That evening Scarlett was lying down on her couch, casually watching the TV without paying too much attention. From a ceramic cup she was sipping pig blood.
This brings back many memories, she thought, looking at the deep red, thick liquid.
That was what Talia had always wanted from her. Never feed on humans. Peter saw it in another way. Now, thanks to Derek, she could not hunt anyone. She had told him that she was behaving like Talia had asked of her. She could not risk him having any doubts.
Suddenly her phone went off and Scarlett reached out to turn down the volume of the TV, then she got up to reach the kitchen table where she had left her phone.
She wondered if it was Stiles. It happened sometimes that he would call her, to let her know what he had found about the Alpha, or sometimes they just talked about school. It was strange, when Lydia called her she would have stabbed herself with a stick, when Allison called she would have hung up the phone immediately, but if it was Stiles on the phone it felt different. He didn't bore her, he was nice. Very nice. She had never thought of a guy in that way before. When she had met Peter, there had not been this kind of phase. They mostly just fucked. And when she was left alone, she just fucked... and ate...
It was a strange kind of experience and she wasn't sure she did not like it. And she hated herself when she realized that she was hoping to read his name on the screen.
This fucking bond is fucking with my head, she thought, feeling the frustration in every fiber of her body.
"I told you you should text me," Scarlett said, her phone against her ear, as she moved to the window to try to be sure Derek was nowhere to be seen.
"I thought you would have liked to hear this news," Peter's voice came from the other side and Scarlett found herself frowning, waiting for him to speak again. "She is coming here, moonlight."
Scarlett's hold on the phone got tighter and her fangs popped out as a smirk appeared on her lips. "Kate Argent?" she asked, and when Peter confirmed, Scarlett could not stop herself from letting out a laugh. It was liberating; she finally had that bitch within her reach. Scarlett had dreamt of that day for a long time. To have her in her hands and make her suffer ten times worse than what she did to her family.
"We are going to kill her tonight!" she exclaimed through her hysteric laughter, that soon died out when Peter spoke again.
"You are not coming tonight, my love," he spoke, and instantly all those pleasant feelings that she had disappeared for the anger to take place.
"Don't you dare kill her without me, Peter!" she exclaimed at the phone. And her words were met with his low chuckle.
"I would never," he said. "I'll bring her to you, but Derek is hunting me close, and we do not want to spoil your position."
"My position will not matter once that bitch is dead," she argued with rage.
"You know I adore you, but I take the decisions here, and you follow," the last part he said using his Alpha's voice, and when she heard it she felt her body tremble and her eyes squint shut. It was like that voice entered inside her head and once it did, he got power over her. He was the Alpha of her pack, and she had to obey. She hated that feeling.
"Do you understand?" he asked again, using his most sweet voice. "Our job is far from over. You need to trust me."
The frustration she felt made her hands shake. "Do you understand, Scarlett?"
She closed her eyes again, biting her tongue knowing that she could not go against him. "Listen, do whatever the fuck you want," she exclaimed, "But bring her to me. I want vengeance too!"
"That's my girl." Scarlett groaned angrily, hanging up the phone and then throwing it away from her. Peter loved to be the dominant one, and in their relationship it had always been like that, she had always listened to him. But now it bothered her. She had dreamt of killing every single Argent that she could find, especially Kate Argent. He could not have all the fun.
The next day she arrived at school and her mood had slightly improved, since Peter's nurse had let her know that morning that Peter had not been able to catch her.
Scarlett smirked at the phone. You need me, fucker, she thought with a sense of victory. And strangely, for once, she did not care that he did not catch Kate Argent.
"Scarlett, hey, you're here!" Stiles' voice made her turn, to see that he was just getting out from his blue jeep. He seemed quite in a rush, but flushed as always.
"Hey," she said with a frown as she took off her motorcycle gloves. "You seem frustrated."
"Wait." He said, shaking his head lightly, "Do you feel it?"
"No need to," Scarlett said, tilting her head with a smirk, "What's gotten into you?"
"Alright," he said, holding tightly the strap of his backpack. "Do you remember when I told you I've got lots of questions?"
Scarlett nodded her head.
"Okay," he said, "You know a lot about..." then he looked around, before turning to her and whispering, "The hunters."
Scarlett observed him moving as he always did, and she could not help a genuine smile appear on her lips. He was rather cute, and when he acted like that, her wanting to bite him always came back. She felt really strange. Why did he make her smile like that? She was not used to it.
"But what do you know about the Hales?" That question froze her. Scarlett was hoping to keep that question away for as long as she could. But Derek's presence was like a time bomb and Stiles was not stupid at all. She needed to answer fast, she could not lie—not being entirely honest.
"You're asking because of Derek?"
Stiles' eyes widened, "So you know him!" he said in a loud voice.
Scarlett shrugged her shoulders, "Did I say I didn't?"
He shook his head, "You didn't say anything."
"Did you ask?" she asked with a smirk, and she saw him glare at her for the first time. It made her giggle, he was really cute.
"Ask away, then," she said, hanging her bag against her shoulder so that they both started to make their way towards school together.
"What do you know about Derek?" he asked as they walked side by side. What did she know about Derek, what should she say? Derek was going around Scott too much for him not to tell him what the Argents had done at some point. She didn't need to tell it all, but there was no reason to keep everything for herself.
"Many things," she said, looking at him, that frown in surprise, carefully listening to her words, "Do you remember that I told you I've never met my maker?" Stiles nodded. "They were the ones who found me and helped me."
Stiles' eyes widened, "You are a Hale?"
"No. Well... technically, I think," she answered, looking up at him. "They helped me with my change." He seemed to take in what she had just told him, but she didn't want him to ask anything else, so it was her time to ask a question. "But why are you interested in Derek, what did he do?"
"Me and Scott thought he was the Alpha," he explained, and she felt free to let out a laugh.
"Why are you laughing?" he asked curiously and with a hint of sassiness.
"Derek is not the Alpha," she said, before faking it to think it through, "I mean, maybe he has killed one, but in all honesty, I don't see Derek killing anyone."
"I believe he would kill with no hesitation," he argued with a little nervous chuckle. "That's the only thing that could make him an Alpha?"
Scarlett thought about what Peter had taught her about werewolves; killing an Alpha was the main way for werewolves to become the leader of a pack, and then there was the True Alpha—the only one that could become Alpha solely by rising purely through the strength of their character.
"There's another one," she answered. "It is rare, and anyhow, believe me, Derek won't be able to."
"So for you, he is not the Alpha," Stiles said, looking at her, as they stopped in front of each other in the middle of the alley.
"He's not an Alpha," she confirmed with a nod of her head.
"Completely sure," he said.
"A hundred percent." At her answer, he let out a frustrated groan, throwing his head back dramatically.
"Then who is he?!" he exclaimed in frustration, and Scarlett could only shrug her shoulders. She observed him think frenetically; she could see his mind running fast with thoughts and ideas. And she could feel his frustration rising, for not finding any answer. The frustration set in her stomach, she felt like having her insides full of ants running up and up. Her fingers tingled and she felt the urge to move her legs somehow, and she felt that soon she would not have been able to keep her fangs inside anymore.
"Alright, stop, stop!" she said, suddenly putting her hands on his shoulders. "You are very smart and stubborn, but if you keep feeling that, I'll take your frustration out on someone!" They looked at each other, their bodies were closer, and she could feel his blood run in her veins, and his heartbeat fasten like crazy. And yet again, that urge to bite him came back strongly.
This is getting out of hand, she thought, stepping away from him.
"Right," he said with a hint of embarrassment, "I'm sorry."
"It's alright," Scarlett said with her hands on her waist, shaking her head.
"See!" he exclaimed suddenly, making her almost jump. "It's all the Alpha's fault for this." She eyed him from the corner of her eyes at his words, "We are going to find him!"
Scarlett turned to him, "We?" she asked. She was surprised to see the pieces of her plan coming together. Though she thought it would taste somehow sweeter.
"You know a lot of things," Stiles said, looking at her with big honey-brown eyes, "Scott and I would really need your help in this."
Scarlett observed his features; she could see that it was very important to him. Scott was really important to him. For how she had behaved until that moment with them, she could not refuse his asking for help.
"Alright," she said.
"Thank you!" A goofy grin appeared on his face as he thanked her, and she could feel all of his excitement. His reaction made her let out a little smile once again.
"What can I do?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"After school," he said, "We could go somewhere to do some research, do some brainstorming."
A smirk appeared on her face at his idea, "So, you're asking me out?"
Stiles' mouth got wider, and the blush flushed on his cheeks, "What? No! No, no." He said, shaking his head. He was so flustered that it made her smirk grow larger. It was very entertaining to see him behave like that.
"Oh..." she said, faking disappointment, starting to walk again, "So, you just want to hang out with me." And she hid a smirk when she heard Stiles following her.
"No, no!" he exclaimed, "I want to ask you out. I really, really want to ask you out. I don't understand why you want me to ask you out. Usually girls like you don't want me to ask them out—"
His rant was stopped by her genuine laughter.
"You're laughing?" he asked, slightly panicked, "It's because I'm right, right?"
She took a breath to calm her laughter down before turning to him. "I'm laughing because I've never met someone like you before," she said, looking at him. She could feel his confusion, and his cheeks tint themselves again, sweetly red.
"Is it a good thing, or a bad thing?" he asked, the confusion clear in his tone. She observed his features; it was becoming a kind of habit on her part.
"Let's figure it out this afternoon," she answered, reaching out to touch his arm. "I'll see you later, Stiles."
Scarlett walked through the corridors, the smile didn't want to leave. And she realized it after some time. Why was she playing with him that much?
Because I find it funny, she would answer to herself. But it felt like a different kind of game—the one she was playing. She had his trust, so she was acting on that. Maybe...
Of course you're doing that, she reproved herself. What else would you be doing, otherwise?
Surely, having a guy so smart like Stiles focused on her only as a crush would keep him busy investigating or questioning her behaviours.
That's why you are doing it, she said to herself. To keep him busy. To know what he and Scott are doing.
And she liked to flirt, she always did. It was the only way she knew how to get a guy's attention; flirting and sex. That was the reason why she flirted that much with Stiles.
She did not realize that she had been thinking about him for all the first two periods. And what took her attention was a very appealing smell that made her immediately look at the door. Her fangs wanted to show—as strong as it happened only when she smelled the blood of a werewolf. As the bell rang, she let her legs bring her where her hunger was taking her.
Werewolf blood was like an addiction, and vampire blood became alive with the flame of hunger. She walked through the alleys, avoiding the students, focused only on finding that werewolf.
Then suddenly, Scarlett felt another scent. It was different, and she was sure she knew it, but she could not quite place where she had already smelled it. What was even more strange was that her body did not feel the need to move anymore.
What is happening? she thought in confusion.
That had never happened—if she let her hunger take over, she would have gone along with it. Her body never stopped, and not for another smell.
What smell was that? she asked, totally lost. Then suddenly a loud voice took her away from her own thoughts.
"Scarlett, here you are!" Lydia's voice came as piercing as ever. "We hadn't seen you this morning."
Her voice always gave her a headache. "Yeah, yeah... I was umm—late," then she turned towards Lydia, noticing that Allison was with her, "Yeah, I was late." She repeated, forcing a smile.
"Are you okay?" Allison asked with a hint of worry. "You seem a bit pale."
Scarlett had to keep in a laugh at that, and she managed to only nod her head. "I'm perfectly fine," then she quickly changed the subject. "What are you two up to?"
"Guess what?" Lydia said, with not that much of enthusiasm, "Scott is going to Allison's house today."
Scarlett sensed that there was some kind of meaning, but she was a bit too shaken up to try and figure it out, so she decided to play it safe. "Oh, really?" she asked.
"We are just studying together," Allison answered. She was starting to get nervous. Scarlett frowned; there was no way that girl could be a huntress.
Lydia rolled her eyes, "Just studying never ends with just studying. It's like getting into a hot tub." Scarlett and Allison shared a glare, before the vampire found herself shrugging her shoulders. She had no idea what Lydia was talking about.
"Come on," Lydia exclaimed, "Somebody eventually cops a feel."
"So what are you saying?" Allison asked, still confused.
Lydia stopped in her tracks to turn and look at Allison. "I'm just saying, you know, make sure he covers up." Scarlett really didn't want to talk about Scott and Allison having sex in that moment. She already had a lot of things on her mind. That strange smell, and the werewolf blood.
Now that she came to think of it, whose blood was that werewolf blood? Was it Scott's?
No, it was not possible. Stiles would have surely freaked out if his friend had been wounded. Then who? Was there another werewolf? But that too was not an option—she would know if there was someone else.
"Scarlett!" Lydia's voice once again took back her attention.
"What?" Scarlett asked in confusion, trying not to snap at the girl.
"What's gotten into you today?" Lydia asked with a frown, "You weren't listening?"
She had to find something to change the subject. So, Scarlett let out a little laugh, "I'm sorry," she said, "Just, I'm seeing Stiles this afternoon."
Scarlett noticed Allison's lips turn up into a smile, while Lydia's eyes grew larger. "You too? Just studying?"
The vampire shrugged her shoulders. Her answer made Lydia look at her, almost shocked. "You thought that just study meant just study too?"
Scarlett frowned at her, "Usually I get what I want, I don't need a code for that."
"But isn't it too fast?" Allison asked, looking between them, "I mean, after just one date?"
"Don't be a total prude!" Lydia said to her, "Give him just a taste."
Scarlett let out a little laugh, "I think you rather do it, or you don't." Allison looked at them, still in confusion.
"Why?" she asked, "How much is a little taste?"
Scarlett looked at the Argent girl. Her demeanor was so shy, with her arms crossed over her chest, afraid that someone would hear what they were saying.
"Oh, God, you really like him, don't you?" Lydia asked almost sweetly.
"He is just different." Allison's words got Scarlett's attention. Different. That was something that lately she had been feeling too. She felt different, and different things altogether. Allison seemed happy about it, but Scarlett really didn't. She had liked how she was and the thoughts she had. Now she just felt confused.
"I don't know," Allison said, "I can't explain it."
Scarlett frowned at her—so sentimental for a huntress.
"I can," Lydia said in a serious tone, "It's your brain flooding with phenylethylamine."
Scarlett let out a laugh, "That's how you turn Jackson on?" She hadn't been able to stop herself. And her words surprised Lydia, who looked at her for a moment.
"I didn't take you for the romantic type," she said, and Scarlett shrugged her shoulders once again.
"I'm not," she answered with honesty, "For me it has always been sex material, no sex material."
Lydia squinted her eyes at her, "And what is Stiles?" Her question took Scarlett off guard. What did she want? Why was she bringing up Stiles? That was Allison's problem, not hers.
"As you said, he either is or he isn't?" That was true. She had always thought like that.
Peter? Since she had met him the first time, he had been sex material. Derek? Not really her type. All the guys she had had sex with and then eaten? Totally sex material.
But why was she not able to be so straightforward with Stiles? He was totally sex material, but...
"You don't know," Lydia said with a huge grin.
"So maybe," Allison spoke, "He is kind of different."
Lydia grinned, "And maybe," she said, "You are kind of romantic."
Scarlett was hating that day with every fiber of her being. What the hell was happening to her? Feeling cornered by two little girls. She had not been so confused about who she was and her reaction since she had woken from the dead and dug her way through the surface. Every part of her felt different at that time, and she still remembered all the time that it took her to get a grip of herself. Scarlett had not liked to feel confused then. And she really didn't now.
Stiles Stilinski was not different, by any means, and if she wanted to fuck him or kill him, she would have done it with no hesitation. And she did not care about anything but avenging her family, and then she would go back to her life by herself, hunting men, like the vampire that she was.
When she finally reached the end of that day of school, Scarlett stubbornly waited for Stiles at the entrance of the school. She was not going to be strange for the entirety of the day. She had to keep focused. She still had all her web of lies to keep together.
"Hey, you here," Stiles said, getting out of school.
"And you here," she answered, showing her best smile, trying to push to the back of her head all those strange conversations with Lydia and Allison.
"Do you want me to give you a ride?" he asked, showing her his goofy smile. And her want to bite him came back again.
I'm sick and tired of all of this, she screamed in her head.
"Only if you give me a ride back to my motorcycle later," she said, showing her white teeth. But she saw his gaze change a little, and she could feel something like concern coming from him.
"Are you okay?" Scarlett could not help but widen her eyes. How did he figure it out?
But she didn't let herself be dragged by those thoughts, as she answered, "Tough day," she said with a polite tone. "Take me away from here and I'll feel better."
Stiles nodded his head with a blush, "Come on."
Scarlett gave him one last smile before following through the parking lot, trying to keep back her usual composure. He opened the jeep with the key, and Scarlett was quick to climb up.
"Alright, let's go," he said, turning on the engine.
"Where are we going?" she asked as he started to drive.
"Well, I was thinking—Oh my God!" He abruptly hit the brakes, and Scarlett had moved just in time so that she wouldn't hit her face on the front of the car. But from the surprise, her fangs had popped out.
"Are you alright?!" she heard Stiles ask, and Scarlett nodded her head.
"The fuck just happened?" she said, covering her mouth so that nobody could see her fangs. She then looked up and almost groaned when she noticed Derek. But then she frowned when she noticed his pale skin and his devastated look. And before she knew it, he had fallen down on the ground. The blood that she had sensed before was his...
"You gotta be kidding me, this guy is everywhere," she heard Stiles say, but what had her total attention was the fact that she was not going crazy over his blood, and she wasn't because she again picked up that strange calming smell from before. And her eyes widened when she understood that that smell was actually Stiles. Her wide eyes followed him as he opened the door to go to Derek.
What is this? she asked herself in confusion. Nothing was better than werewolf's blood. Why was she more fixed on Stiles', and why was she not losing control?
Sounds of claxons took her out of her thoughts, as she noticed that Scott was now in front of Derek too. She could not stay in the car. And anyhow, why was Derek wounded?
"What the hell? What are you doing here?" she heard as she got out of the car.
"I was shot," Derek answered, his breath labored. It was clear he was in great pain.
"He's not looking so good, dude," Stiles said, and Scarlett found herself eyeing him. Why was she only feeling his scent? Why did it have an effect on her?
"Why aren't you healing?" The puppy had asked a good question, indeed. A shot wound should have healed in a few minutes. Why did he look like he was dying?
"I can't," Derek said after taking a heavy breath. "It was a different kind of bullet."
Scarlett frowned, "What kind of bullet?"
"A silver bullet?" Stiles asked, almost excited.
"No, you idiot," Derek argued, doing the best he could to glare at Stiles. Always a lovely character, Derek Hale.
"Wait," Scott said suddenly, "That's what she meant when she said you had 48 hours."
She.
Scarlett felt a shiver running up her spine. She knew who the pup was talking about. There was no reason to ask anything. The night before, Kate Argent had arrived in town, and now Derek seemed more dead than alive.
That fucking bitch, she thought with gritted teeth.
"Who said 48 hours?" Derek asked. He seemed to get weaker by the minute.
"The one who shot you," the pup's answer almost made her roll her eyes. But nobody had the time to say anything because Derek's electric blue werewolf eyes glowed as he groaned in pain.
"What are you doing?" Scott exclaimed.
"Derek, stop that! Fuck!" Scarlett immediately looked around to be sure that there was no student near enough to see his eyes.
"That's what I'm trying to tell you—I can't!" he argued, his eyes kept glowing. He was groaning badly. Would he be able to turn and lose control?
The sounds of the claxons from the other cars became louder and louder. People would be gathering soon.
"This is a fucking nightmare," Scarlett cursed, hating that day more and more. And with a last groan, she made a few steps to start to help that stupid werewolf up. Her hands took him by the arm, as Scott took him by the other.
"Help us put him in the car," Scott said to Stiles, who ran to open the door of his jeep. Scott and Scarlett pushed Derek until he was set on the front seat of the car. As she made space for Scott, so that he could close the door, Stiles and Scarlett looked at each other. She could feel his confusion and annoyance.
"I need you to find out what kind of bullet they used," Derek said to Scott. He was truly dying; he had never been that apologetic when making a request.
"How the hell am I supposed to do that?" Scott asked. He was clearly stressed out.
"She's an Argent. She is with them," she heard Derek say.
"You're going to her house, right?" she asked Scott as she moved to the other side of the jeep. "Use the time wisely."
Scott didn't seem happy with her words, "Why should I do that?"
"Because you need me," she heard Derek answer as she climbed in the back of the jeep.
"Fine," Scott decided in the end, "I'll try."
Only in that moment did Derek notice her sitting in the back. "You can't come with us. Not with me wounded." Her eyes went to Stiles as he sat down, ready to turn on the car.
"Believe me, you are not that appealing," she said in a flat tone.
"Get him out of here," Scott said to Stiles, who glared at his best friend.
"I hate you for this so much!" he exclaimed, then he quickly hit the gas on his jeep so they could hit the road.