Allison's car glides to a stop at a curb underneath the glow of a streetlight.

"Thanks for the ride," Matt thanked allison.

His car broke down in the rave so allison offered him a ride.

"Anytime"

Matt reaches for the door to get out the passenger side, but pauses, turning to Allison "can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"Gabriella...is she dating erica?"

Allison blinked, caught off guard by the question. Her hand froze on the steering wheel, and she turned to look at Matt, her expression a mixture of surprise and curiosity.

"Gabriella and Erica?" she repeated, as if making sure she'd heard him correctly. "Why would you ask that?"

Matt shifted in his seat, clearly uncomfortable. "I just... I saw them together at the rave. They were, you know, close." His voice dropped, his gaze darting away for a moment. "It looked like more than just friends."

Allison sighed softly, unsure how to answer. "I don't really know, Matt. I mean, they're close, but that doesn't always mean—" She stopped herself, thinking about the times she'd seen Gabriella and Erica together, noticing the subtle touches, the shared looks.

Matt's frustration became more apparent as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I've liked Gabriella for a while now, but... I don't know, it feels like she's always out of reach." His voice was tinged with jealousy, though he tried to mask it.

Allison's gaze softened. "Matt, if Gabriella is with Erica or if she's not... that's her business. But either way, you should be honest about how you feel instead of guessing or assuming things."

Matt stayed quiet for a moment, absorbing her words. "Yeah," he finally muttered, though his expression didn't show much relief. He reached for the door handle again. "Thanks, Allison."

As he got out of the car, Allison watched him walk away, her thoughts lingering on his question.

Allison reaches for the gear shift. But then
she notices Matt's BAG lying in front of the passenger seat.

When she pulls it up by the strap, his DIGITAL CAMERA falls into the seat.

Allison picks up the camera to put it back in the bag. Her thumb accidentally hits a button and the LCD screen BRIGHTENS.

With a smile, she peers over a superb image of a BEACON HILLS LACROSSE GAME.

Stadium lights arcing out over the players.
Allison clicks to the next picture.

Another brilliant shot.

But the next one makes Allison sits up, alarmed.

It was a picture of Gabriella

The picture is a candid, obviously taken when she wasn't looking.

She clicks to the next. Another one of her. Becoming even more unnerved, she hits the button again.

Yet another picture of her, this one taken during school.

Heart beginning to pound in her ears, she keeps clicking. One photo after another. Dozens of them.

Possibly hundreds.

KNUCKLES RAP against the window.Allison jumps, nearly dropping the camera. Matt looks in from the passenger-side with a somewhat disconcerting smile.

He mouths "open the window" and points.
Allison hesitates.

A METAL THUNK comes from outside as Matt tries the door handle.

He points again. Still smiling.

Finally, Allison hits the window button, lowering it. "Forgot my bag"

"Yeah" Allison keeps her finger on the window button as Matt reaches in, scooping his camera into his bag.

Hands wrapped around the strap, he doesn't pull out his arm just yet

Allison's pulse quickened as Matt lingered, his hand still inside the car, gripping the strap of his bag. She kept her finger poised over the window button, prepared to close it at any moment.

"Thanks for grabbing it," Matt said, his voice calm, but there was an unsettling edge to his smile.

Allison forced a smile in return, though her mind was racing. "No problem."

For a second, the two of them just stared at each other, the tension in the air thick. Matt's eyes flicked toward the camera, now tucked safely in his bag, and for a brief moment, his expression hardened, though it was quickly masked.

"You okay, Allison?" he asked, his tone casual, though his gaze never left hers.

Allison swallowed, her hand tightening on the steering wheel. "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied quickly, hoping to sound convincing. She needed to get out of there, and fast. "I should get going."

Matt's smile widened, but there was something unnerving about the way his eyes remained fixed on her. "Of course. Thanks again for the ride," he said, finally stepping back from the car.

Allison exhaled as she hit the window button, watching as it slowly rose. The moment the window clicked shut, she shifted into gear, her foot pressing down on the accelerator.

As she drove away, Allison couldn't shake the feeling that something was very, very wrong. She gripped the steering wheel tightly, her thoughts spinning. The pictures on the camera—Gabriella's face, over and over again. Matt's odd behavior. She glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Matt standing under the streetlight, watching her car drive off, his figure shrinking in the distance.

[...]

Gabriella paced around her room, her phone pressed tightly to her ear as Allison's voice came through the line.

"Are you sure it was his camera?" Gabriella asked, concern lacing her voice as she ran a hand through her hair, trying to process what Allison had just told her.

"Positive," Allison replied from the other end "Matt was acting... weird. I found all these pictures of you, Gabby. They weren't just casual shots—there were hundreds. And some of them were taken without you knowing."

Gabriella's stomach twisted at the thought. She stopped pacing and leaned against the wall, her heart starting to race. " Why would he even do that?"

Allison sighed, clearly as frustrated as Gabriella felt. "I don't know. But after what happened tonight, I think we need to be careful around him. He's not just some jealous guy anymore—there's something off about him."

Gabriella bit her lip, glancing at her window as if expecting Matt to be standing there, watching. "Right now matt isnt important whats important is jackson, He's the one who's out of control...we need to stop him before more bodies pile up."

Allison hesitated for a second on the other end, the weight of Gabriella's words sinking in. "You're right," she agreed. "We can't lose focus. Jackson's the real threat. Matt can wait. I just... I didn't want you to be blindsided by him."

Gabriella nodded, though Allison couldn't see it. "I get it. And I appreciate you looking out for me. But Jackson's our priority. We have to find a way to deal with him before anyone else gets hurt."

There was a pause, then Allison asked, "What's your plan?"

"Right now nothing, i have to stay with lucas during the full moon."

Allison's voice was firm when she answered. "Ok...Just be careful, okay? I have a bad feeling about how all of this is going to go down."

[...]

Gabriella sighed, her gaze shifting toward the window again as the weight of the night pressed down on her. "I'll be careful, Allison. We all have to be. Just... keep an eye out at Lydia's party. If Jackson shows up or anything else feels off, let me know immediately."

"I will," Allison promised. "And Gabby... if you need anything, you know I'm here, right?"

"Yeah, I know," Gabriella said, her voice softening. "Thanks, Allison. Be safe."

"You too."

After hanging up, Gabriella stared at her phone for a moment, letting the silence of her room settle around her. Everything felt like it was spiraling out of control—Jackson's situation, Matt's unsettling behavior, and now, the full moon. The last thing she needed was for anything to go wrong with Lucas tonight.

She tucked her phone into her pocket and headed toward the door. She needed to focus, keep her head in the game, and be there for her beta. One crisis at a time. But something told her the night wasn't going to stay quiet for long.

[...]

Gabriella's hands moved with practiced ease, securing the heavy chains around Lucas' wrists and ankles. The metal links clinked together, the sound filling the quiet room as she tightened them, making sure they were secure.

Lucas sat on the floor, his breathing already becoming more labored as the moon's pull began to affect him. His eyes flicked up to Gabriella, a mixture of gratitude and guilt in them. "I'm sorry, Gabby," he muttered, his voice strained.

Gabriella shook her head, crouching down in front of him. "Don't apologize, Lucas. We've done this before, and we'll get through it again. Just hold on, okay?"

He nodded, though the tension in his body was already building. Gabriella could see the way his muscles twitched, the way his fingers curled into fists. She knew the transformation was painful, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. All she could do was be there.

She leaned back, checking the locks one more time to make sure everything was in place. "You're strong, Lucas. You've got this."

His breathing quickened, and Gabriella stepped back, giving him space as the full moon's light grew stronger. All she could do now was watch and wait, her heart heavy with worry for her friend.

[...]

Gabriella jumped at the sudden knock on her door, her heart racing as she glanced at Lucas, who was in the process of transforming. The last thing she needed right now was an unexpected visitor. She moved cautiously to the door, peering through the peephole. It was Matt.

Opening the door just a crack, she narrowed her eyes. "How'd you know where I live?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

Matt shifted uncomfortably on the doorstep, his expression a mix of determination and nervousness. "I... I found out from some friends. I wanted to talk to you."

She crossed her arms, studying him closely. "about what, Matt? The pictures of me on your camera?"

Matt's expression shifted, a flash of anger and defensiveness crossing his features. "Allison told you?" he repeated, his voice low.

"Yeah," she replied, trying to keep her composure. "She found your camera, Matt. Hundreds of pictures of me taken without my knowledge. What were you thinking?"

He took a step closer, his voice strained. "I wasn't trying to hurt you, Gabriella! I just... I wanted to capture moments, to understand you better. I thought if I could just see you in your element, I could figure you out."

Gabriella's anger flared. "That's not how you figure someone out! You can't just invade someone's privacy like that. It's stalkerish, Matt!"

"stalkerish? So I'm a stalker now? Is that it You think my bedroom is wall-papered with photos of you? You think I'm the kind of guy who's going to say something like If I can't have her, no one can? Well, get over yourself. There's another pretty girl walking in the room every five minutes"

"And none of them would take a second glance at you" Gabriella slammed the door in Matt's face, her heart racing as she leaned against it for a moment, trying to catch her breath. The anger and frustration coursing through her made it hard to think straight.

[...]

Gabriella paced her room, the tension of the evening still swirling in her mind. After slamming the door in Matt's face, she felt a mix of relief and frustration. She had dealt with enough drama for one night, and her thoughts were still tangled around the unsettling conversation they had just had.

Finally, after hours of waiting, the full moon began to fade, and Lucas fell into a peaceful sleep, exhausted from the transformation. Gabriella moved quietly to her bed, trying to keep her mind from spiraling. Just as she settled in, her phone buzzed on the nightstand.

She picked it up and saw a text from Scott:

Matt is the one controlling the kanima, meet us at the police station.

[...]

"I don't know, guys. Look at this. There was a six car pile-up that night. The hospital was jammed"

"Just keep going. He'd have to pass one of the cameras on that floor to get to Jessica. He's got to be on the footage somewhere"

Gabriella, stiles, Scott and the sheriff were now at the police station looking over the footage

Matt reaveled himself as the Kanima's master at Lydia's party

"Hold on, stop. Did you see that? Scroll back"

Stilinski moves the footage back and then pauses on the image of a YOUNG MAN walking down the corridor.

Stiles points at the screen "That's him. That's Matt"

"All I see is the back of someone's head" the sheriff said

"Matt's head. I sit behind him in History. He has a very distinct cranium" Stiles tried to convince his dad which just earned him a weird look from him "Are you crazy?"

"Fine, then look at his jacket. How many people wear black leather jackets?"

"Derek, Erica, isacc like literally everyone" Gabriella said making Stiles look at her in disbelief

"Not helping"

"Just saying"

The sheriff continues to keep the footage going

"Stop, stop, stop! There he is again"

"You mean there's the back of his head again"

Stiles sighed "But look. He's talking to someone"

Scott leans in for a clearer view "He's talking to my mom"

"Call her she might be able to ID him" Gabriella said

Gabriella stood in awkward silence as Scott left to make the call, her eyes still focused on the footage. The tension in the room was palpable, especially with Stiles' dad, Sheriff Stilinski, present.

Gabriella wasn't used to feeling so on edge around people who didn't know about the supernatural world. It made every conversation feel like walking on eggshells.

Stiles, trying to fill the silence, fidgeted beside her. "You know, you could've backed me up on the jacket thing," he muttered under his breath, glancing sideways at her.

Gabriella gave him a sideways smirk. "Come on, Stiles. Leather jackets are practically a uniform around here. I wasn't wrong."

Stiles rolled his eyes, but there was a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Yeah, well, next time just... help me out."

The sheriff looked between the two of them, clearly sensing the lingering awkwardness. "You two want to focus, or...?"

Just then, Scott re-entered the room, his face serious. "I got ahold of my mom. She said she remembers the guy—definitely Matt. She stopped him because he was tracking mud
into the hall.. i told her to come down here"

Gabriella exhaled, her heart pounding. "So it's confirmed. Matt's been playing us this whole time."

"We have shoe prints alongside the tire tracks at the trailer site" the sheriff said as he grabs a file

"If they match that puts Matt at the scene of three murders. The trailer, the hospital and the rave"

The sheriff looks up from his computer screen "Actually, four. A credit card receipt for an oil change was signed by Matt at the garage where the mechanic was killed"

"When?" Stiles asks

"A few hours before you got there"

"Dad, if one's an incident, two's a coincidence, three's a pattern, what's four?"

"Enough to get a warrant...Stiles, tell

Scott brings the phone to his ear again as Stiles goes for the door.

He was going to tell his mom what was happening but was stopped when Stiles came back Into the door with a gun to his head

Matt presses the Night Officer's gun into Stiles's back.

A surreal moment of quiet occurs until Stilinski breaks it by speaking as calmly as he can "Matt, whatever's going on, I guarantee there's a solution that doesn't involve a gun"

"think you're aware of just how right you are"

Scott's hand eases inside his coat pocket.

"I know you don't want to hurt people"

"Actually, I want to hurt a lot of people. You four weren't on my list but I could be persuaded. One way is to try to blast me"matt turned his gaze to Gabriella "that could get somone hurt or calling someone with your phone in your pocket like McCall's doing"

Gabriella glared at Matt wanting to attack him but knowing she can't since the sheriff was here "That's not a phone in his pocket. He's just happy to see you"

[...]

A HANDCUFF LOCKS around Stilinski's wrist, one of the cuff's attached to the wall outside the holding cells "Tighter"

Gabriella glares at Matt who keeps the gun pointed at her "didn't think you were the bondage type since you let your little pet run around without a collar"

Matt took a step closer to Gabriella but before he can do anything the sheriff speaks up "do what he says"

Gabriella reluctantly tightens the handcuff.
Matt motions for them to move toward the corridor.

Scott, Gabriella and Stiles walk back to the front of the station, Matt behind them.

The sound of HARSH BREATHING makes them pause.

Gabriella glances down the adjacent hall in time to see a PARALYZED DEPUTY dragged back into a room by a human but clawed hand "your going to kill everyone in here?"

"No. That's what Jackson's for. All I have to do is think about killing them. He does the rest"

The roar of a CAR ENGINE interrupts them. Matt holds still, listening to the sound of a car pulling up to the curb.

"Sounds like your mom's here, McCall

"Matt, don't do this. When she comes to the door, I'll just tell her to leave, okay? I'll say we didn't find anything. Please."

But Matt shakes his head "If you don't move right now, I'm going to kill Stiles first. Then
your mom"

Stepping outside Stilinski's office, Scott, Gabriella and Stiles approach the door that leads to the front desk lobby with Matt behind them.

"Open it"

Scott puts his hand on the knob and turns it. The door slowly clicks open allowing them to peer out to the front desk.

It's not Melissa standing in the lobby, however-- It's Derek.

Scott sighed in relief "Oh, thank God"

But Derek sinks to his knees and drops forward, SLAMMING down on the linoleum floor.

Paralyzed yet again by Jackson. Standing right behind him

[...]

Derek falls back onto the floor of the office with a painful smack. Seething, he stares up at Jackson who looks down on him, head cocked like a curious animal.

Past him, Scott, Gabriella and Stiles watch while Matt keeps the gun on them.

"This is the one in control? This kid?"

"Well, Derek, not everyone's lucky
enough to be a big bad werewolf...Yeah, that's right. I've learned a few things lately. Werewolves, hunters, Kanimas. It's like a
frickin' Halloween party every full moon. Except for you Stiles. What the hell do you turn into?"

"Abominable Snowman. But it's mostly
a winter time thing. Seasonal"

Not amused, Matt nods to Jackson. Before Stiles can utter a word of protest, Jackson LASHES out with a claw at the nape
of his neck.

Gabriella goes to catch him as he falls down but the kanima scratched her leaving her also paralyzed "dick move"

While her peripheral vision begins to blur, she remains able to focus on Matt's face as he lowers to meet her eyes. "You should have given me a chance.