Gabriella walked through the familiar halls of Beacon Hills High, her mind racing with the usual chaos of her supernatural life. But the sudden call of her name over the P.A. system stopped her in her tracks.

"Gabriella gerardo, please report to the Principal's Office."

She sighed, knowing exactly what this meant. Her grandfather, Gerard Argent, had a flair for dramatic displays of control, and summoning her like this was just another power play. Rolling her eyes, she made her way to his office, wondering what kind of conversation awaited her this time.

"P.A. system? It's a little dramatic, don't you think?" Gabriella said, pushing open the door to the office.

Gerard sat behind the desk, his eyes cold and calculating, as always. He didn't smile, just motioned for her to sit. "I wanted to make sure you got the message."

Gabriella crossed her arms, remaining standing. "Yeah, well, here I am. What do you want?"

Gerard leaned back in his chair, his gaze piercing. "Last night, the kanima didn't attack you, why?"

She took a moment to gather her thoughts, aware that every word she said would be scrutinized. "I don't know, maybe it was just... distracted? Or it sensed something else going on."

Gerard's brow furrowed, and he leaned forward slightly, as if trying to read her. "Or maybe it didn't see you as a threat. Its like it knows you"

Gabriella felt her heart skip a beat at his words. "It doesn't know me," she replied quickly, but the hesitation in her voice betrayed her confidence. "I mean, I've been around it before, but it's not like we're best friends or anything."

Gerard's expression shifted, skepticism lacing his features. "Then why would it spare you? It attacked others without hesitation. Are you sure you're not getting too close to that thing, maybe you like the idea of it having a soft spot for you?"

Gabriella bristled at his words, the implication that she might be drawn to the Kanima stinging more than she expected. "I don't like it, and I definitely don't want it to have a soft spot for me," she shot back, trying to keep her voice steady. "I'm just trying to figure out why it didn't attack me like it did with everyone else. Maybe it's just confused, like the rest of us."

"That thing isn't confused, that thing is a monster...you know I could use your help with it"

"The only way am helping you is if you need an extra hand in tying a rope around your neck"

Gerard's expression darkened, and he leaned back in his chair, an unsettling calm settling over him. " Whether you like it or not, you're a part of this legacy. Embrace it, and you might find that you're capable of so much more than you realize."

"I'd rather take my chances with the Kanima than with you," Gabriella retorted, anger bubbling beneath the surface. "At least it's a creature I can understand, not a monster in a suit."

With that, Gabriella turned sharply on her heel, the tension in the room suffocating. As she walked down the hallway, the cold reality of her grandfather's true nature settled in her gut like a lead weight.

He wasn't just controlling; he was manipulative and ruthless, willing to use her for his own selfish ambitions.

"Hey you ok?" Allison walked up to her "your claws are out"

Gabriella sighed before putting them away "am fine it's just grandpa's a dick"

"And your just figuring that out?" Allison says as she pulls Gabriella into am empty classroom "Did you guys do something with Jackson yesterday?"

Gabriella looked at her confused "We kinda locked him up why?"

"Because his parents went to the police, they know he's missing"

Gabriella's eyes widen "How Stiles has been texting them all night?"

"I don't know"

Gabriella sighed "Can this get any worse"

"Gerard is putting up cameras around the school to see any supernatural things that goes on In here"

"That was a rhetorical question"

[...]

The Prison Transport Van now sits parked at Lookout Point, they moved it after they heard on the police radio that they were gonna check were the area they originally in.

They gathered just a few yards from the van, Scott, Stiles, Gabriella and Allison discuss his latest discoveries.

"If Jackson doesn't remember being the Kanima he definitely won't remember stealing Danny's tablet." Scott said as he runs his hand through his hair.

He found out that Jackson attacked Danny because whatever was on that tablet

"But why would he steal it if he doesn't even know what's on it?" Stiles questions

"What if somebody else took it?"

"Then somebody else knows what he is"

"His master" Gabriella said making Stiles look at her confused

"Is that a sex thing?"

The three teenagers look at him in disbelief before Scott speaks up " where is your head at when we are talking"

"Well...uh" Stiles unconsciously looks at Gabriella which gave Scott his answer

"Seriously, Stiles?" Scott said, half-amused and half-annoyed.

Stiles straightened up, realizing his mistake. "Right, right! Back to Jackson. If he has a master, we need to figure out who that is before things get worse."

"Well that's easier said than done" Gabriella said sarcastically "it could literally be anyone"

"I mean, it might be someone close to him," Allison suggested, her brow furrowed in thought. "Someone who knows his vulnerabilities."

Scott nodded, considering the possibilities. "That narrows it down a bit. But it still doesn't give us a clear lead."

"What about Lydia?" Gabriella offered. "She's been in the loop with Jackson for a while. Maybe she has some insight."

Stiles snapped his fingers, clearly excited by the idea. "Great idea! She might know something about his connections, or at least have some kind of clue."

"Ok, Stiles you go to Lydia, Allison and Scott are on Jackson patrol and am gonna go buy him something to eat since we haven't fed him since we kinda kidnapped him"

"Kinda?"

"We definitely kidnapped him"

[...]

Gabriella stood in the candy aisle, weighing her options between M&M's and Skittles for her turn during Jackson's patrol. The vibrant colors of the candies lined the shelves, but her concentration broke when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"I'd prefer the M&M's," Erica said, stepping closer with a playful smirk. "It's what we used to eat during our movie nights."

Gabriella sighed, irritation creeping into her voice. "What do you want, Erica?" She turned to face her, crossing her arms as she tried to remain unfazed by Erica's casual demeanor.

Erica shrugged, her expression light but her eyes glinting with something more serious. "Just wanted to check in on you, our last conversation was cut short by your cousin shooting me with an arrow laced with kanima venom."

"Well it's not like you didn't deserve it, you broke into my house, tried to kill my bestfriend and flirted with me to distract me while you were testing lydia"

"I wasn't flirting with you to distract you," Erica replied, her tone shifting to one of sincerity. "I was flirting with you because I wanted to."

"And that makes it better because?"

"Because at least it was genuine."

Erica chuckled at her own words, leaning a little closer. "And don't pretend you didn't like it, you were quite receptive to my advances."

Gabriella raised an eyebrow, feeling a mix of annoyance and something she didn't want to admit to herself. "Receptive? I was caught off guard, Erica. That's not the same thing."

Erica's smirk deepened, her confidence unwavering. "Come on, Gabriella. You know there was more to it than just being 'caught off guard.' There's something between us, even if you don't want to acknowledge it."

Gabriella shook her head, trying to shake off the tension rising between them. "Even if there was, everything that's happened doesn't just disappear because you're suddenly interested. We've been on opposite sides of this whole mess."

Erica was about to say somthing but was cut of by the sound of Gabriella's phone

Gabriella took it out and checked her phone for messages. A text from Scott lit up the screen: "jackson escaped"

[...]

Gabriella hurried at the meeting point, she found Scott and Allison, both looking a little worse for wear. Their clothes were disheveled, hair messy, and they looked exhausted but alert.

"How did he escape?" Gabriella asked, glancing around as if Jackson might suddenly appear.

There was a pause—just a little too long—and Gabriella's eyes narrowed as she took in their appearance more closely. Scott and Allison exchanged a quick, awkward glance.

Realization dawned on her, and she crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "Stiles isn't the only one who needs to keep his head out of the gutter," she remarked dryly, a smirk playing on her lips.

Scott shot her a sheepish grin. "We were... uh, taking a break."

"What kind of break."

Before Gabriella could say anything else, Scott's face lit up with a teasing smile, and he sniffed the air slightly. "Wait a minute," he said, his voice smug. "Why do you smell like Erica?"

Gabriella froze for a second, caught off guard by his observation. She shot him a glare, hoping to deflect. "I was just picking up snacks for patrol," she said, trying to sound casual.

Scott raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "Uh-huh. Sure, Gabriella. Snacks and a side of flirting, huh?"

Allison tried to suppress a grin but failed, looking between the two of them. "What's going on with you and Erica?"

Gabriella groaned, rubbing her temple. "Nothing is going on. She showed up, we had a conversation, and then I left."

"Smelling like her," Scott added with a smirk.

Gabriella shot him a look that could have melted steel. "Don't you have a Kanima to catch?"

Scott chuckled but quickly nodded, getting serious again. "You're right. Jackson's on the loose, and we have to find him before he hurts anyone else."

The playful tension faded as they all refocused on the task at hand. Despite the banter, they knew the stakes were high. And Gabriella, trying to shake the lingering thoughts of Erica, pushed her feelings aside for now—there were more important things to deal with.

[...]

Gabriella opened the front door to her house, juggling her bag of snacks as she kicked it shut behind her. She was exhausted from the chaotic night, her mind still reeling from Jackson's escape and the whole Erica situation. All she wanted was to crash on the couch, maybe take a moment to breathe before diving back into the mess her life had become.

But as she walked into the living room, she froze in her tracks.

On her couch, tangled together in a rather intense make-out session, were Lucas and Boyd. Lucas had his hands in Boyd's hair, and Boyd was pulling him closer by the shirt, completely oblivious to her entrance.

Gabriella stood there for a moment, too stunned to say anything. It wasn't like she hadn't noticed Lucas's growing crush on Boyd—she'd teased him endlessly about it—but seeing it unfold right in front of her was something else.

Clearing her throat loudly, Gabriella crossed her arms. "You two look real comfortable," she said, a smirk creeping onto her face.

Lucas practically jumped a foot in the air, scrambling to sit up straight. "Gabby!" he exclaimed, his face going redder than she'd ever seen. Boyd, on the other hand, looked mildly startled but much more composed, though his expression quickly shifted to an amused smile

Gabriella couldn't help but laugh. "On my couch? Really? This is where you decided to... bond?"

Lucas buried his face in his hands, mortified. "It's not like that, we just—"

"Uh-huh," Gabriella cut him off, still smirking. "Relax, Lucas. It's about time you made a move....how'd you get in my house?"

Lucas groaned, still trying to hide his face as Boyd shifted, looking a little more relaxed now that Gabriella wasn't screaming at them. "We, uh... might've borrowed your spare key?" Lucas admitted sheepishly, avoiding her gaze.

Gabriella raised an eyebrow. "Borrowed?" she repeated, crossing her arms tighter. "More like stole my key."

"Aren't you supposed to be on Jackson patrol" lucas questioned which made Gabriella's eyes widen

"I know you and boyd are friendly but he still work for the enemy so, zip it"

Lucas winced, realizing his attempt to deflect had only made things worse. "Right, sorry..." he mumbled, glancing at Boyd, who was now fully relaxed, enjoying the whole situation.

Boyd chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I'm just here for Lucas. No alliances tonight."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Sure, Boyd. Just remember who's house you're making out in." She gestured to the couch dramatically, shaking her head. "Anyway, don't worry about Jackson. I've got it covered."

She grabbed her snacks and started heading toward the stairs, giving them both a playful smirk. "Just try not to break anything while I'm gone. And seriously, Lucas, next time, ask before you break into my house for a make-out session."

Lucas gave her a sheepish grin, still embarrassed but relieved she wasn't actually mad. "I promise. No more surprises... at least not without permission."

Gabriella laughed and disappeared upstairs, leaving Lucas and Boyd to finally relax on the couch, the tension from earlier melting away.