Chapter Three

"Where have you been?" Derek asked with a frown on his head, as soon as Lana stepped into her apartment.

Lana's keys made a noise as they hit the floor. "My god, Derek, you startled me! What are you doing in the dark—no, make that my apartment?!" Lana glared at him like he was a kid who did something that displeases mum.

"I brought your favorites. I thought you didn't get a proper welcome," he said nonchalantly.

Lana rolled her eyes. "Oh-kay. But surely, there's more to your being quite generous as to bring me welcome-to-Beacon-Hills-cheese-and-wine, Derek. What is it?"

"I asked a question first." Derek raised his brow. It's almost 12 midnight, and she doesn't exactly have many acquaintances to visit in town on a Saturday night.

"Well, I did grocery shopping—and visited old acquaintances in town." Lana's expression told him she won't be telling him more details.

He exhaled, trying to control his temper (or jealousy, if he'd be very honest). Derek just shrugged, and grabbed the wine. He popped the bottle open, and poured wine in two glasses.

Lana then sat at the couch, and took the glass he offered. "Thank you, Derek, really." Lana smiled at him, enough to keep his mind off his concerns. "Hmmm… You've always had an excellent choice, Derek." Lana raised the glass she just took a sip from.

"You think so, huh?" It was more of just a rhetorical question though. He joined Lana in the couch. "How have you been?" Derek asked, staring at Lana's face intently. He had badly missed this woman, and he's shamelessly unafraid to show it.

Lana cocked her brow. "Really, Mr. Hale? This is a let's-catch-up-with-each-other kind of thing?" She eyed him suspiciously, albeit playfully.

He laughed. "Yes, it is, Lana." Then he added, "The last time we talked, it was more of a confrontation, and not much of a 'Nice to see you again in Beacon Hills kind of thing'," Derek teased.

It was Lana's turn to laugh, "Damn right, Derek. I never thought I had the potential of becoming a sociopathic ex-girlfriend," Lana lightly quipped, making him chuckle in amusement.

After they split, he and Lana didn't talk to each other for months. To both their and even his sister's surprise though, they started keeping in touch again, albeit not as frequent and rather intimate as before. When Derek tries to think of why, he'd credit it to Lana and him being long-time friends (Lana's actually almost a family)—a bond he'd consider to be stronger that the romantic one they'd relatively shortly had. Admittedly, Lana would be that one woman he'd perennially adore.

He was immediately back to being serious, remembering what really brought him here. "Lana, believe me, I'm glad to see you here in Beacon Hills. But this place isn't safe anymore— at least now. People around me get hurt, Lana. I don't want you to be one of them." Not you.

Lana swallowed, her face now devoid of emptions. She actually looked hurt. "You're asking me to leave." It wasn't a question.

"It's for your own good," he firmly said. "I can make arrangements for you in the next town. I've actually found a couple of apartments that could be to your liking. Not as laidback as it is in Beacon Hills, but you'd like it there—and it's a shorter drive to your work." Derek feels so heartless, but he just has to do this for Lana's safety.

Lana sighed deeply. "You're driving me away for the second time around, Derek Hale." She smiled bitterly. "You're giving me an illusion of recourse when you know I have none. You know that I'd just keep on going, but I'm getting tired of this, Derek."

Derek was stunned as Lana was almost confrontational—which was so unlike of her. "Lana—"

Lana stood up, raising her hands in frustration. "Know what, I'd be even more grateful if you'd just leave me alone, Derek. Oh, and don't worry. You're not the only one who keeps on losing people around you. I do, too, so I won't take it against you should anything happen to me as I'm an unfortunate case myself." Derek detected pain and anguish in Lana's voice this time that really puzzled him. Her words were actually a little cryptic as he doubts she was referring to her family—or even him.

"Give me a few more weeks, Derek. I'd hate to move again. My project's ending earlier than expected, and I'd be taking the first flight back to England as soon as I wrap it up." Lana was back to her usual composed self—the switch baffling Derek even more.

He just nodded, not wanting to insist what he wants anymore as it will only upset her. "Alright. But should you need anything while you're here, let me know. Please." Derek Hale doesn't always do 'please', but this (she) is a different matter.

"Okay," she said in almost a whisper. "It's been a long day for me. Please lock the door—or the window when you leave," Lana said dismissively.

x

Derek can't still stop thinking about Lana and the conversation they'd had last night—technically, quite early in the morning today. He couldn't tell why, but Lana's statements were just so puzzlingly… meaningful. He sighed, and just tried to concentrate on his driving on his way to the animal clinic. He needed to see Scott's boss to check if there's anything else he could tell him about the prophecy or who they could be up against to.

All of a sudden, he heard a loud thump on his car's roof—like something heavy hit it. Jumped on top of it, rather. Speaking of the devil.

Derek drove faster, heading for the Preserve. When he got off the car, the creature was no longer on the roof, but he caught a whiff of its scent, pointing him deep into the woods. His senses were heightened as he followed the trail.

A few minutes later, he still couldn't see the creature; the sound, movement, and scent his senses would catch are rather too faint. Seemingly out of nowhere, he was grabbed in his shoulder, and sent flying to the air.

Derek shape-shifted to his full wolf form—painfully so, as he was apparently wounded by his predator. He got a good look of who, more appropriately, what it is. It's a shape-shifted werewolf as well. But one who's more of a monster, than it is a human in form. An alpha who's given up nearly all of his humanity in exchange of perhaps revenge like Peter, power, or maybe something else.

He took an offensive stance, ready to attack the alpha after him. Derek hates to admit but even in his full wolf form, this supernatural is still way stronger than him. This sends another message though—that it won't be stopped until it has finished off what it started—or someone finishes it off.

In the next few moments, the Beacon Hills Preserve served once again as an arena for two battling wolves, each of them fighting for survival. Derek's sure he inflicted wounds on the bigger wolf, but he could feel that it is him who will be tending to more wounds. That is, should he live after this. Clearly, this alpha wants him dead.

The next thing that Derek knew, the alpha has gone for his neck, and he was down on the ground. It's managed to inflict an even more fatal wound on him that he could no longer move despite his resolve to keep on fighting. The bigger wolf stared down at him for a few more seconds, then retreated deeper into the wounds, It has seen how close he is to breathing his last.

Derek involuntarily shifted to his human form. He let out an already weak warning roar for Scott and his pack. The alpha got what it wanted. Lana should be safe now.