Instinct || Derek Hale.

ten.

Warnings: Strong language, mentions of blood, cheating (I don't condone this, peeps!)

***

Alex.

Some time later, Alex struggled to get Derek inside the loft. She got the door open, stumbling from his weight as she all but carried him inside.

"This would be so much easier if you weren't half unconscious." Alex grumbled as she dragged him inside.

"Just don't drop me." Derek groaned.

Alex stopped walking and looked up at him with a scoff. "Be grateful I made it this far! You're not exactly small!"

Derek chuckled but winced and grabbed his ribs with his free hand.

"Serves you right." Alex glared at him.

She adjusted her grip on him before dragging him over to the bed. She tried to gently lower him onto the mattress but ended up practically dropping him instead. Derek groaned in pain again.

"Sorry! I tried to be gentle." Alex said quickly.

"It's fine." Derek shook his head.

Alex crouched down in front of him, observing his torso. She ran her fingers over the shredded fabric of his t-shirt.

"We have to stop meeting like this." Alex smirked. "Twice now we've been in this situation."

"Or you're just bad luck." Derek chuckled lightly.

"Hey, I saved your life." Alex raised a brow.

"Have you forgotten that I'm in this mess because I saved yours? I think that makes us even." Derek said.

Alex's smile dropped. "No, I haven't."

"Don't tell me you've been blaming yourself?" Derek rolled his eyes.

"We can talk about this later." Alex shook her head. "Right now, we need to get you fixed up."

She moved to stand up, but Derek's hand on her arm stopped her.

"Alex. You know this wasn't your fault, right?" Derek said seriously. "I don't blame you, and you shouldn't either."

Alex nodded her head. She didn't know what else to say. Her emotions were all over the place, and these sudden feelings creeping up on her were starting to scare her. So she decided to do what Alex McCall did best. She shut down.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." Alex said, changing the subject.

Derek sighed but nodded his head. He helped Alex remove his shirt, as much as he was able to anyway. She told him to lay down, and Alex tried hard not to react visibly when his wounds came into view. But she couldn't help it when her eyes widened in shock and a gasp escaped her lips.

"That bad?" Derek raised a brow.

Alex looked up at him quickly. "No, no. It's not that bad."

"So why the shocked face and gasp?" Derek smirked.

"Well, it would be for your unbelievable physique if it weren't for the fact you're bleeding black blood." Alex said.

"Unbelievable physique, huh?" Derek teased.

"Oh, please." Alex rolled her eyes. "Like you don't already know."

"I'm still taking it as a compliment." Derek shrugged. "I'm pretty sure it's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"Really? Even nicer than me saying I was on your side?" Alex raised a brow.

"The fact you even got out of the car to help me instead of leaving me in the middle of the road to die already told me you were on my side." Derek said with a small smile.