Chapter One

In the recent weeks, Scott and his pack had been on their toes. A series of non-supernatural killings again rocked the town. As Sheriff Stilinski further investigated, however, all the cases are tied to the supernatural. What's more, they've found clues suggesting that Derek Hale is yet again a target.

To Derek's annoyance, Scott, Stiles, Lydia, Kira, and Malia have appointed themselves as his protectors. "Seriously, you kids. It is school you should be worrying yourselves with, not me," Derek growled. He is certainly grateful to have some people look after him, but he's more worried than these teenagers' safety than his own.

"Derek, you can't handle this by yourself. Look, we've proven that when we stick together, uh, we do great working as a team. Strength in numbers!" Scott argued, making Derek chuckle.

Stiles' mouth dropped. "Dude, seriously? This is no laughing matter. Come on!" Stiles is an even more hyperactive spaz than he usually already is. "God, you have a penchant for sociopathic women, don't you?"

Stiles was this time referring to his ex-girlfriend, Alana, who has been in town at about the same time that the new case started. Derek doesn't want to believe though that it is Alana who's after him—or who had been behind the other killings of the supernatural.

"We're not sure if it's her, Stiles. You've concluded, what, based on a single statement?"

His cousin spoke. "Derek, that statement may just be as good as a threat. 'Derek Hale should be extra careful to stay out of harm's way."

"Malia…" He said in a warning tone.

"Derek, we overheard it! She said those words to Dr. Deaton!" Scott recalled of his first encounter of Derek's ex-girlfriend. Just as mysterious and dark as Derek is when they first met him, her words to Dr. Deaton when she visited his clinic made Scott wary of what her intentions truly are.

"Then there's the prophecy, Derek. Surely, you won't doubt words from Satomi, right? Even she is worried about you! There's an, uhm, evidence we can tie to your ex, and that's enough reason for us to be suspicious of her." Kira, according to Scott, was now taking training with her Katana even more seriously. Kids.

Then they turned to Lydia. Among the teenagers, it was only Lydia who liked Alana, and who would share his opinion that it may not be her who's after him.

"What?" The banshee rolled her eyes and pouted at her friends' expressions—their non-verbally telling her to go side with them. "Let me get this straight. You, fine, we think it's her because of the warning she told Dr. Deaton, she's so mysterious, and she's ridiculously and unbelievably smart and beautiful." Her admiration was evident in the last few words.

Stiles nodded. "Well, yes. Especially to 'ridiculously and unbelievably smart and beautiful'. Come on, Lydia, Derek. I may have a huge crush on her, but that doesn't keep me from objectively analyzing the events!" Stiles was supposed to say something else, but he received dagger looks from Malia. "Just a silly crush, Malia. I'm a teenage boy, it's a very human thing to do," he explained, to which Malia just raised her brow.

Close to losing her temper, his cousin is. Derek chuckled. "I've talked to her—"

"You what?!" shouted stiles.

"Dude!" from Scott.

"Dereeek!" Malia sounded like his mother.

He exhaled. "I've talked to Lana. I asked her for details—why she's here in Beacon Hills, and more importantly, if she's involved in any way in the supernatural killings."

"And…?"

"She's in Beacon Hills for research-consultancy work. The town's a few minute drive to her research site, so it's practical to stay here for the duration of her work. Knowing Lana, she likes the somehow laidback feel of the town. It complements the toxicity with her work. And no, she's not involved in the cases. She doesn't have the reason to kill any of the victims." Derek had listened to her heartbeat to check if she was lying. She wasn't, as it beat in a slow, steady fashion. He'd wished though to have heard her erratic heartbeats—as caused by his nearness to her. He loved the way he can make her feel—but that was when they were still together.

"But what about what she'd told Scott's boss?" Malia doesn't look like she's relenting on the issue.

"She's heard of the killings. She knows about me—of our kind, Malia. Lana and Dr. Deaton were talking about the killings, of who are involved, and that's the context of the "Derek Hale should be careful." statement." He titled his head, a non-verbal way of asking "So, we're done now?"

Lydia sighed dramatically. "Well, it's not her. All that has to be done was to ask, before jumping to any conclusions. Guys, it's a good thing that we have a 'lead'," Lydia emphasized the word 'lead'. "But just focusing on her based on non-conclusive evidence is counterproductive! What if it's someone else, and we don't realize he's so close already because our eyes had been on the wrong person all this time?" The ever logical, smart Lydia's now bringing her winning argument to the table.

The room fell silent—even the hyperactive spaz who always has to have the last say in an argument seems to have backed down, well, a little.

x

Scott and his friends have left his loft a few minutes ago, and he was left thinking about the recent events. His mind should be preoccupied with solving who is after him (and behind the supernatural killings), but his mind was more on Alana.

Five years his junior, Alana had been a constant fixture in the Hale household since she was a child. Derek remembers her mother being so fond of Alana, treating her like her own. Even as a child, Alana had always been smart and beautiful, making her quite a charming child to adults. Lana though has always been a sickly child, and later on, an insecure teenager, resulting in her difficulty to make friends with her peers. It was only to him and sisters that Alana had warmed up to.

When Alana's grandfather, a druid of another family, died, she remained close to his family. Growing up into a beautiful (albeit still insecure) teenager, Derek became a self-appointed 'gatekeeper', keeping her legions of admirers at a distance. Then the Hale family tragedy happened (Derek was in his early twenties, and Laura in her mid-twenties).

The event badly scarred Derek emotionally. He blamed himself for his family's demise. Lana, however, pulled him out of his misery. Derek couldn't tell who was more vulnerable then: Lana who was quite young, and had zero experience in romantic relationships, or Derek who had been all those years struggling to keep his feelings for Lana nothing more than brotherly.

With Lana always by his side, being his beacon of light in his darkest days, Derek fell in love with her even more. Lucky him because Lana loved him, too. A little over a year after the Hale House fire, he and Lana had become a couple, much to Laura's approval.

Everything was blissful between them. They lived together in Pennsylvania where Lana was finishing her Master's degree (she was quite ahead of people her age), and he went on working on his stock market and real estate investments. Derek offered marriage to Lana, but she refused due to her personal issues on marriage. They fought over it a couple of times, but Derek would always relent—having Lana by his side is what matters anyway, married or not.

Then came the time when he had to let her go. Derek drove her away so she can spread her wings. It could qualify as a bad break-up, but Derek believes that it was for the best. He had to make Lana believe he doesn't need her anymore so she would go ahead and explore the world that has always been waiting for her.

On the day that Lana left for England, Derek came back to Beacon Hills.