Just a short drabble because reasons. Spoilers for 3x04 "Unleashed". I had a lot of feels this episode, you guys.
Title from "The Call" by Regina Spektor. Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this. They belong to Jeff Davis.

Warnings for some language and vague mention of past abuse.

From the moment Isaac came home, he knew that something had happened. The room reeked of sweat, foreign werewolves, and blood. Derek's blood. The room was dimly lit, the only source of light being the pitiful lamp in the corner and the occasional flash of lightning from outside. Cora is M.I.A, but he can still smell her, so she's definitely still in the loft somewhere. In fact, he smells salt, too, and he's overwhelmed with an emotion that's undoubtedly coming from the younger wolf. Where ever she is, she's crying and-

"You're late."

Isaac is startled out of his thoughts, looking towards Derek who is facing the window, his back turned to him.

"I, um, yeah sorry. A lot happened at school today." Isaac replied with a nervous laugh, slowly closing the door behind him. Dropping his bag on the floor, Isaac approached his alpha, wary of the latter's obviously tense posture.

The beta twiddled his thumbs anxiously, looking down at his hands before looking back at Derek. He wanted to ask, but it felt too imposing. His alpha would inform him when it was time, right?

The alpha in question didn't bother to turn around. He stood there for a while, and if Isaac hadn't been a werewolf, the slight quake in his shoulders would've missed his vision. He could hear his heartbeat stuttering and beating at a rapid pace. Something had definitely happened. Something had happened and it was apparently enough to strike such distress and dare he say it, fear, into his alpha. Isaac thought he had every right to know what had happened if it concerned Derek, seeing as matters like such usually concerned the pack as well.

Finally, Derek's head turned and he addressed his beta, though it wasn't exactly the response he was expecting.

"I need you out."

Isaac blinked, his mouth dropping open slightly at the abrupt command. He looked around, almost expecting Scott or someone to pop out and reveal their joke, and turned back to Derek.

"I-What-" Isaac stammered, but was soon cut off by Derek.

"I need you out of here. Now."

Okay. Screw sounding imposing.

Isaac approached Derek closer, "Uh...I don't get it," he remarked, putting his hands in his pockets, "What-did something happen?"

Fuck that, Isaac knew that something had happened. He just didn't understand where in the hell Derek's words were coming from. Giving Derek's back an expectant look, he waited for an answer.

Derek's head dropped, "It's just not going to work with both of you here," he replied, "I've got Cora now; it's too much."

Well that was a big fat fucking lie. A small rustle nearby and Isaac knew that Cora was behind another pillar, listening. Isaac momentarily glanced towards where she was, wondering for a moment if she had requested that he leave. Thinking again, he knew that she wouldn't do that. He'd taken care of her when she awoke in his bed, and in those few moments had developed something of a mutual respect for one another. She had no reason to want him out, but then again, neither did Derek.

Unless something had happened.

Isaac turned back to Derek, and couldn't hold back a disbelieving laugh, "Where am I suppose to go?" he asked, gesturing towards the space before him.

"Somewhere else." Derek responded stiffly. For a moment, Isaac had a sinking feeling in his stomach. What if he had done something to upset his alpha? Had someone told Derek about the incident at school already? Was he upset that he nearly had an all out battle with the twins?

Isaac cocked his head slightly, "Did I do something wrong, Derek?" he asked quietly.

Derek abruptly turned around with a stern expression on his face, "You're doing something wrong right now by not leaving." he responded, obviously irritated. By what, Isaac wasn't sure.

"Just get out."

"C'mon, Derek, please..." Isaac started, trying to approach Derek.

"GO."

Isaac ducked and cowered immediately, narrowly missing the glass that had been thrown overhead and shattered against the pillar behind him. For a moment, he was back in his old house with his late abusive father, on the floor and cowering away. He remembered being so terrified, even as the wound inflicted by a glass shard healed as a newly turned werewolf.

But not now. Isaac was stronger now. He had told Derek about that night. He had told Derek everything that his father used to do...and now here he was doing it to him.

Isaac clenched his fists, not feeling the pain as his claws pinched into his palms, and looked up at Derek. He was ready to call his alpha out, pack dynamics be damned-

And then Isaac saw his face.

Derek looked just as shattered as the glass was on the ground. The alpha's eyes were angry, but not at him. In fact, they weren't even focused on him. They were somewhere else, but Isaac knew that look. He himself remembered looking back at his father the same way.

It was then that Isaac realized that whatever was going on was far above anything Isaac could even begin to understand. At least it was right now. Derek is only doing what a wolf of his status is suppose to do.

Protect the pack. Keep them all safe.

Isaac's claws retracted slowly, still keeping the tense gaze with Derek. Neither said a word as Isaac turned his back and lifted his bag back onto his shoulder. This was something much more than Isaac had initially thought. As he walked back towards the door, he glanced back, seeing Cora duck back behind the pillar and Derek hunched over the table, his shoulders still quaking.

Maybe he couldn't understand the situation at hand right now, but he understood his alpha's actions. Mostly, anyway.

As he closed the door behind him, Isaac briefly wondered if Scott would mind if he slept over.

This is also on AO3.

Also, for those who are curious, I'm sort of on a TVD hiatus. At least for the summer. Mostly because Teen Wolf and True Blood have kind of taken over my life as of right now. Of course, if I get an idea, I'll write/continue on my other TVD fics (which are, by the way, NOT abandoned). I may post more Teen Wolf, though, especially over the summer. Find me on AO3 and on tumblr! I go by the same pen name (sariegjazacs).