◤ chapter eighteen: ❛ true forms ❜ ◢

✧

        TOO MANY HOURS PASSED. He had expected seconds, minutes, not hours upon hours. Not the moon glistening and then the sun raising, the day passing by slowly. Unbearably. He dozed off on Lydia's shoulder, her doing the same after he awoke. Isaac joined them, and the wolf talked their ears off. It reminded him of Stiles, who rambled on and paced and distracted himself when thoughts got too much.

         They let him talk, and they traded off shifts of sleeping, watching, and going to get food. In the quiet hours, when there was no stimulation, he thought of Scott's lips pressed against his. The warmth radiating from them, the way he kissed back, then how he pulled away. It was too much lingering, too many what ifs, too much of watching Scott in that ice cold bath.

         No sign of life in any of them, and the day was passing, their window of opportunity waning, and the possibility that they were just dead growing stronger.

         Water sloshed and Cooper's head snapped to the culprit. Allison with wide eyes gasping for air, breaking out of the water. Isaac got up first, rushing to the girl and helping her out. "Allison," Cooper breathed. He had never been happier to see the girl.

         The damn broke again. Scott and Stiles broke the surface, wild eyes. Lydia ran to Stiles and Cooper to Scott.

         "I saw it," Scott said, locking eyes with Cooper, "I know where it is."

         Cooper handed him a towel, shivering as he touched Scott's unbearably cold skin.

         "We passed it. There's – there's a stump...this huge tree – well, it's not huge anymore, it was cut down – but it's still big, though! Very big!" Stiles continued.

         Scott broke eye contact to look at Stiles, pointing at him. "It was the night we were looking for the body –"

         "Yeah, the same night you were bitten by Peter."

         "I was there, too, in the car with my mother. We almost hit someone," Allison nodded along.

         Scott blinked. "It was me – you almost hit me. We can find it."

         Cooper was sure his heart was going crazy. They were here – they were alive. The waiting was worth it, Scott came back, everyone came back.

         "What?" Allison looked around, noticing for the first time how they were staring at the three.

         Isaac hesitantly stepped forward. "You guys were out for a long time..."

         Stiles turned serious, "How long is a long time?"

         "Sixteen hours," Deaton admitted.

         "We've been in the water for sixteen hours?" Scott asked incredulously. He looked at Cooper, who nodded.

         "And the full moon rises in less than four," Deaton added, "We need to get ready."

         Deaton handed the three a new change of clothes. They went to the bathroom to change, and Cooper's eyes lingered on Scott's retreating figure. Lydia nudged him to stop, and he abided. The relief of Scott returning finished rushing over him, and the dread of having to confront their kiss filled him.

         He was sure, in some regards, that Scott felt something for him. What exactly that something was, he didn't know. If it was a product of his aura or if it was genuine, if it was lust or longing...he found himself dreading the answer. Dreading, and scared of his own feelings. Not wanting to be disappointed if it was just lust, or something he created and projected onto Scott.

         He never had anything real. Not long-term relationships, not a boyfriend, but he found himself wanting that. Not just the idea of a relationship, but Scott. He wanted Scott to be his boyfriend, to fill a role no one else ever had.

         He sat upon the examination table, practically twiddling his thumbs while waiting for the others. Lydia and Isaac crowded Allison when she came out, and Deaton was flipping through books. Scott was next out, putting his wet clothes and towel into the dirty clothes pile before coming over to him.

         Scott stood in front of his legs, but didn't push between them. He hated that it disappointed him, that he wanted more.

         "Hey," Scott whispered.

         "Hey," he returned, "You came back."

         "Told you I would."

         Cooper gave him a hint of a smile. "Yeah, you did."

         "Sixteen hours..." Scott shook his head, letting the number roll around inside while he mulled it over, "It didn't feel that long."

         "Felt longer," Cooper rebutted. "Was getting closer to thinking you wouldn't come back."

         "I'm sorry."

         "You don't have to apologize. I mean, I don't think you intended to be dead for sixteen hours," Cooper waved it off, though the idea of Scott not waking up still filled him with anxiety.

         "Still," Scott shrugged, "It's almost time for me to meet back up with Deucalion."

         "You mean us."

         Scott sucked in a breath. "You don't have to come back."

         "We both made a deal," Cooper stated seriously, locking eyes with Scott, "We both have to uphold it."

         "You made it for me."

         "Yeah – I made the deal for you, and Stiles. I'm not gonna break it."

         Scott looked at him, something filling his eyes that Cooper didn't know, before the wolf tore his eyes away.

         "You two aren't seriously going back to them?" Stiles questioned, bringing their attention back to the group. Oh, he hadn't realized Stiles was close enough to hear them. Or anyone, for that matter.

         Scott tensed, pulling his body to face away from Cooper and to Stiles. "I made a deal with Deucalion –"

         "We made a deal with Deucalion," Cooper corrected, glaring at the back of Scott's head.

         "Does anyone else think that sounds a lot like a deal with the devil?" Stiles interrupted. Cooper would've laughed if the situation wasn't so serious.

         "Why does it matter, anyway?" Isaac asked.

         "Because I still don't think that we can beat Jennifer without their help."

         "He trusts you more than anyone – tell him he's wrong," Allison pleaded for Deaton's help.

         Deaton hesitated. "I'm not so sure they are. Circumstances like this sometimes require that you align with people you'd normally consider enemies."

         Isaac huffed. "So, we're gonna trust him – the guy that calls himself 'Death, Destroyer of Worlds' – we're gonna trust that guy?"

         "I wouldn't trust him, no. But, you could use him to your advantage. Deucalion may be the enemy, but he could also be the bait."

✧

         COOPER WATCHED ALLISON rush around her apartment with Isaac following. Scott, on the phone with Stiles coaching him on what to grab that would give the best scent of the sheriff.

         "Just grab anything. Stiles, I'm not smelling your dad's boxers," Scott rolled his eyes, "Socks? Okay, I'll smell the socks."

         "Stiles on his way here now?" Cooper asked when Scott got off the phone.

         Scott shook his head. "No, he's gonna meet us in the woods."

         Cooper nodded, looking around the Argents' apartment and the pictures framed on the walls. "Look, Cooper," Scott started, "I really think you should go with Stiles and then to the Nemeton."

         "We made a deal with Deucalion," Cooper repeated.

         "I know that, but..."

         "But...?" Cooper raised an eyebrow.

         Scott sighed before admitting, "I don't want you to get hurt."

         "I'll keep a distance for everyone, but do you really think Deucalion will take kindly to only you joining him after we both agreed? We need him to trust us," Cooper said gently, reaching for Scott's hand to comfort him, "I'll be okay."

         "You don't know that."

         "Just gotta have faith right?"

         Cooper dragged him along to the room Allison and Isaac were in, crowding in as Allison started putting guns onto the wooden desk.

         "Quite the arsenal your father's got here, young lady," a voice boomed behind them. "Scott," the stranger said, a sense of disappointment and sadness in his voice.

         "What are you doing here?" Scott asked, and the hostility was clear in his tone. His hand tightened around Cooper's.

         "Following one of the only leads I have. Now, since I don't know where you've been, why don't you have a seat, and we can have a talk?" The man questioned, eyes glancing over to the others in the room, "Everyone. Cooper and Isaac included."

         "How do you know our names?" Isaac dared to ask.

         "Your names' are one of the few things I know," the man admitted, "To be honest, the rest of what's going on around here has me stumbling in the dark, even over the smallest clue."

         "If you're trying to tell me that you don't have a clue, I learned that a long time ago," Scott snapped.

         "I'm really hoping to avoid the embarrassment of dragging my own son into an interrogation room. Really hoping."

         Oh.

         This was Scott's dad.

         Cooper went to dislodge his hand but Scott's strong grasp didn't let him.

         His dad stared at them until the four teenagers sat down. "I'm not gonna lie, I'm more than a little disturbed – not only by the number of missing parents, but the fact that it's Stiles' father, your father," he pointed at Allison before turning to Scott, "And your mother."

         "Mine are both dead," Isaac deadpanned.

         "And mine are safely at home," Cooper added, although he wasn't actually sure if that was true. Now, he knew his parents weren't kidnapped by Jennifer, but them being home was a fifty-fifty shot – less than that, probably. He never knew when his parents were home and they didn't know when he was there either.

         "Save the cliched teenage apathy for your high school teachers," Scott's dad dished back to Isaac irritably, "The four of you know more than you're saying, and I'm fully willing to keep you here all night if I have to."

         "You can't keep us here," Scott protested.

         "Not without some kind of warrant," Allison tacked on.

         Scott's dad raised an eyebrow, "I've got a desk full of probable cause."

         "But not the warrant. If you want to talk to us, arrest us and take us down to the police station," Cooper stood up, crossing his arms, "If you know my name, then you know who my parents are. My dad, David Whittemore, who is one of the most powerful criminal attorneys in southern California will not be pleased to hear that his underage son was illegally kept by the police and forced into question without clear evidence that I committed a crime. So, I think it's in your best interest to let us go."

         Did David Whittemore probably care that he was being kept here illegally? Probably not. Did Scott's dad have to know that? Not at all.

         "I have evidence to suggest that you four have knowledge about the missing people in town."

         "Oh, I'm sorry. Do you have a witness? A video of me dragging Stiles' dad into my car and dumping his body in the woods? No? Then we're done here," Cooper snarked off, grabbing Scott's arm and forcing the others into action.

         "Scott, wait!" his dad called back, but the wolf didn't stop, and the others followed.

         They piled out of the building and into Cooper's car, driving to the preserve in silence. Isaac and Scott tried to call Stiles but the boy didn't pick up.

         "Are you okay?" Allison asked Scott quietly when they got out of the car, only the moon looming above him to light their path. It wasn't quite at its peak, but the time for that was getting closer. Uncomfortably closer.

         "I didn't know what to say to him...I couldn't come up with anything," Scott admitted.

         Cooper reached to him, grabbing his hand in silent support. Scott squeezed his hand. The wolf's eyes found Cooper's and a small smile tugged at his lips, "But what you did? That was awesome."

         "It was nothing," Cooper shrugged, "I'm used to using my bitchiness to get what I want. And it's not the first time I've had to namedrop my dad to get out of trouble."

         He gave Scott a mischievous look, winking along with it before turning his attention to Isaac who was walking towards them.

         "I still haven't gotten anything from Stiles. You?"

         Scott shook his head. "I don't get it."

         "Alright. Well, we can't wait for him. Come on."

         "Cutting it a little close, aren't we?" Deucalion's voice rang out in the darkness. It took a few seconds for him to emerge from the darkness, alone in the woods but not unaware of his surroundings. His head faced towards Cooper and Scott.

         "We got a little delayed," Scott answered, "Where are the others?"

         "Occupying themselves with other pursuits."

         "So, it's just you and me against her?" Scott asked, Cooper gently hit him.

         "Two of us? I don't recall that being our deal," Deucalion mused, "If I remember correctly, Cooper the siren agreed to my terms as well."

         "I did," Cooper nodded before Scott could stop him.

         "Glad we're all in agreement. And don't worry Scott, I think you'll be surprised what a good team we make. The others won't be necessary."

         "Okay..." Scott hesitantly agreed before turning to Isaac, "Get Stiles, and get to the root cellar, okay? We'll keep Jennifer away long enough for you to get them out of there."

         Isaac frowned. "How are you gonna do that?"

         "I have a plan."

         Allison and Isaac agreed, walking further into the woods leaving Cooper and Scott with Deucalion. The Alpha grinned, beckoning for them to follow. Scott's arm brushed against his, only for a second but he knew it was intentional; acknowledgment that Scott wasn't going to leave him alone, that he was there, and he would protect Cooper.

         It was the only thing keeping him sane.

✧

         THE DARKNESS CLOUDED the woods, fog keeping the secrets of what lingered outside, and the stillness of the night keeping Cooper's shoulders tenses. His senses weren't enhanced like wolves; he might not just be human, but his sight and hearing were, and he could decipher nothing that might linger outside the abandoned building Scott positioned them in.

         The beta stayed close to him, Deucalion lingering in the front while they waited for Jennifer's arrival. No one spoke, not that Cooper had anything to say. The only words he had for Scott weren't ones meant for Deucalion's ears.

         Sometimes Scott would spare him a glance, memorizing the side of Cooper's face, eyes dropping to his lips. He had as many questions Cooper had, but not the time to find the answers.

         Deucalion stood straighter and Scott tensed, pushing Cooper behind him. The fog might be obscuring his sight, but he took the cues, looking at the entrance. Eventually through it he could make a figure, then a second. As they approached, the figures became defined; Jennifer, and, shockingly, Derek.

         Stoically, the Hale wolf stood beside Jennifer in a protective stance.

         "What are you doing?" Scott asked, stunned, a mix of betrayal layered in his voice.

         "This might be hard to believe, but I'm actually trying to help you."

         Under different circumstances, Cooper would scoff. If it was at Derek's apartment putting together the bank heist, or the school when Morrell branded Allison and Lydia. When the weight of the world didn't cling on their shoulders and their worries were for something on a smaller scale. When Deucalion wasn't waiting for Cooper the rare ruby.

         "Ooh! Like brother against brother! How very American this is," Deucalion mused before beginning to shrug out of his jacket, "Are you ready, Jennifer? Hmm?"

         Jennifer stood with a scowl on her face. Anger and hatred heavy on her features, burning holes in Deucalion. This was a vendetta, revenge in the making. Personal, and quite serious. Cooper cautiously watched her, more interested in any move she could make than Deucalion's taunts.

         "Did you gather your herbs? Pray to your ancient gods and your oak trees? Slit a baby's throat, perhaps? Should we show them why you needed to sacrifice nine innocent people, just to face me? Or is it twelve now?"

         Deucalion shifted, features forming into those of a dark wolf with glowing red eyes. Blood red, and blood thirsty. Derek matched him, throwing himself in front of Jennifer as he shifted into his wolf. Roaring against each other, the men threw punches. Derek forced himself upon Deucalion, but the Alpha took Derek's arms and forced them down, displaying his sheer strength.

         Cooper took another step back from the battle. Deucalion wrapped a hand around Derek's throat as Jennifer stalked over, forcing her hand out expelling magic, but whatever result she hoped to achieve fizzled. Her eyes widened in panic and Deucalion used the opportunity to grab her throat and hoist the two in the air before throwing him down.

         Derek didn't waste a moment, getting back on his feet and clawing at Deucalion again. Like he was a feather, Deucalion threw Derek into a wall as Jennifer began her second assault. Less effort than he used on Derek, Deucalion clawed at Jennifer and forced her to the ground. Once down, Deucalion gripped her hair and brought her over to Scott.

         "Kill her," Deucalion ordered in a dark, gravely voice of the wolf, "Do it."

         Scott stood still, unwavering. Deucalion roared and the force of it knocked Scott to the ground, submitting to the Alpha and shifting forms. Cooper watched with a beating heart.

         "Now, kill her. Your parents are dying. That storm you hear? She's burying them alive. It's her connection to the telluric currents. Kill her, and it ends."

         "It won't end!" Jennifer protested, "Not with me. He'll have you kill everyone you love. It's what he does."

         "They're dying, Scott. Your mother and the parents of your best friends. Kill her now, and it's over. Become the Alpha you're meant to be – become a killer."

         "They're not dead yet," Scott protested.

         Deucalion laughed, the noise distorted. "And who's going to save them? Your friends?"

         "My pack," Scott corrected.

         "Your pack? How quaint," Deucalion snorted, focusing his red eyes on Cooper, "Or how about you? My precious siren. Just give Jennifer a little song and save everyone."

         "Just because I'm a siren, doesn't mean I'm a killer," Cooper stated. He could hear the melody, the same one from the motel humming in his ears, his throat itching to sing along with it. The notes would be easy to hit, and it would be so, so beautiful. Mesmerizing. But he swallowed, forcing down the song.

         Scott wouldn't kill, and neither was he. The act itself might sound easy, but the consequences...he couldn't.

         "Maybe you two just need a little guidance..."

         "I forgot to tell you something...something that Gerard told me," Scott stopped him, "Deucalion...isn't always blind."

         Scott brought something out of his pocket, throwing it onto the ground and letting it spark. The wolves snarled, covering their eyes and splitting apart. Regaining themselves, Cooper watched as the wolves turned human. When the pain of the sparks subsided, he watched Scott take a look at himself and his hands, no claws in sight.

         Deucalion looked around wildly. "The eclipse...it started."

         "Oh, no."

         Jennifer was gone.

         Cooper pressed himself to Scott's side, sucking in a breath when through the fog outside of the building a figure approached again. Jennifer, but the human disguise, but the monster. The slashes on her face...the darach.

         The darach charged at Scott, throwing him against the wall before rushing to Deucalion, bringing him to the ground then pummeling into him with her fists. Cooper clawed at his throat, allowing the motel melody escape his lips, but it wasn't as strong as he hoped. The darach screeched before thrusting out a hand and Cooper felt vines constrict his throat.

         He sucked in air, coughing everything left his lungs. He clawed at the vines on his throat, desperately trying to get them off.

         "Jennifer!" Derek stood up, cautiously approaching as the darach continued to beat Deucalion, "He doesn't know."

         The vines loosened slightly.

         "Know what?" Jennifer asked in a distorted voice.

         "What you really look like. He knows the cost of bringing Kali into his pack, but he's never seen the price you paid."

         "No. No, he hasn't," Jennifer agreed. She brought a hand down, covering his eyes. Deucalion screamed as she healed him. "Turn to me," she commanded once his eyes could see again, "TURN TO ME!"

         Cooper took the wilted vine from his neck, sucking in every breath he could. Jennifer, back to her human form, went to strike Deucalion but lost her balance, falling until Derek cradled her.

         "What is this?" she asked weakly.

         "Healing him made you weak, just like healing Cora did this to me. You won't have your strength for at least a few minutes."

         "Then you do it. Kill him!"

         Derek shook his head. "No."

         "What?"

         "Like my mother used to say – I'm a predator, I don't have to be a killer," Derek took her throat in his hand, snarling, "Let them go."

         Jennifer huffed, throwing him to the ground in anger before striking him against his face twice. "Derek..." she muttered sadly, turning away from him after a moment. He stood back up, going to attack her again and she boxed him against the wall, thrusting him up and punching him repeatedly. He took every hit.

         The light from the moon changed, orange back to the dusk blue. "Your fifteen minutes are up," Derek told her.

         Jennifer backed away from him. She reached into her pocket, throwing out mountain ash in a circle to protect her. Scott rushed forward to reach her but it was too late.

         "Like I told you, Derek – either you or the parents," Jennifer said angrily, "Well, I guess I'll just have to take them, now. In a few minutes, they'll be dead and I won't need a lunar eclipse, even to kill a Demon Wolf!"

         Scott pressed his hands to the barrier, beginning to press in. Jennifer tilted her head, mocking, "You've tried this before, Scott. I don't remember you having much success."

         "I believe in you," Cooper followed her up, stepping closer to Scott. He watched as Scott continued to press inward, energy pulsating around his hands. "I have faith in you."

         He hoped his words reached Scott in the right way, looking on as Scott held on against the mountain ash that wanted to ward him away. Seconds passed and he wasn't thrown back, hands making their way into the circle before his feet joined, his body breaking the barrier. The energy bursting brought Jennifer to her feet as the circle was destroyed, Scott standing before her.

         "How did you do that?" she asked.

         "I'm an Alpha now," Scott stated gravely, "Whatever you're doing to cause this storm? Make it stop. Or I'll kill you myself. I don't care what it does to the color of my eyes."

         "It won't change the color of mine, so allow me," Deucalion said, passing by him. He slashed against Jennifer's throat. She cried out, human form dissolving into darach, falling onto the ground.

         Cooper looked out, the wild winds calming. "The storm..." he muttered, pointing out. "It's stopping."

         He locked eyes with Scott, a smile forming on his lips. It was over. He could breathe again.

✧

         THEY LET DEUCALION go with the promise that he would become the man he once was and the threat of what would happen if he didn't change. Setting for the Nemeton, they freed everyone. Scott hugged his mother, Allison her dad, and Stiles his. Cooper and Isaac watched on, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

         Getting everyone home, Scott's hand lingered on Cooper's as he got out of the car with his mom.

         Cooper drove home, a peace settling inside him now that Jennifer was dead and the Alpha pack wasn't a problem. Now the only issues he had to focus on were school and the kiss with Scott, but those were manageable. Normal. He thought about crashing at Julia's, but it was already so late. She and Penelope were probably asleep and he didn't want to disturb them, could always drop by tomorrow.

         Taking a shower, he relaxed under the hot water, washing off everything that happened since he last cleaned himself. The hospital and chase to save Cora, making a deal with Deucalion, watching Scott die, and finally Jennifer's downfall.

         Shutting off the water, he dried himself off, wrapping the towel around his waist and walking out into his bedroom, stilling when he saw Scott sitting on his head.

         "Hi," he blinked.

         "Hi," Scott returned, decidedly looking at Cooper's face and not his open chest, "Sorry. I just – well, your window wasn't locked."

         "Right. Um, you're fine. Let me get dressed real quick and I'll be right back out," he rushed to his dresser, getting out the clothes he needed before heading back to the bathroom to change.

         Stepping back out, dressed now, he said, "I wasn't expecting company."

         "You kissed me," Scott blurted out. Cooper blushed.

         "Yep," he squeaked out.

         "You kissed me," Scott repeated.

         "I already agreed to that. I, uh, I did. I kissed you."

         "Why?"

         "Um, because I wanted to?"

         "No," Scott shook his head, "Did you kiss me because you thought I was gonna die and you wanted to, or did you do it because you know that I wanted to kiss you and wanted me not to die?"

         "You wanted to kiss me?"

         "Is that all you got from that?"

         "Kind of. You didn't answer my question: you want to kiss me?"

         "Well, I did kiss you back."

         "I've kissed back a lot of people I wasn't really interested in," Cooper challenged, "But you – do you like me, Scott?"

         Scott blushed this time. He sighed, collecting himself, "I need to know why you kissed me, what you want from me."

         "I think a kiss is very clear."

         "Not to me," the Alpha shook his head, "Because the only person I've kissed besides you is Allison, and I kissed her because I liked her. Because I wanted to date her. But you – you've kissed people to hook up with them, not because you liked them."

         Cooper frowned before shrugging. "Fair point."

         "So why did you kiss me? To hook up or to date me?"

         He looked away from Scott, suddenly sheepish. "I'm not really good with feelings. I mean, I've never dated anyone, or wanted to really, before I met you."

         Hesitantly, he looked up at Scott. "I really like you Scott, and that scares me, because I'm not used to permanency. I'm used to leaving before the other person wakes up, not going on dates or calling anyone my boyfriend. But...but I wanna call you my boyfriend, and I want to take you to dinner. I kissed you because I want to date you."

         Scott smiled, that cute puppy-dog one that melted Cooper's heart. "I wanna date you too."

         Moving in closer, Scott brought his hand around Cooper's neck, bringing his closer until their lips met. Scott's were warm like the sun, burning his insides as he smiled into the kiss.

         "I really like you, Cooper," Scott whispered when they broke away.

         "Good. Boyfriend?"

         "Boyfriend," Scott nodded, laughing a little as he brought Cooper into another kiss. He followed, meeting Scott and pushing the wolf back onto his bed.

         Focused on Scott, the world melted away. They weren't the True Alpha and the Dangerous Ruby, but Cooper and Scott. He couldn't ask for a better peace.