Chapter 10: Protecting the Pack
Tessa was pulled away from her dreams when she heard a strained voice.
She sat up quickly, and easily felt Derek's figure beside her.
He was still asleep.
She heard the strained noise again.
Maybe Cora was exercising.
Tessa slowly and carefully moved out from the sheets, and off the bed.
She left the room, and slowly came down the creaking stairs.
What was strange was, the front door was open.
She heard the noise again, and it came from outside.
Tessa came to the door, and peeked out.
She gasped as she saw Cora tied to a tree.
"Cora!" Tessa called, running out.
"Tessa? No! Stay back!" Cora said.
Tessa stopped a few feet away from her, "What? You're..."
"Tessa. Get out of here! It's a trap!" Cora said frantically.
Tessa tried to comprehend the warning, and she felt something beep from under her foot.
Tessa gasped as she tried to get her feet to work to move out of the way of the trap.
Suddenly, a hand from behind hit her chest, and she was sent a couple feet flying across the forest floor, landing on her back with a grunt.
"Derek!" Cora screamed.
Tessa quickly recovered from the attack...
When she stood and looked at Cora and where she once stood, she realized she wasn't attacked, but saved.
Derek was trapped inside a net that a large tree branch was holding.
"See boys. That's how you catch werewolves." Gerard appeared on the other side from Dere, with two new hunters.
"I have been looking everywhere for you. Derek." Gerard said, admiring Derek struggling in the net, his limbs getting tangled into the ropes.
One of the hunters moved from behind Gerard, pulling out a silver gun.
"No! Don't!" Cora shrieked, pushing more against the ropes to get to Derek.
"Ah ah, we can't kill him yet. I still need him alive for a little...Training." Gerard said.
Tessa growled, feeling part of her werewolf form coming out and she charged at the man who held the silver gun.
She lunged at him, but the man managed to lift his gun, and hit her upside the head, real hard.
Tessa yelped and fell to the ground, and her vision blurred and she began to see black dots, the hunters were walking away, dragging the net Derek was it, which was all knotted up around him from his struggling.
Then she fell unconscious.
X X X
"Tessa...Tessa...Tessa." A voice kept on and on in her head.
Tessa opened her eyes, and she groaned as she felt her head pounding.
She stood up, but when everything came rushing back, she looked around the forest, easily seeing Cora.
"Cora! Oh my..." Tessa ran to Cora.
"You're finally awake." Cora said.
Tessa took a grip of the ropes, but quickly had to let go as her hands hissed and burned. "Ouch! What is that!"
"It's wolf's bane. Use your claws." Cora said.
Tessa quickly and easily flicked her claws out, and carefully but quickly sliced the ropes around her, and they fell loosely to the ground.
Tessa could see Cora's arms smoking and a perfect red lining from where the wolf's bane on the ropes held her.
"You're arms..." Tessa said.
"They're fine. I'll heal." Cora said.
"We need to find..."
"Shh! Quiet!" Cora whispered harshly to Tessa.
Tessa went quiet again as Cora moved a little in front of her, focusing on something.
"We're not alone." Cora said quietly.
"Are they hunters?" Tessa whispered.
Cora didn't have time to answer, a figure appeared to their view.
Instinctively, Cora growled and lunged at the person without a second thought, bringing the figure to the ground.
Tessa moved to Cora's side to see who she brought down.
"Isaac? What are you doing here?" Tessa asked.
"Don't sneak up on us like that!" Cora snapped at Isaac, before releasing him, and backing away.
"I was probably making enough noise for you to hear anyway. Scott is coming soon. Where's Derek?" Isaac asked.
"That's why you shouldn't have snuck up on us. He was taken by Gerard and the hunters. I don't have enough time to explain things right now." Cora said, and walked off towards Derek's scent.
"Watch out for traps. The hunters set them everywhere just to catch Derek." Tessa told Isaac, "And here."
She handed him his phone then went to follow Cora.
As they walked, Tessa vaguely remembered the path, it was the same way the hunters had taken her.
"You may want to transform, I don't think these hunters are going to hand Derek over with a fight." Cora said, who was already transformed.
After a few more minutes of walking, they noticed the hunters around in a semi-circle around something.
"Hide." Cora pulled on Tessa's arm, quickly moving them behind a tree for shelter.
They peeked around the tree, the hunters seemed occupied, but with what?
Tessa could hear two different growls.
Cora saw it before Tessa did, and growled, "Oh no they don't!"
Cora revealed herself to the hunters who soon lined up ready to protect the little circle where Gerard was transformed, as was Derek, but he was already badly scratched.
"Get out of my way." Cora said calmly as she slit a couple throats, and knocked others out.
Tessa took action too, and soon there was just the four.
Gerard, Derek, Tessa, and Cora.
Gerard was standing over a wounded Derek, who was laid on the ground.
"You're outnumbered, let him go." Cora growled at Gerard.
Gerard smirked, fangs showing, and he rested a foot on Derek's throat.
Cora and Tessa both growled at the sight of their Alpha, and both charged at Gerard.
Cora was tossed aside first, which gave Tessa a little of the upper hand.
Tessa swiped at Gerard, meaning to go for his throat, but missed a couple inches down, because Gerard backed away a little.
Tessa crouched, growling warningly at Gerard, daring him to get past her to get to Derek.
Gerard sliced at her, but Tessa ducked, and before she could recover, he had his hand on her side, and tossed her aside.
Tessa shook the leaves and dirt out of her hair as she was trying to recover from the second attack.
Cora had taken Tessa's place, and she was fighting quite well.
Tessa watched, and couldn't help but gasp when Gerard got lucky and deeply sliced into the side of Cora's neck, blood streamed down her neck, dying it red, and she fell.
Tessa was angry now.
She felt a new power take over her.
She pushed herself up, growling, loud and clear for Gerard to notice her, Gerard looked surprised.
Tessa took this as a distraction and charged at him, her claws out-stretched and... When had they gotten larger?
The slit clean through Gerard's throat, and if she was able to cut any further, she would have made the head fall off.
Gerard made choking, gagging noises.
Tessa was angered even more that this man, this werewolf, was still finding the will to stand.
So, she leapt up, and did a perfect square hit in hs chest, tossing him back into a tree and loudly thudding to the ground.
Tessa was still tense, and angered.
Her blood boiled, she...She wanted to kill something else.
A hand landed on her right shoulder and she twitched, turning to face her next opponent.
She stopped short when she saw Derek standing there.
"It's over. You don't have to kill anymore." He said softly.
Tessa stared at him as if she didn't believe him.
Her blood still boiled, she still wanted to kill something, but not Derek or Cora.
"Change back. Now." Derek said, his eyes turning red, just like hers were.
Tessa took a deep breath and as she returned to human, her anger dissipated.
"I-I'm sorry. I don't know what happened." Tessa said.
"I will explain to you later." Derek said, and looked over at the unconscious Cora.
"Oh my god!" Tessa screamed, and started to go for Cora.
A hand held her back.
"Is she ok?" Tessa asked Derek, who was walking up to his sister.
Someone else had her hand.
Isaac.
"She's already healing. Gerard was not an Alpha." Derek said, picking up Cora.
Tessa looked back at Isaac who had held her back, Scott at his side.
"Let's go. She will be better by morning." Derek said, carrying Cora back to the house.
Tessa, Scott, and Isaac all followed.
Derek put Cora in her room, going into another room to wet a towel and return to clean the wound on Cora's neck.
Thank goodness he didn't hit the artery.
After Cora was cleaned, Derek sighed and returned in the living room.
"Is she going to be ok?" Tessa asked.
"Just a flesh wound. Nothing major." Derek said.
"I can see how she relates to you. She's pretty feisty." Isaac said.
"Excuse me?" Derek gave another one of those are you serious, expressions.
"Sorry. I meant to say she fights real well. You know.."
"Shut up and go home, pup." Derek said.
Scott couldn't help but burst out a laugh.
They were always called a pup or child when they were in trouble.
Scott and Isaac left the house.
"pup?" Tessa asked, stifling a giggle.
"They have a long way to go for me to stop calling them some type of newborn." Derek said.
"Oh." Tessa said, and soon became deep in thought.
Newborn. So...She's just a pup to him? But what has been with her lately?
"Tessa, what's the matter?" Derek asked.
"I- I'm not sure. I've just been so... Moody lately, I mean, every time you get hurt, I feel like I'm losing a part of my self. I'm not who I once was." Tessa said.
"Of course you're not who you once were. You're free now." Derek said.
"That's not what I mean!" Tessa snapped, but quickly took a deep breath, "I mean... My strength has increased, my blood boils... ALL the time."
"It's just the Alpha instincts inside you." Derek said.
Tessa snapped her head to him, "The what?"
"Of course." Derek said, as if he just realized something.
"What? How can I be an Alpha? You're the Alpha. I'm still an Omega. Kissing you wouldn't change that. Would it?" Tessa asked.
"No. Before I even kissed you. You know how I became an Alpha right?" Derek asked.
"Yes. You said you killed Peter." Tessa said.
"Think about it Tessa. You told me you killed the Alpha of the Alpha pack." Derek said.
Tessa's mouth dropped, and her heart raced, and her body trembled.
"N-no. No no no no no. I can't be an Alpha. I-I don't even know what to do. I don't want to be an Alpha."
"Tessa calm down." Derek said, watching her pace, her eyes flickering from red to brown, brown to red.
"I can't calm down... I can't." Tessa said, still pacing.
Derek sighed and grabbed her wrists tightly, bringing her flush against him, "I will help you!" He growled lowly to get her attention, "Being an Alpha is nothing major. But if you can't control yourself, you'll go rabid. I can help you learn to be tame and calm." Derek said.
Tessa stared into his dimming red eyes, and she could only guess hers were the same color.
"I don't want to hurt you. Whether I'm Alpha or not. I still follow under you." Tessa said.
Derek tilted his head, a hand moving under the back of her hair.
"I trust you Tessa."
Tessa didn't have time to think about what he said, before soft lips met hers.
When Tessa finally understood Derek's words, she couldn't help but feel surprised.
Derek never trusted anyone, why would he trust her? Of all people, she was always with him to know the right thing to do, she'd be dead without him. If anything, she trusted him more than he did.
"You think too much." Derek said, breaking the kiss that only he was supporting.
"H-how did you know I was... Thinking?" Tessa asked, almost wondering why he had stopped.
"You're always in your own little world. What are you thinking about?" Derek asked.
"I'm worried." Tessa said.
"About what?" Derek asked.
"That I'll lose control. I know it's been a couple times, but every time you kiss me, I-I want more, and it scares me." Tessa said.
"It's because of them right?" Derek said.
Tessa dropped her eyes, and slowly nodded.
Two of Derek's fingers went to Tessa's chin, lifting her face to meet his.
"I'm not like them Tessa." Derek said, and planted a light kiss on her lips. "I won't hurt you." he kissed her again lightly.
"I promise." This time he kissed her longer.
Tessa kissed him back, her hands on his cheeks, and whispered against his lips, "I don't want to hurt you either."
Derek quietly hummed, and Tessa wasn't sure if he was saying a silent ok, or if it was a moan.
She slowly began to shut out her worries, snaking an arm around the back of his neck, hands gripping his thin but soft black hair, pulling him closer.
Their breathing was becoming more and more labored as they continued to kiss and nip.
Derek pulled back, leaving Tessa yearning for more.
"Not here." Derek said, his eyes focused on Cora's room.
Tessa followed his eyes, and understood.
Derek grabbed her wrist, and led her upstairs.
Soon they were standing in Derek's room.
Tessa stared at the bed nervously.
"Do you want this? I will not force anything on you. Tell me you are positive you want this." Derek said.
Tessa felt butterflies in her stomach, she had never mated with anyone before... Ever.
She loved Derek, but did she love him this much?
Of course she did.
"I've never slept with anyone before." Tessa said.
"If you don't want to. You don't have to." Derek said.
Tessa walked up to him, "I do. I love you. I've just... Never done all this before."
"Then let me teach you." Derek said, and once again, their lips met.
Tessa kissed back, and as it deepened, she felt an overwhelming feeling of desire.
Her hands were working on their own, placed at the bottom of his shirt, and lifted it up, careful not to let her now-grown claws cut him.
Derek turned them, and laid her on the bed, breaking the kiss as he crawled over her.
"Nervous?" Derek asked, his eyes red, and no doubt hers were to.
Tessa didn't immediately answer, she was observing his bare chest, lifting her hand, resting it on a three lined scratch mark on his chest.
"A little." Tessa said.
"Don't be. If you want to stop. Tell me." Derek said.
"Ok." Tessa swallowed silently.
Their lips met, slow again, but all to soon, it became heated.
Tessa didn't feel at all like she felt when one of the Alphas from the Alpha pack wanted to mate with her.
Derek was gentle, slow, loving.
That night, she didn't have have any regrets about losing her virginity for the first time.
She may not know what an Alpha did, but she did know one thing, she was meant to meet Derek. He was meant to meet her.
X X X
It was late in the afternoon, and Derek lay awake, resting an elbow on the pillow and he watched her.
Tessa was snuggled up to his chest, the sheets covering her soft body from her neck to her feet.
He watched her for a long time, observing her sleeping.
She would mumble a couple things her and there, or stir.
Derek laid his head down again, his hand gently moving a strand of hair from Tessa's face.
She was his mate now, they just had to complete it on a full moon night, and mark one another, although he would once again make sure she was positive, because the mark was permanent.
Wolves mate for life.
Derek watched her a little longer before letting his own sleep come over him.
X X X
I feel it in my bones, enough to make my system blow.
Welcome to the new age, to the new age.
Tessa woke up to the sound of loud music from down stairs.
Woah, woah i'm radioactive, radioactive.
"Oh, not again." Derek mumbled, burying deeper into the pillow.
"What's that noise?" Tessa asked.
"Cora has found her phone. She has tons of music on it. It's annoying." Derek said, giving up blocking out the music, "How are you?"
Derek laid on his side now, facing her.
"I'm good, you?" Tessa asked.
"I, am fine." Derek said, a couple of his fingers gently moving up and down her bare shoulder.
The music downstairs changed.
"Well. This is a good way to know that she's healed." Derek said. "I'm going to ask her to turn it down. Unless you're awake."
"I'm up." Tessa sat up, and found her clothes down on the floor, "Well. I'm not wearing this anymore." She said, noticing how torn it was, for their animalistic actions.
"Shower, and meet me downstairs." Derek said, sitting up.
"Why? What's going on?" Tessa asked.
"You'll see." Derek said, kissing the back of her shoulder, before turning his back on her to retrieve his own clothes.
Derek's clothes weren't as ripped as hers, as he easily slipped them on.
And she thought she was losing control.
Derek then walked out of the room, leaving Tessa her privacy.
She stood from the bed, a little stiff, but nothing a shower can't fix.
Tessa pulled out her last outfit she bought from the store that day, and set them beside the shower, and got in, turning the water temperature to her standards, and closed her eyes for a few seconds, letting the spray of water soothe her and her muscles.
After she felt she had been in there too long doing nothing, she began washing her hair with the soap that was provided.
Then she slowly cleaned her body, seeing light scratch marks and light bruises here and there.
As she washed her arms, she was caught by surprise when she saw what was on her right wrist.
Nothing.
Her banishment mark was gone, and her wrist was now just as the rest of her skin.
-Flashback-
Tessa was breathless and sweaty,.
Derek was leaned over her in the same state.
"I love you." Derek breathed out as their fingers intertwined.
"I love you." Tessa panted back.
Tessa sighed as he raised their intertwined hands, kissing her still fresh mark on her wrist as if making the pain go away.
-End of Flashback-
Tessa stared at her wrist, still feeling his lips there, she felt him everywhere.
She sighed and turned off the water, and dried off, and got dressed.
When she came down, Cora was laid out on the couch as usual, and Derek was sitting a chair away from her.
"Morning sleeping beauty." Cora said, a smile on her face.
At first, Tessa was about to say hi back, but she remembered, Cora had gotten hurt, but now. Now she looked completely healthy. Derek was right.
"Ok. I know we are all finally back together and everything, but, I need you two to be out of the house today." Derek said.
"Why? Tired of us already?" Cora asked, giving a little emphasis on us meaning Tessa.
"No. Just for the day, I promise you won't regret it." Derek said.
"Ok. What do you suggest we do all day?" Cora asked.
"You two need to fit in more around the town. I would like you to join Scott and Isaac at school today." Derek said.
"So you're sending us to obedience school?" Cora asked.
"No, look. Just for today. Just trust me." Derek said.
"Just cause you're an Alpha and my big brother does NOT mean you can order us around." Cora said.
'Actually, he can.' Tessa thought, but Cora kept speaking up for her.
"Please. Just for today." Derek said.
Cora scoffed, "Alright. Fine. But we get to take the car right?" Cora asked.
"Just don't wreck it." Derek said, and tossed Cora the key.
"Alright. Tess. Let's go to obedience school." Cora said and walked out of the door.
Tessa watched her disappear to find the car.
"Tessa.' Derek grabbed her attention.
"What is this really about?" Tessa asked.
"Nothing. It is a little surprise." Derek said.
"We're leaving you here alone. What if something happens to you." Tessa asked.
"Nothing will happen. Trust me." Derek said, now standing inches from her.
"Why can't one of us stay here? Just to make sure." Tessa said.
"Because it's a surprise for both of you. Don't worry. You and she will like it." Derek said.
"Ok, I guess I'll go. But if anything happens to you..." Tessa stopped there, not really having an idea of what she would do.
Derek smiled at that, and rested a hand against the side of her neck, and leaned down, and...
"Come on. Let's go already. Or did you just want me to go and leave you two at it all day? Seriously Derek." Cora was standing at the open doorway, with the car running a little bit behind her.
"Be careful." Tessa whispered to Derek, before backing away to Cora's side.
When they were in the car, Tessa watched Derek until Cora had driven out of the forest and now in the town.
"So, I think you forgot to mention that you and Derek were together." Cora said, glancing at her.
"Yeah. I... Well..." Tessa stuttered.
"I'm not upset about that Tessa. Kind of reminds me of the old him." Cora said.
"The old him?" Tessa asked.
Cora was now parked at the high school, "I suppose this is where we're supposed to be. Haven't been here since third grade, hmm, oh how angry Derek got when people were picking on me." Cora smiled.
'Oh' Tessa thought.
Another car, or, jeep pulled in a parking spot a few spaces down from them.
"I smell trouble." Cora said, and turned the key and pulled it out of the car, and exited.
Tessa furrowed her brows confused, and followed her out.
When she came to her side, she noticed Stiles, Scott, and Isaac looking their way.
"Woah, you can drive too?" Isaac asked as they approached them, looking at Tessa.
"Um..."
"I drove." Cora said.
"Of course you did." Isaac said quickly, fixing his gaze on her.
"You calling me a liar?" Cora asked.
"Nooo, no. Not at all." Isaac said.
"Why are you driving Derek's car?" Scott asked.
"Because it was all he had." Cora said, sounding more annoyed.
"Aren't you his sister?" Stiles asked.
"Do I know you?" Cora asked.
"Not really. No." Stiles said.
"Ok. Where do we go?" Cora asked.
'Can I say something.' Tessa thought.
Derek was better with conversations than Cora.
"Oh. I can walk you to the office. The principal will get you registered." Scott said.
After about half an hour of walking and touring the school, Tessa and Cora went to their first class.
The principal decided to keep their schedules the same.
"Hmm, Astronomy class. Never heard of it." Cora said.
"Me neither." Tessa said.
The class was rather small.
Tessa felt a little nervous around all the new people, she new she was someone different and wondered if they could just see right through her.
The whole day, Tessa felt like that, until their last class they shared with Isaac.
"The last class of the day. How has it been treating you?" Isaac asked as he sat in front of Cora and beside Tessa.
"I don't know why Derek sent us to this crazy place. I mean how should I know about the past world wars?" Cora said.
"Uhh, it's a part of written history. I could help you study if you want." Isaac said.
Cora lowered her eyes at him, "Do I know you?"
"Um. Yes, you tried to kill me last night." Isaac said.
"Ah. Ok." Cora nodded as if realizing.
"Are you ok, Cora?" Tessa asked.
Did she hate Isaac or something?
The teacher for their chemistry class walked in and began talking about an experiment they'd be doing.
X X X
"If Derek doesn't have a good excuse for sending us to this boring place. I'm gonna kill him." Cora said as she started the car.
"Are you ok Cora? You're... Do you hate Isaac or something?" Tessa asked.
"Don't tell Derek, but I am actually quite fond of Isaac." Cora said as she searched for the entrance to the forest.
"You... Like Isaac? Since when?" Tessa asked.
"Since last night." Cora said.
"You don't really act like it." Tessa said.
"Well. I'm a girl. And if I'm correct..."
The car suddenly was jerked to a stop, and Tessa was almost thrown forward, if not saved by the seat belt.
"What the heck." Tessa gasped, as she focused ahead of them to see why Cora had stopped so suddenly.
She saw that they had arrived back at Derek's house, but why did Cora just have to slam on the brakes?
She looked at Cora, who looked like she had just seen a ghost.
"Someone's been here." Cora said, and quickly got out of the car.
Tessa's first worry being Derek, she got out just as quickly.
"Derek!" Cora shouted as she ran up the steps and threw the door open.
Tessa and Cora were surprised and confused seeing that the furniture in the living room had been moved around.
"You two are home early." Derek's voice came, and was soon coming down the stairs.
"What the hell is up with the living room change?" Cora asked, both feeling a little relieved since Derek was here and ok.
"That's not the only thing that's changed. I've been doing a little...Remodeling. I finally took your complaint into action." Derek said.
"What complaint? Derek what's going on?" Cora asked.
"You've been wanting this house redone. Well, since I'm not the only one that's going to be living in it anymore, I thought I'd make you two feel at home. Go see your room." Derek said.
Cora was still a little confused, but walked over to her room.
Tessa and Derek followed, Tessa still not having a clue of what was going on.
Cora opened her door, seeing it had been completely redone, and might we say she went into vapor lock.
"Oh...My..." Cora whispered.
Her room had been completely redone, unlike the rotting walls out in the living room, her walls were new and painted.
She also didn't have just a dirty mattress anymore, but a new huge bed with light purple mixed with dark purple sheets.
"That complaint." Derek cut off the silence.
Tessa was surprised too, at the new look.
"So. Do you like your new room?" Derek asked, cutting off Cora's vapor lock.
"Yes... I... Do! Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh, thank you thank you thank you!" And for the first time, Cora hugged Derek.
"You're welcome. Now let go, I can't breathe." Derek said calmly.
Cora let go of him, and walked in her room, taking in all the views again.
"How did you do all this?"
"Hired a couple people, paid what needed to be bought, and they put it in." Derek said.
"That explains the stench." Cora said.
Derek sighed.
"I LOVE it!" Cora said, "Now I will never come out."
Cora shut her door, leaving her alone in her room, Derek and Tessa still outside.
"Wow, does she do that a lot?" Tessa asked, "I've never seen her so happy."
"She probably hasn't been since our family was together." Derek said.
"Oh. I'm sorry." Tessa said, she hated bringing up the past, she knew it hurt them.
"It's ok. Now would you like to see your room?" Derek asked.
Tessa stared at him in awe, "My what?"
"I decided to have a new bed and added accessories for you. Would you like to see it?" Derek asked.
"Really? Um... Yes." Tessa said.
Derek led her upstairs, and Tessa was a little confused when he led her to his room, or, what used to be his room.
Now it was replaced by a new bed, with red and black covers, drapes on the windows that were open, letting in the setting sun.
"This... This is your room." Tessa said.
"It's yours too." Derek said, standing behind her.
"You. Really didn't have to do this." Tessa said.
Derek's hands were massaging her arms, and he whispered in her ear, "I know, but I wanted to."
Tessa shivered, Derek silently and softly planting kisses on her neck.
"Do you like it?" Derek asked.
"Yeah." Tessa said.
Derek turned her to face him.
"You really didn't have to do this. I'm in your pack, not your family member." Tessa said.
Derek stared down at her, almost a glare.
He pushed her back towards the bed, picking her up to get on the bed, and he climbed after her.
Tessa began to tremble and gasp as he kissed her.
"It think it's time we talked." Derek whispered against her lips, the venom in his voice enough to make her shiver and nod.
He kissed her again...
A/N: Well I know it's been a while. This chapter was longer than I thought.
And everytime I watch a new episode of the season I realize that they are moving farther and farther away from this story. So, Hey! It's fanfiction!
Leave some reviews!
~Wolflover235