The Alpha's Keeper

My Tourniquet

We pulled up to the animal clinic and Derek groaned. "Deal with it." I snapped as Stiles helped him out of the Jeep and I crouched by the dumpster. Behind it was a small box like Scott had said. I reached under the dumpster and grabbed the box, opening it and pulling out the key before returning the empty box. "Okay. You know, that really doesn't look like anything some Echinacea and a good night of sleep couldn't take care of." Stiles commented as I unlocked the door. We pushed into the clinic and went to the operating room in back. "When the infection reaches my heart, it'll kill me." Derek snapped, his voice showing signs of the pain he was in. "'Positivity' just isn't in your vocabulary, is it?" Stiles sassed. "If he doesn't get here with the bullet in time – last resort." Derek said as he rummaged through the supplies. "Which is?" I asked, fearing the answer. Derek brought out a bone saw and put it on the operating table. "You're gonna cut off my arm." He replied as if that was nothing.

"Oh my god. What if you bleed to death?" I asked, my voice squeaking. I was pretty much terrified at this point. "It'll heal if this works." Derek said as he pulled out some blue rubber that was used for tourniquets. He pulled off his shirt to reveal a very well-muscled upper body. God, he was gorgeous. Snap out of it, Evelyn. "Ugh. Look – I don't know if I can do this." Stiles said, shaking his head as Derek attempted to tie the tourniquet around his upper arm. "Why not?" he snapped as I took the tourniquet from him and started to tie it. "Well, because of the cutting through the flesh, the sawing of the bone, and especially the blood!" Stiles snapped. "You faint at the sight of blood?" Derek asked, surprised and annoyed. "No, but I might faint at the sight of a chopped-off arm!" stiles shouted, gesturing to the arm I had tied the tourniquet around.

"I would too." I added, still standing next to Derek. "Alright, fine. How about this? Either you cut off my arm, or I'm gonna cut off your head." Derek growled, glaring at Stiles. "Okay, you know what? I'm not buying your threats any –" Stiles started, stopping when Derek grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him close to the table. "Oh my god. Okay. Alright, bought, sold. Totally. I'll do it. I'll do it." Stiles caved. "What?" I asked as Derek let Stiles go and leaned over the table. "What are you doing?" Stiles asked before Derek threw up black bile. I groaned as I looked away. "Holy god, what the hell is that?" I asked, trying not to look. "It's my body – trying to heal itself." Derek told us. "Well, it's not doing a very good job of it." Stiles pointed out.

"Now. You gotta do it now." Derek groaned, sounding like he might throw up again. "Look, honestly, I don't think I can." Stiles tried. "Just do it!" Derek shouted, holding his arm out to the side, over the table. "Oh my god. Okay. Eve, hold him." Stiles instructed. I stood behind Derek, one arm circling his arm above the tourniquet and my other arm wrapping around his shoulders and chest. Derek held onto the arm encircling his injured arm and I rested my other hand over his. "Okay. Oh my god. Alright, here we go!" Stiles called out, bracing himself as he turned on the bone saw and held it over Derek's arm.

"Stiles! Evie!" Scott's voice called out just before Stiles had a chance to cut Derek. "Scott?" I called just before he appeared in the operating room. "What the hell are you doing?" Scott asked, looking horrified at the scene before him. "Oh thank god." I muttered, a small laugh escaping my lips as I rested my forehead against Derek's back. I noticed at tattoo there but wasn't entirely sure what it was. All I saw was black ink. "Oh, you just prevented a lifetime of nightmares." Stiles told my brother as he turned off the bone saw. "Did you get it?" Derek asked as I released him. "What are you gonna do with it?" Stiles asked as Scott handed over what looked like a rifle round.

"I'm gonna... I'm gonna..." Derek suddenly dropped to the ground, unconscious. "No. no, no, no, no." Scott grumbled as I heard the bullet roll away from Derek. "Derek. Derek!" I called, dropping down next to him. "Come on, wake up." I snapped at him. "Scott, what the hell are we gonna do?" Stiles called, anxiety in his voice. "I don't know! I can't reach it!" Scott called. I looked up at him to see that he was laying on the floor, his arm under one of the counters. "He's not waking up!" I called as I gently shook Derek. "I think he's dying. I think he's dead!" Stiles called. "Don't say that!" I snapped, panic making my heart pound in my chest. "Just hold on!" Scott called. "Oh! I got it! I got it!" he called, quickly getting to his feet. "Please don't kill me for this." Stiles muttered to himself, fist raised. Before he could punch Derek, my fist reared back and quickly struck Derek's strong jaw.

"Ugh! Ow! God!" I groaned as I shook my fist and Derek gasped, trying to get to his feet. "Give me..." he started, his voice weak. "Up!" Scott snapped, pulling Derek to his feet. Derek leaned on the operating table for support before crushing the bullet in his hand. "This should start the healing process." He mumbled as he took the bits of bullet and shoved them into his arm. "Should?!" I snapped just before he cried out in pain and fell to the ground. "Oh my god!" I cried, jumping back as Derek writhed in pain. My hands covered my mouth as skinny arms wrapped around my waist.

Derek suddenly stopped and relaxed, the black veins in his arm disappearing just before the bullet wound healed. "That. Was. Awesome! Yes!" stiles called, his arms releasing me as I sighed in relief, a small laugh escaping my lips. "Are you okay?" I asked Derek as I helped him to his feet. "Well, except for the agonizing pain." He replied. His skin was tan again and his eyes had a certain gleam of health in them. "I'm guessing the ability to use sarcasm is a good sign of health." Stiles commented, a triumphant smile on his lips. "Okay, we saved your life, which means you're gonna leave us alone, you got that?" Scott warned, taking my arm and pulling me away from Derek. "All of us." he insisted, his voice surprisingly scary and forceful.

"And if you don't, I'm gonna go back to Allison's dad, and I'm gonna tell him everything." Scott threatened as he gently pushed me behind him. "Scott, stop." I muttered, tired of their bullshit, and physically and emotionally exhausted. "You're gonna trust them? You think they can help you?" Derek snapped. Yep, back to full health. "Well, why not? They're a lot freaking nicer than you are." Scott growled. "I can show you exactly how nice they are." Derek growled, his voice low and deadly. "What do you mean?" Scott asked as he practically handed me to Stiles. Why were they trying to keep me away from Derek? At least make it less obvious. "I need to show you something." Derek grumbled as he picked up his discarded shirt and jacket, pulling them both back on. "Stiles, take Eve home." Scott ordered before following Derek out. "What? Why?" I called. But I didn't get an answer.

I sighed heavily as Stiles drove me home. "Why is Scott trying so hard to keep me away from Derek? It's not like he's ever done anything to me." I grumbled from the passenger seat. "He's just being protective. He doesn't trust Derek. And neither do I." Stiles replied, pulling up in front of my house. "He's helped us out so far. I don't see why you guys hate him." I said, shaking my head. Stiles sighed and turned to face me. "Because he's an asshole who keeps threatening to kill everyone. Scott and I love you too much to let him get anywhere near you. Not gonna happen." Stiles replied, his voice surprisingly assertive. "You know, I may not be able to stop Scott from hunting the alpha with Derek but that doesn't mean that I can't do anything." I grumbled before hopping out of the Jeep. I slammed the door behind me for good measure before stomping up to my house and the comfort of my bed.