025, the dark moon
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THE THROBBING in her head feels worse and worse each step she continued taking feeling thankful for arriving at Derek's loft searching for her father or her uncle gasping taking the stairs.

"Oh my fucking god. Miah!" a voice is heard clearly stunned by seeing the blonde girl, "Joel. Get down here now!" the voice shouts, Miah collapses knowing she's found home.

"Miah? Hey sweetheart. Can you hear me?" Joel whispers wiping the dirt and sweat from his daughter's forehead hearing her mumble under her breath and shift in the bed she's currently sleeping in.

"Miah? Honey." Peter states sitting beside Joel looking at the blonde concerned.

"She's alive. But how?" Joel asks looking at Peter beside him, "I don't actually know." Peter explains with a frown seeing the blonde mage hybrid wince in her sleep.

Looking at his clearly injured daughter on the bed belonging to Derek, "Dad?" Miah's weak voice mumbles.

"Hi, bug." Joel whispers sitting on the bedside wiping the sweat away from Miah's forehead.

"Where is everyone?" Miah wonders noticing the lack of Derek in his own loft.

"Derek's missing. The others have gone to try and find him." Joel explains motioning over to Peter who purses his lips not liking not having any updates on the situation.

"Where have they gone?" Miah wonders sitting up with the help of her father, "Mexico." Peter explains seeing the shocked look he receives off Miah.

"Mexico. As in the Calaveras hunters?" Miah questions scared for her friends who don't even know she's currently alive and healing.

✹

IN MEXICO Scott and the others stand beside Stiles's jeep waiting for Scott to finish talking to Araya Calavera about the hunters not having Derek Hale and the shocking reveal that Kate Argent is alive and a part of the supernatural.

"So, you're just letting us go?" Scott frowns confused, "I sent four men out to where Kate was rumored to have been seen. None of them came back. Let's see if you can do better." Araya suggests.

"You could have just told me she was alive." Scott voices annoyed with the form of torture he just had to go through.

"You wouldn't have believed me," Araya states looking at the true alpha.

"Now I know what kind of alpha you are and where your next step lies. And I also knew about what your late girlfriend was." Araya explains seeing Scott gulp at the mention of Miah.

"What next step?" Scott questions, "When you take the bite of an innocent. When you make a wolf of your own? When you do that. Then I will cross your border and come knocking at your door." Araya mutters looking at the true alpha.

Scott walks back towards the others awaiting for him at the jeep, "So, what now?" Stiles asks, "She think she knows where we can find Derek." Scott shrugs.

"She's gonna tell us where?" Malia curiously asks, "Uh... actually, she's giving us a guide." Scott explains as a motorcycle engine is heard revving beside them.

Scott looks at the woman shocked, "You know her?" Stiles questions, "Braeden." Scott reveals.

"Who's Braeden?" Kira asks, "She's a mercenary." Lydia explains.

"Right now, I'm the only one who's gonna take you to La Iglesia." Braeden states.

"The Church?" Lydia wonders, "What's "The Church?"" Stiles asks.

"It's not a place you'll find god." Braeden states urging the teenagers to get a move on and follow behind her towards the old destroyed town.

✹

IN BEACON Hills, groaning is heard coming from the Hale loft bathroom where the blonde mage is showering and trying to refresh herself due to the feeling of death surrounding her body.

"Are you okay in there?" Joel calls out at the bathroom door, "Dad. Can you help me with this please?" Miah responds once getting dressed and trying to change the dressing of her gaze on her wound.

"Of course. Here sit down." Joel demands softly, Miah does as told and sits on the countertop looking at her father's scruffy face.

"I'm sorry I scared you and Scott." Miah mumbles missing her boyfriend a ton right now.

"You really did scare us little-bug. But that wasn't your fault." Joel states.

"Does Stiles blame himself?" Miah mumbles not wanting her close friend to blame himself for her death.

"He does." Joel replies placing the clean gaze on the wound before nodding at Miah that he's done doing so.

"I just want some kind of updates. What if Araya and the others hurt them?" Miah whispers.

"Believe me... Peter is the same. He's so worried. He's deny it if you asked him though." Joel chuckles pulling the covers to the bed open once again.

Gesturing for Miah to rest some more already aware of her plan to go see her friends when they return to Beacon Hills from their trip to Mexico, if they make it back.

✹

ON THE road towards La Iglesia the teens follow shortly behind Braeden, "Okay. I'll ask. Who's Kate Argent?" Malia wonders leaning into the front seats.

"Uh. I'd like to know, too." Kira responds quietly, "Well, we were at her funeral. So I'd like to know how she got out of a casket that was buried six feet underground." Stiles mutters.

"She was never in it." Scott reveals, "She was Allison's aunt and a total sociopath." Lydia sighs.

"You don't have to talk about it now if you don't want to." Kira suggests knowing his history with Allison and of course Miah.

"Um. Yes. He does." Malia exclaims, "Yeah. She's right. You guys should know. You need to know." Scott nods.

"All right. Kate was the one who set the fire that killed most of Derek's family." Stiles explains.

"Some of them survived. Like Cora and Peter." Scott adds, "A very angry Peter." Lydia mutters remembering nearly having a heart attack when Peter was on a killing spree.

"Yeah. He's the one who bit and turned me." Scott explains, "And the one who finally caught up to Kate and killed her." Lydia interjects.

"And we saw her buried." Stiles shrugs also trying to focus on the dirt road ahead of him.

"No. We saw a casket, remember? She wasn't in it." Scott responds receiving a look off Stiles.

"The Calaveras heard that Kate had been killed by an alpha's claws. They wanted to make sure she was really dead. Her body was healing, more and more. As she got closer to the full moon... she was coming back. So, they switched the bodies. It's a hunter rule... they have to take their own life before they change. The Calaveras, they treat the code like law. They make it their responsibility to enforce it." Scott explains.

"Good for her. I wouldn't do it, either." Malia voices, "Would you kill a half-dozen people to get out? Because that's what she did." Scott reveals looking at Malia, "So. Kate's a werewolf now?" Kira wonders.

"I don't know. You know... there's a saying, 'Sometimes, the shape you take reflects the person you are'." Scott replies softly.

"What kind of shape is sociopathic bitch?" Lydia mutters as the jeep strikes something sending Stiles into pulling the vehicle off to the side of the dirt road.

"What happened?" Braeden wonders pulling her motorcycle off to the side of the road ahead of the teenagers who are looking at the jeep in question, "I don't know. It felt like we hit something." Stiles states.

"Scott... we need to get there by night. It's too dangerous otherwise." Braeden demands.

"Go." Stiles urges nodding at his best friend, "Not without you!" Scott shrugs.

"Dude. Someone needs to find Derek. We'll figure something out. We always do. Just go." Stiles states.

"Okay." Scott sighs getting on the back of the woman's motorcycle and driving towards the abandoned town.

"Stiles?" Malia shouts looking at something in the wheel of the jeep, "I don't think we hit something. I think something hit us." Malia reveals holding up some sort of sharp bone off god knows what creature scaring the rest of the friend group who urge the male to work on the vehicle faster.

✹

WAKING UP to the smell of food Miah grimaces holding onto her now healed wound gasping at the new magic rushing through her bloodstream once again.

"What the fuck." Miah mumbles looking at her palms that are glowing red from her chaos magic along with a golden yellow kind of electricity.

"Hey Kid. You doing okay?" Peter frowns seeing the girl flinch and hide her hands before noticing Peter at the doorway.

"Yeah. I just feel weird." Miah shrugs seeing her father bringing soup into the room.

"Mom's recipe?" Miah gasps, "Uh... my recipe. Your mom just always took the credit for it." Joel explains smiling seeing Miah nod and eat the food.

"Well... you have an appetite. That's good." Joel states nodding at Miah who smiles finishing her meal.

"Thanks Dad." Miah laughs lying back on the pillows noticing night is soon going to fall upon them.

✹

PULLING UP still quite a far distance from the town, Scott gasps seeing the damage but the lonesome building standing in the middle, "La Iglesia." Braeden motions to the town shrugging.

"What happened here?" Scott wonders, "An earthquake. It leveled the town." Braeden explains, "Then why is the church still standing?" Scott frowns.

"The locals think it's because of what's underneath." Braeden shrugs, "Do I wanna know?" Scott questions.

"The church was built over the ruins of an Aztec temple. It belonged to a people called the Nagual." Braeden explains.

"Shapeshifters?" Scott questions, "Werejaguars." Braeden reveals, "So, Derek and Kate are somewhere in there?" Scott curiously wonders.

"I don't know. Never gotten this far before." Braeden shrugs walking back towards her motorcycle ready to head into the town more.

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MALIA FROWNS suddenly catching a scent, "Maybe we should just walk." Lydia suggests.

"Hey! I will never abandon this Jeep. You understand me? Ever." Stiles snaps.

"Work faster, Stiles. There's something out here with us." Malia states sending the group into panic as night falls sets upon them.

✹

SCOTT AND Braeden walk into the church, which leaves Braeden cocking the shotgun concerning Scott, "If you find Kate in here. What are you gonna do with her?" Scott questions.

"Bring her back to the Calaveras. That's what they paid me for." Braeden says.

"What happens after that?" Scott asks, "Not my problem." Braeden shrugs.

"You don't care?" Scott frowns, "Do you? She's a mass murderer." Braeden snaps.

"And you're a mercenary." Scott shrugs, "Girl's gotta eat!" Braeden states.

"If you were paid enough. Would you kill her?" Scott wonders, "If the money was good. I'd kill you but my girl Miah wouldn't like that too much." Braeden shrugs smiling at the shocked true alpha.

"Miah died, Braeden." Scott reveals shocking the brunette woman who gasps, snapping back into her job.

"Can you catch Derek's scent?" Braeden wonders standing in the church building alongside Scott.

"Yeah. Already on it." Scott nods hearing a distant roaring stopping the brunette into walking any further, "What?" Braeden asks alarmed.

"There's something else in here." Scott states, "Something like what?" Braeden asks.

"Something not human." Scott snarls making Braeden latch the shotgun tightly and walks into the church more leading the two of them down below the church.

✹

"LYDIA. COULD you please hold the light still for a second? It's really hard to see anything if you keep shaking it like that." Stiles mutters.

"I'm shaking it this way because we're in the middle of nowhere with your broken down Jeep. And we're being attacked by yet another razor-clawed monster. And I'm terrified and really missing my cousin." Lydia states appalled.

"Well... just be slightly less terrified. I miss her too. Now hold this." Stiles demands handing the strawberry blonde a piece from the jeep's engine.

"What's this?" Lydia wonders looking at the car part, "I don't know. I'm hoping it's not important." Stiles shrugs looking at the wide eyed look he's getting from Lydia.

"Oh god." Lydia mutters alarmed.

Kira unleashes her katana standing beside the brunette were-coyote, "Anything?" Kira questions.

"It's too hard to see. We should've brought another flashlight." Malia mumbles.

Kira shines the katana in the headlights of the jeep letting some more light around them eventually seeing a creature poking and ducking its head beneath a rock.

"Did you see that?" Kira asks alarmed.

Malia releases a growl and doesnt hesitate in running off into the direction of the threat, "Malia. Wait!" Kira exclaims.

"Hey, Malia!" Stiles states shocked going to chase after his girlfriend, "Kira, go!" Lydia demands seeing Kira running off in the direction of the were-coyote.

"You. Fix the Jeep," Lydia demands seeing Stiles looking at the retreating figures, "Stiles. Focus!" Lydia snarls wanting to get out of the middle of the desert alive.

Eventually fixing the jeep and starting the engine calling out for Malia and Kira to come back so they can leave the creepiness behind and meet Scott and Braeden outside the church.

✹

BRAEDEN GULPS before looking at the werewolf standing beside her, "What happened to Miah?" Braeden wonders breaking the silence.

"What?" Scott frowns, "What happened to my girl, Miah? You mentioned she died?" Braeden wonders.

"An evil spirit impaled her through her stomach and drained her... feeding off her magic. She died in my arms." Scott replies holding his emotions together while talking about the blonde girl he loved.

Scott turns around suddenly feeling the hairs on the back of his neck rise, "What?" Braeden asks concerned.

"Just had a feeling like something was behind us." Scott responds hearing a distant and mysterious growl along with the sound of running coming towards them.

"You hear that?" Braeden wonders, "Is this why you never get that far?" Scott questions.

"Get ready!" Braeden exclaims cocking the shotgun and firing a bullet into the dark shadows.

Braeden backs the two of them into a corner as Scott looks around urgently looking for the boned creature.

"Where is it? Do you see it?" Braeden wonders.

"No. I don't know. I can't see anything." Scott states, "Where is this thing?" Braeden wonders hearing a growl coming closer to the two of them.

"Scott. Get behind me," Braeden whispers, Scott shakes his head, "Scott, get behind me!" Braeden yells.

Scott snarls under his breath before releasing a loud growl into the temple underneath the church, "I think I scared it." Scott states huffing.

"I think you scared everything." Braeden responds as a crashing is heard coming from behind them seeing a secret area being revealed, "What is that?" Scott wonders.

"Tezcatlipoca. The Nagual jaguar god. I think we found Derek." Braeden reveals motioning to inside the tomb.

"Stand back." Scott urges punching a hole in the wall seeing a hand reaching out to them, Scott gasps.

"Oh, my god." Scott states helping the male out of the tomb and walking towards the exit seeing the others looking at Derek Hale in his teenager form.

"Is that him? Is that Derek?" Malia wonders, "Uh. Sort of..." Stiles states seeing younger Derek look up at them concerned.

✹

FINALLY FEELING enough energy to stand up for a while Miah walks into the loft's kitchen pouring herself a glass of water.

Seeing Joel and Peter discussing something with someone on the phone with both of their eyebrows in frowns confused by what they were just told about Derek Hale being a teenager.

Joel looks at the doorway seeing Miah walking into the living room, "Woah. Slow down. Take it slow." Joel demands, "I'm fine. Was that Scott?" Miah mumbles swallowing down the nausea.

"Yeah. Derek has been aged backwards. To when he was a teenager." Peter explains knowing the blonde will find out eventually, "Wait what?" Miah wonders confused.

"They're bringing him back to see Deaton. They will be back in Beacon Hills in the morning." Joel explains looking at his daughter.

"I need to see Scott. They think I'm dead." Miah mutters looking at her father and great-uncle with a pleading look on her face.

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TO BE CONTINUED...