Episode: 9, Calls and Conversations

Previously on Teen Wolf Legends An uncanny friendship grows between Derek Hale and Seraphina Argent, which becomes a little too hectic for the latter, who has to juggle school during the day and secret meetings with Derek at night.

While Allison appears to distrust Derek and finds herself suspicious about the nature of the relationship between the two.

At the Hale House, where our two protagonists conduct their nightly rendezvous, Seraphina tells Derek a wolf and his human form are synced and she can sense werewolves even if they're in their human forms, however an Alpha's wolf identity becomes distinct and she wouldn't even be able to tell if a human is werewolf if he was the Alpha.

Derek suggests a few names, among them, one of the chemist Adrian Harris. Seraphina Argent, exhausted from her days, finds herself falling asleep in the middle of the talk which while initially irks Derek, he lets her be to rest.

While asleep, Seraphina has another one of her dream-memories.

Once awake, she is surprised but grateful towards Derek. While leaving his house for a hunters' meeting, she sees a police car pulling up at the Hale House and Derek being taken away.

At the meeting, she meets Gerald Argent, and while he recognises her and embraces her, she appears not to.

On Gerald's call for a mass hunt, Seraphina steps up and declares no hunts will be conducted without her permission.

Upon such a strict order to follow the code, Gerald quietly declares to Chris that he doesn't believe this woman is Seraphina Argent.

---

If there was one man who couldn't look menacing and intimidating, it was sheriff Noah Stilinski. His chubby, square face and kind brown eyes just didn't have it in them.

His nomination for sheriff was, however unchallenged, for everyone in Beacon Hill knew, his brain was as sharp as his eyes were kind. Sherriff Stilinski, had been one of those brilliant young kids who didn't fit in a small town such as Beacon Hills. On his part, Noah didn't hesitate to take up on a college scholarship. From there on, it was no looking back. Elias Stilinski wouldn't stop talking about what a smart man his little boy was and how he had the city at his feet.

It was, thus a little bit of a surprise, especially to the older members of the town when a few decades later, Noah Stilinski crossed back into this side of the town's border, carrying sorrow in his eyes and a little boy in his arms.

No one had to heart to ask him, but soon rumours spread that Noah Stilinski had fallen head over heels for a woman, who left him soon after the birth of their son.

Heartbroken, he returned to the comfort of his town and people, looking for some form of acceptance and companionship.

It furthered surprised people when he decided to put in his bid for sheriff, despite his rather academia spirit.

What went on between Mayor Emma McAllister and Noah Stilinski in the former's office is anybody's guess, but the next thing anybody knew is that Stilinski was officially Sheriff Stilinski now.

Derek Hale had been sitting in the interrogation room quite a while when the Sherriff walked inside.

"Am I under arrest?" Derek barked.

"Not yet, son" the Sherriff said calmly, sitting opposite him "You're just here to answer a few questions."

"I don't have to say anything and you can't hold me till you arrest me"

"Well, son, as much as I wish life really was like those cop shows, the harsh truth is, it ain't." the Sheriff said "things will go much quicker and easier if you just cooperate."

Derek stayed silent.

"Well" the Sheriff continued "I suppose, by now you've heard of the murders across town. Did you know all the bodies have been found in the woods?"

Derek still didn't speak.

"Where is it that you live again? Your old house, isn't it? Tell me boy, why continue to live in an old dilapidated house in the woods?"

Derek looked away but still didn't speak.

...

...

Seraphina Argent just couldn't get the hang of cell phones. She'd just somehow gotten used to buttons, when the god damn companies decided they were too old school and decided to do away with them. As much as she resented modern technology, she secretly did admit to the fact that those nifty little boxes were quite useful especially when it came to communicating in an emergency not to mention the lack of droppings.

Nevertheless, plopping down on her uncomfortable bed in the shed, she pulled out her phone from her pocket. It was time to dial some numbers.

...

...

Stiles Stilinski had a good day planned ahead. Saturday was finally here and the week seemed to have gone on too long already.

Stiles had managed to persuade the local librarian to let him borrow a very old book on myths and mythical creatures, and Stiles wanted to ease on his desk and peruse every word.

Ever since his best friend's tragic accident, it seemed as if Stiles' life had topsy turned. At first it was werewolves, then it was hunters, and now the town was playing host to a sullen supergirl.

Stiles had decided he'd had enough surprises and ever since had been on a relentless pursuit to track down every lore and myth he could to understand the world that hid in shadows.

Therefore, it was with a little grump in his mood, that he walked up to the station, to give his father some of his stuff he'd left behind that morning.

"Morning, Stiles, what brings you by?"

Stiles was well known in the station. Most of his father's colleagues had seen him grow up.

"Morning, Parker" Stiles said "Gotta just hand these in" he raised the box in his hand to indicate it. "Have you seen my dad?"

"Oh yeah, he's in the interrogation room"

Stiles' eyes widened. Perhaps this visit wasn't such a waste of time after all.

Stiles knew his father, being in the position he was, didn't usually handle interrogations. Him being in there, interrogating someone meant it was a big case, and the biggest case plaguing Beacon Hills right now was-

"Did they catch him?" Stiles said breathlessly "the one who's committing all those murders?"

"Now, now, boy" the wrinkles on Parker's face deepened as he smiled at Stiles "I know you fancy yourself a detective, but this is dangerous."

"Come on, Parker!" Stiles said, emulating the boy who played in Parker's lap. Parker was a childless widower who'd doted on Stiles as his own son. Stiles knew Parker couldn't refuse him long. "I just want to know! Pleeeaasssee?"

Parker glanced in the direction of the interrogation room, then back at Stiles.

With a sigh, he said "You know that Hale boy? Whose family burnt down in a bad accident? The Sheriff had him brought in finally today. Shady boy he is. Do you know he still lives up in that burnt down house. I saw a documentary the other day, about disturbed juveniles who live through a tragedy... If you ask me, he's definitely up to something sinister. And I'm not the only one."

Parker glances involuntarily at his colleagues.

Stiles' breath seemed to have caught in his chest. Apparently, Stiles and surprises will never be strangers.

Stiles walked to his father's desk and put the box down, the exact moment his phone rang, flashing unidentified number.

"Hello?" he said into his phone.

"Hello? Hi, Stiles"

The woman's voice was unmistakable.

"Seraphina!" Stiles gasped "How did you get this number?"

As he said the words, Stiles realised how stupid they sounded. This was a woman who wasn't even human. Surely, getting a phone number was no more challenging than getting a glass of water.

"I asked Derek for yours and Scott's numbers" she replied simply.

"Oh" said Stiles, finding himself to be slightly disappointed.

"Speaking of, it's come to my knowledge your father called Derek into the station. I need you to find out what he has on him"

The detective in him spoke before he could, "Yes! Okay!"

"Okay?" Seraphina asked on the phone "Just like that?"

"Yeah, um, I mean Derek's a friend and so are you, so..."

"Oh" said Seraphina, sounding slightly surprised "okay, that's nice of you"

Stiles gulped. Stiles was pretty terrified of Seraphina, almost as much as he was of Derek, perhaps more, as she was yet a largely unknown entity. Scott, however, often pointed out how he was her 'soft spot' and how her cold and callous demeanour did a 180 when it came to him.

"Um, okay... So, I'll talk to you later?" Stiles said a little awkwardly.

"Why yes, of course, bye, Stiles, have a good day" Seraphina said.

Stiles looked down at his phone. Apparently, Seraphina didn't want to hang up.

Not having any similar desires, Stiles pressed the red button on his phone and tentatively proceeded to the interrogation room.

"For over a decade, you stay away from the town and then come back just as the first body drops. Isn't that suspicious?"

"You're accusing me of killing all those people?" Derek snarled.

Sheriff Stilinski leaned forward on the table, staring at Derek intently.

"I'm just stating the facts, son. And right now, they don't stack in your favour. A recluse with a tragic past living away from the society doesn't exactly attract confidence." the Sheriff paused "My town is in danger. The people are scared, Derek Hale. I'll do anything to save them."

Derek glared right back into the Sheriff's eyes, unblinking.

He heard it as clearly as he was in the room.

"Hey! Hey you're not supposed to be here!"

"It's the Sheriff's son, Johnny, it's okay"

"Um, hi, I'm just waiting for my dad, he's in there"

The tap on the one-sided glass was audible to the Sheriff as well.

He straightened up and with one intense look at Derek, walked out of the room.

Stiles stood outside, looking like a kitten who'd been caught stealing milk.

The sheriff nodded to his comrades and proceeded in a strong walk towards his office, while his son followed.

"We've talked about this. You cannot come interfering in my investigations"

"I wasn't!" said Stiles, trying to keep pace, following his father inside his office and closing the door behind him. "See, I got you your stuff!"

He gestured at the box on the sheriff's table. Noah Stilinski went around the table and began rummaging through his things.

"And what were you doing outside the interrogation room?" he said without looking up.

"I, uh, I just wanted to see you and as you out for... lunch?" Stiles said, thinking quickly.

The sheriff peered up, with a look of disbelief on his face.

"Very good thinking, Nancy Drew" he said, getting back to rummaging through his things.

"So..." said Stiles, sliding in the chair opposite him "Is D- that man arrested?"

"Is that your idea of asking me to lunch?" Sherrif said

"You know what, dad. You're absolutely right. I'm actually really looking forward to this lunch with you... it's been so long since we sat together and just talked, you know... There's been so much going around in school and I want to just sit down with you uninterrupted and talk. Father to son"

Stiles paused to let the words take effect.

Noah Stilinski paused and looked up at his son, the first time he'd done so properly since the morning.

"Look, son... I'm sorry... This case has me absolutely swamped. I've got a lot of work here and I just can't leave it"

"Oh" said Stiles, biting his lip and looking away "Yeah, yeah... I totally get it... Duty, eh? It's okay, dad. We can totally take a rain check... I'll just go have lunch at Scott's, you know, like always..."

Stiles didn't move from the chair, and continued looking into the distance.

Noah looked at his son and felt his shoulder's slump slightly.

"Derek Hale" Sheriff Stilinski said "No, he's not under arrest yet. I don't have anything solid on him, that'll tie him to the murders, but he is definitely my top suspect and as soon as I get something, I'll have him arrested."

"Oh, don't worry, dad. I know you'll figure it out and catch whoever is really responsible." Stiles got up from his chair and turned to leave.

At the door, he turned back and said softly "I'm proud of you, dad"

As Noah Stilinski's face relaxed into a warm smile, Stiles turned and left.

Nancy Drew, indeed he chuckled to himself, pulling out his phone and calling Seraphina back.

...

...

Derek didn't know how long it'd passed since the Sheriff left, or how long it'd been since he'd been arrested.

I'm not arrested Derek thought forcefully.

Breaking out of the station wasn't the problem. Derek was sure he'd be able to avoid getting shot fatally, given the number of armed people in the building and may even find a place to hide till his injuries healed. No, the problem was, breaking out of the station without leaving a trail of people questioning their sanity and raising some awful lot of suspicion, not to mention the fact that such a stunt would have him killed by the hunters before he could say 'Help!'

And so, Derek sat waiting in the humid room, too proud to ask for a glass of water. He knew it was just a tactic to break him. He'd seen his crime dramas. His acute hearing had him picking up dull chatter. Who was having what for lunch, what had happened on the latest episode of Utopia, Derek zoned out. Making silence and his various trains of thought his companion, he waited.

He heard the heavy approaching footsteps long before the door to the room flung open.

"Look, son" the Sheriff said, wiping his brow "I know your family died, I know it's unfair. The police conducted an investigation, but couldn't find any evidence of foul play. That made you angry, didn't it?"

Taking his silence as an affirmation, he continued "I'm sure you wanted revenge. I know Garrett Myers was investigated. And so was Earl Unger and Josh Reddick were too."

The names of the people responsible for murdering his entire family in cold blood made Derek's body grow warm and his heart pound faster.

"No" he growled, his breath quickening.

"Is that why you killed them? Because they killed your family? They burnt your family, your mother, Laura, your little sister, Cora"

Derek looked away, clenching his fists. He felt his nails elongate and his eyes dilate.

Must. Control. He thought furiously.

"Who will you go against next, Adrian Harris? It's only justice. They set fire to your house, so you killed them, didn't you? You murdered those people!"

Derek sprung up from his chair and slammed his hands on the table. The table buckled under the pressure and cracks appeared, just as the door was flung open one more time.

"That's quite enough"

A handsome man in a crisp grey suit stood at the doorway. His voice was firm but oddly calm. As he stepped inside the room, he extended a hand to Noah Stilinski

"Aryan Das" he said "I'm Mr. Hale's legal counsel"

For a moment, both, the interrogator as well as the interrogatee looked at each other and blinked.

The man, Aryan Das, slid next to Derek and continued "As his legal counsel, I advise Mr. Hale to not answer any questions you have. You either charge him or let him go. Oh, and Sheriff" he smiled "if you're going to pull the 72 hours bull on me, know that we can, and will sue for mistreatment and denial of legal rights."

It wasn't until the pair was out of the station, serenaded by every eye in the station (it was the first time anyone had seen a top-notch lawyer walk in and pull legal mumbo jumbo to take away a suspect), that Derek Hale found his voice.

The last vestiges of the sun's light were still scattered across the sky as Aryan Das lead Derek to his Porche.

"Hold up" said Derek "Who are you?"

"Uh... Aryan Das? Your legal counsel?"

"Yeah, I got that, I mean" Derek paused to search for the right questions to ask for "Where did you come from? How do you know me? Who hired you?"

"Look, buddy" said Aryan, opening the door to his Porche "I practice in a town nearby and I got a call a few hours ago, offering me a pretty hefty compensation in exchange for getting you out of this station and dropping you home." he paused and looked Derek up and down "You know what, when you do find out, thank her. Your guardian angel is picking up the tab and I don't exactly come cheap. Now, where is your home?"

…...

…...

She sensed him long before he could knock softly on the door.

She leapt off the bed, her body tensing up and hurled the door open almost as soon as he tapped.

Before he had time to register the sight of her, she grabbed him by the colour, pulled him inside and shut the door behind her.

"Derek!" she said in a breathless whisper, "Are you ing insane?"

Only, all Derek understood was his name, for the sound she made next was more like 'dimag kharaab ho gaya hai kya?!'.

"Uh..." said Derek, caught between the gibberish he just heard and the sudden realisation that he was inches away from her.

She seemed to have realised the latter as well, for she fumbled a little, both in her step away from him and in the words she said next

"I-I mean, what are you doing showing up here? You do realise five, quite ferocious hunters live literally yards away from here and they won't hesitate to kill you on sight! You're supposed to be home!"

Derek folded his arms and looked at her.

"I was careful, wasn't outside your door a second before you opened up. I can understand though, if I'm not welcomed here."

"No, no, it's not that, I was just..." her voice trailed off as her eyes met his.

"Just?" asked Derek, looking at her searchingly and taking an involuntary step closer to her.

She looked away but didn't say anything.

"Charming" he said, looking around the shed. "You live in this dump and have the nerve to call my place a ramshackle cottage."

He looked back at her.

"Anyway, as you know, I was taken down to the Sheriff's station today and while we were, er, talking, he mentioned a name, Adrian Harris"

"The chemistry teacher?" Seraphina asked, her curiosity taking over all the other emotions.

"Yes, that's the one. He recently got this huge government grant for some research work and has his own very secure lab. Maybe that's the-"

"Headquarters of the pack?" said Seraphina completed.

"Sheriff mentioned he was investigated along with the others for the fire"

Seraphina looked away, thinking hard.

"If he is the alpha, he's hitting two birds with one stone. Making you the target for the hunters, as well as tying up loose ends." She snapped back to look at him. "You know what this means, Derek?"

"That we put him at the top of the list of people we have to investigate?" Derek said.

"No!" said Seraphina "It means you've got to be careful!" she jabbed her finger, rather more forcefully than she'd intended at him as a gesture, but he caught her hand just as it touched him.

His warm hand cupped around hers, he stepped closer to her once again.

"I need to find out who killed my sister, Seraphina"

She nodded slightly, very aware of the face that her hand was still in his.

Seraphina wouldn't have been surprised if the air between them started sprouting sparks. A wave of warmth was washing over her body, radiating from his touch, while at the same time, she felt her bones grow oddly cold.

"You, er, you should go"

"What?" he let go of her hand "Yes, yes, of course"

"I mean, unless you want to stay" she said quickly.

"No, no, as you said, people ready to kill me only yards away."

She nodded.

"So, I'll open the door, you be ready, and just sprint out of the house, okay?"

"Okay" said Derek.

She opened the door slightly and peered out carefully.

"Hey, Seraphina" Derek said

She turned to look at him.

"Thanks"

Seraphina found herself to be smiling deeply, an expression, though she didn't see it, was mirrored in Derek's face.

"Okay, go now" she said in a hushed tone, her smile sounding through.

With one last look at her, Derek sprinted out of the house in a blur.

Letting your emotions sway you can be dangerous. Caught in a rather sweet moment, neither Seraphina, nor Derek had noticed a very faint silhouette standing at the window of the master bedroom. If a light was to be shone upon the window, the sculpted face, arched eyebrows and perfect nose of Victoria Argent would be unmistakable.

Blissfully unaware, Seraphina Argent almost skipped to her bed, feeling as light as a balloon.

Her phone rang again. This was her fourth call of the day, which was four more than she'd have liked.

Nevertheless, the number flashing on the screen and the voice at the other end made the ordeal quite bearable.

"Hey" she said, switching to her native language "Thanks for today"

"No thanks necessary, jaaneman, anything anytime for you." said the strangely calming voice on the other end of the phone. "Think you can spare a few minutes to meet before I'm forced to head back?"

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PS: If a Hindi speaker can suggest a better translation of "Are you ing insane" Please do so!