Once in a Lifetime

46

"War," Argent said.

Malia frowned. "So what stops a war from happening?"

"A peace summit."

Scott nodded. "Right. We meet face-to-face with Gerard. Find out what he wants and then we can stop all this before it gets any worse."

Lydia scoffed. "Last time Gerard was at a peace meet was with Deucalion. He blinded him and then killed everybody else, including his own men."

Argent stepped forward. "I'll go. Know he's not going to kill me."

"You sure about that?" Malia asked bluntly.

"Not really."

Scott was silent for a moment. "All we need is to find out what he wants. Then we can bargain."

Argent sighed. "Even if he does agree, his terms might be difficult to meet."

Tabitha met his eyes. "That's why they call it a negotiation."

Scott nodded. "I don't expect to get anything without giving something up."

Argent looked between them. "Then you're gonna have to figure out just how much you're willing to give, and how far you're willing to go to stop a war."

Scott and Tabitha headed to his place and both got a message from Liam. Scott said to his mom and Argent, "There doesn't have to be a fight."

"Do you and Tabitha know something I don't?" Argent asked.

The witch showed the message. "Someone... Tamora Monroe... is the new hunter."

Malia met up with them and they climbed down the stairs. She voiced Tabitha's exact thoughts. "It's a trap."

"She said she would meet to talk," Scott said.

"Meeting alone in the middle of the tunnels with a werewolf hunter? It's a trap."

"That's exactly what Tabitha said. What do you two want me to do?"

"Don't go," Malia and Tabitha answered.

Scott sighed. "Gerard is recruiting new hunters, and he's murdering our friends. He's not gonna stop unless I convince him that we're not his enemy."

"What happens if you can't?" Malia asked. "You're gonna get yourself killed. We need you."

Scott began stuttering. "If I... If I didn't think you guys could do this without me..."

Malia shook her head. "That's not what I mean."

"Then what do you mean?"

"I mean... You know what I mean."

"I'm kind of getting confused."

"So am I."

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "Get a room, you two."

Scott shot her a look and sighed. "Malia, I have to do this. All I want to do is to get Monroe to trust us. She agreed to this peace summit. And I have to go. I'm going alone."

"Tabitha's going with you," Malia told him.

Malia and Scott had a staring contest before Scott looked away and said, "Fine. Come on, Tabitha."

Scott and Tabitha made their way to the woods and she followed him through the tunnels. They were flanked by two armed hunters and a third hunter with a shock taser.

Scott frowned at Monroe. "I thought we were here to talk peace."

Monroe smirked. "I agreed to come. I never agreed on peace."