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                  Harper eyed her friend who was having and extremely heated conversation with her mother. Maia angrily hung up the phone, her hands going to her hips.

"I'm guessing not a happy phone call" Harper commented walking towards the girl.

Maia pursed her lips "well" she trailed off "I kinda sorta just left a note saying that I forged her signature to transfered schools and came here" she tilted her head with a smile.

"You did what!?" Harper questioned with widened eyes.

Maia shrugged as she fell down into the seat "no one gets me over there" she glanced at her friend "you were supposed to come her for a few days- I understand things got messy but now you technically live here again"

Harper gave her a soft expression and sat beside her "you were the only person who understood me" Maia confessed with a saddened look "you're my best friend and I need you"

Harper took her friend's hand "I'm always gonna be here. I promise"

Maia softly smiled before pulling her into a hug.

⇜⇝

Harper and Maia made their way through the halls of the school Harper's pace slowing when she notices Scott and Stiles sitting on the stairs, Maia slowed her own walk noticing the Hale girl had.

Harper's brows draw together as she catches the last bit of their conversation.

"I know because I love you" Stiles said looking at his friend who had a smile on his "I love you more than-"

Harper couldn't bit back her laughter causing the two's gaze to turn to her. Although Maia seemed to be laughing harder obviously hearing what the Hale had.

Harper motions between the two as she spoke "Should I come back? I feel like I'm interrupting something"

Stiles immediately shook his head raising his hand "No, no! He want's me to tell Allison that" he explains before looking at Scott "Look, I can't do this. You and Allison just have to find a better way to communicate"

Maia leaned towards her friend "sure" she sang out in a whisper. And clearly the two teen boys didn't hear her comment. Harper biting back a smile.

"Come on" Scott sighed out "You're the only one that we can trust. Is she coming to the game tonight?"

"Yes. Okay, message complete" Stiles answers before he asks "Now tell me about your boss"

Scott looks around for a moment as he lowers his voice just above a whisper "He thinks that Allison's family keeps some kind of, uh, records of all the things that they've hunted. Like a book"

Stiles eyes light up as he claps his hands "He probably means a bestiary"

a confused look covers the Hale's face "a what?"

"I thought you were supposed to be the smart one?" Maia quirked a brow.

Stiles eyes narrow slightly at the Lavine "a bestiary, come on you two have to know what I'm talking about" he looked at the girls who shrugged.

Scott chuckles "I think you mean bestiality"

Stiles presses his lips together with an unamused look on his face "Nope, pretty sure I don't"

Harper makes an o shape with her mouth as she snaps her fingers "Wait, I know what your talking about. It's probably some old book passed down through generations of the Argent family so they're, like, prepared I guess"

Stiles nods "yeah, it's basically an encyclopedia of mythical creatures"

Scott looks between the two "How am I the only one who doesn't seem to know anything about this stuff?"

Maia raised her hand "yeah, you're not alone. What the hell are you two talking about?"

Stiles sighs lightly "Okay, you're my best friend, you're a creature of the night, it's kind of a priority of mine" his hand motions to the Hale beside him "And Harper was born into this so- Maia, I don't really know but anyways"

Maias eyes narrowed at the Stilinski. "Yeah, I was born into this too. But my family is lowkey, under the radar"

Scott nods "Okay. If we can find it and it can tell us what this thing is-"

"And who" Stiles pipes in "we need that book" the two say in unison before the share a look and glance to Harper

Harper gave them a tight lipped smile with a thumbs up, agreeing to a plan that might not work out in their benefit.

The two get up from the stairs and the four make their way down the hall, trying to discuss a plan.

⇜⇝

After Stiles had to run back and forth between Scott, Harper and Maia, and Allison they had figured out Allison had seen Gerard with the book and that it should be in his office.

So here they were, five teenagers that aren't even supposed to be communicating with a full plan on how to steal a book during the Lacrosse game later that night.

Harper noticed Allison holding out the keys, she gave Stiles a quick nod and made her way around the opposite end of the bleachers while Stiles went past Allison taking the keys from her hand.

While Maia sat just behind Allison and Gerard ready to send a warning text if the old man wanders off towards the school.

Harper met up with Stiles as she looks at him "you got the keys?"

He nods holding them out to show as the two make their way through the parking lot.

Harper glances at the boy "Hey, I've never really got the details on what ever this thing is looked like?" She paused "if it's not too much to ask"

Stiles nods taking a breath "It's pretty much reptilian it's eyes especially and it had scales all over it's body"

Harper's brows draw together "So it's like a snake?"

Stiles shakes his head "No, more uh, like a lizard"

Harper hums, her head tilting causing Stiles to stop walking for a moment "What? do you know what it is? Who it is!?"

"No, no" Harper shakes her head raising her hands as they continue to walk "I was just think about something Derek had said a while ago. Something like you take the shape of the person you are"

Stiles makes an o shape with his mouth as he nods "Well, whatever it is, it's not like you and Scott, and this new werewolf creature Maia-"

"Werecoyte" Harper corrected giving him a look "she'll snap you like a twig if you call her a werewolf one too many times, she takes pride in being unique"

Stiles purses his lips "okay, a werecoyte." He mutters as if trying to make a mental note. The corner of Harper's lips turn upwards slightly. "anyways . . Whoever it is will remain a mystery, until we figure it out of course"

"of course" Harper added with a small smile, slightly admiring his confidence on figuring out who this thing is.

The two continue on their way towards Gerard's office, their fast pace never slowing.

Just as they're close to the doors Stiles stops abruptly causing Harper to stop with a confused look on her face. She looks at the boy before following his gaze to the crying Lydia Martin sitting in her car.

Harper noticed the indecisive look on the boys face. The Hale sighs lightly "Go"

Stiles looked at her, confusion covering his face as she held her hand out "Make sure she's okay, I'll start searching for the book"

Stiles looks hesitant as he fiddles with the keys in hand. Harper gives his a tight lipped smile "Go" she repeats.

Stiles' eyes don't leave hers for a moment before he sets the keys in her hands, she gives him a reassuring nod and makes her way towards the school doors.

.       .   .

Harper ruffled through the papers in one of the drawers in Gerard's desk before she lets out a groan slamming it shut.

she looked around the room for somewhere else the book would be as Stiles stumbles into the room.

"Have you found it?" he quickly asks making his way towards her.

Harper shook her head as she sighed "Not yet, I've checked basically every drawer in the desk"

he nods "Alright, I'll double check you look around the room"

Harper nodded as her eyes land on a bookshelf over in the corner by the door. She makes her way towards it as she pulls out each book just enough to read the titles.

Harper glanced towards Stiles before she spoke "I thought you were talking to Lydia, Making sure she's fine and stuff"

Stiles shut the drawer he was looking through before looking at the girl. Stiles shrugged slightly as he opened a different drawer "I told her I'd come back, this is kind of important"

Harper nods as she continues to look through the books.

"And it didn't feel right having you do this all by yourself" Stiles added with a shrug gaining her attention.

A soft smile fell upon her face before she sighs "I don't see any book that will help us"

Stiles shakes his head "me either" he sighs grabbing his phone texting Allison that nothing was there.

Harper's brows draw together as footsteps filled her ears causing her to turn just as Stiles jumps back in shock at Erica's presence.

she smirked at the pair "Hello, Stiles, Harper"

Harper's head tilted "Erica"

Erica led the two from the office, Harper already knew who was waiting for them so she just went along with it seeing as the couldn't find the book anyways.

Besides Derek may scare everyone else with acting intimidating but to Harper it was either funny or straight up annoying.

the three walk into the pool room to see Derek holding a basket ball in his hand "Stiles"

"Derek" the Stilinski retorts.

"What did you see at the mechanic's garage?" Derek deadpanned, getting straight to why he had found them.

"Uh" Stiles trailed off "Several alarming EPA violations that I'm seriously considering reporting"

Harper chuckled at his comment glancing at the boy before her gaze was turned back to Derek as he dug his nails into the basket ball forcing it to pop causing Harper to roll his eyes at his intimidation tactics.

But said intimidation tactics seemed to work on the Stilinski boy "Oh god" Stiles muttered.

Derek pressed his lips together as he tossed the deflated ball on the ground "Let's try that again"

Stiles shakes his head "Alright, the thing was pretty slick looking. Um, Skin was dark, kind of patterned. I think I actually saw scales, is that enough? cause I have somebody I need to talk to"

Derek gave him a look causing Stiles to let out a aggravated sigh "Alright, fine. Eyes . . Eyes are uh, yellowish and slitted. Um, has a lot of teeth. Oh, and it's got a tail too"

Harper noticed Derek's and Erica's gaze shift to above them, her brows furrow as she slowly begins to turn around following their gazes as her eyes land on the creature Stiles was describing.

"Are we good?" Stiles said as Harper smacked his arm lightly but he just brushed her off noticing the look on Erica and Derek's face "What? Wait, have you seen it?

"You have this look on your faces like you know exactly what I'm talking about"

"Stiles" Harper muttered smacking his arm yet again..

the boy looked at her as he questioned "What- Oh my god"

The scaly animal let out an almost screech noise as Harper and Stiles move back just in time before it jumps down from the floor above them knocking Erica into the wall, the blond landing on the floor unconscious.

Harper went to take a step forward her eyes glowing blue but Derek grabbed her arm pulling her back "Run!" he looked between the two teens.

Stiles took Harper's hand while the Hale girl gave Derek a reluctant look as she began to move with the Stilinski boy.

With Derek's backed turned, the Kanima as it moved forward slicing a small cut across Derek's neck. Derek slowly turned back around his balance unsteady.

Harper stopped her movements as she pulled her hand away from the Stilinski's

"Derek your neck" Stiles comments just before Derek began to fall back.

the two teens rush up behind him, the Kanima disappearing somewhere in the room as they each put one of Derek's arm over their shoulders as they walk as quickly as they can with Derek's weight.

"Where is can you see it?" Stiles questioned as they continued to move

"No, but I can smell it" Derek answered "Hurry"

"yeah you try moving fast carrying your dead weight" harper commented earning a look from Derek.

"Call Scott" Derek said to the pair.

Her eyes narrow "so Scott can fight it but I can't?"

Derek stared at her blankly "Call. Scott"

Harper ran her tongue across her teeth before she searched her pockets before sighing "I don't have my phone"

Stiles reached into his pocket pulling out his phone but he fumbled it from his hands, the electronic device hitting the tiled floor of the pool room.

He bent down to pick it up causing Derek's weight to fall where Stiles was supposed to be catching Harper by surprise as he pulls her down with him into the pool beside them.

Harper's hold on Derek slipped as she resurfaced above the water taking a deep breath before looking in the direction of Derek and diving back under.

Her hands grabbed ahold of Derek's shirt as she lifted him upwards. Stiles looked at the two Hales underwater before he dived in, grabbing ahold of Derek helping Harper pull him above water.

the three gasped for air as the resurfaced. "Where is it? Do you see it?" Stiles questioned as he looked around

Harper adjusted Derek's arm over her shoulder as she tried to keep herself and him above the water. The girl looked around shaking her head slightly "No"

"Okay, maybe it took off?" Stiles said hopefully but the creatures screechy like roar echoed through the room.

"Maybe not" Derek added.

Harper looked around the room once again with no sight of the creature she tried to look around Derek's body to the Stilinski

"Why did you let go!?" Harper exclaimed as she continued to tread water.

Stiles eyes widen slightly "I dropped my phone, he told me to call Scott!"

"Well, a little warning would be nice so I don't get dragged into a pool of water!" Harper retorted, anger on her face.

but before Stiles could answer Derek's voice filled their ears "would you two stop bickering and get me out of here before I drown"

"you're worried about drowning?" Stiles questioned "Did you notice the thing out there with multiple rows of razor sharp teeth?"

Derek looked at him "Did you notice that I'm paralyzed from the neck down in eight feet of water!" his voice raised slightly.

"Okay, okay" Stiles looked around "I don't see it"

Harper and Stiles share a looked before they begin to swim the best of their ability while holding Derek up

"Wait, wait, wait, stop!" Derek's voiced caused the two to stop their movements Harper's eyes caught the shadow of the animal before it's scaly self came into view.

"What's it waiting for?" Stiles asked, confused as to why it hadn't attacked them yet.

Harper continued to watch it move along the side of the pool but not going near the water. She grew confused not knowing why it wouldn't just come and finish them off because she knew that it could.

Harper watched as it rounded the pool before coming towards the edge it's hand going into the water but it immediately pulled back and away from the edge of the pool.

"Wait did you see that?" Stiles said nodding his head in the direction of the Kanima

Harper nodded "yeah"

"I don't think it can swim" the Stilinski announced.

Harper adjusted Derek's arm around her shoulder, her arms and legs begging to grow weaker from the consistent swimming while holding Derek's body weight up.

"Okay, okay, I don't think I can do this much longer" Stiles stated as he struggled to keep his head above water

"Me either" Harper added before glancing at Derek "Can't you just work harder to un-paralyze yourself"

if Derek could turn his head he'd be giving the girl a glare. The two Hale's noticed how quiet the Stilinski was being. Harper followed his gaze to his phone

Her eyes widen "No, don't you dare, Stiles"

"Don't even think about it" Derek quickly added

Stiles rolled his eyes "Can't you just trust me this once"

"No!" Derek answered

"I'm the one keeping you alive and Harper have you notice that?" The Stilinski boys brow quirked

"yeah, and when the paralysis wears off, who's gonna be able to fight that thing me or you?" Derek raised a brow at the boy.

"Me" Harper spoke up.

"No" Derek said immediately shutting the girl down

Harper's eyes narrow on him "what do you mean No? I can take whatever that is, besides I'm probably stronger then you"

"No" Derek said once again which made Harper roll her eyes.

"So that's why I've been holding you up for the past two hours, because you can fight it and I can't?" Stiles questioned.

"Yep" Derek deadpanned "you don't trust me, I don't trust you. And you need me to survive, which is why you're not gonna let go"

"We both trust Harper" Stiles pointed out. The hale brows raise slightly "and she trusts us, so, let me do this"

"No" Derek protested but as Stiles let go of the Hale and began to swim towards his phone

Harper pulled on Derek's arm, holding him tighter now that she was responsible for his whole weight.

Stiles got to the edge as he quickly grabbed his phone, the kanima merely missing the boy .

Stiles put the phone to his ear "Scott!" but in almost an instant the phone left his ear as a shocked an utter disbelief expression covered his face

Harper struggled to keep herself and Derek up as she looked at the Stilinski "Stiles" she called out her head falling under the water for a moment before she managed to pull herself and Derek back up.

Stiles swam back towards the two as he pulled Derek's arm back over his shoulder lifting some of Derek's weight off Harper making it easier for her to stay afloat.

"tell me you got him" Derek said to the boy

Stiles was silent earning a look from Harper "you're kidding me"

Harper's breathing grew heavy as she and Stiles share a knowing look

"We need to find something to hold on to"

Harper looked towards the small diving platforms as she nodded her head in the direction of them "there"

Stiles nods as the two begin to swim towards them as they try to reach but just miss, she was about to go under but she grabbed the edge of the pool not even caring what that thing was that was out there waiting for them.

But Stiles went under she tried to reach for the boy but before she could Scott's hands grab ahold of his friend pulling him out of the water.

a relieved sigh left Harpers lips as Scott pulls Derek out, then Helps Harper out from the water.

Harper laid on the floor catching her breath as the Kanima tackled Scott to the ground before wrapping it's tail around the McCall's ankle sending him flying into the wall breaking a mirror that was attached to it.

Scott quickly recovered as he grabbed a piece of the glass. The Kanima's eyes landed on it's reflection as it stared for a moment before jumping above Scott , making it's way towards the ceiling as it broke through the glass part of the roof

Scott looked to the three who were still on the ground catching their breaths while Derek's paralysis was practically gone.

⇜⇝

Scott and Stiles were looking through the bestiary on Scott's computer considering it was on the hard drive that was attached to Gerard's keys.

Harper walked up behind them as she looked at the computer her brows  pull together "what the hell kind of language is that?"

"How are we supposed to figure out what this thing is?" Stiles commented.

"it's a Kanima" Derek announced as he and Erica walk towards the three.

his words didn't help solve Harper's confusion as her brows raise "A Kana what?"

"you knew the whole time" Stiles sighed out an annoyed expression on his face.

"A Kanima" Derek repeated before looking to Stiles "And no, only when it was confused by it's own reflection"

"It doesn't know what it is" Scott said as Derek added "or who"

Harper bunches her shoulders "well, what else do you know that you haven't told me"

"Just stories, rumours" Derek answered looking at the girl

Scott's brows furrow "but it's like us?"

"A shapeshifter yes" Derek nodded "but. . . It's, it's not right, It's like a" he trails off trying to find the word

"An abomination" Stiles pipped in earning a nod from Derek.

"Derek" Scott's voice gained their attention "We need to work together on this, Not just me, Stiles, and Harper. All of us" he bunches his shoulders "Maybe even tell the Argents"

"You trust them?" Derek asked in disbelief.

"Nobody trusts anyone" Scott retorted "that's the problem. while we're here arguing about who's on what side, there's something scarier, stronger, and faster than any of us, and it's killing people. and we still don't know anything about it!"

Derek's gaze stayed hard on the McCall "I know one thing. When I find, I'm gonna kill it"

and with that he walked away Erica following.

Harper sighed looking at Scott and Stiles "I'll talk to him, about the teamwork thing"

she gives them a tight lipped smile before walking away following after Derek.

Maia jogged up from the parking lot, finally finding the hale after hours "Jesus I've been looking for you for like an hour. What the hell happened"

"The, weird lizard thing- which is called a kanima paralyzed Derek then we fell into the pool"

Maia's lips pursed "ah, so normal Wednesday night?"

Harper chuckled at the girl .

⇜⇝

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I hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading, voting, and commenting love y'all <3

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