This Isn't The End {Stiles Stilinski}[1]

The Art of Understanding

Chapter 14: Night School pt. 3/The Art of Understanding

~Derek's POV~

My eyesight was becoming blurrier the further I drove, causing me to pull over on the side of the road. Realizing I was going to have to walk, I grumbled under my breath before reaching over and opening the car door.

Keeping my left arm wrapped tightly around my waist, I pulled myself up and out of the vehicle with a grunt, slamming the door shut behind me. Leaning against the Camaro, I took a moment to clear my vision before I started off towards the woods.

I needed to get to my house. I needed to heal or I was going to die.

I didn't particularly want to die.

Struggling and stumbling forward, I almost fell a few times but managed to right myself. Continuing on my path, I made it to a street-side corner before realizing the flaw in my plan.

I couldn't protect myself.

Just like I told Stiles when I'd been shot, it would be idiotic for me to go to the house when I couldn't protect myself.

Sighing, I leaned up against a tree as I tried to think of what I could do. Where I could go.

Looking across the street, I noticed a slightly familiar person walking out of the store, carrying a bag. Although the figure was blurry, I soon realized it was Rae.

God, she's almost as bad as Stilinski.

My head dropped in befuddlement as I tried to figure out what to do.

On one hand, I didn't even know if the girl knew what was going on. And she was infuriating to be around.

On the other, I needed help and I needed somewhere to go.

Mulling over my options for a moment, I decided that after the night she'd had, she most likely knew something at least, and that not dying was worth having to deal with her.

Stumbling across the road, I narrowly avoided being hit by a car as I made my way towards her. Trying to hurry so she didn't leave before I could get there, I struggled to the passenger side of her car and threw myself in before she could back up.

Closing my eyes in exhaustion, I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding as I let my head fall back.

"Holy shit, Derek you're alive!" At the exclamation, I raised a brow but stayed otherwise still.

"I'm aware. Can we move now?" Trying to shift myself into a more comfortable position, I groaned as searing pain tore through my abdomen.

"Oh my god. Okay." I was mildly aware of the body that had reached over mine, carefully clicking my seatbelt into place before the car started moving backward. "Why didn't you go to Scott?"

"Well, I was planning on going to my house, but realized that wasn't a good idea. You just happened to be across the street." I told her, keeping my eyes shut as I tried to not get sick from the movement.

"Why can't you go to your house?" She questioned, making me grumble at how alike her and the Stilinski boy were.

And just like then, I gave her the same answer. "Because I can't protect myself."

"Protect yourself? Against who? The Alpha?" I guess she did know something. I found myself growing slightly less annoyed by her presence at hearing the innocence in her voice.

She sounded like Paige.

"Partially. But also from the hunters." I told her, figuring that she didn't know about her friend's family's nightly activities.