"So it didn't attack you?" Allison asked, her brow furrowing with curiosity as she and Gabriella walked down the school hallway toward their next class.

"No, it didn't," Gabriella replied, shrugging slightly. "It just looked at me for a second and then took off."

Allison's eyes narrowed. "But it tried to attack Derek, Erica, and Stiles?"

"Yeah," Gabriella nodded, her voice a little uncertain. "For some reason, it just stood there when it saw me. Then it bolted out through the window. I have no idea why."

Allison glanced at Gabriella, clearly unsettled by the revelation. "That's weird, right? I mean, what makes you different from them?"

"I don't know," Gabriella sighed. "I've been trying to figure that out myself. It felt like the creature recognized something in me... but I don't know what."

Allison bit her lip, clearly thinking hard. "Maybe we need to do some research on kanimas, figure out if there's a reason why it reacted like that. My- I mean our grandfather has somthing called a Bestiary it's basically an encyclopedia of supernatural creatures"

"Ok" Gabriella paused for a second " still weird that we are related huh?"

Allison gave a small, awkward laugh at Gabriella's comment. "Yeah, it's still a little weird to think about, But honestly, I'm kind of glad we found out"

Gabriella was about to respond to Allison when she noticed Scott and Stiles approaching, both looking out of breath and slightly panicked. Stiles glanced at her briefly, their recent breakup still fresh and making things awkward between them.

"Derek's going to test Lydia," Scott blurted out, catching his breath as he spoke. "He thinks she might be the kanima."

Gabriella's eyes widened in shock. "Lydia? Are you serious?"

Stiles nodded, though he avoided her gaze. "Yeah, Derek's convinced. He wants to figure out if she's the one behind the attacks."

Allison frowned. "That doesn't make sense. Why would Lydia be the kanima? She doesn't even know what's going on."

Scott ran a hand through his hair, still trying to piece everything together. "We're not sure either, but Derek's not taking any chances."

"Where is he gonna test her?" Gabriella said as they enter class

"I think here and now" Scott eyes the door where Isaac and Erica enter.

Gabriella follows Scott's gaze to see Erica looking at her as she moves towards Lydia's desk

But before Erica could reach there Scott and Stiles swoop in, dragging their chairs over to sit on either side of her like bodyguard

Gabriella ignored Erica's gaze and pulled Allison to an empty desk

"Einstein once said "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." I myself have encountered infinite stupidity..."Harris pauses at Stiles's desk for a not-so-subtle punctuation.

"So to combat the plague of ignorance in my class, you're going to combine efforts through a round of group experiments. Let's see if two heads are indeed better than one"

"Erica, take the first station. You'll start with..."

As he said that basically every male and female hand in class shoots ups

"I didn't ask for volunteers. Put your hormonal little hands down" The hands drift down with disappointed grumbles as Harris aims a pen at Gabriella "Start with Ms. gerardo"

Gabriella sighs and turns back to see Erica smiling pleased at the pairing.

"Good luck" allison whispered to Gabriella as she moves to her assigned partner.

Erica moves and sits down next to Gabriella shooting her a smile but Gabriella ignores her and foucses on the work.

Gabriella felt her heart race as Erica's hand resting on her thigh was a distraction she hadn't expected, sending a jolt of electricity through her.

Erica, who leaned in closer, her voice low and playful. "So, I heard you and Stiles broke up," she said, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Yeah, we did," Gabriella replied, trying to keep her tone light despite the way Erica's fingers began to inch higher. "It's... complicated."

Erica tilted her head, feigning innocence. "Complicated? Or just a little less interesting now that he's out of the picture?" Her fingers brushed against Gabriella's inner thigh, making Gabriella's breath hitch slightly.

Gabriella's cheeks flushed, and she shot a quick glance around to see if anyone was watching. "Erica, we're in class..." she murmured, though part of her was intrigued by Erica's boldness.

"Now that he's out of the way, you're all mine," Erica teased, her smile growing wider as she leaned even closer. "I mean, it's only fair, right?"

Gabriella swallowed hard, unsure how to respond. "I—" she started, but her words caught in her throat. The combination of Erica's flirtation and their recent chaos was overwhelming.

"Come on, Gabby," Erica coaxed, her tone playful yet serious. "Don't tell me you're not a little curious about what we could be."

Gabriella took a deep breath before facing Erica "as long so you continue being Derek's pet there is now way we are happening"

Erica's expression shifted slightly, the playful glint in her eyes dimming as Gabriella's words hit home. "im not Derek's 'pet'," she shot back, though there was a hint of defensiveness in her tone. "I'm just helping him out."

Gabriella raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Helping him out? Is that what you call it?" She leaned back slightly, trying to put some distance between them. "because I'm pretty sure when you "help somone out" they dont ask you to cut all contact with the people you care about i mean when was the last time you talked to Lucas"

Erica's eyes narrowed at Gabriella's remark, clearly stung by the mention of Lucas. "You don't know what you're talking about," she snapped, though there was a flicker of uncertainty in her gaze. "Derek's not making me cut anyone out. I just... want to focus on what's happening right now."

Gabriella crossed her arms, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "So you think ignoring your friends is the right way to handle things? Because it looks like you're just running away from your problems, Erica. You think this 'thing' with Derek is going to solve everything?"

Erica opens her mouth to respond, but--Harris hits a BELL on his desk "Switch"

Gabriella pushes Erica's hand of her thigh and she moves to sit next to allison as Erica moves and sits next to stiles

As erica settled into her new seat next to stiles, he shot her a wary glance. "So, how's it going with Gabriella?" he asked, trying to mask his irritation under a veneer of casual conversation.

Erica smirked, leaning back in her chair with an attitude that made Stiles's stomach churn. "Oh, you know. Just helping her out with schoolwork. No big deal," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Right," Stiles replied, unable to hide his skepticism. "Because 'helping out' always involves getting way too close for comfort, doesn't it?" The memory of Erica's flirtations with Gabriella made his blood boil.

"Jealous?" Erica shot back, a challenge in her eyes. "You're not with her anymore, Stiles. You can't lay claim to her."

Stiles clenched his jaw, anger flaring. "I'm not jealous! I just think she deserves better than someone like you who thinks she's a toy to play with."

"Better, huh?" Erica leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "And you think you're some sort of hero? Please. You broke up with her. You don't get to dictate who she spends her time with."

"Maybe not, but I care about her," Stiles insisted, his voice rising slightly. "And I'm not going to sit by while you try to drag her into your twisted games."

Erica rolled her eyes, her smirk replaced with a scowl. "Twisted games? You really don't know anything about me, do you? I'm not the one who hurt her."

"Yeah? Well, you're the one who's trying to swoop in now, acting like you're some kind of savior," Stiles shot back, anger spilling over. "You don't care about her. You're just after another conquest."

"Funny coming from you, Stiles. You're the one who walked away," Erica retorted, her eyes narrowing. "What, you think you can just waltz back in whenever you feel like it?"

Harris slams his palm onto the BELL "And switch"

gabriella goes to sit next to Lydia but isacc beats her to it and as she tries to go sit with someone else

Erica pulls her back making her sit in the empty seat beside her

Gabriella turned to face erica " we already worked together"

"And we'll work together again, and I mean that in more ways than one"

Gabriella sighed, clearly irritated but also confused by Erica's persistence. She reluctantly sat back down next to Erica, trying to ignore the tension between them.

Erica smirked, leaning in closer again, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You know, you don't have to fight me all the time, Gabby. I can tell you're curious."

Gabriella clenched her jaw, trying to focus on the assignment in front of them instead of the constant pull of Erica's flirtation. "Curious doesn't mean I'm ready to dive into something," she replied coolly, though her heart was racing.

Erica's hand brushed against hers, sending a jolt through Gabriella again. "Maybe," Erica said softly, her eyes locking onto Gabriella's. "But when you are ready, you know where to find me."

Before Gabriella could respond,Scott stands, knocking his chair to the floor.

"Lydia--"

Gabriella turned to see why he was yelling and she saw Lydia swallows the crystal.

"What?"

Realizing his shout has turned every head, Scott backs down "Um... Nothing"

Gabriella looked at him confused before he gestured to the crystal that Lydia was holding.

There was kanima venom on it

They watch Lydia closely, waiting patiently as nothing happens to her.

Lydia is the Kanima.

[...]

Slipping inside Coach's dimly lit office, Scott flips the lock on the door and turns to Stiles, Lucas Gabriella, and Allison. "Derek's outside. Waiting for her"

"You mean waiting to kill her?" Allison said worried for her bestfriend

Lucas sighed, running a hand through his hair. "If he thinks she's the Kanima? Then, yeah. Especially after what happened in the pool."

Stiled folded his arms, his brow furrowing in frustration. "But it's not her. Lydia's not the Kanima."

"It doesn't matter," Gabriella interjected, her voice firm and steady despite the tension in the room. "Derek thinks it's her. So either we convince him he's wrong or we figure out how to protect her"

Allison sighed knowing after school Lydia is vulnerable "What if we can prove Derek's wrong?"

"By three o'clock?"

"There could be something in the Bestiary."

"You mean the nine hundred page book written in Archaic Latin that none of us can read? Good luck with that"

Gabriella cleared her throat, and all eyes turned to her as she spoke. "I can read Latin."

Everyone looked at her in surprise.

"My mom taught me," Gabriella explained. "She said one day it might come in handy."

There was a brief pause as the group absorbed what Gabriella had just revealed.

"Wait, you can actually read Latin?" Stiles asked, incredulous.

Gabriella nodded. "Yeah, it's not as hard as it sounds."

Allison's eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope. "Okay, then we have a chance. If we can find something in the Bestiary that proves Lydia's not the Kanima, we can stop Derek."

Gabriella nodded, turning her attention back to the group, but before she could say anything, Lucas spoke up. "I'll go talk to Boyd, see if I can figure out what Derek's plan is."

Everyone turned to him, surprised. "You're gonna talk to Boyd?" Scott asked, raising an eyebrow. "Since when are you two close?"

Lucas shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah, he's cool. We've hung out a few times. He's not as intense as the others. If I ask, I think he'll tell me what Derek's up to."

Gabriella looked at Lucas, still a little confused. "Wait, you're friends with Boyd? How come I didn't know that?"

Lucas flashed her a grin. "You never asked."

Stiles looked skeptical. "And you think he's just going to spill the beans on Derek's plan? Doesn't that seem a little... dangerous?"

Lucas crossed his arms, standing firm. "Boyd's not like Erica. He doesn't follow Derek blindly. I'll get something out of him."

Scott nodded thoughtfully. "If Boyd knows what Derek's up to, we need that information. It could help us figure out how to stop him before he makes a move."

"Okay," Gabriella said, though she still looked uncertain. "You talk to Boyd but take scott with you and I'll focus on translating the Bestiary and stiles you keel an eye on lydia."

The tension in the room was palpable, but they had a plan—one that might just keep Lydia safe.

[...]

Allison and gabriella were at the library using the computer to read the Bestiary "kanima Like the wolf... its power is greatest at the moon's peak,

Like the wolf, the Kanima is a social creature. But where the wolf seeks a pack, the Kanima seeks a...master"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Allison asked looking at the computer screen.

"It means whoever the kanima is has somone controlling him...making him commit murdereds" Gabriella said as her phone rang.

She picked it up and saw it was lucas "Hey what did boyd say?"

"Erica and issac are on there way to kill Lydia now"

"What?" Gabriella said shocked as she turned to look behind her where Lydia was sitting with Stiles on one of the tables

Allison's eyes widened in alarm at Gabriella's words. "What do we do now?" she whispered, panic creeping into her voice.

"You and scott meet us back at my house" I say over the phone as I hung up and move towards the table they were sitting at.

"Hey lydia, how about we form a little study group for the test tomorrow" Gabriella said as she reached the table they were sitting at.

"Hard pass"

Gabriella sighed but had an Idea as she saw Jackson walking past there table "You sure? Jackson is gonna join us"

"I'm gonna do what now?"

Lydia smiled her mind officially changed "i guess I have time"

"Great so Jackson are you busy now, we wanna start the study group"

Jackson scoffed "you think I want anything to do with you losers"

Jackson was about to walk away when Gabriella pulled him back and glowed her eyes red so only he can see

" I wasn't asking"

[...]

Lydia steps out of stiles Jeep to join Stiles, Gabriella, Allison and Jackson at the steps to the Gabriella's house.

"If we're studying with lucas and scott, where are they?"

"Meeting us here. I think. I hope" stiles looked at Gabriella who has on her phone trying to get a hold of scott and lucas with no luck

She gives a shrug as they hurry to the door.

Allison whispers to jackson "thanks for doing this"

"It's not like I had choice" he said glaring at Gabriella

The door swings open and as they enter Stiles quickly slams it shut, locks it. Then flips the deadbolt, then latches the chain. He turns to a suspicious Lydia.

"There's been a few break-ins around the neighborhood" Then Stiles wedges a dining room chair underneath the knob.

Gabriella looks at him in disbelief knowing Derek can easily break the door down if he wanted too.

As he retreats from the door, Allison gives Jackson a nod to the stairs.

"Lydia, follow me. I need to talk to you for a minute" Jackson said

[...]

After awhile lucas arrived at the house but scott was nowhere to be seen.

Gabriella was currently in the kitchen making risotto when Lucas came in and looked at her in disbelief. "Seriously?"

"I stress cook," she replied with a shrug, stirring the pot as the aroma filled the air.

Lucas raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "In a crisis?"

Gabriella turned to him, a smirk playing on her lips. "It's either this or pacing around like you."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Fair point"

Just then, a loud thud echoed from the living room, causing both of them to freeze.

"What was that?" Lucas asked, his eyes widening.

"No clue" Gabriella said as she moves to the living room where she saw Stiles on the floor as isacc was getting close to him.

Gabriella ran at him and knocked his head into a wall knowing him out.

"You okay?" she asked Stiles, kneeling beside him as she checked to see if he was hurt.

Stiles blinked, shaking his head as he tried to regain his bearings. "Yeah"

Gabriella quickly turned to Lucas and Allison, who were both looking at her expectantly.

"Okay, you two need to check on Lydia," Gabriella said firmly. "Make sure she's okay and keep her out of the way. She can't know about this."

Allison nodded as her and lucas goes upstairs.

Gabriella helps Stiles back onto his feet, but before they can catch their breath, the sound of shattering glass pierces the air. They turn just in time to see Erica stepping through the broken back door, a smug smile plastered across her face.

"This should be interesting..." she says, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I mean, I always wondered what it would be like to steal another person's girlfriend. Trust me, it's a sick rush of power." She takes a step closer, eyeing Gabriella with a mix of challenge and amusement. "But I mean, it's for the best. A human with a werewolf? That never lasts."

Erica shrugs, a wicked grin still on her lips. "C'mon, Stiles. We both know who she's gonna choose." She glances at Gabriella, her gaze sharp. "You really think you can compete with what I am? You're just a distraction."

as she said that allison came back from down the stairs behind Erica and shoot her but Erica caught it

"You didn't really think that would work, did you?"

"Actually, yeah"

Confused, Erica lowers the dart and opens her hand to see the Kanima's VENOM covering the shaft.

Venom which now sticks to the fingers of her hand.

The dart slowly falls to the floor.

With a look of pure hate, Erica uses the last bit of strength she has to charge toward Allison.

But with only her first step, she goes down--Collapsing to the floor with a CRY OF ANGER, the paralysis begins to take hold.

Lucas comes down the stairs with Scott who came through a window " the kanima is here"

[...]

Isaac HURTLES OUT and lands with a thud on the grass. Erica's PARALYZED BODY tumbles to the grass next to derek.

The five teenagers step out confidently over the threshold.

Derek looked at his betas disappointed "I think I'm finally getting why you keep refusing me, Scott...because your already have your own pack, the gerardo pack but gabriella did you tell your pack about your past? don't you think they have the right to know"

gabriella glared at him "if you don't shut your mouth I'll make sure what happend to your uncle happens to you to"

"what are you gonna kill me like you killed your mother?"

gabriellas eyes glowed red and was ready to attack but was stopped when they saw the kanima on the roof

Thin lips