Dark Truths and Magic Bullets

XXXXXSCOTTXXXXX

"Layla, what the hell is- are you bleeding?!" I yell, turning around in my seat to see my best girl friend, as Stiles slams his foot on the gas following Layla's magic. I can feel Stiles's alarm spike through the packbond at the mention of Layla being injured, and the whole Jeep is starting to reek of fear, "why the hell were you in the freaking forest, and what just happened to Derek?"

"Derek's been shot. Fuck!" She snarls, slamming a hand into the side of the door, and I take a second to notice that outside the night we were bitten, I can't rember a time she was so visibly distraught, "I could have warned him, but noooooo, my unconscious wanted to water a fucking creepy tree with my blood, and didn't bring my phone."

"Layla, that's literally the least nonsensical thing you've ever said, and that includes the NightQuil incident."

"Later. It isn't as important as finding Derek, so be a good pup, stick your head out the window and sniff him out! We'll take him to my- fuck! Sunya will be home alone!"

"It's fine, she probably won't have noticed you're gone!" Stiles tries to soothe her.

"Dude, we were sharing a bed! Her feet were literally in my armpit."

Stiles winces, "It might still be fine, though. That girl is such a heavy sleeper, she'd sleep through an alpha attack." There is a second of silence, before Stiles face palms himself.

"THAT'S NOT REASSURING!" Poor Layla looks frazzled beyond belief, and is trembling a bit. A sleep deprived Stiles has even less of a filter than a normal Stiles, "STOP THE CAR!"

Stiles slams on the breaks with a screech and pulls over. Stiles and I turn to lack at her, and I have to keep my tee-fangs gritted to keep my howl of rage in. Layla is covered in cuts, bruises, and dirt and the smell of her blood is horrifying, marring the usual smell of cinnamon and chocolate. A low growl fills the car, and it takes a moment to realize it's coming from me. Packmate hurt. Eliminate the threat. Protect the pack. Protect the territory.

I shake the thoughts away, uncomfortable with the wolf's anger and do my best to ground myself with love. Layla, my sister, needs help. I can't lose control now. The wolf seems to subside, so with a breath, I turn back to her, and say "Layla, wha-."

I break off when there is a sudden bang on the side of the car, and Stiles and I give very unmanly screams, but Layla just throws herself forward to unlock it. Derek's scent of something like pine and rain hits me just before he spills into the back next to Layla.

"Drive!" he growls, but for once, he doesn't seem angry, but in pain.

"Everyone's so demanding today," Stiles jokes weekly, peeling off for Layla's.

"Derek," Layla reaches for him, but pulls away, which is terribly unlike her, and I have to strain to hold my control again because the wolf is pissed about another injured packmate, and another unknown threat, "Derek let me see. I-I'm so sorry, I couldn't warn you. God, I'm so sorry."

"Layla! This isn't your fault. You can't protect us from everything." Stiles says sharply, dead serious for once.

"I'm literally psychic! What good is this if I can't keep my pack safe!" There is actual anguish in her voice, and I can't help the whine that slips out of my throat.

"Can't believe I'm saying this, but Stiles's is right," everyone ignores Stiles's disgruntled protest, "This was my fault. I foolishly went hunting for the alpha on my own, and got careless. I didn't notice the hunter until it was too late. Layla, you aren't a god, so don't be so arrogant."

Seemingly out of energy, he flops into Layla, and she quickly curls around him, reaching around his shoulders to steady his forearm. A loud, vicious noise fills the Jeep, and I have to fight not to bare my throat to the apparently, very angry older wolf.

"What the hell happened to you? What hurt you." He says the last bit in his weird flat tone that drives Sriles mad. Seems like he finally noticed Layla's walking dead cosplay.

For the millionth time in my life, I get to admire Layla's complete inability to feel fear, or as Stiles calls it, Big Dick Energy. She just sighs, and pressed her face into the raging werewolf's hair, before replying to his question, "A bloodthirsty tree."

He roars, "Why the hell would you got there, especially in the middle of the fucking night? Are you fucking insane, women?"

"No, I was sleepwalking an- wait, you know the tree?"

"We've been acquainted, " came his dark growl.

I want to ask, but a side eye from Layla has me clicking my jaw shut. I haven't forgotten that she still hasn't taken revenge for my putting hands on her my first fool moon, and she's getting scary good with aiming since we got bit.

We pull into the driveway and Stiles and I each heft one of Derek's arms over our shoulders and follow Layla. We step through the entryway and I hear a noise in the living room. Deciding to check it out, I nudge Layla back and duck inside before screaming in surprise.

Little Sunya screams back, nearly taking my head off with another freaking baseball bat. There is a bit more panicked yelling before everyone calms. Why are people always swinging those at me?! Also, deja vu much?

"What the hell, siblings? There are easier ways to murder me than giving me a heart attack! Also, where did you go, Layla?! You left me home alone!" Sunya sobs as she throws herself at Layla, nearly knocking her down. Ah hell, what are we supposed to tell her? Layla needs medical attention, and Derek isn't healing. They look awful.

I'm saved from having to think up some lie when two people barel in through the front door behind us. Everything happens real quick after that. Derek yanks Layla and Stiles, (and Sunny), to him and beta shifts, protecting our most vulnerable packmates. I, on the other hand, get swept up in my instincts, and before I know it, I end up between my pack and the intruders. I know I'm at least partially shifted due to the flash of gold I catch in the hall mirror. Derek lets out a snarl of challenge, and the invaders recoil and let out cries of shock.

It's only then that my still untrained senses register that the invaders are Mellisa McCall and Sheriff Stilinski, our fucking parents, and by then, I'm already staring down the barel of the Sheriff's gun.

Fuck.

XXXXXLAYLAXXXXX

"What-what the hell?" comes Papa Sherif, sounding far more rattled than I've ever heard him, and it twists my stomachs to hear it.

"Scott?" asked Mama Mel, her voice barely a whisper in the dark.

"Yeah… yeah, Mom. It's me," Scott sounds like he's pleading, "I'm still me."

Derek is still curled somewhat around Stiles and I. A soft growl emanating from his chest. Reaching out, he grabs my baby sis's fluffy, robe hood and pulls her behind us. She is crying slightly, but goes easily, probably because of the way I'm gripping Derek. I can't really see what's going on, but the tension grows.

Stiles's chest is pressed against the side of my head, and his unique, rabbit quick heartbeat is still somewhat soothing for the moment. As much as I wanted to bring our families in, it sure as hell wasn't like this.

"You," I hear the sheriff shift towards us, "what did you do to our kids?"

"Dad," Stiles pulls away to stand in front of us, and Derek tries to hold him back, but can't with his weak arm. He is really displeased about it, but I don't know why. The shariff wouldn't hurt his kid, "He didn't do anything. Put-put down the gun."

Ah, that's why. My body goes still, and there is ice in my veins. Fear blasts through me, and Derek tightens his grip on me in response to the packbond flaring. Everything starts to feel distant, like it's coming from faraway.

"The hell he didn't! Look at Layla!"

"That wasn't him!" The yelling continues, and I just… detach. My hands find their way into the remnants of the pigtails I put in yesterday to match Sunya, and clench near the skull. I'm being crushed under the force of the emotion in the room. Angerpanicfearworrylovehatecomfusion, and it goes on and on and on. The sound of rattling comes from a great distance, but the ever present hum seems to grow louder right in my ears. I just want everything to stopstopstoppleasenomoreit'stoomuchdon'tfightSunny'scryingIcan'tIcan'tIcan't-

Light flares, and I realize my eyes have closed at some point, and then through the fog, and the numbing tingle in my skin, I feel a familiar heartbeat on my fingertips, against my palms. One I know from longer than Sunya has been alive. There is a forehead against mine, and arms around me, and a hand in each of mine, one small, the other big, and warm breath on my cheek.

An eternity passes, or maybe no time at all, and words in a low, strained voice breaks through the haze, "-long be hidden. The sun, the moon, and the truth. Three things cannot long be hidden. The sun, the moon, and the truth. Three things cannot long be hidden. The sun, the m-" Derek. Pack.

I reach, and immediately I'm engulfed in warmth, bronze, gold, and blue concern, but love and trust, too. I wrap myself in it, but don't dive too deep, scared to fall under again. I let out a shudder, and open my eyes. Lovely caramel eyes meet mine, and a relieved breath brushes my lips as they widen.

"Oh, Moonshine," comes Stiles breathless whisper, "there you are."

I press my forehead to his more and tighten my grip on the hands in mine, Sunya and Scotty, before slurring out, "Three things cannot long be hidden…. The sun, the moon, and the truth."

"Good girl," Derek murmurs, burying his face in my hair. "You back?"

"Yeah." Everything hurts, my chest aches awfully, and now that the adrenaline is gone, I'm so exhausted I can barely breathe, but I finally feel like I'm grounded in reality again.

"Is she alright?" Mama Mel whispers, and I startle, honestly having forgotten that they were there.

"She will be," Stiles says with such finality, that I believe him. "Look, we'll explain everything, but Layla and Derek have injuries that need to be taken care of."

Like those were the magic words of a summoning, Nurse McCall appears before us. "Right, Scott, get a large bowl of warm water. Noah, get some towels from the closet. Where is the first aid kit?"

"Kitchen. We will be in the den- the basement," Surprisingly, this comes from our Quietwolf. Then, everyone scatters. I find myself on the couch next to Derek, pulling off my hoodie and him, his leather jacket. I'd probably be embarrassed of my semi revealing anime themed tank top and shorts if I had any fucks left to give. The pain is really setting in now.

Sunya settles by my feet, but thankfully not crying anymore. I reach out and tug on one of her lopsided ponytails, murmuring, "Everything's okay, baby. Didn't mean to leave you, promise. I take it you called Parents 2 when you couldn't get ahold of us?"

"Yeah, I tried Stiles and Scott first because I thought you might have gone on an emergency errand, or a snack run or something, even though that doesn't sound like something you'd do without telling me."

"You did good, Boo. In the future, if I'm gone like that, do the same. I would never leave you like that without a damn good reason."

"And what reason would that be, Little Lady?" asked Papa Sheriff as he descends the stairs with Scott and his mom.

I grunt, completely unprepared and unwilling to explain the cluster fuck that our lives have recently become. Melissa hurries over to Derek first, but he waves her off.

"You can't help me, but Layla needs you."

"Young man, you've been shot, that kinda takes priority here." She says, her sass slipping out due to her overall distress.

"I'm a werewolf," Derek says bluntly, seemingly out of fucks to give, too, "I'd ordinarily be healed already, but that bitch hit me with wolfsbane. There is literally nothing you can do. I'm probably going to die."

"You won't." I inform him shortly, kinda not in the mood to deal with my asshole magic.

Mel hesitates, but quickly starts examining me. My mad dash left me bleeding everywhere, but the most severe were the injuries to my feet and the first cut to my palm, the one that woke me up. I also twisted my ankle, again, and skinned my knees real well when I fell.

"Layla, honey," Mama Mel asks slowly, "when did you hurt yourself, exactly?"

Scott answers for me."It was within the hour. Why, is there something wrong?"

"Besides the fact that all her wounds look a few days old? No, not really." Ah, hell. I pull my hand close to my face, and shift it over so Derek can be see when I feel him leaning in. Than he grabs my hand and pulls it up to his face, taking a few deep huffs, and we both ignore the Sheriff's uncomfortable twitching.

"Did you get anything?" Stiles questions as he settles himself on the floor next to Sunny, pulling the little girl into his lap.

"She still smells like herself, but also,… stronger? There is something else in there, something definitely not human. I have no clue what it is though," I hope the look I give him conveys how utterly unhelpful I find that. He rolls his eyes, giving me his best Sourwolf face.

"Alright, which one of you wants to tell us how this came about?" Papa Sheriff has officially lost patience.

Collectively, the pack all simultaneously look at Stiles pointedly. He groans, and flips us off, but launches right into the story. He tells our family about the night we got bit, meeting Derek, my powers, the full moon, werewolves, hunters, the Hales, and tonight.

"So, you sleep walked all the way to the preserve?"

Sunny asks, feeling more mystified than upset, umlike our guardians, who still feel like taut wire about to snap. I shrug at her, not really knowing what to say.

"I'm done," Mel pats my knew before sitting next to Stiles's dad. Scott comes over, and with a bit of maneuvering, settles behind me on the couch, and rests a hand on Derek and I each. After a second I feel my pain melt away and look down to see thick black vans curling up Scott's forearms.

"What's he doing?" The sheriff asks warily.

"Pan draining," answers Stiles, "It's a special ability that werewolves have."

The sheriff sighs, "Look I'm not going to say that I'm not completely pissed off that you guys hid this from us. However, considering what you've had to deal with, I can understand. You guys have really been through the ringer. And I'm pretty ashamed that I didn't notice." Melissa nods in agreement.

"That being said, we're not leaving you to fix this on your own. As soon as Layla is up to doing some magic, I'm joining the pack."

"Me too," states Melissa firmly, steamrolling over Stiles and Scott's misguided, and useless, protests. "We are your parents. We protect you, not the other way around."

The black vans on Scott's arms have thinned and dissipated, more or less, so he stops and pulls out a brush and starts detangling my hair, removing the bits of forest I dragged with me on my nightly romp. Because Mama Mel raised her son well.

I can finally breathe a little easier now that the pain has subsided, and it gives me back enough energy to nod to them. The fingers working my hair soothe me.

"Derek, with your permission, I'd like to open an investigation into the Hale fire.9 Derek is surprised for a moment, but then skeptical.

"You realize," he says slowly, "that if she appears in front of me, I have no intention of letting her live. And if any of the other Argents attack, I won't hesitate to kill them, too."

"If it comes to that, I'll hide the bodies and cover it up on the official side," he states nonchalantly, completely baffling me for all of 2 seconds before I realize that Stiles might be a male version of his mother, (times 10), but the Sheriff still married Claudia and fathered him, meaning he had to have at least a little bit of chaos in him.

"Whoa, wait. Can we take it easy on the murder plans. We can't just go around killing people." Poor Scotty and his heart of gold. He might technically be older than me, but it's times like this that show why he's always going to be my little brother.

"If I'm reading the situation right, these hunters have been indiscriminately killing werewolves, and whoever they associate with. That means they're bad people, and irregardless, Derek will be more or less acting in a form of self-defense.

Additionally, I, more than anyone else, knows that the justice system doesn't always work. Derek, you do what you have to do, and leave the rest to me. Even if nothing comes of it, we will at least be able to drag them through the mud. They can't be allowed to get away with this.

As for the alpha, I'll update you on any new information I get on the case. At this point, I can already tell that the kids aren't going to be able to escape the fighting, especially not Layla and Scott. Not if he is after them. But if they're fighting, so am I. I'm quite the shot. We're gonna figure this out, together."

Derek surprise is bright and sharp, but then he just hangs his head, and I can hear him swallow roughly. "Thank you," he manages to rasp, leaning into Scott and I, and reaching for Stiles where he sits pressed against our knees.

"Okay," Melissa claps her hands loudly, breaking the atmosphere, and then with a giggle that's only slightly hysterical, she declares, "It's time to feed some hungry wolves."

XXXXXXXXXX

We end up scattered around the den, munching on the food Mama Mel threw together. I can feel myself slipping in and out of consciousness as the others are bombarded with questions about all things supernatural. I tune in at a specific statement from the Sheriff.

"Derek, you said earlier that you would kill her. You know specifically who started the fire." Papa Sheriff's voice is very gentle.

Derek gives a tight nod, and practically spits, Kate Argent." An impression passes through, lightning quick, but terribly familiar.

Scott's head whips up, and I feel dread crawl through him, but only from the bond. "I think that might be Allison's Aunt Kate."

"You need to get into that house, and find a bullet identical to the one that shot me. Or I'm gonna die. Kate will probably be there."

"Luckily, I'm supposed to go over and comfort her about the whole thing with her dad tomorrow anyway. Even though he was bonded out on bail pretty quickly, things are pretty tense at her house," Scott says, relieved. "I'll look for it while I'm there."

"Wait a minute, was that whole thing with the ate crime…."

"Still true, but at least partially orchestrated by these two conniving, scary little shits," Derek finishes bluntly, gesturing at Stiles and I. The chef seems to have finally caught on, and he looks somewhere between horrified and incredibly proud. Stiles and I give him cheeky salutes.

"We'll go to school tomorrow like normal. We can't afford to tip them off. They know that they shot Derek, and if we, who are known to associate with him, suddenly skip, it'll tip them off. Scott, go on your date, and find the bullet."

"Sunny, you can stay home. It won't matter if it's just you, and you've been up most of the night anyway," I tell the drowsy girl. Sometime during dinner, she had found her way in between Derek and I on the couch. Surprisingly, he seemed to silently thrive at the presence of a small child curled next to him. My surprise quickly evaporated though, when I realized that Cora was only a bit older when she died. I also make note that I can only barely sense his emotion at the moment, or anyone else's for that matter. Everything seems a bit muted since My…breakdown. Actually…

"Hey, by the way what happened earlier, when I freaked out," I ask, speaking for the first time in a while.

"You didn't freak out," Stiles lies, but at the venomous look I give him, he gives in. "OK, fine. You freaked out a little bit. At first we didn't notice what was happening, but Derek said you stopped breathing, and your packed bond started going nuts. And then… The room started to shake. Layla, there's a lot of broken glass upstairs that we're going to have to take care of. We managed to calm you down pretty quick, but… Midnight, when you opened your eyes again, they were silver. Like glowing silver. Like the moon."

XXXXXXXXXX

Everyone ended up sleeping in the basement for the two hours before we had to drag our sorry carcasses to school or work. The pack, plus a Sunny pup, ended up in a puppy pile on the floor, (fuck you, Derek, it is too a puppy pile), and the adults took the couches.

School was kind of hell. I could barely comprehend anything said in my vicinity at all. Neither Isaac or Boyd seem to buy our excuse that we stayed up gaming, and I hated lying to them, especially when Isaac looked so concerned over my still obvious bandages and bruises.

Taking them aside during lunch, I decide to give them a bit of truth. "Look, I can't really tell you what happened right now. It's not that I don't trust you guys, but it's honestly a bit of bullshit, and I don't wanna put you in danger. I promise that everything is being taken care of though."

Boyd studies me for a moment. "Will you tell us eventually?"

I shrug, "Yeah, if I'm sure it's safe, and you still want me to."

"You're ok though?" Isaac whispers, holding my bandaged hand in both of his. Isaac comes off pretty tough and sassy most of the time, but it's moments like this where it's clear to see how much hurt he's experienced. It might have something to do with the sledgehammer I took to his façade, but he can be extremely soft-spoken and vulnerable with me, like now, and I relish the trust that shows.

I gave him a wide smile, making sure my dimples are showing full blast, and reach up to pat him on his cheek. "Yeah, promise." And that was that. I found some good ones, didn't I?

XXXXXXXXXX

I've grown rather close with Allison and Lydia recently. I've always respected Lydia in an abstract kind of way. Her intellect and iron will are pretty remarkable, and I do love me a woman who can rule the masses, but her dumb, popular girl persona was borderline revolting, so I never really tried to build a relationship with her. Now, with Allison dating Scott, I've kind of been forced to deal with her. That being said, when it's just us girls, she's a lot more bearable, and a lot less fake, so I find myself rather enjoying her company these days.

As for Allison, I have genuinely grown to like her. She's actually rather kind, and every day I grow more certain that she won't have to be an enemy. That being said, today I found myself in a rather awkward situation: talking about sex with Scotty.

Fucking ew.

"What do you think, Layla?" Lydia asks, flipping her hair over her shoulder in a way that says she knows people are watching her, and she enjoys it.

"On the one hand, Scott is a really good person. I would know since we're basically siblings, so if that's what you guys want, go for it. On the other hand, we're basically siblings, so can we bloody not! Gah, I can't even. Ugh, why would you do this to me, ew." I shudder, and the girls laugh at me. It's nice having female friends for once. Truthfully, if feels pretty soon for them to be getting it on, it's only been like a month since they met, and they're only 16, but that's just me. So long as they are being smart, and everyone's happy, it's not my business.

"Honestly, for a while there I thought you were in a relationship with both Scott and Stiles. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one either," Lydia twirls a strand of hair, which I'm still trying to get a chance to touch.

"Me too," Allison admits. I laugh loudly.

"Not a chance in bloody hell. Scott is really straight, like really straight, and I could never get past the sibling thing."

"Oh? And Stiles?" Allison asks.

"With him, it's a bit different. Honestly, he is pretty attractive, (don't let the plaid fool you), so theoretically, I'd hit it," I shrug and roll my eyes at their cheers, "That being said, I've never really actively wanted to do it. We're such close friends, it almost seems like a waste. I just… don't see a point in messing with it."

"Ugh,no fun. No worries though, we'll find somebody for you." Lydia gets a bit of a scary look in her eyes, and I don't need my ability to know that I'm going to end up on some blind, (ha, puns), dates at this rate.

XXXXXXXXXX

I get home to find, hysterically, that Sunny Girl and Derek are engaged in a serious discussion about which Naruto character is stronger, and I didn't even know Derek watched anime. It's pretty adorable, but I quickly shoo my sister off to have a discussion with Derek before the others arrive.

"How are you feeling? Holding in there?" I set my bag down and plop on the couch next to him.

"She's been good about keeping my mind off the pain, and you know, the fact that I'm slowly dying."

I huff, "Yeah, she's good like that," I agree cheerfully, "but you will be fine. I'm positive."

He relaxes, and I feel the nerves start to set in. I'm about to ask him some very personal things, and maybe share one of my darkest, most closely guarded secrets. Something I've never even shared with my boys, though I know Stiles suspects.

"Layla?" I'm doing my best to muffle my pack bonds, but I must be acting odd enough to worry him a bit. I shake my hands out, curling them in the ends of my hair. I take another heavy breath.

"I wanted to ask you something before the others got here. Kate Argent..." I can't seem to elaborate on what I'm asking, but Derek understands immediately. His face goes stony, shoulders tense, and he looks away.

"I don't want to talk about this."

"Okay, I agree immediately, "But Papa Sheriff is going to ask. I want you to be ready for it."

He flinches, and the pain and self loathing cut me to the core. Gorgeous, strong trees wither and fall in a silent forest. Plants decay under the feeling of despair.

He lets out a harsh breath and rests his face in his uninjured hand, leaning onto his knees before he begins. "I was 13 and in a bad place. Then a beautiful older teacher came along, and I thought I was old enough to know what I wanted. To do the types of things… that she asked me to do. I was an idiot, and my family died because of it."

I shut my eyes to carefully bury the burning rage, but I'm sure he can smell it, at least a bit. I'm not surprised, though. My powers might've been muted since last night, but I still felt the almost consuming disgust, just for a split second, like he wanted to peel his own skin off. It was only a flicker, but it was familiar enough that I recognized it immediately, and had to check.

"Alright, I understand."

He scoffed, furious, "How could you possibly fucking understand?"

A wry, teary smile curls my lips, "Because you aren't the only one who has been taken advantage of."

He freezes, and I see the flush from his anger and pain drain to a pallor. "You?" He breathes, shakily.

I give a tight nod. "When I was younger than Sunny." Devastation, anger, guilt, denial.

"It's not the same. I should have known better. I-I asked for it." his cracks, painfully strained.

"I didn't fight it either. But, that doesn't matter. It's still a child being taken advantage of by people they trusted." I turn to him, doing my best to get eye contact, "It's still not our fault." The only sound in the room is our ragged breathing, for a moment.

"I don't know how to believe that." He's just barely keeping from falling apart, and I wonder if anyone has told him this before, if anyone really knew what happened.

Neither of us really want to be touched right now, so I lean back on the couch next to him, looking up at the ceiling. "I'll keep telling you until you do."

When the others arrive to wait for Scott, they find us sitting together in the silence.

XXXXXXXXXX

Later that night, Scott brings the magic bullet, and Derek shows us how to cure wolfsbane poisoning. I also induct Papa Sherif, Mama Mel, and Sunya into the pack with my bullshit magic, making it a point to blow an obnoxious, wet raspberry on Sunny's neck, making the pack laugh. Oddly enough, all the new bonds feel green to me, which raises the question of why Stiles's bond is bronze, but that's a problem for later.

It's a couple days later that a movie store clerk is murdered, and Jackson and Lydia have their first real encounter with the supernatural. The hunt begins again.

XXXXXXXXXX