Things We Never Saw Coming

Deals with the Devil

Monday, 1:53am

         “Let him go, Kate,” Derek said, reaching out a hand towards Stiles. “You can have whatever you want, just let him go.”

         “Oh, I’ll let him go,” Kate assured him, but Derek had never felt less assured in his life. “But I need to make an example of him first. I was going to go after your Betas, but you became so deliciously obsessed with this one, I couldn’t pass up the chance to take away someone else you love.” She traced Stiles’ jawline with her finger, her eyes never leaving Derek’s face. “What do you say, Matt?” she asked, tracing down Stiles’ neck to his shoulder, then his chest. “Do I break an arm or a rib first?”

         “Leave him out of this, Kate,” Derek growled, his voice so desperate he was almost begging. Stiles’ jaw quivered, his eyes imploring Derek to help him. “I’ll give you whatever you want. Just let him go.”

         Kate’s eyes lit up, and Derek thought for one instant that he had won. She licked her lips and eyed Stiles. “Or,” she said, taking a step towards him. “Maybe I should just do to him what you did to me. You have told him, haven’t you?”

         “We don’t have secrets,” Derek said. “He knows everything.”

         “And he stayed with you?” Kate laughed and frowned at Stiles. “That’s actually disgusting,” she told him. “He destroyed my life, and you think he’s going to treat you any better?”

         “I didn’t set his entire family on fire,” Stiles rasped. “I think I’ll be fine.”

         Kate raised her eyebrows and glanced over at Derek. “Loyal little bitch, isn’t he?” she sneered. “Tell me, Derek. Which would make you more uncomfortable: me killing him or kissing him?”

         “Don’t touch him,” Derek growled, advancing another step. Matt’s grip on Stiles’ throat tightened a little, and he stopped.

         Kate smile widened. “Great answer,” she said. “Truly inspiring. I’ll tell you what. You can keep Stiles, and I’ll let everyone in the hospital go if you do me one little favor.”

         “Name it.”

         Kate smiled. “Kill your Betas. Every last one of them. I want you to put their bodies by the door of the hospital so everyone can see. Then you can have Stiles back.”

         Derek’s stomach felt like it had been ripped from his chest. He stared at Stiles, who looked like his legs would collapse from beneath him. “I…”

         “I have another deal,” Stiles said before Derek could continue. Kate rounded on him, one eyebrow raised. Stiles swallowed. “I go with you. You let everyone else go, and you leave Beacon Hills for good.”

         “No,” Derek said just as Kate said, “Deal.” They both stared at each other; Derek’s eyes wild with horror and Kate’s alight with triumph.

         “Guess your bitch doesn’t want to be your bitch anymore,” she sneered. “Poor Derek. Who will love you now?” She grabbed Stiles by the back of the neck, releasing him from Matt’s grasp. “When we’ve left, let the humans go,” she told him. “Just make sure he doesn’t follow us.” She grabbed Stiles by his collar and dragged him back through the doorway into the shadows.

         Derek turned his attention to Matt, who was already watching him with pale reptilian eyes. “Get out of my way,” he warned him, taking a step forward. “I’m going after him whether you let me or not.”

         Matt shook his head. “Kate told me to make sure you didn’t follow,” he said. His skin had started to ripple as scales started to inch their way up his neck and across his face. “One scratch and you won’t be able to move for at least an hour.”

         “I’m faster and stronger than you,” Derek warned him. “I’m not afraid to kill you if I have to.”

         Matt snarled at him. “Go ahead, then,” he hissed. “Let’s see why you’re so dangerous.”

         Derek snarled, his entire body rippling with the transformation. He’d never turned into his full Alpha form before—he’d never had a reason to—and it felt strange. But by the look on Matt’s face, he’d done the right thing. He leapt the last few feet between them and slammed Matt into the floor. Matt let out a screech, thrashing in an attempt to escape. He raked his claws across Derek’s chest, but Derek only responded by slamming Matt into the wall with all the force he could muster. Matt’s body cracked the wall, and he crumpled to the floor, his eyes blank and unseeing.

         Derek felt the poison begin to kick in, and he slipped back into human form. He stumbled forward a few steps, desperately trying to follow the already fading scent of Kate and Stiles’ retreat. His knees gave out beneath him, and Derek found himself with his face pressed against the bloodstained floor, unable to move.