Chapter 36

Scarlet was sitting with Derek the next afternoon, when Erica drug Jackson into the hideout. Isaac grabbed Jackson's other arm as they pulled him closer to Derek.

"What happened to you on the night of the full moon," Derek asked without looking up.

"Scarlet, what is going on," Jackson cried.

"Answer me," Derek said lowly.

"Nothing, nothing happened," Jackson snarled.

"You're lying," Derek said as he began to pull on a black glove.

"No, no wait, I can prove it, I taped myself."

Isaac laughed softly. "You taped yourself?"

"Yes, and maybe while you were curled up in the corner having an existential crisis about turning into a monster, I was preparing for the so called gift that your big bad alpha promised me. What did I get? Nothing," Jackson exclaimed. "You want proof, let me get the video."

Scarlet glanced at Derek as he studied Jackson. "No, no I have a better idea," Derek said as he turned a sliver of mirror so Jackson could see it.

Isaac and Erica forced Jackson to his knees. "What is that," Jackson asked as Derek stood up and began moving toward him.

"You know Jackson, you've always been kind of a snake, and everyone knows a snake can't be poisoned by its own venom," Derek said before dropping some of the venom from the kanima into his mouth. Scarlet clenched her fists as they all backed away from Jackson.

Jackson hit the floor, his eyes open wide in fear. Derek watched him for a moment before heaving a sigh. Derek walked back over to him and knelt in front of him.

"You're still a snake Jackson, just not the one we're looking for," Derek said lowly. "Oh, you ever come on to Scarlet again, this will seem like a happy memory compared to what I will do to you."

"Seriously Derek," Scarlet snapped as she pushed past Isaac and Erica and sat on the floor next to Jackson. She rolled him so his head was in her lap. "You're ok, it will go away soon, I'm sorry they did this to you."

Isaac sat on the floor in front of them and grinned down at Jackson. "You're still going to have to do one more thing for us, well for me," Isaac said with a smile. "See being a fugitive isn't fun, and I would really like to go back to school, so you are going to tell the Sheriff that you were wrong about whatever it was you said."

Isaac nodded before pushing himself up and walking away from them. Scarlet sighed and looked down at Jackson. She could see in his eyes how pissed he was at her. "I had no idea they were going to do this to you, I swear. I'm sorry you got caught up in this, I am, but I tried to warn you. The bite isn't everything you think it is, it comes with bad things too."

...

"So, you want to tell us why Derek thinks the Kanima is Jackson," Stiles asked as he and Scott cornered her at her locker the next day.

"Uh, because he bit Jackson, and he didn't change into a werewolf. There are only three people in town who have been bitten or attacked and haven't changed. Jackson, didn't change, I didn't change, and Lydia didn't," Scarlet explained.

"Yeah, well your new buddies Isaac and Erica are going to test her during chemistry, if she doesn't pass they are going to kill her," Stiles cried.

"Stiles, I know how you feel about her and I don't want to see her dead, but she's hurting people. She has to be stopped," Scarlet snapped.

"Oh my god, you are actually taking his side," Scott cried.

"I am not! I'm just saying that if it is her, you need to be ready with a plan, because Derek isn't going to wait for long. He wants this thing dead, and no one is going to stop him," Scarlet explained.

"He's going to kill an innocent girl," Stiles shot back.

"Stiles, if she is this thing, she's not really innocent anymore," Scarlet pointed out before walking away from them both.

Scarlet made her way into chemistry and found an empty table. She threw her books down and sighed as she ran her hands through her hair. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she quickly dug it out.

Isaac and Erica are going to test Lydia. You need to stay out of it.

Scarlet heaved another sigh and began typing furiously. She glanced up as Scott and Stiles came into the room.

I'm already in it, great plan, testing her in the class she has with Stiles and Scott. There isn't another way to do this?

Stiles and Scott sat on either of Lydia, while Erica and Isaac sat on either side of Scarlet. She glanced at them both before exchanging a look with Stiles. She held up her hands to say she had nothing to do with it. Stiles simply nodded before returning his attention to Lydia.

No, I wish there were but there's not. I don't want you to end up in the middle of this. Please, just stay out of it.

Isaac glanced at her phone screen when Scarlet sighed again. "He has a point you know, it would be a lot easier if you didn't keep putting yourself in the middle."

"Isaac," Scarlet said softly. "I wish it were that simple, but its not. Not at all."

Mr. Harris began talking but Scarlet was staring out the window. She saw Derek's car parked at the other side of the lot and nudged Isaac's arm. "I'm going to talk to him," she whispered. She threw her hand up and smiled brightly. "Mr. Harris, I have a note to excuse me, I have a doctor's appointment!"

"Oh, certainly Ms. Stilinski," Mr. Harris said as he glanced at her twin for a moment. "Why can't you be more like your sister?"

"Because that would be weird," Stiles replied. Scarlet grabbed her things and ran out of the class. She was kind of impressed that Harris didn't bother to ask to see her note. She ran across the lot to Derek, stopping just in front of him.

"Derek, call them off, let Scott and Stiles come up with something, there has to be a better way to deal with this," Scarlet pleaded.

"I told you to stay out of Scarlet, you said you were tired of being in the middle of things, I'm trying to keep you out of it."

"I know that, but Derek, she's a teenage girl! You can't just kill her."

"She's killing people Scarlet, I don't really have a choice in the matter."

"Derek, there isn't anything else you can do? There's not another way," Scarlet asked as she stepped closer to him. Derek reached out and took her hand.

"Scarlet, if there were something else that I could do, if there were anything else, we would try it. I don't want to do it this way, but I don't know what else to do."

Scarlet leaned into him resting her head on his chest. Derek wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "If this happens, if you have to kill her, Scott and Stiles will never forgive me."

"They'll never forgive me, you aren't going to have anything to do with it," Derek pointed out.

"I can't sit by and wait for something to happen."

"You can't take sides on this either."

"Derek," Scarlet said tiredly.

"I'm serious, you can't take sides, either way it doesn't end well for you. I'm not going to make you choose, so I'm telling you to stay out of it."

"What am I supposed to do? Go home and pretend like nothing is happening?"

"Yes, that's exactly what you do," Derek said firmly.

"Derek, come on! I can't sit by and let all of this happen."

"You can and you will."

"Fine, I'll go home. I'll stay out of it, but I swear Derek, if you don't try to figure something else out, I won't forgive you."

"I know," he replied. The look on his face let her know that he was serious. He knew that she wouldn't forgive him, she and Lydia weren't best friends, but they were kind of close. "Now go home."

Scarlet heaved a sigh and nodded. "Can you at least give me a ride? Stiles will need the jeep."

"Yeah, come on," Derek said before opening the car door for her. Scarlet leaned across and opened his door for him. She leaned against his seat for a moment, resting her chin against his shoulder.

"You know I'd forgive you eventually right," she asked. "I mean, I don't think I could stay mad at you forever."

"You'd probably try."

"You are probably right, we Stilinskis are known for our stubbornness."

"I'm beginning to notice that," Derek said with a grin. He started the car and quickly drove her back to her house, kissing her before she got out of the car.

"Be careful, if it is her, I don't want you guys to get hurt," Scarlet said.

"We will, I won't let it hurt anyone."

Scarlet stood in the driveway as he pulled out. She could only assume he was going back to the school. She ran a hand through her hair before going in the house and heading upstairs. It was going to be a very long day.

Sorry this chapter is a little short, but I wanted to get something up and let you guys know that I am finishing up this story and that season 3 will be its own separate story inspired by the song Demons by Imagine Dragons. So its going to start just a few weeks after the end of this story, which will end with season 2. Its going to cover the summer and then pick up with season 3, Scarlet is going to London with Jackson, but don't worry its just for the summer, and then she's coming back. I had to figure out a way to make the Jennifer/Derek thing work with this story, because I feel like that is an important plot point that I can't ignore. So there will be lots of drama for Derek and Scarlet, or Scerek and Darlet, I think those are the names I keep seeing in reviews! You guys have been so awesome in the reviews by the way! Thanks for staying with me and being patient!