Derek rose to his feet, stretching out his neck and popping his vertebrae. His golden eyes pierced through the dark tint of the windshield, glaring at the driver of the car that had just slammed into him. Some woman he didn't recognize and in the passenger seat...Derek's glare shifted into an eye roll of annoyance.

"Peter..." Derek started, voice low and dangerous.

"And Stiles!" Stiles waved his hand out the window from the backseat.

"And...Stiles," Derek sighed, "Perfect."

The driver's door opened, though the car was still running and the headlights were still on. The woman walked around to the front, sporting uncomfortable-looking heels.

"Get in the car," the blonde started, and then looked him over, "And wipe the look off your face. It was an accident."

Derek scowled now, dark brows furrowing together as he looked over at Peter - who still sat in the passenger side. Twiddling his thumbs.

Just as he was about to ask who she was to be giving orders to, she answered the question for him.

"I'm Rebekah. Hope's aunt, perhaps you've heard of me?"

Twisting his head to the side to look at her, his brows rose. Rebekah? Well, at least what Hope had mentioned was she was one of the more reasonable members of the Mikaelson clan. Maybe not the most reasonable, but decently so.

"Oh..." Derek could only manage and nodded.

"No worries, you can make a better impression later. Let's go." She turned to walk back to the driver's side.

Derek blinked wildly "M-me? Better impression?" He stared after her in slight bewilderment.

Rebekah turned to look at him "Yes, your growly face isn't exactly becoming."

"You hit me with your car!" Derek retorted in exasperation.

"It was an accident!"

"Children..." Peter said as he got out of the car and was met with two dagger-sharp glares. He put his hands up quickly in surrender. "As much as I do find this amusing, we don't exactly have the luxury of time."

Derek's shoulders slumped. Hope.

A few hours ago, as he sat in the waiting room of a hospital, he'd felt such a horrible sensation of...terror. Pure terror. He didn't want to make the connection, but he couldn't deny it either. He knew the emotion had come from Hope, he could still taste her on his tongue. Electric and sweetly laced with something darkly poisonous. Her fear had traveled to him, shaking him so harshly he'd had to leave the hospital. He knew they'd take care of the kid and he honestly couldn't let anyone see him falling apart like that seemingly for no cause at all.

"She's afraid..." he finally said, so softly he wasn't sure he'd even said it at all until Rebekah stepped closer.

"You felt her, didn't you?"

Derek met her eyes, his own burning. He nodded slowly, not trusting his voice.

Slowly, she looked him over, and Derek wasn't entirely sure what she saw, but her expression and voice softened. "I don't know how different your wolves are from hers, but bonding is something so special and potent nothing can keep the two souls apart that have shared that kind of connection. A soul bond, so I'm told by Hayley," she smiled softly, "You being able to feel her, to know how afraid she is...it means she's at least still alive. It might feel horrific at the moment, but let it give you some hope."

Derek remained quiet for a long moment before slowly nodding "Let's go..."

"Did you get your car back?" Peter asked with a raised brow as they returned to the car, him in the passenger and Derek in the backseat next to Stiles.

Sighing, Derek slowly shook his head, "Long story, but I don't have it right now. Where have we headed next anyway? Are there any leads at all?"

Rebekah scrunched her lips and sighed "We haven't found anything, but I can call my brother. Perhaps they've found something. Last I heard they were onto something about a stolen laptop."

As Rebekah hit the gas to continue down the road, she found her recent contacts and went to press Elijah's name, but funnily enough, another name showed on her screen.

Hayley's picture showed up with an incoming call ringtone.

Rebekah raised a brow and hit the green answer icon.

"Hayley?"

"We know where she is."