—

Some guy came in to take both Scott and Kira not too long ago, leaving Austin, Ryder, Stiles and Malia by themselves.

Ryder had no problem listening in and figuring out what was going on, already having told Austin what was happening and voicing her concern for the three teens.

Stiles mentioned how he wanted to know what was going on but didn't ask Ryder, wanting to use this opportunity as a teaching moment for Malia. Austin thought it was a little weird for him to try and teach her how to use her abilities at a time like this but it was never an odd time to learn he guessed.

He and Ryder watched from a safe distance as the Stilinski knelt down in front of Malia.

"Do you hear them? Can you hear Scott? Can you hear Kira, Lydia, anybody? What are they saying?"

"Give her time to think, Stiles." Ryder crossed her arms over her chest, focusing on Malia's tense expression.

"I—I can't." Malia stammered, "I can't concentrate. I... There's too many sounds and voices."

Ryder narrowed her eyes as Stiles looked back at her for help. She shook her head, a silent way of letting him know that she needed to figure it out.

"Okay. It's okay. Well, just breathe. Breathe with me, all right? You practiced this with Scott and Ryder before, remember?"

Malia groaned, "I'm trying."

"It's okay, it's okay. Just focus on something. Here, look at my eyes." She did as told, the flickering of her eyes to his lips going unnoticed by the Stilinski, "Very good. Just focus on the sound of my voice. All you have to do is try to concentrate. Concentrate—"

"Oh." Austin let's out as Malia presses her lips against Stiles'. He looked at the ground, feeling like he was intruding in their moment.

"They're killing him."

"Finally." Ryder let out, earning shocked looks from them, "Oh! Not, 'finally they're killing him', I meant it as in, 'finally you figured it out'. Watching you do this took like forty years off my life."

"It was a learning process." Stiles tried reminding her.

"A process I never want to go through again." She brushed off his look, instead focusing on the light massage Austin was giving her hips. Her ears tuning into the conversation happening in the room above them.

"They're talking about Kate." "Who's Kate?" Ryder and Malia said at the same time.

"That's impossible. It's impossible. That can't be what he said."

"It's what I heard."

"Why? Who's Kate?" Malia repeated herself more urgently this time. She hated not being in the loop.

"She's a hunter." Austin said.

"An Argent."

•••

After a few minutes of trying to avoid conversation about Kate Argent, they were finally allowed to leave. Ryder smirked as she was handed back her phone by the same guy who got their nose broken by her.

Austin had his back up against Stiles' jeep, Kira on his left and Malia on his right, Ryder made herself comfortable in front of him. Her chest to his own as they had a low conversation, not too bothered like the others to listen to what Scott and Araya were saying.

Once he saw Scott walking towards them, he tapped her waist, slowly turning her around so she was paying attention to Scott rather than him. He contradicted himself a bit as he began to distract her by fixing her hair, combing through her knotted pieces with his fingers before redoing the low messy bun she had.

He could feel Lydia's eyes on him before she huffed and turned.

This had been a reoccurring thing as of recent. Anytime Lydia caught Ryder and Austin together, she would stare longingly at them. He didn't know if it was out of jealousy or if she was simply just watching their movements like a tv show, but it threw him off.

"So what now?" Stiles asked as soon as Scott stopped in front of him, not even giving the McCall a chance to think.

"She thinks she knows where we can find Derek."

"She gonna tell us where?" Malia questioned.

"Uh, actually, she's giving us a guide."

As if on cue, a woman on a motorcycle pulled up next to them. Ryder could help but scoff out a laugh.

"You know her?"

"Braeden." Scott answered.

"Who's Braeden?"

"She's the one who helped Isaac." Ryder said.

"And she's a mercenary." Lydia added on.

"Right now, I'm the only one who's gonna take you to la iglesia."

"The Church?"

"What's The Church?" Stiles frowned.

"It's not a place you'll find God."

•••

"Okay, I'll ask." Malia started only to instantly get cut off,

"Please, don't." Austin pressed his head to Ryder's shoulder, tightening his hold on her waist.

"Who's Kate Argent?" The Tate girl continued anyway.

Kira sent Austin an apologetic look, "Uh, I'd like to know, too."

"Well, we were at her funeral. 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 declared.

"She was Allison's aunt. And a total sociopath." Lydia said, adjusting her seating on Kira's lap.

Kira's eyes widened a bit at the mention of the late Allison Argent, "You don't have to talk about it now if you don't want to."

"Um, yes, he does." Malia scoffed.

"Yeah, she's right. You guys should know. You need to know."

"All right. Kate was the one who set the fire that killed most of Derek's family."

"Womp, womp." Ryder rolled her eyes at the mention of the Hales. Everyday she silently scolded her mother for falling for Peter Hale and having her carry on the Hale name.

"Some of them survived, like Cora—"

"Ryder's mom, Ramona." Austin added, eyes shining as he noticed the girls smile at the mention of her mother.

"—and Peter, Ryder's dad."

Malia frowned, "Wait, I thought Aaron was your dad."

"He is." Ryder rolled her eyes, "Stiles—"

"A very angry Peter." Lydia cut in before Ryder accidentally made the Stilinski crash.

"Yeah, he's the one who bit and turned me." Scott said, looking back at Ryder, wanting the girl to participate in the conversation.

"He chomped my neck off and 'triggered' my abilities and almost killed Lydia."

"I don't think that's what his look meant." Austin whispered in her ear.

"And the one who finally caught up to Kate and killed her."

"And we saw her buried." Stiles said.

"No. We saw a casket, remember? She wasn't in it. The Calaveras heard that Kate had been killed by an Alpha's claws. They wanted to make sure she was really dead. Her body was healing. More and more, as she got closer to a full moon. She was coming back. So they switched out the bodies. If 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." Scott explained,

"Good for her." Malia spoke up at the end of the story, "I wouldn't do it either."

"Would you kill half a dozen people to get out? Because that's what she did."

"It seems that you forget she was wild animal for half her life."

"So Kate's a werewolf now?"

"I don't know. You know, there's a saying, sometimes the shape you take reflects the person you are."

"What kind of shape is sociopathic bitch?"

Lydia's words seemed to have triggered Kate from whatever cave she was hiding in because as soon as she said it, the jeep jerked around before coming to a stop. Austin had to stop Ryder's head from smacking the window while she kept Malia from flying forward.

"What the hell, Stiles?"

"It's not my fault." He quickly defended himself before they all started piling out of the car.

"What happened?"

"I don't know. It felt like we hit something."

"Scott, we need to get there by night. It's too dangerous otherwise." Braeden told him.

Stiles sighed, looking up at him, "Go."

"Not without you."

"Dude, someone needs to find Derek. We'll figure something out. We always do. Just go."

"Okay."

Ryder pulled her phone out to try and get a signal, huffing as nothing came up.

"Stiles." Malia grunts, pulling a large bone from under the jeep, "I don't think we hit something. I think something hit us."

•••

Much to Stiles' annoyance, Ryder and Austin had climbed up to the top of his jeep while he worked on fixing it. He wasn't annoyed that they were up there, he was annoyed that they were up there.

As he twisted around with the engine, his brown eyes moved over to Malia, then flickered to Lydia every once in a while.

His mind thought back to sixth grade.

He never had a chance with Lydia, but he could have had a chance with Ryder. And now he's, unknown to both Malia and Ryder, forming a relationship with Ryder's half sister.

His heart clenched at the thought of Malia and Ryder finding out they were both Peter's daughters.

Ryder was upset once she found out that she was related to Peter, but she didn't try to hurt anyone. Who knows how she would react when she found out she had another sister.

Especially if everyone knew but her.

Austin wasn't aware either. The pack already knew that the second he was told this information, he would go spill it to his girlfriend.

And then Malia. The girl was a firecracker, the more unhinged version of Ryder. She would go on a full blown rampage if she found out that the people she grew to trust were keeping such a big secret from her.

He's cut out of his thoughts by Lydia's voice,

"Maybe we should just walk."

"Hey, I will never abandon this jeep. You understand me? Ever. Ever. Ever."

"Work faster, Stiles!" Malia shouted, "There's something out here with us."

•••

"Okay..."

Ryder was surprised to see that Austin was already looking at her when she started her sentence,

"Rate this birthday out of ten."

He took in a breath, "Honestly...a solid seven out of ten."

"That's more than expected."

"If I hadn't been tricked into a trip turned mission, I probably would have enjoyed myself more."

Ryder chuckled softly.

"I've never been to Mexico before, so i'm enjoying the moment while I can. Though searching for your missing cousin kind of sets it back a bit."

"Oh, not the part where we got kidnapped and now stranded in the middle of nowhere? It's searching for my missing cousin that sets it back?" She laughed.

"I was trying to forget that part." He smiled.

"Right, sorry." Ryder looked back towards the sky, "Hey, since we probably won't make it back until way later, I just figured you should know that I got you a stupid bracelet for your birthday."

"Stupid?" He chucked in confusion, "Ry, nothing you get me is stupid."

"Here." She shoved the jewelry in his face, refusing to look him in the eye as he gently took it from her hand.

He stared down at the clearly hand woven bracelet. It took less than a second for him to notice the dark purple one that matched on her own wrist.

"You made this for me?"

"Store bought gifts are lame. It took me forever to figure it out so if you don't like it, i'll be upset."

"I love it, Ry."

From on the ground, Stiles couldn't stop himself from mocking Austin, rolling his eyes dramatically as they kissed, turning his agitated behavior towards the girl next to him,

"Lydia, could you please hold the light still for a second? It's really hard to see anything if you keep shaking it like that."

"I'm shaking it like this because we're in the middle of nowhere with your broken down jeep and we're being attacked by yet another razor-clawed monster. And I'm terrified."

"Well, just be slightly less terrified. And hold this." He pulled out a car part.

"What's this?"

"I don't know. I'm hoping it's not important." He ignored the way her eyes grew wide.

"Oh, god."

•••

The sound of Malia's roar had Ryder jumping from the top of Stiles' jeep to chase after her.

"Malia, wait!" Kira shouted, "I—Ryder!"

"Hey!" Stiles yelled as Austin got down from the jeep, going to follow after his girlfriend, getting stopped by Lydia.

"Kira, go! You. Fix the jeep." She pointed at Stiles before looking at Austin, "She'll be fine."

Austin fiddled with the bracelet he just got from Ryder, praying to the Gods above that she didn't get hurt.

"Stiles, focus!"

•••

"Malia? Ryder?"

Kira jumps in fear as a hand makes contact with her shoulder.

Ryder could be heard laughing as Malia reassured the Yukimura,

"It's me! It's us."

Ryder laughter faded as soon as she heard Malia grunt in pain,

"What's wrong?"

"What happened? What's out there?"

Malia lifted her shirt, showing off the cut they had blood surrounding it, "I don't know, but it is big and fast. And it cuts deep."

•••

"You—you please don't do that ever again!" Stiles nearly yelled at Malia.

The girls genuine confusion made Ryder hold back a laugh, "Do what?"

"I... I thought you just took off. I thought you were running."

"I was running."

"No, I mean, like, I thought you were leaving."

"I wouldn't leave without you."

"Really?" Stiles perked up.

"I would never leave without you." She turned to the people in the backseat, "Them I would leave. Ryder's an exception."

"Big word."

"Yeah. Uh, it's progress." Stiles cleared his throat, sending apologetic eyes to them through the rear view.

Lydia scooted forward, unaware of the eye roll she got from Ryder who was still sat on Austin's lap, "That doesn't look good."

"She got stabbed."

Malia reassured her, "It's okay."

"Are you sure? It looks deep." Kira pointed out.

"I can feel it healing."

"You didn't see anything?"

"Barely."

"You?" Lydia glanced at Ryder.

"Nope."

"It had a strong scent, though." Malia said. These words had them looking hopeful for a split second.

"Like what?"

"Like death."

•••

A few minutes later, Stiles managed to finally get his jeep running, piling everyone into the car as he drove a small ways to meet Scott and Braeden.

Ryder's face scrunched up from the back seat, making Malia eyed her in confusion,

"Oh, dear god."

"Is that him? Is that Derek?" Malia asked.

"Uh, sort of."

—
A/N: opinion time!!
-void>>theo but theo did it better
-lydia's 'banshee scream' powers are practically useless most of the time
-stydia took far too long to be considered a slow burn

part 2 in the next chapter! I have so much to complain about 😁