The Family Secret

Something's Different

"Something's different about you, Liam..." Grace murmured as she sized up her old friend. They were talking near the lockers, before school started. She subtlety tried to catch his scent by looking at his jacket. She could smell wolf, and it was all over him. Had he been bitten? Did he just have a really thoroughly scent-marking lover?

"What're you talking about?" Liam said nervously. Grace was a little intimidating, although she was smaller. She had long brown hair and eyes that seemed to stare into his mind. Mason helpfully was there with him.

"Did you get a girlfriend?" Grace asked impulsively. Liam looked at her, confused.

"No-" Liam started before the spirited girl cut him off.

"A boyfriend?" She was looking at him just like Stiles' girlfriend did. Liam shook his head.

"No, no lover at all," Liam said quickly, making sure to get it through to her. Her nose scrunched up in confusion, Liam couldn't have been bitten.

"Fine, I'll stop grilling you. Hug?" Grace said cheerfully, although she still seemed hurt for some reason. Liam embraced his friend, and became slightly rigid as he realized she was scent-marking. She didn't know about werewolves though, so maybe it was just a coincidence?

"What's wrong?" She questioned, pulling back.

"Nothing..." Liam said, "It's just... why did you go missing in the first place?"

"I had an anger issue and they took me to a secluded area." Blip. Lie. What could she be hiding?

"Liar," Liam called her out, then got interrupted by the bell, "You're saved by the bell. We'll talk later." Grace pursed her lips then nodded, and walked to her first class.

~•~Start Of Lacrosse Tryouts~•~

Boy was Grace happy she used to practice with Liam. And that she was always trying to be better than him without her supernatural abilities.

One thing she was not glad about was the fact that the captain seemed to be out for her throat. Malia had warned her not to aggravate Scott McCall, but she had to for lacrosse.

"What was that out on the fields out there?" Stiles approached her. She shrunk down against the walls, looking around frantically for Liam.

"Why are you in Beacon Hills?" Scott questioned her.

"W-what do you mean?" Grace said, trying to calm her breathing. Malia said that Scott was a force to be reckoned with.

"Think we don't know what you are? Normal people don't do that well on the field!" Stiles cornered her. She just wanted them to back off.

"Are you saying that I do steroids? I don't, and I used to practice with Liam. He can tell you!" Grace said, her breath quickening because it seemed as though the two were suffocating her. Luckily, Liam got there in time.

"Guys! You're making Grace panic!" Liam snarled at the boys, and came up to Grace. She now sat against the gym lockers, trembling. He hold her tightly in his arms, petting her hair and murmuring soft words to her. He could remember calming her down after a particularly rough panic attack.

While he had been doing that, Scott and Stiles had gone out of the locker room, lingering guiltily around the exit. Eventually Liam got Grace out and sent her on her way. Immediately after she left, he exploded. He smashed Scott against the wall, roaring as his tooth elongated as well as his fingernails.

"Liam, control, remember?" Scott said. Liam set him down slowly.

"She gets panic attacks! What were you f*cking doing to her?!" Liam shouted.

"You saw how good she was out there-" Stiles defended.

"She's always been good like that! Me and Grace were best friends!"

"Were?" Scott questioned.

"Yeah, she got taken out of school a while ago." Liam explained.

"What about her family?"

"It was a touchy subject. I know she has a sister though," Liam offered.

"What's her sister's name?"

"Oh sh*t," Liam said, realizing who her sister was, "Her name was Malia."

Stiles looked at him like he was insane.
"Maybe it's a different Malia. We'll wait for a while. Stiles, you look into Grace. Tomorrow I'll talk to her," Noticing the look on Liam's face, he added, "alone."

That night, Grace had to tell Malia.

"Scott and Stiles cornered me in the locker room and probably are questioning Liam." Grace told her.

"I'll deal with it, just try to avoid them and remember the mantra. If they try to talk to you, act clueless." Malia said, smiling a little bit to bring her sister's spirits up, "Now, hot dogs or hunting?"