Author's note: Hey y'all! Hope you are enjoying the story! Just a fair warning there is quite a bit of bad language in this chapter and probably will be throughout the story. Lol Just to let you know. I apologize for any grammar or spelling errors. :) In addition, I'm using ' to signify Aurora's thoughts.
ENJOY!
"Whoa! Easy! I didn't mean to startle you!" said the man who had nearly given Aurora a heart attack.
"What the hell are you doing in the middle of the woods all alone?!" Aurora shouted. "And why did you think it was a good idea to sneak up on someone who was unsuspecting?!"
"Why I am all alone in the woods? Says the beautiful teenage girl all alone in the woods? the stranger questioned raising his thick eyebrows in suspicion.
"Flattery won't get you anywhere buddy." Aurora scolded. "Now, instead of answering my question with another question, why don't you just answer the question?"
The man raised his eyebrows even higher which Aurora honestly didn't think was possible.
"You have a perfect 'what the actual fuck' look." Aurora giggle lowering her weapon. "I'm sorry. I am suffering from a concussion and I'm pretty sure my brain is not functioning properly at the moment."
"Let me get this straight. You are alone in the woods with the sun about to go down and you have a concussion?" the man's 'what the actual fuck' look had turned to one of complete disgust and a hint of disappointment.
"Dude. Calm down dad. I'm fine. I was on my way back to my car. Just taking a breather." Aurora said. "Wait, why am I explaining myself to you? Mr. I creep through the woods startling unsuspecting girls."
"I live about three miles from here. I was just on my way home when I heard you rustling around." the man said with a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Oh yeah. You just decided to take a three mile walk out into the woods so you could walk three miles back in the dark?" Aurora asked her voice dripping with suspicion.
"Actually," the man said taking a step closer to Aurora who immediately told a step back, "I was out for a run. I like to stay physically fit. A three mile run helps with that. Any other accusations? Or does the persecution rest its case?" he finished indignantly.
'Geez.' Aurora thought. 'Someone doesn't like to be challenged.'
"Excuse me Mr. Poster child for devoted exercisers everywhere. Do you blame me for being suspicious?" Aurora asked.
With that the man seemed to relax a little.
"No, it was right on you to question me. Maybe you are smarter than this scenario paints you to be." He said with a toothy grin.
"EXCUSE ME? Listen here Mr. Judgy-McJudger, I happen to be very sma-" Aurora began but her rant was cut short.
"My name is Derek."
The stranger's sudden sense of pleasantries made Aurora freeze mid-sentence.
"What?" she asked extremely annoyed.
"Derek." The man said again pointing to himself. "My name is Derek Hale."
"Aurora." She said crossing her arms.
"That's a beautiful name." Derek said with another smile.
Even in the growing darkness Aurora could see how handsome the man standing before her was. She hadn't taken the time to notice before, what with the being scared out of her mind than insulted, but since they were switching to greetings Aurora might as well soak up the masterpiece that stood before her.
"Are you alright?" Derek asked with a sly smirk cocking his head to the side just a bit.
"What?... Oh. Yeah, fine. It's just I already have a concussion and the whiplash I'm getting from your mood swings is aggravating it." Aurora said recovering from her brief drooling session.
With that, Derek laughed. It was not at all what Aurora expected from a man of Derek's stature. He had hard features; his shoulders were broad and his body was thin but muscular. In fact, it looked as though it was made of pure muscle, every one of them distinctly defined. His arms were massive and even through his long sleeve black shirt, Aurora could tell he had a six-pack. His eyes were a mix of brown and a hint of green and his hair was…His hair was raven black and glossy. Almost like silk...
"Did I lose you again?" Derek asked amusement in his voice.
"Dear Lord. You aren't one for letting a girl think are you?" Aurora said in aggravation, her southern accent more pronounced because she was upset.
"Sorry ma'am." Derek mocked in his best attempt at a Georgia boy accent.
"That was pitiful." Aurora teased. "Where you from city boy?" she asked just now coming to the conclusion that Derek was not from around here.
"California, ma'am." Derek said continuing to talk in his accent.
"California? Well I'd say you're a long way from home son." Aurora said laying on her accent as thick as possible.
"Yes ma'am, I do believe you are correct." Derek replied but he was starting to sound more like Pee Wee Herman rather than a southern boy.
"Stop. Just stop!" Aurora laughed. "It's so terrible. I can't."
"Wow, you have a beautiful smile to go along with that beautiful name." Derek said the green in his eyes shining bright.
"Thank you Captain Cheese ball." Aurora teased but her heart fluttered at the compliment all the same.
Derek took another step forward but this time Aurora stood her ground.
"Is it cheesy if it's true?" Derek asked stepping in front of Aurora. Their bodies were close enough now that Aurora could feel Derek's body heat.
"Jesus. Do you have your own personal heater in there?" Aurora asked poking Derek's chest.
When Aurora's finger made contact with Derek it was like she had sent an electric shock through his body. Aurora watched as the look in his eyes changed from playful to determination. Before Aurora could protest Derek placed his hands on both of her hips and pulled her close.
"I run hotter than most people." He said answering Aurora's question that she had long since forgot about.
"Is that a metaphor?" Aurora asked half-joking as she placed her hands on Derek's chest trying to make a little space between the two. "Do you also not understand personal space like most people?"
"Do you want me to let you go?" Derek asked rubbing circles around Aurora's hip bones.
'NO!' Aurora screamed in her mind.
"I-…Do I know you from somewhere?" Aurora asked after a short pause.
Derek just looked at her. It was a familiar look. Way too familiar.
"You have amazing hair." Aurora managed to blurt out.
Derek's response was a snort.
"Thank you?" he said raising his eyebrows again.
"It looks really healthy." Aurora babbled lowering her head to hide how red she had gone.
Derek removed his left hand from Aurora's hip and cupped it under her chin, forcing her to look traight into his eyes.
"Is this new found fascination with my hair an attempt to avoid answering my question?" he asked running his thumb lightly across Aurora's skin.
"What question?" she asked sounding way more flustered than she wanted to admit.
"Do you want me to let you go?" Derek asked again.
Before Aurora could answer, there was a loud clap of thunder.
"Holy shit!" Aurora screamed bracing herself against Derek's body looking up at the sky. It was barely visible through the tree but Aurora could see the outline of ominously dark clouds.
"Gah! One thing I hate about the south, freaking thunderstorm can pop up without any warning." Aurora said trying to calm herself.
She didn't realize that she was still in Derek's arms until he started rubbing her back. Aurora assumed it was to comfort her but it was only adding to her sexual frustration.
"I really better get going." Aurora said with a sigh pulling herself out of Derek's embrace.
He looked look a little disappointed but nodded his agreement.
"I'll walk you to your car." Derek stated.
"My hero!" Aurora cried pretending to swoon as she tried to loosen the tension between them.
"Unless you want to walk through the woods by yourself, in the dark, in the middle of a thunderstorm." Derek said folding his arms across his chest.
"Just get me the hell out of these woods Mr. Super Exerciser Creepy Backwoods Dwelling California guy." Aurora pouted holding out her hand for Derek to take.
It was dark to begin with and the storm was not helping Aurora's vision. She was going to need to hold on to Derek so she didn't have a repeat of her last pitch black woods experience.
"Sure you don't just want me to carry you, princess?" Derek mocked taking Aurora's outstretched hand.
"Did you seriously just call me princess?" Aurora asked flabbergasted.
"I really did. Why? Are you trying to tell me it's not a proper title?" Derek asked as they began to walk in the direction that was hopefully toward Aurora's car.
"Oh no. It's extremely accurate. I am a mother fucking princess, and damn proud of it." Aurora said shooting Derek a sideways smirk. "I just don't think it's fair for you to be making such judgie quick assumptions."
Aurora was completely joking of course. She just really wanted to get a rise out of Derek, and boy did that comment work.
"Excuse me?" Derek mocked. "I'm pretty sure you walking that cute little ass into my territory with your painted nails and your designer jeans is enough evidence for me to come to the conclusion that you are without a doubt a spoiled princess."
'Your territory?' Aurora thought. 'Wait a minute. Did he just admit to checking out my ass?!'
"Hold the phone Mr. Brooding Wilderness Man." Aurora said stopping in her tracks.
She still had a hold of Derek's hand and she tugged his arm so that he was facing her. Well she didn't so much make him turn as he turned for her. Aurora knew the only way she would ever be able to force Derek to do anything would be with a baseball bat. Cause let's face it, dude was built.
"How do you know my jeans are designer?" Aurora laughed raising an eyebrow to mimic Derek.
"You just told me princess." Derek shot back with one of his dazzling smiles. Or at least that's what Aurora pictured he did because she could barely see his face at this point.
"Hey buddy. Let's not forget, not only am I a princess but I'm the one with the gun." Aurora joked as they continued to walk.
"I'm pretty sure I could take you." Derek said only half-joking.
'Oh my God. You could definitely take me. I would not complain.' Aurora thought with a small laugh.
"What's so funny?" Derek asked.
'How the hell did he hear that?' Aurora asked herself silently.
"Oh you know. Most girls who meet a stranger in the woods don't usually hold their hand and led them back to their cars. I'm beginning to understand why you questioned my intelligence." Aurora said before nearly tripping over what she assumed was a tree branch.
Derek grabbed ahold of her to steady her balance.
"They also don't usually stand idly by while said stranger invades their personal space every chance he gets." She added as she felt Derek's arms snake around her waist.
"No, they usually don't." he agreed burying his face into the crock of her neck.
As if out of instinct Aurora let her hand travel from her side to Derek's hair.
"You weren't joking about liking my hair." Derek purred leaning into Aurora's touch.
'Why does this seem so familiar?'
"What can I say? It's prettier than mine. And that's coming from a princess." Aurora teased stroking Derek's hair.
Aurora lost track of how long they stood there but another large clap of thunder jarred her back to reality.
"We need to get going. Your car is just up ahead." Derek said pulling his body away from Aurora.
"How do you know that?" Aurora asked but Derek didn't respond.
Instead he led Aurora around a small tree and through a couple of brush patches to the camp site where her car was parked.
"Oh thank God!" Aurora shouted in relief.
"You can call me Derek."
"Shut up Grizzly Adams. And thank you too." Aurora said unlocking her car and stowing her shot-gun safety in the backseat.
"Nice Prius, princess." Derek chuckled.
"You suck. They are very safe and fuel-efficient!" Aurora grumbled.
"What were you doing out here anyway?" Derek inquired as Aurora felt a drop of rain hit her face.
"Oh you know. What every other teenage girl does when she goes skipping through the woods by herself." Aurora said deliberately trying to stall.
Derek's eyebrows immediately shot up.
"Oh fine. I was looking for my wolf, Silky." Aurora spit out as fast as she could.
"Your wolf? SILKY?" Derek choked out like the words were straggling him.
"Yeah, he's jet black and glossy. So I named him Silky." Aurora said defensively.
Derek stood stalk still for what seemed like forever before he finally spoke.
"Didn't you say he? Why would you name a male wolf Silky?" he asked as if he was personally offended.
"OH MY GOD! Not you too. He looks silky therefore his name is Silky. End of discussion." Aurora said throwing her hands in the arm.
"Okay, better question. Why do you have a wolf? They are extremely dangerous. You shouldn't be out in the woods looking for one let alone claim one as your own." Derek very seriously.
"Silky would never hurt me. He saved my life. We are kindred spirits." Aurora told Derek defiantly. He barely knew her and she was not about to let him think he could tell her what to do.
"Well what about other wolves?" Derek fished.
Aurora looked at him incredulously. He knew she wasn't going to listen to him, so why was he bothering?
"Silky will defend me. He would never let anything happen to me." Aurora said wholeheartedly.
"And you know all this after one encounter with him?" Derek asked and if Aurora didn't know any better she could have sworn there was a hint of a smile on his face.
"Yes. I do. It's like..It's like he knew me." Aurora confessed. "I haven't been able to get the thought of him out of my head. It's almost like I'm-"
"Bonded to him?" Derek said stepping in front of Aurora so that her body was pinned between him and the driver's side door of her car.
"Ye-yeah. Something like that." She stammered trying to gather her thoughts which was extremely hard to do when Derek got in her personal space like this. "I know it sounds crazy but-"
Derek raised his hands defensively. "I'm not judging."
"Ha! Oh really? Cause this would be the first time since I met you that you don't have a judgie thought to share with me." Aurora spat.
Derek just shrugged his shoulders.
"Of all the things I would have accepted you judging me for, the wolf thing was not one of them." Aurora admitted.
"Now you have something to judge me for." He said with another shrug of his shoulders. "Hopefully you two will meet again." Derek said and he seemed completely serious.
"Thank you. I hope so too." Aurora said thoughtfully.
Without any warning Derek leaned forward and kissed Aurora on the cheek.
"Drive safe Aurora. I hope Silky isn't the only one who gets to see you again." Derek said with a smile.
"Yeah, me too Mountain Man." Aurora called after him as he disappeared into the woods.