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Aspen met with the dusk sun that late afternoon for a late jog in the woods just behind the school. The breeze tousled her hair as her breathing was steady with every quick stride she took upon the lumpy bed of earth, the loamy air carrying her through the wind. She let her eyes gaze through the lush leaves of trees, seeing dim light extended across a rosy sky as the fresh air graced her cheeks.

She wished the afternoon would have been more inviting, but when Aspen opened her eyes after a nap to meet the darkness of her room, Isaac was the only person she could think of. Asking someone to a formal seemed like a doable task if you didn't have crippling anxiety and second-guessed every decision you ever made in a lifetime. Aspen hadn't spoken much to Isaac since informing him about her newfound knowledge of her family. She felt worse, not asking about his home life when he hasn't been to her house in a while. Every night since he had snuck through her window, she yearned the feel of her head pressed against the warmth of his back. Even if it was her imagination filling the void, she swears his scent still resides on the pillow he used. Occasionally, she'll stay vigilant at night, hoping to hear a tap on the window and see Isaac's cerulean eyes on the other side.

Aspen hadn't noticed her pace slowing down as her mind was reeling in thoughts about Isaac, a smile touching her lips. Despite her keen Elementalist ear, Aspen hadn't realized the crunching of twigs and the kicking of rocks behind her as someone was stalking her pace. She elicited a sharp scream as a hand suddenly gripped her forearm and was brutally pulled to the side. A groan slipped her lips as her back was forcefully pressed against a tree. Aspen immediately cocked her brows, seeing Jackson standing before her, his eyes boring into her with a devious smirk.

"What the hell are you doing?" Aspen's tone was quiet, her attempt to hide her shaky breaths failing.

Jackson hummed with a chuckle, "I know Veata," he said in a sly whisper.

Aspen's throat became dry as the words left his mouth. She knew for a fact that no one but Isaac, Grandpa Sam, and Derek knew of her abilities, so this confrontation could only be regarding to one person. Scott. "I don't know what you're talking about." she kept her gaze neutral, not letting herself crack under pressure.

He maintained a permanent smug smirk on his lips, "You know what I'm talking about. Scott. I know what he is."

Aspen's mind was rewinding, thinking of possible ways Jackson could have found out in such a short period of time. She had never slipped anything to Lydia, and despite Stiles being a blabbering idiot, he would never out Scott to anyone. Especially Jackson Whitmore, who wanted nothing more than to find a reason to witness Scott's downfall.

Through dusk settling in the sky, Aspen had a clear view of Jackson's face as it was only inches away from her's. His eyes were a strange dull color, his face blanched from color like he wasn't feeling well. Dark circles shaded around his eyes from where he wasn't sleeping at night. Aspen's thoughts flashed back to the day in the hallway when Derek first scratched Jackson, and seeing the dreadful effect it had on him now sent a strange chill down her spine.

With downcasted eyes, Aspen sighed, curling her hands into a fist to compose herself. The wind was heavy tonight, and Aspen could hear his heartbeat palpating with anger and frustration. "Jackson, I don't know what you've heard, but it's not true. You sound insane." she started quietly, afraid to break the silence.

"Call it whatever you like. I know what I've been seeing, and I know you and Stiles are keeping him safe. Well, guess what? He won't be safe from me."

"Maybe you're just a bit confused since you were scratched that day."

Just as it seemed like she was getting through to him, something flashed in Jackson's eyes, his sharp laugh cutting through the brisk air. "I never told you I got scratched, V. You only would have known that if your friend Derek told you. Isn't that right?"

Her heart stopped, her lips slightly parting at a loss for words. "Jackson--"

"Don't!" he snapped, one of his hands gripping the side of the tree near her head while the other pointed a silencing finger toward her face. His lips were contorting in seething rage as a muscle twitched in his jaw. "You better go warn McCall before I get to him. Because, how ever he became to be what he is, I'll make him get it for me too," Jackson tone began to lower with a grin, his face inching closer to Aspen. As much as she wished to unleached a blast of air into his abdomen, she allowed her nails to penetrate her skin. "Whatever it is. A bite. A scratch. Sniffing magic fairy dust under the moonlight, I don't care. He'll get it for me, or Allison knows everything."

Aspen suddenly found containing the air around her hands harder to restrain. Instead of directing her anger toward Jackson, she let the air along with her nails dig deeper into her palm. Without another word, Jackson pushed off the tree and made his way down the path where he came from, his silhouette disappearing the darkness. Seeing that he was gone, Aspen let a whimper slip through her lips as she brought her bloody palms into view. She imagined the blast she directed toward Scott during the full moon compacted against her palms. They throbbed with every movement, and she was sure her bones were fractured.

The pain seemed to subside, her heaving breaths relaxing as one thing flared in her mind. Scott.

<•>

After a heated shower, Aspen hoped the water would ease the headache that was racking her brain. She had taken longer than intended, her hands still aching from the bruises that colored over the scars on her hands. Being a self-inflicted wound, it seemed her palms would take longer to heal. Since she arrived home, her hands have been cold as if the warm blood had flushed away. Snuggling into the warmth of her covers, she slipped her hands beneath her pillow. Sleep resembled a thief tonight, wanting to snatch Aspen from reality and keep her in a long-needed slumber.

For a while, Aspen gave into comfort, and sleep confined her in its luring embrace. Shifting in the darkness of her room, she suddenly felt a nudge to her ribs following a slight dip on the bed behind her, effectively waking her up from her deep sleep. She wedged her eyes open, but the familiar scent didn't spark fear but comfort knowing who it was who snuck in her bedroom in the middle of the night.

Looking over her shoulder carefully in a way not to disturb the bed, Aspen saw Isaac wide awake sitting up against her headboard with worry lines creasing his forehead. Sensing eyes on him in the darkness, Isaac dropped his gaze to meet Aspen's brown eyes, a smile peeking from her lips.

"Hey," her voice was barely a whisper as she used all her strength to push herself up to sit beside Isaac, rubbing the deep sleep from her eyes. She didn't have to ask why he was there; it was evident by his blank expression.

The looming atmosphere felt heavy as Isaac stayed quiet. Even through the darkness, his cerulean eyes seemed to glow through the overcast, Aspen becoming marveled by the mere sight of them. When he didn't provide an answer, she leaned her head against the headboard, staring up at the dark ceiling. She didn't mind the silence, as long as he felt safe, that was all that mattered.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, bringing Aspen to look at him with an incredulous look. The sudden feeling of heaviness in her chest made itself known as she bit down on her lip, seeing him like this breaking her heart. "I didn't mean to wake you up or anything. I just had to get away."

Aspen didn't hesitate to reach for his hand, ignoring the pain slicing through her veins and gave him a squeeze. She cocked her head to the side to look at his face that was bowed down, trying to catch his gaze. "Isaac, don't feel obliged to apologize. I'm glad you're here. I'm okay with it."

He gave a quick shrug of his shoulder, his eyes never faltering from his hand holding onto Aspen's. Slowly he released her hand, and for a moment, Aspen thought she had overstepped with the contact, but when Isaac rolled up his sleeve, air hitched in her throat. The strips of redness with cuts scattering his arm brought Aspen's eyes to water. Fortunately, the darkness hid her brown eyes well. "A belt," he said simply.

Aspen grazed her fingers along his sore skin and shook her head. If she could, she would have marched straight to Sheriff Stilinski, but she knew Isaac made it clear that he objected against the idea. Peering up, Isaac was already looking back at Aspen, watching as a sole tear fled from his eyes.

She wiped the salty tear with the pad of her thumb, letting it graze his warm cheekbone. Isaac's eyes slowly began to close, leaning into her hand, not minding her cold touch. Aspen dropped her hands from his face, and gently pulled down his sleeve careful not to graze the material over his sensitive skin. "Do you wanna talk about it?" she tried softly, watching as Isaac's face fell. Besides the tear she cleared from his face, he showed no emotion to tonight.

"Can I stay here tonight?" he had completely avoided her question, not wanted to revisit the memory, but she didn't see a point in pressing on. With a quick nod, Aspen adjusted the blankets and let Isaac and herself sink into the warm covers. She was faced with his back and stared his muscles tensing up. Hesitant at first, Aspen hoped she wasn't overstepping as she let her hand snake around his waist, feeling him jump from the sudden touch. She scooted closer to him and let her head rest against his back, her hand soon finding his, and it was Isaac who intertwined their fingers. They fit so perfectly, his warm hands encasing her's with ease. Aspen felt the pad of Isaac's thumb drawing circles, making her let out a shaky breath as she nuzzled deeper into his back.

She wished all of their nights were like this one. Just two teenagers trying to find peace in each other company.

Feeling Isaac move, Aspen pushed her head back, watching as he moved to lay on his back, still holding her hand in his. Mild horror came over her eyes as she watched him staring at her bruised and scarred palm. "What happened?" he asked, his finger grazed over her palm.

Aspen was silent for a moment, shame rooting in her chest. So far, Scott had better control than her, and she was taking the short bus by hurting herself to stay grounded. To stay human. "Control isn't coming as easy to me anymore," Aspen said simply, hoping her tone would give a sign of reassurance, but from the way his eyes were narrowed, she knew it was no use.

"What happened to having an anchor?" he questioned, closing her hand and resting it against his chest as he had his warm hand upon them. She felt the rise and fall of his heart, causing her face to burn.

"N-not until I crack all the marbles. Then I'll have an anchor."

Isaac nodded, a tinge of worry still in his mind. For a moment, Aspen thought they would finally fall asleep when she heard Isaac speak through the darkness. "Are you going to the formal?"

With wide eyes, Aspen felt her heart quicken. The Winter Formal had completely slipped her mind. "Um, yea. I'm going. You?"

Isaac grinned, tilting his head to the side to face Aspen, their eyes directing in front of each other. "Only if you'll save a dance for me."

By this point, her whole face was heating up, and her hands suddenly felt warm under his touch.

"I will."