the other Argent (Teen Wolf x oc)

Secrets The Past and Pain

"Did you have a good day with Allison?" Argent asked as he sat down next to Evelyn in his study, handing her a soda as he sat.

 "Yeah," Evelyn said, "but that's not what you want to talk about," she said, taking a sip of her soda. Argent sighed.

 "When did you learn to read people so well?" He asked, smiling proudly. She had grown into a strong young woman.

 "It's a skill I learned along the way," Evelyn said cautiously, not wanting to break the easygoing attitude that they had going on at the moment. They were just beginning to move past all the pain they had caused one another and just starting to repair their relationship.

 "Why?" Argent started stopping and taking a breath.

 "You want to know why I was so close to the Hales, even knowing what they were," Evelyn said. Argent looked around as if searching for the right words. He nodded, knowing that Evelyn had known the werewolf family better than any of them, been very close to them. It confused him. Back then, he had never noticed that she questioned whether werewolves were really a threat or not, but knowing what he knew now, he wondered if she had just pretended for the family's benefit for his benefit or if she had been afraid for them to find out. Evelyn sighed, looking down at her hands. She set her soda on the end table. "At that age," Evelyn whispered, "all I wanted was a mother, Victoria; she never liked me. We tolerated each other, but that was really for you and Allison's benefit," she said, speaking of her stepmother. She had hated the woman but at the same time respected her. Victoria had never pretended as the others had never acted as if she had loved her when she really hated Evelyn for being the child of Argent and his high school sweetheart, a woman Gerard had forbidden Argent to marry. Evelyn was a constant reminder to Victoria that while Argent loved her, she was his second choice. Evelyn had always wondered if her father would have married her mother if Gerard hadn't stepped in.

 "What?" Argent started to say, but Evelyn held up her hand to stop him.

 "I met Talia one night when I was in the woods. I saw Cora. She was five at the time, lost in the middle of the woods, far from home." Evelyn smiled lightly at the memory.
Flashback
Evelyn walked through the woods. She'd just gotten into an argument with her stepmother. SNAP!!!
Evelyn whirled around at the sound, only to see a young dark-haired girl emerge from the trees. She seemed to be about the same age as her little sister, Allison. "Hello, who are you?" Evelyn asked, squatting down to the young girl's height.

 "I'm Cora," the girl said.

 "Well. Cora," Evelyn said, "what is your last name?"

 "Hale, my last name is Hale," Cora said. Evelyn froze. Hale, the little girl in front of her was a Hale, a werewolf. "I'm lost," Cora said, looking around, confused. "I just want my mom," Cora said. Evelyn relaxed, her heart melting. They weren't monsters. She realized the Hales were just like her family. This girl was just a child lost looking for her mother.

 "I'm pretty familiar with these woods, and I'm sure that I can help you get home," Evelyn said, holding out her hand to the young werewolf.

 "Okay," Cora said cautiously, taking Evelyn's hand. Evelyn turned, walking in the direction of the Hale house.

"I met the whole Hale family that night," Evelyn said, "Derek, Laura, Peter, and Talia." She looked up at Argent as she spoke. "Talia, she was the first person in a while to really understand. When she looked at me, she didn't see an Argent, she didn't see a hunter. She saw a little girl who needed a mother." "The Hales, they became like family to me. I was even given the nickname Talia's shadow," Evelyn smirked, shaking her head slightly. "I think Peter initially meant for it to be an insult, but it caught on." Evelyn jumped slightly as her phone began to ring. She pulled it out to see that it was Deaton calling. "I'm sorry, I've got to take this," Evelyn said, standing up. "Hey, what's up?" she asked.