The pack wasn't far. It wasn't even out of town, but it was hidden away so no one unless they knew where to look could find it.

She descended the stairs behind Derek, looking around the gray, cluttered hiding hole. Random debris, seats, and broken down busses accompanied the place. Massive pillars cut through the structure and she had a feeling most of the junk here was simply to add to the disguise of abandonment.

Scott and Stiles quickly followed behind her.

Three people stepped out of the bus, eyes landing on her and not straying. Two were men, one pale and lanky and the other tall and broad with dark skin. The other was a woman with curled blonde hair to her shoulders, red lips, and an angry expression.

"Who's she?" the woman demanded.

Hope stopped when Derek stopped and glanced over at him then back at her. Instinct told her this woman had sights for the alpha...and the feelings weren't mutual. Hope wasn't the jealous type, and she wouldn't become one, but she also didn't like the amount of slick disrespect in her voice.

The two men were smirking, clearly laughing over some inside joke, which earned a glare from the girl.

"This is Hope," Derek spoke, "And she's welcome to be here." He wasn't her alpha, but even she could feel the authority in his voice. She knew the others felt it too.

"Hope, this is Erica, Isaac, and Boyd," he introduced them quickly.

"Oh," Erica began with a sly smirk, tilting her head to the side, "She's here. Won't that be fun. Is she here to train or will that be a little much for her?"

Hope almost laughed. She had to bite down on her lip to keep it from surfacing.

"Is something funny?" Erica asked, taking a step forward.

Taking a breath to center herself she shook her head "Yeah, I don't do the whole...teen...wolf...drama thing. I'm perfectly fine with not being liked. I get it. I'm a stranger. I don't expect you to trust me at first, but I hope in time you will."

Derek gave off the smallest hint of a smile before nodding to Isaac "Let's go. You're up."

While they got ready to square off, Hope found a seat among the tattered furniture with Stiles and watched. She didn't look over to meet the eyes that seemed to judge her every move. Instead, she ignored Erica completely and watched Derek.

He moved with such grace, countering every attack from Isaac. His movements were fluid and connected, Elijah would have called it great form. Not perfect, of course, nothing was truly perfect especially to her uncle.

Hope couldn't help herself. She found herself memorizing his pattern of attack and defense. Which direction he moved from certain attacks, how his feet were planted and changed when he was going to use a different method. Whether Isaac jumped from a crate or the bus itself, he deflected each. It was impressive how quickly changed his style, leaving many of his moves up to chance. Which, in itself, was a pattern.

After Derek had Isaac on his back once more it was time for Boyd's training, which went as well as Isaacs. Only, Boyd used less agility and more strength to his advantage. Before she knew it, it was Erica's turn and Hope was not fond of the look she gave her while stepping in front of Derek.

It didn't take a genius to understand Erica wanted him, but did she want him as Derek or him as the alpha? Hope could practically smell the hormones in the air and most of them were coming from Erica. Taking an alpha was certainly a power move.

The session started and it certainly was not like with Isaac or Boyd. Erica was...handsy. Wrapping her legs around his waist, using her weight to bring him down, but Derek was quick to get out of her hold and gain the upper hand.

The worst part wasn't her touch. It was the sounds she made. As if she were trying to turn him on.

"She realizes she has an audience right?" Hope whispered to Stiles."

"Yeah, I don't think she cares…" he pursed his lips.

The display continued for another five minutes until Derek slammed her to the ground so hard she seemed to lose the breath in her own lungs.

Good.

No, Hope, no. That's terrible, but...she also didn't hate it.

Stiles looked over at her expectantly, grinning from ear to ear. He apparently had come in hopes to see her fight Derek. As much as Hope loved a challenge, she wasn't sure how she felt about it. It wasn't really her place to potentially make their alpha look weak.

Okay, those are the big-head types of thoughts that would lead her to trouble. There's no saying she'd even beat him, especially if she wasn't using magic to her advantage.

Looking up she saw his gaze was on her now with a slight smirk.

So he expected her to fight too?

Hope gave him a look but smiled as she stood, dusting her hands off on her jeans. "Let me guess. No magic?"

"Magic?" Erica scoffed as she pulled herself off the ground, limping a little.

"Yes, magic," Hope retorted, "Magic. Witchcraft. Sorcery. Which title would you prefer, Erica?"

Erica glowered with bright, amber eyes "Go screw yourself."

"Don't threaten me with a good time," Hope smirked.

She watched Erica's jaw drop, listened to the snorts off to the side, and turned to Derek, but as she did Erica let out an unearthly roar. Hope looked over to see her fangs out, the glimmer of anger in those yellow eyes, and she was rushing her despite her limp.

Derek stepped between them, his own face had changed. His roar...shook the structure. Hope didn't even think to cover her ears and now they pounded as she watched the beta's retreat quickly, whimpering. If they had tails they'd be between their legs.

Hope swallowed and moved so she could see Derek's face more directly. His eyes glowing red, a vast difference from the yellow she'd seen in Erica's and Scott's. Even her own. Hair had grown on the sides of his face, ears and brow contorted and completely changed.

She wasn't afraid, but her heart pounded with exhilaration. She'd never seen anything like him, and she watched in fascination as he twisted his head to the side, changing before her eyes.

Derek huffed a soft sigh and looked over at her, raising a brow. No doubt in reaction to her growing smirk.

"So? Do I get to face off with the great Derek Hale…" she turned her words to a whisper in his ear, "or do you want to wrestle it out later?"

His eyes said it all and that answer was yes.

By the time everything had calmed down, Hope made it her goal to get to know Boyd and Isaac. She didn't want to test her luck with Erica yet. She didn't care if she was liked, but she didn't need more enemies in this town. Least of all members of Derek's own pack.

So she chatted with them. From how they'd joined the pack to what they did for hobbies. When eleven o'clock rolled around she was slipping into the back of Stiles' jeep, crushed against Derek's side. It made sense for her not to use her car for now until things settled down. The hunters knew her car by now and would be searching.

After she and Derek hopped out, Stiles left to take Scott home, so they went inside with the full knowledge that they were for once completely alone.

Hope slipped out of her shoes and padded to the kitchen with a soft sigh, taking out a bottle of wine and two glasses. Talking all night with strangers had mentally exhausted her and she was eager to let it fade away in comfortable silence with Derek.

She poured the glasses and walked out to him, handing him the glass "Yeah, I didn't ask if you had a preference, but this is all I have until I go to the store again."

He chuckled and took the glass gratefully before pulling her to the couch beside him. "I think I'm surprised. I would have pegged you for a uh…"

"Whiskey girl?" she laughed.

"Well, maybe more rattlesnake venom" he smirked, sipping his own glass of the robust red.

Hope shook her head and laughed again "My taste differs. Sometimes I want tequila, sometimes I want an old-fashioned. I blame my family and their various preferences. Believe me, my 21st birthday was insane."

She took a long drink, not realizing she'd drained it until the last drop dripped down and she was staring at the clear, distorted bottom.

"More?" he asked gently with a worried expression.

She looked over at him and set her gaze locked on his and nodded.

"Yeah…" she mumbled softly under her breath and looked down at his lips. She wanted another drink. She wanted to drink him in. His lips, his body. She feared it was a reaction from Erica's display tonight.

"I'm not the jealous type," she began, looking up at his eyes, "I try not to be at least, but watching her…" she trailed off. How could she describe it?

Derek nodded "She and I are not...together if that's what you mean. She may have acted like it, but she's just a little…"

"A hormonal humpress?"

He suppressed a smile and nodded "It's a natural instinct and that should eventually lessen over time…" he smirked then "I think...I was promised a wrestling match" he raised a brow.

Hope grinned then and couldn't help but giggle. This Derek was not the one she'd first met, who only glared and crossed his arms.

That Derek was alpha.

This Derek, the real Derek, was different.

"Oh you think you can actually handle me?" she grinned, watching him set his glass to the side, his gaze not leaving her. Her skin tingled, watching that smirk grow.

"I guess...we'll have to find out, won't we?"

Hope made the first move and had him pinned to the ground in an instant, having rolled them off the couch and forced him to land on his back with a thud.

She smirked down at him "You underestimate me. I can be very competitive when I want to be."

"I can see that, but did you know I have a secret weapon?"

"Hm, what's that? Puppy dog eyes?"

Derek skimmed his nails, no, claws down the center of Hope's back. She gasped softly and shuddered as a shiver shimmied up her spine, sending a wave of tingles from her head to her toes, and while she was distracted he flipped them.

Hope huffed a soft sigh and smiled "Alright, I'll give you that. Impressive distraction."

"Well, that's not all my hands can do…" he smirked suggestively.

"Is that right?" Her stomach dropped and she was sure he heard her heartbeat skip. "Show me then…"

Derek didn't hesitate to lift her from the ground, standing with her in his arms. She didn't break away from his gaze as they climbed the stairs. Not when they entered her room and not when he set her on the bed. He leaned over her and she didn't take even a moment to think about it. She kissed him, let her lips press fully to his, and didn't stop until their lips were swollen and they were gasping for air.

He climbed into the bed with her now, moving behind her so his back was against the headboard and her back was against his chest. The proximity made her think of last night. His sweet words, his gentle touch. Her eyes closed, remembering the sensation, and let her head rest back against his chest.

His lips brushed against her jaw and a soft sound escaped her lips. A sort of wispy whine. The hands that roamed up her waist, dragged her shirt along with it, exposing the skin beneath and he took advantage of it. His fingers slipped slowly under her shirt, gliding over every inch of her stomach, caressing her ribs, all while kissing just under her jaw. It was a torture she never wanted to escape from.

Goosebumps rose as his hands reached behind her now, finding the clasp of her bra, and unhooked it. She moaned softly, encouraging him to continue. Frozen with anticipation as he pulled her bra away.

Hope's eyes rolled back as the rough texture of his fingers stroked over the now hardened tips of her breasts. Her own hands found their anchor, squeezing his thighs, as she sat between them. That touch, the trail of sparks he left behind sizzled with intensity.

He lingered and moved on, his hand reaching down, traveling further and further south until he slipped under her jeans. Gasping loudly now, her hips beginning to squirm, unable to keep them still.

Derek growled softly in her ear and nipped just below her jaw "I told you I'm good with my hands…" he murmured before applying pressure and stroked upward with his fingers, forcing Hope to dig her heels into the bedding. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been touched like this and she didn't want it to end.

Of course, the end was inevitable, but the climax tonight would be one of many

Hope would make sure of it.