Episode 7

Allied

Previously on Legends Derek Hale, Stiles Stilinski and Scott McCall find themselves being forced into making Seraphina Argent a part of their life. Meanwhile Seraphina skirts away from the one person who desperately want her to be a part of her life: Kate Argent.

Derek Hale is shot with a special Wolfsbane bullet by Kate. Unlike normal bullets, which would essentially be harmless, or silver, which would kill him instantly, the Wolfsbane kills its prey slowly. Unable to heal and in a great pain, Derek implores Scott to go to the Argent house and find the bullet in hopes that it would allow them to think of cure. Scott tries is best, but isn't able to ring in with the Argents. He is caught by Seraphina trying to snoop around Kate's room and is forced to tell her about Derek's wound.

Seraphina, not knowing which bullet shot Derek, shortlists three and urges Stiles to use his brain to come up with a way to identify the right bullet. She and Derek share a moment as she tries to keep him conscious while Stiles' experiments prove to be successful and they are able to save Derek from the brink of death.

 

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The lights that illuminated the dark house weren't enough to dispel the gloom and the stench of death.

Derek Hale pointed at the musty sofa. Seraphina Argent followed the gesture with a side smirk on her face.

"Cozy" she said, looking around as she sat.

Derek didn't answer but walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out two cans.

"Oh, I don't drink" said Seraphina

Derek gave her a look of grudging admiration and put one back. He walked over to the chair opposite Seraphina who leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees, her hands clasped together and both index fingers sticking out, resting underneath her chin.

"So" said Derek, popping the can "It's time to get , Ms. Argent"

...

...

Another slaughter has rocked Beacon Hills, only this time, it isn't one, but two. The bodies of Unger and Reddick Smith, brothers, 34 and 36, were found this morning in the park by a jogger. Police are once again calling it an animal attack but the people no longer appear satisfied. They demand answers. Beacon Hills, wants answers. What is Mayor McCvoy doing to protect the town? What is Sheriff Stilinski doing to protect the people?

Meanwhile beast sightings are being reported all over town. Let's get it from our on ground correspondent, James Bucky, as he interviews Southside resident Damien Janine on the "big hairy creature" she saw gallop past her house in the middle of the night.

As the photos of the two dead men, once whole and unmutilated were replaced by the image of a bespectacled old man interviewing an old lady in front of trailer, Chris Argent whipped around to look at his sister Kate. She'd frozen mid-way to the living room with a refilled plate of food in her hand. Her eyes momentarily reflected the terror in Chris' eyes.

Exchanging a knowing glance with each other, the brother and sister duo turned to look at Seraphina, who was quietly eating her food, unconcerned. It appeared that the woman hadn't even glanced at the news let alone be bothered by it.

Kate walked over next to Chris and sat down and kept the plate on the table in front of her, no longer hungry. Her eyes still on Seraphina, she opened to say something but Chris grabbed hold of her wrist and held it tight, and turning his head to look at his wife and daughter, who were well within hearing range. He cautioned her with his eyes and warned her to stay quiet.

"Seraphina, wait!"

Seraphina Argent stopped with her hand on the door knob. She was keen to get out of the house even if it meant going back to that shoddy shed.

At Kate's voice, however, Seraphina gritted her teeth and turned back reluctantly.

"Can we talk?" said Kate.

Seraphina felt the familiar irritation wash over her body as she forced a smile and said "Sure" before ing her hands in her pocket around the string of beads and following Kate back into the hall.

Chris was pacing in the living room. Evidently, he had been waiting for Seraphina.

"What is it?" Seraphina asked, trying to keep the irk from her voice.

"Did you hear the news?" Chris asked her, his bright blues eyes round with anxiety.

"Er, nope." said Seraphina "Why?"

"Two more bodies were found 'Animal attacks' again'

Seraphina looked from Chris to Kate

"Look" she began "I'm working on it, it's not an overnight—"

"You don't understand!" Chris hissed "The men who were killed by the pack, they" Chris glanced at Kate "They -"

"They were there on the night of the Fire with me" Kate finished

"What?!" Seraphina spat

"They were high school thugs. Petty theft and everything. They helped me that night" Kate said "And now they're —"

"Now they're dead." Interjected Seraphina coldy, her eyebrows coming together, and her brain working furiously.

"We think maybe it's—" began Chris

"I told Chris you came asking about Derek Hale the other night. Obviously you're on the right track. I think we should hunt him down tonight." Kate said, her eyes gleaming

"No!" said Seraphina quickly

"What? Why not?" Kate asked, confused

"Because we don't know for sure. We're not making a move 'till we're absolutely sure who the Alpha is." Seraphina said in a low and hurried voice "We're not breaking the code"

Seraphina looked from the scandalous expression on Kate's face to Chris' grim eyes.

"Its...for your own safety" she added, willing and yet unwillingly.

"I can take care of myself—"Kate began

'No" said Seraphina "We have no idea what the pack's capable of and it's possible they have a target on your back. Chris, you and Victoria better be careful. I'll keep an eye on Allison and Kate" she turned to look at her "you're under house arrest 'till the matter is sorted. I mean it" she added firmly as Kate showed signs of protests. "I don't want you hurt"

It was a blatant lie, but a white one at that. It'd be enough to keep Kate at bay. The rest of the community, Seraphina could handle. She needn't even meet them personally.

"Chris, pass along this message to everyone." Seraphina said "No one goes on hunts without my approval. I'll handle this on my own."

....

...

A loud howl pierced the silent night. The town, quite accustomed, slept on, unperturbed.

Seraphina Argent was hot, dirty and wet, and that too all at the same time.

Her long dark coat lay at a heap on her side along with her bike helmet, keys and a pickaxe. A small glimmer of moonlight reflected off of her earrings; two in each ear.

Her thick dark hair stuck to her face as she forward with all her might, digging deeper.

Seraphina paused with the tool still in her hand and wiped the sweat off of her brow. Just a few more and she'll be there.

A ruffle of dried leaves made her hair stand on end. Even the smallest of sounds can seem daunting and forbidding in a grave yard and Seraphina Argent, for one, was in no mood to disrespect the dead.

The graveyard was almost at the edge of town, right alongside the woods. A hurricane could strike the place and not a soul in town would be aware 'till the ground was needed for another burial.

As the breeze picked up pace, dust flew off old graves, exposing worn out tombstones, some lovingly adorned with phrases, some haphazardly and cheaply made and even some unmarked.

It was one such unmarked and pitiful grave that Seraphina stood digging. Given the fact that the burial had been nothing more than formality, Seraphina was sure the ditch wouldn't be deep, neither would it be properly done. She'd been at it for nearly an hour though and had a decent size deep pit.

Poetic, dark phrases like you're digging your own grave and inviting the Grim Reaper to your doorstep kept jumping at her conscious.

Seraphina's shovel banged against something hard, something quite certainly not mud. She rummaged around and quickened her pace, motivated by the sight of the fruit of her labour.

Her heart pounding a little harder, more so from nerves than the hard work, Seraphina threw away the shovel as the coffin came into full view. Sure enough, it was cheaply made and had already begun to splinter, though not enough to see what was inside without opening it up. She pushed her hair back a final time and bent down, her fingers enclosing around the lid, ready to push it off.

Quite suddenly, Seraphina straightened up.

She'd sensed more than heard him approach.

"What is stopping me from burying you alive right now?"

Seraphina Argent turned, her face set in an expression of cool indifference. She was eye level with his feet, she tilted her head up to look at Derek Hale, who unlike Seraphina, who'd warmed up nicely due to her intense workout, was wearing a thick green jacket with the hood up to protect him from the cold.

"Off the top of my head?" Seraphina said "I could be out and kill you before you even reach for the shovel. There's no way in hell you'll want me buried in this spot. And the mere fact that you're asking the question..."

Derek almost smiled. He looked away, at the distant road where her stench had carved a path.

"You believe me now?" he asked her, turning to look down at her again, his hands inside his pockets.

"Well, the lid's still closed" Seraphina said, jerking her head to indicate the coffin.

Derek looked away, thoughtfully again. He then pulled off his jacket and dropped it next to the pile of Seraphina's belongings.

With a swift jump, he'd landed right next to Seraphina. Unlike her tank top, he wore a full sleeves shirt that hugged his body as if clinging on for dear life.

The ditch she'd dug was big enough for him to skirt around the coffin and reach the other side, evidently where the head of the body lay while she stood at the foot. Once on the other side, Derek locked eyes with her again.

"The boys who burnt your place are dead" Seraphina remarked

"I know" said Derek, passively "I thought you might come here... Though I do not understand why you don't think that I could be the—"

"Because I can sense werewolves" Seraphina said "I can sense them even in human form. But Alphas... their human entity is entirely different than their wolf self. I can not distinguish Alphas in human forms from other normal people and you" she paused "Being what I am, I can sense, very well, in any form"

Derek tilted his head back slightly at this new piece of information. "And what exactly are you?"

"You ask a lot of questions, Derek Hale"

"I'm not the one asking for my help"

"I have my secrets; you have yours" Seraphina said folding her arms together

"I'd like to know who I'm getting in bed with"

"So you want the whole truth?" Seraphina asked coyly "Can I expect the same in return?"

Derek didn't answer

"I thought so" said Seraphina, smiling "You make me take my clothes off, Mr. Hale, I expect you to do the same."

She bent down once again.

"You're different. You don't want to harm us."

Seraphina stopped mid-way again.

"No" said Seraphina softly "I'd rather like to work with you... as a team"

"Why?" asked Derek, taken aback.

It was a few moments before she answered

"I'm sorry for what happened to your family. It shouldn't have gone that way. That's not how we Hunters operate."

Derek snorted.

"I'm not from around here" Seraphina pressed on "the people, the hunters here, their minds are corrupt, and so are their practises." Derek heard the genuine note of disgust in her voice. "They forget our ways, our rules and customs." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she spoke again, her voice had regained the cool note.

"I'm a half breed. I have always worked with non-humans. You're the strongest Beta in town."

A small part of Derek was flattered at the statement

"It's your blood." Continued Seraphina "it's pure. Born wolves are stronger than the es."

"So you're a good hunter but why would I want to work with you?"

"Because you're a 'good' werewolf and we have a common enemy."

She made a motion to bent down once again, but—

"I'll work with you" Derek said "But I want answers to all my questions"

Seraphina nodded.

"I'll answer every question that I see relevant to this. And I would like for you to do the same"

"Absolute honestly" agreed Derek, nodding.

Seraphina nodded too, to show her assent.

She looked down at the still closed coffin and then back at Derek, who'd now shifted his gaze to the wooden box too.

"May I—"began Seraphina but Derek had already crouched down to shift the lid open.

Though, he didn't need any help, Seraphina grabbed the other end and pushed it off.

With a soft thud, they placed it down on the mud.

"You didn't bury her, did you?" Seraphina asked softly.

Derek had turned away, he felt a lump form in his throat as his eyes begin to moisten.

It was an insult to call it a coffin. It wasn't lined with velvet or adorned from the inside. It was nothing more than an old wooden box and inside lay a full grown cold wolf, it's eyes wide open, so was its mouth, evidently stuffed full.

"I'm so sorry, Derek" Seraphina said, genuinely

She manoeuvred over to the other side with difficulty, coming to stand next to Derek.

"How'd you know she was dead then?"

Derek blinked furiously and cleared his throat, trying to keep his voice steady, still looking anywhere but at Seraphina or the body.

"She was supposed to come back. She was supposed to come back for me... I—I came looking for her... came face to face with him, the Alpha. I knew it wasn't... it wasn't her. Knew to gain her powers, he'd have to—have to" Derek pursed his lips and closed his eyes. Seraphina reached out to place a comforting hand over his but thought better of it at the last moment and turned back to the coffin.

She crouched down and extended her hand out to the carcass' mouth. Without hesitation, she put two fingers down, careful not to touch its fangs and caught hold of the little cloth ball stuffed inside it, much like a gag. Very gently and delicately, she pulled it out.

"Acrontium" she muttered under her breath, referring to a small purple flowering plant that was pretty rare to find and could be used to force a werewolf to stop transforming back into human.

As the last fibre of cloth lost contact with the carcass, the wold turned, back into its human form.

A beautiful young woman with deep brown eyes and dark hair lay in its place. Her resemblance to Derek was quite uncanny. The herb and the fact that she had been buried in her wolf form meant that her body hadn't decayed one bit. Seraphina closed her eyes with her hand.

Clutching the ball of cloth in her hand tightly, she got up.

"There" said Seraphina "Now she can rest in peace"

Seraphina didn't accept Derek's hand in coming out of the grave. Together, they covered the grave up in half an hour.

Derek didn't know what it was, but as he looked at a muddy, sweaty Seraphina pushing her long hair off of her face as she examined the freshly covered earth, he felt a sudden warmth towards her. Perhaps it was the fact that she'd just helped him bury his sister.

Seraphina looked up to see Derek staring at her

"What?" she asked him

"Nothing" he replied

Seraphina walked over to her coat, picked it up, put a hand inside its pockets and pulled out her steel dagger.

Derek eyed it apprehensively, but she turned it and handed it, handle side facing him, to Derek.

Derek took it. Seraphina nodded at the unmarked tombstone.

Derek understood. His heart overflowing with emotions, he walked over to the stone and as intricately as he could, carved the following words on it :

Laura Ann Hale

....

.....

"She said she cares about you?" Victoria repeated

"Yup" said Kate happily "I mean... Well not exactly. She said she didn't want me to get hurt. But that means she cares about me, right?"

Victoria Argent's lip curled. She nudged the phone up using her shoulder as she used one of her hands to peer down the grocery list and the other to pull out a box of Fruit Loops off the shelf.

On the other side of the phone, Kate, interpreting Victoria's silence correctly said "I don't know why you don't like her, Vic"

"I don't know why you do like her" snapped back Victoria

"I mean she's so perfect! How could someone not like her?" Kate said, dreamily, then added quickly "I mean, of course not Chris, the sheer age difference between them... Also he's married"

Victoria scoffed "The age difference exists between you and her too, Katherine. She's really not what you see her to be."

"Right" said Kate curtly, evidently offended at Victoria's words "I had just called to ask you to get a few..."

Victoria Argent loved Kate. She was like the sister Victoria never had. And there was no way Victoria was seeing Kate get hurt. Seraphina Argent was up to something, Victoria was sure of it and she intended to find out just what it was.

...

...

"Show me what you got"

"You first"

Seraphina spread her hands in resignation

"Three questions each night, Derek Hale. I don't want to spill all my beans at once"

"Very well. Let's start with... Who are you, exactly?"

"I think you mean 'what'" said Seraphina, smiling "A half werewolf born to an Alpha parent. We inherit the long lives of our Alpha parent, and the body and appearance of the human parent. Some would say it's the best of both worlds." Seraphina's tone made it quite clear however that the case wasn't so.

"Long life? How old are you?" Derek asked, surprised

"Quite older than you"

Derek narrowed his eyes at her, but smiled.

Seraphina checked her watch and then glanced out of the window at the lightening sky. Here again was yet another sleepless night.

She got up from the sofa and extended her hand.

Derek followed suit and took it. He wasn't the least bit surprised to not find it soft but rather calloused.

Both held the other's hand firmly, trying to show their dominance.

"It's an alliance, now" said Seraphina shaking the hand slightly

Derek nodded with a slight smile and let go of her hand.

"I have some research of my own" said Derek "come over tomorrow and I'll show you"

The last time Derek had invited someone to his home, things hadn't turned out to be so good, but the warmth he'd been feeling toward Seraphina hadn't gone yet. She didn't feel like a danger or in fact even a stranger anymore. He felt close to her, like the night's events had just established a connection between them.

"Count on me spending the night here then" Seraphina said, winking.

Derek grinned, as Seraphina turned to leave, he felt his smile fade away as one last shred of doubt tugged at his heart.

"Seraphina Argent"

It was the first time he'd said her name out loud. She stopped dead in her tracks. She turned around to look at him.

"Seraphina is just fine... I'm not too fond of..." she didn't complete the sentence.

"Okay" he said "I have one last question left. Have you ever broken the Code?"

If there was one point where hesitation could ruin things, it was this.

"No" said Seraphina at once.

Derek nodded, his heart filling with the warm feeling again.

"Good night, Derek Hale" she said, walking out the front door. As she closed the door behind her, she remembered, quite clearly, as if it was only yesterday.

A fifteen-year-old pretty brunette stood with her head hung, staring at her feet. She was scared out of her mind.

"Why did you do it?" commanded a high, heavy voice "Why did you burn down the house, Miss Katherine Gina Argent?"

"Because" the girl's, Katherine, voice quivered "because Seraphina Argent asked me to."

 

 

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