Instinct || Derek Hale.

seventeen.

Warnings: Strong language.

***

Alex.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed since Deaton and Stiles had left to meet Scott in the woods, but Alex was slowly losing her mind. Fear wasn't something she coped well with. Not being in control and constant waiting was not something she could handle. As she paced the floor of the animal clinic, Alex thought about how much her life had changed in such a short amount of time. She'd allowed herself to get close to complete strangers. And she'd done the one thing she swore she'd never do. She opened up her heart to another. But the fear that gripped her chest this time was different.

Derek Hale hadn't just crumbled the walls around her heart. He'd destroyed them completely. She was completely defenceless against her feelings for him. And it terrified her. There was a reason Alex had closed off her heart. There was a reason she fought so hard to not depend on anyone but herself. That way, she couldn't get hurt. And Alex how no doubt that if she were to open her heart to Derek and lose her, it wouldn't just hurt her. It would destroy her.

"What's taking so long?" Alex whispered to herself.

Deaton had called her over half an hour ago, asking her to prepare three tubs filled with ice water. When she'd asked what for, Deaton had given her a vague answer of, 'all part of the plan'. This did nothing to ease her anxieties. Once she'd done the job asked of her, she debated whether or not to call Derek and see how Cora was, but then decided against it. Derek had enough to deal with without Alex burdening him with her worries. Besides, she had a feeling he'd call if he needed her.

But that didn't stop her from pulling her phone out of her pocket, pulling up Derek's number, and hovering her thumb over the dial button. However, before she could press the screen, the door opened, and Deaton, Stiles, Scott, and Allison walked in.

"Finally!" Alex exclaimed, rushing over to her brother. She pulled Scott into a tight hug. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Scott nodded.

"What happened? With Deucalion?" Alex asked as she pulled away.

"Later," Scott said. "Right now, we need to save our parents."

"And, just how are we going to do that?" Alex said, looking between the four of them.

"You don't," Scott shook his head. He gestured to himself, Stiles, and Allison. "We do."

"How?" Alex asked warily.

This time, Stiles was the one to answer. "By taking their place."

Alex furrowed her brows. "I don't understand."

Scott swallowed hard and then looked over his shoulder to Deaton. Deaton sighed and then stepped forward slowly.

"Alex, can you trust that I will always do everything in my power to keep Scott safe?"

"That depends on what you're going to tell me next."

Deaton sighed again but nodded his head. "This will help us to find the nemeton. What we're doing will supercharge it, meaning it will attract all manner of supernatural creatures to it."

"Okay," Alex said slowly. "So, what are you going to do?"

"We're going to die," Scott said softly.

"Just temporarily," Stiles added hastily.

Alex let out a breath of humourless laughter. "You're joking, right?"

"No," Scott shook his head. "This is how we find Mom and the others, and save them, Alex."