Elizabeth sits cross-legged on a couch within the Argent's living room while Victoria poured her a cup of tea and Chris sat on a couch across from her. He kept a wary gaze on her, tapping his foot on the floor anxiously. Elizabeth could smell the controlled fear emanating from him, mixed in with worry and nervousness. Victoria, on the other hand, had that scent of fear, but it was overtaken by anger and killing intent.
Victoria finished pouring the tea and handed it to Elizabeth who gave her a grateful smile.
"Thank you." Elizabeth said and Victoria returned her own smile.
"You're welcome." Victoria said in a sickly sweet voice, it was quite impressive to Elizabeth for someone to keep up such a façade with that much rage inside, something they seemed to have in common at the very least.
"Why are you here?" Chris finally asked as Victoria sat down next to him.
"Why am I in your home or this town?" Elizabeth asked for clarification.
"Both." Victoria coldly replies, her kind façade immediately dropping.
Elizabeth sips on her tea, an action Victoria took notice of. She puts the teacup down on the coffee table and sighs, leaning back on the couch.
"I wanted to live a simpler life." Elizabeth replied with a shrug "Beacon Hills seemed like the perfect place for a new start."
"Beacon Hills is protected by trained hunters who are experts of their craft. They-" Chris was about to continue, but Elizabeth cut him off.
"Do you really think any of that scares me?" Elizabeth asks, silencing him "This is the first time we formally meet, but the history between your family and I is centuries old. I find what you do impressive. Many supernatural creatures should be kept in check and I find it admirable that humans have risen to the task. Your family is one of the few that has earned my respect, but that does not mean you can get cocky. The Argents are still one of the few hunter families that are thriving because my respect for you saved your family from the massacres I brought upon the others."
"You spared us out of respect?" Chris asked.
"And, because I was tired." Elizabeth replied, looking at the fireplace with a distant look in her eyes "Back then, I was what you would truly call a monster. Men, women, children, I have spilled the blood of them all. That insatiable bloodlust was a part of me that had to be suppressed, locked away to avoid many more tragedies. That is why I moved here, and why I have come to see you."
"To threaten us?" Victoria asks.
Elizabeth looks at them and shakes her head "To issue a warning. If the Argents stay out of my family's way, then we will do the same, simple as that."
"A threat like you just can't be ignored." Victoria stated.
"You can try to hunt me," Elizabeth said with a shrug "I may not be the same person as I was from the past, but I am still capable of fighting to protect those I care for."
"Do you really expect us to be fine with just living in a town filled with werewolves? The stories have always made it a known fact that the great Elizabeth Beowulf is an alpha of a large and dangerous pack." Victoria said.
"It's just me and my two daughters in town." Elizabeth replied, picking her teacup up "The rest of my pack are living their lives in different places of the world."
"Was telling us that smart?" Chris asked.
"Would hunting us be smart?" Elizabeth asked with an unamused look and both Chris and Victoria stayed silent, knowing the answer to that question. Elizabeth took their silence as confirmation and rose an eyebrow "So? Are we in agreement?"
"...Yes." Chris reluctantly agreed and Victoria looked at him in surprise "We'll leave you and your family alone."
"Chris." Victoria stated and Chris sighed with a nod.
"I know...I know." Chris replied.
"Glad to hear it." Elizabeth said, finishing her tea then placing the teacup down "With that settled, I will be taking my leave."
She stood up, which prompted Chris and Victoria to stand up as well. They follow her to the door, but they all stop once they heard footsteps approaching. They all looked up to see Allison walking down the stairs, but then she stopped and widened her eyes in surprise upon seeing her history teacher.
"Ms. Beowulf?" Allison asked.
Elizabeth smiled "Good afternoon, Allison."
"Uh, yeah, afternoon. What are you doing here?" Allison asked.
"Just visiting. Your family and I have known each other for quite some time." Elizabeth said and Allison.
"Oh, alright." Allison said with a slow nod.
"You know her?" Chris asked in surprise along with Victoria who had a surprised expression.
"Yeah, she's my new history teacher." Allison informed and both Chris and Victoria's stomachs dropped.
"O-oh, really?" Chris asked, looking over to a smirking Elizabeth.
"Yeah, she really knows her stuff." Allison complimented.
"Flattery won't get you an A, Allison." Elizabeth informed.
"I know, but you really are a good teacher." Allison said with a nervous smile.
"It may not get you an A, but I would consider a B if you keep this up." Elizabeth joked and Allison laughed.
"Going somewhere?" Victoria asked, not liking the interaction between the two.
"Nope. Just wanted to get a snack while I study." Allison replied as she continues to walk down the stairs.
"Just don't eat too much before dinner." Victoria said with a smile.
"I know." Allison said with her own smile, but then she paused when she looked at her father "You okay, dad? You look tense."
Chris made an effort to relax and smiled "I'm fine."
Allison hummed, continuing her way to the kitchen.
"Such a sweet girl." Elizabeth said.
"If you so much as hurt her-" Chris was about to say, but Elizabeth silenced him again with a look.
"Honor our agreement and I will not hurt a hair on her pretty little head." Elizabeth stated, opening the door, "Oh, and by the way,"
She turns to face the two of them with a gaze that sent shivers running down their spines "The next time you try poisoning me with wolf's bane, I will be taking your heads."
Victoria gulped and Chris fearfully nodded as Elizabeth took her leave.
~
Ruby struggled to get out of the werewolf's grip, scratching at his hand in vain while he growled. He let out another powerful roar and her fearful façade dropped once she started laughing, confusing the werewolf.
"Sorry, it's not that you're not scary, it's just that I'm worse." Ruby stated gripping his hand and twisting it, causing an audible crack that made the werewolf let out a pained shout. She grabbed him by the neck and made him face her now smiling face "Good try though."
She picked him up by the neck and choke slammed him to the ground. He let out another pained shout and reverted to human form, struggling beneath her and now scratching at her hand to let him go while she raised her free hand and brandished her claws, ready to rip his face off.
They both heard footsteps approaching and turned to see Jade arriving on the scene, now adopting a confused expression.
"Why?" Jade asked, seeing that sister was about to kill someone again.
"He attacked me." Ruby replied with a shrug.
"Mama told us to keep it low-key." Jade reminded and Ruby groaned, letting go of the man, retracting her claws and standing up.
Jade moved to her side and they both looked down at the man. He was looking up at them with a look of both confusion and fear.
He seemed to be a tall man with a muscular physique and he was quite handsome. He had black hair, blue-green eyes, and olive skin. He was wearing a white shirt, black leather jacket, dark blue jeans, and black shoes. This was a surviving member of the Hale family, Derek Hale.
"Oh, God, he's cute too." Jade said exasperatedly.
"Not as cute as Stiles though." Ruby adds and Jade gives her a look "What?"
"You and I both know there are a lot of people cuter than Stiles." Jade says.
"Yeah, but, Stiles is cute in his own dorky way." Ruby said with a smile.
"In his own dorky way?" Jade asks and Ruby nods "You sure you ain't talking about Scott?"
"You think Scott's cute?" Ruby asked with a smirk.
Jade gagged "What kind of gross way of thinking led to that conclusion?"
"I didn't hear a no." Ruby teased and Jade rolled her eyes, ramping up the fake gagging.
"Who are you two?" Derek asked, recognizing their appearances and apparent bickering.
"You first." Ruby retorted "You attacked me, remember?"
"I don't have to tell you anything." Derek stated with a glare.
"What about me? If I didn't show up then you'd be this armless, faceless thing, wouldn't you?" Jade asked.
Ruby gasped and smiled at her sister "You did watch the movie!"
"I was bored." Jade said nonchalantly "Anyway, you gonna tell us your name or not, tough guy?"
Derek didn't respond and just stood up, keeping his glare on the both of them.
"Alright, can you at least tell us why you just attacked me out of nowhere?" Ruby asked.
"You're on private property." Derek responded.
"That doesn't sound like a good reason for attacking someone." Jade said.
"Especially someone who's just passing by." Ruby added.
Derek rolled his eyes and wiped the dirt from his jacket "Both of you werewolves?"
Jade smirked, "We don't have to tell you anything-"
"Yeah." Ruby responded and Jade threw her hands up exasperatedly, giving her sister a frustrated look and she just shrugged sheepishly "What? We are, aren't we?"
"And the rest of your pack is in town or are you two Omegas?" Derek asked.
"Okay, hold up, macho man. You don't get to ask us questions as if we're longtime friends, alright? You're lucky to be alive right now." Jade reminded.
"We don't even know your name." Ruby added.
Derek looked at the both of them and clenched his jaw "It's Derek."
"Derek?" Jade asks and Derek nodded "You look more like a Kevin, not gonna lie."
"We once knew a Derek..." Ruby muttered quiet enough for Jade and Derek to not hear her.
"What about you two?" Derek asked.
"What about us?" Jade asked.
"What are your names? Why are you here? What's your business with Beacon Hills?" Derek questioned aggressively.
"Uh, no sir. Check that tone before I do it for you." Jade reprimanded and Derek stepped closer to her with a glare.
"You think I'm scared of you?" Derek asked with a growl.
Jade glared back at him with her own growl "No, but you will be."
"You live here, Derek?" Ruby asked, not caring one bit about their little squabble and staring at the house that seemed very familiar to her.
Derek looked at her with a glare "That's none of your business."
"I'll take that as a yes." Ruby said.
"What happened to it?" Jade asked, sensing the dread surrounding the burnt remains.
Derek looked back at the house with a solemn look "Death..."
They all perked up when they heard the sounds of twigs snapping, footsteps approaching, and two voices that were familiar to Ruby and Jade.
"Is that who I think it is?" Jade asks and Ruby smiles spotting Stiles.
"Maybe the killer moved the body." Stiles suggested as Scott looked around.
"If he did then I hope he didn't take my inhaler, that thing cost like eighty bucks." Scott said, but then he paused and was dumbstruck along with Stiles to see Jade, Ruby, and Derek, looking at them.
"Ruby? Jade?" Stiles asked in surprise.
"Hi, Stiles. Hi, Scott." Ruby said with a gleeful wave.
"What are you two doing here?" Jade asked.
"We could ask you the same thing, and who's that?" Scott asked, pointing at Derek and he got gulped fearfully, intimidated by the leather jacket-clad werewolf.
"This is private property." Derek states.
"Hum...sorry, man, we didn't know." Stiles said nervously.
"It's okay, Stiles. Derek here isn't scary at all." Ruby said giving Derek a sharp look "He's just one like those kooky farmers that don't want people on their property and attack them for no reason."
Derek looked at her with his usual glare and she gave him a sickly sweet smile in return.
"Alright, look, we were just going on a run and found Derek on the way." Jade explained.
"Well, we were just looking for-" Scott was about to explain, but Ruby cut him off.
"A body?" Ruby asked in amusement.
"No...well, Stiles was." Scott admitted.
"Dude!" Stiles exclaimed and Ruby giggled at his antics.
"I was looking for my inhaler. I lost it last night and-" Scott was cut off yet again, not by words, but by Derek taking the inhaler out of his jacket pocket and tossing it to him.
"There. Now leave." Derek stated, glaring at the twins "All of you."
With those last words, Derek turned around and walked back to his house, leaving the teenagers by themselves.
"Beacon Hills sure has some friendly people." Jade says sarcastically.
"C'mon, I'm not in the running mood anymore." Ruby said with an eye roll and they all started walking back to town.
"So, you guys just met Derek?" Stiles asked.
"Yeah, would not like to see him again anytime soon." Jade said.
"Do you know him?" Ruby asked.
Stiles shook his head "Not personally. All I know is that his name is Derek Hale and his whole family burned in a fire like ten years ago."
"Hale?" Jade asked in surprise and Ruby widened her eyes.
"Yeah, Hale. They were a big family from what I've heard." Stiles said.
"Were you guys familiar with them or something?" Scott asked.
Ruby and Jade looked at each other then back at the boys, Jade responding "Let's just say they were close family friends."
~
That night, Elizabeth, Ruby, and Jade sat at the dinner table in silence, having spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. Ruby made eye contact with Jade and motioned for her to start talking and Jade rolled her eyes, looking at their mother.
"So..." Jade started and Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, motioning for her to continue "Well, uh..."
"Did you know Derek Hale was in town?" Ruby asked.
"Ruby!" Jade exclaimed.
"You were taking too long." Ruby said with a shrug and Jade rolled her eyes.
"Derek Hale? Talia's son?" Elizabeth asked in surprise.
Ruby and Jade nodded and Elizabeth slowly nodded, processing the information.
"Was he alone?" Elizabeth asked.
"Looked like it." Ruby replied.
"He seemed bitter, angrier, and just outright dickish in nature." Jade said.
"His family perished years ago. He must've been a child back then." Elizabeth said, rubbing her forehead with a sigh "I should have returned as soon as I heard the news. I should have been there for him- for them. I could have saved them."
"Mama, don't beat yourself up over it." Ruby said.
"Stiles said the fire happened ten years ago. If that's the case, then coming back would've been impossible." Jade said, holding onto Elizabeth's hand "I love how hard you try, but even you gotta know that you can't protect everyone."
"I know..." Elizabeth said solemnly "...I know."
Ruby coughed awkwardly and smiled at them "Uh, maybe we should talk about something else, yeah?"
Elizabeth gave her a small smile "Anything else, you would like to share?"
"There's a full moon on Friday." Ruby states "What are we gonna do about Scott?"
"As I said, he is none of our concern." Elizabeth tells her.
"Yeah, but, he's our friend now. We can't just let him run wild and start killing people." Ruby argues.
"Yeah, what about hunters? The Argents are gonna be a problem." Jade said.
"If you two are willing to babysit a newly turned Beta that also happens to be a hormonal teenage boy then you are free to do so. I, on the other hand, have gone through that multiple times, and I will tell you now, it is not fun." Elizabeth stated.
"When are we allowed to get our own Betas?" Jade asks.
"When you both prove to me that you are mature enough to take care of one. Managing a pack is no easy task." Elizabeth states, looking at both of them.
"Yeah, I'm good on the whole Beta thing. Having a pack of my own sounds fun, but it does sound like a lot of work." Ruby said.
"Well, I'm not." Jade said, "How can we prove ourselves?"
Elizabeth thinks about it for a moment and she smiles with an idea in mind.
"How about a test?" Elizabeth asks and they looked confused as she continued "If you want to help him so much then do so by molding him into a respectable Beta. If you manage to do so, then I will rethink my decision of not letting you have a pack of your own."
"How do we mold him into a respectable Beta?" Jade asks.
"Train him, teach him, protect him, help him in whatever way you can so that he can be in control of his new life." Elizabeth explained.
"What about his Alpha?" Ruby asks.
"That is what makes this test interesting." Elizabeth said with a smirk "He is trying to teach Scott in his own way, you should try your best with your own methods as well."
"Should we tell him the truth? Like who we are and stuff like that?" Ruby asks.
"You are Alphas, remember? Show me how much you have matured by making that decision on your own." Elizabeth states.
Ruby and Jade looked at each other, Jade smiling excitedly while Ruby shrugged with a small smile.
~
Later that night, a car parks in front of the Hale house remains and Elizabeth steps out, looking at the burnt remains with a solemn look. She shut the door and approached the house, hearing footsteps approaching the door.
The door opened and Derek stepped out, pausing in his angered stride upon seeing her.
"Derek? Derek Hale?" Elizabeth asked, taking slow steps towards him.
"Who's asking?" Derek asked with a glare.
"My, you have grown so much. I am sure Talia would be proud to see that her little boy had finally grown into the man he is today." Elizabeth said with a smile.
"Y-You knew my mother?" Derek asked in surprise.
"Yes, Derek. Do you not remember?" Elizabeth asked, stopping in front of the house stairs "I would come to this house twice a year. You would always be so excited to see me. Always calling me auntie-"
"Elizabeth..." Derek finished for her and she nodded, her smile widening.
He slowly walked down the steps with a stunned expression. He stopped in front of her and seeing her up close caused his eyes to become watery.
"Oh, Derek..." Elizabeth said, bringing him for a hug and he hugged her back, gripping onto her desperately as he cried on her shoulder while she rubbed his back "Shh, Shh, it is okay. I am here now. It will all be okay."