Author's note: Hey everyone! Sorry for the delayed update. Starting back to school is going to slow me down. :( I'm really sorry! But I will update every chance I get. P.S. Cliffhanger. D: SORRY! D:

ENJOY

Aurora woke up to the sound of rain hitting the roof. It was dark in Derek's room; the only light to be seen was from the digital clock. She could hear the faint sound of the wind whipping around the house. Lying on left side she and could feel Derek's chest pressed firmly against her back. His arm was securely locked around her waist. Derek must have noticed that Aurora was awake because he squeezed her tight.

"Feel better?" He asked softly kissing her temple.

"Much." Aurora smiled feeling completely rested. "I didn't have a nightmare." She said happily turning over to face him.

"I'm glad." Derek said with a grin.

"What time is it?" Aurora asked sitting up to stretch. She pulled the covers over her bare chest immediately, the temperature in the house felt as if it had dropped significantly, which was saying something.

Derek rolled over and switched on the lamp.

"Eight thirty." He said.

"Damn." She giggled.

"You really must have needed some sleep." Derek told her.

"I can't argue with that. I was starting to consider psychiatric help." She teased.

"I'm sorry baby. What are the nightmares about?" Derek asked sitting up next to her.

Aurora wanted to lie but she knew it was no use, Derek would know.

"What if I told you my nightmares were about a very scary, slightly sadistic clown?" Aurora joked trying to lighten the mood.

Derek narrowed his eyes.

"Why don't you want to tell me what they are about?" He asked skeptically.

"They could be about a clown. That shit is scary!" Aurora said completely serious.

She had an irrational fear of clowns and was not afraid to admit it.

Derek fought the urge to chuckle and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm in the woods and something with red eyes is chasing me. I hear this horrible laugh and someone calls my name right before I wake up." Aurora confessed.

Derek was silent.

"They started happening right after I met Alex." Aurora whispered.

"He won't hurt you Aurora. I would never let that happen." Derek said firmly.

"I know Der." She replied leaning over to kiss him.

He brushed her hair out of her face and looked at her fondly.

"Do you mind if I take a shower before we leave?" Aurora asked trying to change the subject.

Derek must have wanted to do the same because he didn't protest.

"Not at all. Make yourself at home." Derek grinned.

"Oh crap. I left my bag in the trunk of my car." Aurora frowned.

"I'll grab it for you. Towels are in the cabinet." He said pointing to the bathroom door.

Aurora pushed the covers off of her body and immediately regretted it.

"It's like Antarctic in here!" She shouted through chattering teeth.

Derek chucked as Aurora sprinted over to the bathroom. When she reached her destination she slid the door open hiding her body on the other side to where Derek could only see her face.

"Glad that you find this amusing Mountain Man." Aurora stammered sticking out her tongue.

It took some effort but he stopped laughing. However, Derek was unable to remove the goofy grin on his face.

"The keys to my car are in the pocket of my sweat pants, ya jerk." She teased before going to close the door.

"Aurora." Derek called making her stop what she was doing.

"Yeah?" She asked looking over at him.

"I love you." He grinned.

Aurora's heart fluttered.

"I love you too Der." She replied before shutting the door and getting in the shower.

The hot water felt amazing. Aurora seriously contemplated staying under it for the rest of the night. However, she didn't think Derek would take kindly to her running up his water bill. She washed her body thoroughly using Derek's body wash. Aurora smiled to herself when she opened the bottle of his shampoo and washed her hair.

'Totally have to make a joke about my hair being as silky as his.' Aurora thought with a giggle.

When she was finished Aurora turned off the shower and grabbed a towel to wrap around her body and put her hair up in a small one. She opened the bathroom door slightly to make sure she didn't walk out of Derek's bathroom in nothing but a towel with someone else in the room. It turned out the coast was clear. Derek was the only one present, sitting in the same spot he had been in when Aurora left. The only difference was that he was now wearing reading glasses, his nose buried in a large book.

"Treasure Island?" Aurora asked in astonishment.

"You've read it?" Derek inquired over the top of the book.

"It's one of my favorite stories." Aurora smiled walking over to her bag which Derek had placed on the end of the bed.

"Of course. Pirates and danger. Why wouldn't it be?" Derek chuckled marking the page he was on and setting the book on the side table.

"Who doesn't like pirates?" Aurora laughed unzipping her bag.

Derek shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

When Aurora opened her bag she pulled out her favorite jeans and a purple long sleeve shirt with a matching bra and pair of lacy underwear. She took the towel off her head and sat it on the end of the bed. Grabbing her brush she made her hair look presentable. When she was done she removed to towel from around her body and went to put on her underwear.

Derek let out a whistle.

"Damn you are sexy, woman." He cat called.

Aurora giggled continuing to get dressed.

"Don't you have a book to read?" She joked.

"With a view like this? Hell no." Derek laughed.

Aurora winked at him before putting on her shirt.

When she was completely dressed Aurora walked over to Derek and sat beside him. She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed him on the forehead.

"I should probably get another shower really fast." He said.

"I'm going to go hangout with Lydia." Aurora told him.

Derek nodded his approval.

XXXX

Aurora knocked on Lydia's door.

"Come in!" Lydia called.

When Aurora walked in she found Jackson and Lydia curled up together watching TV.

"So what have you been doing all day?" Lydia asked trying not to giggle. She was referring to Derek and her absence that afternoon.

"Isn't it obvious babe?" Jackson teased.

"We were sleeping." Aurora protested.

Both Lydia and Jackson busted out in laughter.

"Is that what they are calling it these days?" Lydia asked.

"Shut up." Aurora ordered trying to fight her embarrassment. "Has anyone checked on Isaac?"

"Laura has been keeping an eye on him. His wounds are looking better." Jackson informed her.

"That's great!" Aurora said with a smile.

"So I hear you are going to get a tattoo?" Lydia inquired.

"Yes ma'am." Aurora told her.

"I'm too much of a chicken." Lydia confessed. "Aren't you afraid it's going to hurt?"

"Honestly? I haven't given that part much thought." Aurora said slightly worried.

She hadn't thought about how painful it might be.

"Ready to go?" Derek asked appearing at the door.

"Good luck!" Lydia said as Aurora followed Derek out the door.

"Thanks!" She called back.

When they got downstairs Aurora hooked her arm with Derek's as they made their way out to the Camaro.

XXXX

When they arrived at the tattoo parlor Derek led Aurora to the back door of the establishment and knocked. A good looking guy, probably about twenty-five years old, answered it within a couple of minutes. He let them in and locked the door behind them.

"Hey, I'm Tyler. You must be Aurora. Derek talks about you non-stop." Tyler said with a smile reaching out for Aurora's hand.

His eyes were a gorgeous sapphire blue and he had short brown hair that was messy but fit his face.

"Hi! Thank you so much for agreeing to this." Aurora replied as she shook his hand. "Non-stop you say?"

Derek huffed.

"No problem. Anything for a friend of Laura and Derek." Tyler beamed. "So, what would you like?"

Aurora explained she wanted her favorite song lyrics in pretty cursive letters between her shoulder blades.

"Write the lyrics down for me and I will sketch it." Tyler told Aurora handing her a piece of paper.

She did so and Tyler his time drawing the design.

"How is this?" He asked holding up the sketch.

"It's perfect!" Aurora said excitedly.

"Great. Let's get started." Tyler smiled.

Tyler led her to a chair and turned the back of it around so he would have a clear work space. Aurora startled the chair, resting her arms on the top while she waited for further instruction.

"I'm going to need you to take off your shirt." Tyler said as he worked to get everything prepared.

Derek who had pulled up a chair in front of Aurora let out a disapproving grumble.

"Knock it off Derek." Aurora scolded taking off her shirt and throwing it at him. "I still have my bra on."

Derek folded Aurora's shirt looking extremely annoyed. Aurora pulled all her hair to her right shoulder and rolled her eyes at Derek.

"It's a wolf thing." Tyler teased. "Territorial instinct. A female in close proximity to two males is always recipe for trouble. Plus it's heightened in Derek because he's the alpha."

Aurora turned her head to face Tyler.

"You're a werewolf too?" She asked curiously.

"That's right." Tyler smiled. "Derek is just protecting his mate. Although, in all honesty I think Derek would be the protective boyfriend even if he wasn't a werewolf." He confessed sitting down in a chair behind Aurora.

"That doesn't surprise me." Aurora giggled looking straight forward at Derek.

"Can you just get to work Dr. Phil?" Derek asked Tyler.

Tyler laughed and opened a needle from a package.

"You ready Aurora?" Tyler asked.

Aurora felt her heart beat pick up. But before she could say anything Derek took her hands in his.

"I'm right here." He smiled.

Aurora took a deep breath.

"Yeah. I'm ready." She said.

Tyler began his work. The sensation wasn't as bad as Aurora expected. It was a dull scratching feeling rather than the excruciating feeling she was convinced she was going to have. It probably helped that Derek was holding her hands. He had a way of calming her down. Tyler told her that it was a good thing she only wanted thin lettering because anything with shading actually hurt.

After what seemed like forever Tyler announced he was finished.

"Go take a look." Tyler said pointing to the full length mirror across the room.

Aurora stood up but immediately sat back down.

"Oh, yeah. I should have probably said slowly." Tyler chuckled. "Your body is exhausted. After all, tattoos are wounds even if they are purposely inflicted."

Aurora got up again, this time with caution. Derek's eyebrows were knotted and he was looking at her like he was going to be there to catch her if she fell.

"I'm okay Der." Aurora reassured him with a pat on his shoulder.

She walked over to the mirror and turned around. Stretching her neck to where she could see her back she examined the new tattoo.

"I love it Tyler! Thank you!" Aurora said excitedly going over to hug the tattoo artist.

He was careful to hug her around the waist so he didn't touch her fresh tattoo. Derek made somewhat of a choking noise at the sight. It took Aurora a minute to remember she wasn't wearing a shirt.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch Mr. Alpha Werewolf Possessive Creeper Man who lives in the Backwoods." Aurora teased releasing Tyler.

"I like this girl." Tyler told Derek with a wide grin.

"Yeah. Me too. I've failed to figure out why though." Derek joked handing Aurora her shirt.

Aurora stuck out her tongue at him.

Tyler chuckled and gave Aurora instructions on how to take care of the tattoo. He then put a bandage over it before letting Aurora get dressed. After she put her shirt back on Derek offered to pay Tyler for his work but he refused.

"You're family Derek. No charge." Tyler said sincerely.

Derek gave him a quick hug and thanked him.

"It was really great to meet you Tyler! Thank you so much!" Aurora told him.

"Great to meet you as well! And you are very welcome. I'll probably see you around. Since your boyfriend and my girlfriend live in the same house." Tyler teased.

Aurora thought a minute.

"Are you Laura's mate?!" She asked excitedly.

"The one and only." Tyler said smugly.

Aurora smiled from ear to ear.

XXXX

When Derek and Aurora arrived back to the Hale house it was pouring.

"Dang! I don't think I've ever seen it storm like this before." Aurora panted.

She had run from the car to the house in hope of not getting completely soaked. It didn't work.

"It's pretty bad out there." Derek said taking off his jacket and hanging it on the coat rack.

He then gentle scooted Aurora over to the giant fireplace to get warm. The heat from the flames took away Aurora's chill.

"So did you get it?" Laura asked appearing around the corner.

"I did! Your boyfriend is awesome!" Aurora told her.

Laura smile shyly.

"Eh, he's all right." She joked. "Can I see it?"

Aurora lifted up her shirt and Derek peeled the bandage back for Laura to see.

"Nice!" Laura said.

Derek put the bandage back on and Aurora straightened her shirt. Laura was going to say something else but stopped. Her eyes had gone bright blue and she was staring at the front door. Looking over to focus on what Laura was, Aurora noticed that Derek had turned his body all the way around to face the door as well, his eyes crimson red.

"What is it? What is wrong?" Aurora whispered.

Derek and Laura didn't answer. Before Aurora could blink Hailey, Erica, Boyd, Jackson, and even Isaac had made their way into the living room. They formed a barricade in front of the door staring at the cedar wood intensely. Suddenly it was dark in the house. The only light was from the fireplace and the werewolves glowing eyes.

"The power is out from the storm, right?" Aurora asked frantically.

Everyone was silent.

In the distance Aurora heard the sound of several howls.