Innocence & Instinct

omega Part 1

We enter the hospital and see Stiles asleep in the waiting room chair; he had spent the last two days there ever since Lydia was admitted. Just as Scott and I walk over to him, there came a loud scream from Lydia's room. We all rush in to see she was gone. We all head out to look for her, Scott and Stiles in Stile's Jeep, and me in my car. I follow Scott and Stiles through town, as we head towards the woods we are forced to leave our vehicles and continue by foot. When we come up to an old burnt down house. "Why would Lydia come here," I ask. Stiles replies, "This is the old Hale house. Maybe she's got a thing for him ". Both Anna and Stiles turned around to see that Scott was caught in a trap and was upside down, but they couldn't help but laugh."

He said, "Someone's coming. Run!"

Stiles and I hid behind the nearest bushes just as three men come into view.

One of them walked up to Scott and said, "Well well, What do we have here? What are you doing here in the woods?"

Scott answered, "Looking for a friend."

The guy asked, "Right... Lydia, she's one of your pack members, now isn't she?"

Scott said, "She hasn't turned. She is just hurt and lost."

Then the guy said to Scott, "Do you know what a hemicorporectomy is?"

Scott shook his head and said, "I don't think I want to know."

"It's a medical term for amputating somebody at the waist and cuts them in half. It takes a tremendous amount of strength to cut though tissue and bone like that."

At that Scott visually paled, knowing he couldn't do anything.

I came running out of the bush and said, "What the hell is going on here?!" The guy looked taken aback for a second and said, "Oh, Miss James. I see you're here, too. May I ask why you are out here?"

I looked at him and said, "You can ask, but I won't answer you."

"Ms. James, you need to calm down. You don't know what's going on."

I looked at him and said, "That's a bunch of bull crap. I just heard you threaten Scott!"

The man replied, "But you don't have any idea what is going on."

I looked up at him and said in a low voice so Stiles could not hear, "You really shouldn't presume to know what another person knows. I know a hunter when I meet one."

The words were dripping with as much hate and distrust as he had ever heard, "Your kind are nothing but a modern day Hitler. And I have as much use for your kind as I have for a hole in the head. Now will you be so kind as to leave? We have a friend to find!"

With that, I turned around and said, "Are you okay, Scott?" And left Chris to wonder what had happened to make me hate hunters so much.

When we were sure we were alone, I called out to Stiles and said, "Stiles, help me get him down." Scott said, "That's okay. I think I got this." Within seconds, he was down, and he turned to me and said, "So, how do you know about hunters?" I replied, "I'm sorry, Scott. I can't do this right now. We need to find Lydia." Stiles looked confused, "You know about hunters and werewolves?" I just shook my head and said, "We need to find Lydia."

The next day we returned to school, and Lydia had still not been found. So the police were asking for help. The coach was even asking the lacrosse players to help. It was supposed to be below 40 tonight. That's cold and even colder if you're naked like Lydia was.

In our next class, Scott and Stiles tried to get Jackson to help look for Lydia, but he wasn't interested. He actually told Scott, "If she wants to take a hike in the woods, naked, why should he care? They were not together anymore."

I have never liked Jackson. He has been a jerk the whole time I have known him.

I always thought Lydia could do better. I'm mean, take Stiles. He has been crazy over her since I meet him and I have the feeling it's not going away anytime soon.

When school ended, I went to look for Lydia again, knowing it probably wouldn't lead to anything.

I went up to the old Hale house again, and as I walked I would yell out her name and wait for a reply. After about 30 minutes of yelling, I knew I had to head out soon if I was going to be on time for work. So I headed back towards the Hale house and my car, when someone stepped out in front of me and said, "This is private property. What are you doing here?"

I was caught so off guard, I stepped backward and tripped over a root. I was expecting to hit the ground, but it never came.

I opened my eyes and the stranger who had caught me swam into view. I looked into his eyes my heartbeat sped up and I started blushing. "Thank you," I murmured. He said, "You're welcome. Now who are you and why are you on my land? This is private property."

I said, "My name is Anna, Mr. Hale. We meet a few months back .And I'm looking for my friend, Lydia. She's lost out here somewhere." His face softened, and he said, "I heard about that. I'm sorry about your friend. But you shouldn't be out here alone. You could get lost or hurt."

I said, "I know. But my cousin had something else to do today."

Derek said, " I don't remember you. Who is your cousin?"

I replied, "Why would you remember It was this  last summer. I'm Scott McCall cousin . But I really must go, or I'm going to be late for work. Mr. Hale, could you keep an eye out for Lydia?"

Derek said, "Yes. And call me Derek."

Derek's POV

I caught her scent on the wind letting me know someone was close. And if they were close it meant they were trespassing.

The scent was unknown to me but somehow familiar.

I followed her for about 20 minutes, watching her as she would yell out for Lydia then pause waiting for a response. And every time there was none a fearful look would cross her face. I decided I needed to let myself be known.

I stepped out in front of her, and when I spoke, she became spooked and recoiled, stepping backward and nearly fell. I reached out and grabbed her, steadying her on her feet.

I noticed her eyes were closed, and I realize she expected to fall. She opened her eyes, and I saw blue eyes staring at me, and I heard her heart speed up and noticed that she was blushing. In a voice that was almost a whisper, she said, "Thank you." I pulled back, letting go of her and said, "You're welcome. Now who are you and why are you on my land? This is private property."

In a distressed voice, she said, "My name is Anna, Mr. Hale. And I'm looking for my friend, Lydia. She's lost out here somewhere."

I, of course, knew about Lydia's disappearance and that she might be transforming.

All I could say was, "I heard about that. I'm sorry about your friend. But you shouldn't be out here alone. You could get lost or hurt." She released a breath and said, "I know. But my cousin had something else to do today."

I said, "Who is your cousin?"

She replied, "Scott McCall. But I really must go, or I'm going to be late for work. Mr. Hale, could you keep an eye out for Lydia?"

I said, "Yes. And call me Derek." So, she was Scott's cousin. That's why her scent was familiar. Her scent was mixed with Scott's.

I walked her to her car and watched her drive away. I would have to talk to Scott. These woods are not safe, and Lydia wasn't safe. Anna needed to stay away from both and Scott needed to make sure that she did.