How The Mighty Fall {Sequel to NOTH} *editing*

{1} Helping People Is Exhausting

Alice:

The echo from my knuckles against the odd looking metal door fills up the otherwise empty hallway. To be honest the door, like the rest of this place, looks fairly sketchy so I'm just being extra cautious. Not for my safety, but more so for the safety of any idiot who thinks it a good idea to try and jump out at me.

The door slides open and immediately my frown deepens to a new record. "Blondie?" Peter questions upon us making eye contact. I roll my eyes and give him an annoyed expression. He however finds delight in my annoyance and smirks in response, crossing his arms across his chest.

"If I didn't know any better I'd think you weren't happy to see me, omega." I fire back, letting my mocking tone linger on the last word. My smile grows as his smirk turns into a irritated glare. His ego is way too easy to deflate, all it takes is one little word and he's pouting like a baby.

"Alice?"

Peter and I turn to look in the loft or whatever the hell you wanna call this place. I whistle at Derek. "Look who's all grown up." I tease, earning an odd look from Peter.

To put it lightly it looks like he somehow possibly got hotter over the summer, Peter did too but like hell I'd ever say that and make that big head of his get even bigger. Pompous asshole, going around calling me blondie.

Derek shakes his head but I see the ends of his lips curve up. "Don't get all worked up Peter, I'm not here to court your nephew." I remark before walking into the loft.

"By all means invite yourself in." Peters sarcastically retorts, closing whatever door contraption this place has.

"I was invited." I inform him, grinning just to piss him off even more.

"By me." Derek answers his uncle's unspoken question.

Peter rolls his eyes, clearly irritated, before taking a seat on a couch in the room.

"Any progress?" I walk over to the metal table Derek is standing behind to take a seat. He doesn't say anything instead choosing to shake his head in response.

We kept in touch by phone (which I was surprised a werewolf even had) over the summer so I'm aware of all that he's been having to deal with. I know about how two from his pack were taken, and about how it was a pack of alphas that took them. Every phone call was spent with either me giving him tips on trying to find them, or us strategizing different plans.

I'll admit there were one or two calls were we just talked. That's probably why we've become less hostile towards each other. Although I am still confused as to why he's bothered to keep talking to me. Especially with all that I did to not only him, but also his pack.

"Well I've been looking through some things." I pause to reach into my back pocket and pull out a small book. "And I wrote down a list of all the places in Beacon Hills that they could be keeping them in."

"You can mark off all the places that you've looked at." I suggest, handing over the book to him. He takes the book and stands next to me, a bit too close if I'm being honest.

"Are you completely sure we should be trusting another hunter, Derek?" Peter calls out from his spot on the couch. "For all we know Alice might not even be her real name. I prefer Blondie to be honest."

"It's not her actual name." Derek states. He doesn't bother looking over at his unlce as he starts crossing off from the list. I however don't miss the smirk falling off Peter's smug face. I didn't tell Derek my full name, but just the fact that Alice is my nickname.

"That's true." I agree, turning my entire body to sit facing him. "Alice is just a nickname, kinda like how psychotic asshole should be yours." I snicker.