HEEERREE'S Chapter Six! Now I know some of you wanted the last chapter to end differently and there were instances of faces meeting keyboards but I promise you guys that action will be taking place at least within the next few chapters so keep your eyes peeled for it.

On with the show!

XoxoxoxoX

I was more than a little anxious to resume training again, especially since Derek and I would be working much closer together. The incident of last night had left my nerves rattled but I had resolved to brush it off as if nothing had happened at all, just like Derek had when he left last night. I just hoped that the situation would not turn awkward, lest the pack or Nick find out what had almost transpired the night before.

"Scarlett, why's your heart rate rising? Are you sure nothing happened with you and Derek last night?" Nick asked quietly as we made our way to the old house.

"Nothing happened, Nick, I promise but I'm just a little nervous to see how new dual leadership deal will work. Derek's still their Alpha; it might still be a challenge for him to relegate training to duties to someone else." It's not like I was lying; nothing had actually happened last night but I still wasn't about to admit to Nick just how chummy we had almost become.

"Well I think that if you two pig-headed fools can get along for the sake of the pack then you'll be fine."

"I'm not sure if you just complimented me or insulted me!"

"A little of both; oh hey, we're here! Peter! Do you have that book I asked you for last week?" And off Nick ran towards the porch where Peter was sitting with a stack of books. I shook my head in exasperation and went to join the others in the clearing.

"Little Red Riding Hood is here!" Stiles called out as I approached, running up for a hug.

"What?" I laughed as he attempted to pick me up and spin me. He put me down rather quickly. "What's with the nickname?"

"Well, you're a wolf, you're a girl, you happen to be wearing a, my I say, rather fetching red tank top so yeah, Little Red Riding Hood." He finished in a rush. I looked perplexed over at Scott who mouthed the words 'too much Adderall' and I nodded.

"Okay, well, whatever you say buddy." I replied with a pat on his shoulder before going to stand next to Derek. "Hey, ready to get started?"

Derek didn't respond but he gave me a quick nod to indicate he heard me, even if he wouldn't quite meet my eyes yet. Oh, good to see you're acting normally then. "Today we're going to be sparring in groups but we'll be using the moves that Scarlett demonstrated a few weeks ago." Everyone sent the others on their sides a surprised glance before turning back to Derek. Was he really going to be using the moves I used to kick his ass? "Nicholas, Peter; you aren't joining us?" Derek asked with an eyebrow raised.

"I think my fighting prowess has been proven many a time now, thank you though." Peter replied without looking up from his book. I sent a similar look to Nick who was also pouring over the tomes on the porch. He sensed my gaze and looked up with a sheepish smile.

"You know I'm better with books than I am with claws. I'm a lover, not a fighter, Scarlett!"

I rolled my eyes. Total bullshit of course; I had an inkling that someone may have just the tiniest crush on a certain someone's uncle. "Well, we may as well get on with it then. So who am I taking in this session?"

Derek looked down at me in mild surprise. "You're actually asking?"

"Well, yeah. You're the Alpha, it's your pack, you just tell me who I'm with, where to go and I'll do it." I said with a small smile.

He blinked a few times before a small smile ghosted across his face. Oh jeez! "You're with Isaac and Scott today. Jackson, Erica, Boyd, you're with me." And we separated into groups to begin.

"You guys think you can handle me?" I asked playfully as they took their positions. I noticed they had odd looks on their faces, quizzical I guess you could call it, and it was making me paranoid. "What?"

"Since when are you and Derek actually being civil with one another?" Scott asked.

I blinked for a moment before glancing over my shoulder at Derek, who just happened to be looking at me. The second he caught my eyes, however, he turned back to Erica who had just come charging at him. Of course, he was listening in on our conversation, but was he embarrassed that he'd been caught looking at me? Yeah, he was doing a super job of acting normal.

I turned back to Scott and smiled. "We just came to a realisation we were acting a little childishly. Besides, I already know I can kick his ass. I want to see if I can take you guys on now!"

Scott and Isaac seemed to buy the explanation and their eyes began to glow golden in anticipation for practice. A subtle voice floated past my ears.

"I can still take you; any time, any place."

I chuckled under my breath, replying just as softly. "Dream on, Derek." Just as Scott and Isaac came flying at me.

A moment later and two trees in the clearing had been toppled by the wolves. "Now," I laughed as I picked them up from the debris. "Let's try that again, but make it work this time."

XoxoxoxoX

The pack fell into a steady routine over the next month, meeting every other day at the old house, usually after the betas and humans had finished school for the day and practiced moves, strategies and potential areas of weakness in preparation for the Alpha packs attack, although said pack had been eerily quiet, only adding fuel to the tension over when and where they would attack.

While Derek and I were fairly accomplished fighters and Nick and Peter, being the eldest of everyone, had more experience, the betas were soon coming along in terms of prowess and control. Scott and Isaac, who I happened to be paired with the most time, were quickly gaining the upper hand in our sparring sessions and on more than one occasion it was I who was the end of yet another tree in the clearing. While my back was cut to shit and my wrist broke on impact, I couldn't have been prouder of my pups.

Oh, so they're your pups now? When did that happen? What happened to no commitment, no attachment?

You look into Scott's eyes and tell me you don't fell it too!

…I see your point.

While I didn't mind getting thrown around for the sake of training, Derek seemed less than impressed by it. Not that he himself hadn't been pinned or thrown in moments of distraction or when Boyd in particular bested him during training; in fact, he seemed pleased that his betas were finally picking up the skills they needed to survive against wolves much more powerful and experienced than they were.

No, the problem, it seemed, lie with me. On that fateful occasion where Isaac and Scott had double teamed me and sent me flying into that tree, it had hurt like hell! As I said, the rough bark had torn the skin on my back and I had landed awkwardly with my arm tucked under my body, snapping the bones of with a painful CRUNCH! I had cried out briefly, clutching the wounded limb to my chest as Isaac and Scott came running to see if I was okay. Of course, I was. After all, I was a werewolf and the healing process had begun by the time I had stood up and was gingerly brushing stray leaves and woodchips out of my hair.

"You okay?" Isaac asked worriedly. After all it had been his kick that had sent me flying.

"I'm fine, no harm, no foul." I gave him a reassuring smile as the last little bone in my wrist locked back into place.

"What was that?" a voice growled behind us. We all jumped and turned to find Derek bearing down on us, eyes flashing and scowl deadly. He came to a stop by my side. "You mind explaining that little stunt to me?"

"We were just using the technique that Scarlett showed us! How to attack in pairs!" Scott defended while Isaac looked more than a little nervous. I just stared a Derek, completely confused. Why was he making such a big deal out of this? It was so out of character for him; I didn't know what to think.

"Oh, so maiming her makes it okay then, does it?" He snarled. "What good are we going to be without her to help us? Did you think about that, you morons?"

"Derek, I'm fine!" I insisted quickly, placing a hand softly on his shoulder. He didn't brush it off and I felt the muscles relax slightly. "Honestly, yeah it hurt a little but I'm fine now; you know, werewolf and all, super healing abilities…really, don't be mad at them, they were only doing what I told them to."

Derek turned and took a hard look at me, something strange reflecting in his eyes before he sighed exasperatedly. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, voice still rough with a growl but his hand was gently laid over mine. I nodded again. "Fine. But watch it!" he threated the boys before taking off back over to Erica, Boyd and Jackson, who were conspicuously pretending to ignore the situation. We stood and watched his retreat.

"What…in the hell just happened?" Scott murmured.

Oh, I think I know exactly what happened Scotty. "No clue," I said quickly, shaking more woodchips from my hair. "Come on, let's try that again and see if you little bastards can pin me again. Twenty bucks says you can't."

But deep down there had to be more to it, I just knew it. This was not the first instance of Derek losing his temper at one of the betas for being a little too rough during training. He'd sent Jackson home early after he'd delivered a kick to my ribs that had left me gasping and almost tore Allison a new one when I had run into the path of one of her arrows, barely grazing my shoulder. Each time Derek would get all Alpha, eyes glowing, voice in a low, vicious snarl while protectively blocking my path from the others only to back off when I insisted. I found it all a little annoying, truth be told. I was a big girl who was more than capable of taking a hit should she have to so there was no need for him to treat me like I was breakable and freak out on the kids for it. But then there was that part of my subconscious that secretly loved it, just a little too much. I mean, Derek was attractive and he was obviously concerned for my well-being.

And you know exactly why. You may not want to admit it and Derek is probably too thick to realise it, but you know exactly why he's acting the way he is.

It was following another of these incidents where Boyd had accidently clawed at my stomach, leaving my shirt ripped and bloodied that people really started asking questions. Training had been called short after Derek decided to pull one of his disappearing acts, moodily speeding off in his car after I had tried to diffuse the situation and prevent Boyd from missing his head. Derek at looked at me furiously with that same indescribable intensity in his eyes and would not be calmed. I brushed it off as best I could with the others, blaming it on the encroaching full moon. But not everyone bought the excuse. People started asking questions. People like Nick.

"What's going on?" he asked bluntly as we walked through the door. I spun around bewildered.

"What do you mean?" I asked. But I knew exactly what he wanted to know.

"I mean, what is really going on between you and Derek?" He said again slowly. He took a seat at the table, arms crossed. This was his serious pose. "I suspected something the night he was here but now?"

I started to feel agitated, looking anywhere but my brother's eyes. "There's nothing going on, Nick. Just drop it."

"No, I won't." I replied firmly. "See, I know you think I'm a bit of an airhead at times but I see a lot more than you give me credit for. I noticed it from the very first time you two laid eyes on one another. And then I find you all flustered and blushing with Derek running into the night and lately he's been so protective of you. I mean, you saw what he almost did to Boyd tonight! That's not just nothing. That's something. And you know what that something is and you're going to tell me…Scarlett, is he…?"

I had been standing there, shaking my head side to side like I wouldn't be able to hear him, tears welling in my eyes. Keeping it all to myself, the dreams, everything; it made this whole awful situation seem less real, something on a metaphysical plane of existence, imaginary and easy to ignore. But now someone outside that imaginary world had taken notice and the awful dream was now an awful reality.

"Nick, please," I begged him. "It's just…it's nothing okay? Just please, just drop it."

"Scarlett, just tell me." He said more softly, standing to wrap his arms around me. I clung to him, sobbing into his shirt. "Why is this so hard for you to say?"

"You know why!" I cried. "I promised myself; fifteen years ago I promised myself that I wouldn't let this happen! I can't go through life losing people anymore, it hurts too much Nick, I don't want to lose anymore and the only way not to lose is to never have it in the first place."

I heard him sigh above my head. "Scarlett, what happened was the worst possible thing to happen to any child, wolf or human. But you're not that child anymore! You beat them just by surviving, by beating the odds! You don't have to be a suffering martyr; you'll only be hurting yourself…and you'll be hurting Derek."

"Nicholas," I begged again.

"No, you have to say it. Maybe not to Derek, who I'm not sure is completely aware of his actions or the reasoning behind it. But you need to say i. I've noticed the changes in you, since you met him. You're more restless, you're not as strong, and that spark in your eyes isn't as bright as it used to be. Admitting it to me won't make any of that change and the time will come when you will have to face Derek and tell him, even if he hasn't figured it out yet. Just, please Scarlett. You're my sister; we're all we have in this world. IF you can't trust me with this then who can you trust?"

He was right. Nicholas was always right. There would come I time when Derek and I would have to talk about whatever was happening and not happening between us. But right now it was just my brother and I, in our kitchen, and safe from the world. I couldn't live in fear forever but right now, I wasn't ready to take that ultimate step.

"Fine," I sniffled and pulled away from his chest and looked up at him tearfully. "Nick, I think Derek's my mate."

"Think, or know?"

"Know," I sighed. "I know he's my mate. It all started with the dreams, really. Deaton said that the dreams are meant to help you recognise your mate when you meet them, and that's how I recognised Derek. That and scent; it felt like home, Nick! Home! And then the pain started; it was dull, at first, but it started to hurt the longer I wasn't around, particularly after that day in the woods. Then he showed up here and things just felt normal, you know? Domestic, pleasant, whatever! And he almost kissed me and then he has to go and get all protective over me and gah! Nick, what am I going to do?"

"You just need play this out, because you know once the wolf in you has recognised a mate, then there's no going back. You either suffer the consequences of not being with them or you claim them. But for now, act as you have and what is meant to be will fall into place."

"But it all feels so ridiculous! I mean, this isn't love at first sight! I barely know Derek at all and now there's this huge part of me that wants to mate with him forever; it's all a little overwhelming."

"It is and it will be. But you just need to be prepared for the day when both you and Derek will have to have the talk about all this. Don't panic until then, just try and stay near him as much as possible, for your health and for your heart. I'd hate to see you turn into one of those girls who gets depressed over a guy."

I let out a watery giggle. "You're right. But I'm still going to avoid any situation that could possibly lead to anything romantic or this conversation any sooner than I want to."

"Good. Take this at your own pace, Scar and everything will be alright. I'm here for you when you need me and until the day that Derek claims you as his own, I'll be the one to protect you."

I hugged him tight and kissed his chin. "And you always have. I love you, Nicholas Garcia."

"And I love you, Scarlett Keats. So…what do you think about a spring wedding? Oh! And pale blue bridesmaids' gowns?"

"I take it back. I hate you."

XoxoxoxoX

I had hoped that there wouldn't be any more stressful situations that would lead me into conflict with Derek or bring me any closer to him than I had to be. But as usual, I was way off. Thursday had rolled around and it was the day before the full moon so I was more than a little on edge. It had been a stressful day at the clinic; Deaton had been mysteriously called out by the sheriff's department to identify something strange in the woods, so that could only mean good things. Then a dog had come in, hit by a car and try as I might to take away his pain, he passed away soon after. A big, beautiful dog too; wide brown eyes, just like Nicholas. Today, of all days, it was just a little too much to take.

I had literally just stepped onto my porch and put the key into the door when my phone began buzzing in my pocket. I sighed and pulled it out, seeing it was Erica on the other line.

"Hey, can I call you back? I'm just about to get in the house."

"No! We need you down at the station right now!' Erica whispered urgently.

That had me standing up straighter, panic setting in. "What is it? Are you okay? Oh God, did the Alphas attack you?"

"No! But it's Derek! He's kind of gone postal and we need you here to talk some sense into him; please Scarlett, he's being totally irrational!"

"Erica, he's your Alpha! I have no right to step in and tell him to change a decision he's made." I said exasperatedly. I certainly didn't want another repeat of the last time, especially this close to a full moon.

"But he listens to you!" Erica begged again, a little more desperately. "Please, just come by now and see if he'll listen to you."

I sighed, banging my head against the door. "Fine," I ground out. "I'll be there in ten. Until then, don't let anyone say or do anything stupid to set him off again."

"Thank you so much." She breathed relieved before hanging up. I went to the car and jumped in, starting the engine and taking off down the street a little more quickly than was legal.

"Fuck my life!"

Less than ten minutes later I was screeching to a halt in front of the station and already I could hear Derek growling angrily and the frantic and frustrated voices of the betas and humans on the floor below. I rushed out of the car and down the stairs.

"Stiles, I swear to God I am going to rip your throat out with my teeth if you say anything like that to me again!" I heard Derek roar, pacing somewhere towards the back of the old station.

I groaned wearily. I saw Erica rushing towards me with a grateful smile. "What happened to not doing or saying anything stupid until I arrived?"

"I'm sorry! But we were getting desperate here and we need a voice of reason in our corner! And Peter is not helping at all," she threw an accusing look to the older male who was leaning nonchalantly against the train car. He shrugged and smiled.

"It's not my place to intervene when an Alpha is like this. Besides, this is better than cable television."

I rolled my eyes at him and got down to the floor where I was instantly crowded by the rest of the betas and humans, Stiles clutching at my legs like a pliant infant.

"Oh thank God, you're here!" he cried. "Derek's being a big meanie and threatening to hurt me! You won't let him, will you?"

"No, I won't," I said, helping him to his feet. "But what did you say to make him so mad?"

"I may or may not have called him a sour wolf and a hard ass that needed surgery to remove that twenty foot pole up his ass."

"STILINKSI!"

"Don't let him kill me!" Stiles screamed while throwing himself behind my back.

Oh, for the love of God!

"Scarlett, what are you doing here?" Derek growled as I approached him. "This has nothing to do with you!"

"I know that, Derek, but I got a frantic call from Erica saying that you were kind of losing it at them for some reason and they hoped I could diffuse the situation." I said as calmly as possible. No reason to set a whole warehouse full of wolves off.

"You shouldn't have come here! I've made my decision and I'm not going back on that!"

"But that's not fair, Derek! And you know it!" Lydia called from the huddle group. Another roar from Derek had her and the others cowering closer to one another. An Alpha's roar had that effect.

"Look, can someone tell me what this is all about?" I asked, annoyed. "I'd like to know what I'm dealing with here."

"Saturday is our school's spring dance and Derek won't the wolves go because he thinks they'll lose their lunar shit and go ballistic on the other students!" Lydia cried as though missing a dance was the biggest travesty since the Holocaust. "But they've got so much better at controlling themselves and we tried to tell him it would be fine but then he went all Alpha on us!"

I smacked my palm to my forehead and took ten deep, soothing breaths. "You seriously called me down here because of a dance? Really? Come on, guys!"

"But Scarlett, please! We rarely get to do something fun with all the pack commitments and we've been looking forward to this for weeks! Besides, the night of the dance isn't on the full moon; it's the night after so the power will be waning. The wolves have enough control to handle dancing for one night." Allison interceded, everyone else nodding in agreement. Clearly the girls were acting as the spokespeople for the cause.

"No! Enough!" Derek growled. "For the last time, I am not running the risk of having one of you expose yourselves and the rest of us to an auditorium full of humans!"

As I watched it all play out before me I felt less and less like participating. Derek had a point; while the moon's power over us lessened after the first night it was still dangerous, particularly with wolves so young. Jackson had only been a wolf for close to four months and while he was showing progress there was a very real chance that he could lose his temper or get a little too…aroused by Lydia and then boom, instant wolf.

But then again, the betas had a point too. For wolves so young, especially ones that had become what they were through the bite they were showing remarkable control. Two full moons had already passed since my arrival without incident from any of them and as I had found out, no one had to be restrained or tethered to avoid them going on a murderous rampage. Yes, they were wolves but they were also teenagers who still had so much more of life to experience, which included school dances and formals. They shouldn't have to be held back or be sheltered because of that. I had missed a lot similar functions because of a full moon or some other wolfish reason but I didn't want them to look back with regret on their younger years, wishing for something that had been and resenting every day what they were for the missed opportunities. Dammit all! I have a feeling that I'm going to end up regretting this!

"Derek," I began softly. "Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to let them go to the dance."

"WHAT?" he exclaimed angrily. "What happened to 'I know this has nothing to do with me'? Are you seriously telling me you think it's safe for them?"

"Derek, come on! You know you're pack, and you know their level of control. Last full moon you didn't even have to tie them up with the chains. Look, no matter what phase of the moon or even the time of day, it's always dangerous for us. We're werewolves, for crying out loud! The potential for danger will always be there. But have a little faith in them, okay? They can do this without putting anyone's lives in danger."

Derek growled and moved in close to me. His intent was to intimidate but it had the opposite effect on me. Yeah, just a little closer and I could show you another use for those teeth! "Give me another reason why." He said lowly, for my ears only. The growl was still in his voice, but he seemed just a little calmer now we stood a few inches apart.

"Because you don't want them to live in regret." I replied just as softly. "They may be wolves but they are still kids, Derek. Look, I'm sure that at one point or another in your life you've had to miss out on one of those teenage rites of passage just because of what you are. You can't tell me that you never thought about it now and wished you'd had the chance to do it then. I know I do; all the time! Don't let them live their lives like that, Derek. Don't let them live in regret. Please." Hoping to close the deal, I placed a gentle hand on his forearm, squeezing and looking directly into his green grey eyes. We kept the gaze for a few tense moments before Derek exhaled deeply, stance relaxing and shoulders dropping in a resigned sort of way. He looked over at the small group of teenagers who were waiting with bated breath.

"I can't believe I've actually agreed to this but fine; you can all go to your stupid dance."

A loud whoop and cheer went up from the group as they hugged and high-fived in celebration. I tried to hide my smirk at their poorly concealed joy at the news but I wasn't doing much better than they were. Derek looked less than impressed but had resorted to grumbling under his breath. It was just a little adorable.

"I take it you're still not pleased." I said quietly, nudging his arm a little.

"Clearly," he replied with a scowl. "But you're right. They have good control over their other half. I just wish there was a way I could keep an extra eye on them, make sure that nothing happens."

"Oh, well what a happy coincidence because I have the perfect solution!" Peter supplied cheerily. I stared at him surprised. This man had an answer for everything; I wasn't sure whether to find that reassuring or disturbing.

"Oh?"

"Yes. As it happens, not all of the teachers at Beacon Hills High are particularly happy about working on a Saturday night so there will not be adequate supervision. They are looking for volunteers to chaperone the dance and will take anyone willing to help."

Derek seemed a little unconvinced, glancing at me uncertainly. Are you seriously asking for my opinion here? "It would be a good way to watch out for them without being too conspicuous, Derek."

He groaned tiredly, evidently getting fed up with all talk on the subject. "Fine! I'll go chaperone the stupid dance if it means I don't have to clean up any massacres afterward."

The teens cheered again, albeit this time it was a little more sarcastically and with an evident lack of enthusiasm.

"Well, now that this has all been sorted and settled. I think I'm going to go home now. I'll see you all later." I said and began to walk away until I felt Derek's large hand grab onto my wrist and pull me back a little. I turned to look at him questioningly. I was surprised to see his eyes full of mischievous intent and smirk on his lips. This doesn't bode well…

"And where do you think you're going?"

"Um, home? Like I just said?"

"Oh no! You got me into this mess, so you're going to join me in chaperoning duty."

"Wait, say what?"

"Good news!" he said to the rest of the pack, smirk still firmly in place. "Scarlett said that she'll be joining us as a volunteer. Lydia, Jackson, could you please tell whoever it is in charge of the dance that we'll be there on Saturday."

"Really?" Lydia exclaimed happily. "Oh, that's wonderful! Scarlett, do you have a dress? No, of course you don't! Saturday morning we'll go shopping at Macy's with Allison and Erica and pick out something stunning for you. This is going to be so much fun!"

I gaped open mouth at the girls getting excited over the prospect of using me as a were-Barbie, wanting to tell them no but I doubted I would have gotten a word in edge wise. As the rest of the pack excitedly discussed their plans for the dance I turned to glare at Derek who was looking at me, eyebrow raised and still smirking.

"You are pure evil, Derek Hale!" I muttered bitterly, wrenching my arm out of his grasp. I let out a tiny startled gasp as he leant down next to me ear, breath tickling my neck.

"I did tell you I would get you back for throwing me against a tree and now I have. Karma's a bitch." He whispered, probably more seductively than he realised. It's just the full moon, he doesn't know what he's doing.

Despite myself I felt my own smirk form and leant in close to his ear. I felt his minute shiver and my own wolf howled in victory. "Well played, Derek. But don't even think I'm done with you." And without being in complete control of myself, I twisted my head slightly to the side and nipped at his lobe. The sharp intake of breath that greeted me was reward enough. I pulled back to look at his intense face, I could smell the arousal coming off of him in waves. "See you on Saturday, Derek."

And with that I walked out of the warehouse, hating myself for the lack of control I had just displayed…but loving every second of it.