The end of the day rolled around, and it was time for the first elimination. It was evident that Scott and Stiles were nervous, but Aspen did her best to encourage the two. She settles on the bleacher next to Allison with Lydia on the other side of her. Aspen scanned the field, but couldn't find Isaac. She looked to the bench and recognized the tall boy leaning forward with his head in his hands. She could feel his nerves from where she sat as his leg shook frantically.

"I'll be right back," Aspen told Allison before standing from the bleacher and carefully made her way down to where Isaac sat on the bench.

"Hey."

Isaac quickly looked up to the sound of her voice. He smiled faintly before looking down at his hands.

"Why aren't you getting ready with everyone else?" Aspen asked, taking a seat next to Isaac.

"I don't know," Isaac said quietly with a shrug, "it looks like they have great players this year. I mean, McCall practically stole the field yesterday and Jackson and Danny."

"You only names three players, and last time I checked, you need more than that to play lacrosse. Besides, Stiles and Greenberg always suck."

Aspen said, earning a laugh out of Isaac.

"Yea. I just feel out of place. I really wanna make the team this year."

Aspen looked at the field and pursed her lips, letting her shoulders slump slightly. She wasn't good when it came to pre-game pep talks, so she searched her mind for an idea.

"Oh!" Aspen exclaimed, bring Isaac to face Aspen as she pulled out a clouded marble from her pocket. She grabbed his wrist ever so lightly and placed it into the palm of his big hand.

Isaac chuckles down at the small marble then glanced up at Aspen, who was wearing a hopeful expression that it would help or he just wouldn't laugh. She was more worried about the latter.

"Why do you carry these around?" he asked her, holding the marble between his thumb and index finger.

"In all honestly, I have no clue," Aspen laughed, leaning forward, propping her elbows on her knees and placing her head on her fist. "My grandpa gave them to me when I was younger, and I just always felt the need to keep one with me. I have others at home, though, but they stay in a jar. I guess you can say it acts as a form of comfort and luck for me."

"Does it work?"

"Not at all. But it feels good to think it works. I know it's silly and somewhat weird, but I just thought since it helped ease my mind for so long, it could be so the same for you. You don't have to if you don't want to. It was just a suggestion. Where would you hold it anyway? Do these shorts have pockets-"

"Aspen."

The girl stopped her rambling and looked at Isaac. Amusement played in his eyes as he chuckled.

"Thank you," he said softly.

Aspen was immediately infatuated with his cerulean eyes. Up close, she tried searching them for impurities. A brown dot maybe. But there was nothing. His eyes were perfect. Air hitched in her throat as they kept their eyes on each other for what felt like forever.

"VEATA!"

Aspen and Isaac jumped as Coach shouted her name and stood in front of them with his hand clutching his whistle to the point of crushing it. Aspen clutched the material of her shirt over her chest as she stared at the coach in bewilderment. The only time he would ever scream at her like that was when she was running track.

"Are you a lacrosse player?' he asked her as if she was lost.

"N-no I was just-" Aspen tried speaking, but coach blew his whistle after every question he asked.

"then why are you sitting on the lacrosse bench?"

"Because-" he blew his whistle, making her flinch from its shrill sound.

"So off the bench, Veata!"

"I was just-"

FWEET!

"Can I -"

FWEET!

"Coach!"

FWEET!

"Okay!"

Aspen stood up and smiled back at Isaac, who only shrugged as he pulled his helmet over his head and ran to the field.

"Scott, will you hold on!" Stiles called out, making Aspen turn her head to see a very late Stiles approaching Scott.

"You can't tell me after? I'm playing first elimination." Scott told him, pulling his helmet over his head.

"But Scott, you gotta hear this!"

"I gotta go, man."

Scott ran to the field, leaving Stiles to stand alone defeated. Aspen approached him, worried about the frantic expression on her friend's face.

"Stiles, what's wrong? Did something happen?" Aspen asked him.

"You won't believe this, Aspen," Stiles sighed, pulling her to the side of the bleachers to have some privacy. Aspen knew if Stiles was using her real name, it must have been serious.

"Believe what?"

"I overheard my dad on the phone, and the fiber analysis report came back. And they found animal hairs on the body from the woods."

"What animal?"

"A wolf. It was wolf hair."

To anyone, the news wouldn't be shocking, but to Aspen, it was. They were going to have to mark off 'no wolves in California' because that animal is what clearly bit Scott last night.

Aspen just nibbled on her thumbnail and tried to think of a plausible explanation. "Well, how did a wolf even get here? Did they say if it had a pack or something? Did they suddenly just migrate here?" Aspen asked.

"No, I havnt heard of anything, but I'm worried about Scott," Stiles confessed. "He says he hears things. how is that even possible from getting bitten?"

Aspen averted her eyes. She had been hearing stuff for a while now, but didn't think it essential to approach the situation with either of the boys. If that wasn't weird, then being able to move her bottle without so much as grazing her finger against it was needed for a time of discussion. But right now, Scott's situation seemed like the most dier.

"So am I," Aspen said, completely ignoring his question about hearing things. "He smells things too. You think the wolf had a disease? Maybe Scott's wound is infected."

"I don't know, but I'm gonna figure it out. I'll see you after the game. We're heading to my place after this."

"O-okay yea."

Stiles ran to the bench, leaving an all too confused Aspen. Stiles seemed frantic over the whole situation, and Scott looked all to calm about it. Not that it wasn't normal for them, but it seemed like it was to the extent that they were taking this bite situation far more serious than it really was. Aspen decided to forget about it for the time being and make her way back to Lydia and Allison, who was already smiling at her when she sat down.

"Everything okay?" Allison asked.

Aspen nodded and hugged her body for warmth. "All good. Stiles was just nervous for Scott."

"As he should be," Lydia laughed, "because Jackson brought his A-game. Did McCall?"

Aspen and Allison exchanged glanced before facing Lyda, who was wearing a sly smile toward the field. Aspen was worried about her friend, who stood in his place on the turf. Her eyes found Isaac, who was closer to teh goal, and she smiled as he looked more determined than ever. The coach blew the whistle, and the first elimination game began.

The game was fast and brutal, making the girls flinch every now and then from the harsh impact of the boys. Aspen cheered when the ball was passed to Scott but froze when Jackson slammed right into him, sending him to the ground. The whistle stops the play, while Jackson stood over Scott and glowered down at him as his gloved hand picks up the ball.

From where she sat, she could see Scott's' body language tense up as he lifted himself to his feet, and the whistle begins the next play.

Isaac has the ball in his possession, and dodged players around him to make a quick shot into the goal. Aspen smiled as jitters overcame her body and clapped her hands along with a few other students.

"Why is he so damn tall?" Lydia mumbled, slowing clapping her hands.

Issac looked up at the bleacher and pointed toward his glove, saying the marble was inside. Aspen laughed at this and nodded in approval of the safe placement of the marble.

Allison watched the small interaction and leaned into Aspen.

"A friend of yours?" She asked, a small grin playing on the corner of her lips.

Aspen saw the playful arch of her brows and laughed.

"Yes, only a friend," Aspen assured her.

"I dunno," Allison sang, "he's cute."

"You havnt even seen his face yet."

"Well, I saw that back of his head when you went to talk to him. The back of his head seemed very promising."

"I don't know. I only started talking to him the other day."

"Remember, broaden your choices. And come one, Aspen, he's tall. Tall is good. We like that."

Aspen snorted, "I'll be sure to tell Scott he has no chance then."

Under the bright lights of the field light, Allison's cheeks flushed a dark red.

"I wouldn't completely blow his chances out the window just yet," Allison mumbled lightly, grinning giddily at her hands.

Aspen loved the possibility that Scott really had a shot with Allison. Sure, he had multiple crushes, but he's never looked at anyone like he looked at Allison.

"For the record, he's really excited about tonight," Aspen told her, making Allison snap her neck to look at her.

"Really?" she grinned widely, the corners of her eyes wrinkling.

Aspen rubbed her gloved hands together, the crisp wind beginning to grace her cheeks. "Trust me. Really."

When the next whistle blew, Scott moved with shocking speed with the ball in his lacrosse net. Stiles stood from his place on the bench, and slowing began walking along the sidelines to watch his best friend run across the filed with incredible speed. All three of the girl's jaw drop once they saw Scott practically flip over three guys making a defensive wall.

"Is he a gymnast?" Lydia asked, her mouth still parted with surprise.

"He can't even do a cartwheel," Aspen gaped.

Scott made the goal, causing everyone on the bleachers to roar with cheer. Aspen hollered her friend's name as Allison smiled sweetly at the boy. Everyone seemed to share the celebration except Stiles, who stood frozen watching is friend do the impossible.

Coach called Scott over and told him he would be part of the starting lineup this year. Cheers erupted from the bleachers as team members slapped his back and knocked on his helmet with their gloves. Aspen looked down at Stiles, who looked at his friend, worry clouding his vision. She hated that Stiles couldn't just be happy for their friend instead of worrying that something was wrong with him.

<•>

Aspen and Scott were practically forced and dragged to go to Stiles' house. He made the matter seem urgent, so they took it as an emergency.

Arriving at his house, Stiles pulled both Aspen and Scott into his room and locked the door behind them. Papers scattered his floor around his desk, and his computer screen had dozens of open websites.

"Okay, you guys have to see this. I've been doing all sorts of research, and I think I may have found something." Stiles told them, sitting in his chair and gathering his printouts from the floor.

"Research regarding to what?" Aspen asked, taking a seat on his bed.

"Is this about the body?" Scott inquired, shaking is large jacket off.

"No there still questioning people including Derek Hale-"

"Really-"

"That's not what I needed to tell you guys. This is about you, Scott."

"What about me?"

Aspen found his computer screen, and as soon as she read one of the words on the tab, she laughed. "Oh, Stiles, you cannot be serious right now." Aspen was mixed between amused and annoyed. She was going to kill Stiles if he brought her here for this.

"W-what? What is she talking about?" Scott asked, rather frantically. Aspen gave Stiles a look for getting their friend all worked up for nothing.

"Hear me out! I made a joke the other day, but it's not a joke anymore! The bite, the wolf-"

"Stiles, don't tell me you brought me here to tell me I'm a wolf?"

"No, no! Of course not."

Aspen and Scott visibly let out a sigh of relief.

"I think you're a werewolf."

"Stiles, are you kidding me!?" Aspen snapped, bringing her face in her hands. She could have been home preparing for the party instead of listening to Stiles' theories of nonsense.

"Dude. I have to pick up Allison. You're seriously just wasting my time." Scott told him. Aspen had known the boy to always be calm and collected, but from the way his fist curled and his jaw clenched, Aspen became worried.

"Scott, come on. How else can you explain the way you played out there today. You were incredible out there. Too incredible for someone who's only been practicing over summer. You're smelling things, hearing-...tell me this, where is your inhaler? Don't think I haven't noticed you stopped using it."

Aspen stood up and put her hand up toward Stiles. "Can we just talk about this tomorrow, this is not help-"

"What are you trying to say, Stiles?" Scott snarled and yanked Apsen's arm about making her gasp in pain from his surprisingly tight grip.

"I'm saying this could be a problem. Tonight is a full moon-"

"My life is actually going well, and you're just trying to ruin it. Can't I just be having a good week?"

Stiles disregarded anything Scott was saying and continued on with his research about the full moon, how he won't be able to stay in control, bloodlust, his urge to kill...

"Stiles, please just stop." Aspen begged, grabbing Stiles' arm and forcing him to face her. "there's a lot of things that need explaining, but this is way too farfetched. You're chasing after something that's not even real."

"Then how can you explain what's going on?"

"I-i don't know, but there has to be a better explanation."

"I've just spent hours upon hours last night doing research. Nothing can explain whatever is going on with him except this!"

Aspen stomped over to his desktop and scrolled through all the tabs he left open during his research.

"So you think Scott is a werewolf?" Aspen mocked him angrily, reading aloud the websites he searched "Oh, maybe he's a pixie or-or a troll. Maybe a-...the hell is a kanima?"

Scott let out an angry groan and yanked his bag from the bed. "I don't have time for this. I need to pick up Allison-"

"No, no. You're not going to that party. Not when Allison is the one person who could possibly make your pulse rise." Stiles informed him. He drew Scott's bag away from him and fished the outer pockets for his phone.

"Give it back!" Scott shouted.

"I doing this for your own-"

"Give it to me!"

Scott's voice was low and guttural as he shoved Stiles against the wall, making his computer shake. Aspen rushed to there side and put a hand on Scott's shoulder.

"Scott, stop it! Get off him!" ASpen begged, trying to push him away, but it felt like she was attempting to move a boulder. Scott's fist clenched as it shook, like he was really contemplating hitting Stiles. Before he could, he spun around and lashed out on a desk chair as it flew across the room, slamming into the wall. Aspen held a hand over her mouth, in shock seeing her kind-hearted friend get so angry in a matter of seconds.

Shaking with rage, Scott gazed up at his two friends who were staring at him with wide eyes as Aspen kept a tight grip on Stiles' arm.

"I -I didnt...it was an accident," Scott muttered, his eye began to soften as he backed away from them. He put his hand up to say something, but when Stiles flinched back, he had realized he scared them.

Without another word, Scott grabs his belongings and hurries out of the room.

"You alright?" Stiles asked lightly after a few moments of silence.

Aspen nodded and let go of his arm. "I'm not the one that was just shoved into a wall." Aspen pointed out.

Still quite shaken, Stiles gradually makes his way to his desk chair and setting it upright. While Aspen observed her arm where Scott had squeezed, she noticed a light bruising and flinched as she touched the raw skin.

"Uh Aspen," Stiles said.

"Yea, what's up?" Aspen asked quietly, still surprised at how easily Scott bruised her arm.

"Look at this."

Looking up, Aspen had to blink a few times to believe what she was seeing. On the back of the chair, claw marks slashed through the fabric into ribbons. Aspen ran her fingers along the lines of the tears and pulled back almost immediately.

"Scott just did that...didn't he?" Aspen asked. She didn't want to belive it, but the evidence was presenting itself right in front of them. She felt silly to believe her friend was actually a werewolf, but Stiles made many points. All points which could have multiple explanations. But no one can explain how the boy who Aspen always has seen biting his nails could make claw marks on a chair.

"Your arm." Stiles noticed the bruising on Aspen and quickly grabbed it to observe the light purple layer.

"I don't know how he could have done that," Aspen said truthfully, "he grabbed me pretty harshly, but it didn't even look like he was trying."

"Because he wasn't. It wasn't intentional."

"Stiles what's happening. This can't be real, can it? None of this even makes sense."

"How about you just get ready for the party, okay? We can see what happened tonight."

Aspen went to eave the room when her mind suddenly wandered to Isaac. She didn't even get a chance to congratulate him on making the team. She wouldn't be at the party for her to get the chance, and he wouldn't even be able to celebrate with the rest of the team. Aspen wondered if they even knew who he was.

It wasn't fair for him to be alone working so late while everyone else celebrated at Lydia's house. Aspen knew Allison was looking forward to seeing her there, and Lydia would think it was a waste of her time to invite her. But she had already made up her mind as she spun around to face Stiles, who was still organizing his papers.

"Actually, I think I'm gonna skip out on the party. I have somewhere to be." Aspen informed him.

Stiles quirked a brow as he spun in his chair to face her.

"Where are you going?" he asked her, his voice laced with annoyance that his only other friend wouldn't be at the party.

"That's for me to know and for you to never find out until deemed necessary."

Aspen skipped over to stiles and pulled him up by both his hand. He was startled when Aspen enveloped him into a tight hug. A light chuckle escaped his lips as he hugged her back.

"Congrats on making the team, by the way."