Scott, Stiles, Lydia, and Derek find themselves in front of Scott's house. Night covers the sky as a younger version of Derek waits before the house with his hands in his pockets besides a very alive Boyd; crashes echo from the house.
"What is going on?" Lydia asks as she looks at the boys. "I remember this—I was scared out of my mind."
"Derek was trying to kill you," Stiles replies as he looks at the werewolf. "We were stopping him because he's an asshole."
Derek clenches his jaw. "I thought you were the kanima," he mumbles. "Excuse me for wanting to protect my pack."
"By killing a teenage girl," Scott says.
Lydia narrows her eyes at the older werewolf. "You're lucky you're stronger than me."
As the door to the house opens, the pack goes quiet as two bodies are thrown from within. Isaac and Erica land before Derek's feet. The Alpha sighs as Scott, Stiles, and Allison step out of the house. "I think I'm finally getting why you keep refusing me, Scott," Derek says. "You're not an Omega. You're already an Alpha of your own pack. But you know you can't beat me."
"I can't," Scott agrees. "But I can hold you off until she gets here."
Derek frowns but his unasked question is answered within seconds.
"What did I tell you?!"
Derek tenses as he glances down the road. Lexi stomps up to the house, positioning herself in front of Derek. Narrowing her eyes, she shakes with fury. "You're an idiot, Derek."
"I have to do this," he replies. "She failed the test—"
"So did I." She glances around the house, her eyes rapidly moving to each source of light. "You want to kill someone, kill me. Leave the girl alone. No one else needs to die because of a bite."
If he were watching more closely, he would have noticed how much her statement had affected her; instead, Derek looks to the ground, feeling as if he had been punched in the gut.
She glances around again. "If you knew what you were doing—if you had asked me what to do—none of this would be happening. Derek, the kanima is a creature who comes about because of something in its past. Something that has scarred them so deeply, they are forever damaged. It's not Lydia—a poor girl who doesn't deserve this bullshit. It's not me—I may be damaged, but I'm not a lizard. You know who it is."
His expression softens when he meets her gaze. "Tell me," he says.
"I won't let you hurt another kid."
If the words had an effect on him, he doesn't show it. Instead, he narrows his eyes at her. "Why are you scared?" He asks, following her gaze behind him.
"I'm not."
Her heart skips a beat.
Hissing draws everyone's attention; the kanima shrieks before running off into the night. When Lexi sees the soulless yellow eyes, she drops down beside Isaac and Erica, hauling Erica over her shoulder as she motions for Boyd's help. "We gotta get them out of here," she says.
Lexi glances back as Lydia stomps out of the house with tears stained her face. "Would someone please tell me what the hell is going on?"
Lexi meets Scott's gaze. His eyes widen in realization. She sticks a finger up to quiet him before she hands Boyd Erica's paralyzed body. "Get them somewhere safe," she says.
"Why do you sound like you're not included in that group?" Derek asks with a hint of anger in his voice.
She glances down at his knee. "I'm really sorry about this," she replies before she slams her foot into his leg. He shouts as the bone cracks, and he falls to the ground; Lexi removes her heels and hands them to a shocked Boyd. "But it's not your job."
She takes off running.
The wind in her hair calms her racing heart enough to ignore every shadow she comes across. Instead of fearing every dark corner of the suspicious alley, Lexi lets her blue eyes shine under the stars as she follows the kanima's hissing to the business district of Beacon Hills.
Coming upon a fence, Lexi does not stop as she grabs the top, swinging her body over it. When she lands in a squat, she lets her hair cover her face; she almost shifts.
Slowing her pace as the hissing ceases, she looks around the concrete structure around her, almost like an unfinished parking garage. Then, she hears the kanima drop down behind her. A smirk spreads over her lips.
As it swings, she bends her back, narrowly avoiding the dripping claws. She takes ahold of its arm and swings it forward; its body cracks the concrete as she jumps. Her foot collides with its face enough to send it to the ground.
Lexi frowns when she hears the footsteps. It gives the kanima enough time to kick its leg out. She loses her balance and tumbles forward, her head smashing into the concrete.
By the time the dark spots in her vision disappear, she feels her hands pinned beside her head as she stares into Jackson's reptilian eyes. "I know you're in there," she grunts without fighting. "Come on!"
"Hey!" Derek's voice echoes off the walls.
"Damn it," Lexi whispers to herself as the kanima launches itself off of her and towards Derek. She pushes herself up as speeding tires echo in her mind. "Watch out!" She yells.
The kanima climbs up the concrete molding to the electrical box hidden in the ceiling. Lexi stumbles over to Derek, wrapping her arms around his torso and pulling him behind the nearest pillar as sparks fly from the sliced wires.
Throwing Derek to the ground, she rolls to the next pillar, pressing her back against the concrete. She places a shaky finger against her lips as headlights outline the kanima. Ten shots go off; Lexi purses her lips as she tucks her legs under her body.
Ten seconds of silence pass.
Then the kanima begins to hiss once more. Lexi gasps when she feels a body hit the pillar she leans against—she throws a hand over her mouth.
A few more moments pass before the hissing quiets with distance.
"You ok?" Gerard's voice echoes through the structure.
Lexi bites down on her lip as his footsteps get closer. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Derek slowly getting into a defensive stance, his eyes flickering between her and the light behind her.
She shakes her head. "Go," she whispers. "I'll be fine."
He rolls his eyes. "No way in hell," he mutters to himself.
"I'm fine," Chris replies with a groan.
"This is the first time both of them have been seen in public together," Gerard says, his voice rough.
"If you want the Original Alpha so bad, why don't you get Adams at school?" Chris asks, Their footsteps get further away. "Why play this ridiculous waiting game?"
"She's smart, I'll give her that," Gerard replies. "Other than Isaac Lahey, she's our only tie to Derek Hale. And just like tonight, she'll lead us to the rest of the pack, starting with the Alpha."
Lexi pushes herself closer to the wall.
"But you don't care about Derek, not like I do."
Gerard chuckles—a sound that sends shivers down her spine. "No, I don't. Because he and Peter Hale were pawns in her game. I know how the Original Alpha works."
She can imagine Chris shaking his head. "You know who it is?"
"Of course, I do."
"Then why do we need Lexi Adams?"
"All in due time."
Lexi does not move until the car with the Argents inside are gone. The moment the sound of the tires fades, she jumps to her feet with fury on her face as she faces Derek. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" She yells. "They could've killed you!"
"Oh, you want to play that card?" He replies with an arched eyebrow. "Gerard is after you."
"Chris is after you!" Lexi runs a hand through her hair. "I won't be what gets you killed, Derek. You can't keep doing this!"
He shakes his head. "No, you know what? Give me one good reason. You have been lying to me this entire time—"
"I have never lied!" Lexi shouts.
"You haven't been telling me the truth either!" He throws his hands up in the air as he towers over her. "I am trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, but I can't keep doing that, Lexi."
She clenches her hands into fists. "Gerard is already using me to get to you." She flinches when her voice breaks. "I can't tell you much. Don't you get it? He will use you to get the Original Alpha. She may be strong, but she has weaknesses."
"Like what?"
Like you.
"Like her pack," Lexi replies. "I'm all that's left."
She takes a step away from him as she averts her gaze. "We can't see each other anymore. We can't talk—we can't randomly show up in the same place at the same time. Gerard is watching, and he will hurt you because of me. I'm sorry."
She turns her back. She sighs when she hears him walk away. To distract her, her phone begins to vibrate in her pocket.
"Oh, so now you deign to call me back?"
"What is this about Mikael?" Klaus demands.
"Not over the phone," Lexi replies as she glances around. "Where are you?"
He sighs. "Not how this works, sister."
"I'm the one who can get across the country in a minute. Where are you?"
"Portland."
Lexi closes her eyes and runs a hand down her face. "Fine. Pick a place. I'll be there tomorrow night at 10, ok? For now, we keep this between us—Rebekah does not need to know."
Klaus chuckles. "You two on the outs? Who knew it'd be me you'd call?"
"All my other brothers are in boxes," she snaps. "Besides, Mikael didn't torment them as he did you. I'll see you tomorrow."
I like this mini-breakup. So much emotional weight...
Hope you enjoyed!
-L