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Chapter 2: We go to Church... in the middle of the desert. AKA Dark Moon Part Two

Rose POV
We all sat in Stiles' jeep, following Braeden on her motorcycle to La Iglesia.
"Okay, I'll ask." Malia broke the silence, "Who's Kate Argent?"
I tensed at the mention of her name, my expression going blank.
"Uh, I'd like to know too." Kira piped in nervously.
"Well, we were at her funeral." Stiles spoke carefully, his eyes glancing at me in the rear view mirror, "So I'd like to know how she got out of a casket that was buried six feet underground."
"She was never in it." Scott explained.
"She was Allison's aunt." Lydia added, "And a total psychopath."
"You don't have to talk about it now if you don't want to." Kira reassured, and I realized that everyone in the car except for Malia had picked up on my mood.
"Um, yes he does." Malia stated.
"Mali-" Stiles started, but I interrupted him.
"No. It's fine." I sighed, "They have the right to know."
A flash of realization and slight guilt flashed across Malia's face as she finally realized what she had missed.
"She's right." Scott said, "Kate is the one who set the fire that killed most of Derek's family. Some of them survived, like Cora and Peter."
"A very angry Peter." Lydia noted.
"Yeah, he's the one who bit and turned me." Scott hesitated before continuing, "And the one who finally caught up to Kate and killed her."
I flinched a little and Lydia placed a reassuring hand on my thigh.
"And we saw her buried." Stiles added.
"No." Scott disagreed.
"We saw a casket, remember?" Stiles reminded.
"She wasn't it in. The Calaveras heard that Kate had been killed by an Alpha's claws. They wanted to make sure she was really dead." Scott told the story, " Her body was healing. More and more, as she got closer to a full moon. She was coming back. So they switched out the a hunter is bit, 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."
"Good for her. I wouldn't do it either." Malia confessed.
"Would you kill half a dozen people to get out?" Scott asked rhetorically, "Because that's what she did."
"So Kate's a werewolf now?" Stiles inquired.
"I don't know." Scott admitted, "You know, there's a saying sometimes the shape you take reflects the person you are."
"What kind of shape is sociopathic, backstabbing bitch?" I questioned bitterly.

We had been riding for a while now when suddenly the Jeep gave a jolt before stopping completely.
Braeden rode back to where we were all getting out of jeep and took off her helmet.
"What happened?" the mercenary questioned.
"I don't know." Stiles admitted, "It felt like we hit something."
"Scott, we need to get there by night." Braeden stated, pulling him slightly off to the side, "It's too dangerous otherwise."
"Go." Stiles told him when Scott hesitated, "Take Rose and go find Derek."
"Not without you." I protested.
"Listen, someone needs to find him. We'll figure something out. " Stiles gave me a side hug, "We always do. Just go."
"Okay." I sighed reluctantly as Scott walked over to Kira, then gave him a look as fierce as I could muster, "But if you die, I'll kill you. I may be only 15, but I can still kick your ass."
"I'll keep that in mind." he chuckled.
"Scott, Rose, the sun's going down." Braeden interjected.
"I'll be back." I got onto the back of Braeden's bike along with Scott.
I waved with one arm as we sped away, watching until the silhouettes of my family disappeared into the distance.
Time to go to church. I thought to myself as Braeden accelerated.

I slid off the back of the motorcycle and walked over to the edge of the cliff overlooking the ruins.
"La Iglesia." Braeden stated.
"What happened here?" Scott questioned.
"An earthquake." I answered before Braeden could speak, "It leveled the town."
"Then why is the church still standing?" Scott asked.
"The locals think it's because of what's underneath." Braeden said mysteriously.
"Do I want to know?" Scott sighed.
"Not really." I responded, "But you should."
"The church was built over the ruins of an Aztec temple." Braeden explained, "It belonged to a people called Nagual."
"Shapeshifters?" Scott inquired.
"Were-jaguars." Braeden told him.
"So Derek and Kate are somewhere in there?" Scott stared out at the temple.
"I don't know." Braeden admitted, "Never gotten this far before."

Scott, Braeden and I walked through the ruins, Braeden handing Scott a flashlight to help illuminate the darkness.
"If you find Kate in here, what are you gonna do with her?" I inquired, trying to distract my mind from the situation at hand.
"Bring her back to the Calaveras." Braeden answered, "That's what they paid me for."
"What happens after that?" Scott asked the exact same question that'd been floating through my mind.
"Not my problem." Braeden stated bluntly.
"You don't care?" I raised an eyebrow at Scott's question.
"Dude. She's a mercenary." I noted.
"Do you care?" Braeden shot back at my brother, "She's a mass murder."
"And you're a mercenary." Scott repeated my words.
"Girl's gotta eat." she shrugged.
"If you were paid enough, would you kill her?" Scott demanded.
"If the money was good, I'd kill you." my eyes went wide and Braeden noticed.
"Don't worry, Red." she smirked, "You're good. I actually like you, against all odds."
"I honestly don't know whether to be upset that you want to kill my brother, or complemented that you like me." I thought for a second before continuing, "But you have pretty badass style, so I'll go with the latter."
"Hey!" Scott exclaimed, faking being offended.
I laughed and we entered the church.
As soon as we entered, I pulled my shirt up a bit and grabbed the ring dagger concealed there, holding it expertly. I had had it specially made with mountain ash ingrained into the blade. Although it wouldn't kill supernatural creatures like wolfsbane did to werewolves, it would hurt a lot and stun them for a few seconds.
"Can you catch Derek's scent?" Braeden asked Scott.
"Yeah." Scott nodded, "I already got it."
Suddenly, a loud roar was heard, causing me to grip my dagger tighter.
"There's something else in here." Scott warned.
"Something like what?" Braeden inquired, looking wary.
"Something not human." Scott stated.

"So, how come you didn't kiss her?" Braeden inquired as we walked through the creepy tunnels underneath la Iglesia.
"What?" Scott looked confused.
"How come you didn't kiss your girlfriend?" Braeden rephrased.
"You mean Kira?" I clarified.
"Whatever her name is." Braeden said dismissively.
"Well, she's not really, uh..." I rolled my eyes at Scott's nervousness, "I mean, we've never actually... She's not my girlfriend."
"So if you die down here, are you gonna regret not kissing her?" Braeden questioned rhetorically, Scott's expression telling her the answer, "You should've kissed your girlfriend."

We were in the deeper parts of the ruins when Scott suddenly stopped walking and spun around, causing Braeden and I to look at him worriedly.
"What is it Scott?" I asked warily, my body automatically moving into a partial offensive stance.
"I just had a feeling," he responded, his gaze still on the empty tunnel, "like something was behind us."
Out of nowhere, an animalistic growling was heard, confirming Scott's words.
"Did you hear that?" Scott exclaimed, "Is this why you never get that far?"
The loud crashing of footfalls was heard growing close and closer, and I gripped my weapon tighter, my knuckles white.
A deafening roar blasted through the halls, and I tensed even further, my body coiled like a spring as I waited for the enemy to show itself.
"Where is it?" Scott yelled, "Do you see it?"
"No, I don't know!" Braeden shouted, "I can't see anything!"
The sounds of running grew louder, now accompanied by more savage roaring.
"Rose!" Braeden called, "Get behind me! Rose!"
I ignored her screams and instead I crouched in an attack position. I would never run from a fight,especially when people I care about are involved. Allison had taught me that.
Suddenly, Scott roared, the sound resonating throughout the tunnels with the power of a True Alpha.
Then, as quickly as they had started, the noises from earlier stopped, leaving a tense and eerie silence behind.
"I think I scared it..." Scott trailed off.
"I think you scared everything." Braeden stated dryly.
I looked behind us and saw a strange mosaic on the wall.
"Uh, Guys." I cleared my throat to get their attention, "I think I found something."
They turned around and spotted the same thing that I had, and we all moved towards the symbol cautiously.
"What is that?" Scott inquired.
"Tezcatlipoca. The Nagual jaguar god." Braeden responded, "I think we found Derek."
"Stand back." Scott told us, and we took a step back.
He proceeded to pound at the rock with his werewolf strength, revealing something that shocked us all.
"Oh my god." I gasped.
We found Derek all right...
A 15 year old Derek.