It had been a week since the full moon, but for Gabriella, the events of that night felt like a lifetime ago. She stood at the edge of the gravesite, the chill of the early morning seeping through her jacket, yet nothing compared to the cold in her heart. Beside her, Scott, Stiles, Isaac, Erica, and Boyd stood in solemn silence, each one lost in their own thoughts as they gathered to say goodbye to Lucas.

The priest's words drifted over them, muted and distant, as Gabriella stared at the casket. Memories of Lucas flashed through her mind—his laughter, his teasing remarks, the way he always managed to keep everyone grounded, no matter how dark things got. The weight of his absence felt impossible to bear, a void that nothing could fill.

Erica moved closer, wrapping a supportive arm around Gabriella's shoulders. Gabriella leaned into her, grateful for the warmth and steady presence of her friend. She saw the others struggling to contain their emotions, even Boyd, whose quiet strength seemed to falter under the weight of his grief.

As the final words were spoken, Scott stepped forward, placing a hand on the casket. "We won't forget you, Lucas," he whispered, his voice cracking. "You deserved more... more than this, and we'll remember that. We'll keep fighting."

One by one, they each placed a flower on the casket. Stiles lingered a moment longer, his usually bright demeanor dimmed. He swallowed hard, muttering, "See you, man."

Gabriella's fingers trembled as she laid her own flower, her voice soft. "I wish... I could've saved you. I'm so sorry, Lucas."

As they stood together, united in their grief, a quiet determination began to build within them. Lucas's memory would drive them forward, pushing them to protect each other, to keep fighting for the life he would have wanted. And though the pain was still fresh, Gabriella knew that, somehow, they would find a way to honor him.

As they lingered by the grave, Erica stepped forward, her usual confidence softened by grief. She placed a hand on the casket, her fingers tracing the edge as if it held some last connection to Lucas. Her voice was steady, but her eyes betrayed the sorrow she held back.

"You were always there for us, Lucas," she whispered, her words filled with a quiet strength. "You kept us grounded, even when things got crazy. You... you made it feel like we could survive all of this."

She paused, a small, sad smile breaking through as she looked down. "We're going to keep going. For you. I won't let any of us forget who we are... or who you were."

Gabriella reached out, taking Erica's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. They shared a brief, understanding glance, knowing that their friend had left a mark on each of them, one that would never fade.

Together, the group turned away, their grief now laced with a renewed sense of purpose. And though the loss still weighed heavily on their hearts, they left with the strength Lucas had instilled in them—a reminder that, even in the darkest times, they were never alone.

[...]

Gabriella sat slumped on the couch, wrapped in one of Lucas's old jackets, her eyes tired and red from days of grief. Erica was by her side, leaning close, offering quiet comfort

A knock at the door pulled them both from their thoughts, and before Gabriella could react, Chris stepped inside, his eyes scanning the room until he found he

"There is somthing called knocking"

"I did knock"

"How did you get in"

"I made a key"

"Without ny permission?"

"Im your uncle i dont need permission... you haven't been holding up your end of the deal," Chris said, crossing his arms as he looked at her.

Gabriella scoffed, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. "Well, let's see... I look like crap, I feel like crap, and I am crap. There, you're all caught up."

Erica smirked, folding her arms and leaning back. "Come on, Gabriella, don't sell yourself short. You're a little better than crap."

Gabriella shot her a half-hearted glare, but Erica just gave her a playful nudge, the smallest smile breaking through her otherwise pained expression. "Lucas wouldn't let you mope around like this," Erica said, her tone blunt but her eyes warm with grief. "I should know. He wouldn't have let me do it either."

Chris nodded, watching the exchange. "I understand grieving. But isolating yourself... Lucas wouldn't have wanted this for you."

Chris nodded, watching the exchange. "I understand grieving. But isolating yourself... Lucas wouldn't have wanted this for you."

Erica raised an eyebrow at Chris, her usual confidence back in full force. "Are you here to give her a pep talk or actually help? Because I think she'd appreciate the latter."

Chris looked taken aback but then let out a quiet sigh, clearly rethinking his approach. He softened his tone. "I'm here for whatever you need. Both of you."

Gabriella's gaze dropped to her lap, fingers fidgeting with a loose thread on her sleeve. Erica noticed and squeezed her shoulder. "Hey," she said, leaning closer to Gabriella. "Lucas left us with each other, remember? You're stuck with me, like it or not."

Gabriella huffed a weak laugh. "Guess I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

"Nope," Erica replied, a hint of her usual confidence back in her voice. She leaned in close, whispering in Gabriella's ear with a smirk, "And trust me, I'm not going anywhere."

With a reluctant smile, Gabriella nodded, feeling just a bit of the weight lift. She may not have Lucas beside her anymore, but with Erica and even Chris here, she felt a little less alone in facing the ache he'd left behind.

[...]

Gabriella was still curled up on the couch, barely pulling herself out of her daze when her phone rang. She glanced down, seeing Scott's name flash across the screen. With a sigh, she picked it up, pressing it to her ear.

"Scott?" she asked, her voice heavy with exhaustion.

"Gabriella... you need to come to the school," he said, his voice tense and serious.

She frowned, already sensing something was wrong. "What's going on?"

Scott hesitated. "They found a body. Near the track field. It's... not good."

Gabriella sat up, her heart sinking. "A body?" Her voice softened, a trace of fear creeping in. "Do we know who?"

"Not yet," Scott replied. "But we need you here. It doesn't look like an accident."

Gabriella bit her lip, her mind racing. She exchanged a look with Erica, who had caught enough of the conversation to realize something was up.

"Alright," she said, her voice steadying as she stood. "I'll be there soon."

Hanging up, she turned to Erica, who was watching her closely. "What's going on?" Erica asked, crossing her arms.

"Scott needs us at the school. They found a body," Gabriella replied grimly.

Erica raised an eyebrow, her expression darkening. "This place just doesn't give us a break, does it?"

Gabriella shook her head, already grabbing her jacket. "Come on. Let's find out what's going on."

As they walked out the door together, Gabriella's mind was already racing, a sense of dread settling in her stomach.

[...]

Erica and gabriella arrived to see Graeme and other Deputies try to keep up with Stilinski who leads the charge.

They breach the clearing where a cluster of teenagers surround the body

"All right, back up. Everyone back!"

"Someone cordon off this area before they trample every bit of evidence. And that includes my son"

Stiles points to BLOOD at the back of Kyle's head "Dad, look--look at this. It's just like the others"

"I know. Now please go back to school. Coach, give us a hand?"

"You heard them. Nothing to see here. He was probably just some homeless kid"

A PANICKED VOICE CRIES OUT from behind them. Heads turn to a girl named ASHLEY frantically pushing her way through "No, no, God no--Kyle"

Deputy Graeme grabs her before she can get to the body. She struggles, but then finally relents, falling into Graeme's arms in grief-stricken defeat.

Gabriella's gaze remains fixed on Ethan and Aiden who look over Kyle's body with curiosity

Scott gently pulls Isaac away, motioning for Stiles to follow as he sees erica and gabriella

"You see the way the twins looked at

him?" isaac murmured, glancing back at the twins.

Stiles nodded, "Yeah. You mean like they had no idea what happened?

"They knew"

Gabriella shook her head "no this isn't there m.o. they don't do anything without Deucalion's orders and this isn't my father's way of doing things"

Erica crossed her arms, her expression dark as she watched the twins. "I don't like the way they're looking at Kyle. It's... wrong. Like he's nothing but another dead thing to them."
Scott nodded, glancing between Gabriella and Erica with concern. "Then if it's not them, we might be dealing with something else entirely."

Stiles frowned, rubbing his hands together anxiously. "Or someone else. Whoever did this clearly doesn't care about staying under the radar."

Isaac shifted uncomfortably. "I don't care. They killed that kid. They killed the girl who saved me. I'm going to kill them too."

Not waiting for their reaction, he hurries ahead.

Gabriella sighed "he is gonna get his ass kicked"

[...]

Gabriella spotted Boyd leaning against the lockers, his usual calm expression slightly darker, as though he too was struggling with everything going on. She paused, realizing she'd never really gotten the chance to talk to him since Lucas's funeral. Taking a deep breath, she walked over.

"Hey, Boyd." Her voice was softer than usual.

He looked up, nodding in acknowledgment but not saying anything at first. After a moment, he asked, "You're here to stop Isaac, aren't you?"

Gabriella let out a short, humorless laugh. "Yeah. He's determined to throw himself into a fight he's not ready for."

Boyd gave a small, knowing smile. "Sounds like him." He shifted, looking down the empty hallway. "We all feel it, you know? This need to do something. To make this stop."

Gabriella nodded, understanding his frustration all too well. "Trust me, I get it. But going after them without a plan isn't going to solve anything. Isaac's letting his anger get the best of him."

Boyd glanced at her, his gaze intense. "And what about you? You're angry too, aren't you?"

She paused, feeling the weight of the question. "Yeah... but we don't all get to act on it, do we?"

They shared a moment of silence, each lost in their thoughts. Finally, Boyd gave her a slight nod, almost like an unspoken promise. "If Isaac gets himself into trouble, I'll help pull him out. You won't have to do it alone."

Gabriella managed a faint smile, grateful for his support. "Thanks, Boyd. That means a lot."

With a small smile boyd left Gabriella alone

She continued making her way to class but she paused with confusion as she turned a corner.

Aiden SMASHES Ethan against the lockers as isaac watches, bouncing him from one side of the corridor to the other until, finally, he hurls his brother to the floor, sending him rolling to a stop--Right at Gabriella and Isaac's feet.

Classroom doors burst open at the commotion.

Harris pushes past students still pouring into the corridor "What is this? What's going on?"

Ethan on the floor, bloodied and cowering in front of them "they just came at me"

" What the hell did you do?" Harris said looking at the scene

Finding Gabriella's eyes, Ethan's bloodied lips part to give her a small, cruel smile and whispered under his breath "missed you gabby"

[...]

Gabriella leaned against her locker, her face tense as she recounted the scene to Erica. "He just kept staring at me, with that smug little smile, like he knew something I didn't. It's like he was trying to get under my skin on purpose."

Erica smirked, tossing her hair back as she listened. "Sounds like he's more than a little obsessed with you. Maybe he's just jealous that you don't give him the time of day."

Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Please, as if he deserves it." She shut her locker with a sharp click, feeling the weight of everything that had just happened.

Erica leaned closer, giving her a mischievous look. "If you ask me, I think you should mess with him a little. Show him he doesn't have any power over you. Besides, it's more fun watching you shut him down."

Before Gabriella could respond, she noticed Aiden across the hall, his eyes fixed on them. His gaze was dark, a flash of something possessive crossing his face as he watched Gabriella and Erica laugh together.

Erica noticed him too, and her smirk grew wider. "Looks like someone's not too happy."

Gabriella chuckled, deliberately ignoring Aiden's glare. "Let him be mad. I've got better things to worry about than his ego."

Erica laughed, patting Gabriella on the shoulder. "Now that's the attitude I like to see."

As they walked off together, Aiden's stare lingered on them, his jaw clenched. Whatever game he thought he was playing, Gabriella was one step ahead, and she wasn't about to let him control her next move.

[...]

In front of the chalkboard on which is written LUNCHTIME DETENTION, Mr. Harris eyes a group of students which includes Gabriella, Isaac and Allison.

Allison got detention for sleeping in class and gabriella and isaac was because of the fight

He points to the first of his detainees "The two of you will wash all of the boards on this win" he pointed at isaac and the girl infront of him "Re-shelving in the library"

Harries moved his gave to Allison and gabriella "Restocking the janitor's closet"

Gabriella sighes as her luck making isaac whisper in an amused tone "good luck"

Gabriella rolled her eyes and approaches harris, trying not to be heard by Allison "Do I have to be with her?"

"Well, now that I know you'd prefer not to? Yes, you have to be with her"

Gabriella turns back to Allison who offers up a weak smile

[...]

Down in the murky darkness of the school's basement, Allison wheels in a cart of boxes while Gabriella's carries several of her own.

They head into the janitor's closet in silence and get to work restocking the shelves.

The silence in the janitor's closet was thick, filled with the echoes of shuffling boxes and unspoken tension. Allison stacked a few bottles of cleaner on the shelf, glancing nervously at Gabriella, who was focused on organizing supplies, her expression unreadable.

Finally, Allison cleared her throat, her voice hesitant. "Gabriella... about everything. I know I've already apologized, but I just want you to know, I really am sorry."

Gabriella's movements didn't falter, though her jaw tightened. She placed another box on the shelf before finally responding. "Sorry doesn't fix what happened, Allison. You went after lucas and Boyd when they were just trying to get away."

Allison's shoulders slumped, the weight of her guilt pressing down on her. "I thought I was doing the right thing at the time... I didn't realize..." She trailed off, the words falling flat in the dimly lit room.

Gabriella sighed, setting down the last of her boxes and turning to face Allison. "Look, I get it. We've all made mistakes. But forgiveness isn't as easy as just saying sorry. Some things leave scars that don't just go away."

Allison nodded, her eyes downcast. "I understand. But I'll keep trying to make it right... somehow."

Gabriella's expression softened just a fraction. She didn't respond, instead allison paused, glancing back at Gabriella. " Did

you tell anyone I was at the school the other night?"

"Was I supposed to tell someone?"

"I'd be really happy if you didn't"

"I wasn't going too...but thanks for helping...i guess" Gabriella said as she was about to leave but the door CLICKS shut behind them.

They share a confused look as gabriella grabs the knob and gives it a turn.

When she pushes forward, though, the door won't move.

Gabriella sighes "aiden or ethan this isn't funny" Gabriella pushed the door using her werewolf strength and looked out to see ethan and aiden looking at her "Seriously, pathetic"

Ethan smirked, arms crossed as he leaned against the wall outside the janitor's closet. "Oh, come on, Gabby. We were just giving you and your friend some quality time."

Aiden chuckled beside him, his eyes flicking between Gabriella and Allison with a hint of mockery. "You two looked so cozy in there. Thought we'd let you bond a little more."

Gabriella stepped forward, her glare hardening as she met their smug expressions. "You think trapping us in a closet is funny? That's the best you've got?"

Ethan raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "Relax. It was just a joke. No harm done...it's not like you didn't use to pull pranks on us before you left the pack, but soon enough you'll be back"

Gabriella's gaze turned ice-cold as Ethan's words hit their mark. "You really think you know me, don't you? You have no idea who I am now or what I'll do to protect the people I care about."

Ethan's smirk faltered for a fraction of a second, but he quickly masked it, his tone growing sharper. "Oh, I know exactly who you are, Gabby. You can pretend all you want, but deep down, you're one of us. Always have been, always will be."

Gabriella stepped closer, her voice a low, dangerous whisper. "If you think for a second I'll ever go back to that life, you're more clueless than I thought. I left because I didn't want to be part of a pack that thrives on fear and manipulation."

Aiden crossed his arms, looking less certain now, glancing between Ethan and Gabriella. But Ethan held his ground, his confidence cracking but not fully broken. "You can deny it all you want, but sooner or later, you'll see that this is where you belong."

Gabriella's jaw clenched, her hands balled into fists, her patience wearing thin. "I belong where I choose to belong, Ethan. And it's not with you or anyone who thinks they can force me back into their world."

Allison stepped forward, surprising Gabriella with her unwavering stance beside her. "Leave her alone, Ethan. Whatever power trip you're on, it's not working."

"And now the Argent comes out to play" aiden said looking at allison "I bet Deucalion wouldn't mind seeing your head on a stick"

Gabriella rolled her eyes "and how will he be able to do that?"

Aiden sneered, but a flicker of uncertainty crossed his face as he glanced at Ethan. "Doesn't matter if he's blind, Gabby. You know as well as we do that Deucalion doesn't need to see to get what he wants."

Gabriella tilted her head, a mocking smile on her lips. "If you think dropping his name is going to scare me, then you're even more pathetic than I thought. You're just his puppets—nothing more. And I'm not about to let some brainwashed followers tell me what to do."

Ethan's jaw clenched, but his gaze softened for just a second, like he was grasping for something to say that would hit deeper.