in to the long driveway that lead to the quaint Martin lake house. "Touche," she replied as she parked next to Stiles' Jeep and Jackson's new Explorer, which he'd traded in the Porsche for.


"Gang's all here."


Winnie was already out of the Malibu, grabbing the bag and booze while Isaac carried the towels into the lake house.


"The party has arrived!" Winnie announced happily as the couple emerged through the glass door onto the lake front.


The crowd cheered, Jackson, Lydia, Stiles and Scott spread out on beach chairs and towels by the bonfire pit by the water.


"Thank goodness!" exclaimed Lydia as she stood, walking to Winnie in a designer bikini. She hugged her happily before offering to take the beer. "It was starting to feel like a sausage fest."


"We are a little outnumbered," Winnie halfly commented as she set down her bag in the grass and gave Lydia the beers. "This is your grandma's place, right? Where is she?"


"The hospital," Lydia said with a strange tone. "But she's okay. She lets us use the lake house all the time." She pointed towards the house at lake level next to a dock, "Boat house has kayaks, water skis, tubes. We can take the boat out later, too."


"Sounds perfect," Winnie replied with a grin as she took off her top, already prepared with a black bikini underneath.


"Dock race, anyone?" Stiles questioned with a devious grin, his hair slightly more grown out than before. Winnie has bet him 10 bucks a month before to not cut it until the next school year, and he wasn't about to turn down Hamilton.


Already in swim trunks, both Isaac and Scott took off their shirts.


Jackson laughed, shirtless. "Oh, there's no way I'm losing to you guys."


Pete came around the back of the house, kicking off his chucks as he came across the group. "What ever it is, I'm not losing either."


"Dock race," Scott told the newest arrival that they'd all taken a liking to. "Whoever gets off the end of the dock last loses."


"Oh, it's on," Pete agreed without question as he pulled his shirt over his head.


Lydia looked over to Winnie, winking after mentally telling her the plan.


The testosterone ran high, a count down sending the sophomore boys down the dock like rockets.


Stiles skidded to a stop at the edge, grinning. He, for one, thought being the only one not looking like a dumbass and dripping wet was better. He tensed up, realizing he hadn't seen Lydia or Winnie go off the dock.


"Get him!"


Winnie and Lydia came sprinting down the dock, each grabbing one of Stiles' arms before jumping off into the lake.


Laughter filled the warm end of spring air, love and friendship flooding the lake front.


Winnie jumped onto Isaac's back, kissing his cheek as she wrapped her arms around him for stability.


Everything felt right.


But all the sudden a dark sense smothered Winnie like a blanket, drawing her attention to the massive trees next to the lake house that melded into the Preserve.


A pair of searing white eyes were already on her, the sun blocking out the figure's features.


It didn't, however, block out their thoughts.


Her thoughts: a woman.


Enjoy it while you can, kids.

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