HARSHER THAN THE BARK

A/N: All I'm saying is...relationships will grow, be patient...

"Wait, why do you get to be the one driving again?" Scott asked from the passenger's side as Scarlett started driving faster.

"Is it really the time to be asking that?" She swerved the car slightly, trying to get away from the car behind them. Scott, Stiles and Scarlett were all in Derek's car trying to confuse the hunters whilst trying to find and save Derek from being caught by the cops.

"I just wanna know!"

"I don't know, because I'm more responsible? Because he trusts me? Pick one Scott and let me concentrate on not crashing!" She shouted, making a sharp turn. "Do I need to go faster Stiles?"

He looked behind them and saw that Kate, who was driving, was gaining on them. "Much faster." Scarlett gripped the wheel tighter and shifted the gear, going even faster. "If you don't go faster Scar, they're gonna kill us!"

"Hold on tight then." Scarlett floored it, swerving around the corner and racing down the road.

"They're gone." Stiles informed her. She slowed down a bit but continued going faster than the speed limit. "Suspect is on foot, heading into the iron works." They heard Sheriff Stilinski say over the police radio that Stiles had taken. Making a left, she headed for the iron works.

"There he is!" Scott shouted. Scarlett stopped the car as the boys shouted for Derek to get in. He jumped in while he was being shot at and Scarlett sped away.

"What part of laying low don't you understand?" Scott asked when he had gotten into the backseat.

"Dammit," Derek hit the dashboard. "I had him!"

"The Alpha?" Stiles asked, sticking his head through the gap between the seats.

"Yes! Then the friggin' police showed up!"

"Hey, whoa, chill." Scarlett said, still focusing on the road. She wasn't a big fan of all the shouting between them.

"They were just doing their jobs…" Stiles said, earning a death glare from Derek that made him shrink back.

"Yeah, thanks to someone who decided to make me the most wanted fugitive in the entire state!" He said, glaring at Scott.

"Can we please get passed that? I made a dumbass mistake-"

"Because he's a dumbass." Scarlett muttered making Scott glare at her before continuing.

"I get it."

"Alright!" Stiles interrupted. "How did you find him?" Derek looked at him before scoffing and looking out the window.

"Can you at least trust us for like half a second?" Scott asked.

"I trust one of you." Derek said, looking at Scarlett. Both Scott and Stiles looked at her and she saw their faces when she glanced in the rear-view mirror.

"What?" She shrugged. "I told you before."

"How about you trust all three of us?" Stiles asked. Derek glared at him again. "Or just her, I'll be back here."

"Just…tell us, please." Scarlett said, glancing sidelong at Derek. He sighed but talked anyway.

"Look, the last time I saw my sister she was figuring something out. She found two things. The first was a guy named Harris."

Stiles quickly leaned forward. "Our Chemistry teacher?"

"He's a dick…why him?" Scarlett asked.

"I don't know yet."

"Well, what's the second?" Scott asked. Derek reached into his pocket and took out a piece of paper.

"Some kind of symbol." He showed the drawing to Scott and Stiles but Scarlett didn't look but she was scared she would crash.

Scott sighed, looking slightly pissed.

"What? You know what this is?"

"I've…seen it, on a necklace. Allison's necklace." He grit his teeth, hitting the back of Scarlett's seat.

"Could you maybe not hit my seat please?" She asked, glaring at him in the rear-view mirror.

Scarlett yawned as she walked alongside Lydia.

"What's got you so tired?" Lydia asked, not sounding all that interested. Scarlett shook her head and looked at Lydia.

"What? Nothing, I'm not tired." She said, trying to cover up the second yawn.

"Mhm…you know whatever it is, you can tell me. If it's you know, a boy or…" Lydia looked at her expectantly.

"Why are you so convinced that there's a boy in my life?" Scarlett asked.

Lydia rolled her eyes. "Because all the signs are pointing to it!"

"Signs?"

"Yeah, like…you're always too busy to hang out, you're tired, you seem to disappear a lot and you never let me read your texts."

"That stuff doesn't mean anything Lydia and when have I ever let you read my texts?"

"All the time." Lydia answered quickly.

Scarlett stopped and scrunched her face up. "Do you read my texts?"

"Well not anymore." Scarlett shook her head, starting to walk again. "I'll see you later Scar."

"Bye Lyds." She said as Lydia walked into another class.

Scarlett kept walking through the halls and purely by accident she bumped into Scott and Stiles who were deep in conversation so, naturally, she began listening in.

"Did he say the word out loud?" Stiles asked.

"What word?" Scarlett joined in.

"Werewolf." He whispered.

"No, but he implied it pretty freaking clearly." Scott spat.

"Wait, who?" Scarlett asked, confused once again.

"Jackson."

Her eyes widened. "Jackson knows?"

"Apparently." Scott replied.

"Well, maybe it's not as bad as it seems…he doesn't have any proof right? And if he wanted to tell someone, who would believe him?" Stiles asked.

"How about Allison's father!" Scott hissed quietly.

"Yeah…that's pretty bad." Scarlett agreed.

"I need the cure. Right now." Scott had told Scarlett about the alleged cure the other night. To her, it seemed like a long shot. She wasn't too sure that killing the Alpha was going to cure him. And considering Derek was the one who told Scott that, she planned to question him about it.

"Does he even know about Allison's father?"

"I don't know." Scott sighed.

"Okay, where's Derek?" Stiles asked.

"He's still in hiding." Scarlett answered.

"I have another idea…it's gonna take a little time though." Stiles said vaguely.

"But we have that game tonight. It's the quarter finals and it's your first game."

"I know, I know. Do you have a plan for Allison yet?"

"She's in my next class." Scott told him.

"Get the necklace."

"Wait, you want Allison's necklace?" Scarlett queried.

"Yeah, why?"

"What, are you gonna try and steal it from her?" Scarlett asked incredulously.

"Yeah, why?" Scott repeated. Scarlett gave him a strange look before she sighed and walked off to her next class. Why was he so stupid? She could easily get the necklace off of Allison if she just asked to see how it would look with some outfits but she guessed that Scott had some sort of plan, most likely a dumb plan, but a plan nonetheless and she didn't want to mess it up.

Taking her phone out of her pocket, Scarlett checked the text from Lydia and then sighed. She pocketed the phone and walked briskly to the girls' bathrooms. When she walked in there was only one stall door closed so Scarlett knocked on it.

"Lyds? You in there?" She asked quietly. There was a slight sniffle and then the door opened and Lydia stepped out, gently wiping her eyes. Scarlett gave her a sympathetic look. "Were you crying?"

Lydia straightened up and tried to look proud. "Of course I wasn't crying."

"Lydia…it's okay. You got dumped-"

"I did not get dumped. He broke up with me and…who cares? He's only co-captain of the lacrosse team now anyway." She snapped. Scarlett knew that the breakup had hurt Lydia a lot more than what she was letting on but she nodded along anyway.

"You're right; you were always too good for him." Scarlett smirked, pulling Lydia in for a hug. They pulled away after a few moments and Scarlett looked around. "Where's Allison?"

"I didn't text her…she has some weird bond with Jackson now. I'll tell her later." Lydia shrugged, looking a little pissed and upset at Allison's new found friendship with Jackson. In all honesty, it seemed a little strange to Scarlett as well. Allison was a genuinely nice girl and Jackson was a prick. Scarlett knew that Jackson was up to something. Wasn't he always? Her guess was that he was trying to get under Scott's skin…not to mention that he had even more of a reason now that he allegedly knows about Scott being a werewolf. That was something else that was troubling Scarlett. If any harm came to her brother because of Jackson and his idiocy then she would have his head on a silver platter.

"Hmm. Yeah, I don't get that friendship…at all." Scarlett said before her phone started ringing. "One second." She held up a finger before answering the call. "Hello?"

"I need you to come over. Like…now." Stiles said, sounding nervous.

"Um…okay, why?"

"Just get to my house as fast as you can." With that he hung up. Well, there goes her plans of going home to sleep.

"I have to go…family emergency." Scarlett lied. Lydia gave her a confused look but before she could ask any questions Scarlett started talking again. "So, I'll take you shopping soon. I promise, we'll do a major shopping spree to celebrate your freedom…okay? I'll see you later." She said, halfway out of the bathroom.

"O-okay…" Lydia said, unsure of what was happening. She stood in the bathroom with a frown on her face when Scarlett was gone. There she was, running off again. There so was a boy and to cover it up using 'a family emergency'? How old was that excuse?

"Scarlett…?" Sheriff Stilinski asked as Scarlett entered the house. She turned around from shutting the door and gave a cheesy smile.

"Sheriff…hi." He gave a questioning look. "You're probably wondering why I'm here and I will tell you…it's because, well, I wasn't lying about Stiles and I. We really are in love." She shrugged.

"I think I'm actually starting to believe that." He sighed, looking slightly awkward. "So uh-you know what? I don't wannna know."

Scarlett nodded and the Sheriff headed out the front door. She really needed to come up with better excuses. Like, why couldn't she have said they were partners for a project or something other than 'we're in love'?

Yawning again, she made her way to the stairs and trudged up them. Without knocking, she walked into Stiles' room.

"I don't know why I'm here but please tell me that I can sleep while I am." She groaned, throwing her bag down and falling face-first onto his bed. Stiles gave her a strange look and then looked at Derek who was also standing in the room. Scarlett hadn't noticed him when she walked in.

"Uh, Scar?" Stiles asked.

"What?" Her voice was muffled when she spoke.

"You might wanna- uh, can you just get up?" She groaned and turned over so that she was lying on her back, with her eyes still closed.

"You know, I was gonna go home and take a nap before the game tonight but instead I am here. So, whatever it is, you can just tell me while I'm lying down." She said, slightly pissed that she wasn't getting to sleep. There really wasn't even a solid reason for her tiredness. She just hadn't gotten much sleep last night.

"Scarlett." Upon hearing the familiar voice she opened one eye and sat up, using her elbows to hold her up.

"Wait, you're here? Did I…did I miss something?"

"Nope. He's here because he's a fugitive and has absolutely nowhere else to go, apparently. But I need your help." Stiles said, making Scarlett sigh and sit up properly.

"What is it?"

"You're friends with Danny…."

"Yeah, and?"

"I need you to get him over here." Stiles rushed out.

"No. No, you are not involving Danny in any of this. And besides, how would I get him here anyway?"

"You're lab partners, right?" Scarlett nodded. "Just tell him you're doing lab work."

"But-but…" Stiles gave her a puppy-dog look and she groaned. She couldn't say no to that face and she hated herself for it. "Fine. I'll call him." She took out her phone and scrolled through her contacts, finding Danny's name and standing up as it rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey Danny…it's Scarlett. Um so you know how I said we should probably start that lab work? Well, no time like the present, right?" She said, sounding nervous because she felt bad for having to involve Danny in…well, whatever it was.

"Sure. Your house?" He asked.

"Actually, could you come to Stiles' house? That's where I am."

"Uh…okay. I'll be there in a few." He replied before hanging up.

"I hate you." She said to Stiles causing him to give her a puzzled look.

"What'd I do?" He asked. She just glared at him.

"How do you know this Danny kid can trace the text?" Derek finally spoke up, making Scarlett look at him and then back to Stiles.

"You want him to trace a text? What text?"

"Yeah…I looked up his arrest report. He can do it." Stiles said to Derek before turning his attention to Scarlett. "The text that the Alpha sent to Allison…pretending to be Scott."

"Oh, that text." She sighed. She looked at Derek again. "So, why is it I keep finding you in the bedrooms of teenage boys?"

Derek didn't say anything, he just rolled his eyes at her and she smirked. She sat on the bed again, examining her nails.

"You know, I think I've finally convinced your dad that we're dating…which worries me slightly." Scarlett said, making Derek tense up ever so slightly.

"Huh. Well…that could be believable, right?" Stiles asked, with a curious look.

"Not really…not since everyone knows that you're like another brother to me. But, hey, it comes in as one hell of an excuse." She shrugged. "Although, I've decided that I'm swearing off boys," She glanced at Derek, and he narrowed his eyes at her. "For a very long time"

"Well that-that's good to hear." Stiles said, turning his attention to the laptop sitting on his desk.

"Yeah…" There was a silence between the three of them before they heard a knock at the door. "I'll get it." Scarlett said, jumping up and looking at Derek who was standing in the corner looking pretty scary. "Can you just like…act normal?" He sighed before shrugging off his jacket and sitting in the chair, reading some random textbook that was lying on Stiles' floor. "Better."

Scarlett rushed downstairs and opened the door to Danny. "Hey, come on in."

"So, why are we at Stilinski's house?" Danny asked with a raised brow.

"Because…I got kicked out." Scarlett said.

"Right…" Danny didn't seem to believe her but he didn't question it any further. It was a horrible lie anyway but she had to think on the spot.

They went upstairs, back into Stiles' room and Stiles took it from there.

"Hey Danny…so, here's the thing. We need you to trace a text." He said simply. Danny gave both Scarlett and Stiles a confused look.

"You want me to do what? I came here to do lab work." He looked at Scarlett specifically. "That's what lab partners do."

"And we will."

"Once you trace the text." Stiles added on.

"And what makes you think I know how?"

Stiles sat there for a moment before replying with the truth. "I, uh, I looked up your arrest report."

"I- I was thirteen. They dropped the charges." Danny protested. Stiles held up his hands in defence, about to say something else before Danny cut him off. "No, we're doing the lab work."

Scarlett sighed and took out her lab books, sparing a glance at Derek who was already looking at her. She blushed slightly and turned away, back to Danny who was sitting at the desk with Stiles.

"Who's he again?" Danny asked, looking behind him at Derek. Stiles and Scarlett looked behind them as well before sharing a worried look.

"He's uh…my cousin…Miguel." Stiles covered for them, turning back to his laptop. Scarlett bit her lip to hold back the laugh. Miguel? Seriously? That's the name he came up with? Derek didn't even look like a Miguel. Well, she looked back at him again, pondering it for a moment, maybe he did…a bit.

"Is that…blood, on his shirt?" Danny asked. Did he really have to run about wearing blood covered shirts?

"Yah…yeah uh, he gets these…horrible nose bleeds." Stiles said. "Hey Miguel!" Derek looked up slowly and Scarlett smirked. It was some pretty good entertainment, she had to admit. "I thought I told you, you could borrow one of my shirts."

Derek closed over the book and got up, throwing the book on the floor and yanking off his shirt making Scarlett's breath hitch slightly. She never ceased to be amazed by Derek's physique, no matter how many times she had seen him shirtless.

"So uh, we both know you've got the skills to trace that text…" Stiles started trying to talk Danny into tracing the text again while Scarlett stared shamelessly at Derek's sculpted upper-half.

"Uh…Stiles." Derek said, holding up a shirt. "This, no fit." Scarlett covered her mouth and tried her best not to laugh.

"Then try something else on." Scarlett turned back to Danny and Stiles and saw that Danny was discreetly checking out Derek. She smirked and he looked at her. She mouthed the words 'I know right' to him and he looked slightly embarrassed. Then Stiles noticed and he decided to use it to his advantage. "Hey…" Stiles looked back at Derek who had put on an orange and blue striped shirt that was much too small for him. "That one looks pretty good, huh?"

Scarlett looked at Derek and shook her head while he glared at her and then Stiles.

"What do you think Danny?" Stiles asked.

"Huh?" He asked, trying to look away.

"The shirt?" Danny looked back at Derek and he seemed to get even more uncomfortable but he was clearly enjoying the view. Probably just as much as Scarlett was.

"It's-it's not really his colour." Derek pulled the shirt off and threw it back in the drawer.

"Hey, Scar, why don't you take Derek to get one of my dad's shirts?" Stiles asked before turning to Danny and smirking. "You swing for a different team but you still play ball, don't you Danny boy?"

Scarlett got up and smirked as well upon hearing what Danny said next.

"You're a horrible person." He muttered as Scarlett led Derek out of the room.

Scarlett opened the door to the Sheriff's bedroom and walked to the drawers, raking through the shirts.

"Hmm…" She looked at Derek, who was still shirtless, and then back to the shirts before pulling one out that looked like it would fit him. "Here." She said, handing him the dark shirt.

He raised a brow at her but took the shirt anyway, putting it on. It was a bit loose but it fit well enough.

"Crisis averted." She smirked, folding all of the other shirts again and putting them away nicely. He gave a small smile and just stared at her making her give him a look. "What?"

"Nothing." He said, shaking his head and continuing to look at her.

"Then stop staring." She said with a slight laugh, trying to brush of her nervousness that she got from him looking at her. It literally felt as if her skin was on fire…just from him looking at her. His gaze held so much fondness and it was soft, extremely different from his usual cold hard glare. He didn't look intimidating like he usually did, he just looked…normal. She liked that look on him. He seemed more relaxed.

She took a cautious step back when he took a step towards her. He smirked and kept walking forward until she was backed up against the wall and he was boxing her in.

"What are you doing?" She whispered.

"I'm talking to you." He whispered back.

"You call this talking?" She pointed back and forth between them.

"Well what else would it be?" He asked, trying to sound innocent when he knew that he was making her even more nervous. He could hear her heartbeat getting faster at the close proximity. It was also his way of trying to get her to forget about the whole 'forgiveness' thing because in all honesty, he had no fucking clue what to do to earn it. Not to say he thought he deserved any of her forgiveness at all but if she was offering it then…he didn't mind. He'd just never had to do that before.

It didn't take long for her to realise that that's exactly what he was doing and she smirked. "Oh…you are not gonna make me forget about you earning my forgiveness that easily." He rolled his eyes and she pushed him away.

"About that, what do I have to do?" He asked. His voice held a slight vulnerability that she had never imagined he possessed. When he realised what he sounded like he covered it up with a stony look.

"It's not any one thing that you have to do, Derek, but…you'll figure it out." She whispered the last part, patting his chest as she walked by him and out the door. He groaned internally and followed her back into Stiles' room.

When they walked back in, Stiles looked up and gave them a strange look. "What the hell took you guys so long?"

"Derek's really fussy about colours. It's dark or nothing for him." Scarlett said casually, leaning over the desk chair that Danny was sitting on. He seemed very focused out whatever he was doing. "You got him to do it?"

"Yeah…" Stiles said with a smirk.

"How long is it gonna take?" Derek asked gruffly, standing next to Scarlett.

"Don't rush him." Scarlett said, elbowing him. If that had been anyone else he would've ripped their head off but because it was her he settled with giving her a glare.

"He has a point though…how far along are you Danny boy?" Stiles asked, leaning into Danny's personal space to see the laptop. By that point they were all crowded around the small screen and it was rather strange.

Danny finished typing before leaning back. "There." Derek and Scarlett both leaned in closer, causing their shoulders to touch and them to look at each other and then back to the laptop. "The text was sent from a computer…this one."

Scarlett's eyes widened as did Derek's and Stiles' before Derek spoke up. "Registered to that account name?"

Everyone looked at Scarlett and she continued to look at the screen shaking her head. "No, no, no…no way. It was not my mom. No way in hell." They looked back at the name again, thinking that maybe they saw it wrong but the name 'Melissa McCall' was still there.

"Yeah, it looks just like the drawing." Stiles said into the phone.

Derek yanked Stiles' arm over to him so that he could talk to Scott as well. "Is there something on the back of it? There's gotta be something…an inscription, an opening…something!"

"No, the thing's flat. There's nothing on it, in it…around it, nothing. And where are you? You're supposed to be here! You're first line! And Scarlett, you too." Scott said.

"Who's it gonna hurt if I miss one game? Parker will just try to sabotage me anyway." Scarlett said harshly, subconsciously rubbing the bandage on her arm and looking out the window of the jeep. She really wasn't too keen on doing the routine again. Not in front of everyone. Not if Brooke was gonna drop her and embarrass her.

"Who cares about her? She isn't going to do anything in front of all those people!"

"Oh believe me, she will."

"Fine. But Stiles, you're not gonna play if you aren't here to start." Scott said, sounding defeated.

"I know!" Stiles sighed. "Look, if you see my dad can you just…can you just tell him- tell him I'll be there I'll just be a little bit late, okay? Alright thanks."

"You're not gonna make it." Derek said, shaking his head. "Neither are you." He looked at Scarlett in the rear-view mirror.

"Not that bummed about it in case you haven't noticed." She didn't mean to sound bitchy but it definitely came across that way. The truth was, she was bummed about it. In fact, she was totally pissed. Cheerleading was her thing and she couldn't even do that now without fear of being dropped on her ass.

Derek ignored her reply and talked again. "You didn't say anything about your mom either."

Scarlett went to say something but Stiles beat her to it. "Not until we find out the truth." He said, looking out the windshield at the hospital.

"One more thing," Derek said, smacking Stiles' face against the wheel.

"Whoa." Scarlett cringed, leaning back slightly. That must've hurt like a bitch.

"Oh God! What the hell was that for?!" Stiles asked, clutching his forehead.

"You know what that was for! Go," Derek said, pointing at the hospital. "Go." Stiles scrambled out of the car and Scarlett climbed over the seat to get out as well but Derek stopped her. "Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"She's my mom. Plus, I know my way around the hospital better than he does." She said, shrugging off his hand and jumping out, running after Stiles.

When she caught up to him he was already inside.

"Come on." She said, walking over to the desk where her mom would usually be. But, she wasn't there. "Um…upstairs." The two of them took the elevator up to the next level and it was very unusually quiet.

"Call Derek." Scarlett said, still looking around for Melissa.

"We can't find her." Stiles said once Derek picked up.

"Ask for Jennifer, she's been looking after my uncle." Derek told him.

"Hey Scar," She turned and looked at Stiles. "He says ask for Jennifer." She nodded and went around the corner, followed by Stiles, to look in Peter's room only to find it completely empty.

"He isn't in here Stiles…" She said warily, a horrible feeling washing over her.

"He's not here either."

"What?" Stiles handed the phone to Scarlett when she motioned for him to give it to her.

"He isn't here Derek. He's just…gone." She explained, looking around and then at Stiles. There was a pause before Derek started talking again, sounding frantic.

"Scarlett, get out of there right now! It's him, he's the Alpha! Get out!" She slowly moved the phone away from her ear, looking at Stiles with a panicked expression before seeing Peter emerge behind him.

"Holy shit." She said uneasily. Stiles turned as well and jumped back. Peter was standing, well, leaning, casually on the wall. One half of his face still bared the horrible burn marks.

"You must be Stiles and…Scarlett." He said, rather charmingly.

Stiles backed up towards Scarlett, grabbing her arm and keeping her close to him as they rushed to go the other way only to be stopped by the small redheaded nurse.

"What are you doing here?" She asked casually. "Visiting hours are over." Her voice seemed to take on a darker tone.

Stiles pointed at her. "You and-" He pointed at Peter. "Him. Y-you're the one who…oh my- and he's the one…Oh my God, we're gonna die."

"We aren't gonna die." Scarlett hissed at him. Sure, she was scared as hell but she wasn't about to be killed by the likes of those two. Both she and Stiles looked between Peter and Jennifer before jumping slightly as Derek appeared, knocking Jennifer out by elbowing her in the face without even looking. Scarlett sighed in relief...maybe she was right and they would live.

"Well that's not nice…she's my nurse." Peter said calmly.

"She's a psychotic bitch helping you kill people. Get out of the way." Derek countered immediately, directing the last part at Scarlett and Stiles.

"Wh-" She began to say before she was cut off by Stiles.

"Aw, damn…" He yanked them both down and they crawled over to the wall at the side.

"You think I killed Laura on purpose? My own family…" Peter said, walking towards Derek making Derek growl before jumping at him and getting smashed into the wall. He landed right beside Stiles and Scarlett so they both moved further away.

Scarlett could see that Derek was already losing the fight and she wanted to help but there was nothing she could do and Stiles wouldn't let her either. "Stiles…let me go! We have to help him." She said, struggling to get out of his grip which made him only tighten it.

"Are you crazy?!" He asked.

"Well we can't just let him die!" She said, her voice sounding pleading.

It was still no use and she was forced to watch Peter grab Derek's throat and drag him across the floor as he talked to him. "My mind, my personality…were literally burned out of me. I've been driven by pure instinct." Peter dropped Derek and took a key out of Jennifer's pocket.

"You want forgiveness?" Derek asked, punching Peter in the face. Peter then kicked Derek, making him fall again and Scarlett couldn't watch anymore so she followed Stiles who was crawling around the desk.

The two of them ended up being closer to Derek and they hid behind the desk again, trying not to be seen by Peter. Hoping that maybe, he would forget that they were there.

Something in Scarlett made her want to feel bad for Peter upon hearing about the very slow and agonizing healing process he went through and then he brought up killing Laura again and that feeling was gone. She still thought he was dick. Never in a million years would she ever dream of hurting a family member.

She cringed as she heard Derek in pain but she kept silent, mostly because Stiles had his hand clamped over her mouth.

"I tried to tell you what was happening. I tried to warn you." She heard Peter say before he threw Derek through the glass of the other desk.

Derek managed to crawl into another room and Peter followed him slowly. Scarlett craned her neck, attempting to see them again but it was no use. They were behind a wall now and completely out of her sight.

She started to get up but Stiles grabbed her arm. "What the hell are you doing?" He hissed quietly.

"I need to make sure he's alive." She said sternly, yanking her arm out of his grip. He grit his teeth and followed her but stayed far enough back that he couldn't be seen.

"Derek!" She shouted, rounding the corner. He looked up at her from where he was slumped against the wall. His eyes were filled with pain and worry and he was bleeding in several places. She went to go forward to him but she was stopped by a smirking Peter. Her eyes widened at him. He was…different. The scars…they had all healed. How the hell was that even possible? She had seen him literally two minutes ago with burn marks on him.

"Scarlett, Scarlett, Scarlett…" He said. She swallowed and took a step back, still standing tall. "It's sweet really. You, coming to the rescue of your…boyfriend?" She didn't say anything, she just glared fiercely. "You don't have to worry; I'm not planning on killing him. Not that you could've done anything to stop me if I had been but, you get the picture."

"So what are you going to do with him then?" She asked, trying to keep her voice sounding strong.

"Well, he's family. He's going to become a part of my pack…isn't that right Derek?" Peter asked, looking back at Derek who was now standing up and clenching his jaw. He nodded slightly, looking down.

Scarlett clenched her fists by her sides. "He killed your sister and you're willing to forgive him? Just like that? Are you fucking kidding me?" Her temper was rising, helping to wash the fear away. She was pissed. After everything…Derek was just going to start helping Peter? Help him kill people? She had honestly thought better of him.

"She is a feisty one. Isn't she?" Peter said, narrowing his eyes at her as if he was amused. "You'd make a great member of my pack. Join your brother, your boyfriend….then I'd have both McCall twins." He smirked.

"No chance in hell." She spat making him laugh.

"Hmm, well, I guess there's no need to keep you around then." Her eyes widened as his claws extended and he raised them.

"No!" Derek shouted, grabbing Peter's raised arm. "Leave her. She's not a threat. Besides, Scott will never help us if you kill his sister." Scarlett narrowed her eyes at him as he tried to play it off as if that was the only reason to keep her alive. As if he didn't give a shit about her. She knew he did care about her but it still stung.

"Oh let's not pretend Scott's the only one that would miss this little beauty…" Peter drawled, stroking her face with one of his claws. She roughly pushed his hand away.

"Don't touch me." Scarlett growled, glaring even more.

Peter ignored what she said and picked up talking again. "I get it, I do. You're in love with her and for your sake, I'll let her live. But," He whispered, coming closer to her. "If you get in my way…I will not hesitate to rip you apart." She shivered in fear and he smirked again before walking out. Derek followed behind him, giving Scarlett a sad look as he did so. He knew that he had failed. He'd given in too easily but if he didn't join Peter then more people were going to die…Scarlett being at the top of the list.

Scarlett wanted so badly to reach out and grab onto Derek, telling him to stay but she knew that was a bad idea. She stood there; looking at the floor for a few minutes before Stiles finally came rushing in.

"Scar!" He said when he saw her. He put his hands on her shoulders. "Hey, hey…you okay?" His voice was filled with worry and sincerity.

"Apart from the death threat…I'm fine." She said, looking up at him with eyes filled with sadness and unshed tears. He frowned and pulled her in for a hug. She slowly returned it and she thanked the heavens for Stiles and his good hugs. She buried her face in his shoulder, enjoying the brother-like comfort that she was in desperate need of.