Derek had to admit, he liked these new recruits a lot better than Scott, at least when it came to training them. They didn't whine or complain about how he ruined their lives. That was why he chose who he did. Isaac got power to stand up for himself. For him, it could not have gotten any worse then what he had already. It was safe to say Erica felt pretty much the same way.
Derek didn't think she was ever really ugly, persay, even in that hospital gown just before he bit her, but the transformation did a lot for her. He'd sent Isaac out to go do something, and took Erica back to the Hale house, sitting out on the back porch with her. As expected, she had a million questions for him, which he answered, very patiently. She asked about what abilities she would have, what effect the bite would have on her epilepsy, if she would need to take her meds and all the general questions one would be expected to ask once they were turned into a werewolf.
It seemed she saved the seemingly hardest question for last. It seemed simple and straightforward enough.
"Derek…. what are we?" He took a long sigh, thinking over something his family had told him a lifetime ago. The words seemed to just spill forward from his lips.
"We are the thoughts that you were warned about. We are the shadows in your basement." She stayed silent, dark eyes widening slightly. "We're the silent protectors no one dares to talk about. We're that feeling of someone watching you when you walk home at night. We are things that howl at the moon, Erica."
"But I thought you said… you didn't say we were bad."
"We aren't." She didn't look convinced. "Look at it this way. You never knew about us until now, right? But you also don't know about the other things out there- things that won't hesitate to kill you or rip you to shreds. Like that thing that killed Isaac's dad? That's why we exist. We protect people, even if most people don't understand that." Derek stood up, offering the girl his hand. "Come on. You've got a big day back at school tomorrow. I want to make sure you're ready."
She took his hand, slowly standing up. Neither of them will ever tell anyone of what happened next, or speak of it ever again. Small arms wrapped around him as she laid her head on his chest, while two small words were whispered.
"Thank you."