+++
"Hey, where's Kira, Lydia and Stiles?" Malia asked as she sat down in front of me for class, just as the bell rang.
I looked around the room, completely oblivious to the fact that they weren't here yet.
I let out a heavy sigh, "I wish I could tell you."
Malia frowned before pulling out her textbook and getting ready for class to begin.
"Has anyone seen Stiles, Lydia or Kira today?" Our teacher asked looking around the classroom and then directly at Malia and I, "Malia, Lainy...any idea where your friends are?"
"No idea," I told her.
"I could try catching their scent." Malia suggested.
I closed my eyes tightly, cringing at what she said.
The teacher nodded, "Right. How about I just mark them down as absent." She put down her clipboard and began lecturing.
However, Malia's focus seemed to be lacking more than usual as she looked at a different spot in the room every few seconds. As if she was searching for something.
"Okay, everyone, let's begin with last night's homework."
Malia quickly packed up her bag and began walking up to leave the room. My mouth hung open with confusion as I watched her.
"Malia...do you need to be excused from class?" The teacher asked.
"Yeah."
I let out a huff, and impulsively began following after her.
Walking passed my teacher with a completely dumbfounded expression on her face I quickly said, "I'm so sorry."
I walked down the hallway, following Malia's sent. When I finally caught up to her I was shocked to see her standing with Derek.
"What's going on?" I asked slowly.
"I need to find Brett's pack and warn them about the dead pool." Derek explained, "So we need to go find them."
"We?" I repeated looking from Derek to Malia, confused on how I got roped into this.
"We." Malia nodded tossing me the jersey.
+++
Malia, Derek, and I stepped out of his car and began walking in the preserve.
"Their Alpha is a woman named Satomi." Derek explained, "She's one of the oldest werewolves alive. And she's learned a lot."
Malia inquired, "What does that mean?"
"She's a bitten werewolf. Learning control wasn't easy for her. She did something a long time ago that changed her." Derek answered.
I took in a deep breath and stopped walking to try and focus. Malia must've smelt the same thing because we both looked at each other.
"What is it?" Derek asked us.
"Gun powder." Malia stated.
I began looking around for the trace of the sent when I noticed a bronze cylinder hidden within the leaves.
I tapped Derek's chest, gesturing to the piece.
Derek bent down to grab the bullet. He let out a heavy sigh, "If Brett's pack is out here, I don't think they're meeting. They're hiding."
+++
"I'm sorry," Malia sighed as we all sat in back in Derek's car.
We had just spent the past few hours trying to search for the pack, but none of us could catch their scent. If they didn't want to be found, then they were doing a damn good job at it.
"There's nothing to be sorry about. If they don't want to be found, then we're not going to find them." Derek shook his head. "Some werewolves have an ability. A kind of mastery over their bodies where they can actually inhibit their scent."
"Is that why I can never catch Lainy's scent?" Malia looking at me.
My eyes widened and I pressed my lips tightly together.
"That's exactly why," Derek nodded.
"My old pack taught me everything about how to be a killer...and that meant hiding from my opponent by masking my scent." I explained.
"So werewolves can hide from other werewolves?" Malia asked Derek and I.
"From anyone who's trying to find them." I shrugged.
"So that's why nobody knew about Brett." Malia concluded.
"Same with Demarco."
"Maybe we need to try something different," Malia suggested, "Maybe we need to think like Stiles."
Derek and I exchanged a confused and rather worried glance at one another.
"Stiles?" I questioned.
"You want us to think like a hyperactive spaz?" Derek asked.
"Like a detective," Malia stated. "If they're really Buddhists, then maybe instead of asking where werewolves hide, we should be asking-"
"Where would Buddhists hide." I finished.
Derek turned his head to face the campus that was attached to his car, and then said, "When Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree, he looked to the east for enlightenment."
"Is there some kind of eastern point in Beacon Hills?" Malia asked.
"Yeah," Derek nodded, "At Lookout Point."
+++
We all walked to the edge of lookout point and stared over the bright town. The moon was the only thing illuminating the woods at this point of the night.
Malia grasped on to Derek and I, gesturing us to stop. She looked over her right shoulder and we both turned to see what she had smelt.
"Malia?" Derek spoke carefully.
Malia's face contorted in disgust, "You don't smell that?"
"Both of you, wait for me. Right here." Derek instructed while he ventured off.
Malia and I gave each other an "are you kidding me look" before quietly following behind Derek. However, with Derek's heightened werewolf ears, he heard our footsteps.
"What did I just tell you two?" Derek asked with an annoyed tone.
"Derek, when do we ever listen?" I inquired and then gave him a smirk.
Derek then turned back to where he was walking as Malia and I followed close behind.
I gasped at the horrid sight in front of me. Dead bodies covered the ground, there had to be at least fifteen, if not more.
Derek then looked at the both of us.
We were too late.
"What happened?" Malia asked.
"I think they might have been poisoned."
"That's great," Malia sighed, "If assassins with guns don't get you, then the ones with wolfsbane poison will. Or maybe one with no mouth. Maybe we should all be running from Beacon Hills. Running for our lives. As fast as we can."
I let out a sigh and silently mourned for the death of the werewolves in front of me.
Derek began walking away and I slowly followed, before we all heard a breathy gasp.
Derek and I exchanged a wide eyed glance before turning around and seeing a hand reach into the air.
+++
THIRD PERSON POV
"Scott you're gonna want to see this," Stiles sighed walking into Scott's bedroom.
Scott looked from Stiles to the list that was in his hand. He immediately knew that it was the third list that had been unlocked, and Lainy's name was on it.
"How much is she worth?" Scott asked nervously.
"I don't think that matters." Stiles shook his head and handed the list to Scott.
Scott read over the list and his eyes widened once he reached Lainy's name.
"She can't be-"
"She is." Stiles interrupted. "He's her dad."
Scott let out a frustrated sigh.
"We have to tell her, Scott."
"Yeah? And when are you going to tell Malia?" Scott shot back knowing that Stiles was avoiding tell Malia about Peter.
"I don't want to lose her!" Stiles exclaimed loudly and then took a few deep breathes, collecting himself. "I don't want to lose either of them... I can't."
Scott paused examining Stiles' flustered features.
"You still love her...don't you?" Scott asked carefully, his voice full of sadness.
Stiles paused, but Scott could hear his heart rapidly beating in his chest.
"Was it that obvious?"
"I see the way you look at her Stiles."
Stiles sighed heavily, "Yeah Scott, I do. I do still love her, and I think a part of me will always love Lainy." He told Scott honestly.
Scott couldn't deny that his heart was breaking, knowing that his best friend was still in love with Lainy, even after all this time.
Scott didn't answer, he just nodded. "I see the way that she looks at you too."
Stiles shook his head, "Scott, no...she loves you."
Scott sighed, "A lot has changed... It doesn't feel like we're even together anymore."
"Of course it doesn't feel like that, Scott." Stile reassured him, "You both are trying to survive...once this whole dead pool thing passes, it'll be back to normal."
"No...I'm too not sure that it will."
a/n: uh huh that's right i did THAT