KInd of a short chapter, but I wanted to post something. How is everyone feeling about season 4 so far? Baby Derek(well younger Derek) gave me all sorts of ideas for that part of this story! I'm also really excited to write in Scarlet and Malia interacting, I think that's going to be a lot of fun!

Chapter 37

Derek heaved a sigh as he quickly climbed up to Scarlet's bedroom window. Part of him was relieved to know that it wasn't Lydia. It meant Scarlet couldn't be angry with him for hurting her friend. Another part of him was more confused than ever. If it wasn't her, than who was it?

Derek paused when he saw that Scarlet's window was already open. He carefully crept forward, scenting the air as he went. There weren't any unfamiliar scents surrounding the house, but there was something wrong. He climbed through the window, hoping that Scarlet was in bed waiting for him.

She wasn't there though. The sheets had been thrown back like she had just climbed out of bed. Derek listened intently, but he couldn't pick up her heartbeat anywhere in the house. He tilted his head back as he closed his eyes, focusing on her scent. Their bond allowed them both to know what the other was feeling, but Derek couldn't find anything. It was almost as if something was blocking her from him.

Derek dug his phone out of his pocket. He tapped his foot anxiously as he waited for Isaac to pick up. "There's a problem, I need your help."

"What's up," Isaac asked.

"Scarlet, she's... I don't know. She's not at her house, I can't pick up her scent or her heartbeat. I need you to help me find her, I'm worried. Something weird is going on."

"You're at her house?"

"Yeah," Derek said impatiently.

"Did you ask Stiles where she is?"

"He's not here either! Are you coming or not?"

"I'm on my way," Isaac said as he let out a yawn. Derek slid his phone back in his pocket as he began to search her room for any clues. Everything was in its normal place, there was a book beside her bed, a few articles of clothing scattered around, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Derek heaved a sigh as he sat down on her bed. Her scent immediately filled his senses. There was something off about it though, something else was mixed in with it. He shook his head, trying to clear his senses to get a better feel for the smell. Isaac clambered through the window, interrupting him.

"She just left the window open like that," Isaac asked as he glanced around the room. "Hey, is that you?"

Derek glanced over his shoulder and saw the painting of him that Scarlet had been working on. "Yeah, she uh, she's been working on it for awhile."

"She's really good, I didn't know she could paint."

"Not the point right now," Derek snapped as he stood up. "When I got here, the window was open. Something is off about her scent, I can't pick up her heartbeat. It doesn't seem like anything is wrong though."

Isaac drew in a deep breath, trying to do what Derek had taught him and use all of his senses. "I don't think there's anything wrong, but her scent does smell a little different. I don't know what it is though."

"I don't either. You think you can track it?"

"You don't think you can," Isaac asked in surprise.

"Something is blocking her from me, I can't... her scent is coming in and out. It keeps changing, I don't know what is going on," Derek explained.

Isaac could see just how worried his alpha was for his mate. "Yeah, I can try. Let's go."

Isaac led the way into the woods, carefully following the trail. He moved slowly, growing confused at how often she seemed to change directions. It led them up to the Hale house after some time.

Derek paused for a moment, shaking his head in confusion. "I don't know why she would come up here," he muttered.

"Maybe she's looking for you," Isaac suggested.

"She wouldn't come here though, too much happened."

"What do you mean?"

"Keep tracking her," Derek ordered instead of explaining what he meant. He knew Scarlet wouldn't come here though, especially after what had happened with Kate the last time they were there. Isaac stared at him for a moment before picking the scent up again.

They walked for what felt like hours, Derek couldn't tell if they were getting any closer. He heaved a frustrated groan as the sun began to peek over the horizon. They had been looking for her all night. Isaac suddenly stopped walking and Derek paused next to him. There was a faint noise, almost indistinguishable from the sounds surrounding them.

Derek's heartrate changed, syncing up with the noise. He realized it was Scarlet's heartbeat and he glanced around wildly. He rushed forward, letting out a sigh of relief as the sound grew louder. He reached the top of a slope and paused, glancing down at the bottom of it.

Scarlet was curled up in large pile of leaves, asleep. Derek slid down the slope and knelt next to her. He looked her over, making sure she wasn't hurt. Other than a few scrapes she seemed fine. She was covered in dirt and mud, leaves tangled in her curls. She let out a soft sigh in her sleep and Derek noticed just how peaceful she looked.

Scarlet was asleep in the middle of woods, looking completely at ease. Derek pushed her hair back from her face, his fingers trailing over her cheek. She leaned into his warmth, her eyes darting beneath the closed lids.

"Scarlet, wake up," Derek said as he gave her a gentle shake.

"No, too tired," she mumbled as she attempted to roll away from him. Derek caught her, keeping her from rolling over. He gathered her into his arms, pulling her close.

"Come on baby, wake up."

Scarlet let out a frustrated groan before opening her eyes. Her eyes fluttered tiredly as she looked up at him. "What are you doing here," she asked with a sleepy grin.

"Seriously," Isaac said.

Scarlet glanced over at Isaac, her brows knitting in confusion. She sat up her eyes darting wildly over her surroundings. "Derek, where are we? What are we doing here," she asked.

"I don't know, we just found you," Derek replied.

"Found me? What am I doing out here?"

"Baby, I need you to tell me."

"I don't know! I don't know how I got here," she said frantically. She looked around, growing more frantic by the second. Derek caught her face between his hands and made her look at him.

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"I... I went to bed, and then... then you... you came over and you... you said you had something to show me," Scarlet said slowly. "I don't remember anything after that though."

"Scarlet, I haven't seen you since I dropped you off at your house."

"No, you were there! You came in through the window, you were there," Scarlet insisted. "You had something to show me! You said I had to come with you, that it was important!"

"Ok, ok," Derek said as he drew her into his arms. He exchanged a glance with Isaac as he held her. Scarlet clung to him, her hands clutching at his shirt. He realized that she was wearing one of the shirts that he'd left at her house. A breeze blew through the woods and she shivered, shuffling closer to him. "Let's get you home."

Scarlet didn't say anything as Derek picked her up. She rested her head against his shoulder, noticing for the first time how dirty she was. "Why am I covered in dirt and mud?"

"I don't know baby, we'll figure it out. Don't worry," Derek assured her as they began the trek back to her house.

...

Once they got back to her house, Derek sent Isaac home. He knew Scarlet wouldn't want him around while they figured this out. Scarlet showered while Derek went over her room again. He couldn't find anything though, he had no idea what had happened to her. He was sitting on her bed when she came out of the bathroom.

"You didn't find anything, did you," she said softly.

"No, I didn't."

"Derek, I'm not making this up. It was you, you were here."

"But I wasn't Scar, I was tracking the kanima, I came straight from there to here. When I got here, you were gone."

"This doesn't make any sense," she cried as she sat down next to him. "What is happening to me?"

"I don't know. You don't remember anything else from last night?"

Scarlet drew in a deep breath, wrinkling her nose as she focused. "Everything is hazy, you kept saying you had something to show me, we... we went... we went to the house. What you wanted to show me, it was there. I don't know what it was though, I mean I don't remember."

"Focus on the emotions, what were you feeling?"

"I don't know Derek," she snapped as she stood up and moved away from him. "I hate this! Its just like..."

She froze and stared at him for a minute. "Just like what," he demanded.

"Peter, its just like Peter."

"He's dead."

"I know, but he managed to get me out of the house! We never figured out how he did it either!"

"Ok, but he's dead," Derek replied. "He couldn't do it this time!"

"So what? You think I was just sleepwalking through the woods?"

"I don't know what to think!"

Scarlet heaved a sigh and shook her head at him. She ran a hand through her hair, clutching at her curls. "Why can't I remember?"

The look on her face made Derek's heart tighten painfully. She looked so frightened and confused, a look he had hoped to never see again. A tear slid down her cheek and Derek immediately rose from the bed, pulling her into his arms. "We're going to figure this out, I promise."