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When Samara woke up the next morning, her entire body felt weak. Her first feeble attempt to sit up was practically non-existent, the girl's body not even moving.
Her parents had come in at a few points to check in on her, Wren healing her every once in a while. Mr Hart had wanted to take his daughter to the hospital but Mrs Hart forced him to remember that this same thing had happened to Isaac in their daughter's room just the other night.
Since she wasn't a werewolf it was going to take a little longer for her to heal but she would heal, nonetheless. Wren would give her help in small doses where he wouldn't be hurting himself and until she was back to her full strength, that was the best that they could do for her.
When she finally managed to sit up, Samara reached for her phone. She had several texts from all of her friends. Nadine said that she was staying at Lydia's house and looking after her while she was recovering.
Thankfully, Wren was heading over there to provide help. He wouldn't be able to take all of her pain away but he could take some of it and that was better than nothing.
Lincoln was with Allison and Chris Argent, seeking out a man who people called 'Silverfinger'. Apparently, Chris believed that he would have the answer to the question of what these shadow creatures were.
Answers were never something that came easily, so Samara didn't have a lot of faith in Silverfinger. She just hoped that answers or not, they all came home safely and in one piece.
According to Nadine, she had heard that Stiles had left school early to speak to Melissa at the hospital. Surprisingly, Nadine hadn't been able to find out what about, just that he was going.
And then there was Isaac. He had sent a few text messages basically just letting her know that he hoped she was okay. Something in her hadn't expected something more from him but there was nothing.
Samara skipped school and spent the day alone, only leaving her room for the necessities. She sat in her bed drawing what had attacked her while a Netflix show played in the background.
It wasn't an eventful day but by the end of it, she almost felt completely healed. Staring at the mask in her sketchbook, she felt the hollowness she had experienced when it attacked her.
Something about the memory was less terrifying than it should have been. Something about being hurt instead of hurting others removed the fear from the situation in her mind.
When she heard her phone buzz, she was thankful for the distraction.
From Isaac:
- Update - we're going to Scott's to protect him and Kira from those things
- Hope you're doing okay
Samara bit down on her lip in thought, deciding what to do. She knew what she wanted to do, it was whether it was a smart thing to do, was the real question.
To Isaac:
- Take me with you
- please
The wraith sat staring at her phone, waiting impatiently for him to reply. What was taking him so long?
From Isaac:
- I'll be there in 5
Samara locked her phone and pulled herself out of bed. Going to her wardrobe she got changed out of her pyjamas. Once she was dressed and had her gloves and shoes on, she went downstairs and walked out the door.
Even though the sun was beginning to set, she was still the only one home. Her parents, as far as she knew, were still at work. Wren, on the other hand, Samara wasn't sure about. He had gone to see Lydia but that had been hours ago.
"You good to go?" Isaac asked.
The girl had been so lost in thought that she hadn't even noticed him pull up on his bike. Nodding, she went over and got on the back, looping her arms around his waist
Isaac didn't say anything as he let go of the brakes. They rode quietly, the only sound coming from the motorbike's engine and the cars around them.
Samara sat there anxiously, trying to read his body language. Why was he not talking to her like he usually did? Why did she hate that he wasn't talking to her?
When they arrived at the McCall house, Samara was prepared to ask him why he was so quiet. However, she didn't get the chance. As soon as he pulled over, Isaac was off his bike and staring at the house.
Looking down at the girl, he gave her a stern look. "Stay here," Isaac instructed sternly.
Samara was about to ask why, when the sound of breaking glass and screams answered her question. The creatures were there already and she was practically useless. It wasn't a good feeling
Deciding that she wanted to at least try to help instead of standing around pointlessly, Samara followed him in. Seeing her coming up behind him, Isaac frowned.
"I told you to stay out there."
"When do I ever listen to you?" she asked sarcastically, pushing past him into the house.
Just as they crossed the threshold, there was the sound of breaking glass as the twins broke through the windows in the dining room, landing on the table. Melissa grabbed ahold of who Samara assumed to be her ex-husband and attempted to drag him down a hallway away from the creatures. Seeing that she was struggling, Samara ran over to help her drag him out of the way.
"Mom, do it now!" Scott shouted.
Melissa looked down at her ex, reluctant to leave him in his injured state. Realising this is how she could help, Samara got the woman's attention. "I'll watch him. You, go and help them."
After thanking the girl, Melissa McCall ran to her front door and smashed a glass jar, laying down a line of ash. Lincoln had told her about this before - Mountain Ash. Nothing supernatural was able to cross it.
The house fell silent, the creatures unable to attack from the other side of the ash line. Melissa came right back after, kneeling beside Scott's father.
Out of curiosity, Samara stood up and went over to the door. Lifting a hand, she reached out. Pushing against the air, she felt an invisible force holding her back. It was a strange sensation, that was for certain.
"Are you alright?" Isaac asked as he walked up behind her.
Removing her hand from the barrier, she turned to face him. "I'm fine."
"I want to introduce you to Derek while you're here. Properly, that is," the werewolf informed her, not bothering to beat around the bush.
Samara shrugged as she watched Kira interact with the Mountain Ash barrier. She wasn't sure what the new girl was but from her reaction, she was definitely something.
"I'm sure he's got more important things to worry about."
"Maybe," he shrugged. "But I told you that I would see if he could help and I'm going to follow through on that."
She didn't verbally answer, just nodded. Something in his demeanour and the way he was treating her had changed and it was throwing her off.
"It's Kira, right?" Aiden asked the new girl, distracting Samara from her thoughts. "So, are you going to tell us what you are?"
The girl immediately stumbled, shocked by the question. "What? What do you mean?" she asked, unconvincingly.
When Aiden grabbed the girl by the wrist, his twin said his name rather harshly. "Watch," Aiden insisted.
He proceeded to raise her hand to the barrier. Aiden kept moving it closer until she reached the Mountain Ash. The barrier rejected her, the girl drawing her hand back immediately.
"See that? She can't go through it either," Aiden pointed out. Ethan walked over, interested in the girl now.
"So, what are you?"
"She's a kitsune, idiot," Derek stated in a condescending tone as he entered the room. "Use your eyes. You can see it all around her. The younger ones give off an aura. She just hasn't learned how to conceal it yet. She probably doesn't know what kind she is, either."
Kira looked terrified standing in between all of them. They were all werewolves and not all of them were known for being warm and cuddly. Especially not the one who had just grabbed her.
"I need to talk to Kira," Scott announced as he walked in, playing knight in shining armour to the girl.
Giving the most subtle gratuitous smile, Kira followed Scott out of the room. Aiden didn't seem all that impressed watching her go but there wasn't exactly anything he could say to stop her.
"And you're Samara Hart," Derek said, turning to the girl beside Isaac. "The Wraith."
"And you're Derek Hale. The Alpha," she replied, mocking the tone he had used.
Derek chuckled deeply, facing Isaac. "Are you sure it was her confidence that she needed help with?"
Samara looked over to Isaac expectantly, wondering how much he had told the Alpha.
"Confidence in controlling your abilities," he explained. "I didn't say anything more than what I told you I told him."
"Didn't she nearly kill you?" Aiden smirked.
Ethan shoved his brother harshly, telling him to shut up. Derek chuckled, apparently having heard this story before.
"Well, Samara, I haven't encountered a Wraith before but I'm happy to try and help. My mum used to tell me stories about the different sorts of creatures and Wraiths were one of them, so I know a thing or two. You and Isaac can come by the loft."
"Thank you," Samara said sincerely, genuinely grateful for the help.
The room lulled back into silence as they all watched the creatures outside the house. They were just standing there watching, not making any moves to get in.
"I wasn't going to hurt her," Aiden said, feeling the need to assure his Alpha. "Kira. I wasn't going to hurt her."
"Not yet," Derek corrected.
The former Alpha shook his head, a sigh escaping him as he did so. "Why do you think we're here, Derek? For a study group? We're here to protect Scott."
"We're trying to fight for him," Ethan tacked on.
"I'm sure you are. I'm sure you'd kill for him," Derek said as he finally turned to face them. But are you willing to die for him?"
"Loving the dark outlook, really," Samara butted in. "But is no one thinking about how they have done the scar behind the ear thing to all five of us and we're still alive?"
Thinking about what she had said, Isaac nodded, "She's got a point."
"Oh, please, you'd agree with anything she says," Aiden scoffed.
Ethan frowned at his brother, turning to Derek, "She's right. They didn't kill us. Why?"
Before Derek could answer, one of the shadow creatures began to slam the hilt of its katana against the barrier created by the mountain ash. As it began, the others followed suit, doing the same.
"What are they doing?" Scott asked as he entered the room with Kira by his side.
"Testing for weaknesses," Ethan responded.
They continued to hit the barrier, the house shaking with every strike. Pots and bowls fell from the shelves. All seven of them just stood there staring, praying that the mountain ash would hold.
"Guys," Ethan said loud enough to get everyone's attention. They all looked at the door to see that one of them was very close to breaking through.
"We have a problem."
Scott immediately got his phone out realising that Allison, Argent and Lincoln's quest for answers was their last shot.
"Allison, please tell me that you have something. They're here. They're trying to get in. And it looks like they're gonna be able to do it," he said quickly as soon as she answered.
He switched his phone to loudspeaker so that everyone could hear her response.
"Okay, okay, listen. They're Japanese demons. They're called the Oni. They're looking for someone possessed. Someone with a dark spirit attached to them."
"A Nogitsune," Scott clarified.
"How'd you know that? Scott?"
"Just. . . tell me what else," he said, not sharing where he'd acquired the information. Samara could only assume it was Kira since he didn't seem to know this before he left with Kira.
Allison did as asked, "Okay, they won't hurt you. They know you're supernatural but once they do this check, once they realize that you're not carrying with you this dark spirit, then they won't hurt you, I promise. All they're looking for is the Nogitsune."
Scott hung up the phone after she finished, his features showing he was deep in thought. Kira instantly became stressed, walking over to the boy. "I'm right, aren't I? They're looking for me."
The werewolf immediately shook his head, "They're looking for a dark spirit. And I know it's not you."
"Scott, we're going to have to do something," Derek pointed out, seeing that the Oni were just about through the barrier.
Finally, the barrier fell and the Oni stepped inside the house. Everyone turned to them, preparing to protect Scott and Kira since they were the only two who hadn't been marked.
"Don't do anything," Scott instructed.
Aiden looked from the Oni to the others with wide eyes. "Is he serious?"
The Oni's snarls echoed as they moved closer, their katanas lowered. Scott nodded, stepping towards them. "I said don't do anything."
He then looked back to Kira, holding his hand out. "Trust me."
Kira did exactly that, taking his hand and walking past the five who had been protecting them. Watching them walk towards the Oni, Samara reached out and took hold of one of Isaac's hands nervously. Even though he'd been ignoring her most of the day, he wasn't about to brush her off when she needed him.
He held tightly to her gloved hand as Scott and Kira were both grabbed harshly by an Oni. Their eyes began to glow and the two dropped to their knees as the test progressed. Their bodies stiffened before the Oni released them, pushing them to the ground.
Neither of them was the Nogitsune.
So, who was?
"I'm going to call Wren," the girl said quietly, letting go of Isaac as the other wolves ran to Kira and Scott. "He'll be able to help Kira."
Scott could heal on his own but she wasn't sure what a kitsune could do.
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"Are you sure your brother isn't gonna kill me for being here?"
Samara walked up the stairs of her house towards her bedroom, glancing over her shoulder. "I don't get why you're so scared of him."
"I'm not scared of him," he scoffed. "I just don't get why he hates me."
"Really?" she laughed dryly. "You riling him up constantly could have something to do with it."
"Or that I'm always in his sister's bedroom," he suggested as he stood at her bedroom door.
Samara had seen a note on the bench left by her parents, detailing how they had gone with Deaton on a search for something to stop the creature. Apparently, Deaton had figured out it was a Nogitsune and went off to find what he needed.
The girl wasn't surprised, her parents often went on trips like this. Especially if there was something threatening their children.
Wren had stayed at the McCall house, keeping an eye on Scott and Kira since he knew his sister was okay. What he didn't know, was that Isaac had been the one to take her home.
"Then just make sure you're gone before he gets back," Samara said as she sat on her bed.
Isaac laughed a little as he walked in. Heading to the girl's bookshelf he ran his finger across the spines before selecting one. He opened it as he sat in her desk chair.
"What was going on with you today? You kept brushing me off," Samara said, finally asking what had been on her mind since he'd picked her up to go to Scott's.
Isaac froze momentarily before he turned another page, not looking at her as he spoke. "Because I swore that I wouldn't let anything happen to you and then you got hurt."
He knew there was no point in lying considering that he hadn't exactly been subtle in how he had avoided her. Seeing her like that at the party had scared him, especially since he'd told her he wouldn't let anything happen to her.
Samara was confused momentarily, trying to figure out what he was talking about. "What? The Oni?"
When he nodded, Samara sighed, "Isaac, they weren't going to stop, they were checking all of us, just like Allison had said. It wasn't me and there was nothing you could've done."
"That doesn't matter," Isaac said, shutting the book and putting it on her desk. "Because something could have happened."
"Well, it didn't. So, let's just move on," she sighed as she took her gloves off and sat them on her bedside table. She didn't plan on touching anyone and it was late, so she didn't think she'd need them.
"I'm going to watch a movie so either you leave, or sit quietly."
Removing his jacket, Isaac got up and went over to sit beside her on the bed. He respected what she had asked, sitting quietly as the movie played. He could hear her heart slowing as she relaxed. There were still things he wanted to talk about but he knew it wasn't the time.
Instead, he grabbed the blanket from the end of her bed to use it as an excuse to sit closer to her, putting it over them both. Samara rolled her eyes but allowed it to happen.
She listened to the rain pattering down on the roofs in between the dialogue of the movie. Samara could just feel Isaac looking down at her constantly.
Without thinking, Samara turned to face him right as his eyes flickered down to her again. Neither of them looked away, Isaac appearing to look at her even more intently. His eyes seemed to be searching hers, trailing across her features.
Isaac could hear her heart rate beginning to pick up but she wasn't moving or looking away. So, braving the waters, he began to lean in towards her.
As Isaac grew closer, Samara found her mind racing, trying to decide what to do. When he stopped just mere centimetres from her lips, she almost felt like she couldn't breathe.
"Samara?" he said softly, not wanting to do anything that she wasn't okay with, even though he was almost certain that she felt the same way.
"Stop," she said quickly, making a decision. She threw the blanket off and climbed off of her bed, running her hands through her hair as she walked over to stand by her desk.
Isaac shook his head as he stood up from the bed, "I'm not scared of you, Mara"
"Don't you get it? I'm scared of me, Isaac," the girl exclaimed. "And I. . . I couldn't forgive myself if I hurt you. If I hurt anyone. Again."
"You can control it," he insisted.
"And what if I can't?" Samara retaliated. She looked down at her bare hands. They looked like anyone else's but they weren't.
Isaac walked around the bed until he was on the same side as her, "I know you can."
Samara scoffed, shaking her head as she leaned against the desk. "You have this blind faith in me that I really don't get," she tries to say firmly but her voice broke and gave her away.
"After all this time, you really don't get why I believe in you?" Isaac almost laughed, pausing to take a step towards her. Looking down at her, he spoke softly, "Why do you keep acting like there's nothing between us?"
Samara looked up to meet his gaze, doing her best to hold her ground and keep the mask up. "Because there isn't"
His jaw clicked, seeming almost hurt by what she'd said. Isaac enjoyed the relationship they had but he was over the games. He just needed to know and if she really didn't like him, then he would stand down.
"Fine," he nodded, taking half a step back. "Then tell me you don't want me here. Tell me to leave, and I'll go."
Samara tried to think of what to say that would make him give up but she knew he was listening to her heartbeat. She also knew that he was right.
When she didn't say anything Isaac laughed sadly, shaking his head as he walked away, "Goodbye, Samara."
Just as he was about to walk out the door, he stopped to look back at her. "You know, I never saw you as a damsel in distress. I'm sorry if it ever looked that way. I don't think I know anyone who could have been through what you have and come out as strong as you are."
He then left without another word. Samara stood in the silence of her room, the only noise coming from the movie that she hadn't paused.
She kept thinking about how he had been so unafraid that she would hurt him at that moment on her bed. The only reason he had stopped was to see if she was okay with it.
Samara was always worried and always on alert, rarely going after what she wanted. Maybe it was time for that to change.
Running out of her room, Samara rushed down the steps and out the front door. Looking through the rain, she spotted the werewolf about to climb onto his bike.
"Isaac, wait!" she shouted over the sound of water on the pavement. She grabbed his arm to get him to stop, the boy looking down at her with wide eyes.
"You're right, okay? I'm scared of myself, but I'm also scared of you. What you represent. For the longest time, I didn't believe I deserved to be happy because of everything I'd done and no one could understand that. But then you came into my life and changed all of that."
"Mara-"
"Just let me finish," she interrupted. "You made me feel like my life was worth living. Like I deserved to live. Part of me still thinks I haven't earned it because I spent my whole life hiding and I have no control over my ability."
Isaac shook his head, rain dripping from his hair, "Mara-"
"Please," she pleaded, knowing she had to just get it out before she changed her mind. "I've hurt so many people and no matter what I feel, I can't let myself get close to anyone because if I do I risk hurting them, and I would never forgive myself if I did anything to hurt you, Isaac-"
"Samara!" he shouted firmly, shocking her into silence. Isaac's gaze dropped down to the girl's hand on his arm - her skin on his skin.
Nothing was happening.
Samara let out a shakey breath as she stared, her grip on his arm tightening somewhat. Swallowing heavily, she pulled together her courage as she looked up at him through the rain.
"I don't want you to leave," Samara said, finally giving him his answer.
Isaac smiled, reaching his hands up to her face and moving to close the distance. Samara threw her hands over his shoulders, wanting to be closer.
His lips on hers tasted like magic. The sensation of being in contact with someone and not draining from them was like pure ecstasy. One of her hands moved up to the back of his head, her fingers tangling in his wet hair.
Drawing back and breathing heavily, Isaac rest his forehead against her. "Are you alright?" he asked her, running a hand through her hair.
"Yeah," she smiled, still surprised but not about to jinx it. "Did you want to come back inside? The rain is getting heavier."
Isaac stooped back down to kiss her again, this time a bit more chaste. Pulling back just enough that he could see her eyes, he moved her hair from her face. "I would stand in the eye of a hurricane just to be here with you."
"Good to see you're still as overdramatic as ever."
"Only for you," he smirked.
Samara rolled her eyes, smiling as she pulled him back in and brought her lips to his. Never in her life had she felt so connected to another person and up until a few weeks ago, she never would've thought that person would be Isaac Lahey.
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(A/N)
IT HAPPENED
I wasn't fully sure how to insert Mara into the Silverfinger episode, but I think I like this version better hahaha