Chapter One: Hunger

"Derek Hale!"

Her voice rings out clearly in the space between the tall trees and the moonlit sky. He sees her, a crossbow in hand and a pack of arrows slung on her back.

"Here, good doggy!" She taunts with her eyes playfully looking up to sky. She takes one arrow and put it against the bow string and starts pulling.

"Come, little doggy!"

Damn the woman! Derek curses. If he doesn't kill her first, the Alpha will. She is too loud, thinking that there are only two of them in this crazy game of murderous hide-and-seek. In another situation, in another life, he would be happy to tell her that he is not her enemy. He would voluntarily explain to her that he is not what she is supposed to be hunting for. He would make her understand, politely and gentleman-like that they are up against something far bigger than her misconception and bigotry.

But now, there she is, standing in the middle of the bone-like trees, ready to tear at his flesh, calling out to him like a lunatic. She had followed his vehicle and they are now both stuck in this God-forsaken place, a deathly crucible. Other than her determination and physical dexterity, Kate Argent is a mere human. With some careful calculations he could avoid the crossbow's path, jump her, knock her unconscious, bring her to the jeep and lock her in the vehicle. Then, he will resume his hunt on the Alpha.

"Come out now, you son of a b*tch!" The woman yells some more. Derek Hale launches himself from a strong branch of a leafy tree and starts to tear his way towards her. She wouldn't have a chance, he is sure. Just about twenty yards before he can reach Kate Argent and put everyone here out of misery by silencing her.

What is that? He sees it. Coming from opposite direction right towards her. Faster, much faster than him. It is the Alpha under his hunt! While his run towards the hunter is with the intention of putting her to temporary silence, the Alpha's run for her is more desperate, more primal. Derek Hale knows it instantly. It is hunger.

The Alpha is going to tear her apart and lick bits and pieces of her clean.

That is not going to be good. If there is restrain in Chris Argent for him before this, it is going to end once the Alpha lays but one claw on his sister, Kate.

He has too much on his plate already to let that happen. Derek forces himself faster, all the time in disbelief that he is on the riddled path of saving the life of a mad wolf hunter whose sole aim in her existence is to kill him.