This is my first Teen Wolf fic! Love reviews, who doesn't? Constructive criticism always appreciated.

Thanks to Rae, Schelz and B for pushing me to give this idea life and for encouraging me to post!

Disclaimer: Characters are not mine, but so awesome how could I not borrow them for a bit?

Thanks for reading! Should be updating every 3-4 days!

Chapter 2

Derek sat at the base of the stairs, waiting. He'd paced for nearly an hour after Rowan left, before settling in, waiting to hear signs that Becca was awake. Rowan had instructed him to stay out of the girl's way that he was simple there to be a watch dog. Derek's mind kept circling back to the night Rowan had introduced him to Becca. The way the vampire's demeanor around the redhead suggested she was more to him than just an investment he wanted to see pay dividends. Derek decided he needed to know more about this woman, if for no other reason than to know what he was up against as her protector.

He climbed to the upstairs landing when he heard her moving around her room. He could use the direct approach and ask her, but he doubted she'd be very forthcoming about what it was that had indebted her to the vampire. When he heard the shower he knew it was a prime chance to look around Becca's room.

He slipped into her room, pausing as the door clicked closed behind him. He stood, listening to the erratic beating of her heart from behind the adjoining bathroom door, finally moving away from the door when he heard her soft sigh as she stepped beneath the shower's spray.

Derek crept quietly to the bed, lifting the covers and glancing beneath, finding nothing. His gaze swept to the night table. A half-empty glass of water and a ring sat on the smooth dark wood. He picked up the dainty golden band, studying the crowned heart held between two hands. A Claddaugh, he was familiar with the symbolism of the ring and knew it was a traditional Irish wedding band. He wondered briefly if Becca was married. If so, where was her husband?

Replacing the ring, he moved around the bed to corner with the chair where she'd sat that first night. On the table beside it sat a small leather bound book and drawing pencil. He flipped through the pages of the sketchbook filled with drawings of people and places. The last pages were filled with drawings of one man in particular, some smudged as though they'd been wet. Derek caught the faint odor of salt and knew it was more than just water that had smudged the pages.

He returned the book to its place, noticing a purse on the floor between the chair and the bed. He rummaged through the brown leather satchel pulling out Becca's wallet. He stared at the smiling photograph of her on her driver's license, wondering what had happened to erase that smile. Rebecca Sinclair. He committed the name to memory, planning to ask Stiles to find out everything he could about her. He wondered briefly if it would be worth all the questions Stiles would undoubtedly ask.

Knowing he didn't have much more time, Derek moved to the closet near the bedroom door. On first glance it looked like any woman's closet; clothes hanging neatly on their hangers, a few pairs of shoes and a pair of Doc Marten's lined at the bottom. He pushed the clothes to one side and found nothing. But when he moved them to the opposite end, he exposed a brown leather duffel bag wedged into the corner.

He pulled it from the closet, surprised by the weight of it and set it on the ground. Beneath what seemed to be a set of workout clothes, was an arsenal of weapons. Derek counted three guns of various calibers, a couple of hunting knives, and a pair of brass knuckles. He fished them out of the bag, a soft chuckle escaping his lips as he imagined the petite redhead using them. He threw them back in, rummaging further and coming up with a set wooden stakes and vials of what looked like different herbs, one of which Derek recognized as wolfsbane. His jaw clenched realizing this helpless girl Rowan had him babysitting was anything but.

His gaze ticked to the bathroom door as the water stopped and he carefully replaced the bag and pushed the hangers back to conceal it once more. He slipped out the door, left with more questions than answers and headed downstairs to call Stiles.

"I'll call you back." Derek didn't wait for Stiles to respond before ending the call and pocketing his phone. He glanced up at the doorway as Becca moved into the living room.

"Don't hang up on my account." Becca moved to the leather armchair next to the sofa where Derek sat. "So, did you find what you were looking for?" Her gaze met his, eyebrow arched over her right eye. Derek's brow furrowed wondering if it was a trick of the lighting that her eyes seemed to be two different colours. "Yeah, one brown, one blue." She waved her hand in front of Dereks' face. "Well?"

"Not sure what you mean?"

"Oh, come on," Becca chuckled wryly. "I get it. You're protecting someone, it's just good strategy to find out as much about as you can about them to assess the threats you're up against."

"What is it exactly that you think I did?"

"We both know you've seen my weapons." Becca pushed up from the chair with a frustrated sigh. "You know I'm a hunter, like you I'm guessing." She paused, studying him a long moment. "You're not a vampire, Rowan doesn't trust other vampires."

"I'm not a hunter," Derek replied gruffly, glaring at the redhead. He looked away, staring down at the carpet as he struggled to reign in his anger. If she knew what hunters had done to his family, even the human members, would she be so proud to call herself one?

"Okay." Becca frowned a little at his reaction. "So, not a vampire or a hunter. Aren't you a mystery." He heard her drop back into the armchair and could feel her studying him. Though her tone was almost joking, it reminded him of Kate's taunts as she tortured him in his basement and it took all his concentration to reign in his anger.

"I hear women like a good mystery," Derek replied after a long moment. "Most hunters don't. They tend to kill things they don't understand."

Becca studied him, understanding lighting her mismatched eyes. Her jaw clenched and she shook her head, swearing under her breath. "So, who was it? Did a hunter kill your vampire girlfriend or was she a succubus with a heart of gold?"

Derek's jaw tightened at her mocking tone, Kate's face flashing in his mind. "So, what, you think everything supernatural is evil and deserves to die?" he growled, pinning her with an angry glare.

"I live in a house that belongs to a vampire, what do you think?" She chuckled lifting her arms from her sides. "I've seen monsters become heroes, and men do more evil than any monster ever could. Does that answer your question?"

A loud crash of breaking glass interrupted any response Derek might have had. He bolted for the front door. He turned back, watching Becca rush upstairs and when he was satisfied she'd made it to safety he yanked open the door. His hands flew up to shield his face against the heated air that rushed at him. He squinted at the fire blazing on the lawn in front of the house. He scanned the grounds but couldn't see anything through the thick smoke.

Closing his eyes he listened for sounds of movement that would give away the culprits. The only sounds were from the house behind him. He heard Becca's hurried steps and quickened heartbeat before she appeared at the door.

"Tell me you didn't leave the gate open." He glanced her way, sending a questioning look at her frustrated tone. "Go get something to put out that fire," she barked, motioning at the house with her gun before pointing it back out before her. Her free hand holding her shirt sleeve to her face, she took a cautious step away from the door, her eyes continually scanning her surroundings.

"What the hell are you doing?" Derek demanded, placing himself a step in front of her as she moved off the porch and onto the grounds. "Get back inside."

"There's something you need to know about me," Becca side stepped him. "I don't take orders." She moved slowly toward the front gate, scrutinizing the grounds every couple of steps, gun level and at the ready. "Now, put out that fire before someone calls the fire department, would ya."

...