It's a Werewolf Thing

It was Kacey’s idea to speak with the Argents, since they were one of the largest hunting families around and had been for generations. Heading to the front door with a reluctant Derek in tow, Kacey knocked and they waited in silence until the door swung open.

“Kacey, it’s good to see you again,” Chris greeted with a smile, “I assume everything went smoothly from the last time we spoke?”

“It went according to plan,” Kacey replied, glancing over at Derek and rolling her eyes at the angry glare he was sending her way, “Is there a chance that you have time to talk?”

“Of course,” Chris agreed as he stepped aside to let them in, “Come on in.”

“We were hoping that you could give us some information on a group of hunters called Venators?” Kacey asked as they followed Chris into his study.

“Venators are a rare group of hunters, who are extremely skilled and feared by many. I’ve only ever heard stories from my father, but I don’t know which were true and which were merely rumors.”

“What did you hear?”

“Legend tells of a hunter born from death, a man brought back and branded with the Venator name,” Chris explained, “The rules don’t apply to them and the code means nothing, an enemy is an enemy until they’re dead.”

“Any clues on who brought them back?” Kacey added, “Is it only men?”

“Nobody knows for sure, there are theories... some believe that it is the work of magic and others believe that it is simply the call of the supernatural world,” Chris stated with a shrug, “Venators are men only, there is however a female version but they are different...”

“Different how?” Kacey said.

“The female group is known as the Venatrix, they actually stand against the Venators and usually have a link to the moon or a werewolf.”

“Are they created the same way?” Derek questioned.

“Both have to die in order to receive their gifts, but a Venatrix is completely human and if my assumption is correct... Kacey is one,” Chris stated, looking at Kacey and causing Derek to tense beside her.

“If both are born from death, then how is one human and one not?” Kacey mumbled in confusion.

“They’re different because their pull back to our world is different, a Venator is created to kill and a Venatrix is created to protect.”

“So, it’s like Derek said, the gift doesn’t make a person bad... it’s the persons intent behind it,” Kacey rambled, “A Venators intent is evil, which removes his humanity to better facilitate the darkness within him...”

“Exactly.”

“How did you know that I was one?”

“On extremely rare occasions a Venatrix is referred to as the girl that runs with wolves...”

“Does the fact that she’s connected to a pack make a difference?”

“A Venatrix that has a connection with a pack is a lot stronger, plus Kacey has a strong bond with you as well,” Chris said, “Venators will do anything to sever such a bond and they’re not afraid of spilling blood.”

“Can they be stopped?” Derek inquired.

“The Venatrix possess powers, which give them the ability to restore balance and that means that they can destroy a Venator.”

“I have one last question... how do you know so much about what I am?”

“My mother was a Venatrix and my father was a Venator,” Chris revealed, removing an old leather-bound book off of a shelf and handing it to Kacey, “This can probably give you better insight, but just let me know if you need any help and I’ll do what I can.”

Nodding, Derek placed his hand on Kacey’s lower back and led her outside to the Camaro. The ride home was silent, allowing everything to sink in as they headed back to the Stilinski house, where Stiles and the sheriff were waiting. Feeling suddenly nervous as she followed Derek into the kitchen, Kacey took in the worried look on the sheriff’s face and glanced over at Derek.

“What’s going on?” Kacey asked.

“The good news is that your dad has withdrawn his missing person's report, but I’m having a hard time tracking him down and that worries me,” the sheriff informed them, “How was your visit with the Argents?”

“It was interesting actually, he seemed to know a lot about Venators and added some explanation behind Kacey’s return as well,” Derek replied, “What bothers me is that Chris knew and Deaton didn’t, or that’s what he told us.”

Deaton was the ultimate expert when it came to magic and the supernatural in general, but why would he keep it from them. Waiting until Derek left, Kacey headed upstairs and laid on Stiles’ bed flicking through the book that Chris had given her. Scanning over the pages of journal entries, one, in particular, caught her eye and she went back to read it properly.

‘My father says that werewolves are heartless creatures, that they are the harbingers of evil... he’s wrong. I am not denying that they are dangerous, or that some are not cruel hearted and vicious, but those are also words to describe a hunter. The one thing that all hunters must remember is that not all wolves are the same and not all hunters have good intentions... we must learn to define them before acting.’

She was still reading when Derek climbed in through the window, lying down next to her without a word and wrapping his arm around her waist. Feeling his warmth, Kacey relaxed back into him and looked up at him with a smile. Smiling back, he leaned down and kissed her sweetly on the lips.

“Guys, seriously... on my bed,” Stiles groaned as he entered the room, laughing when Kacey launched a pillow at him and buried her face in Derek’s chest, “Anything interesting in that book?”

“Nothing much, although not all Argents hated werewolves...”

“Really?” Stiles added, “The way they act and talk, I find that hard to believe.”

“I’ll have to read more to find out I guess, at least we have an idea what I am now and that I’m more than likely still human,” Kacey stated, sitting up and leaning back on Derek who hadn’t moved.

“Now, we just need to figure out how to deal with your dad.”

“What did you find out exactly?” Stiles asked, sitting down on his computer chair and spinning it around to face them.

“Argent thinks that Kacey is a Venatrix, which is a female version of a Venator,” Derek explained simply, “The difference is that the Venatrix stand against the Venators rather than beside them.”

Stiles opened his mouth to respond, but quickly closed it again and settled on sending her a sympathetic look instead. She had lost her dad a long time ago and she had accepted that, but it didn’t make the thought of killing him any easier.

Kacey didn’t bother with dinner, saying that she wasn’t hungry and staying in Stiles’ room with Derek to read the rest of the journal. It was full of information about werewolves, hunters and explained in graphic detail the process of killing a Venator.

Tensing a little as she read, Derek tightened his hold around her waist and pulled her closer to him protectively. She closed the book, running her fingers over an engraved sentence on the back and frowned.

‘Quod vinculum inter homines et lupus est in aeternum, et quod per oculus videt fata timeri’

Kacey knew exactly what that meant in English, it read ‘the bond between a human and her wolf is forever, and through that wolf’s eyes she will see her destiny.’ That saying alone sparked a volley of different thoughts to swim through her mind, but placing the book on the floor, she turned over in Derek’s arms and looked him straight in the eyes.

Nothing happened at first, but then Derek’s eyes flared red and Kacey gasped.