Ep 6・❥・ Heart Monitor

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The teacher parent conference was uneventful. No teachers were singing Harper's praises but also none of her teachers had delivered any harsh criticism. It was all just okay. It was what happened after that really mattered. Last night, Selene had told Harper that a mountain lion showed up in the parking lot, and Alison's Dad had gunned it down. Though Harper had her suspicions that something happened involving Stiles and Scott.

In class, she had noticed Stiles staring into space, looking more annoyed than she had ever seen him barely acknowledging Scott as he desperately tried to talk to him, which was strange, to say the least. Especially since they were now sitting next to each at lunch. Had they magically made up?

"Harper?" Allison's soft voice beckoned the girl out of her thoughts. "What does that look like to you?" The Argent asked, flipping her book around to show Harper. It was a picture of a huge, beast-like, creature with flaming red eyes and claws as sharp as kitchen knives. An alpha.

Harper cleared her throat sitting up in her seat. She pushed down what she actually thought and tried to think or something that would be more casual. "It looks like a big wolf." She shrugged.

"See Allison, it's just a story anyway, right?" Lydia smirked grabbing her purse. "See you later guys, I have history." Allison nodded, adding that she did too and then eventually they were out of the cafeteria and out of sight. Harper began gathering her things and was about to head to her locker when something caught her attention, making her pause mid-step.

"Have you come up with a plan yet?" Scott asked Stiles, his voice tinged with worry. He lowered the book he'd been using as a shield, glancing around to ensure no one was listening. Unfortunately for him, when he finally dropped it completely, he found Harper standing a few feet away, watching them with a curious expression.

"What's wrong, Scott? You look like you've seen a—" Stiles began, turning his head just enough to see what had startled his friend. When he spotted Harper, he dramatically rolled his eyes. "Seriously Scott? Could you be any louder? Why don't you just announce it to the whole school it, huh?"

"How was I supposed to have known she was right there?" Scott exclaimed, talking about Harper as if she wasn't standing an earshot away. The dark haired girl laughed to herself as she walked over to the pairs table, sliding into a free seat beside Stiles.

"Don't be shy." Harper smirked, turning to look at the Stilinski boy, "Mind sharing this plan for whatever stupid things you guys are definitely going to be doing?"

Stiles turned to face her, meeting her gaze. "It's not stupid." He rebutted. "I'm gonna be Scott's teacher."

"You? Who knows nothing about werewolves or supernatural is going to teach Scott. Sounds like a death wish." Harper snorted, sipping on her juice box.

"I'm a way better Yoda than Derek." Stiles replied, a small smile on his face as he gleamed proudly of the reference he made.

"Yeah you'll be my Yoda." Scott replied, with a small nod obviously not sharing the same enthusiasm.

"Your Yoda I will be." Stiles imitated Yoda's voice whilst chuckling to himself earning nothing but silence from Scott as he cowered behind his textbook again. "I said it backwards-"

"Yeah, I know." Scott cut him short.

"Alright you know what? I definitely still hate you. Uh-uh." Stiles said as he began gathering up things from the table and shoving it into his backpack. "Oh yeah."

Scott, not missing a beat, got up following after Stiles. Harper hung back watching the bickering pair with amusement. Stiles looked to his side and saw the McCall boy but paused when he realised something was missing, or rather, someone.

He turned back to look at Harper. "Aren't you coming?" He asked, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

Harper shook her head gently, "Nope, but if your best friend tries to kill you, again, I'm a call away." She smiled, standing up and swinging her backpack over her shoulder as she disappeared through the lunch hall doors and into the hallway leaving Stiles just standing there, starstruck.

"Stiles?" Scott called, noticing his friend had stopped but unsure as to why. Stiles, still staring at where Harper had once stood, barely muttered out a response.

"Yup. Yeah. Coming." Stiles stuttered but as he turned around to follow Scott outside he noticed one of Harpers rings had slipped off, probably going unnoticed but was now lying at the vacant lunch table. He glanced over his shoulder, making sure no one was watching, before he leaned over and slipped the silver ring into his pocket, mentally noting to give it back to Harper when he saw her again.

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Harper sighed, shrugging her bag off and dropping it near the doorway. The urge to strip away any reminder of school overwhelmed her as she stepped into what she now had to call home. The Hale house had always carried a certain eeriness, but tonight it felt different—unusually still, the silence deafening.

"Selene?" Harper's voice wavered as she took cautious steps forward, eyes scanning the shadowed room. She paused by a nearby dresser, yanking it open to retrieve one of her daggers. She held it at her side, fingers tight around the hilt. If the hunters had returned, she refused to be caught unprepared. "Derek?" she called again, the floorboards creaking underfoot.

There was glass everywhere. The newly fixed walls broken into pieces again. Harpers frown deepened when she noticed something lying on one of the stairs—a photograph. The picture frame was broken, now only the remnants of glass shards framing it.

Harper bent down, hands trembling slightly as she picked it up. The picture was of a younger Selene, surrounded by friends Harper had never trusted enough to get to know.

Harper laughed to herself as she spotted a younger version of herself, only about seven or eight, standing off in the distance watching the group the picture. A pang of sadness hit her, and she took a slow breath before tucking the worn photo into her pocket.

Leaving the pack didn't just mean safety—it meant leaving behind everything familiar. Selene had far more to lose than Harper ever did. She loved more, shared more, had a whole community that supported her. Yet, every day, she put on a brave face.

The sudden groan of a car engine startled Harper. She darted toward one of the shattered windows, pressing her back against the splintered wood as she peered through the cracks. Her heart hammered as the car's headlights illuminated the front of the house. She held her breath, praying not to be seen.

The slam of a car door made her jump, tension rippling through her until she caught a glimpse of the driver. Relief washed over her when she recognized Derek. Selene followed, climbing out of the car with an expression that blended anger, exhaustion, and stress.

Harper quickly tucked the dagger back into the drawer as Selene stormed into the house, slamming the door behind her so hard the walls seemed to shake.

"What's going on?" Harper asked, worry thick in her voice as she glanced over Selene, searching for any sign of injury, which in hindsight was stupid because if there was it would have healed by now, yet Harper couldn't help but worry.

"Derek happened," Selene explained, the frustration dripping of her words, she swept her dirty-blonde hair into a high ponytail before glancing back at Derek, who still lingered outside. "It's a long story, but he's got Scott's boss tied up in the trunk. Derek's convinced he's the alpha."

Harper blinked, struggling to process the information. "Wait... is he?"

"No," Selene sighed. "He's just a veterinarian. But Derek decided to beat him unconscious because he thought otherwise." She let out a heavy sigh. "Now we have to meet Scott and Stiles at the school."

"Why the school?" Harper stammered anxiously. "And Scott and Stiles, what do they have to do with anything?"

"They've got some sort of plan. No idea what it is, though." Selene shook her head in frustration, running a hand down her face. "I catch up on one disaster, and while I'm doing that, a thousand other things explode at once. I can't keep up any more Harps."

Harper gave a knowing nod. "I get it. We'll figure it out together, right?"

"Right." A faint smile tugged at Selene's lips as she pulled the younger girl into a tight embrace. "We always figure it out and everything is going to be fine. It's going to work out." Selene muttered, though it sounded like she was convincing herself rather than Harper.

Selene pulled out of the hug and instead held Harpers head in her hands. "Theres' nothing I wouldn't do for you. Absolutely nothing. Understood?"

"Understood." Harper replied with a smile, Selene gave her a nod before she let go of her. The younger girl's eyes drifted to the damage of the Hale house before meeting with Selene's eyes. "Do you have any idea of what happened?"

Selene huffed with a small nod. "Yeah me and Derek got into a little...argument. It's fine though, don't stress yourself with it." She concluded, ruffling Harpers hair as she walked by going to grab her car keys from a small glass dish. "Come on, Derek's waiting." Selene said as she headed for the door, Harper following close behind but not before she grabbed her dagger. Just in case, of course.

The cold night air was crisp, the wind blowing whispering warnings ones that seemed to go unnoticed. Harper walked down the porch steps, her mind polluted with menacing thoughts and heart heavy.

Selene reached Derek first. She walked right past him, not even sparing him a single glance as she walked to the passenger side, well not until Derek caught her forearm forcing her to meet his eyes. "You can stay mad at me forever." He said in a low voice whilst Harper watched their interaction carefully.

Selene looked up at him bitterly, like she was disgusted by the sight of him. "You promised me that no one that wasn't involved with all this shit would get hurt. That was your promise, Derek. And now you have an innocent man in the back of your car." She spat, yanking her arm from Dereks grasp. "So I think I can stay mad at you forever."

Harper followed suit walking to the back of the car but not without Derek also stopping her, but without the force he used on Selene. "I meant what I said yesterday." He said with no emotion behind his words. Harper froze, her back turned to him.

"So did I." Harper replied, turning around so that they were face to face. "Incase you forgot I'll repeat myself. You don't know me and what I've been through. You can be Scott's mentor but you certainly aren't mine."

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The tension in the car was palpable and beyond uncomfortable, so when Derek pulled into a parking spot just outside the School and the car came to halt Harper couldn't wait to get out. She quickly tucked her dagger into her boot before swinging open the car door just as Selene and Derek did.

"Where's my boss?" Scott immediately interrogated Derek not really paying mind to Selene or Harper.

"He's in the trunk." Derek replied, all too calmly, nodding over to the boot of his car. Harper sighed, walking over to the trunk and popping it open revealing Scott's boss laying there, duck tape on his mouth with his arms and legs tied together.

"Jeez, can he even breathe? Is there enough oxygen?" Harper asked worriedly, looking up at Derek who gave a small nod.

"He's been fine so far hasn't he?"

Stiles walked around, joining Harpers side to check on the unconscious man. "Oh he looks comfortable." The Stilinski boy noted sarcastically.

Scott leaned over to his best friend tapping him on the shoulder and without a word they headed up the school's entrance. Selene furrowed her brows, taking a step forward. "Woah wait. What are you doing."

"You guys said I was linked with the alpha." Scott responded looking over his shoulder before turning his back. "I'm gonna see if you're right."

The pair quickly walked into the school whilst Harper gave Selene a look. "Should we be concerned or-" The sound of a weak yelp cut her short. One that definitely came from Scott.

"He has got to be kidding me." Derek muttered under his breath as he leaned against Stiles's Jeep. But as if to prove Derek wrong Scott gave a howl that made the entire ground shake and one that was loud enough to wake people from across the entire country up.

A minute or two went by before Stiles and Scott emerged. The shaggy haired boy wore a silly smile whilst Derek wasted no time to give out a lecture. "I'm going to kill both of you. What the hell was that? What are you trying to do, attract the entire state to the school?"

"Sorry I didn't know it would be that loud." Scott apologised, though he didn't seem sorry at all, he was more proud than anything.

"Yeah it was loud, and it was awesome." Stiles nodded in agreement with a singsong voice.

"Shut up." Derek retaliated.

"Don't be such a sour-wolf." Stiles said causing Harper to give a small chuckle and Selene to resist a smile and eventually give in and laugh as well.

"That's perfect." The older girl said through her fit of laughter which only intensified when she looked over at Derek, who didn't find it funny in the slightest.

Scott frowned, pointing to the trunk of the car. "What'd you do with him?" He questioned. Harper looked over her shoulder and lo and behold, there was no one in the trunk.

"What?" Derek spun around seeing the vacant spot.

Selene turned around too seeing that he was no longer. She turned around a confused look on her face. "We didn't do anything, I promise-" but before she could finish her sentence a pair of claws dug into her chest, crimson red blood pouring out her mouth.

Stiles and Scott fled, bolting up to safety whilst Harper stood planted in place. "Selene!" She cried out. She felt everything around her spin, she could hear her heart thudding in her ears. In a matter of seconds Selene's body was flung against a wall, hitting the ground with a thud. The sound rang out in Harper's mind as she watched helplessly as the same thing happened to Derek.

Harper's breath hitched, her entire body shaking as she faced the alpha. Its hulking figure loomed over her, glowing red eyes locked onto her with murderous intent. Selene's bloodied body lay crumpled behind her, and Derek wasn't moving either. The air was thick with fear, anger, and the metallic scent of blood.

But Harper wasn't afraid. She was furious.

The alpha's snarl echoed through the empty school grounds, rattling her bones, but it only fueled the fire burning inside her. She felt the power surge within, rising like a tidal wave. This creature had taken too much. Hurt too many people. And now it was going to pay.

Harper took a breath, and instead of a scream, a melody poured from her lips. It was low and haunting, the kind that seemed to warp the air itself, pulling everything into its eerie cadence. The kind that bent wills, crushed resistance. Her siren's song.

The alpha hesitated, one step faltering. Harper's song wound tighter, invisible chains wrapping around the beast's mind, forcing it to bend. The notes came faster, sharper, more commanding. Each one a stab of power.

The alpha roared in defiance, but the sound wavered, weakening.

Harper stepped forward, her voice rising, pushing harder. The melody grew darker, twisting through the alpha's consciousness, unlocking its buried fears and weaknesses. The red glow in its eyes flickered, the creature's massive form shaking as it fought against her pull. It clawed at the ground, trying to stay upright, but it was losing.

Harper's power burned hot, surging through her veins like fire. She was in control. She could feel the alpha breaking, its will buckling under the weight of her voice. A part of her wanted to stop, to rein it in before she lost herself, but the anger drowned out her reason. She sang louder, her song echoing in the empty space, pushing the alpha deeper into submission.

For a moment, she thought it was over. The alpha's snarls turned to whimpers, its hulking frame sinking lower. Victory was so close she could almost taste it.

But then, the alpha's eyes flared brighter, a violent red. With a guttural snarl, it broke free. Harper's song faltered as the beast charged, fueled by raw, animalistic rage.

Her throat burned, her energy drained. She tried to summon the strength to continue, but the strain was too much. Panic surged through her as the alpha closed the distance.

Everything slowed.

In a flash, the alpha's claws were raised, poised to tear her apart. Harper's legs buckled, her voice silenced. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable. Then, a howl pierced the air—a cry from Scott, somewhere in the distance. The alpha hesitated, distracted for a split second.

Strong hands pulled her from the ground, dragging her back. Harper's head spun, vision blurred as she was being helped to saftey. The alpha's snarl followed them, but the distance between them grew. She glanced sideways, barely registering Stiles' panicked face beside her as he struggled to hold her up.

They moved faster, Harper's legs barely cooperating. The world swayed around her, sounds muffled, as if she were underwater. Her throat felt raw, and her body was weak. She could still feel the remnants of the alpha's presence in her mind, the battle for control almost breaking her.

But she was alive.

As they finally made it inside the school, Harper collapsed to the floor, knees pulled to her chest. Her chest heaved with sobs she could no longer suppress. The siren's song had left her drained, a hollow shell, and the horror of what had happened to Selene crashed over mercilessly

Every time Harper shut her eyes she could see it all replaying in her mind. The bright red blood spilling out of Selene's mouth. The thud of her body hitting the ground. And her vibrant green eyes loosing their life. The one person in her life she thought she would never lose slipped away as easily as sand through her fingers and she couldn't do anything until it was too late.

She had tried everything, but it wasn't enough.

Selene was gone.

Really gone.

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A/n

Hey guys!!!

Thank you for reading this far into the fic and if you have enjoyed please vote and maybe even comment! It motivates me tremendously.

HARPER'S SUFFERING BEGINS!