METAMORPHOSIS • DEREK HALE [COMPLETED]

Chapter Twenty-Four

The moment the resounding scream left Lydia's lips, Alex and Derek were bound to the constant state of uneasiness. Upon waking in the dead of the night, they knew the tranquility of the deadpool ending couldn't last for long, and Lydia unintentionally proved it.

After calming the confused banshee, they took her home, but when they arrived back at the loft, the two remained restless in the quiet atmosphere.

Both were at a lost for words for what to say.

The deadpool wasn't the one threatening Derek's life; it was whatever Kate did to him. And they were running out of time to figure it out.

Since the sun had already risen, Alex decided to change into a simple maroon sweater with black jeans and leave her hair to cascade in natural waves. Finishing in the upstairs bathroom, she walked down the stairs to join Derek on the couch, heavily typing away at something on his computer.

"What's that," she wondered as she lowered herself, tucking her mis-match sock covered feet beneath her.

"It's directions to the address for Gerard's retirement home Chris gave us. I was wondering if you wanted to check it out today?"

"Oh," she fell back against the cushions, "I didn't even think of that. But are you sure you want to go? I mean-"

"Alex, I don't want to let whatever Kate did to me stop me from helping you," he turned to her, a reassuring smile on his lips. Taking her hand in his, he professed, "I want to help you figure out how Gerard is working with the Benefactor and why."

She couldn't help but feel a warm blush run to her cheeks along with a matching smile, "Thanks Derek." Intertwining their fingers together, she rested her head on his shoulder and whispered, "I'm just worried about you."

Alex could tell the multiple past weeks haven't been easy for him. It was hard for him to grasp the fact that his name broke the last list when the previous two cipher keys were names of deceased people, but when Lydia came to the loft last night, she could tell it had troubled him to the core. He just didn't want to show it.

As he looked down, she craned her neck to meet his eyes. Letting out a quiet sigh, he admitted, "Me too. But we're in this together, right?"

Nodding, another smile formed on her face, "In this together. I like the sound of that."

"Me too," he grinned softly as he brought his lips to hers.

Meeting him halfway, she moved her hand up, pausing to grip at the collar of his white t-shirt before lifting it to stroke the light subtle along his cheekbone. Just as they shifted their bodies to get closer to each other, to deepen the kiss, a simultaneous ring from Alex's cell phone sounded throughout the loft along with a knock on the metal door, tripping the security alarm.

With a parting of their lips, Alex sighed and resting her forehead again his, "Wishful thinking."

A small laugh escaped from him in a form of agreement, but before they lifted themselves from the couch, he pecked a short kiss at the corner of her mouth.

Both parted in the wide space of the loft; Derek strided to disable the alarm and greet Scott nervously standing behind the door, and Alex retrieved her phone from the bedside table.

Reading the illuminated screen, she saw a text from her father.

Dad: Alex, are you okay? I heard about the assassins at Argent Arms. I'm worried.

Alex: yeah, i'm good. we're all fine. the dead pool is over, but derek and i are going to look for gerard argent today. we think he's at beacon hills park village. want to meet us there in two hours?