Hey! Sorry for the delay! Had some problems with my internet access. Things are back to normal now so posting twice a week!

Chapter 12

After a brief stop at the Hale house to clean up and take a better look at the scene of Peter's abduction, Derek returned to Rowan's house. He needed to convince the vampire to leave town with Becca, tonight if possible. With any luck the other wolf would be watching Stiles and Scott and Rowan could slip her out of town unnoticed. It wasn't a perfect plan, but it meant that Derek would have one less person to worry about, one less to protect once they figured out who the wolf was.

Then there was that. Rowan had recognized the drawing of Carlie Bishop, maybe he knew the identity of the wolf. Except, if he knew who was after Becca why hadn't he dealt with the wolf himself. Derek began to doubt that Rowan had figured it out. Did that mean they wouldn't either?

"Well, aren't you a good boy," Rowan greeted as Derek entered, moving to the kitchen. "If I'd have known you'd be this easy to train I would've enlisted your services ages ago." He chuckled, pulling food from the refrigerator.

Derek swallowed his anger, barely letting it show except for a flash of red in his eyes. "You need to leave," he declared, standing in the kitchen doorway, his arms crossed over his chest. "You and Becca, tonight."

"And why would I do that?" Rowan smirked at him, leaning lazily against the counter as though waiting to be amused by Derek's response.

"You wanted me to babysit, I did. Now you need to keep your end of the bargain and leave town."

"You're assuming your part of the bargain is done," Rowan replied with a toothy grin that reminded Derek of Peter when he was toying with him.

"She's got you to protect her now, you don't need me."

"But that's where you're wrong." Rowan pushed away from the counter, the food forgotten. "There is one thing you can give Becca that I can't," he added cryptically

Derek glanced back at the foyer. He could hear Becca moving around in the living room, her heartbeat an ever slowing staccato, like a song nearing its end. What could he possibly offer her? Rowan was the one with all the money and connections. If anyone could help her, could do something to save her, it would be him.

"She's too far gone for anything I can offer her." Derek glanced back at the vampire, feeling as though he'd read his thoughts. Had he? "It's not hard to figure out what you're thinking," he added. "I've had her name moved up on the waiting list for a new heart, but it could still be months before a compatible one becomes available. She doesn't have months." He turned away from Derek, moving to look out the kitchen's patio doors

"How am I supposed to help her?"

"Turn her, make her part of your pack," Rowan replied simply, turning back to face him. "Oh, don't look so surprised. It had to have crossed your mind."

"You want me to turn her?" Derek repeated, shaking his head in disbelief. "And what, you think he'll leave her alone then? That wolves never kill their own kind? It won't change the fact she killed his mate."

"No, it won't stop him, but she'll be healed and strong enough to defend herself again." Rowan moved to Derek's side, throwing his arm over Derek's shoulder as he had the night he'd let him go. "And believe me, Becca can defend herself."

He didn't doubt it. Even with her failing heart she wasn't quite helpless. "And what does she say about this?" Derek eyed Rowan a long moment and knew his answer from his lack of smarmy comment. "She's a hunter, Rowan. Do you really think she wants to be turned into something she hunts? I've known hunters. None of them want to be turned; it's a fate worse than death to them," he added, recalling how Mrs. Argent had taken her own life rather than become a wolf.

"Not all hunters feel that way," Rowan countered, a grin tugging at his lips. "Some search it out, in fact." Derek knew Rowan was referring to Gerard Argent who'd plotted with Scott to get him to turn the ailing hunter. Except Scott had double crossed him and in the end Derek's bite had proven fatal. "Besides, Becca's not most hunters…She has a very different view of the world." Derek knew it was true, he'd known it since he'd heard her words that first morning.

"Rowan, your phone is ringing," Becca called from the living room.

"Just let it go to voicemail."

"Rowan's phone," she greeted, having either not heard or ignored Rowan's instructions. Derek heard her gasp, her heart faltering. He didn't know who was on the line but it had shocked her. Rowan pushed past him, hurrying to the living room and Derek hung back.

"Becs, I can explain—" Rowan's voice was pleading and filled with guilt. He touched Becca's arm, but she shrugged him off.

"Don't," she hissed. "Just stay away from me." She rushed up the stairs, leaving Rowan to scramble for the phone she'd dropped on the floor and moving into the living room.

Derek could hear Rowan speaking to the person at the other end. Something about how the girl who'd answered did sound a bit like Becca and weaving a lie about how that might be why he'd hired her as a housekeeper.

His attention was pulled from Rowan as Becca stumbled down the stairs with her purse and duffel slung over her shoulder. His questioning gaze met hers. "Where're you heading?"

She studied him a long moment like she expected him to try to stop her. "As far away from this house as I can," she replied, snatching Rowan's keys from the table in the foyer and heading out the door.

Derek watched her go, part of him wanting to stop her, while the other reminded him that she was a grown woman with a duffel bag full of weapons and proficiency to use them. He listened as the car drove away, only pausing a moment as she no doubt opened the gate with a remote in Rowan's car.

"You let her leave?" Rowan's green eyes flashed with anger. "You need to go after her."

"Do I?" Derek shrugged. "If she leaves town, you have no reason to be here."

"And if the wolf kills her before she gets out of town, or follows her?" Rowan challenged, staring Derek down. "Can you live with that on your conscience?"

"If I do this, you leave with her in the morning." Derek's gaze never wavered from Rowan's, waiting for the vampire to respond.

Rowan pulled out his phone and fiddled with it for a moment, before thrusting it at Derek. "There's a GPS tracker on my car."

Derek slid into his car, pausing to consult the GPS. He knew Becca wouldn't have gotten far he just needed to know in what direction. He groaned noticing she'd taken the most deserted possible route out of town through the woods that bordered Beacon Hills. He found the gate open as he drove off the grounds and onto the road. He considered getting out and closing it, but the person it was meant to protect was no longer within and Rowan could fend for himself.

He took a shortcut through town in hopes of heading Becca off. After a few blocks he glanced down at the GPS noticing that Becca had stopped moving. But that didn't make sense. Why would she stop on the side of the road? Derek pushed harder on the accelerator, hearing his tires squeal against the damp pavement. He took little notice, gripping the wheel tightly as he maneuvered the car onto the road where he'd hoped to head Becca off and doubled back towards the house.

He hoped to find her with a flat tire or in a ditch at worst. But when his headlights picked up the glowing red of the wolf's eyes he knew he wouldn't be so lucky. His hopes of sneaking Becca out of town clearly no longer even a remote possibility. The wolf was atop Rowan's car, clearly toying with a panicked Becca as she scrambled for a weapon. Derek pulled up in front of Rowan's car and threw open his door.

"I warned you not to make this personal," Derek growled.

"D-Derek?" Becca's breathless whisper had him glancing her way. She was squinting at him as though she wasn't sure. He turned back to his car and realized the glare of his headlights made it hard for her to make him out. Her breath was coming in short shallow gasps as her heart struggled at a frantic pace.

"I really thought you'd trade her," the wolf grinned, his red eyes gleaming. "He's your family. What is this girl to you that you would risk his life?"

Derek let himself shift, counting on the headlights to keep him hidden from Becca. He rushed at the car, jumping onto the hood and launching himself at the wolf. They tumbled down the back of the car, grappling with each other until they hit the pavement and Derek got the wind knocked out of him. He wolf quickly pinned him to the ground, his arms above his head, sitting on his legs to keep him from kicking.

"Finally, showing your true colours," the wolf snickered, leaning in and inhaling Derek's scent. His eyes narrowed as he sat back on Derek's chest. "How is it a pup, like you, has the eyes of an alpha?"

"Derek?" Becca's voice was tentative as she called out from the front of the car and Derek could hear the click of the lock on the door.

"Becca, stay in the car and close the window," he yelled as the wolf shifted his weigh atop him enough for Derek to buck him off. He scrambled to his feet, listening for the lock and the window to slide back in place.

"Can you smell that? Can you smell her fear?" The wolf sniffed at the air, a hungry look in his eyes. "She's almost ready. Too bad her mate isn't here. I guess I'll have to take one of the boys to complete my hat trick."

"You're not getting anywhere near any of them," Derek snarled, leaping at the wolf, but it sped off into the treeline. Derek hesitated to pursue, not wanting to leave Becca unprotected in case Peter was working with the wolf and just waiting for him to be led away.

"Yet, I already got your uncle," the wolf taunted. "A seasoned wolf. What chance do you think the others stand?"

Derek watched the wolf fade into the woods before he moved back to the car, forcing himself to calm and shift back before he made it to the driver's door. He knocked gently at the window, taking in her pale face in the glare of his headlights. Her eyes snapped open and her gun swung at the window in one jerky movement. "Becca, it's okay," he called through the window with his hands up. "The wolf is gone," he assured, nodding at the door. Her gun dropped to her side and she unlocked the door but didn't move from where she sat. Her breathing was still shallow though her heartbeat seemed to have calmed to its irregular rhythm. "C'mon, I'll take you back to Rowan." He opened the door and held out his hand to help her from the car, but quickly stumbled back when she gun swung back up to meet him.

"I'm not going back there," she insisted, glaring at him over the top of her gun.

"It's not safe for you out here."

"Take me to your house, then."

He shook his head. "That's not a good idea. It's not safe there either."

"There has to be somewhere else." The gun fell heavily to her side and she looked exhausted. "If you take me back there, I'll just run again." Her gaze met his and he knew she would. He worried how much more excitement her heart could take.

"Fine," Derek muttered, nudging his head at his car. "Get in." He held out his hand for her again and this time she took it. She leaned back in to get her bags and he hurriedly steadied her as she lost her balance. "I'll get your things." He turned her towards his car, watching her shakily make her way to his car, her hand trailing along the hood of the car to keep herself steady.