Chapter 18

Scarlet stirred slightly, groaning at her protesting muscles. She sat up slowly, running a hand through her messy curls. Derek strechted and let out a yawn. They had spent the night in his car. Scarlet glanced over at him and smiled slightly. Derek trailed his hand over her cheek and quickly gave her a kiss.

Scarlet rested her head on his shoulder and breathed in his scent. Derek wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "So you are going to lay low for a couple of days right," Scarlet asked.

"Yeah, you have to go home soon though," Derek replied. "Your dad is going to wonder where you are."

"I know," Scarlet whispered. She glanced up at him and let out a soft sigh. "I wish there was something I could do to help you."

"Scarlet we talked about this," Derek pointed out. They had spent most of the night talking about it actually. He couldn't change her, then the hunters would be after her as well. She couldn't tell anyone what was going on, who was going to believe her?

"I know, I know. I just want to help you, I hate not being able to do anything for you. You are risking your life just being around me. You could leave town if it weren't for me being your mate. Things keep getting worse and more dangerous, you are going to be the most wanted person in the state of California."

"Scarlet, you are doing something for me, you are keeping yourself safe while I figure this out. That is all you can do right now," Derek assured her. He pressed a kiss to her forehead. Scarlet looked up at him and smiled once again before sliding away from him.

"I should get back, my dad is going to wonder where I am."

Derek nodded and reached around her to push the car door open. "You ok to walk from here? You want me to walk you back?"

"No, you have to lay low. I can walk myself back, its not far. I'll be fine. I'll call you when I get there."

"You can't call me," Derek reminded her. "They'll be tracking my phone. We can't have any contact for a few days. If something happens tell Scott, he'll know how to find me."

"Are you sure this is a good idea? Maybe we should stay together," Scarlet suggested.

"They'll think I've kidnapped you if you don't come home Scar. I'll be fine, I just have to lay low for a few days while I figure out how to deal with the alpha."

Scarlet nodded silently before leaning her head against his shoulder. "Just tell me that everything is going to be ok, that we will both be ok."

"Everything is going to be ok, you will be ok, and I will be ok," Derek assured her. "Now go home, before they think you've been kidnapped."

Scarlet climbed out of the car and took a few steps away. She turned back and looked at him. "Be careful, please be careful, for both our sakes," Scarlet pleaded.

"I will be," Derek promised.

Scarlet nodded once more before turning away. She walked away without looking back, but she could feel his eyes on her as she went. She knew they were both worried, but things had to be this way. It didn't take long for her to get home from there. She noted that her dad's car was not in the driveway, so she quickly headed inside.

Scarlet knocked on Stiles' door before pushing it open. He was still asleep though. Scarlet shut the door back and headed into her room. She gasped when she saw Scott sitting on her bed.

"What are you doing here," she demanded.

"Where is he," Scott asked.

"Stiles is in his room, what are you doing in here?"

"Not Stiles, Derek! I need to talk to him," Scott cried.

"I'm not telling you where he is Scott! Thanks to you, he is now the most wanted man in California. What the hell were you thinking with that?"

"I was thinking that I couldn't tell people the truth! It doesn't matter though because Alison broke up with me, now I have to talk to Derek and stop the alpha so I can get her back."

"Why did she break up with you," Scarlet asked as she sat down next to him on the bed. She was pissed at him for what he had done, but he looked so upset.

"She said she can't trust me. Look, I'm sorry for what I did, I really am, but I didn't know what else to do! I had to say something and telling Alison, Jackson, and Lydia about the werewolf thing was not an option. Besides I thought Derek was dead, it wasn't until we got out of the school last night that I realized he wasn't. How did you guys get away?"

"It wasn't easy, the Alpha found us while I was trying to wake up Derek. They fought, but I guess Derek managed to get rid of him long enough for us to get out of there. We took his car back to his house, but we figured the police would look for him there, so we spent the night in his car."

"Where is he now?"

"I don't know Scott! I can't call him, it will lead the police to him! He said that if something happens to tell you, that you would be able to find him," Scarlet explained.

"Are you ok? You smell like blood."

"The alpha got me again, it tore open my mark. Trust me, Derek had it way worse than I did last night. I had no idea healing was that painful of a process for you guys."

"Yeah, its great," Scott said sarcastically.

Scarlet smiled sadly at him. "Don't worry Scott, we'll figure out who the alpha is and then you can get Alison back. Everything will be ok, it has to be."