On My Own | Hale - TVD/TO/TW [4]

6 | Reunions

"You are so lucky I care about you."

Lexi carries a half-dead Derek through the woods. Her bare body is swallowed by his wingspan as his limp arm sways over her shoulder. He clings to her like a winter coat in summer.

Twigs crack under Lexi's steps as she finally lets Derek rest against a tree: not just any tree, but the Nemeton. "Heal, Derek," she says as she kneels beside him, cupping his face. "Come on, heal for me."

Crunching leaves catch her attention. In the blink of an eye, she shifts into her wolf, her tail swishing behind her as she turns around, her red eyes landing on Kali. She snaps her jaw, daring the woman to fight.

"I don't want to argue." Kali holds her hands up. "I want your help, please."

The wolf shakes her head, pawing at the dirt. Never.

"Ennis is hurt," Kali says, her voice breaking. "I-I don't know if he's going to live. You're the only one—" She runs a hand down her face. "No emissary can fix him, only magic can. And you have magic, so please, Lexi. I will do whatever you want. I'll even help you kill Deucalion, just...help him, please."

She shakes her head.

"I know you can't keep doing this!" Kali yells. "You've been shifting back and forth all night. Even you have a limit. So, help me!"

Lexi's red eyes narrow as she snaps her jaws once more. She shifts back, her eyes fading. "I made you a promise," she says. "I made Deucalion a promise. He threatened my pack, so I will destroy everything he cares about." She stands as her body shakes with rage. "Ennis is part of that. He deserves death."

Kali whimpers as she stumbles back a step. "Please—"

"Be careful, Kali," Lexi warns. "He cares about you too."

Taking hold of Derek's tattered shirt, Lexi races through the woods at vampiric speed, leaving Kali in the dust. She pauses by the school, the looming brick building giving her some relief.

Taking a step forward, her skin begins to blister. With a shout, she shoves herself further into Derek's body, watching her arm heal from sun exposure. He stirs against her. "Lexi?" His eyes flutter open.

Her hand reaches up to her bare neck. "No, no, no, no," she mutters, looking at the ground. "No, it can't be gone."

"Where are we?" Derek glances around, his eyes barely able to stay open.

"Derek, listen to me." Lexi holds his cheeks and forces him to meet her gaze. "You have to go. Find someone who can help you."

"Why aren't you wearing any clothes?"

"Derek, focus." Her eyes flash blue. "Find someone who can help. I can't right now. I'll burn." He frowns. "Derek, I need you to be safe, ok?" She exclaims. "Now, go!"

She pushes him towards the school; he stumbles through the field, making his way to the parking lot. Only once Lexi hears a feminine scream does she take off into the woods to search for her missing daylight necklace.

—|—|—|—

Lexi races up the stairs. Her breath comes out quickly as she doubles her speed up the floors to the top; her heart beats rapidly against her chest as she gets halfway. "Please be here, please be here," she says to herself as she continues. "Come on, Derek. Where else could you be?"

When she finally reaches the top, she grabs ahold of the railing and bends over, trying to inhale enough air to remove the black spots from her vision. "Derek—" She wheezes, groaning as she straightens her back and hears it crack under pressure. "Derek, you here—"