Nothing Personal

Madison was shell-shocked for the second time in her life. She finally pulled the headphones off her head and let them rest over her shoulder as she stared at her computer screen, flabbergasted. There was no video feed to be presented, just a small audio program hanging in the left hand corner of her Mac screen, with little static broadcasting onto her computer.

She cut off the audio feed and pulled down the lid of her computer, letting it sleep for the night. Immediately she pulled out her iPhone and dialed Tabitha.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

Violently, Tabitha jolted up, surprised by the sudden sound. She looked frantically everywhere for the source until her dazed eyes caught the light of her phone brightening a dark corner besides her. Tabitha painfully sat up in her, wincing as she was reminded the soreness of her back had yet to wear off. She reached over to her side table where her phone was. She swiped the device and made no hesitation to answer as her dazed eyes recognized Madison's face on the screen.

"Aubrey? What's the matter?" Tabitha asked. She wiped away the moisture that had condensed into a slimy substance along her eyes and blinked away the rest.

"I have a sister," Madison whispered.

"What?" Tabitha asked again, unsure she heard what she heard. "Repeat that."

"I have a sister," Madison said again, louder. Tabitha gaped at the news.

"What the..? How," Tabitha demanded. Clover perked her head from the corner, watching her owner attentively as Tabitha sprung out of bed.

Madison couldn't explain it, unable to believe her father would do that to her mother. It had to be a lie. It had to be! Her father was devoted family man! She remembered the loving looks he gave her mother, the passionate kisses, the warm embraces… she choked back a sob. Was it all a lie? No, he loved Aubrey…but could those displays of affection simply acts of redemption, to refuel his devotion to Aubrey after that heinous act of infidelity?

"My father had an affair with that bitch Kate," Madison let out, hissing most of it. Tabitha cringed at the sound of it. Tabitha let Madison continue to rant instead of interrupting, still skeptical of the news. "And she got pregnant. She shipped off my baby sister to France," Narbonne, Madison specified to herself. She had opened a window on Safari to research the historic city but didn't find much help, not with just a name. Joanna Barclay, Lucille Barclay, Florence Barclay, she searched anything but only found unrelated articles. "She didn't tell my dad because he had me already and she didn't want me in the picture. That's why she torched my house. She was a psychotic, jealous bitch who didn't accept rejection well."

"Wait, wait," Tabitha interjected, "hold on. I lost track. So she slept with your dad, didn't like he had a family already, before or after she got knocked up?"

"I don't know," Madison admitted, "after maybe?"

"Okay, well that doesn't need to be validated yet, so let's continue. Then in retaliation, four or so years later, killed your parents in a house fire. Why wait? What set her off? Why did Chris help?"

"I don't know what set her off but I do know Chris was lied to so he had no idea why he was really after my father." There had to be more, Madison was sure of, I mean, she already knew my dad had a family so why would she react four-to-five years later? Why the delay? No, it wasn't that simple. There had to be another factor.

But then again… she was a psychopath, and psychopaths can be undetected for years because they haven't "broke" yet. This scene at the grocery store, as stressful as the day was, it just couldn't have been the stressor. It seemed too light.

"Maddy?" Tabitha called out loudly for the sixth time. Madison jumped a little in her chair, snapping out of her train of thought.

"Sorry Tabs," she apologized quickly. "I was thinking and must have spaced out."

"About what," Tabitha asked.

"Just the circumstances… they seem to suspicious, too…random. I don't believe it so I'm going to do some further investigating."

Tabitha felt guilt drop into her stomach, making her queasy but she held it in. "Madison… I have something to tell you." She was scared of her Alpha's reaction when she tells her about her Uncle getting involved but realized she would find out sooner or later, better sooner so she could get it over with.

Madison raised a brow, suspicious and uneasy, but kept her voice even. "Yes?"

"My uncle… Victor…he's staying here with the family for a month" …or more, Tabitha added in her head, "he plans on doing a little investigating of his own on who killed Todd." And then deliver retribution, too, Tabitha thought with a grin, and I'll be more than happy to help.

Madison predicted that part, too, and growled. "Did you tell him who?"

Tabitha took in a deep breath. "Not yet," she honestly said but she planned to that morning as Victor had promised her some –one-on-one time after visiting the hospital. "I pick him up in…" she glanced at her clock, "in five hours at the airport."

"Don't," Madison demanded.

"I will," Tabitha disobeyed, determined. "This isn't just your family anymore, Maddy! They killed my brother, my innocent brother, and he will not be pushed aside as another unimportant casualty in your little plot. Me and my family plan on avenging him, understand?"

"Tabitha," Madison warned, standing up abruptly as her blood pressure rose.

"I'll compromise though because I know you want –and deserve –justice for your family, too. We will leave Chris to you, you can kill him anyways you want, even if he was the one who coordinated my brother's hit."

After I let him suffer for a while, Madison added to herself.

"If that's the case, we'll just go after his wife –since the daughter is yours, I know. We'll use the same tactic on them as they did onto us." Tabitha further explained.

"Fine," Madison complied, "as long as you keep it separate business from mine." And that was impossible because Madison is the one who brought this trouble onto Tabitha when she made her Beta. "I don't want you interfering with Allison or Chris. Victoria is all yours."

Tabitha nodded. "Only if she proved she was guilty or was aware of this. If not, I don't feel comfortable taking an innocent life." The more Tabitha thought about, the heavier her stomach felt. "I'm not like you Madison, I can't hit below the belt like you plan to. I can make threats about it but I can't follow through with them…it doesn't feel right." Tabitha sighed. "But," she continued "if they deserve it, you can bet I will make them pay fully for their crimes."

The tone of her voice changed dramatically as she pictured the scene, darker, wistful, and determined. It was enough to match Madison's voice.

A month later…

California had descended into fall. The breeze was colder, the streets were littered with dried leaved that crunched under feet, and night fell upon the northern half of the state much quicker than usual. People pulled out their parkas and jackets and kept them close as they stepped out of their car to wherever they planned. Pumpkins stared to pop up on porches and lawns as the 31st rounded the corner. Kids were giddy, pointing to the decorations for the flamboyant elderly couple or the "awesome" family who were secretly in competition to get the most trick-or-treaters.

This was the exact hype of giddiness Beatriz felt as she romped around on the street. She stared wide-eyed at the décor, pulling on Tabitha's sleeve, being reminded that Día de los Muertos was close too.

"¿Quién es?" Beatriz asked, pointing a life size inflation of Frankenstein. Tabitha glanced at it and shook her head. Beatriz pouted as she tried to think if it was possible anyone really looked like that. Before Tabitha could answer, a second voice beat her to it.

"That's Frankenstein," Erin replied for her older cousin. Unlike Beatriz, Erin was native to America and its culture. Beatriz had just been flown in from Puerto Cabella while Erin made the quick five hour flight from a small town outside Charleston. Erin was also four years older than the tiny six year old and had an arrogant I-know-it-all attitude that Tabitha shut down quickly with a harsh glare from behind. Erin rolled her baby blue eyes as Beatriz watched her curiously with her own set of wide, blackened pupils.

"Frank-en-st-ein?" Beatriz repeated, the name foreign to her.

"Yeah, you know, Frankenstein? The man made from body parts by an crazy scientist?" Erin elaborated, waving a hand as if it was obvious. Tabitha glared at her and stopped on the sidewalk, turning around completely to address her snotty cousin accordingly.

"In case you haven't forgotten, Ms. Know-it-All, Beatriz doesn't understand English." Tabitha pointed, narrowing her eyes. Beatriz shied away, not understanding her words but processing the tone of her voice as a bad one. She was glad it wasn't directed at her. Erin, on the other hand, simply raised a thin brow and shrugged.

"She should," Erin sassed back. Tabitha gritted her teeth but kept her hands to herself.

"She's only six!" Tabitha exasperated. "And she's from Latin America, Ms. Prissy. The offical language down there is either Spanish or Portugeese, not English," she demonstrated by holding up two of her fingers. "So no, she doesn't need to know English. Latin America was founded by the Spainards, not the English. ."

Erin rolled her eyes again and strolled back them. Tabitha fought to keep her temper under control, reminded by Beatriz who tugged on her sleeve once more. Tabitha sighed and kneeled down to pick her up, supporting her small weight in her protective grip. The child clung to Tabitha's Columbia jacket, gripping the soft outer fabric, as Tabitha soothed down the child's wild black curls with a tender hand.

"¿Por qué estás enojado?"(Why are you mad?) Beatriz meekly asked.

"Ella es muy arrogante." (She is very arrogant.)

"¿Que?" Beatriz trailed off, confused by the new word. Her vocabulary, even in Spanish, was limited.

"Rude," Tabitha substituted in English, using on the few words Beatriz comprehended. The child made an "ah," understand the situation better.

"Not like you," Tabitha continued to coo the whimsical child as she giggled endlessly even if she didn't understand it. She was able to process Tabitha's gleaming smile and ticklish fingers as a notion of genuine affection. She reached for Tabitha's sly fingers and entrapped them into her little palm before kissing the tips of her fingers.

"Tú es muy bien, niña bonita." (You are very good, pretty girl.)

It was a busy time for Tabitha. Both sides of her family had been flown in for the funeral services for her brother on the first of November, a strategic placement as Día de los Muertos was the following day to honor him appropriately for her Latin side of the family.

It was tough for everyone to get along. With the sudden tragedy, her parents had put up a front for both sides so everyone could see how well put together they were in difficult times, a front Tabitha sneered at but kept her feelings at bay.

Her Dad's side was ecstatic at the thought of Richard and Tori preserving the family instead of falling apart like they had predicted after Richard sent out the news of their separation. Her mom's side…well they thought it was a dumb display as they proved very vocal of their doubts for the couple.

They didn't like Richard. It was plain and simple. They loved Tabitha and her brothers but only to an extent when Tabitha witnessed for herself about much her uncles valued her white cousins over her and her brothers. That was fine and dandy for her. She could care less, really she could. She never really saw them anyways and when she did, it was her father who had made the first move to ship her and her brothers to NC, always on their terms instead of his.

She adored her relatives who insisted on calling her Marcia, or Trent Antonio, and Tom Tomas. That was her real family. The ones who would gladly spend their savings to fly over to California to stay for a month, not just for a few hours, and practically live with them and to take care of them like family should even if it wasn't asked of them. (Though, their intentions could be poised as debatable to Uncle Patrick and Nicholas "Nick." "They just want easy entry and live off of you like the rest of these God damn illegals do," Tabitha remembered distinctively from a few days ago spouting out of Nick's lips. He, of course, true to the Irish stereotype, was drunk off of his ass.)

Of course, then, following the clashed of culture, one from the conservative Roman Catholic strict tradition and another following the same religious structure but more "radical" traditions (according to the Eastern coast Reeds) the funeral was a furious subject for most, as her grandmother Ellis demanded it be a more solemn event, within St. John's Cathedral in Charleston of all places. Richard fought hard to make sure the funeral was accessible to all branches of the family and stayed firm on the goal to keep Todd's body within California borders.

It was only because Tori backed him up that Ellis lost that battle. Grudgingly she flew from her estate in the comfort of first class to the Cambria, California –outside Beacon Hills –and situated herself in the finest hotel fifteen minutes away as most of the Vasquez, Miranda, and Costa family had taken most of the space on the single story home.

Then, when it came to terms of the funeral arrangements, it was a full out brawl. First, it started as an agreement upon holding the service at St. Paul's Cathedral. It was a grand brownstone church with enough space to fit every inch of Richard's large family along with a few pews reserved for the Reeds. It was how the service would proceed that had everyone one end. Ellis was dominate in the argument, preaching her strict ways over everyone else, claiming a solemn service was better fit for the grim occasion but not everyone want to cry. As depressing at the event was, Uncle Victor had argued. Todd should be celebrated for the happy soul he was and so should we. We didn't want to cry every second of the wake.

Richard wanted a quick service. Ellis didn't want to leave until a satisfying 3 hours had passed.

Victor wanted to celebrate the Latin way, with bounties of food for the family, liquor for the adults, and games for the kids, a tiny taste of the Day of the Dead for them. Ellis was appalled and said this was "no laughing matter." Strict and unmoved, she wanted a quiet party at the Francis Hotel –a five star, $900 a night hotel –for a "modest" gathering, to invite her socialite friends to, because nothing below it settled. Voted 5 to 1, Ellis lost pretty quickly to the poorer population of the already struggling Miranda and Vasquez family, though the Costilla could afford it, they didn't support the feel of the idea.

Finally a compromise was reached just as the funeral day neared. Todd's body would remain intact and be presented in a closed casket at St. Paul's Cathedral for a traditional service. Tabitha wasn't looking forward to sitting down three hours straight but she was definitely excited about the mixer afterwards hosted at the ranch. There would be basic enchiladas and tacos, then spit pork in the backyard for the boys…well she couldn't remember much more but she knew all the wives would bring something from their recipe book and it was bound to be a buffet of mass proportion.

The kids could play in the yard, wearing their lively, colorful dresses–she was sure about it – after they'd change out of the grim black attire they'd be forced to wear because of Ellis. Tabitha scrunched her nose thinking about the atrocious outfit. It'd probably be the first time she'd be forced to wear such a grotesque color. Knowing Ellis, it'd be longer than the knees and at least be three of a quarter's length sleeve. Maybe even with lace. Tabitha shivered. Tabi hated Victorian clothing but Ellis despised straps, she was sure of it. She never saw one of the other grandkids wear straps or a low tank top, ever. Not even Tori wore that kind of stuff around the up-tight matriarch.

"Whoa watch out," someone shouted. Tabitha was snapped out of her thoughts and snapped her head to Erin who was backing away from a familiar figure. Tabitha narrowed her eyes at the dark haired boy and pulled the younger red head away from him and behind her protective stance.

"Scott," she greeted coldly. Beatriz looked at him strangely as she clutched Tabitha's tighter when she felt Tabitha hold her closer to body.

"Tabitha," Scott replied politely. His voice was soft and gentle, too sympathetic as he reminded himself of her recent loss. "I'm really sorry about your brother."

"Thanks," she dryly remarked. "Where's your sidekick, Stiles?" She asked, looking around.

"It's just me alone," Scott assured, lifting his hands in surrender.

"You're not following me," she accused with slit eyes. Scott shook his head.

"This is my neighborhood actually. I live a few blocks away," he explained, motioning behind him. She pursed her lips, suspicious but let it go. She nodded but kept her cousins close. "Who are these kids?" He tried to start a friendly conversation.

"I'm Erin Reed," the little red-head piped up. Tabitha suppressed a growl.

Beatriz looked at Scott some more for a moment before making a decision he looked like a good guy. Being friendly, she stretched out her hand like she seen the rest of the adults do and waited for Scott to shake it. Before he could Tabitha retracted it and held it in her own pal, glaring at Scott for even thinking about touching Beatriz.

"I don't mean any harm," Scott persisted. "So are these your cousins?" He guessed.

Erin nodded her head behind Tabitha. Tabitha shrugged.

"Soy Beatriz," Beatriz announced.

Scott's brows rose as he tried to figure out what she had meant. Tabitha rolled her eyes.

"She said her name is Beatriz. She wants to know your name, too." Tabitha translated.

"Uh, I'm Scott," he said. Beatriz gave him a weird look.

"She doesn't understand English. Here," Tabitha directed. "Say 'Soy,' it means 'I am'."

"Soy…" Scott trailed off.

"And then your name," she finished. "So, 'soy Scott' means I am Scott. Or" she continued, "Me llamo Scott. It means my name is Scott. Either will work."

"Thanks," Scott said sincerely. "Soy Scott," he repeated to Beatriz. She smiled.

"Hola Scott," she boasted.

"Hola Beatriz," he replied back before returning his gaze to Tabitha. His soft expression dropped to a serious one, alarming Tabitha. "Look…I have something really important to tell you. Have you heard of a Kanima?"

"A Kanima," she repeated to herself, scrunching her news in confusion. The term was foreign to her and she had no idea what it could ever be.

"I take it as a no. We didn't know what it was either," he excused. "Can we talk in private?" Scott motioned to Erin and Beatriz. "It's kind of private."

Tabitha immediately caught his drift as his eyes flashes from brown to gold but Erin's human eyes weren't able to catch it. Tabitha nodded, understanding the severity of the situation held up a finger to Scott, motioning for a second.

"I'll be back in a second. My car is across the street. Let me get these two strapped in and we can talk privately for a few minutes."

"A few minutes," Erin cried out. "I don't want to be stuck in a stuffy car for a few minutes!"

"What are you going to do about it?" Tabitha lipped back, glaring at her younger cousin.

"I'll tell mom!"

"Oh please," Tabitha waved off, not at all moved. "Your mom doesn't scare me. She can't do anything to me and you know it. I'm in charge of you so you're going to listen to me, now get your ass to the car, okay?"

Erin pouted, not having much power in the situation, something she wasn't used to it. The only child of Jacqueline "Jackie" and Patrick Reed, she was a self-proclaimed princess who always got her way. With the other side of the family, she received the rude awakening that it won't always be like that, especially with a hard-ass like Tabitha who didn't put up with that bullshit.

"Okay honey, get in the car," Tabitha directed, pointing to her square mid-size SUV parked on the curb. Erin ran towards it and pried open the passenger door, climbing onto the leather. "And don't leave any footprints on my seat either!" Tabitha warned, pushing off Erin's legs off the seat and repositioning her correctly, her feet dangling above the floor mat.

Tabitha slammed to do and moved to the next one, sliding Beatriz into her car seat behind Erin and clicked in her securely so she couldn't get loose. The six year old giggled senselessly as Tabitha made silly faces to keep the child preoccupied. Beatriz's eyes deterred from Tabitha to Scott who sneaked up behind her.

"Scott!" The child announced. Tabitha leered around and nearly socked the idiot teenager for sneaky up on her. He cried out as her hand barely skimmed his nose.

"Damn it Scott! Don't do that, ever," she warned, growling low as her natural instincts pushed out. She was defending the most vulnerable of her family and he was too close to comfort. Understanding this, he backed away back onto a lawn where he waited patiently for Tabitha to close the door and address him.

"Now what about a Kanima," she demanded, pulling him over to the sidewalk under the shade of an aged oak tree.

"It's a lizard creature with a poison on its claws that can paralyze you from the head down. It seeks a master…" Scott trailed off, his voice fading as he took in Tabitha's bored expression.

"And what does it have to do with me?" She demanded.

"It's Jackson," Scott explained. "He's the Kanima and the Hunters are out to kill him, Derek is out to kill him, and we can't do anything about it because he put a restraining order on us –Stiles and I –after we kept him contained in one of the prisoner carriers overnight for his safety and everyone else's."

"And…?" Tabitha continued, waving her hand. "What do you want me to do about it? Actually, why do you think I'd even want to help? It's not my problem." She insisted.

"Because," he pleaded, "I know you're a good person and there is no one else to go to. You are the only one left with a clear conscience and I need someone who isn't biased. Please, I'm begging you. I need your help to stop him before he kills anyone else."

"Why?" She exclaimed, throwing her hands up in surrender. "Why would I even consider helping you and possibly inject myself into another whirlwind of trouble that didn't concern me in the first place. How would it benefit me? Why should I put myself in danger?"

"Because we need you," Scott begged. "You can beat Jackson without killing him! You can subdue him! I don't want him to die which I know he will if Derek or any of the Argents ever come across him! Don't let him die Tabi!"

"First, don't call me that," she snapped at him. "It's Tabitha to you. You aren't allowed to use any of my nicknames. I don't like you enough for you to do that. Second, he's not my problem. Last time I checked, he's a douche and probably isn't much use to humanity. He'd probably better off dead than alive anyways." She shrugged it off.

"I'll do anything you want if you help me," Scott continued to beg, taking Tabitha's hand in his own. She saw true desperation in his deep brown orbs and she felt pity for the young man. "Anything," he insisted. Frowning, she retracted her hand.

"Fine," she grudgingly accepted, "but only because you got on my nerves and I'm doing this to shut you up. What do you need me to do?"

Madison had no clue Scott outreached to Tabitha as she paced around the old warehouse. Derek watched her from afar, learning his lesson a long time ago that she preferred if he kept his distance.

"So what are we going to do about Jackson?" Derek questioned. Madison nodded furiously as she bit away at her nails. Derek admired her from afar. Even under the dim shading of his modest abode, she looked glamorous. Her hair was pulled back into a long, curled pony tail that swished against the smooth fabric of her coat. Her legs were concealed with expensive designer jeans while she sported flat-footed knee high leather riding boots that had become her favorite pair.

"We need to eliminate him," Madison told. "He's a threat," she reasoned, gnawing away at her thumb but another threat itched at the back of her brain. "If Gerard is using him, it's an advantage we can't afford. We need to get him at his weakest."

"Gerard?" Derek asked incredulously.

"No dumbass," Madison snapped, "Jackson."

"I thought about it," Derek admitted, "getting to him at school but Scott is deadest on protecting him. I can't use him."

"Then use your bitch," Madison nodded, pertaining to Erica. "She doesn't mind doing your dirty work."

She paused for a moment and then turned to look Derek straight in the eyes. He felt a shiver climb up his spine as her grey-blue orbs pierced him.

"I want Jackson dead," Madison emphasized. Her voice was cold and uncaring but demanding. "Do it in any way possible. He needs to be out of the way. We can't afford to have any more complications. We need to have the upper hand and that's impossible if you're being distracted by lizard boy."

"How will we get away with that?"

"Leave that to me," she ensured with a grin. "You just get him out of the way and I'll make it look like another accident," no, she corrected to herself, she'll just frame the Argents to add another distraction onto their plate.

She looked so confident and so in control of the situation Derek was fascinated by her. How can she be so optimistic about the sudden change of events? Only a week ago they were planning on creating a mixer for her pack and his (minus Scott and Stiles) so Erica, Isaac, and Boyd would feel comfortable with Cecilia, Devon, Alex, and Lucas before they set plans down in stone.

Now with the Kanima in the loose and Scott more resilient than ever to protect him, Derek was at a crossroad.

Madison didn't seem all that flustered by the idea. She definitely liked the fact the odds were in her favor. With the opportunity present, she planned on taking advantage of the situation when she could. With a smug smile and mischievous eyes, she looked exquisite like a peacock with its feathers stroked.

Derek couldn't take it anymore. His insides aches and his felt his muscles tense to their limit. He sprung off the abandoned train car and towards Madison. She was surprised but stepped out of the way within a blink to escape his reach, snarling defensively. She crouched as her eyes brightened to a hellish red, glaring at him as she bore her fangs in mid transformation before she regained control and slipped back into her petite frame.

"What the hell was that?" She demanded, glaring at him.

As she looked into his eyes, she recognized a familiar glint in his light green eyes. "Derek," she warned him, trying to push past his primal instincts with a calm voice. "Remember when I said you can't kiss me? Remember! This is strictly platonic." The lustful glint remained in his eyes as he stepped forward. She stepped back to keep the space. "Derek," she pleaded.

He lunged and captured her in his arms. She turned her head so his lips skimmed her ear instead. She gulped as he smelled her hair, pushing his face into her golden strands to take in the sweet exotic small of her herbal shampoo and conditioner had left behind.

Madison's mind scrambled for ways to escape the situation. She knew immediately what was happening. It was something she feared since she aligned with Derek. With two Alphas from two different packs, one has to assert dominance over the other in the situation and while she tried to claim it, naturally the male will feel entitled, including claim over the female who is just as well qualified as he is. It was purely instinctual.

His lips skimmed down her neck, sucking on a spot near her collar bone. She didn't move as she tried to figure out if pushing him off would agitate him to the point where'd he get violent and she'd be forced to kill him or disable him but from what she'd seen from him, he wasn't a guy who gave up. She didn't want to jeopardize her plan by eliminating her key pawn in that way.

"You smell so good," Derek hummed, taking in her natural mango musk. His hands wandered down her small frame and held her waist firmly in place as he tugged her forward, molding their bodies together.

"Derek," she reminded him calmly but gasped when he nipped her delicate skin. Her eyes tinted red as her feral instincts pushed out, physically accepting Derek as a fit mating candidate but she fought those urges intensely as she brought up her hands to his chest to push him away.

"Derek," she cried more frantically as he held her tighter, gripping her skin painfully. She felt his claws extend and break through her fabric. She cringed as his claws gored into his hip. "Derek, please stop," she pleaded angrily. She tried to push against him one more time but he held on as he ascended her neck and back to her face, forcing her to stare into his cool green eyes. They were hypnotizing. "Derek," she pleaded. Her voice was barely above a whisper.

She was cut by his lips as he forcefully applied them on her own. He was aggressive as he grabbed the back of her neck to keep her face in place while he used his other arm to wrap around her waist. She fought it as much as she could. She whined and grunted as she wiggled endlessly in his arms.

She was torn. She didn't want to jeopardize her alliance with Derek but at the same time, she didn't want to submit to him. She knew she had to decide quickly as she felt him moved her body across the concrete and to his makeshift bed. She felt panic rush through her veins.

This was utterly new for her, not being in control. She felt his weight smother her as he climbed on top of her. She felt trapped in his arms. He wouldn't let her get away. She cried out.
"Derek, stop!" She yelled but no one was around. She screamed out again, louder. Her voice snapped him out of his trance and he furrowed his brows, looking down at her, wondering how the hell he had gotten into that position.

Taking the opportunity of his stunned paralysis, she scrambled away, pushing his arm aside as she slid onto the floor, desperate to get away.

She felt at her side, now aware of a burning sensation, and felt a soft liquid coat her fingers as her fingers needled through the tears of her shirt. She lifted it up her hand and immediately processed the sticky substance as blood. She looked up at Derek with angry red eyes.

Derek could only look down with confused eyes, not believing he did that. "Mads…" he trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"I'm not your God damn bitch," she exploded, standing up. Derek was concerned for her side, as the blood soiling the silk was too great for a simple wound. "I know exactly what happens when an Alpha male screws a female, especially an unmated Alpha female. I'm not letting you steal my position, my power," she shouted, pointing her finger. "I told you once that this is a strictly platonic but you and your stupid God damn male tendencies had to jeopardize that."

"That's not my intention at all," Derek insisted, climbing out of bed and stepping towards her but she held her hands up defensively.

"Don't bullshit with me, Derek," she snarled. "This is a warning," she held up her index finger. "Next time you kiss me, I will eliminate you."

"Mads," he objected but she waved him off as she hastily left the premises fuming. She fingered the hem of her shirt, cursing Derek as she remembered this was one of her favorite outfits from Marc Jacobs.

He cursed as well, growling at himself for letting his instincts take over. He plopped down on the bed and let his head drop into his hand. "Damn it," he snarled. He lifted his head to reveal worn eyes.

It was obvious he was attracted to the young, stunning blond and he let his urges get to him. His crotch was stuff thinking about her lean figure and the warmth of her flesh. He was so close but at the same time, that's not how he wanted the night the end or even start with. He drove her away.

"What's wrong hot shot?" Erica asked, leaning against the metal of the train car. Derek glared at her before looking back down into his open hands.

"Nothing," he replied but Erica could tell he was lying.

Erica was nothing like Madison. Her hair wasn't as light. Her face wasn't a natural –never needing to be caked with dramatic make up like Erica Reyes did. Erica didn't have that natural elegance or sleek figure like Madison did.

"Was it a girl?" Erica questioned, sniffing the air and recognizing the faint smell of exotic fruit. "Did you have a girl here?" Erica asked again more seriously, a twinge of jealousy in her voice.

Not just a girl, he answered in his head. Madison was clever, witty, sophisticated, intelligent, and his equal. He probably would never meet a girl like her. She was confident, secure, and self-reliant….

"Derek," Erica interrupted his thoughts, "who the hell was in here?"

"No one," Derek insisted. "And you better not tell anyone. Do you understand?"

Erica's brows knitted together but she slowly nodded her head in agreement. "I'm telling you this for your safety. If you tell anyone someone else was here, we're screwed. She'll kill us."

"She…" Erica doubted. She didn't think a girl was capable of hurting her, not with her newfound power, but the desperation in Derek's eyes concerned her and immediately the lightness in her voice dropped. "Why would she kill us?"

"Because she's not supposed to be here," Derek growled, "and the fact she's helping us, saving our asses from being hunted like dogs, is already stretching her patience. We can't question her and you go around asking questions." He grabbed Erica and shook her until the order sunk in.

"Okay," Erica complied. She gulped as Derek stared down at her with intense eyes. "Why would she help us though?"

"No questions," Derek repeated harshly before leaving, presumably after Madison.

Erica watched him leave with dazed eyes before breaking his orders and following him, a stupid decision on her part as she input herself in a vicious cycle. Her heels clicked on the concrete on her way out as she tried to navigate through the darkness. As she stepped outside, a blur of white flashed whizzed past her. She barely heard the purr of the engine of the smooth luxury car but watched its taillights take a left turn from the shadowed ally into the silent night. She turned her head in the other direction to find Derek's angry figure lurk in the opposite direction.

She knitted her brows together again as she tried to guess who this mystery woman might be. With only a scent and a slight idea what the car looked like, she locked in the details in her mind as she planned to further investigate.