Ellie didn't remember her painting escapade. She was baffled when Derek had shown it to her the next morning. She did, however, vividly remember the dream.

After making sure Peter was all good to be left alone for a while; (he was moving around better now!) Stiles went out on patrol with Noah, while she, Derek and Scott went out to keep a close watch on them all while looking for signs of the Alpha.

Low and behold, another murder. This time, a video store clerk.

"Oh, look! Is that a dead body!?" Stiles exclaimed while pointing at the white sheet that was indeed covering a body as the paramedics wheeled it to an ambulance.

Ellie snorted at the look of utter annoyance their dad shot at her brother.

She was kneeling beside both Scott and Derek on the top of the store.

She was close enough to Derek to feel the slight brush of his leather jacket against her arm and smell his scent. She knew he didn't wear any cologne due to his wolfy nose, but his natural scent was addicting to her. He almost always smelled like it had just rained, and he had been rolling through freshly cut grass. She loved it.

She peered over the edge while Derek, full-on, leaned to get a better look. His leg up and on the edge of the roof as he looked down.

"I don't recognize the scent." Derek said as they watched Noah usher people back.

"Why is he killing people? Most werewolves don't go out into the middle of the night murdering people, do they?" Scott asked, head tilted down as he watched the paramedics shut the ambulance doors, a sad look on his face. Ah, Scott. Always wanting to see the good in people.

Derek looked over towards Scott with a shake of his head. "No. We may be predators, but we don't have to be killers."

Scott looked away from the scene and peered around Ellie to look at Derek as he asked his next question. "Then why is he killing?"

Derek backed away from the ledge. "That's what we are going to figure out." As he began to walk away, he paused and waited for Ellie as she skipped after him. The corner of his mouth tugged up slightly as she looped her arm through his.

Scott took one last look at the scene below before following after the pair, a small smile on his face as he trailed happily behind them.

"Is it always going to feel like this, Derek?" He asked softly. Derek gazed back at him with a frown.

"Like what?"

Scott shrugged. "The bonds, the feelings, the pack. It's amazing. I don't think ill ever feel alone again."

Derek leapt off the back of the building easily followed shortly by Scott. Ellie sweat dropped and placed her hands on her hips as she glared down at the two.

"Human here!" She pouted. Derek smirked up at her.

"That's what it feels like to have a real Pack, Scott. A pack is family." Derek spoke as he looked up at his mate. He held his arms out and gestured with his head to his arms.

Ellie's breath caught in her chest as she openly stared down at him.

She threw her head back and closed her eyes. "Jesus Christ." She muttered to herself before closing her eyes and stepped off the edge, praying to whatever god was out there that he would indeed catch her.

She let out a yelp as she fell right into his arms. His hands tightly gripped her bridal style.

Ellie cautiously opened her eyes and looked up into his face as she gripped onto his shoulders for dead life.

"My hero." She spoke softly. She wished she could stay in his arms all day. They felt so nice around her. His strong hands gripped behind her shoulder and her thigh. The things this man's strength did to her, and with the heated look in his eyes, he most likely smelled it.

She pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and his eyes softened as she let her down onto her feet.

The boys walked her home but decided to head off into the night on their own. Derek wanted to start teaching Scott what it meant to be a werewolf and Ellie wanted to clean up, eat a snack and cuddle with her Papa.

Peter was smiling as Ellie bound into his and Derek's room. He was able to sit up now and speak in one or two words. Derek said it was because he had so many pack members around these last few days. It's helping his wolf heal, and wolves heal insanely fast.

She jumped up onto his bed and snuggled close to his side.

"I think I might quit my job. Derek said I could make good money on selling my paintings." She began to ramble. "Plus, I'd get more time to stay with you and the pack. No more 12-hour shifts."

She nuzzled up under his chin.

She pulled her phone out and began scrolling through her photos, showing Peter a few of her paintings.

Derek even said I should open an art store. It wouldn't be a bad idea. It would be something I'd enjoy." She trailed off as she let her phone rest on top of the blanket.

"I like helping people. I do. But I really only stayed because of you. But now that you are getting better, and you are here, I don't really want to go back. Is that selfish of me?" She whispered out as she pulled away to gaze up at the man she viewed as one of her fathers.

Peter's brow was furrowed, and his face pinched as he gazed down at her. "No." He said, voice strong. He didn't want her thinking bad about herself ever.

She smiled, a small bit of sadness leaking in that hung in the air. His hand came up and he ran it gently over her neck and down her arm, scenting her. She gave a pleased hum and sank back into his hold.

"Your art is amazing." Derek praised as he came in, throwing his jacket onto his bed.

"You're not selfish for wanting to explore other options. Especially if the other option is something you enjoy and are great at."

She frowned as she watched Derek get ready for bed. Which was literally only stripping off his shirt. He kept his jeans on.

"Derek. Those are the same clothes you wore yesterday." She said, trying to sound stern. She hadn't noticed earlier in the day. So much had gone on after her episode last night. She had forgotten she said she would go with him to grab his stuff and look for anything that could have survived the fire.

He froze as he lifted the blanket to slide in next to her and Peter. In all of the chaos today, they weren't able to go back to the hale house quite yet.

"We need to go get your stuff tomorrow." She spoke softly.

Derek heaved a sigh and slowly climbed into the bed.

Peter turned and locked eyes with Derek, his eyes blazing red.

Ellie caught sight of his alpha eyes and patted his arm softly. "Don't worry, Papa. I'll be going with him. Stiles and Scott would, too, but they have school, and dad's working. He thinks he is getting close."

Ellie turned and opened her arm. Derek slid right up next to her, arm sliding around her waist, and he buried his nose into her hair.

"Soon, they will be able to release Laura's body back to the family, and we can give her a proper burial next to the rest of your family." She said as she closed her eyes. It didn't take her long to drift off to sleep.

Ellie let out a sigh as she explored the Hale house. There wasn't anything left here. Everything was destroyed and crumbling to pieces. Books, clothes, personal effects. All made her sad. None of the pictures of the family had survived. Derek and Peter had nothing to remind them of what they once had.

Derek had been sleeping on the floor in the living room before he had started sleeping at the Stilinski house. Why he ever stayed here, she would never know. This place would have, and only will, bring him bad memories. Everything that was once good about it, was gone.

She made her way down the stairs slowly and froze on the third step from the bottom. Oh man. The view to her right. A dopey, happy smile covered her expression.

Derek's back was to her, facing into the dining room. She could see the old fireplace on the opposite wall in front of them. He was doing pull ups in the doorway, using the large frame as a handle to grip onto. He was only three, maybe four feet away max.

She watched the muscles in his back move as he went, shirt off and skin glistening. His tight jeans hanging low on his hip. He was totally doing this on purpose, to get a reaction from her.

Ellie wasn't going to complain. She was getting an amazing view right now. She licked her dry lips, her mouth feeling parched all of a sudden.

She bit her lip and leaned forward against the railing of the stairs, slightly surprised the burnt wood held up and she didn't just fall over. She wanted to reach out but knew she wouldn't be able to touch. He was just out of reach.

She knew without a doubt he knew she was there. What she would give for him to put this show on for her daily? She would die a happy woman.

Ellie would take what she could get. She crossed her arms and leaned back as she enjoyed the view.

Her legs became weak when he dropped down into a push up and continued on, all without a single pause.

"Dear, lord." She nearly moaned as he went into a one arm push up.

Derek smirked inwardly to himself. Goal accomplished.

Ellie pulled away from the railing and stepped down the last few steps as she stepped up right beside his legs, looking down at him as he kept going.

His strength continued to amaze her every time he showed off.

Ellie frowned when he came to a sudden and abrupt stop less than an inch from the floor.

His head tilted sideways. She opened her mouth to ask what was wrong when his arms were suddenly around her waist and guiding her away. She let out a gasp as she was pushed into the kitchen and shoved between the fridge and the counter. There wasn't really anywhere to hide well, but if he managed to keep away from the kitchen, she would be safe. Plus, the back door was right there. She could run if push comes to shove.

"Don't come out. No matter what you hear. Wait here. I will come for you." And he was gone. She hadn't even seen him get up off the floor.

Ellie swallowed thickly and nervously crouched down and hid as well as she could, which wasn't great, considering there was no longer a door into the kitchen to hide her. But she was out of view from both the dining room and the main foyer to the house. She made her way to the door frame and shoved herself between it and the counter.

She made sure that if anyone walked into the dining room, she wouldn't be visible from just looking toward the open door.

Thankfully, the wall on either side of the door frame was roughly four to feet, making it easy to hide. As long as no one went into the kitchen, she would stay out of sight. Doesn't matter if she had tried to hide. If anyone came in here, she'd be seen.

The sound the front door in the foyer made when it got kicked in is unmistakable. Ellie flinched back against a counter and quickly brought two hands up to cover her mouth. She had to stay quiet. She peered around the corner; still sure she was not within view and could barely see anything. Debris from the fire was everywhere. She could see movement though. She hid back around the wall. She had to trust Derek.

"No one is home." An unfamiliar male voice came from the foyer. She could hear their footsteps as they entered. Sounded like three, maybe four different sets.

Ellie quickly pulled her phone from her pocket, silenced it to send a message to her father.

Ellie: SOS INTRUDERS HALE HOUSE

She sent it quickly and barely looked at the words as she typed before sliding the phone back into her hoodie pocket.

"Oh, he's here. He has nowhere else to go. He's just not feeling particularly hospitable." A raspy, deep female voice said.

Ellie knew instantly that these must have been the hunters. Was that Kate then? Man, she had a deep voice for a female. Deep yet strongly alluring. No wonder she could seduce minors so easily.

"Maybe he is out burying a bone in the backyard?" A different male this time joked.

Ellie had to resist a snort. She always did love a good yet terrible joke.

"Really. A dog joke? We're going there, and that's the best you got?" The woman sounded irritated.

"If you wanna provoke him, you gotta say something like, "Too bad your sister 'bit it' before she had her first litter! Too bad she howled like a bitch, when we cut her in half!" She shouted the last part and a loud growl echoed around the house. One man let out a shout followed by the sound of a body hitting the wall.

Ellie had to resist storming out there herself. What a fucking bitch!

There was the sound of a scuffle, and Ellie moved to the other side of the door frame as fast as she could. She needed to see what was going on.

She could hear Derek snarling and growling. She knew he had gone into wolf mode.

Her eyes widened as Derek gripped onto the same frame he had done pull ups on and kicked a man into the dining room.

The man hit the table, destroying it and continued to lie on the floor unconscious.

Ellie could see the woman now, standing not too far away from the unconscious man. She didn't even spare her comrade a glance.

Ellie's gaze drifted up and down the woman's form. She was really beautiful. Why were the pretty ones usually such assholes?

Her hands flew up to her lips once more and had to muffle a cry as Derek launched himself at the woman, claws and fangs out, only for the blonde to sidestep and hit him in the chest with a baton. An electrified baton.

Derek dropped like a rag doll, squirming on the ground and grunting in pain.

The blond began to circle Derek's writing form.

"Wow." The blonde expressed as she placed the tip of the baton on Derek's sternum, trailing it down his abs and to the waistband of his jeans. It must have been button activated.

Ellie didn't like the lust she saw fill the woman's face as the blonde looked down at her mate like he was a piece of candy.

"This one grew up in all the right places." The woman purred.

Ellie's teeth clench. Kate. This was definitely Kate. The woman who was cause of everything.

Derek rolled over onto his stomach.

"I don't know whether to kill it or lick it." Kate smiled as she gazed down. Derek shot her a glare, his body still twitching from the rush of electricity.

Tears gathered in her eyes as Ellie watched Derek try his hardest to crawl away, hands grasping at the wood. Her soul filled with pain. He was trying to get to her. He had turned his body and was trying to crawl his way towards the entryway to the kitchen. Even now, he wanted to grab her and run.

A tear fell from Ellie's eye. He should be focused on protecting himself, not her!

Kate walked slowly after Derek, eyes downcast as she watched his pathetic attempts to get away with sick pleasure, a smile of delight on her lips.

Derek's hands grabbed onto a green, fancy looking love seat as he tried to lift himself up. He turned, glare still in place and tried to attack once more, only to be met by the shock of the electricity once more.

His body rolled as he was sent back onto the hard floor. His eyes closed and he curled into himself as his body continued twitching.

Ellie's hands trembled. She hated this. His pained groans and moans were torture to her ears.

Kate began to laugh. She was enjoying this. "Ah... nine hundred thousand bolts." She grinned as she lifted the baton up and clicked the button, blue bolts lighting the rod up brightly, the zapping sounded loud in Ellie's ears.

"You never were good with electricity, were you?" Kate teased as Derek pushed himself against the side wall to the kitchen, his head and shoulders parallel to the door frame and Ellie threw herself back to avoid detection from Kate. She could see Derek's back muscles twitch as he continued to writhe on the floor.

"Or fire." She chuckled. "Which is why I'm going to let you in on a little secret." She slapped her lips together, letting out a tisk with her tongue as she watched Derek squirm to get away.

"And well, maybe we can help each other out." She sat on the arm of the love seat with a pouty grin, lips pursed as she gazed down.

"Yes, your sister was severed into pieces and used as bait to try to catch you. Unpleasant and frankly a little too... Texas chainsaw massacre for my taste."

Derek managed to work his way up enough to sit heavily against the wall, body weak and glare in place as he gazed upon the woman who had destroyed his family.

"But quite true." She chuckled. She was enjoying this way too much. "Now here's the part that might really kick you in the balls." She grinned "We didn't kill her."

Derek's eyes narrowed. She wasn't as good as a lier as she thought she was.

"Oh, you think I'm lying?" She shook her head in mock sadness.

"Wouldn't be the first time." Derek ground out between clenched teeth, body still aching and twitching as he tried to keep himself up right.

"Oh, sweetie." She cooed before she stood up and took the last few steps to reach Derek. She knelt down, face inches from his. "Well, why don't you just listen to my heart, tell me if I am."

"We. Didn't. Kill. Your. Sister." She leaned forward, getting closer with each word, lips ending right against the lobe of his ear as she spoke. It was faint, but there was a small barely noticeable stutter. She didn't do it, but she knew who did.

The look of utter anguish on his face at the reminder of his sister's death made Ellie want to leave her hiding place and attack the bitch.

"You hear that?" She pulled back, shaking her head. "No blips or uptakes. Just the sound of the cold hard truth."

Derek's glare intensified as he gazed at her. "You still cut her in half." He growled.

Kate let out a loud laugh. "Yup!" She popped the P.

She stood up and backed a few paces as she stood before him once more.

"We found bite marks on your sister's body, Derek." She frowned down at him, mocking him. "What do you think did that?" She rolled her eyes. "A mountain lion?" She slid the baton back into its sheath before sliding it onto her belt. Lies. Why could she lie so easily and get away with it?

"Why aren't we helping each other out? You might as well admit to what you have been thinking all along, which is... The alpha killed your sister."

Derek looked away from her gaze and couldn't resist looking to the side. He could hear Ellie's wild heartbeat right behind him. Just behind the wall he was against.

"Why don't you tell us who he is, and we'll take care of it for you. Problem solved and everyone goes home happy." She gave a nod as she gazed down at him.

His body was beginning to relax, the twitching not as severe, and he could feel his strength returning.

Her face suddenly dropped and then immediately lit up. The look she saw on Derek's face. He looked like he was thinking really hard. "Unless... You don't know who he is either..." She grinned. She had completely misread his expression. Derek's eyes shot up to hers.

Kate chuckled and stood back. "Well, guess who just became expendable?" She spoke before reaching back and drawing a tmp from behind her back.

Ellie let out a scream as the loud sound of gunfire rained into the wall she was at, Derek's body slammed into hers at just the right time to avoid being riddled with holes. The bullets ate through the wood easily.

Ellie clung onto Derek's front as he bolted out the back door and began running for their lives. Her arms wrapping around his shoulders and clutching at his back as he ran. His arms were holding onto her just under her butt. He had a firm grip on the backs of her upper thighs as he wrapped his arms around them completely. If she were any taller, he no doubt would have thrown her over his shoulder. She nearly pouted at the thought that he had to carry her like a child due to her small stature.

Ellie peered over Derek's shoulder, her eyes just barely seeing over the smooth flesh. She locked eyes with Kate, who had followed Derek out the back door. She stood on the back porch, grin firmly in place on her lips.

Oh, no. Kate now knew Derek wasn't alone.

Just as she and Derek disappeared into the forest surrounding them, Kate gave her a little wave with her fingers.

Crap.