Scarlett quickly got up at the sound of her alarm, startled by how loud it was. She reached over, shutting it off and relaxing into her pillows in order to control her heartbeat. After a few minutes, she stood up and started pulling clothes out of her closet to get ready for school. She grabbed black mom jeans, a yellow tank top, a sheer black short sleeve top, and black vans.
As she was walking downstairs, she got a text from Lydia saying the redhead couldn't pick her up this morning because she was running late. As soon as Scott walked down the stairs Scarlett spoke up, "Is Stiles picking you up today?"
"Yeah, why?"
"I need a ride. Lydia can't make it today." He nodded and not too long after the pair headed out the door towards Stiles' jeep.
As soon as they got in the car Scott told Stiles and Scarlett that Derek isn't the alpha. Meaning that there is another, more dangerous werewolf in Beacon Hills and no one knows who it is.
When that was established Stiles broke the silence by asking, "Did the Alpha kill the bus driver?"
"I don't know," Scott sighed.
Stiles pauses and thinks for a moment then asks another question, "Does Allison's dad know about the Alpha?"
"Stiles, how is Scott supposed to know?" Scar rolled her eyes. The car became silent as Stiles pulled into a parking spot. Once the car stopped the three went their separate ways, Scarlett's mind wandering to the unknown Alpha.
*_*_*_*_*_*
After classes, Scarlett was in the hallway with Lydia and Allison talking about Scott going to study at Allison's tonight. "Just studying never ends with just studying," Scarlett says as she leans against the lockers.
Lydia then continues, "It's like getting into a hot tub. Somebody eventually cops a feel." Scar snorts in response.
"So what are you two saying?" Allison asks, confusion evident in her voice.
"We're saying make sure he covers up." Lydia gives Allison a glance.
When Allison looks confused Scarlett continues, "Ya know? Wrap it before you tap it? Don't be silly, protect your willie? I can go on."
Lydia has a smirk on her face as Allison says, "No thanks. And seriously, after one date?"
"Well don't be a total prude. You have to give him a little taste." Lydia says.
"How much is a little taste?"
"Oh, God. You really like him, don't you?"
"Well, there's something different about him. When I first got here I had this plan: no boyfriends until college. I move too often. But when I met him, he was different. I can't explain it."
"Well, he really likes you too. I'm his twin, I should know." Scar winks at her.
Lydia starts talking before Allison could reply, "I'll tell you what to do. When's he coming over?"
"Right after school."
As if on cue, the bell rings and the girls classmates start pouring out of their last classes. "Sorry ladies, I gotta go. Have fun Allison, but don't get pregnant, I'm too young to be an aunt." Scar wiggles her eyebrows then heads out the door.
As Scarlett walks out the building a hand grabs her arm. She looks over and follows the hand up to see a very sick looking Derek. "What are you doing here? You look like shit!"
Derek glares, "Where's your brother?"
"I don't know," Scarlett looks up, glancing around trying to find her brother. Instead she spots Stiles in his jeep, pulling out of his spot. Scarlett quickly drags Derek over making Stiles slam on his breaks in shock, quickly getting out of his car. That's when Scott notices the commotion and makes his way over.
Before Stiles or Scott can say anything Derek gasps out, "I was shot."
Scarlett is practically holding Derek up at this point and is struggling under his weight. Scott grabs his other arm, helping his sister carry Derek. "Why aren't you healing?" Scott asks.
"I can't. It was a different kind of bullet."
Scott then releases a breath, "Wait a second. That's what she meant when she said 48 hours."
Derek's eyes then started glowing blue and he sucks in a breath, clearly in a lot of pain. "What are you doing? Stop that." Scott says when he sees what is happening.
Scar reaches over and whacks her twin on the back of the head, "What is wrong with you? He wouldn't be doing that if he could control it. Derek's not an idiot!"
Students start blaring their horns as some step out of their cars, annoyed by the hold-up. "We have to get him in the car." Scarlett breathes out, still struggling under his weight.
"Him? My Jeep? No way." Stiles replies.
Scar quickly gives Stiles a death stare as he reluctantly agrees. As soon as he is in the passenger seat Stiles gets in the driver's side. Scarlett looks at Derek and awkwardly apologizes before she climbs over him so she can get to the back seat.
Before the trio can take off Derek stops Scott, "I need you to find the same kind of bullet. I have to know what they used."
"How am I supposed to do that?" Scott asks.
"She's an Argent. She's with them..."
"Why should I help you?"
"Scott!" Scarlett scolds as she sticks her head in between the two front seats and glares at her brother.
"Because you need me," Derek says.
"Fine. I'll try. Now get him out of here." Scott answers.
Just as Stiles starts driving, Scarlett sends a quick text to Nate, I'm not going to be able to come over. Something came up. I'll make it up to you soon.
*_*_*_*_*_*
Sitting in the car with Stiles and Derek, Scarlett texts Scott, Did you find it yet? She keeps glancing at Derek. He looks like he's getting worse by the second. Scarlett's phone beeps alerting her of a text. "Scott says he needs more time."
Stiles sighs then looks over to Derek who is clutching his arm in pain, "Try not to bleed out on my seats. We're almost there."
"Almost where?" Derek questions as Scar knits her eyebrows together.
"Your house." Stiles deadpans.
"No. You can't take me there."
"I can't take you to your house?"
"Not when I can't protect myself."
"You know, that actually makes sense." Scarlett nods her head thoughtfully as Stiles glares at her through the rear view mirror.
He quickly hits the brakes and looks at Derek, "What happens if Scott doesn't find your magic bullet? Are you dying?"
"Not yet. I have a last resort." Derek then pulls up his sleeve revealing the gunshot wound. It has stopped bleeding but the veins surrounding it are dark making the wound look disgusting. Scar scrunches her face up and looks away from the wound.
"What is that?" Stiles asks, also looking disgusted. "Is that contagious? Maybe you should just get out." Scarlett reaches over to punch Stiles in the arm and he quickly backs away from her throwing a glare over his shoulder.
Derek then weakly speaks up, "Start the car. Now."
"I don't think you should be giving orders the way you look. In fact, I think if I wanted to, I could probably drag your werewolf ass out to the middle of the road and leave you for dead."
Scarlett's mouth hangs open at Stiles' words. Derek hasn't been the easiest person to deal with since the teenagers met him but he could be a lot worse considering they got him arrested. Plus he's teaching Scott more about being a werewolf then Stiles or Scarlett ever could.
Scar went to punch Stiles again but before she could Derek spoke up, "Start the car or I'm going to rip your throat out with my teeth."
"Ha." Derek quickly glances at the girl but then focuses back on Stiles staring at him until he starts the car.
*_*_*_*_*_*
As they start moving again, Scar leans back in the seat and texts Scott for a second time, Derek is not looking good. When he doesn't answer after 10 minutes she texts again, call me. After another few minutes, Scott finally calls. "Finally! What are we supposed to do with him?"
"Take him somewhere. Anywhere." Scott replies.
"Oh of course. Just let me bring him home. He can hide in my closet." Scar rolls her eyes waiting for Scott to answer.
Stiles rips the phone from her grasp, causing Scar to open her mouth to protest. Only for him to hold his hand up as he talks to Scott, "He's starting to smell."
Scar can just make out Scott's voice through the phone, "Like what?"
"Like death." Stiles scrunches his face up as he looks at Derek's wound. Derek then glares at Stiles as Scar rolls her eyes.
"Okay. Take him to the animal clinic."
"What about your boss?"
"He's gone by now. Scarlett knows where the spare key is."
Stiles then turns to Derek, "You're not going to believe where he's telling me to take you."
Without answering Derek yanks the phone out of Stiles' hand, "Did you find it?"
The phone is now farther away from Scarlett so she can't hear Scott's reply but soon Derek continues, "You don't find it, I'm dead." There's a quick pause, "Then think about this, the Alpha called you out against your will. He's going to do it again. And next time you either kill him or you get killed. You need me. Find the bullet."
Derek hangs up and hands the phone back to Scarlett. Stiles then takes a breath as he starts the jeep back up and heads to the animal clinic.
*_*_*_*_*_*
Stiles parks outside of the animal clinic as Scarlett quickly finds the hidden key and unlocks the door. Once the three are inside the examining room, Scar gets a text from Scott. She looks up after reading it to address Derek, "Does northern blue monkshood mean anything to you?"
When the words leave her mouth Derek opens his eyes and sighs, "It's a rare form of Wolfsbane. He has to bring me the bullet."
She quickly texts Scott telling him as Stiles asks, "Why?"
Derek replies rather bluntly, "Because, without it, I'm dead."
After Scar hears those words and notices how bad Derek was looking, she quickly sends out another text, need you here now.
She looks up from her phone, pacing back and forth waiting for Scott to either show up or text back. Derek slowly pulls his shirt off and despite his gross wound Scar couldn't help looking at his abs.
He was definitely fit and she was trying really hard to focus on anything but his defined stomach. So instead she swallowed and looked at his wound to check just how bad it had gotten.
The veins branch out from open sores while the rest of his arm has turned yellow. The minute Stiles sees the wound words tumble out of his mouth, "Well, that doesn't look like anything some Echinacea and a good night's sleep couldn't take care of."
Scar rolls her eyes once again because of Stiles' words. Derek replies, his voice strained, "When the infection reaches my heart, it'll kill me."
"Positivity just isn't in your vocabulary, is it?"
"Please Stiles, I wouldn't be positive either if I was on my deathbed." Scarlett says under her breath.
Derek glares at her, causing the brunette to mumble out a quick apology. He then pushed himself off from leaning against the counter and starts speaking, "If he doesn't get here with the bullet in time, last resort."
"Which is?" Stiles asks as Scar throws the blue-eyed werewolf a questioning look.
Derek is digging through drawers as he speaks then finally stops at one and pulls out an electric bone saw. "You're going to cut off my arm."
*_*_*_*_*_*
Stiles and Scarlett stand shocked as Derek walks over to the examination table and puts the saw down. Derek then begins tying a tourniquet around his infected arm as Stiles asks, "What if you bleed to death?"
Scar keeps glancing between the two guys standing in front of her, trying not to panic. "It'll heal. If it works." Derek instantly replies, still trying to tie the tourniquet.
Scar slowly make her way over to him and helps him tie it as he looks up at her, shocked that she was helping. Stiles then starts talking again, "I don't know if I can do this."
As she finishes the tourniquet Derek speaks up, "Why not?"
"Because of the cutting through flesh, the sawing of the bone, and especially the blood."
Scarlett bites her lip in thought as Derek questions Stiles, "You faint at the sight of blood?"
"No. But I might at the sight of a chopped off arm."
Derek threateningly steps closer to Stiles, "How about this: either you cut off my arm or I rip off your head."
Scarlett looks between the two guys praying that Scott arrives soon. "I'm not buying your threats anymore."
She gulps as Derek grabs Stiles' collar, before she can say anything Stiles speaks up, clearly nervous, "Okay, bought, sold, I'll do it, I'll do it."
Derek then releases him as he starts gasping, choking and coughing. Scarlett rushes over to him to help him stand up straight but before she can grab his arm he hunches over and starts throwing up inky black liquid.
"Holy God, what the hell is that?" Stiles gasps out backing away.
"My body... trying... to heal." Derek is still hunched over and trying to breathe as he speaks. Scarlett puts her hand on his back and slowly start rubbing between his shoulder blades. He looks up, "We have to do this now."
She helps him stand up properly to the best of her ability and brings him towards the table in the center of the room. Stiles mumbles an "Oh God" as he grabs the saw and Scar holds onto Derek's injured arm.
She cringes as Stiles turns the blade on, she sees him close his eyes as he slowly bringing the saw down towards Derek's arm. Before it reaches Scott bursts through the door, "What the hell are you doing?"
Stiles and Scar sigh in relief as Stiles answers for both of us, "You just prevented a lifetime of nightmares." Scarlett nods in agreement still standing beside Derek.
"Did you get it?" Derek looks around Scar. She moves slightly to the side as Scott hands the bullet to Derek.
"What are you going to do with it?" She questions.
Derek starts to answer but before a complete sentence leaves his mouth he collapses to the floor, the bullet dropping and rolling away.
"Shit," she crouches on the floor beside Derek shaking his shoulder and trying to get him to wake up. Stiles goes to his other side and tries to help her while Scott goes after the bullet.
"He's not waking up!" Stiles panics as Scar quietly whispers, "C'mon Derek. Don't die on us."
When Scott calls out that he has the bullet Stiles takes a breath, "Please don't kill me for this." He then pulls his arm back and punches Derek in the face with as much force as possible.
Derek's eyes flutter open as Stiles staggers backward away from Scar and the werewolf. Stiles is cradling his hand in pain when Derek speaks up, "give it to me".
Scott once again gives Derek the bullet as Scar helps him to his feet. He then stands at the table and cracks the tip open and pulls out a lighter from his pocket. He holds the flame to the contents inside and sparks fly up as bits of wolfsbane light aflame.
He then puts the smoldering ashes into his hand and grinds it into his gunshot wound, wincing as he does. Derek drops back to his knees, Scar grabs his arm to slow his fall. With one hand on his arm and the other on his back, Derek opens his mouth revealing his sharpened fangs.
She sucks in a breath but refuse to back away until she knows he's alright. "Scarlett," Scott warns but she stays still.
Dogs in the kennel are barking like crazy and rattling the cages. Before Scar can ask Derek if he is okay, he tilts his head back one more time and lets out an ear-piercing howl of agony.
She winces and tilts her head away. As soon as the howl begins, it ends and Derek falls against her, too tired to sit up on his own. The open sores close within seconds, returning to normal. It's deathly quiet for about three seconds, then Stiles pipes up, "That. Was. Awesome."
Slowly Derek's eyes blink open, he leans away from Scar and pushes himself off the floor. She slowly stands up after him keeping her hands out just in case he falls again.
"Are you okay?" Scarlett wearily asks.
Derek glances at her then looks towards the boys, "Except for the agonizing pain."
"I'm guessing the ability to use sarcasm is a sign of good health." Stiles states.
Scar slowly allows her hands to drop to her sides as Derek pulls his shirt back on. He seems to be ignoring the girls concerned gaze.
Scott then speaks up, "We saved your life. That means you're going to leave us alone. And if you don't I go back to Allison's dad and tell him everything --".
Before he can continue Derek cuts him off, "You're going to trust them? You think they can help you?"
"Why not? They're a lot freaking nicer than you are."
"I can show you exactly how nice they are."
Scott shares a questioning look between Stiles and Scarlett, "What do you mean?" Scott finally asks.
Derek and Scott leave as Stiles sighs and brings Scarlett home.
Scar thinks about waiting up for Scott but decides against it, he'll tell her what Derek showed him tomorrow. And with that thought, she heads to bed for the night.