I am sad to say this story is slowly coming to an end, along with the sequel to Derek Fanfiction "Reason" Sorry you guys :( But I have a little surprise which I will reveal by the end of this story :)

xxx

SSC

Ariel was never the type to let her emotions take control. She learned a long time ago it was better to reveal her true feelings but right now in that moment. She felt so much rage it was hard to control.

She needed a release and working out was the best solution. It kept her body exerted and the angry train of thoughts kept her fueled. The penthouse was large and sparse of furniture except for the basics like a living room settee. She found an adequate area and began performing her usual routine though her mind was on the events that occurred the night before.

The murder of Derek's Beta, Boyd.

Ariel didn't know much about the kid. Except passing him a few times in school but he never glared at her. She could see the fear in his eyes but never a sneer. Almost as if he wasn't sure about her position among the alphas and she had strangely appreciated it and she was glad now. The last thing she wanted in that moment was to be categorized as a murderer like the rest of her pack.

Ariel was furious but she kept a tight leash on it, but her rage only churned within. She heard the sound of the door opening, they were back. She paused –mid sit up before resuming the movement.

"Where were you?" Kali demanded looming above Ariel, her bare feet placed near the teenager's head. She didn't even bother acknowledging her presence and continued to exercise her abdomen.

"Here, training." She mumbled like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"We needed your help to—"Aiden began.

"Torment and murder teenagers? I think you can do that all by yourself." She snapped and pushed up on to her feet and turned to face them. The twins stood at a vary space behind Kali. Ariel could see the obvious guilt in Ethan's eyes and the way he avoided her penetrating stare. Aiden was better at hiding his emotions but there was a tension in his expression, like it hurt to see the unbanked disgust in her stare.

Kali stood in her usual self righteous way with no remorse in her dark eyes.

"You know I really fail to see your use in this pack. You are just a free-loading princess aren't you? Sometimes I wonder if you are even part of this pack." She hissed watching her like she was the most repulsive little bug. Ariel stare back expressionlessly.

"I never said I was." She retorted, Kali smirked flashing her canines.

"Oh, does Deucalion know that?" She wondered and the amusement in her eyes faded fast and she glared down her nose at the younger she-wolf.

"You know what we do to outsiders. Don't think your little bond to him is going to protect you forever. One day he is going to get sick of you lagging your weight around and I will be there to personally dispose of you." She spat before pivoting on her heel and marched several steps away. Until Ariel's sinister laughter immediately rooted her.

The twins tensed when Kali froze and turned back around to frown confused and annoyed at the same time. They knew Ariel was asking for trouble. The teenager was beaming in a mocking way that angered the fierce female further.

"You know Ethan and I were talking about your nails once, about why you insist on growing it." The male began to sweat nervously when Kali glanced in his direction. He was staring at Ariel in a look that questioned her sanity.

"I guess he was just scared so he said it was to be a better killer, but do you want to know what I think?" Ariel grin simmered down to a taunting little smile but her electric blue eyes flashed in repulsion.

"I think it's to scratch those hard to reach places and when you can't reach them you just get annoyed and commit mass murder because let's face it, your brain –as small as it is can only be programmed one way." The thin band around Kali's rage snapped and black glinting claws were instantly extended. Her dark eyes turned crimson and she was ready to attack.

Ariel was calmly expecting such a reaction and the blue in her eyes blotched to a dangerous red. Her nails expanding and lengthened and her fangs peeking out from behind her full lips. Kali was dying to have an excuse to break that elegant neck of Ariel's and the girl had given her the perfect opportunity.

Aiden's gaze snapped between the two. He hadn't seen Ariel half provoked since the night she became alpha. Part of him wanted to see how the battle would end but at the same time. Kali was ruthless and he didn't want Ariel dead.

Kali was about to make the first attack—when something long, slim and silver whizzed over her shoulder heading directly at Ariel. The girl was quick and immediately caught the walking stick in a clench fist and glared in Deucalion's direction. The sharp quill shaped device was intended on scratching her cheek, one of his disciplinary methods.

Deucalion stared passively and Ariel narrowed her stare. A snarl on her lips that Aiden and Ethan had never seen before, it slightly terrified them. She marched past them and even Kali didn't make any move to stop her. She came face to face with her uncle before swiftly throwing the stick at his feet.

"Next time you do that, I am going to break it." She hissed, without waiting for a response she trudged past him and into her living room. Deucalion made no expression and the rest of the alphas cautiously approached.

"Guess she's made her choice." Kali mused, Deucalion nodded in response. Ethan picked up the walking stick and handed it to him.

"And I've made mine." He murmured.

Stiles was driving home after just after talking to Cora and Peter and listening to Peter's story about Derek's first girl friend that he had to kill. The story was a blow, and made Stiles somewhat regret being so wary and mean to the alpha.

He had gone to check up on Meg who was in her room again. She needed space after having to witness the deaths of another friend of hers. He recalled how close they were, Boyd and Meg and their closeness only increased after Erica died. Since they both deeply cared for the blonde—now he was gone too, he didn't know how Meg was going to cope.

Derek had been missing for a day, Stiles didn't blame him. After all the man was forced to kill his own Beta. What worried him was—Meg was the last living Beta for Derek.

Ariel wasn't there when Boyd was murdered and that eased his rising anxiety. Did she know about what they were about to do? If she did she would have told me, right? It was hard to come to a conclusion but knowing her. Stiles had a gut feeling she was in the dark when it came to Boyd.

His phone beeped on the seat beside him. Stiles glanced at the screen it was a message from Ariel.

Oak tree.

His eyebrows furrowed—despite Ariel being the queen of all things vague, it was a little too ambiguous. A sense of apprehension washed over him. He took a sharp bend and began heading in the way of the oak tree he knew she was referring to.

The darkness was making it a challenge for Stiles to see anything. He drove up to the tree but then his yellow headlights roamed over a figure on the floor. Panic set in and Stiles parked the jeep and left it running in his haste to get to the fallen body.

The closer he got the instantly he recognized the falling form to be Ariel and he saw the unmistakable dark blotches of blood across her stomach. Stiles felt his heart drop to his stomach. He immediately knelt down beside her. There were gashes across her abdomen, they were deep and pooling with blood. Her shirt was torn in places and her face was littered with patches of dirt. Through the shadows it was hard for him to see if her chest was moving. He prayed to God it was.

"A-Ariel?" he called out, reaching for her face with a trembling hand.

Her eyes suddenly snapped open and stared right at him.

"Jesus—oh my God!" He exclaimed falling back while clutching on to his chest. His heart pounded madly and staring wide eyed at her.

"Did I look dead to you?" She asked softly.

"Uh yeah. I think we can conclude that you achieved that perfectly from the stroke I suffered a few seconds ago." He snapped, taking a deep calming let her head fall back against the earth.

"Good…then it worked." She closed her for a moment, allowing a sense of peace before looking to him again.

"I need your help, Stiles."

That was pretty self-explanatory.

Stiles managed to get her off the ground and towards his jeep. He was supporting her with his arm around her waist and her arm over his shoulders. Even with his help he could see it hurt for her to move, but she clenched her jaw and refused to reveal her suffering to him.

"I should take you to Deaton's, he will know—"

"No, take me to your place now." She insisted through gritted teeth. The rain flattened her hair to her side, a few strands curled and framing her face.

"Try and save some of that energy to the actual healing part instead of barking orders at me." She nodded somberly. He felt guilty for snapping at the injured female. She kept one hand pressed to her side to limit the blood flow, her gaze was focused on the ground.

"They wouldn't expect me to be at your place." She grunted when Stiles leaned her against the metal of the jeep. With his arms free, he opened the door for her before reaching out for her again.

"Why not?" He demanded out of instinct though the thought never crossed his mind. He managed to help her on to the seat. She leaned back against the leather seat. Stiles shut the door and ran to his door, desperate to get out of the cold winds. He got in and slammed the door shut, then reversed the vehicle back from under the tree and on to the main road.

"He thinks I'll die out here and there won't be anyone to save me." Ariel replied her breathing uneven.

"So they have absolutely no idea about me?" Stiles was talking at an attempt to distract her from her wounds. Also to know more like why was she out here injured in the first place.

"I had to protect you, if Deucalion found out about you. You won't need to be a virgin to be slaughtered." He glanced at her and she was smirking. Proud of her own jab at his pride, he rolled his eyes.

"Wittiness always a great sign of recovery,"

They arrived at his home. Stiles helped her up the stairs and to the bathroom. She insisted on a little privacy to clean her wounds. He wanted to help her, knowing it would be hard for her to do the task by herself but he decided against it. After she shut the door he went in search of a clean t-shirt and pair of boxers she could borrow. He figured she would need new clothes considering the state of her current attire.

After she had accepted his clothes from a small gap in the door he paced waiting for her. She finally emerged from the bathroom. Her hair was damp and sticking to her pale skin. The grey t-shirt he provided was two sizes too big for her and fell to her waist. The blue checkered shorts fit her perfectly but they relieved the alabaster skin of her thighs. Stiles had to force himself to stop staring at the perfectly toned shape of her legs for too long, in order to help her into his room.

Stiles placed her gently on his bed before rushing off to lock his door. He pulled over his desk chair and placed it beside the bed before taking a seat.

Once she was settled he demanded she tell him every detail of what happened and why they attacked. Taking a deep breath, Ariel began reciting the events that lead to her current form.

Ariel raced through the woods the gashed Kali had inflicted on her were burning. Her legs were pumping at each leap she took too avoid a stone in her path.She could hear leaves rustling against their fast forms. They were catching up to her, quickly.

Ariel knew she couldn't out run them for long, but if she could just get to the location she intended on arriving at. She skidded to a stop, dust riling up around her from the sudden halt. The oak tree was large and towering in front of her and allowed her a moment to relax, until she heard their growls behind her.

Three pairs of red eyes emerged from the darkness and Ariel back into the tree, clutching to her wounds. Kali was grinning maliciously. Aiden and Ethan weren't as intimidating, they were almost unsure. Ariel had one clawed hand out, ready to fight for her life when Deucalion emerged from behind them.

"I didn't want to have to do this Ariel, but you left me no choice." He spoke inching closer to her. Ariel glared defiantly even though it hurt to stand.

"I left you plenty of choices. It's not my fault you didn't take them." He sighed in a feign despair at her words.

"Maybe, I should have learned my lesson about betrayal. I just didn't expect it from you."

"Betrayal is a little too dramatic don't you think? If anything you've disappointed me and I am sure if my father was around, he would be disappointed in you too but then again—You lost more than just your physical vision." She snapped. Deucalion stared from behind his black shades, making it impossible for her to read his emotions.

A gasp escaped her lips when he pinned her against the tree with a hand to her throat.

"I could crush your windpipe right now." He threatened calmly. Ethan took a step to aid but Kali growled at him, forcing him to shrink away. Ariel stilled her struggling and narrowed her icy eyes at her uncle.

"Do it." She urged Aiden looked between the two in alarm.

A sly smile curved at his lips. His hold on the column of her throat ,tightening. Ariel struggled to breath.

"That's what you want isn't it? I understand, the guilt of what you did is threatening to consume you and everything you've done up to this point is to hurt yourself not me." She hid the contempt she felt in that moment. He smiled pleased by her silence.

"If you wanted punishment all you had to do was say so." He snarled before abruptly releasing her. Ariel fell to the ground heaving and coughing. Kali looked to her alpha in question. Itching to demand why the light still remained in the girl's eyes.

"Leave her here." He ordered.

"Wouldn't it be kinder to just kill her right now?" Kali rebutted.

"Yes it would, which is why we are leaving her." He turned away the end of his walking stick slapping at the ground.

"In your dying moment you will realize that I was all you had Ariel and you threw it away." He spoke with his back turned to her. Ariel glared after him, Kali sneered down at her before following Deucalion.

Aiden and Ethan hesitated. Ethan even made a move to approach Ariel but decided against, she could see the guilt in his eyes. Aiden turned away and marched off, refusing to look at her and she was glad in away.

"No Deucalion...I was all you had." She whispered once they left and fell back on to the earth. She found comfort in the leaves gently swaying above her. After a moment she brought out her phone out of the pocket of her tattered jeans. With a shaky bloodied hand, she began to type.

"They are not going to be looking for you?" Stiles asked his gazed lingered on the clear bluish purple hand print around her throat. He felt such rage and sympathy he didn't know what to do.

"I am not sure about Ethan or Aiden, but Deucalion and Kali could care less." She answered and tried to sit up against the head board. Stiles immediately reacted. He steadied her by placing his hands on her shoulders, leaning over the side of the bed.

"Will you like stop moving around so much? You are going to make things worse." He chided.

"I'll be fine stop worrying—"

"No I won't, I thought you died Ariel...God." Stiles sighed heavily and she paused to watch him intently. He ran his hand through his hair. The sight of seeing her unconscious still hadn't left his mind.

"Just don't do that to me again." He croaked out, finding the will to look in to her eyes again.

She smirked in that teasing way "Why, you going to miss me?"

"Is the thought really that shocking?" Her smile fell at the way he glared at her. Clearly not in the mood to jest about how he found her.

"I guess not." Her expression turned somber. His hand was resting beside her and she gently grasped it and squeezed "And I am sorry that I scared you, it was the only way."

"Wait you knew this would happen?"

She nodded "Well it was a little risky. I wasn't sure if Deucalion was going to kill me or not and plus my time there was coming to a limit. Especially since they killed Boyd." She murmured but then her blue eyes darkened a vengeful sapphire.

"Kali is going to get what's coming and I didn't want to stick around to be engulfed by her bad karma." He smiled at her words. He was glad she wasn't taking an even bigger risk by challenging Kali. Now knowing what they were capable off didn't elevate his worries in the slightest. His gaze wondered over the wounds. The blood was seeping through her shirt and Stiles grimaced at how painful they seemed.

"Don't you think we should do something to those wounds I mean would it help?" He suggested. She seemed surprised by his attentive nature.

"It takes time but you can do something for me. Get me my tea, it's in the flask."

"Where is your flask?" He asked perplexed. He did not remember her leaving it behind.

"In the duffle bag under your desk."

"What the—when the—you planned this?" He demanded, gaping at her like a fish out of water.

"I didn't know where else to go." She spoke softly like an apologetic child.

He stared, his shock melting.

"When you say it like that." He mumbled mainly to himself before going in search for her duffle bag under his desk.

"I won't trouble you for long—"

"No I didn't mean it like that, I want you to stay I want to help." Stiles had knocked his head against the wood in his fierce eagerness to assure her he didn't have any qualms with her staying.

He pulled out the flask and stood up before making his way to her. He sat back on his chair, popped apart the cup and poured the clear liquid into the container before handing it to her. She accepted it graciously with both hands, then began drinking.

"What did you mean when you said you won't be staying for long?" He asked. She looked to him over the brim of the cup before lowering it to her lap.

"If Kali does come looking for me. I don't want to endanger you, Stiles, but they don't really know about you so that's a pretty slim risk and besides. Derek will be seeking my help soon." She prophesied. Stiles was amazed she still managed to think of his safety while being so badly wounded. He stared thinking about what he learned that night about Derek, from Cora and Peter.

"That guy has had it pretty tough." He said refilling the cup for her.

"How so?" She asked and sipped at the tea. Stiles began to tell her all about how Derek's former life in high school. About the girl he fell in love with, how Ennis had tried to turn her into a werewolf but her body hadn't accepted the bite and how that resulted in the change in Derek's eyes.

"That is just genuinely depressing." She murmured pityingly. Stiles nodded in agreement.

"I know, but Peter told us the story—Cora and I—and I don't think he told us the entire story, besides having tried to kill us before, I can't trust him."

"You are planning on asking Derek for the whole truth?" Stiles liked that she always seems to know what he was planning before he said it.

"I was thinking about it. What do you think?" He asked genuinely interested in her opinion.

"It's...ballsy—did I use that right?" She murmured uncertainly.

He grinned and nodded almost proudly "Yes."

She smiled, pleased with herself "Not sure if he would be too keen, better catch him at a time he is most vulnerable people tend to open up more then."

"Well aren't you conniving." He pointed out. Amused by her words, she smiled at him.

"Aren't you?"

Her usual spirit was back, Stiles was glad.

"The tea seems to be helping." He noted.

"Indeed, I call it the Bridget Brew it helps speed up the healing process." She sunk back into the comfort of his pillows "I never got to finish the book you gave me. I had to stop five pages before the ending."

"I could read it to you now." He was surprised by his own suggestion, more than Ariel was. To avoid her inquiring gaze he went in search of the book and he found it in her bag, in the same condition he had given her.

"My mom used to read to me when I get sick, cliché I know but the sound of her voice always made me feel better." He said sitting beside her again with the book in hand, his eyes were soft and tender when recalling the fond memory. Ariel watched him, a doting smile curving at her lips.

"It's not a cliché, not to me at least." He managed a smile and opened the book to the place she had bookmarked. It was the Popsicle stick from their night out, he was marveled by it.