She was still in a daze as she closed the back door. Why the hell was Derek visiting her, while being half naked?
Her brows furrowed when she realized something more important. Derek was visiting her. With her brows still furrowed, she turned to take Derek in, watching him take in his own surroundings. She was familiar with this sort of action, he was technically in a new territory, so he was making sure he wasn't in any way a danger. While he had been there before, once in Scott's room and then her own, he hadn't really been over before. So it left her to wonder why he was here.
"Why are you here?"
Her voice seemed to bring him back to reality, as he instantly turned his attention to her. Like his sweep of the main floor, his gaze on her was intense and -very- thorough. While she didn't shift, she did feel her cheeks warm with the sure sign of a blush. It was the cold, the cold that was no longer bothering her with it's presence, but it was the cold.
"I..." his own brows furrowed as he stared down at the floor between them obviously having problems coming up with an answer.
It wasn't that the silence at his lack of answer was growing awkward, not at all, but it soon ended when she let out a light sneeze. Great, now her head hurt. Letting out a disgusted sound from the back of her throat as she walked past Derek back into the kitchen. Time for some more tea, as well as some medicine. Her aunt had been kind enough to leave some cold medicine out next to the water cooker.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Just my body tripping up over itself due to the amount of stress that had been building up over the last few weeks is all." she waved his question off as she poured some more water into the cooker and turned it on.
Grabbing a glass she poured some water so she could easily swallow the pills. As much as she hated modern medicine, it tended to leave her rather doped up, it was always made for easy consumption. Though there were syrups that tasted just as bad as some of the herbal remedies that Kaede used to make for their little group.
She saw the confusion on Derek's face as she fixed her mug. Smiling softly, she turned her complete attention onto the water cooker that was sitting on the counter before her. With as screwed up as her body was at the moment, meaning her miko abilities were also a little thin, it would only take a short while before the medication to kick in.
"I got a cold. It's not the first time I overstressed myself into getting sick, but I should be better tomorrow. Thanks for asking." her head lolled slightly to take Derek in, using all her willpower to keep her eyes on his face.
His brows furrowed at her answer, making her wonder what it was he was thinking about. She heard the water cooker click, signaling that it was done and she blinked rapidly as she felt the medicine quickly kicking in. She thought it would have taken a little longer at least, she had just taken the stuff.
It was when she began pouring her tea that she realized that talking was not a great idea, seeing as the filter between her brain and mouth was now malfunctioning due to the medicine.
"Can I get you anything? Something to eat, drink? A shirt perhaps? Don't get me wrong, it's not like I don't enjoy the view, cause I do..." trailing off, she leaned heavily on the counter and let her head drop when she realized what she just said. "Please ignore that last remark."
She didn't have to look up to know that Derek was most likely staring at her oddly, or to notice that she was most likely putting a tomato to shame with how fiercely she was blushing. Letting out a pathetic whimper, she wished she had just ignored Derek's knocking a few minutes prior, hell, she wished she had just stayed in bed that morning.
Derek was stunned at her boldness. Though she was hunched in on herself when she realized what she just said, she still had said it. Whether the medicine she was taking hed loosened her inhibitors or not, it meant she was honestly attracted to him, at least physically. For now at least.
Something deep within him preened at the knowledge, that she had taken notice of him and was attracted to him. It made him at war with himself and his instincts. While he did want her, he had come to terms with his instincts, they had never been wrong before why start fighting against them now, now wasn't the time for his own pleasures. Sadly.
He still remembered their last conversation, where she had mentioned that she herself had held a position of alpha. The problem was, alphas were rarely made nor was the position merely given away. Instincts made the being an alpha, made the others follow them, turn to them, made them alpha. So he had believed her when she first told him, instinctively at first. It had been later that night when he came to terms that she was an alpha in her own right and seeing her as she was now only made that truth more solid in his mind.
She was constantly looking out for Scott, Stiles and the rest that were near her, only to care for herself last. Instinctively, they allowed her first rights as thanks for that. She didn't use her position over them with greed or with ulterior motives, unlike the alpha that was running around killing others, had killed his sister. She had worked and worried over the others, to the point she left her own care to none existent.
It was with that knowledge, that he was able to squish down that primal urge to take her, dominate her and make her his own. It didn't help when she had let out a whimper after her bold comment about his state of dress. But now wasn't the time, as much as something deep within him tightened at his refusal to make any form of move towards her.
"Please say something so I won't have to." her voice broke him out of his thoughts, drawing his attention once again.
Still hunched over, only holding onto a mug full of steaming tea this time, she still refused to look at him directly. Her eyes were darting over none important objects on the counter in front of her, though they would land on him every so often. The stance she continued to hold was defensive, showing that she was still embarrassed with what she had said earlier.
"Water. I'll have some water."
"Right. Water, hang on a second." her hands were a flurry as the moved about the cupboards after placing her mug down on the counter.
He watched ever move, every twitch, every nuance of her as she filled him a glass of water. With her free hand, she grabbed her own mug and made her way towards him and presented him with a glass of water. Her hand was absolutely still, but she was blushing madly and refused to make eye contact with him. He mentally found it endearing and took the glass from her. He said his thanks and watched her move into the living room and followed after her.
Kagome was still feeling rather frazzled, knowing that he was watching her every move. She was trying her best to ignore him as she placed her mug on the coffee table and plopped herself on the couch and grabbed the blanket that was resting on the back of the couch and cuddled into the side of the couch she had claimed as her own.
Reaching from her little warm cocoon, she took her mug to take a sip. Pausing, she raised a brow when she noticed that Derek was standing there, either taking herself in or taking the room in.
"Feel free to sit down." she watched as she finally took a sip of her tea, her entire body easing as the warmth from it spread to her entire being.
Her eyes followed his movements as he took the other end of the couch. The silence was somewhat awkward, her being still slightly embarrassed from her thoughtless blurt a few minutes prior, and him, she wasn't sure why he wasn't exactly talking. So she continued to sip at her tea trying to figure out how to break it.
"So... Scott hasn't been bothering you lately... has he?" the last few days were somewhat a haze for her, all she really remembered was that there had been another killing, that Jackson and Lydia had somehow been involved or witnessed it and that was about it.
"No. Not lately."
"Good. Cause, if he did... I'd make sure it was the last time." she grumbled into her cup, narrowing her eyes slightly as she looked off to the side.
Derek merely raised a brow, surprised to see and hear the annoyed tone. Then again, even past interactions with her had either been short or rushed. Meaning, he really didn't know her all that well. What he did know was little, but mattered. She was loyal, like Stiles she had stuck with Scott even after discovering that her cousin was now a werewolf and about the alpha. She put others before herself first, like a true alpha does. While she was, from what he saw so far, a firm believer in allowing one their own personal space to grow, she also believed in reprimanding for wrong, and in Scott's case, stupid acts.
"Why do you say that?"
"Because he's being a jerk and an idiot when you're concerned." she let out a huff and leaned on a raised elbow. "If he's not going to you for help, then he' plotting out ways to put you into jail. While I think it has to do with this alpha messing up with his life, there are better ways with dealing with frustration."
He tried to keep himself in check when she muttered about 'cute but idiotic cousins'. Yes, what little he did know about her mattered greatly. But what he didn't know also mattered and still left him with many questions. Raising the glass, he took a drink, contemplating on whether he should use this time to question her or not.
"If you have questions, go ahead and ask them. Your silence is going to make me deaf."
She was looking at him with a lazy gaze, her eyes barely open and he grit his teeth at the picture she was presenting him with. She had shifted so that the blanket was now wrapped around her legs, the large sweater she wore was hanging off of her, baring a pale shoulder. Her hair, as he had noticed when she had first opened the door, was damp and haphazardly piled up and away from her face. Though many strands had been left free or had fallen and framed her face.
The fact that she was in such a relaxed state around him was practically an invitation. But knowing that she wasn't quite herself, most likely due to the medication she had taken, he bit back on his instincts. So he decided it best to distract himself with a few questions that would nag him every now and then.
"How did you get involved with your friend from the garage?"
"Kouga?" when he merely nodded his head, she answered honestly, well as honestly as she could with all things considering. "He kinda... kidnapped me."
"What?!"
"Yeah... that was a few years back, when we were both living in Japan. The group I was alpha of crossed paths with Kouga and his pack, things got out of hand with a friend of mine, and I got kidnapped in trying to stop things from getting out of hand." she turned her gaze back to her mug with a fond smile on her face. "Well, I was the target, but someone I had been watching over sort of got caught up in the kidnapping as well. It was helping him escape and then slapping Kouga that most likely kept me alive. But dear god, it turned his attentions towards me for a long time after that."
"You... slapped him."
"Hey! Shippo was just a kid! If I could help him escape, then I was going to do it. Kouga pretty much allowed me to walk around freely, so it was his own fault. Him and his bully tactics I could handle, it was his constant calling me 'his woman' after the whole ordeal that got annoying."
Something reared and wanted to prove Kouga wrong. Kagome his? His own instincts were pushing forward, just brushing beneath the surface in such a way he hadn't know was possible. And all this over a few words that had been uttered in the past.
"So, I guess when he said he would claim me as his own, the others followed and pretty much accepted me as pack. Thankfully, he and Ayame hooked up like they had promised each other they would. But, as Kouga and the others like to remind me, once pack, always pack." she shrugged her shoulders and took another sip of her tea.
His instincts settled somewhat, after hearing that Kouga hadn't kept true to his word of claiming Kagome. But Kagome was right, she was still considered part of their pact, whether she was involved directly with them or not. So his instincts were somewhat soothed, she was protected. The scent of the wolf that had visited a while back still lingered. The scent of an alpha. In fact it was strongest in the very room the both of them were in.
Leaning forward, he placed his glass on the table and stood up and walked towards the window when the sound of a vehicle neared. Call him paranoid, but he had just dealt with those Argents in his own territory, and while he had taken off, he wasn't sure how safe this place really was.
"Every thing alright?"
"Just checking."
"Checking for what?"
"Argents."
"Ah. So that's why you're here."
He turned to her, his eyes somewhat wide at how quickly put it together. Then again, he had just spelled it out. She had twisted so she could keep his eyes on him, looking far too feline with how she was lounging and leaned against her crossed arms.
"Well then, can't remember if I said this already or not, but if anything should happen, you are more than welcome to come here."
"What about Scott, or your aunt?"
"Scott needs to grow up. As for my aunt... well I'll think of something." she turned away from him and muttered under his breath. Too bad for her, he could hear everything she had to say. "Hopefully it won't involve her conspiring against me with my mother about getting a boyfriend."
Raising a brow, he was about to ask what she could possible mean, though his attention turned back to the street and saw a familiar jeep pull up front as yet an even more familiar person jumped out and hastily made his way to the front door.
"What is he doing here?"
"He?"
"Scott's friend."
"Stiles? Oh Stiles! Shit." she cursed as she untangled herself from the blanket and made her way to the front door, brushing past him with some haste.
He watched how the boy raised a hand to knock on the door, only to see a slim hand reach out and pull him in. As much as he found the boy annoying at times, he would admit that he had some good qualities. If he had stuck with Scott all this time, stood up to him and was willing to run around to try and keep his friends safe were anything to go by, then Stiles was alright in his book.
"How did you do that? Is it you freaky spirit powers? Are you psychic as well? Can you see into the..." the rain of sudden questions came to an end when both male parties could finally see each other. "What is he doing here!? Scott is going to freak!"
"Oh, I can't spend time with others, but he can skip with his girlfriend?"
"That's not... It's Derek Hale!" Stiles waved his arms about in the other male's direction, shock still painfully easy to read on his face.
"I'm Kagome Higurashi and you're Stiles Stilinski. Names aside, what's with this important discovery again?"
"But he's half naked! Why is there a half naked Derek Hale in your living room?! Why are you half naked? And here in this living room?" Stiles narrowed his eyes in Derek's direction.
"Because I was about to jump his bones, but sadly, you interrupted us." both turned her way at her ratheranswer, Stiles actually chocking somewhat.
Kagome rolled her eyes at Stiles reaction, but she had his attention. "Now, what did you discover at Lydia's?"
"Jump his half naked... Lydia?"
"This might take a minute. I'm going to make myself some more tea. Please keep it... quiet." she shook her head and walked back towards the coffee table and picked up her empty mug before making her way back towards the kitchen.
She left the room with an awkward silence hanging over the two left behind, Stiles taking in Derek's form, which unsettled the werewolf slightly.
Stiles himself rocked on his feet, somewhat startled that Derek was there, he had hoped to show the file to either Scott or Kagome and then they could later tell the other werewolf themselves. He was still slightly... it wasn't frightened or scared, no he had gotten over that when in Derek's presence, unbalanced? Wary?
This was something he hated, his mixed feelings during these situations. Scott, his best friend was a creature of myth, which he found totally awesome. His cousin, Kagome, was also a being of myth and legend, which was once again, totally awesome. But because Scott wasn't really happy or liked Derek, he was always slightly on edge around the older male.
That was the feeling! He was on edge around Derek Hale. But that should be natural, right? He was a werewolf, a natural predator in the disguise of a human. Something that humans were meant to fear. But Scott was his best friend and Derek was trying to help said best friend. Kagome... she was a being that was meant to protect life. While kick ass, not meant to terrify the human population.
"...right. Then I'll see you and Scott later. Thanks for the call."
Kagome walked back into the room, blowing softly on her tea before sipping at it. While she navigated to her original spot she kept her gaze and attention on her cell. With a push of a few more buttons she sat down and curled her legs under her.
"Are we going to go over what you found Stiles, or are you just going to stand there?" she looked up and over the back of the couch, putter her cell on the coffee table.
"Wha... right! Right, and since Derek's here, still half naked, he'll know what to do. I guess. Was kinda hoping you or Scott would tell him, but this works too..." he pulled out Lydia's cell phone and searched for the file and moved towards the couch and leaned heavily on the back and held out a cell to Kagome, but didn't give it to her right away.
Derek narrowed his eyes at how close to Kagome, Stiles was. But he did move forward and sit next to her when she motioned him to. She placed her mug on the table and took the cell from Stiles, but waited for whatever the boy had to say first.
"Like I was trying to tell you earlier, I went to check up Lydia because she didn't show up at school at all today. She had looked pretty out of it last night, and it turned out she's suffering from a mild form of post traumatic stress. At least I think she is. She was high enough on some drugs that were meant for that at least."
"And how does all tie into Lydia's cell?"
"Look for the latest video files. That should be pretty self explanatory."
Pursing her lips, Kagome took Stiles in for a few seconds more before doing as he said and looked for the files, more importantly, the video files. It took a while, the girl had set up her phone slightly differently that what she was used too, but she got there.
And what she saw, she understood why Stiles had been so jumpy on the phone earlier.
"Wow... this is important." keeping her eyes on the short clip that replayed on the cell, she handed said cell over to Derek. "Not sure, but will this be of any help in finding the alpha?"
Derek looked up at the question, still slightly reeling from the fact that the alpha had been caught on video. It was short and blurry, but it still happened. Sadly, it wouldn't be much to help identify who the alpha was. If he had something else to go on, some sort of physical evidence, something where his human identity was shown, that would help. But this, sadly, no it wouldn't.
He watched as Kagome turned her eyes back to the cell he had in his hand and worry her lower lip. The fact that she was still worried, worried him. It made him wonder where exactly her mind could be going.
"Is Lydia in danger? I mean, does the alpha know she managed to catch a him on camera so to say? Because if he does, then he might make a move against her. Won't he."
She reached over and clutched at her mug, and then stared at him, her blue eyes looking tired, but filled with worry. His own thoughts now turning over the information that her questions had made him think about.
Was the girl in danger? He wouldn't say no, but he also wouldn't say yes as well. Things were rather up in the air concerning the alpha, because he wasn't sure what the alpha was doing. Did the alpha know? It all had happened so fast, so it was easy to say that the girl couldn't remember, but as for the alpha, he was unsure. As for the alpha making a move on the girl, once again he wasn't sure. There was far to much unknown factors to say for sure.
"I... can't say for sure. Things are still very unclear with the alpha, so I would suggest that you keep an eye on her at much as possible. And keep eye out for any new faces that she's unfamiliar with."
Kagome returned to nibbling on her lower lip. She had pretty much expected that answer, although she had been hoping for something a little more, positive. Still, she would keep an eye out for Lydia, as best as she could. As well as for any unfamiliar faces that approached the girl in the next little while.
She turned and took Stiles in. It wasn't hard to see that he wasn't happy with Derek's answer. He did have a thing for the girl. But from the silence, it was easy to see that the questions she had voiced, had at some point also been asked. If only mentally.
Letting out a sigh, followed by a yawn, all this was doing was making her exhausted. It didn't help that she had been fighting the drowsiness the medicine was making her feel for the last half hour. She knew that by tomorrow, she would be able to go back to school.
Sipping at her tea, her mind began to wander over other matters. She would be starting her new job next week, so she was grateful for that. A little extra pocket money never hurt anyone, and despite how hectic it might get there, she could go on autopilot and sort out her thoughts there as well.
"What do we do with the file now?" she hummed as she snuggled into the couch a little more deeply. Another yawn escaped her and her eyes began to finally droop.
"Delete it. If this Lydia can't remember the night already as it is, it's best we wipe all evidence away. No need for it to fall into the wrong hands."
Stiles snatched the phone back and began the process of doing just that. He let his thumb hover over the button when something came to mind, "Should we tell Scott about this?"
"He doesn't already know?"
"I told him things were bad this afternoon, but he turned his cell off by the time I found out about this video."
"...No. Despite that the alpha was caught on video, there's no real way to find out who it actually is."
Stiles waited a few more seconds before finally pushing down on the button. While he did feel like he was betraying his best friend, Scott had totally ignored his warnings and then cut himself off from the rest of the world so he could spend some time with Allison. While he could understand that he finally had a girlfriend was sweet and all, this alpha thing should take priority. The alpha was trying to get Scott in on killing these random people after all!
"Then I'll be going and return Lydia her cell phone. Just so you know though, I don't really like keeping this from Scott."
"He's gotta learn then, that when others say it's important, to pay attention then and there."
Both turned to Kagome when she let out a humm and snuggled into Derek's side, already half asleep it seemed. She curled herself to fit into his side as best and as tightly as she could, leaving Stiles to point a raised finger in Derek and Kagome's direction. His mouth opened and closed, trying to work out some for of verbal sounds but snapped it shut at the look Derek gave him.
His hand dropped to his side at the low growl Derek had issued his way. Though it stopped just as suddenly as it started when Kagome wrapped an arm around Derek's waist. It was easy, even for Stiles to see, that Derek had a thing for Kagome. If Kagome knew, he wasn't too sure. If Scott knew, he could only hope his best friend didn't. One thing for sure though, he wouldn't let Kagome live this down.
"I'm... I'm gonna go now." he pointed towards the door as he made his way towards it.
There was now way he was going to tell Scott he saw his cousin cuddle up into Derek's side. He wasn't going to tell him how Derek wrapped an arm around a sleeping Kagome in return. He wasn't going to tell Scott how he last saw Derek lean down towards Kagome before he shut the door. He liked living, and he was sure if he said anything, he'd have both Derek and Scott on his ass.
AN: Here's chapter 10! Only 10 more to go. :( I had already planned to have it as two chapters per episode. Then again, I might make the last two longer. Who knows. Well, there it was. Derek-Kagome time. Obviously not the type you may all have been hoping for... but -that- will come! And I hope you'll enjoy it when it does. Other than that; read, enjoy, and review!