Teen Wolf 1. Chapter 1

She pointed the gun at his head, a crooked smile on her face as he stared back at her defenselessly. She could pull the trigger right now, but for some reason she couldn't do it. She couldn't just…kill him. Braeden had a bounty to collect for 150 million dollars. Enough to have her set for life if she wanted to stay stationary; but the thrill of the chase was always in her.

"What are you going to do?" Derek asked with semi terror and interest in his eyes.

Braeden looked up at the window behind them in the loft. The sun was just starting to set. She could lose him in the dark on her bike if he tried to go after her. She took a deep breath and lowered the gun, righting herself until she was standing over him, then took a few steps backward as he stood.

Derek kept his guard up as he stared back at her. He wasn't sure what she wanted with him now.

"I'm letting you go." She said gesturing with a nod.

"Why?"

"Why not?"

Derek's eyes narrowed for a moment before he relaxed a little. He didn't sense any danger from her at the moment. Her scent had changed drastically. "What about the bounty?"

"I don't need it." She started to put her gun away as she eyed him. "I wouldn't know what to do with it."

"You could buy a house somewhere nice, buy nice things...relax."

"That isn't my thing." Braeden said loosening then retightening her gloves.

"What _is_ your thing?" Derek asked curious now.

She shrugged with a smirk before heading toward the door.

"That's it?" He asked again as she stopped with her hand on the doorknob.

She turned to him and for a moment and felt sorry for him; Derek Hale. He was all alone except for a bunch of teenagers and his uncle. She'd researched his life before tracking him; he was tragic.

"For now." She purred as she opened the door and stepped out in the light of the setting sun.

.

.

.

Braeden watched Derek after that, in between her missions, she would head over to Beacon Hills and check up on Derek. What stupid things his uncle got in him into, or what stupid ideas the teens had. It was all very interesting to say the least…or rather the teenager's lives were. Derek, once all the smoke had cleared, went home. He sat in his loft and either exercised or slept. It was really a tragically boring life he led. She once thought about sneaking up into his loft with a gun drawn for fun, but Peter appeared and that ended her excitement for the night.

Poor Derek Hale.

All alone.

It wasn't until around Thanksgiving that she really saw how lonely the Hales were. She was in town doing _business_ and ran into Derek at a gas station. Even the supernatural and bounty hunters needed fuel.

"Long time no see." She said pulling off her helmet. The cool air woke her up a little.

"What are you doing around here?" Derek asked surprised.

"Working. But it's nice to see a familiar face."

"Nice?"

Braeden nodded slowly. "Are you celebrating the holiday with your uncle?"

Derek looked confused for a moment, before he caught on to what she was talking about. "No…we…usually…well…haven't celebrated anything in a long time."

Braeden's heart dropped a little. She was alone a lot of the time too, although it was by choice. She could go home at any time she wanted. Drop in on friends who she hadn't seen in ages, but things would be hard to explain; she was sure. The scares were the biggest. "Sorry to hear that. Not even a deer leg between the two of you?" She smiled and he smirked back.

"No." He laughed. "Not even a deer leg. What about you?"

"I'm working."

"You shouldn't have to work on a holiday." Derek explained as he finished pumping gas. She shrugged at him, but honestly she rather not have to work.

"Maybe."

"It looks like we are in the same boat." Derek said. "It's going to be a lonely holiday."

"It doesn't have to be." Braeden said, then regretted it instantly. What was she thinking? Was she _flirting_ with him? God, no!

"What do you have in mind?" Derek asked now leaning on his shiny black car.

"If you aren't busy then maybe we could do something?"

Derek's face turned pink and she smiled to herself. Nailed him. Always trying to play the tough guy.

"Maybe…"

"I'll be by in the morning with food to cook." She smiled as she headed toward the building to pay.

"Wait, what?" Derek asked as she walked away.

"You heard me wolf boy!" Braeden waved as she went inside with a smirk on her face.

.

.

.

Hello everyone! Starting a new story after a while! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't be afraid to review and comment it means a lot to me! I read them all!

Thank you for reading again and I'll see you next chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

Derek scoffed when he glanced at the time over his stove. It was almost nine in the morning on Thanksgiving Day and he was pretty sure Braeden wasn't going to show up. Not that he wanted her to. He would be happy by himself like any other day. Maybe Peter would manage to stop by at some point during the day when he wasn't busy. He wasn't going to be disappointed if she didn't turn up. It wasn't like him to care; and he didn't.

But he did.

He tried to watch a tv show, but that failed, and he soon found himself working out until around eleven when he heard a knock at the door. He stood up and wiped the sweat from his brow as he went to open the door. Braeden was standing there with her arms full of bags and a book bag on her back. She pushed passed shirtless Derek and into his loft's kitchen.

"Hey…" Derek started to protest, but Braeden cut him off.

"Sorry about being late. It's really hard finding a turkey this late, but I did. I had to go to three stores. He's a little small but I assume there is only going to be the two of us, maybe your uncle. I also got a bunch of sides because I wasn't sure what you wanted…"

"Braeden…"

"Yes?" She turned, flipping her hair in the process.

"You…didn't have to do this."

"I wanted to." She said with a grin. "I think I could use a break from work."

Derek felt intimidated for some reason and he wasn't sure why. Instead he just walked over to her and looked at the groceries. "I've never had some of these."

"Then you're in luck." Braeden said handing him two cans of sweet potatoes. "We don't have time to make things from scratch so I bought a lot of canned things. Open these and put them into a pan. Add some cinnamon, honey, butter, and brown sugar. Got that?"

"Yes ma'am." Derek replied but stopped short when he realized he said 'ma'am'.

It didn't go unnoticed from Braeden who smirked as she opened the turkey to clean and prep for baking. The two worked together nicely and by five that afternoon they had a pretty decent sized dinner ready. Turkey, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, collard greens, macaroni and cheese, and corn bread were ready and waiting for them on the table. Waiting to be done in 20 minutes were two pies, apple and pumpkin, in the oven.

"I think we did a pretty good job." Braeden said setting a bowl of gravy on the table before sitting.

"It looks really good. I haven't had a meal this big in a while." Derek said sitting down.

"What do you usually eat?" Braeden asked. "On a normal day?"

"Usually a hamburger or something…nothing fancy." Derek said.

"Alright, let's cut that bird!" Braeden stood up with the knife. "Unless you want to say what you are thankful for now or later?"

"We can do it later." Derek said with a grin. Braeden winked and started to carve the bird, places a few pieces and her and Derek's plates. When she was little she watched her mother do the same thing.

Each of them piled their plates high and then it was time to say what they were thankful for. Derek couldn't think of anything first, so Braeden took the lead. "I'm thankful for this food, for my family, and for my job…also being here."

"Being here?"

"If I wasn't here I'd be on my bike hauling ass across Beacon to find some jerk. You're turn."

"I don't know…I'm thankful for being here too."

"Nothing else?"

Derek shifted in his seat a little as he thought about it. "I'm thankful for your food."

Braeden laughed. "Fair enough."

The pair ate quickly and quietly until a knock interrupted their meal. It was frantic almost which put both of them on alert. Derek got up swiftly and went over to the door. He cracked it, surprised to find Scott and Stiles there.

"Aren't you two supposed to be home?" Derek asked a little peeved.

"This is important!" Scott replied.

"Yeah!" Stiles added before adding. "Is that pie?"

"Yeah it is, and what?"

"Can we come in?" Scott asked.

Derek eyed him for a moment, debating what the right move would be. He didn't want to end the dinner with him and Braeden so quickly, but they looked desperate. "Make it quick." He pushed the door open fully and allowed the teenagers inside.

Braeden looked up at them and both teens stopped in their tracks.

"I didn't know you…uh…" Scott looked embarrassed but Stiles shot passed him to the table and Braeden.

"Hey, my name's Stiles, is that sweet potatoes?" Stiles said pointing to the serving dish.

"It is." Braeden said with level eyes.

"Can I have some?"

"I thought you guys had something important to tell me." Derek said now feeling annoyed.

"Uh…there…there is this monster, I'm not sure what it is. Deaton called it a Berserk. There were two of them by the school."

"Why aren't you two home?"

"Dinner isn't done till eight." Stiles sighed drastically while putting a soon full of potatoes in his mouth. "My dad and Scott's mom are cooking and my dad isn't the best cook so…"

"We'll deal with it." Braeden stood.

"What?" Derek and Scott said at the same time.

"I'm fine. Let's go." She said heading out. One missed dinner wasn't going to break her. At least she got to spend a little time with him. "You boys coming?"

They each took their respective vehicles to reach the school. Braeden hoped off her motorcycle and started to look around the area, her gun strapped on her back as she went.

"They were spotted over there." Stiles said pointing toward the gym. "Scott and I were getting some practice time in."

"Right." Braeden said heading in the direction with Derek and the teens close behind.

"You should go in second." Derek said before they turned the corner and she turned to him.

"Why? So you can take the attack while I shoot?" She smirked and headed forward, but Derek felt a little distraught. He just didn't want her to get hurt, but she was a pretty head strong woman. Scratch that, she was just a strong woman.

Braeden peered around the corner onto the lacrosse field. Nothing. She turned toward the building. Nothing.

"I don't see anything, Scott." Braeden said.

"They have to be here. Stiles and I saw them." Scott said stepping forward and as soon as he did two appeared on the other side of the field.

"You sure know how to bring the best out." Stiles mumbled as they started to cross the field.

"Do you have a plan?" Braeden asked.

"What? No, I thought you would!"

She glared at the teenagers then back to Derek. "There is nothing we can really do about them. Something or someone is controlling them."

"They're running now!" Stiles cried.

"I think we should all see Deaton together." Derek suggested as he started to back up.

"Good plan." Braeden said and started to back up as well.

"No epic fight, huh?" Stiles added as they all turned and ran for their vehicles. They each headed toward the doctor's office, but instead of taking a right like everyone else, Braeden took a left. She headed up the street and turned down an abandon alleyway. She pulled off her helmet just as she heard Derek's Camaro come to a stop at the front of the alley.

"What's wrong?" Derek asked when he put down his window.

"I'm not getting involved with them right now. If I want to risk my neck, I'll do it for money instead. I already have a guy I need to find anyway."

"So that's it?"

"I came to check it out, the danger is there, but as you can see it's not coming after us. It looks like they are guarding that field. Whoever controls them; that's the person you need to find."

"So where are you going now?"

"To a hotel to get some sleep and then out to find my hit."

Derek looked down for a moment, then back up at her. "Do…you want to come over to mines?"

Braeden studied Derek's face for a moment trying to judge what it was he wanted with her. She knew the answer, but she didn't want to believe it just like she didn't want to believe her own.

"Nah, maybe another time." She slipped on her helmet and revved her engine. Before Derek could speak up again she was out of the alleyway.

.

.

.

Thank you for reading! Please review and comment it means a lot! Thank you!


	3. Chapter 3

She breathed deeply as the steps grew closer from the other side of the truck. She was trying her best to be silent, but her nerves were unsteady. Her mind kept switching back and forth between now and the past…with Derek.

Braeden shook the thoughts for the third time in 20 minutes and concentrated. She couldn't afford to mess this up. When her target got within arm reach of her she jumped up and stuck the barrel of her gun in the back of the head of the guy and wrapped her knife around his throat.

"Hello, Rodger."

"Ha…aha, they sent a little girl to do their work, huh? They're cowards."

"No, they sent a women." Braeden huffed and slit the guy's throat. He slipped to the floor in a gurgled silence. She stood there for a moment watching the life leave his body and it made her feel uncomfortable, but only for a second. Next step was taking a picture; click, and getting out of there.

She headed to the other side of the parking lot, ditching her gloves in a trashcan nearby. They'd never trace her, she was sure, and hoped on her bike.

It was around midnight when she pulled off into traffic heading west toward the outskirts of Beacon Hills. Her work for the week was done and by tomorrow afternoon she'd have money in the bank. A cool $120,000 for an easy hit. Not as much as other people, but enough to make her happy for a while and buy some top of the line boots.

Braeden stopped at the light just as a black car slid next to her. She glanced at the car, shiny and sleek, and her mind drifted for a moment to Derek. No way was that him. The chances weren't there…were they?

She revved her engine and the car did it back. A sigh.

But maybe they wanted to race.

She took a deep breath and when the light changed both of them peeled off into the night. They tore around the bend in the road and took a hard left then a right. She was sure it was him now so to throw him for a loop she stopped dead in the middle of the street. The Camaro stopped a few feet away, its break lights bright in the darkness.

Slowly Braeden took off her helmet and waited. The door to the Camaro opened and Derek stepped out, leaning on the side.

"Hey." Derek said.

"Hey yourself." Braeden replied with a grin.

"What are you doing out here?"

"Taking a ride, you?" She asked.

Derek raised his eyebrows, obviously not believing her. She smiled brighter. He crossed his arms.

"Also taking a ride."

They were silent for a moment, unsure where to go from here.

"Where are you staying?" Derek asked.

"Anywhere."

"Why don't you stay at my place?"

"Are you asking me to sleep with you, Derek Hale?" Braeden asked and Derek blushed, but he remained cool.

"I'm asking you to spend the night. That's it." He replied.

Braeden looked Derek up and down for a moment before nodding slowly. "Alright, I'll follow you there. Don't run off the road wolf boy." Braeden put back on her helmet and Derek got back in his car. They arrived at the loft fairly quickly and were upstairs in no time. Braeden watched as Derek put away a few things before asking if she wanted any to eat or drink.

"I'll have some water." She said looking around the loft again. She spotted some of the food they had yesterday on the counter. She smiled to herself; looks like he liked it. He came over to her and handed her the water which she took a sip of before yawning.

"Okay, I get the bed and you get the sofa." Braeden said heading toward the bedroom door.

"Wait, what?"

"You heard me." Braeden said. She turned and grinned at him before closing the door and locking it behind her. She looked around the room for something to change into and settled on a t shirt she found in his dresser.

She took off all of her clothes and slipped on the t shirt just as there was a knock at the door.

"I told you wolf boy, you can't come in."

"This isn't wolf boy." Another male voice said. Braeden stared at the door for a moment before unlocking and cracking it open.

"Peter, right?" She asked.

"You seem to know me, but I don't know you."

"Braeden." She said.

Peter eyed her before looking over his shoulder. "You do realize she is an assassin, right?"

"Yes, Peter." Derek said annoyed just out of her sight.

He shook his head and turned back to Braeden. "How long are you planning on staying here?"

She shrugged. "As long as I'm welcomed. I could leave right now."

"Peter." Derek said coming into view. "Leave her alone."

"I just don't like the idea of an assassin living with us. I'm sorry if I care if you wake up, nephew." Peter huffed.

"Despite the fact I'd loved to make some money, I've already collected my bounty for Beacon Hills." Braeden evened her gaze at Derek. "You don't have to worry. I won't bite."

"Okay…" Peter took a step back. "Just don't say I didn't warn you."

"Where are you going?" Derek asked as Peter grabbed his coat.

"Out, for a walk." Peter said before closing the door behind him leaving Braeden and Derek alone in the loft.

Derek's eyes traveled downward to Braeden's legs, which were smooth and shiny in the dim light. She shifted a little, slightly posing in the doorway when she noticed him looking.

"Like what you see?" She asked and Derek's face turned red. He looked up at her and opened his mouth, but closed it again.

"I…uh…" Derek coughed.

"Mmhmm." Braeden grinned. The t shirt stopped very short on her, exposing most of her legs. It wasn't like Derek hadn't seen legs before, but her legs…Braeden's legs were amazing.

"It's late." Derek said after a moment.

"It is. Good night wolf boy." Braeden closed the door and giggled to herself silently. Derek was easier to tease than a kitten.

She settled into bed that night with a wide grin on her face.

.

.

.

Thank you for reading! Please review and comment! : D


	4. Chapter 4

Derek stood outside of his bedroom door weighing his options. He could knock on the door and just ask if he could barrow a shirt from his own room…no, that would be stupid.

He could just get the key he leaves above the door and unlock it…but that would surely end badly.

The werewolf started to pace the floor now. He just wanted to see her face again…maybe her legs too, he was a man. He had needs. But above all her face. He loved her soft full lips, her cute nose, and her eyes that had a playful smolder in them that made him weak in the knees. Of all the women he's ever dated or been with, she was the one that stood out above the rest and he hadn't even seen her naked!

Eventually he stopped pacing the floor and went into the kitchen. The food they'd had a few nights ago was beginning to spoil so he started to bag it up to throw out. Not even his iron stomach could withstand outdated food. He scrapped the pans and dishes into plastic bags, knotted them at the top, and tossed them into the garbage so they wouldn't stink or attract flies, then he went about washing the dishes to keep his mind busy. As he did so he felt a presence and turned around.

"Peter." Derek said a little surprised.

"I assume you aren't glad to see me." He said leaning on the counter. "How is our house guest?"

"She isn't going to do anything." Derek huffed as he went back to cleaning. "She's different."

"Different, huh?" Peter set his jaw. "This has to be worse than Scott and the hunter…Allison, was it?"

Derek turned to his uncle now. "I can understand if you don't trust hunters or assassins, but she is different and I want you to give her a chance."

Peter laughed. "I wouldn't trust her as far as I could throw her…and that's pretty far. Have you heard about the berserkers near the high school?"

"We went a few days ago to check it out with Scott and Stiles."

"We?"

"Braeden."

"Jees." Peter started to pace. "I just don't get why you can't find a normal werewolf to date. First an Argent and now her."

"I thought you were talking about the berserkers, not my dating life." Derek said getting annoyed.

"It would seem Scott and Stiles stumbled upon some ritual spot where they think they came from. I told them I would ask if you wanted to join in the search party to find their master to stop them. You can't fight a berserk."

"I know that."

"Great, at least that's one thing you get." Peter mumbled as he walked out the kitchen with his arms folded just as Braeden opened the bedroom door.

"Peter." She said simply as she adjusted her gloves.

"Huntress." He replied. It was one thing to know a hunter, but for Derek to actually be with one made him upset. He was all about free love within the werewolf community, but enemies were enemies, not matter how you sliced it.

"What's your problem?" She asked.

"I have no problem." Peter glared at Derek from across the room. "I just have things to do. If you will excuse me." Peter said as he disappeared down a hallway.

"I'm sorry about him…he…doesn't trust you very much." Derek said rubbing the back of his neck.

"Because I'm an assassin, huh?"

"Kind of."

"Like night and day. He'll come around." Braeden said as she stepped closer to Derek. She poked his stomach and grinned up at him. "Are you hungry?"

He smiled down at her. "A little."

The pair decided to go out to eat, Braeden's idea, to a small restaurant up the street. Derek had passed the place a million times and never step foot in the joint, but this was the season of firsts it would seem.

When they finished eat Derek started to reach for his wallet but Braeden stopped him. "I'll pay for it." She said reaching into her pocket.

"You do a lot, at least let me do this…for not killing me back then." Derek said setting the money in the table.

Braeden raised an eyebrow. "If you're worth actually 30 dollars then I was being lied to anyway." She chuckled and Derek grinned just as he phone rang. Both their faces grew stern as he picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Scott and we're on a lead!"

"Tell him about the mountain ash!" He heard Stiles say loudly in the background.

"I'm in the middle of something." Derek replied a little flustered.

"You're in the mid…dude, this is serious! This thing could come after us!" Scott cried panicked.

"IT IS!" He heard Stiles scream into the phone nearby. Derek pulled the phone away from his ear and sighed.

"Scott and Stiles?" Braeden asked and he nodded. "Hand me the phone."

Derek didn't want to at first, unsure of what she would do or say, but handed her the phone anyway.

"Scott, Stiles, calm down. You'll figure it out. Have you looked for the leader?"

"We can't find him that's why we need Derek's help!"

"You can't rely on Derek for everything. He needs time to himself too."

"This is important!" Stiles yelled.

"So is this." And with that Braeden hung up the phone and tossed it back to Derek. "Now that you are free for the rest of the day want to see a movie?"

Derek's mouth opened a little, but he closed it quickly.

"Sure…what do you want to see?"

"It's up to you, you're paying." She snickered getting up.

.

.

.

Thank you for reading as always! Please review and comment it means a lot and I'll see you next time!


	5. Chapter 5

Derek unlocked the door to his loft and looked around before pushing the door open for the both of them to enter.

"Looking for Peter?" Braeden asked.

"I just don't want to hear his lecture." Derek said as he placed his keys on a hook. "He can be a bit much."

"A bit…" Braeden mumbled as she made her way to the sofa and laid down on it. "Seems like a lot."

"I'm all he has…I feel like a have a reasonability to make sure that…he's happy." Derek said looking at her from behind the sofa. She really knew how to make herself at home and he liked it.

"You can't stop your life from moving because of him." Braeden said. "But I can respect you wanting to make sure he's okay."

Derek nodded.

"Did you sleep well last night? You look tired."

"Kind of." Derek confessed as he rubbed the back of his head. "I was thinking about you."

"Oh, really?" Braeden grinned. "What about?"

"Your eyes…your smile…your lips…" Derek's eyes drifted up and down Braeden's body and she giggled.

"Why don't you come lay down." She patted the sofa. "I can scoot over."

Derek wasted no time removing his jacket and getting on the sofa with Braeden. It felt nice having her warmth next to him. He couldn't remember the last time he had someone to lay next to.

"So wolf boy, tell me about yourself." Braeden poking Derek's chest and looking into his hazel eyes.

"About me? What do you want to know?"

"Anything."

"If I tell you something you have to tell me something. Name of the game."

"Okay." Braeden nodded.

"Alright…when I was younger I was way more social."

"I can imagine that." She said as Derek took her hand in his.

"After the fire…or rather a little bit before things changed, and after it, it kind of remained the same. There was only Peter and he was in a coma so I really was alone for a while." He squeezed her hand. "I felt lost. I still do."

Braeden touched the side of Derek's cheek with her free hand. "It must have been scary."

Derek didn't want to admit it for a while, but yeah, it was scary. He was used to having his large family around with their nonstop conversations. But then Kate came and after that everything changed. Everything turned black. "I was terrified." He whispered.

"But it's better now. You have Peter still, and you have your good memories."

"I have you." Derek said softly and his face turned a little pink. He could tell by how Braeden looked down for a second she was blushing too. "Your turn."

"Alright." She said and bit her bottom lip as she thought for a moment. "I wasn't born into an assassin family, I kind of stumbled into it. It was a life or death kind of deal when I was seventeen. I chose to live and I had to kill to survive. I was taken under the wing of this _family,_ and they taught me so much in two years that by the time I left, death didn't seem like a big deal. I was taught that it's a dog eat dog world out there and I have no choice but to eat. It was scary at times, but I learned to protect myself and stay alive. If I didn't I'd die. I'd lose."

"Whoa." Derek whispered.

"Not what you were expecting, huh?"

He shook his head.

"I also didn't start with the supernatural. I think that's what makes my job easier. It's harder to kill someone who is mortal than immortal."

"You really spared me then, huh?"

"More than that." Braeden whispered. "There was something about you…something different that I don't usually see in other's eyes."

"What about your real family?"

"They live in Baltimore. I haven't seen them since I was seventeen. I've talked to them twice sense then. I like to tell myself I could go home at any time but honestly…"

There was a comfortable pause before Derek spoke up again. "Where did you get your scares?"

"I have to ask you a question now."

"Oh."

"Do you have any friends outside of Scott and Stiles?"

Derek didn't want to answer but he had no choice. "No. I hang around them because they are the closest thing I have to a pack besides Peter. Although, Scott's an Alpha, which means we couldn't actually be pack unless one of us became a beta or omega."

"Have you tried making friends since the fire?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"It just seems…like a lot." Derek moved into a more comfortable position. "I just don't feel like I have it in me."

"Have you talked to anyone about it?"

"Just you."

Braeden sighed softly. "You should think about getting out more. Being curled in on yourself isn't good."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Do you have any friends?"

Braeden opened her mouth but then closed it. She had _friends_ but they weren't people you'd call up and ask to hang out with. They were the type of people you randomly met when you blew into town for a night or two and wanted to unwind at a bar or two.

"Some…but I wouldn't call them close."

"Peter is going to be home soon." Derek mumbled looking over at the clock on the wall. "What do you want to do?"

"It's three in the afternoon, what do you usually do?"

"Sleep."

"Have you ever shot a gun before?" Braeden sat up now.

"No…I don't like them."

"Why?"

"I've been shot with them and I had one pointed at my head a few weeks ago…" Derek glanced at her sideways.

"Still, it's good to learn a new skill." Braeden began to crawl over Derek, in the process straddling his hips. Derek reached out automatically and put his hands on her thighs and stared up into her dark brown eyes. They were smoldering and playful as ever.

"What if I don't want to practice a new skill?"

Braeden looked down into Derek's eyes, studying him carefully before he leant down until she was an inch from the werewolf's face and whispered, "Then I couldn't teach this old dog a new trick."

Derek's face turned bright red and she laughed as she hopped off of him. Braeden reached into the back of her jeans and pulled out a small gun and aimed it at Derek first, and then at the window before lowering it to show to him.

"This is what I use when I'm off duty."

Derek sat up slowly. "Shouldn't you…not carry anything when you're off duty?"

"An assassin's job is never really over." Braeden replied. "Here, hold it."

"No I…"

"Come on, it won't bite. I'll even take the bullets out." She popped the chamber open and the bullets fell out into her hand before she closed it again and presented it to Derek. "Don't be shy."

Derek stared at the gun for a moment before he reached out slowly and took it from her. It was heavier than he thought it would be, but easier to handle. He aimed it at her head, lining up the shot and said, "Pow!"

"Right between the eyes." Braeden grinned. "Nice."

"So you'll show me how to shoot this?" Derek asked standing up now.

"Do you think you can handle it, wolf boy?"

"I think so." Derek smirked just as his phone started to ring. He pulled it out of his pocket, but set it to mute. "Let's go." Derek said heading for the front door

.

.

.

Thank you for reading and please review/ comment it means a lot!

I got a request to make my chapters longer so I hopefully the next one will be!


	6. Chapter 6

Derek aimed the gun at an apple hanging from a nearby tree. This was going to be his tenth attempt at shooting the red fruit down.

"Just relax." Braeden said softly as Derek tried to steady his hands. He counted to three in his head and then fired the gun. The bullet nicked the top of it and a second later it fell from the tree onto the ground.

"Great job." Braeden said encouragingly.

"I still missed."

"But you hit it."

Derek lowered the gun unamused, but felt this small feat was enough for today. Peter was going to be home soon and he wasn't sure yet if Braeden wanted to stay at his house or leave. He wasn't sure if she had _business_ to attend to elsewhere.

"What are you doing for tonight?"

"Nothing." Braeden said as she packed up her gun.

"You don't have…another hit or anything?"

"Nope." Braeden turned to Derek. "Why? Getting bored of me?"

"No…God no…it's just…Peter."

"Ah, your loving and trusting uncle."

"He means well."

"I know." Braeden took a few steps closer to Derek and crossed her arms. "I mean well too."

"Do you want to…maybe…I don't know get dinner?" Derek asked as his face turned a little red.

Braeden smirked. "Depends, do I have to wear something that matches your blush?"

They laughed for a moment, but the joy was cut short when Derek heard something off in the distance. Something familiar.

"What is it?" Braeden asked reaching for her gun.

"It sounds familiar…it might be…"

Stiles' jeep came into view just beyond some trees and the werewolf relaxed. "Stiles' jeep."

The jeep came to a hard stop a few feet away from them and the two jumped out screaming and yelling over each other to speak to Derek.

"I can't understand you!" Derek yelled back.

"Someone broke into Deaton's vet and stole all of this rare herb!" Scott finally managed to say. "They took it all and Deaton thinks they are going to use it against us."

"Us?"

"It can kill werewolves!" Stiles blurted.

"Why would Deaton have that with him?" Derek asked.

"In small amounts it can cure sickness, but in large amounts it can kill. It's a double edge sword!" Stiles exclaimed.

"Alright, so who took it?" Derek asked concerned now.

"We think it might have been Peter."

"Why Peter?"

"Well…so far all we have on the tape is a tall guy and it kind of looks like Peter."

"What time was it stolen?" Braeden chimed in.

"This morning before they opened." Scott replied.

"It couldn't have been him. He was here." She said quickly ruling out the only suspect.

"So then who else looks like Peter?" Stiles asked concerned.

"There is Deucalion." Scott hypothesized.

"We haven't seen him since that whole war thing with the Alphas." Stiles said instantly killing that idea.

"Did Deaton say anything about it? Who could have wanted it?" Derek asked.

"No…although he did say it could be connected to the Berserkers."

"That makes sense." Braeden said. "So maybe they stay around the school somewhere or have some ties to the school."

"But who has ties to the school?" Stiles asked.

"Teachers, coaches, administrators." Derek named off.

"OH!" Scott slapped his hands together. "What about the new English teacher? I forgot his name but this started happening when he started working there!"

"Good thinking Scott." Stiles said patting him on the back. "So what are we going to do? Murder him in his sleep? Strangle him?"

"Whoa." Derek said. "Nobody's doing anything until we can figure out that it is him."

"I'll take care of that. Don't worry." Braeden interjected. "I have skills in that department."

"If you find anything out you'll tell us?" Scott asked.

"Yeah. Free of charge." She said with a smirk just as Peter appeared on the edge of their circle.

"Well, well, what have we here?" He asked.

"This isn't the time, Peter." Derek said quickly.

"Isn't the time, huh? Looks like the perfect time. I thought she was gone?"

"I'll be sticking around for a while." Braeden said flipping her hair and crossing her arms. Peter was about to say something but Scott interjected before he could. He asked if he could help with the investigation.

"I don't want any part in that. Berserkers can kill you quicker than you can say 'berserk' and I don't want to be a part of it." He waved his hands for effect.

"We thought you were behind it for a while." Scott said. "But Braeden saved you."

Peter glanced at her. "How very kind of you." He said dryly. "I'm going. I'll talk to you later." He said referring to Derek.

"What's got his panties in a bunch?" Stiles asked annoyed as Peter walked away.

"Who knows?" Braeden said pulling her phone out of her pocket. "I'll catch up with all of you later." She said and began to jog over to her bike. In a moment she was gone.

"Peter really hates her." Derek said.

"But you really love her." Stiles smirked and Derek glared at him causing him to drop the smirk.

"It's hard." Derek said heading toward his car. He really did like her, maybe even loved her, but it would be hard, almost impossible for Peter to see her as anything else than an assassin. It was a long drive back to the loft, and once he was inside his dark loft he felt alone and empty without her there to brighten up the place. He could still smell her in the air, the lingering presence of a woman; sweet and spicy.

He thought about calling her, but decided a long hot shower…or maybe a cold one, would do the trick until he could see her again. He needed to get his mind off of things.

Derek didn't speak to Braeden for two days, and in that time he felt anxious; almost jittery. Peter stopped by on the second day, his face a mask of apathy.

"How are you today?" He asked as he shrugged off his jacket to hang.

"Why do you care?" Derek asked from the sofa.

"Way to mope, Derek. Cry about her!" He huffed as he headed into the kitchen. "I can still smell her scent." He mumbled.

"What are you doing here?" Derek asked.

"I came to check up on you, that isn't too much is it?" Peter asked as he started to fix himself some coffee. "I wanted to make sure you were still alive."

"Very funny."

Peter came into the living room and stared at Derek. "If I remember correctly; the first time she was here she wanted to kill you."

"She didn't do it."

"But she still can. There is nothing stopping her."

"She won't."

"As far as you know. I'm older than you Derek, don't forget that. I've lived longer and seen more things." Peter glared at Derek, his temper flaring slightly.

"Braeden isn't like past hunters or assassins. She's different." Derek stood up and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"In case you forgot, I'm an adult." He huffed as he opened and slammed the door behind him. Derek ran down the stairs practically and hopped into his car. He didn't want to hear Peter's bull about Braeden. She'd done nothing wrong but survive, and he could see himself in her.

He rode around Beacon Hills for a while before his phone rang. At first he thought it might have been Scott or Stiles, but was surprised when he saw the familiar number.

"Hey." He said coolly.

"Hey yourself. I have some leads." Braeden said. "Where are you? Let's meet up."

Derek gave her directions to a nearby spot and 20 minutes later they were together.

"Hey there wolf boy!" Braeden said as she rested her helmet on her handle bar and got off her bike. She strolled over to Derek with a wide grin on her face and Derek's heart started to race.

"Hey. What do you have?" Derek asked trying to play it cool.

"The teacher, Mr. Donavan? He's been going out to the lacrosse field at night alone after grading papers. He goes into the locker room for a while, then comes back out holding something and two seconds later there are the berserkers."

"So he is behind it." Derek nodded.

"Yup. Now, I'm not stupid. You can't kill one of those things, they kill you. So we have to stop the teacher…Donavan guy…"

"I'll call Scott." Derek said as he started to dial. A moment later he was explaining the situation to Scott and he was setting up a plan with Stiles on three way.

"What happened?" Braeden asked when he finally hung up the phone a while later.

"They're going to ambush him tomorrow night. We need you there also so we know where to set up. We'll surround him with mountain ash and then strike."

"It doesn't explain why he is trying to protect the field." Braeden scratched her head. "What could be around there that he wants to protect?"

"We won't know until he's out of the picture." Derek said shrugging. He slid his phone back into his pants pocket and stared at Braeden. "Now what?"

Braeden looked the werewolf up and down. "Depends, how tired are you?"

"Not at all."

"Good." She said and took a few steps closer. She traced Derek's collarbone while staring into his eyes. "We can stay up all night if we want."

"O-oh?" Derek asked swallowing hard. He didn't want to believe what he thought Braeden was alluding to because it seemed too good to be true. He'd fantasized about this moment and how it would turn out more times than he could count and now, here, at this moment he didn't want believe it.

"Yeah." Braeden smiled slyly as she bit her lip. "But…" She took a step back and Derek's hopes stared to slip from his fingertips.

"But what?"

"I bet Peter is at your place." She said sliding her hands in to her pockets.

Derek wanted to punch a brick wall. Of course he was there, probably laughing at him and his situation, and his life in the same spiteful manner he always does.

"Yeah." Derek sighed.

"Well then, I'll see you tomorrow." She started to head toward her bike.

"But after?"

"After?"

"Can we…go out again? And I'll kick Peter out if he shows up. I'll change the locks if I have to."

"I don't think a lock can stop a werewolf. But I like where your heart is." Braeden smiled at him one last time before she got on her bike and disappeared into the night; leaving Derek alone once again.

.

.

.

Thank you for reading again!

Please comment and review it means a lot!

(I love breaking Derek's heart like that, ahahaha)


	7. Chapter 7

Scott, Stiles, Braeden, and Derek were bent behind a wall waiting for the teacher to make a move. It was nine at night and Stiles was getting antsy.

"What if you doesn't show?" Stiles asked.

"He'll show." Braeden confirmed. She was sure of it.

"Yeah, but do we have a back up plan?" Stiles inquired.

"We don't need one." Braeden replied checking her cell phone for the time.

"Trust her." Derek said just as the doors to the school opened and out stepped the teacher Mr. Donavan. He was holding something, but Derek could tell what. It looked to be a jar or something, but he wasn't sure.

"There he is!" Stiles whispered.

"Everyone know what to do?" Scott asked.

"Yeah." Everyone replied as the teacher walked across the field. He stood in the center and set the vessel down. A moment later smoke appeared and the Berserkers stood tall waiting on his command.

"Now!" Braeden yelled and the group sprung into action. The mountain ash they'd thrown down earlier tapped the Berserkers in their places; the teacher looked on startled as the teens and adults surrounded him.

"What are you doing?" Scott yelled from his spot.

"I could ask you the same question!" The guys said a little panicked. "What? Are you after the money too?"

"The money?" Stiles questioned and that's when it clicked in Derek's head.

"No…" He mumbled.

"What's wrong?" Braeden asked.

"Under the school, before it was built; Peter had a volt built." Derek said looking down at the manicured grass.

"How much is in there?"

"Millions." He confessed without thinking.

Braeden frowned, but stood strong. She pulled out her gun and pointed it at the teacher. "Call off your mates and we can talk!"

"Ha, you have a gun pointed at me!" Mr. Donavan spat.

"You have two killers pointed at us!" Braeden snapped back.

The teacher took a moment to assess the situation before nodded slowly. He picked up the jar and the berserkers vanished.

"What's in the jar?" Derek asked.

"H-herb of Night. It wakes them for me."

"Did you get it from the vet?"

The teacher looked shocked. "How?"

"We're good." Scott said. "Now, what are you doing here?"

"I…I needed money." He said finally. "I'm sick and I can't afford to pay the bills. Not on my salary anyway. I heard that there was a volt around Beacon Hills full of money and I thought…maybe if I find it I'd be alright."

"How did you hear about the volt?"

"…From a hunter…a werewolf hunter. We use to be friends. He was killed not too long ago." Donavan dropped to his knees. "I just wanted to live…" He cried. "I can't keep…doing this…I take this injections every day…all these pills just to stay alive…"

"What do we do?" Scott asked Derek.

Derek looked to Braeden who also had the same expression.

"I'll give you money. Just enough to pay your bills, but you have to leave Beacon Hills and you have to give me those herbs."

Donavan looked up at Derek. "Really?"

"Whatever you need the money for, good or bad, I don't care. I just want you off this land and out of this town."

"Thank you!" Donavan cried on his hands and knees. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Derek glanced at Braeden who was now lowering her gun. "Are you sure that's the right move?" She asked.

"It has to be." Derek said.

A day later the transaction was finished and by Monday, the teacher had vanished without a trace from the school. Things were as back to normal as Beacon Hills could get for the time being which left Derek and Braeden to pick up where they left off.

Right now they were seated at a restaurant, much more upscale than their usual places. Both ordered steak, potatoes, and a side salad; and now at the end of their meal they were talking over the soft light of the candles on their table. It was Derek's idea to come to the restaurant despite Braeden putting up a protest about it.

"It was a nice dinner." She said leaning on the table now.

"Are you glad I brought you?" Derek asked with a smirk.

"A little…"

"So…how much longer are you going to stay in Beacon Hills now?"

Braeden looked Derek up and down for a moment, her brown eyes scanning him. "I don't know now. I was going to leave tomorrow after all of this blew over…"

"I hope I can get you to stay longer."

She grinned. "I hope so too."

"Do you want to head back to my place? Maybe…watch a movie or have some wine?"

"Wine?" Braeden smirked.

"Y-yeah?"

"Werewolves can't get drunk; that doesn't seem fair." Braeden replied and Derek's face turned red. He hadn't thought about that and now he felt like a huge a-hole.

"I…"

"It's fine." Braeden stood. "Let's go, I'm tired of this place anyway."

They both rode in Derek's Camaro so they piled in and drove for his loft. The ride back was semi quiet. Occasionally someone would bring something up and they'd discuss it.

"So…" Derek said opening the door to his loft.

"Hmm?"

"Peter isn't here."

"I can see." Braeden grinned as she stood in the middle of the large room. Derek shut the door and locked it before walking over to her.

"I want to say something first."

Braeden nodded.

"I feel really bad about the way Peter has be treating you. It's just in his nature to want to protect me because I am his only family, and he has a hard time trusting people...who've hurt him before. Banshees, hunters, assassin's, families of people who haven't lived in this area for years, it's all the same to him."

"You don't have to apologize for someone else's ignorance about me. What he doesn't know he doesn't know."

"I would like him to get to know you still."

"That would be a good start."

"Maybe we can have lunch or something together and get him to understand…"

"Maybe…but right now let's focus on us." Braeden went to sit down on the sofa and Derek joined her. "Let's leave Peter out of it for a bit."

Derek reached over and took her soft brown hand, turning it over in his pale one. "You're something special Braeden."

"I like you too, Derek. Even though I shouldn't."

"Life's too short for taboos."

"Coming from a werewolf." Braeden teased.

"I do have a lifespan." Derek squeezed her hand playfully. There was a brief moment of silence before Derek moved in a little closer, bringing his free hand up to touch the side of her face. "I want you to be a part of it." He whispered, before they pressed their lips together.

Braeden felt a tingle run through her body as she pressed herself closer to the werewolf, opening her mouth to invite him inside. Their tongues twisted together in unison and a moan slipped from her lips. Derek wrapped his arms around her now, bringing her as close as possible to him before picking her up and setting her on his lap. They separated for a second to look into each other's dark eyes. Braeden's filled with mystery and Derek's with wonder.

"You're beautiful." He breathed and she smiled back brightly before pulling him in closer for another deep kiss.

.

.

.

Thank you for reading once again!

Things are finally heating up between Braeden and Derek! Yaay! Now they just need to get Peter to lay off.

Sorry about the chapter being short, but I have more and more work it seems like every week!

Please comment and review! Until next time!


	8. Chapter 8

Peter stood outside of the loft's front door with a scowl on his face. He knew what his nephew was doing and it disgusted him. He was sleeping with the enemy again. The boy had a problem with that and he was sure if Talia was still alive she'd disapprove too. Or at least he hoped.

Those _people_ if they could even be called that were the reason the Hale line was left to only two of them, the reason the rest of the family burned to a crisp in the licking fames of hate those hunters set. It was their fault, and Peter wasn't going to allow Derek to be tainted by one of those ungrateful undignified savages. He was an apex preceptor, he's nephew was one too, and so they should only settle, mate, marry others of the apex. Anything less was a massive slap in the face. A blemish on the longest of lines of blood.

But he composed himself like he always did, and restrained his disgust, and opened the loft door. Derek and the assassin were sitting in the kitchen in barely what could be considered nightwear eating breakfast. Derek looked up first at him, his face guarded, waiting for what Peter knew would be a comment on the matter. The matter that the assassin had been at the loft for over two weeks now and her presence was growing thin with Peter.

"Derek." Peter nodded in his direction.

"We'll be gone in ten minutes." Derek replied, his eyes unwavering from his uncles.

"Good. Maybe I can air the place the out." Peter said as he headed for the stairs. "It should smell right in here."

"Peter!" Derek stood now from the table and Peter halted. He turned around the steps and stared at him, his eyes glowing. "I'm sick of your attitude toward Braeden! She's done nothing wrong!"

"She's done plenty wrong!" Peter snapped. "She's entered this house, she seduced you, and here she is, the person of hate for millennia eating at the table! You might as well date a dog!"

Braeden stood now and turned to Peter. "I haven't done a thing wrong, and I won't let talk about as if I'm not here! I've tried to be the most patient person with you Peter, but I see that isn't enough."

"Good, leave!"

"I'm not going anywhere." Braeden spat. "I'll be damned before I let your bigotry stop us from seeing each other."

Peter huffed. "This is ridiculous."

"You're ridiculous! You're disgusting!" Braeden replied. "Insult me all you want I'm not going anywhere and there is nothing you can do about it!"

Peter shook his head and continued to walk upstairs. He was done trying to make his nephew see the light. If he needed to he'd take things into his own hands. He might even call up that teacher, Donavan. Just one Berserker is all he'd need to get rid of her for good.

Hate, hate doesn't even describe his feelings.

.

.

.

Derek turned to Braeden, his stomach in knots. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault." Braeden said heading for the bedroom to get dressed. She was use to hate. Hate was part of her job. You kill someone, someone else will always be angry at you. She slipped on a pair of jeans and put on another shirt before fixing her hair and sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"All part of the job." She whispered to herself before closing her eyes and putting her head in her hands. She didn't want to cry, she wanted to be strong and proud, but how could she? This was different. She really liked Derek, maybe even loved the guy and yet there was this huge obstacle. Nothing ever came easy to her and this was just another challenge.

The tears came quickly after thinking about that, and she wiped them away as quickly as she could. She didn't want to be seen weak.

After a moment she picked her head up, and went into the connected bathroom and wiped her face off with a wet washcloth, fixed her hair again, and smiled at herself for a moment in the mirror, bringing her emotions back up.

"Are you okay?" Derek asked when she came out of the bedroom.

"I'm prefect." Braeden said heading for the front door. "Let's go."

.

.

.

Derek and Braeden went to the mall to see a movie. She wasn't sure what it was about because her mind wondered through it mostly back to Peter and his bigotry. She wanted him to understand where she was coming from, but at the same time she didn't want to give him anything. She didn't have to be nice to someone who hated her so much. But he was Derek's only family and therefore she would have to treat him nicely. Killing him softly as her mother used to say.

"How did you like the movie?" Derek asked as they headed into the main part of the mall.

"It was okay…I really wasn't paying attention." Braeden confessed.

Derek dropped his head a little. "Where you thinking about this morning?"

"I just don't want this to get in between us." Braeden replied. "I'm just not sure how to go about dealing with Peter."

"I wish I could help you, but honestly I don't know either. He's been in my life always but he keeps his distance at the same time too. It's complicated. A werewolf thing."

Braeden laughed at that. "Werewolf thing, huh?"

"It's a secret little club for people with claws." He laughed trying to cheer her up.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah." Derek grin and pinched her softly. She punched him back on the arm.

"Nice one, wolf boy." Braeden smiled.

"Feeling a little better?"

"A tiny bit."

"Would ice cream help?"

She bit her lip for a moment in mock thinking. "Can I get chocolate?"

"You can get the whole store if you want." Derek said taking her hand and walking toward the ice cream shop.

.

.

.

Thank you for reading! Please comment and review!


	9. Chapter 9

The sun was starting to set on Beacon Hills and Braeden could tell Derek was feeling a bit flustered about something. She thought about asking, but he kept their conversation always on something different.

"Do you want to go for a ride?" Derek asked already standing up.

"Sure. Is everything okay?" Braeden asked standing as well to follow Derek.

He nodded. "Every things fine." Both of them got into Derek's black Camaro and started to drive. It was a while before Braeden asked where they were going.

"We're just driving." Derek said innocently, but she could tell he was hiding something, but what? The streets of the city gave way to the roads of the country and before she knew it they were parked at the foot of a hill.

"Where are we?" Braeden asked.

"I just thought I'd take you to someplace special."

"Alright, and where is special?"

"You'll see; get out."

They both got out of the car and started to walk up the hill, Braeden a few steps ahead so she would reach the top of the hill first. But when they made it Derek frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"It's cloudy." Derek replied looking up at the sky to find the glow of the moon buried behind thick grey clouds.

Braeden stared up at the sky nonetheless and tried to imagine what Derek wanted her to see. Probably the full moon, bright and glowing against the dark ebony sky. Probably the stars, little complex dots shattered across the galaxy shinning bright for the two of them. Maybe even, with his werewolf eyes, he could see things she couldn't. Colors, textures, and patterns that probably met nothing to her normal human eyes but yet still seemed beautiful in her mind.

"It's beautiful." Braeden turned to him and smile. "Even if I can't see the sky."

Derek's face in the dim light turned a shade darker and that made her smile more. "I'm glad you understand." She brought her arms up around Derek's neck and smiled up at him.

"It really is nice out tonight." Braeden whispered.

"It's even nicer with you here." Derek smiled back and leaned down to kiss her softly. Her warm soft lips against his made everything seem perfect. There wasn't a worry in the world that could stop them.

When they pulled apart from each other for a moment Derek tilted his head to the side.

"What's up?" Braeden asked.

"I hear something…something….heavy?" His grip tightened around Braeden as he looked around the top of the hill.

Braeden looked around. "I don't see anything…"

"Something _is_ coming…" Derek bent down and touched the grass. He felt the vibration stronger now. It was big whatever it was and it was coming toward them.

"It's like…Beacon Hills never takes a break from the super natural." Braeden shook her head as she kept her guard up. "I can't even have a nice evening with my boyfriend."

Derek's face turned red instantly. "Really?"

"Hm?" Braeden looked down at him as he stood up.

"You're okay with us…" Derek motioned a little between the two of them and Braeden laughed.

"Yeah…we've been seeing each other for a while." She smiled. "You're okay with it?"

Derek nodded. "I'm great with it." He said as he turned around to concentrate on the vibrations, although it was harder to concentrate now that he knew for sure Braeden and him were a couple. Tonight turned out better than he expected.

"Is that…" Braeden took a step back and started to draw her gun.

Derek took a step back as well and watched as a Berserk stepped out of the darkness, its skull shinning dimly in the soft moon light. "Why is it here?" Derek asked bracing himself as he changed.

"I don't know but we can't win against it, right?" Braeden had her gun pointed now at the huge creature.

Derek shook his head. "No, no we should run!" They started to head back down the hill but the Berserk was right behind them. It reached out, but Braeden turned around and started to fire at its skull. The beast stumbled a little, but kept up its pace with them.

"It's not slowing down!" Braeden cried.

"We have to hide!" Derek replied looking around for someplace to shield themselves from the Berserker, but there wasn't any place safe. The monster could break through anything!

"Where? There isn't any where to go!" Braeden yelled as they reached a clearing. Derek stopped short and turned around to face the Berserker.

"What are you doing?" Braeden asked stopping a few steps away.

"Keep running, I'll hold him off for a little while!"

"I'm not going to leave you here to fight on your own!"

"Go! I can handle myself!" Derek snapped. Braeden hesitates a moment before heading toward the main street. She was going to get reception and call someone for backup. But as she made her final steps down the hill Peter was there leaning on Derek's black Camaro. He had a smug expression plastered on his face as he pushed his claws out.

"Hello assassin."

.

.

.

Hello and than you again for reading!

(Sorry about the slow updates I've been busy with work, bleh)

Please comment and review! Byes!


	10. Chapter 10

"Peter, Derek is-"

"I know." Peter smiled as he pushed himself off the black Camaro and started to walk over to Braeden. "It's a shame that I have to put my nephew in trouble to help him, but sometimes you have to hurt the ones you love."

"This isn't funny." Braeden pointed her gun at Peter. "Call off the Berserks or I won't hold back."

"I'm not afraid of you." Peter put his hands in his pockets. "But you should be afraid to me."

"I'll never be afraid of you. Now call off the Berserk!"

Peter shook his head as another Berserk appeared behind him. "I'm not doing anything." The large creature started to growl as it stalked forward. Braeden glanced between the two of them, unsure of where to point her gun; unsure of who was the most dangerous.

"You're sick, Peter!" Braeden yelled.

"I'M NOT SICK!" Peter screamed. "I'M THE APEX! I'M THE ALPHA! And you! You're a blemish on the face of the earth!"

The Berserk lurched forward and attacked Braeden, but she jumped out of the way in time as the monster pounded the ground. The vibration sending shocks down her spine. She looked between the two of them and then aimed her gun at Peter and fired. Peter managed to dodge all the bullets and hide behind the Berserk.

"Crap." Braeden hissed as she ducked behind a tree. She peaked back as the Berserk roared and headed toward her just as Derek was coming into view.

"Peter! Stop!" Derek yelled as he reached the bottom.

"Derek!" Peter shook his head. "Stay out of this!" Derek jumped and attacked Peter, knocking him on the ground. He snarled and the Berserkers turned toward their brawl, ignoring Braeden all together. Derek held Peter down and growled.

"You need to stop this Peter! She did nothing WRONG!"

"She's done everything wrong!" Peter snapped back with foam starting to drip from his maw. "She's a hunter! An Assassin! An abomination!"

"She's none of those things and you know it!" Derek screamed just as Peter punched him square in the jaw. They both started at it, punching, kicking, and biting each other as they rolled around on the ground.

The berserkers started to walk toward them, unsure for a moment, they both reached into the brawl and grabbed Peter.

"What are you doing?!" Peter screamed in anger. "Let me go!"

Derek crawled backward for a moment and watched as one of them hoisted Peter high into the air and let out a hard and throaty scream.

"Put me down!" Peter screamed as he bit and scratched at the huge arms of the beast.

"I don't think I want to help you…" Derek huffed as he wiped the blood from his lips. "You've gone too far!"

"Derek!" Peter screamed. "Please!" He pleaded and in that moment a full round of bullets hit the Berserker in the face. The creature let go of Peter and he fell on the floor in a heap choking and coughing.

Braeden walked over to Peter and held her gun at his face. "Call them off Peter. CALL THEM OFF!"

Peter coughed more as his watery eyes looked into her clear brown ones. In that moment he saw something, he wasn't sure what it was, but he saw it. "Alright…" He coughed and reached into his pocket and pulled out a jar filled with what looked like herbs and leaves. He opened the top of it and the Berserks froze in place.

"Shit." He breathed just as Derek walked over to him and grabbed his collar and picked him up off the ground.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" Derek screamed.

"Derek, Derek please!"

"I'm done with you! I want you to leave!"

"Derek, come on!"

"I want you to leave! Tonight!" He dropped Peter on the ground again. "Leave!" Derek walked over to Braeden and took her hand and started to walk toward his car.

"Derek, Derek come on!" Peter pleaded as he started to crawl on the ground.

"I don't want you near me or her again. I don't want you in my flat, I don't want you anywhere near us!" Derek hissed and he opened the door for Braeden.

She looked down at Peter on the ground and shook her head. She really wanted Peter to accept her in a least some way, but this…this turned her stomach. He was the scum of the earth. So she spit in his direction before getting into the shiny black Camaro. Derek wasted no time getting in the driver's side and speeding off down the street.

Braeden looked over at Derek as he drove. He was visibly shaking as he gripped the stirring wheel.

"Pull over." Braeden said softly.

"Huh? Why?" Derek asked concentrating on the street.

"You're in no position to drive right now."

"I'm fine, Braeden."

"Derek. Please." Braeden said and Derek sighed and pulled over to the side of the street. They switched seats and Braeden put the car in gear as Derek put his head back on the seat and closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry." Derek said after a moment.

"It's not your fault."

"Yes it is."

"No it isn't." Braeden reassured him as she turned onto their street. "You did nothing wrong. We gave him chances and he abused it."

Derek shook his head but said nothing.

They pulled into the parking lot a moment later and headed up to Derek's flat. He unlocked the door and both of them felt a weight release from them. Derek headed to the shower while Braeden sat down on the sofa. She didn't bother turning on the lights, but instead just sat there staring at the blank TV trying to come down from the high of the night.

She wasn't sure when she closed her eyes but when she woke up Derek was sitting next to her. The TV was still off and the loft was silent.

"What time is it?" Braeden asked.

"Two A.M." Derek answered as he twiddled his thumbs.

"Oh…I'm going to take a shower." She said and got up. The shower wasn't as refreshing as she thought it was going to be, and when she got out Derek was still sitting in the living room in silence.

"Come on."

"Huh?"

"Let's go to bed." She said taking his hand. "I'm tired and I know you have to be too."

"Alright." Derek said and followed her into the bedroom. When they got into bed Derek wrapped his arms around Braeden's waist and held her close to him in the darkness as he breathed in her scent. Her wonderful scent relaxed him and he felt much better with her in his arms. His heart sped up a little as she twisted a little and rested her hand on his.

"Derek."

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

.

.

.

Thank you for reading!

We are coming in close to the ending of this story so please stick around!

What do you think will happen with Peter? What about Braeden and Derek?


	11. Chapter 11

Braeden sat on the edge of the bed looking out the large loft window as the sun started to rise. Derek was still asleep next to her and she wanted more than anything to wake him up to see the sunrise, but she knew he needed his sleep right now. If anything she needed him to sleep right now. Being the target for another attack was easy enough. She was, after all, an assassin. But still, knowing it was Peter and knowing he was capable of doing so was a little startling.

Derek stirred next to her, moving to his side and opening his eyes a moment later. "Hey." He smiled.

"Hey yourself." Braeden smiled back. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I should be asking you that." Derek said sitting up. He ran his hand through his dark hair.

Braeden shrugged. "I've been through worse."

"Right…your job."

She shrugged again and stood up. "So…what are we going to do today?"

"I don't know…I just kind of want to stay inside today."

"That does sound good."

"But I know I have to do something about him."

She shook her head. "Or you could just ignore him."

"Ignoring Peter is like ignoring a fire." Derek said swinging his legs over the bed to stand up and get dressed.

Braeden got up herself and headed in the kitchen to get herself something to drink. She settled on a glass of water and leaned on the counter to drink it as Derek came out of the bedroom yawning.

"So what are you going to do?"

"About Peter?"

Braeden nodded as she rolled the cup between her hands.

"I don't know. I don't want to talk to him right now but I can't let him be alone and start plotting more crazy…diluted things…" Derek rubbed his eyes as Braeden came over and wrapped her arms around him.

"You'll think of something. And if not move on. Let him burn in his own flames."

Derek looked down at her and grinned. He loved the way she always made things seem clear even when they weren't. She laughed and smiled even when everything seemed impossible. In that moment Derek leant down and kissed her on the cheek.

"I'm really glad you were after me."

Braeden grinned back. "I'm glad I was chasing you too."

A week went by after that and things seemed normal. Peter wasn't anywhere to be found and Derek's anxiety on the issue was beginning to fade. Braeden was still keeping her guard up nonetheless. She knew someone as crazy as Peter didn't just go away. Derek was right, he was after all a fire.

Braeden and Derek were out for the evening on Braeden's motorcycle. Usually she rode alone, but insisted that Derek get at least one turn on the bike just so he wouldn't ask her in the future to drive. She had her reasons.

They pulled into a parking lot after a full day of driving around the out skirts of Beacon Hills, taking in the scenery. Derek pulled off his helmet first and got off the bike followed by Braeden.

"Had fun?" She asked with a smile.

"It was pretty intense." He grinned back. "I kind of like it more than my Camaro but don't tell anyone that." Derek laughed.

"I won't. Scouts honor!" Braeden laughed just as a low whistle swept through the air. Both of them turned their attention to the other side of the parking lot and there leaning against a pillar was a familiar figure.

Peter.

Derek stepped forward, his eyes glowing, claws bared, ready to take on what every his uncle was going to give him.

"Easy." Peter said holding up his hands. "I come in peace."

"I told you to leave!" Derek hissed.

"Well…we all say crazy things in the heat of the moment." Peter grinned. He glanced at Braeden and nodded to her a greeting, which she ignored. "I just wanted to have a chat."

"We are chatting." Derek snapped.

"I just wanted to apologize."

Derek shook his head and laughed. "Yeah right."

"I'm 100% sure that this is a 100% apology. If you will allow me to…" He side stepped Derek to look at Braeden. "I'm completely indebt to you, and I would like to apologize…Braeden…for out rocky start."

"Apologize?" Braeden laughed. "You sent two Berserkers after me. You wanted me DEAD a week ago."

"I know…and…that was before I saw it."

"Saw what?" Derek interjected.

"Something in your eyes…maybe I'm old, but I saw it." Peter pointed to his own for effect.

"I don't get what you're saying." Braeden frowned.

"When you saved my life dear…Braeden I saw in your eyes something I haven't seen in many. Power. I've only seen that in a few people; raw and waiting to be released."

"I'm a hunter and proud of that. I was conditioned for power."

"Of course. But this is something different. Something special."

"I'm tired of this. Peter what are you trying to say?" Derek butted in again.

"I want to have you, not as a foe, but as an ally."

"Excuse me?" Braeden was caught off guard. "But for me to even consider myself an ally, friend, or whatever you want to call it I'd have to die first. Peter Hale you are nothing to me. You got that?"

Peter nodded slowly. "I understand. Really I do…I just hope in time you come around."

.

.

.

Thank you for reading!

Please comment and Review!

Until next time! XOXO


	12. Chapter 12

Peter watched from afar as Derek and Braeden got into the Camaro to leave. He wanted to speak to Braeden and understand her more. Maybe he'd seen her in the wrong light, and he was willing to forget his trespasses.

She had _saved_ him only a few days ago and now she was acting as if the issue hadn't happened. Even his own flesh and blood, Derek, didn't try to lift a finger to save him. He wanted him dead. He wanted him gone from the face of the earth. HIS LAST SURVIVING RELITIVE! He had to meet her again from a new angle and understand her.

But not only for saving his life.

He saw her for who she was. Powerful. And as an apex predictor he wanted that power. Unlike he who only controlled the Berserkers through magic, Braeden controlled them through strength and he wanted that. He wanted to hold that power in his hands, control it, meld it into his image and cast it down upon anyone who tried to cross him.

Power.

That's what he wanted.

Peter put his hand on this chin and stroked it gently as he watched the two of them pull out of the parking lot, but they stopped short at the exit and idled there for a moment. He waited until the driver's side window went down and Derek's sunglass shaded face poked out the window. They made eye contact and Peter knew he was waiting for him. Derek wasn't as absent minded as he thought he was.

The older man strolled over to the black car, an easy smile on his face as he leaned down into the driver's side window.

"My dear nephew."

"What do you want?" Derek snapped.

"I wanted to talk to the two of you."

Derek shook his head. "I told you to get out of town. I don't want you coming near me or Braeden."

"Derek, come on! What's one…little…fight to years of family connection?"

"Plenty." Derek hissed.

Peter craned his head into the car to look more at Braeden. "You possibly can't think I'm a horrible person through and through, do you _Braeden_?"

She looked up at him, expression cautions because Peter almost never said her name. It sounded foreign on his lips. "Whatever you have to say I don't want to hear it."

Peter shook his head. "Alright. I'll leave you two alone for now."

"How about leaving us alone forever?" Braeden snapped.

Derek started to roll up the window and Peter's face. The older man smiled at his nephew and even put up a hand as they drove to the street to whatever destination they were going today. He wasn't going to follow them. He had more important things to do. Like think about how to kill Braeden and take her power.

And he knew just were to get the spell from to do it.

The old house's addict.

The burnt carcass of the Hale house was not just a grim reminder of all that their family used to be turned to ash. It held a few more treasures besides the occasional diamond found on the floor of Talia's room. In the addict housed a few large tomes covered in ash and soot from the fire, but still all around eligible.

Peter found what he needed in a medium sized book on the self that housed them. It was the book of spells, passed down not through their family, but a friend's family of his dearly departed sister's. As he flipped through the book he came across the familiar spell. Called "Strength of the human" it was ineffective on the supernatural like himself, but as for humans, that was a different story.

The spell was said, then the energy from the human was transferred to an object. It usually caused the human some side effects, depression, doubt, death, but for whoever had the object and redirected the strength, it was a boost of unimaginable power.

He had in now, in his hands, the spell that would let him punish his nephew and get rid of…her…forever. It was great. It was perfect.

"And on the seventh day…" Peter mumbled to himself, "There was no rest."

Back at the apartment Braeden was taking a shower and Derek was watching TV on the sofa, his expression blank and his mind as well when there was knock at the door. He didn't want to answer it, afraid who he knew would be on the other side of the door. But reluctantly he stood and opened it.

Peter stood on the other side of the door with a grin on his lips, a dead stare in his eyes.

"What do you want?" Derek asked upset.

"I just came to chat."

"I told you I'm done chatting Peter. I'm done talking to you!"

"Spare me! Let me inside!" He said and pushed passed his nephew. "You haven't done much with the place in my absence."

"Peter!" Derek hissed and the older man turned to him and shrugged.

"So where is she? Where is…Braeden?"

Derek narrowed his eyes. "Taking a shower."

Peter nodded and sat down on the sofa in Derek's placed. He crossed his legs and looked around the room. Spotting a candle he picked it up and rolled it in his hands. "I haven't liked candles in a long time."

"It's a scented candle. She bought it."

Peter nodded as he observed the wick, which was burnt.

"So…" He looked over to Derek. "Tell me…have you two…"

"Peter." Derek seethed, "This is the last time I'm going to ask you to leave."

He shrugged. "I don't think I've done anything wrong!"

"I do." Braeden said finally coming out of the bedroom, dressed in black.

"AH!" Peter stood now and grinned at her, his hands spread. "There you are!"

"What do you want?" She asked, her face showing the same anger as Derek's.

"Just…wanted to know how you were…maybe we could chat?"

Braeden shook her head.

Peter nodded. "Fair enough…se te lum lupo da gee."

"What?" Braeden asked.

"De gee lupot gee de se tu."

"What are you saying Peter?" Derek started to walk up to Peter but the older dodged him and with the candle touched Braeden on the arm.

"Ouch!" She yelled pulling her arm away. She stared at the unlit candle as she rubbed her arm. "What the hell was th…" Her vision grew blurry and she fell to the ground.

"Braeden!" Derek yelled and he went to her aid.

"She'll be fine." Peter said looking down at the candle. "She's prefect."

"What did you do?" Derek looked up at him.

"Nothing. Nothing at all." He shrugged. "I just decided I'd borrow something from her."

"Borrow?"

"Like her power. Every human has it, some stronger than others, but hers…she was special. I can see why you liked her."

Derek rolled up his sleeves as he started to turn. "I'm going to give you to the count of three to give back whatever you took away!"

"Why? Why Derek? Why when I can make you and her pay for ALL of your MISTREATMENT!"

"YOU BASTARD!" Derek roared as he charged at Peter. He didn't have the power just yet, he just held it. He still had a chance to save his girlfriend!

.

.

.

Thank you for reading!

One more chapter and then we'll be done guys! I hope you're enjoying it so far!

Who do you think will win? Do you think Derek will save Braeden in time?


	13. Chapter 13

Derek chased Peter to the top of the staircase outside of the loft, but stopped short. He watched his uncle disappear down the street before he turned and hurried back into his loft. Braeden was still on the floor when he went to her and supported her head.

"Hey, Braeden, can you hear me? Braeden?" Derek asked lifting her up an carrying her to the sofa.

"Derek?" She asked weakly.

"I'm right here." He said as he carefully placed her down. "I'm going to call Scott and Stiles, okay?"

"Why?" She asked, her eyes growing heavy and closing.

"Braeden?"

"I'm here." She mumbled, opening her eyes slowly.

"They're going to stay here with you and I'm going to find Peter, okay?"

She nodded, her eyes falling close again. Derek watched her for a moment before picking up his phone and calling Scott. It wasn't a surprise when he heard Stiles asking who it was in the background.

"I need you at the loft, now." Derek said pacing the floor as he watched Braeden on the sofa.

"What's up?"

"Just get here and I'll explain everything later." Derek said and hung up. He went to the kitchen and filled a glass with water. He brought it over to Braeden and sat her up slightly. "Come on, drink this." Derek said softly.

"Derek?" She asked.

"Yeah, it's me, come on, drink." He said pressing the glass to her lips. He parted them barely, enough for a little water to get into her. Her head lolled to the side before he could get her to drink more. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough for now. He laid her back down softly and pressed a kiss to her head. He was nervous.

A few minutes passed before he heard knocking on his door. When he pulled it open Stiles and Scott were waiting for whatever Derek had to tell them.

"Peter took something from Braeden, I don't know what, maybe her life force?" Derek said as he let them in.

"Where is her now?" Scott asked.

"I don't know, but I need you two to stay her with Braeden while I'm looking for him. I don't want her getting any worse."

"Do we take her to a hospital if she does?" Stiles asked glancing at the sofa with hunter sleeping.

"No…no…we can't." Derek said shaking his head and crossing his arms.

"She is a human." Scott pointed out.

"NO HOSPITAL!" Derek barked.

"Alright! No hospital!" Stiles replied with his hands up.

Derek grabbed his jacket and slipped it on, he looked back at Braeden on more time before he was out the door and in his car. He headed toward the one place he knew Peter had a nasty habit of returning to all the time. The old house.

His car came to a stop right outside the ashen steps. He got out slowly and surveyed the area. He didn't want to take any stupid chances with Peter. He wanted him gone, and that met being careful. He was sly and clever and knew how to weasel his way out of anything if he tried hard enough. He was mental unstable.

Derek opened the front door slowly, Peter's scent was in the air. He headed up the stairs where it was stronger, but not quite the strongest. He looked around. Where was he? He checked the bedrooms that were still accessible, but stopped at the threshold of his mother's room. Despite living in this house for so long he rarely if ever went into her room. Passing through the door was like opening up a can of emotions he didn't want to deal with, but Peter's scent was the strongest here.

Turning the corner he noticed the small door on the side of the bedroom was open. The addict?

Derek careful slid through the door and up the creaky old steps, unsure, as he rounded the case before coming into the light of the addict. Peter was standing in the middle of the room. A grin on his face.

"I was hoping you'd find me, nephew." Peter said.

"Whatever you took Peter, give it back." Derek said drawing claws.

Peter shook his head. "This candle has the power of a human…the life force…something special." He picked it up. "Braeden has a very strong force. Stronger than most."

"Peter I'm not playing with you."

"I'm not either." Peter said as he raised it into the sunlight of the small opening in the room projecting light into the room. He began to chant words, but Derek was too fast and attacked Peter, knocking him to the ground with the candle. He went for his throat, biting and ripping with his teeth and claws. Peter fought back, snarls, kicks, scratches all aimed at his last bit of family.

"Derek!" Peter growled as he felt his nephew grip solidly around his neck. "Derek!" His voice came out gargled. Blood was starting to fill his mouth, but Derek kept his grip tight. He used his teeth around his adam's apple and his hands for the back of his neck where he was digging into his spine. Peter felt his feeling in his body start to fade. "Derek!" He screamed as much as he could, he hard as he tried.

Derek wasn't there at the moment, he was out of his mind for a moment, lost in the wolf, lost in protecting on the one good thing in his life. Peter wasn't going to get better, he was going to get worse until some else got hurt, and other, and other, on his self-serving quest to be the best Alpha that ever graced earth.

He had to end it.

Peter spat out Derek's name one more time before finally he heard the snap of bone and the rip and tare of flesh in his maw. He felt the warm dark liquid ooze down his mouth and check as he separated Peter's head from his body and flung it across the room in a hard heap on the other side of the room.

Derek rose, taking deep shaking breaths, as he looked around the room. He felt his mental state slowly return to him, felt the gross warmth cooling around his mouth, neck, and chest. He felt regret creep into his emotions, only to be followed by a vast wash of relief that outweighed it. The Hale house was a murder house. Full of mystery and regret. He needed to go.

Derek shook his head and headed back downstairs. In his old room where he use to stay a couple of years ago he found an old shirt. He pulled the one he was wearing off and wiped his mouth and neck off before pulling the clean one on over his head. He then went back into his mother's room and found inside on of her draws a book of matches. He ascended the stairs to the addict and diverted his eyes as he found the candle and the one book that was open on the side of the room. Tucking both under his arms he lit the match and dropped it on the floor of the room. It sparked fire instantly on the old, dry, brittle wood. Quickly, Derek hurried downstairs to the first floor and outside. He watched for a moment to make sure the fire had taken root, casing a cloud of dark smoke to rise from roof before the licks of flames started to spread.

Derek looked down for a moment, almost doing a silent prayer before getting into his car and speeding off to his loft.

No more Peter.

Back at his loft Scott and Stiles were trying to get Braeden to drink some water, but she was unresponsive.

"We thought she was dead." Stiles blurted out as Derek stepped through the front door.

"How is she?" Derek asked hurrying over and dropping the candle and book on the coffee table. He touched the side of her face, but she didn't respond.

"You smell like fire and blood." Scott pointed out.

Derek ignored him and turned to Stiles. "You, find a spell in that book to reverse this. Something with the power of humans?"

Stiles grabbed the book and began to scan though it.

"Derek?" Scott asked.

"What?"

"What did you do?"

"What I had to do." Derek replied coldly. He stood up and looked Scott in the eyes. "When you have something and you want to protect it you'll do the same too." Derek turned to Stiles. He was only on the first few pages. It was going to take a while. It was nerve wracking.

"Take a shower, we'll tell you when we find it." Scott said to Derek after a moment.

Derek looked over at Braeden. "I want to stay here."

"I don't think her first look at you should be you smelling of smoke and…" under closer looks from Scott, "…covered in blood."

Derek glanced at Stiles again, the teen still working hard, so he went to his bathroom to take a quick shower. He scrubbed his skin, washed his hair, and rinsed, got dressed, and was out in under 10 minutes. The scene hadn't changed.

"She's okay…as okay as she can be." Scott said watching Stiles.

"I…I think this is it." Stiles said standing up with the book. "But I can't read this language…it's not a human language…I mean it could be, I didn't study language per se, but-"

"Give it to me." Derek snatched the book from Stiles. "It's a Lycian language. It's written to Latin." Derek said as he scanned the text.

"Do you need the candle?" Stiles asked holding it up.

Derek took it and started to read. "Um da lya see da orian das gaa seeo. Pon so ga boo da ge thrd se ka…da rut ta." The candle started to glow slight, it was faint, to human eyes, but brighter to werewolves. He touched the side of the candle to Braeden's arm and she shifted, her body convulsing before she rested in place.

The three of them held their breath as Derek gently touched the side of her face. "Braeden?" He said gently and slowly, she opened her dark brown eyes. They weren't focused on anything for a moment, and then she shot up, and looked around the room cautions, as if in danger.

"You're okay! You're okay!" Derek said holding her still carefully.

She blinked her eyes a few times before recognition set it. "Derek?"

"Yeah, it's me." Derek grinned. "It's me."

"Where…oh…" She hugged him tightly, her head buried into the crook of his neck, breathing in his familiar scent. "You're okay?" She asked pulling back.

"I'm fine, what about you?"

"Prefect." She replied and looked at the two teenagers behind Derek who were awkward looking away, trying to give them some time. She looked back at Derek. "Where is Peter?"

"Don't worry about him."

"He could be anywhere."

"I know where he is and I know he won't be leaving that spot forever."

It took her a moment to understand. "Derek…you…"

"It had to be done. He was going to keep trying Braden, he was unstable, and you knew that. We both did. I was just trying to ignore it. Hoping he'd get better."

"He wasn't. You did the right thing."

Derek embraced Braeden as tightly as he could. "I know."

She kissed him. "We'll talk about this later." She whispered and stood up from the sofa finally.

"Scott, Stiles, I think I owe you two a thank you." Braeden smiled.

"It was mostly Derek." Stiles said rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah, honestly the guy loves you a lot." Scott laughed nervously.

"Still, thank you." She grinned.

"No problem." Both of the teens said.

"We should get going, we have a test tomorrow in econ." Scott said.

"See you two around!" Stiles said as they headed out the door. The two of them where alone now. Derek sat down on the sofa and laid back.

"Are you okay?" Braeden asked. "It's not easy…killing someone. Especially someone so close."

"I'm fine." Derek said casually as Braeden sat down next to him.

"At first I thought Stiles and Scott were just annoying little kids that kept you busy all the time."

"They are." Derek huffed.

"But after tonight I understand why you keep them around you, they are like a family to you, protecting you and each other…they are like pack."

Derek nodded. "I didn't see it coming until it happened."

They were quite for a moment. "Derek-"

"It was really hard." He finally said. "Really hard." She knew he was talking about Peter.

"He was your only family."

"I felt like I should have been the one to protect him…from himself and instead…I…"

"Sometimes it's what's best. He would have kept trying until he killed himself doing something stupid."

Derek nodded slowly. "When…it happened and his body was separated I felt disgusting. I didn't want to be the one to kill him."

"No one want to be the one. It gets easier…it's my job…" She laughed, but it was a sad truth. She was desensitized to death. "But being sanative to death is okay. It means you're human…or…werewolf."

Derek grinned at that. "I never really had to kill anyone…the fire really…messed with me."

"You lost everything."

"I was alone for a long time. I felt like it was my fault, like I didn't deserve to have relationships with people…then Stiles and Scott came along and changed everything. They…just forced their selves into the darkness around me. I don't think I would have had the strength to leave my house in daylight without them forcing themselves into my life. I felt like I would have lost myself to my wolf…I think that happened to Peter."

Braeden squeezed Derek's hand and rubbed his back.

"I'm actually glad they did to then."

Derek looked over at her.

"I probably would have taken the shot."

Derek laughed. Laughed harder than he had in while. Yeah, two stupid teenagers saved him…gave him a girlfriend. That was crazy…so crazy…yet…

Derek turned, his laughing settled, and he looked into Braeden's beautiful deep brown eyes. He could stare into them forever. "I love you, Braeden. I love you more than anything."

"I love you too Derek, more than anything."

They pressed their lips together, Derek wrapping his arms around her tightly so he would never have to let go. He wanted to hold onto her forever. She was good for him. She was his medicine. Without her he would have let his feels eat at him again, let his emotions get the best of him. Solving mysteries with Stiles and Scott was one thing, but having a constant in his life like Braeden made life seem brighter. It made life seem reachable.

.

.

.

The long awaited ending to Lone Wolf!

I hope all of you enjoyed it! I'm sorry it took so long to finished, but hopefully you can forgive me, haha!

Everyone's kind words and support made me go back to finish it!

Have a great week everyone! Thank You Again!


End file.

Teen Wolf, Hurt-Comfort, Romance