Chapter 17

The next few days were a blur for Scarlet. She went straight from school to her house. She barely spoke, but people were too busy talking about what had happened to her to actually talk to her. Stiles didn't need her to respond to him, he just talked on without her.

Scarlet knew that her father was concerned about her but she couldn't bring herself to talk about that night. Every night since she'd been marked by the alpha she'd had terrible nightmares. In them, someone was always chasing after her, she was running through the woods trying to get away, just like the night she had met Derek. She kept waiting for Derek to show up, he had told her he would know if she were in trouble, but he never came. She always woke up screaming.

Scarlet seriously considered calling or texting Derek and telling him she wanted to see him. Knowing she couldn't be around him was painful for her. She felt like there was a hole in her chest. She knew that he would be able to help her with the nightmares, but she didn't want to put him or herself in anymore danger.

So she suffered, she dealt with the dreams. She tried to get through her days as best she could, but it was overwhelming. She could barely sit through her classes, but when Jackson didn't show up for chem one day she panicked and left the room. Her teacher excused her because he knew that she was having a hard time.

As Scarlet made her way down the hallway, she spotted Jackson sitting on the floor. It wasn't until she was almost next to him that she realized he was with Alison. "It feels like something was stolen from you, and you would do anything in the world to get it back," Jackson said.

"Haven't you ever learned that there is no i in team," Alison teased.

"Yeah, but there is a me," Scarlet said at the same time Jackson did. They exchanged a look before Jackson laughed.

"That was a joke," he said when he saw the look on Alison's face. Scarlet noticed the way that Jackson was rubbing the back of his neck as he looked at Alison. "You must really really hate me."

"Not at all," Alison said quickly. She glanced at Scarlet briefly, but returned her attention to Jackson.

"You sure? I'm not a bad guy, I mean I make stupid mistakes, a lot, but I'm not bad. I really like you and Scott, I mean I really like you both, and I want you guys to like me. I want to get to know you guys better," Jackson said. Scarlet wondered what he was up to as he spoke. "Ask Scarlet, I'm a great friend if you let me be."

Alison looked at Scarlet again, who was still standing there awkwardly. Jackson looked at her for the first time and stood up. Scarlet drew in a ragged breath as she smiled weakly.

"Yeah, Jackson is great once you get to know him," she said quickly. He touched her wrist, before gently taking hold of her hand.

"You ok," Jackson asked. Scarlet shook her head, not trusting herself to speak to him. "Come on, you look like you could use something to eat. Let's go to the vending machines. We'll see you later Alison."

Alison smiled at them both, noting the way Jackson protectively wrapped his arm around Scarlet's shoulders before leading her away. Alison also noticed the way Scarlet's head dropped onto his shoulder as they rounded the corner and disappeared from sight.

"What's up with you? You look like you haven't slept," Jackson said.

"I haven't, I've been having nightmares since we were attacked," Scarlet explained. Jackson stopped in front of the vending machines. He let go of her long enough to buy her favorite chips before taking her hand again and leading her over to a bench. Scarlet took the bag from him but didn't eat them.

"Eat Scarlet," Jackson ordered. She took one chip, chewing slowly. Jackson tucked her hair behind her ear as he watched her. He had always been different with her when it was just the two of them. Scarlet had always assumed that he was that way with Lydia too, but now she wasn't so sure. "How are you dealing with what happened?"

"I'm not dealing with it, that's how. I'm having nightmares, I keep seeing things that aren't there, I'm afraid all the time, I don't know what to do," Scarlet burst out. She met Jackson's gaze and she knew she had to ask him. "What was that thing? What did you see Jackson?"

"I... I don't know Scar, it happened so fast. It had to be a mountain lion like they said. I mean what else could it be?"

"I don't know. I just wish I could forget about it," Scarlet whispered as she leaned against Jackson. He rubbed circles on her back and she began to relax for the first time in days.

"I miss us hanging out like we used to," Jackson admitted. Scarlet raised her eyebrows at him, not sure what he meant by that. "I don't mean the sex, I mean us being able to just hang out, watch tv, talk, whatever. Other than Danny, you are basically my best friend. I feel like us sleeping together screwed that up. I want us to get back to that."

"Wow, Jackson Whittemore is having a sensitive moment. I feel like I should alert the press," Scarlet said with a small smile.

"Yeah well, I wouldn't get too used to it Stilinski," Jackson warned. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and let her lean against him. "I meant what I said though, I want us to be friends again. Real friends, not friends who have to sneak around."

"I'd like that, I could use a friend right now."

"Me too."

...

Later that night, Scarlet was at the school in one of the music practice rooms. Her piano teacher had gotten her a key a few months ago since she didn't have a piano at home. Her fingers raced over the keys, her mind completely focused on the music she was playing. She jumped when a whining howl sounded over the p.a. system.

Scarlet rose from the piano bench and moved toward the door. She stepped out into the hallway and glanced around. She glanced out the window to the parking lot and saw that the jeep was there. Another howl sounded, this one lower and much louder than before. The lockers and doors began to rattle.

Scarlet scrambled toward the door and rushed outside. She stumbled down the steps of the school, freezing when she saw that Derek's car was in the parking lot as well. She took another step forward, but stopped again when Derek stepped around the back of the jeep.

"What are you doing here," Derek demanded as she came toward him.

"I was practicing, what was that?"

"Scott, calling the Alpha, you have to leave right now," Derek ordered. "I'm going to kill both of you! What the hell was that? What are you trying to do, attract the entire state to the school?"

Scarlet turned to find her brother and Scott standing behind her. "Are you two stupid? This is the worst idea you have ever had," she snapped.

"Sorry I didn't know it would be that loud," Scott said clearly impressed by that roar.

"Yeah it was loud, and it was awesome," Stiles declared.

"Shut up," Derek ordered.

"Don't be such a sour wolf," Stiles shot back.

"Don't talk to him like that," Scarlet snapped.

"What'd you do with him," Scott asked as he glanced inside the back of Derek's car.

"What," Derek asked as he too looked inside. Scarlet stared in confusion as the backseat was currently empty. "I didn't do anything."

Suddenly Derek was lifted off the ground and blood began to drip from his mouth. The alpha had hold of him and was roaring at them. Scarlet screamed as Stiles grabbed her arm and yanked her back. They ran toward the school as the alpha threw Derek into the side of the building and he hit the ground. Scott and Stiles slammed the doors shut as Scarlet dropped to her knees and buried her face in her hands.

Derek was dead, no one lived through that, there was no way. Scarlet let out a sob as she pressed her hands over her ears blocking out whatever Scott and Stiles were saying. She jumped when someone grabbed her arm and jerked her off the ground. She stumbled blindly behind Scott as he pulled her into a classroom.

They started to push the desk toward the door as Scarlet crossed over to the window. She peered out trying to get a glimpse of Derek. She couldn't see him from where they were though. She drew in a ragged breath, biting down on her lip as she started to cry.

"He killed Derek," Stiles said firmly.

"Derek's not dead, he can't be dead," Scott replied.

"Blood spurted out of his mouth that doesn't exactly qualify as a minor injury," Stiles shot back.

"He's not dead," Scarlet informed them.

"How do you know," Stiles demanded.

"If he were dead, she would know," Scott said as though it should make all the sense in the world. "She's like his mate or something, I don't know how it works, but she would know if he were dead."

"He's not dead," Scarlet repeated. It was more to convince herself than anything, she had to believe he wasn't dead.

"Yeah well he's no good to us at this point, we are in here and he is out there, semi-dead or whatever he is," Stiles pointed out.

"Ok, what do we do," Scott asked.

"We get to my jeep, we get out of here, and you seriously think about quitting your job," Stiles replied.

Scott and Stiles joined her at the window as they began to discuss their options. They didn't really have any though. Scarlet noticed that something was wrong with the hood of the jeep first.

"You guys," she said as she pointed to the jeep. They ignored her, until something crashed through the window raining glass down on them.

"That's my battery," Stiles said angrily.

"Our battery," Scarlet reminded him.

"Beside the point right now," Stiles said as he started to climb off the ground. "We have to move."

"He could be right outside," Scott whispered.

"He is right outside," Scarlet and Stiles snapped.

"Just let me take a look," Scott said before they all began to climb off the floor.

"Anything," Stiles asked.

"No," Scott replied.

"Move now?"

Scott nodded and they all crept toward the door. Stiles kept his hand on her back pushing her along with them. "This way," Scott said as he started up the hallway.

"No, somewhere without windows," Stiles quickly said.

"Every room in this building has windows," Scott exclaimed.

"Less windows."

They all exchanged a look as they wondered where they could go. "The locker room," Scott suggested.

"I think we should split up," Scarlet said quickly.

"Uh, no," Stiles cried. "Why would we do that?"

"It wants Scott! No offense, Scott. The two of you go to the locker room. I will sneak outside and get Derek's keys. We can take his car and get out of here," Scarlet explained.

"It's not a terrible idea," Scott pointed out.

"Except the part where we send my twin sister off on her own to face a psycho werewolf! It's already attacked you once, what's going to stop it this time?"

"It won't kill me," Scarlet said firmly. She knew that if Derek were dead or dying the alpha might take this chance to change her, but it wouldn't kill her. She would be ok, she had to get to Derek though. She had to make sure he was ok. "Look, I have my phone, I'll text you guys when I get the keys. We have to make sure Derek is ok. I'll get him in the car and go find help."

"Where are you going to get help? What are you going to do," Stiles demanded.

"I'll go get Dad. I'll tell him we need his help, he'll come, you know he will."

"We are not going to put dad in danger Scar!"

"What are we going to do Stiles? The longer we stand here arguing the more likely we are to get caught by the alpha! We have to do something. You guys go hide in the locker room. I will get the keys!"

Scarlet pulled her brother into a hug and stepped back from him. Before he or Scott could stop her she took off at a run. She made her way back over to where they had come into the building. Scarlet pulled the bolt cutters off the door and peered out. She could see Derek from where she was.

Scarlet slowly pushed the door open and stepped outside. She let the door shut behind her as she crept toward Derek. She knelt next to him, feeling his neck for a pulse. She couldn't help but grin when she felt his heart steady beneath her fingers. She let out a sigh of relief as she rolled him onto his back.

That's when she heard the low growl. Scarlet froze and looked to her left, coming face to face with the alpha. Scarlet made no sound, but her grip on Derek's arm tightened. She stared back into the red eyes of the alpha as his emotions swept over her. She wanted to move, to run away, to flinch, but she couldn't do anything.

The alpha leaned closer to her, its nose rubbing against her neck as it pushed her hair out of the way. Scarlet swallowed hard and squeezed her eyes shut as the alpha continued to touch her neck. It moved behind her, it's nose pressing against the marks it had left on her back. She cried out in pain as it dug it's claws in and reopened the wounds.

Scarlet flinched away from the creature, expecting to fall into Derek, but she hit grass instead. She heard another growl, but didn't move as Derek and the alpha fought. Scarlet screamed when something brushed against her cheek.

"Scarlet it's me," Derek exclaimed. Scarlet's head snapped up when she heard his voice.

"Are you ok," she demanded as she reached for him. Derek shook his head at her and deflected her hands.

"Don't you'll get blood on you," he warned. "We have to get out of here, I can't protect you like this."

"We have to help Scott and Stiles, they are inside," Scarlet cried. She stared at Derek for a moment and realized how weak he was. He hadn't recovered from what the alpha had done to him and he had just used the rest of his strength to protect her. "Ok, I'll take you back to your place, but I am calling my dad on the way there to tell him what is going on."

"Fine," Derek said before struggling to his feet. Scarlet pulled his arm around her shoulders and helped him over to the car. She took the keys out of his jacket pocket and rushed around to the other side. She glanced back at the school one last time before starting his car and pulling out of the parking lot.

They drove silently back to Derek's house. Scarlet waited until she got Derek inside to call her dad. Derek collapsed on the sofa as soon as she let him go. She pulled her phone out and called her dad's phone.

"Voicemail, damn it," she muttered. "Hey dad, listen I think there is something going on at the school, something bad. You need to get over there, Scott and Stiles are there. They need your help."

She slipped her phone back in her pocket and glanced at Derek. "I'm going to take your car back over there. I have to help them," Scarlet said as she fidgeted with Derek's keys.

"Scarlet, it will kill you."

"I have to help my brother Derek. I will never forgive myself if something happens to him!"

"How am I supposed to feel if something happens to you," Derek demanded. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her down next to him. "Listen to me, there is nothing you can do to help them. Scott can protect Stiles better than you can. You need to stay out of it."

"So I'm supposed to sit here and wait to find out if my brother is dead or alive?"

"You don't really have another option," Derek replied tiredly.

Scarlet heaved a sigh and met his gaze. "Fine, but we need to get you cleaned up. Can I borrow a shirt?"

"Yeah, help me upstairs," Derek asked. Scarlet helped him off the sofa and up the stairs. He directed her to a bedroom and she helped him onto the bed. Derek tugged his shirt off and Scarlet gasped when she saw the wound on his chest.

"Jesus, it will heal right?"

Derek nodded as he dropped his shirt on the floor. He closed his eyes tiredly and started to lean back on the bed.

"Oh no, you can't go to sleep yet. We have to get you cleaned up, you have to stay conscious, talk to me, just don't go to sleep," Scarlet ordered. She looked around the room spotting the door to the bathroom after a moment. She rushed in and grabbed several towels soaking them in warm water. "Derek talk to me!"

"About what," he snapped.

"Anything, just talk," Scarlet ordered as she brought the towels back in the room and sat them on the floor. She grabbed one and began to wipe the blood off his chest. Derek growled loudly at her when she brushed the towel over the wound. He lunged forward, but Scarlet flinched back, falling onto the floor. She stared up at Derek, a frightened look on her face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, I wasn't thinking. I'm too weak to really control it right now," Derek said as he reached for her. She took his hand and let him help her back up. His fingers trailed through her hair as she continued to tend to him. "Did it hurt you?"

Scarlet shook her head at him, not wanting to tell him what had happened. She knew he would go after it, but she didn't want to know why the alpha was doing this. What was so special about her? Why did it keep finding her and messing up her mark?

"Scar, I can see the blood on your shirt, I can smell it too."

Scarlet sighed and set down the towel, she stared at Derek for a moment before tugging her shirt off and turning around so he could see what had happened. She drew her knees into her chest as she stared at the wall.

"What does it want Derek? Why does it keep doing this to me," Scarlet whispered.

"Its not about you, its me."

"If it involves you, it involves me now too. I'm your mate," Scarlet pointed out. She turned her head slightly so she could see him. "I didn't think it would be like this."

Derek studied her for a moment before picking up one of the towels and cleaning off the blood on her back. Scarlet turned so she was facing him and rested her chin on his knee. "What did you think it would be like," he asked.

"In a span of about twenty minutes I found out what you are and became your mate. After what happened that first night with Scott I had no illusions of what this life would be like. I knew that this was going to be hard, but I never thought it would be like this. Constantly being afraid, people trying to hurt us at every turn, my family being in danger, that isn't what I wanted."

"What did you want Scarlet?"

Scarlet glanced up at him holding his gaze for a long moment before speaking. "You."

Derek helped her up so she was sitting in his lap. She rested her head against his neck, letting her eyes slowly drift shut. "We aren't supposed to be together you know," she whispered.

"I think this case is the exception," Derek replied.

Scarlet's lips brushed against his neck and he let out a low groan. Derek turned his head catching her in a deep kiss. She immediately shifted so that she was straddling him. His hands fisted in her hair as he leaned back, pulling her onto the bed with him. Scarlet let out a soft giggle as Derek rolled them so he was on top of her.

Derek deepened the kiss as his hand traveled across her torso. Scarlet arched against him, her hips pressing hard against his. She moaned softly as his lips ghosted down her neck.

"We shouldn't do this," she whispered.

"Why," Derek asked as he glanced up at her.

"It will only make me miss you more when tonight is over."

Derek settled on the bed next to her, pulling her close to him as he did so. Scarlet set her head on his chest, careful to make sure she wasn't touching his wound. His arm wrapped around her, his fingers brushing through her hair that fell over her shoulders.

Her eyes drifted shut and she was suddenly somewhere else. The room was on fire, all the walls were burning and smoke burned her eyes. She stumbled toward the door but couldn't find it. She flinched back from the overwhelming heat of the walls. She finally found the door and grabbed the doorknob, crying out when it burnt her hand. She managed to wrench the door open, but was confronted by a hallway of fire. People were stumbling through the fire, screaming and begging for help.

Scarlet sat up with a scream, jerking away from Derek as she moved. Derek grabbed her shoulder and she cried out again, moving away from him. She ran her hands through her hair trying to calm down. Derek put a hand on her elbow as he sat up behind her.

"What is it? What happened," Derek asked.

"There was a fire, the room was burning, I couldn't get out and when I did, the hallway was on fire and there were people, screaming for help, it was awful," she explained. She glanced down at her stinging hand and let out a gasp. Derek slid his hand down her arm and turned her hand so he could see it too.

"Did that happen at the school," he asked.

"No, I don't know where it came from. It... it wasn't there earlier."

"It's a burn, how is your hand burned?"

"In my dream I grabbed the doorknob and it burned my hand."

"You were dreaming though, you didn't actually touch a burning doorknob," Derek pointed out.

"I know, but I don't know how else I could have burned my hand," Scarlet replied. She met his gaze and shook her head. "Derek, what is going on?"

Before he could answer her, her phone rang interrupting him. Scarlet dug her phone out of her pocket and quickly answered it. "Stiles, are you ok? What is going on?"

Scarlet listened to what he said her eyes widening angrily. "He did what," she demanded. "Is everyone ok?"

Derek stared at her as he waited for her to explain what was going on to him. He reached for the phone but she waved him off as she stood up. "Why would he say that though? Does he not understand how bad he just made things? Its not bad enough that he was prime suspect in a murder case and is being hunted but now we have to deal with this too? Scott just signed his death sentence!"

"What is going on," Derek demanded.

"Stiles, cover for me, I'll be home in a while. If not tell dad I'm spending the night with a friend. I've got to tell Derek what is going on."

With that she hung up the phone and met Derek's gaze. "Scott told everyone that it was you tonight in the school. Apparently, Lydia, Jackson, and Allison showed up at the school and the alpha tried to kill them all. Scott seems to think that the alpha is going to force him to kill them though. They all told my dad that you are the killer though. We have to get out of here Derek. This is the first place they are going to look for you."

"Scott did what," Derek said as he stared at her in disbelief. He heard something though and leapt to his feet. "Cars are on their way up here, we have to go."

Scarlet tugged her shirt back on and grabbed a duffle bag out of the closet. She quickly stuffed some of Derek's clothes into it and followed him out of the house. They climbed in the car and headed out by the other driveway. It didn't take long for them to reach the main road.

"We need to hide your car, its way to conspicious," Scarlet advised. Derek pulled into abandoned factory and parked his car inside where it was out of sight. Scarlet buried her face in her hands and let out a groan. "Why is this happening to us? Why can't things ever be simple or easy?"

Derek leaned back in his seat and sighed. "I don't know Scar."

"It's like the entire world doesn't want us together! Its like everything is conspiring to ruin this before it even gets started!"

"Scarlet, we are not together. Yes we are mates, but for right now, until this is over with the alpha, we can't be together."

"We are together right now," Scarlet cried as she looked at him. "What do you want me to do? Get out of the car, walk home, and leave you here, bleeding? Do you want me to pretend that I'm ok with this when I am scared to death for us both?"

"You being with me puts you in danger Scarlet! How do you not understand that? We can't be together."

"I know that! I'm not stupid Derek, we have talked about this. I know that we can't be together, but we are together right now whether you like it or not. You need help Derek, things are going to get a lot worse after what Scott did! I'm all you've got right now!"

"I know," Derek snapped.

Scarlet realized the weight of her comment too late. She met his angry gaze and flinched. "I didn't mean it like that Derek. I just meant that, right now, in this moment, I am all you have to help you. It's not like we can go find someone to help us out, my brother and Scott aren't going to be any help. My dad thinks you are a killer, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know Scarlet!"

"We have to figure something out," Scarlet cried frantically. She felt her chest tighten and her heartrate increase. She pushed a hand into her hair, clutching at it desperately. She drew in a ragged breath and closed her eyes. She jerked when she felt Derek's hand on her shoulder.

"You have to calm down," Derek said softly. He pulled her hand from her hair and began to run his fingers through her hair. "It's going to be ok Scarlet, we are going to be ok."