ALEX CROSSED HER arms as she smiled to herself. She couldn't stop thinking about what happened with Isaac on the dance floor, however she didn't know why she was smiling about it or why the thought was stuck in her head.

"What?" Stiles frowned, breaking Alex out of her thoughts.

"Hmm?" Alex asked, looking at Stiles.

"Why were you smiling?" Stiles questioned.

"No reason." Alex shrugged.

"Okay..." Stiles frowned.

"Anyway, Lydia's birthday is tomorrow." Alex blew in a breath, changing the subject as she sat on her bed, crossing her legs. "As is the full moon."

"Yeah." Stiles nodded as he sat in Alex's desk chair. "Uh, do you need to be chained up like Scott did?"

Alex glared at Stiles. "You seriously think I need to be chained up, even though I'm fine on full moons?"

"Yes?" Stiles spoke more like a question, rather than an answer.

Alex rolled her eyes. "Well, I don't, okay? It's the same every month."

"Good to know." Stiles nodded. "Wait, how do you even stay in control on full moons anyway?"

"Well, I have an anchor. Someone to keep me grounded and mostly distracted from the full moons effect." Alex shrugged.

"Someone?" Stiles raised his eyebrows.

"Or something." Alex added.

"Who's your anchor?" Stiles asked. "You said someone, so..."

"Oh, it's not important." Alex brushed it off, changing the subject. "Uh, anyway, do you want a drink or something?"

"Oh, no thanks, I think I'm gonna go home anyway, it's late and my dad's waiting." Stiles replied.

"Okay, I'll walk you out." Alex spoke, getting off her bed and gestured for Stiles to follow her.

Stiles followed Alex to the front door.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow." Stiles spoke as he opened the door.

"Yeah. Bye." Alex gave him a small smile, Stiles returning the smile as he made his way out to his Jeep.

Alex closed the door as Stiles drove off, making her way back up to her room.

She sat on her bed, taking out her phone as it buzzed.

It was a message from Allison, with a few attachments, along with a message that read: 'Found these on Matt's camera. He took pictures of me too. These were the only ones I could find of you, and there are no more. Thought you should see them.'

Alex clicked on the attachments to reveal a few photos of her in classrooms, outside the school, and even in the hallways. Most of the photos were zoomed in.

"What the fuck?" Alex whispered to herself with a frown as she scrolled through the photos.

Alex quickly sent a message back to Allison that read: 'Thanks for sending me these. I hope you're okay. Be careful.'

Alex quickly called Stiles, and on the second ring, he picked up.

"Alex, hey. What's up?" Stiles asked.

"You were right about Matt." Alex replied, holding the phone to her ear.

"What about him?" Stiles questioned.

"That he's a creep." Alex spoke.

"I knew it! Wait, how do you know?" Stiles asked.

"He has a bunch of individual photos of me and Allison on his camera. Most of the photos are zoomed in as well." Alex replied, frowning.

"See, I was right!" Stiles exclaimed. "Wait, of you and Allison? Both of you? How did you find out?"

"Allison's obviously with him or something, because she sent me some of the photos from his camera." Alex spoke, quickly sending him the photos and the message that Allison sent her. "Here, I'll send you what Allison sent me."

"Did you get them?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, they just came in now. What the hell?" Stiles exclaimed. "I knew something was off about that guy."

"Wait, what if he finds out that Allison and I know?" Alex frowned.

"He won't, okay?" Stiles replied.

"I don't know, Stiles, what about Allison? Oh my god, she could get caught." Alex realised.

"Hopefully she won't." Stiles spoke with a sigh.

"He's so weird..." Alex said quietly.

"I know. Some of these photos were taken from outside of windows and from afar too. Something's gotta be wrong with him." Stiles replied.

"He's a stalker, Stiles!" Alex exclaimed. "I don't even wanna see the ones he took of Allison."

Alex tried texting Allison, but she didn't respond.

"Stiles...I'm texting Allison but she's not responding." Alex added after a moment.

"I'm sure she's fine." Stiles reassured.

Just then, Allison sent a text back. 'I'm okay, I just had to get Matt away from my car.'

"She's okay. But she had to get Matt away from her car, so that's why she wasn't responding." Alex spoke.

"Oh good." Stiles replied.

"I think everything's fine now. We just have to be careful of Matt." Alex sighed.

"Yeah, definitely. And I was totally right about him....the creep." Stiles scoffed.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow, Stiles." Alex spoke after a moment.

"Okay, yeah. See you tomorrow." Stiles spoke.

"Bye." Alex replied, hanging up.

"Oh god." Alex whispered to herself, thinking about the photos that Matt took.

••••

"Clear your schedule. This could take awhile." Lydia smiled, holding two bags in one hand, and Alex's wrist in the other.

"Let me go, Lydia, it's not like I'm gonna leave now, we're already here." Alex rolled her eyes.

And I could've easily left, but because you're my best friend, I decided to stay. Alex thought.

Lydia released Alex's hand. "I know. I wanted to make sure you weren't gonna leave though."

Allison looked at the girls with a smile as the three walked over to Allison's bed, Lydia placing the bags on it.

"How many outfits are you planning to wear tonight?" Allison chuckled.

"It's my birthday party. I'm thinking host dress..." Lydia pulled out a dress. "Evening dress, then after hours casual."

Allison and Alex shared a quick glance.

"I noticed that you didn't send out any invites." Allison spoke, changing the subject.

"It's the biggest party of the year, Allison. Everyone knows." Lydia replied, laying out more dresses on the bed.

"I was thinking, maybe, this year, things might be different." Allison spoke.

"Why would anything be different?" Lydia questioned.

"Just cause things have been off lately." Alex spoke.

"Things and people." Allison added. "Like Jackson."

Lydia glared at Allison. "Why do you care about Jackson?"

"Do you know if he's coming tonight?" Allison brushed it off, Alex crossing her arms.

"Everyone's coming." Lydia spoke harshly, however, changing her tone when she picked up a brown dress. "This one's American Rag. I love it. For me, not you two. You know, because Alex hardly ever wears dresses and Allison...it just...doesn't suit you."

Lydia picked up another dress, handing it to Allison. "This one's Material Girl. It's for you."

"And Alex, although you never wear dresses, I think you'll look gorge in this one." Lydia smiled, handing Alex a thigh length maroon dress, which had no sleeves, but was held up with straps.

Alex widened her eyes. "I'm not wearing that."

"Um, yes you are." Lydia replied. "You're gonna wear it for my birthday. I also did your makeup this morning to match the dress."

Alex rolled her eyes.

"No need to thank me now, you're welcome." Lydia smiled. "And if you really want to, you can wear those black boots you wear all the time. They match the dress."

Alex looked at Allison, who shrugged.

Just then, Victoria Argent knocked on Allison's wall, Lydia, Alex, and Allison turning to look at her.

"Ms Argent. What do you think of this one?" Lydia asked, holding up a short, blue dress.

"Oh, it's lovely." Allison's mother smiled. "Allison, can I grab you for a moment to talk? Uh, just the two of us."

"Um, can we do it later?" Allison replied awkwardly.

"Actually, uh, to be honest, sooner would be...would be better." Victoria replied, rubbing her shoulder.

"Party's at ten." Lydia chimed in.

"Um, will you be around before then?" Victoria asked Allison.

"I think so." Allison replied.

"You think so?" Victoria questioned.

"I don't know." Allison snapped softly.

Victoria then walked away, Allison, Alex, and Lydia talking again.

"I think the dress looks nice on you, Allison." Alex smiled as Allison held up the dress that Lydia recommended to her.

"Yeah, I agree." Lydia added.

"Thank you. I think the maroon dress would look really nice on you Alex." Allison spoke.

"It will look gorgeous on you, Lex." Lydia chimed in.

"Well, you're forcing me to wear it, so..." Alex scoffed. "Happy birthday, by the way, Lyds."

"Yeah, happy birthday Lydia." Allison added.

"Oh, thank you both." Lydia smiled. "I actually appreciate that."

The three girls chuckled.

Alex's phone buzzed with a message.

"Who's that?" Lydia asked as Alex checked her phone.

"Just Stiles." Alex replied, reading the message to herself.

'Harris was brought in for questioning about the murders. Evidence was his car at the locations. Also Isaac's dad was the coach of the swim team of 2006, so that gives us a reason to why he was murdered.'

Alex widened her eyes.

"Oh...him..." Lydia scoffed.

"What did he want?" Allison asked as Alex turned off her phone.

"Nothing." Alex spoke quickly.

"Hmm. Okay." Lydia shrugged.

••••

"Happy birthday, Lyds." Alex smiled, holding a gift, as Lydia opened the door.

"Thank you Lex, come in." Lydia grinned, taking the present as Alex walked in. "You're wearing the dress too!"

"Yeah, well, I figured it's your party, and you're my best friend, so..." Alex chuckled, hugging Lydia.

"Okay, well, I've got to answer the door, so make yourself at home. And try the punch." Lydia smiled, handing Alex a drink. Alex walked into another room, placing the drink on the coffee table.

She texted Stiles. 'Where are you? It's awkward being the first one here.'

Stiles replied. 'I'll be there soon.'

Alex sighed.

••••

"Happy birthday!" Stiles grinned, holding a huge present.

Alex rolled her eyes from the other room as she heard Stiles struggle to get the present inside.

••••

Stiles walked in the other room after finally getting the present in. He scanned the room, looking for Alex, when his eyes landed on her from across the room.

She was talking to Allison.

Stiles's eyes scanned her body, his jaw dropping slightly, as he hardly ever saw Alex in a thigh length dress that showed off her figure, let alone any other dress.

"Woah." Stiles whispered to himself, stunned at how beautiful Alex looked.

Alex finally saw Stiles, smiling as she walked up to him. "Hey. You're here."

"Y-yeah." Stiles stuttered as he cleared his throat. "You look nice. Really nice, actually."

Alex chuckled. "Uh, thanks, I guess...you look nice too."

"What, me? I just chucked on a green shirt and a flannel." Stiles replied, gesturing to Alex. "But- but you...wow..."

Alex blushed. "Lydia wanted me to wear this for her birthday, so...but thanks again, I guess."

"Yeah." Stiles smiled.

"Uh, anyway, we should go get Scott." Alex cleared her throat, Stiles nodding.

"Right. Yeah, let's go."

••••

"Have you seen Jackson anywhere?" Stiles asked, walking next to Alex, who was walking in the middle of Stiles and Scott.

"No." Scott replied. "Have you seen Allison?"

"Yeah, I talked to her for a bit, but I don't know where she went after that." Alex shrugged.

"When was that?" Scott asked.

"Like, five minutes ago." Alex spoke.

"Oh. Thanks anyway." Scott replied. "Also, you look amazing, by the way."

"Thanks. Just don't count on me wearing dresses often though. It's Lydia's party, and she wanted me to wear it, so..." Alex shrugged, Scott nodding. "I am so glad I wore my boots, otherwise my feet would have been killing me."

Scott chuckled. "Yeah, I'm glad I'm a guy and I don't have to wear shoes like that."

"We should tell Allison what we've found." Stiles interrupted.

"I'm still kinda not sure what we've found though." Scott replied.

"Me neither." Alex agreed.

"I figured out that it has something to do with water." Stiles started. "You know, like the fact that all the victims were on the swim team, the way the kanima reacted around the pool."

"So, whoever's controlling the kanima really hates the swim team?" Scott questioned.

"Hated the swim team. Specifically the 2006 swim team." Stiles corrected. "So it could be another teacher, maybe like, a student back then. I mean, who are we missing? What haven't we thought of?"

Allison approached the trio. "Uh, Jackson's not here."

"Yeah, no one's here." Alex spoke.

"Maybe it's just early." Scott added.

"Or maybe no one's coming because Lydia's turned into the town whack job." Stiles replied, the four looking at Lydia, who was alone, and holding a drink platter.

"Well, we have to do something, we've been ignoring her for the past two weeks." Allison spoke.

"She's completely ignored Stiles for the past ten years." Scott added, not saying anything about Stiles's crush on Alex too.

"I prefer to think of it as me not having been on her radar yet." Stiles replied, looking at Alex, who was looking away.

"We don't owe her a party." Scott spoke, changing the subject.

"What about a chance to get back to normal?" Allison asked.

"Normal?" Scott frowned.

"She wouldn't be the town whack job if it wasn't for us." Allison spoke.

"You have a point." Alex sighed.

"I could use my co-captain status to get the lacrosse team here." Scott added.

"Yeah, I also know some people who can get this thing going." Stiles chimed in, Alex raising an eyebrow towards the boy. "Like, really going."

"Who?" Allison questioned.

"I met them the other night. Let's just say they know how to party." Stiles shrugged.

Alex then slightly shivered, cursing herself for not bringing a jacket to a place for the first time. She crossed her arms, trying to warm herself up, Stiles noticing this.

"You're cold." Stiles noticed.

"What? Me? No...I'm fine." Alex scoffed.

"You've got goosebumps." Stiles frowned as he began to take off his flannel jacket. "Here take my jacket."

"Are you sure?" Alex asked as Stiles handed her his flannel.

"Yeah, go ahead." Stiles nodded.

"What about you? Aren't you cold?" Alex frowned.

"I'll be fine. You need it more though." Stiles replied as Alex put Stiles's jacket on, wrapping it around her body.

"Thanks, Stiles." Alex gave him a small smile.

Stiles returned the smile. "Yeah, anytime."

••••

"Hey, your ass looks fine in that dress. It'll look better without it too." A jock smirked, talking to Alex. Stiles and Scott frowned.

"And your face'll look better after I punch you in it." Alex fake smiled, the jock scoffing and walking away.

"Are you going to apologise to Allison, or what?" Stiles asked Scott as he leaned against a pillar, a drink in one hand.

Alex sat next to Scott, both of them holding drinks, but not drinking them.

"Why should I apologise?" Scott questioned.

"Because you're the guy." Stiles scoffed. "It's like, what we do."

"I didn't do anything wrong." Scott replied, frowning.

"Well, then you should definitely apologise." Stiles spoke. "Shouldn't he, Alex?"

Both Scott and Stiles looked at their female best friend, awaiting an answer.

Alex shrugged, not saying anything as she placed the drink she wasn't drinking down.

"Whatever, see, anytime a guy thinks he hasn't done anything wrong, it means he's definitely done something wrong." Stiles added.

"I'm not apologising." Scott replied.

"Is that the full moon talking, buddy?" Stiles asked.

"Probably." Scott spoke. "Why do you care anyway?"

"Because, Scott, something's gotta go right here, I mean, we're getting our asses royally kicked, if you haven't noticed." Stiles replied, Alex nodding in agreement. "People are dying, I got my dad fired, you're gonna be held back in school, I'm in love with A-"

Stiles quickly stopped himself before he could say 'Alex.' He quickly thought of a few words to describe Lydia in this situation, and went with it.

"-a nut job, and if on top of that, Alex and I have gotta watch you lose Allison to a stalker like Matt, who by the way, took pictures of Alex too, and I'm gonna stab myself in the face." Stiles concluded.

"Don't stab yourself in the face." Scott spoke, looking in a certain direction as he and Alex stood up.

"Why not?" Stiles swallowed.

"Cause Jackson's here." Alex finished.

••••

Lydia walked past Alex and Scott, handing them drinks.

"Oh, we're not drinking tonight." Scott spoke politely.

"Okay, what is with you guys?" Lydia asked, annoyed.

"Oh, Stiles is drinking." Alex replied.

"Not Stiles." Lydia scoffed, looking at Scott. "You and Allison."

Alex looked around for Stiles, not paying attention to the conversation any longer.

"Alex. Hey. Over here." Lydia clicked her fingers in Alex's face, the girl frowning at Lydia.

"Come on, let loose. Have a good time." Lydia spoke, Alex shaking her head. "It'll be fun. Please, for me?"

"Fine. But this is the one night I'm doing this for you." Alex scoffed, taking a sip of the drink, Lydia smiling.

"See? Isn't it good?" Lydia asked Scott and Alex.

"Actually yeah." Alex frowned.

"Really good." Scott added.

Lydia giggled as she walked off, Scott and Alex drinking more of their drinks.

"Holy shit it's good." Alex widened her eyes.

"Yeah." Scott chuckled.

"Where's Stiles anyway?" Alex frowned.

Scott shrugged as Alex patted Scott's shoulder.

"Good luck with Allison." Alex smiled, Scott returning the smile as Alex walked off in search of Stiles.

As Alex walked off, trying to find Stiles, she saw her mother pass by very quickly.

Alex frowned, moving past all the dancing strangers to follow her mother.

"Alex?" Stiles asked, Alex walking past him.

She eventually made it to a room with no one in it, closing the door behind her.

Maybe it was just the drinks. I'm hallucinating. Yeah, that's it. Alex thought to herself.

"Honey?" Her mother spoke, appearing out of nowhere.

Alex turned around, finding her mother standing there,