Hopelessly Devoted | Hale- TO/TW [6]

20 | In Your Head

Lexi wakes with a start, her breathing uneven. She sits straight up in bed, sweat beading her forehead. Her eyes flash red before they subside back to their normal blue.

She pants as her eyes roam the room.

She remembers nothing but darkness. Everything else is blurry and disorienting. She remembers some voices, a bloody heart, and Tristan's angry and scared expression.

The room itself calms her a little bit. The door is slightly open, letting Lexi feel like she has more air available to her. The window is open and the wind blows in.

That's when she notices the man.

He stands by the window, playing with the white drapes. He turns to her with a smirk on his lips. His hair is as black as her dreams. His eyes as dark as death. He stands with a certain confidence that lacks form. It's as if every calculated decision is just a second away from exploding.

But the thing is, she knows that face. She knows that scent. She knows those eyes.

"You're dead," she breathes, tapping Derek's shoulder. 


"He won't wake up." The man shrugs, pushing off the wall and walking towards them.

"Don't come any closer!" Lexi growls.

He ignores her.

"Now, Alexis," He shakes his head. "You can't control me. I'm as old as you."

"And a psychotic freak who feeds off pain," Lexi snaps.

He clicks his tongue, going to the foot of the bed. Derek shifts in his sleep and Lexi kicks him.

"I already told you," He jumps onto the bed, squatting in front of Lexi. "He won't wake up."

"What is this?" Lexi demands, her heart beat speeding up.

"Alexis, this is what most people call a dream."

"What the hell do you mean?" Lexi scoots back.

He stares at her for a moment before crawling forward. Her head hits the wall behind her and her eyes begin to dart around for an escape with Derek. The man just traces the side of her face, his eyes following his finger.

"I'm inside your head."

Lexi's entire body goes numb. There is no way he could be in her head, he was dead. Wasn't he?

"That was a bold move at the Nemeton," He smirks, his finger finding the bottom of her chin, picking it up slightly to expose her neck. "It didn't work if you're wondering."

"I have your power," Lexi growls.

"And me."

The first thing that sets Derek off was the tossing and turning. He turns around to face Lexi, whose hand promptly slaps his face. He lets out a grunt, moving her hand away and closing his eyes.

The whimpering comes next. Derek cracks his eyes open to see Lexi subconsciously turn her head to him. He sits up on his elbows instantly, holding her head in his hands. "Lex, wake up," he whispers, knowing that she is just having a nightmare. "Lexi?"

She wakes with a loud scream, her chest rising and falling erratically. Derek wraps his arms around her within the first second of her scream, quieting her down with soft words whispered in her ear.

Derek starts to rock back and forth, trying to soothe her. She starts to mumble jumbled up words, but only for a second. "He's still here," is among the words she tries to get out.