Chapter Twenty: The Storm

(Derek's POV)

It was pouring when everything started. The sky was dark and thunder growled threateningly, promising the clash of lightning.

I tried to search for Lyra in the storm, but the rain made it difficult to track her scent. But I could hear her snarls and the sounds of flesh and cloth ripping.

I sprinted towards the sound, which was coming from deep within the reserve. I sensed Scott and Isaac behind me, and I knew the Argents were hidden away somewhere. Stiles was with Lydia, who had been the one to warn us about when it would begin.

I clenched my jaw as I ran faster, my boots digging into the slick mud.

When we entered an opening between the trees, I froze and Isaac and Scott skidded to a halt beside me.

Lyra was fighting all of them off, her eyes ruby red, and her features morphing as she attacked again and again.

"Lyra!"

Ooo0ooO

One day earlier

(Derek's POV)

"Derek?"

I turned to see Lyra coming outside. She ducked under the window sill to join me on the roof, where I had been sitting since Matt had left the loft.

"How's Melissa?" I asked, turning to face the sunset again.

Lyra settled beside me, pulling up her knees and wrapping her arms around them. She sighed, placing her chin down on a knee. "Worried, to say the least."

"Because of Deucalion and Peter."

She nodded. "She thought that they wouldn't… well, that Deucalion wouldn't go back to the dark side." Then she rolled her eyes. "But none of us are surprised by Peter."

"You still don't know who they have?"

Lyra's brows scrunched together. "I wish I did," she replied. "Part of me really doesn't want to find out."

Because she looked worried and a little lost, I reached out, coiling a lock of her hair around my finger. "Whatever- or whoever- it is, we'll deal with it."

She turned to look at me, her eyes a bright blue. I could make out the ring of indigo around her pupil in the sunlight. "Together?" she asked.

I nodded. "Together."

Later that night, we rested together on our bed. Lyra was stretched out of her stomach, her head pillowed against her arms. Her eyes were half-closed as I traced the length of her spine gently. With my blue eyes, I could see the old wounds there that had healed, but without them there was nothing but smooth, golden skin, marked only by the tattoo along her ribs.

"Would you ever get another one?" I wanted to know.

Lyra's lips curved. "I'm surprised I don't have more," she admitted. "But the process is kind of a pain."

I chuckled, remembering how she helped me when Scott wanted his tattoo.

"What about you?" she asked, reaching out to touch the triskelion tattoo between my shoulders.

I shrugged. "Maybe one day."

Her eyes gleamed when she opened them. "We could always get matching tattoos," she said with a grin. "You could get my name in a heart with a flaming arrow through it."

"Yeah, right on my arm," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Actually I was thinking it'd be on your ass." She burst out laughing at the look on my face. "I'm kidding, Derek, calm down."

"Mhm," I muttered, narrowing my eyes.

She laughed again before she closed her eyes. "Maybe I'll get me one of those," she muttered, her fingers still tracing my tattoo. "Thinking about a quote too."

"Which quote?"

Lyra sighed sleepily, wrapping an arm around a pillow. "'If you're going through Hell, keep going'."

Churchill, I thought to myself.

A couple of hours later, we were both woken up by Lyra's cellphone ringing. She growled before she picked it up, snapping at the other person. Then she sat up, her eyes wide and alert. "Lydia? What is it?"

I sat up as well, anxiously watching Lyra as she stared blankly in front of her, listening.

"Okay. No, we'll meet you. Okay. Be safe."

When she hung up, her eyes were dark with worry. "We have to go."

Lydia was over at Scott's with the rest of the boys and Allison when we pulled up. Melissa opened the door for us, meeting Lyra's gaze. The women shared a look before Lyra strode into the living room. Lydia was on the couch with Scott and Stiles, while Isaac was standing on the other side of the room, leaning against the wall. Allison was in the chair opposite of the couch.

"Lydia," Lyra said as she knelt down in front of her. "Tell me what you feel."

Lydia's eyes were wide when she looked at Lyra. "I-I… I feel like… like I'm standing somewhere I've never been before. The ground…" The girl's shoulders trembled. "The ground is soaked in blood. It's cold but not temperature cold." Her brows furrowed as she tried to describe it. "Cold like empty. Like the aftermath of a battle and there's bodies…everywhere."

Lyra took her hand gently. "Can you tell me anything else?"

"It's like… there's something here, something familiar. And all I can hear is someone screaming."

"Screaming?" Lyra repeated, her expression grim.

Lydia's green gaze met Lyra's blue one. "Someone's screaming your name."

Not long after that, we followed Lydia as she led us towards the peak that overlooked the town. Her eyes were strangely vacant as she followed the pull of her power and she shivered again when she broke away from the trance. Allison stood beside her, hand on her shoulder, giving her some quiet comfort.

Chris Argent arrived minutes later, wielding an array of weapons. Lyra murmured to him, quietly explaining the situation and he nodded when she was finished. Lydia softly announced that this was the place she heard the screams the loudest.

Lyra proceeded to instruct everyone on what to do. She wanted to sweep the forests and the reserve, to make sure everything was okay. She wanted everyone to stay close before they went out further.

"What if it's the Nemeton?" Stiles asked, shifting on his feet.

Lyra's lips thinned. "First let's check this area before we move on. Something's telling me to keep everyone close."

We were joined by Lyra's friend a half an hour later, who had tracked her scent into the woods. Matt seemed on edge, which Lyra noticed right away. When she asked him why he was acting that way, he told us that he could sense that Deucalion was close. Lyra's eyes had flashed at that.

It wasn't long before Deucalion made himself present. He found Lyra and me when we had reached the entrance to the reserve. The others were close, within earshot, and quickly came over when they heard and scented Deucalion. The Argents kept hidden, per Lyra's request.

"Hello, Lyra," Deucalion said pleasantly. "Lovely night, isn't it?"

Lyra bristled. We all knew that the moon was full, but had yet to reach its peak in the sky. This night and the next two were going to be wolf nights. I could feel its pull, but I was too old to allow myself to lose control.

"What are you doing here?" Lyra snarled.

"Me? Why, I'm here for the show."

Suddenly, Peter appeared, dragging someone forward. Whoever it was was bound and gagged, with half of their face covered. Their clothes were torn and too big for their frame, and their skin was bruised and covered in dried blood.

"You see, Cora, Erica, and Boyd weren't the only werewolves I kept hidden away from the full moon," Deucalion said, putting his hands behind his back. "This one… well, she's been with me for a while now."

Then he paused to smile. "Of course, there's more. Peter, why don't you let our guest go? She's been tied up long enough."

Peter did as he was told, snapping off the ropes and ties on the girl's arms, but he didn't remove the blindfold or gag. His eyes were gleaming, almost mockingly. He shoved the girl forward so she stumbled out of the shadows, right into the moonlight.

Lyra stiffened, her pupils dilating. I could hear her taking in the girl's scent before her body suddenly quaked. Claws exploded from her nailbeds and bit into her palms, making them bleed. Growls erupted in her chest, rising and falling unsteadily.

Matt sucked in a sharp breath when he scented the girl as well. His eyes went impossibly huge and the blood drained from his face.

The sky then opened up, pouring rain down on us in sheets. Lighting crackled then struck and thunder rumbled. And before I could react, something slammed into my side, sending me crashing into the ground.

Three more werewolves exploded from the trees, their eyes blazing gold. Lyra's friends snarled in response and Scott and Isaac's eyes began to glow as they stepped up next to Lyra.

I fought them off with the others and I lost sight of Lyra. Ryan and Sam split off, going after Peter, while Scott, Isaac, and I fought off the three new wolves. Pierce darted off, heading in the direction I had seen Lyra last and Matt was nowhere to be found.

When the other wolves had been taken down, I turned to look into the dark forest before I took off, following the sounds of Lyra fighting.

Ooo0ooO

Present

(Lyra's POV)

Something inside me snapped the second I could smell the captive in Peter's arms. There was nothing but blind rage, which felt so achingly familiar.

Ignoring the girl, I lunged for Deucalion.

Thunder clapped as I slammed into him, my teeth aiming for his throat. I felt the beast within tear down my walls of control, until I could feel it taking over.

When my hand swiped across Deucalion's face, black fur was exploding across my skin.

Then there was a roar, and the girl attacked me from behind, her claws digging into my back. I howled and whirled, shoving her away in time to dodge Peter's own claws. His bright blue eyes met mine as he bared his teeth.

As I fought all of them, I heard someone- Isaac?- shout my name over the sounds of the storm.

Deucalion darted away when I turned my head briefly to block a blow from Peter. I snarled and sprinted after him, barely noticing that he was heading down into town.

I found myself attacking him again in the middle of the high school's lacrosse field. He used his weight to knock me to the ground, but I slashed his calves with my sharp nails. He growled and I brought up my foot, catching him under his jaw. His head snapped back and he stumbled a few feet back.

Then the girl was on me again. It was then I noticed she was still blindfolded, relying on her other senses. Her sharp teeth cut into my shoulder as she attacked me with the single-minded ferocity of an animal.

With an impressive amount of strength, she lifted me and threw me across the field, where I crashed into the bleachers. Instincts told me to get them away from the high school, to get them back into the woods.

Trying to draw them off, I moved and fought back in a way that drew Deucalion and the girl out onto the nearest street. My nostrils flared as I took in the familiar scent of Derek and Isaac, and I heard Scott's shout from a distance.

My focus stayed on Deucalion as I put in the effort to only dodge the girl's vicious attacks. But when my attention strayed back towards her, I saw her attacking Isaac.

With a powerful kick, I sent Deucalion sliding across the asphalt. I lunged for the girl, swinging her around until she smashed into an electrical pole. Her claws dug into my shoulders before she whirled us around until my back slammed into it, making the wood groan and splinter. When I looked up, I saw it swaying and the electrical lines snapping.

Then I heard Isaac cry out my name again and when I looked to him, I felt my world slow down drastically. He was standing in the street, unknowingly in the middle of a large puddle that had formed thanks to the pouring rain. He was unaware of the snapping electrical wires that were falling towards him.

The breath rushed out of my lungs as I slashed at the girl's face, cutting her cheek and ripping off the cloth that was covering her eyes. I saw a flash of bright blue before I shoved her to the side.

My body bunched and leaped forward as the wires crackled, falling directly towards Isaac. I screamed his name before I shoved him away, but it was too late for me to dodge the wires, which slammed into my back.

There was a massive jolt that went through my body, and it felt like there was fire in my veins and crackling along my skin. It was concentrated below my left shoulder and I howled in pain before I slammed into the ground, unconscious.

Ooo0ooO

(Derek's POV)

The sound of Lyra's howl had me turning away from Peter and I froze when I saw what had happened.

Isaac was crumpled on the ground as Lyra's body was lit up from the sparks and crackling electrical energy that was coming from the wires that had hit her body. Her body jerked and spasmed as the electricity reacted to the water that was beneath her feet, then she fell down. Her body jerked one last time before it went completely still.

I turned to attack Peter again, but I found that he already had disappeared, along with Deucalion. The girl was lying on the ground as well, bleeding from an array of wounds, obviously knocked out. Matt appeared and was kneeling beside her, but my attention went back to Lyra.

I ran over to her, pulling her away from the wires and water. Isaac was beside me, his eyes wide and wet. "Sh-she shoved me out of the way… I didn't even see…"

"We have to get her back to the loft," I said, my voice oddly calm.

Then Chris Argent came roaring up in his SUV, and we placed Lyra in the backseat. The others piled in before he accelerated towards the loft. He helped me carry Lyra into the apartment.

"What can we do?" Allison asked, stepping forward.

Without answering, I motioned for Chris to place Lyra on the long table, putting her down on her stomach. With a clawed hand, I ripped off her shirt.

Starting from a spot on the base of her shoulder, a large, cherry pink mark branched out along Lyra's back. It looked like tree roots that spread and grew out from the one spot, arching and weaving in an uneven line from her left shoulder down to the curve of her right hip. The smaller veins and marks were a pale, silvery-pink color.

"She's not healing," Chris said, his eyes assessing the injury.

"With all of that electricity… how is she alive?" Stiles asked quietly, staring at the marks.

"Call Deaton," I whispered, reaching out to touch her back. The marks were raised and still hot.

The vet arrived within ten minutes and began assessing the wounds like Chris had. His hand touched Lyra in a gentle, impersonal manner, and his expression was grim.

"I honestly don't know how she is alive," Deaton said when Stiles repeated his question.

"This is my fault," Isaac breathed, sitting down on the couch, burying his face in his hands.

Allison sat down next to him. "No, it's not," she said firmly. "Lyra… she just…"

"She wanted to protect you," Scott concluded, moving over to his friend. "She tried to protect all of us."

Isaac's eyes were cold when they met Scott's. "And now look at her!"

"Deaton?" I asked, turning away from the younger Beta. "Will she…?"

He shook his head slowly. "I can't say anything for certain. If she survives the night, if her body begins to heal…" He drew in a deep breath. "She's a fighter."

I looked down at her. She almost looked like she was sleeping, just like she had been the night before. I brushed the hair from her eyes. "I know," I murmured.

Soon everyone began to slowly leave. Lydia went with the Argents, and Stiles left with Scott, after the young Alpha had told me to contact him as soon as Lyra woke up. Isaac didn't budge, which didn't faze me. I knew he would stay until she woke up.

Deaton listened to Lyra's heartbeat one last time before sighing. "There's no guarantee," he muttered.

"No guarantee of what?" I asked, my eyes snapping up.

"That she'll heal completely," Deaton responded in a soft voice. "The damage to her internal organs will, slowly, but this…" He gestured to the splintering mark down her back. "I cannot stay it will."

I nodded before the vet quietly left the loft.

"You should get some sleep," I told Isaac, my gaze never leaving Lyra.

Isaac nodded, but instead of going up towards his old room, he adjusted his long legs on the couch, throwing an arm behind his head.

After a couple of hours, I fell asleep in the chair next to Lyra. I was woken up by her sharp gasp and her body flinching. When I looked up, her eyes were half-wild and turning red.

"Abigail," was all she said before her eyes rolled back and she slid back into unconsciousness.

Ooo0ooO

One day later

(Lyra's POV)

It took a great deal of energy to pull myself into consciousness again. My body felt weak, drained when I had pried my eyes open.

Derek was sleeping next to me and Isaac was still on the couch. I knew that they hadn't left by the rumpled look they were both sporting.

Then I remembered everything.

My eyes widened and my heart rate increased.

Abigail.

Silently, I slid off the table. I bit my lip from crying out as the movement jolted my back, which was still tender. I could feel my body healing itself slowly, but the pain still felt fresh. Reaching out, I grabbed my torn shirt, which had been split down the middle.

With a claw, I made two more gashes before I pulled it on, tying the fabric together in a loose knot against my stomach. I slipped out of the loft quietly, keeping the door slightly ajar.

I tracked my way back to the high school, following the scent that was pushing my wolf towards the edge. Lavender and sea salt. That achingly familiar feeling filled my chest like it had before, without the rage.

I found her huddled under the broken bleachers, her blue eyes wild and full of fear. She snarled when she saw me approaching.

I knelt down a few feet away, watching her. I could see tremors racking her body as her wolf rippled under the surface, finally free after years of imprisonment. I clenched my fists, trying to quell the anger that began to build in my chest again.

"Abigail," I whispered softly.

Then I was blinking past tears when her eyes cooled off, revealing those baby blue depths I hadn't seen in years. The ones I never thought I would see again.

When they met my gaze, her lip wobbled. "Lyra?"

Tears fell down as I laughed, partially in disbelief, when I heard her talk. "Hey." Cautiously, I moved closer, then I fell back a little when she lunged at me, only to put her arms tightly around me. I clenched her back just as tight, burying my face in her soft blonde hair.

"Lyra," she choked. "Oh God."

I pulled back, smoothing her hair behind her ear. I smiled, my chest aching. "Look at you," I murmured.

Five years had passed since that night. She had been sixteen when I thought she had died. Now she was in her early twenties and she was gorgeous. She had grown into her large blue eyes and her hair fell straight past her shoulders, a mixture of soft and dirty blonde.

"Look at you," she countered, reaching up to touch my cheek. "Alpha."

I shook my head. "I'm afraid I'm going to wake up and realize this is a dream," I whispered.

"I'm here," Abigail said, clenching me close again. "I'm here."

We were interrupted by the exploding ringtone of my cellphone. There were a few missed calls from Derek already, along with a huge amount of texts. I sent one off quickly, my spare hand still holding onto my sister.

"Abby."

We both looked over my shoulder, where Matt was standing with a wide-eyed look of disbelief. I stood up and pulled my sister up, letting her lean against me.

"Matt?" she breathed.

Matt's face split into a grin before he strode over, putting his arms around her. She squeezed him back before they pulled back. Her eyes fell to the vicious scar on his neck. "Oh."

"Don't worry about this," Matt said with a wave of his hand.

Abby's eyes were serious and sad when she looked at us both. Quietly, she tugged the collar of her shirt down, exposing the bright pink scar that marred her chest, right over her heart. "You weren't the only one Deucalion brought back," she said softly. "I just took longer because…"

I viciously shoved aside the image of Deucalion ripping out my sister's heart. I didn't know how he did it, but at the moment, I wasn't going to question it.

"Matty?" I asked, turning towards him. "Take Abby somewhere safe. I need to tell Derek…everything." When I saw the confused look on my sister's face, I smiled tenderly. "Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

Pressing a firm kiss to her cheek, I jogged back towards my car.

When I got back to the loft, Isaac was gone and Derek was standing facing the large window. I called out his name softly as the door closed behind me.

He didn't respond. His eyes flickered briefly to mine before sliding away. They were like pieces of soft green glass with smudges of brown, broken and lost. His body language was tense.

"You're awake," he muttered, finally breaking the silence.

"Yes."

He turned his head slightly so I could see his profile. "I thought…" His jaw clenched. "Last night…" He turned away from me again.

I knew it wasn't easy for him to be in this situation. I knew it wasn't easy for him to carry me away from a fight, bleeding and injured. I knew it wasn't easy for him to watch the other boys fight, especially since he had become an unofficial big brother to them. And I knew when they were hurt too, whenever he thought he failed them, he was reminded of how in his mind he failed his own family. And I knew that feeling all too well.

After shoving Isaac aside and stepping into the path of the electrified water, I knew that one too many sacrifices could eventually lead to my death- a death Derek would blame himself for.

I wished I could take away the pain he was feeling. I wished he didn't have to see the scars that covered my body each time his eyes turned blue. But it was all there, there was no escaping it. We were both in too deep to turn our backs on those who needed our help, and I knew I was in too deep to lose Derek…and a part of me knew- or at least felt- that he couldn't lose me either.

Perhaps I was too weak to admit how deep my feelings ran when it came to him. Fairy tale notions of love were driven out of my head the moment I watched my sister die and when I watched Matt's throat get ripped open. I shielded myself from feeling anything close to love again, since I knew once you loved something, losing it was a step away from feeling like you were dying.

When he turned around, he refused to meet my gaze. Even when I approached him, his eyes fixated on the space in front of his shoes. I stepped forward, stooping slightly before I leaned up on my toes, capturing his lips with my own. I pressed myself against him but didn't touch him. Never being good at words left me to speak through my actions, so I poured everything I had into that kiss.

Derek made a low sound in his throat before his hands brushed along mine, trailing up and down my arms before encircling my waist. He pulled me tighter against him until I was nearly off the ground and I wrapped my arms around his neck, burying my fingers deep into his soft, dark hair.

He pulled away first and pushed his forehead against my own. I brushed my fingertips along his jaw softly before opening my eyes and meeting his. We stared at each other for a long moment, and I felt the urge to say something, but no words came to me.

"Lyra," Derek murmured softly.

I touched him softly again, rubbing my nose along his in a comforting sort of way. "I know," I whispered. "I know."

He pulled away, touching the ends of my hair. I felt a moment of anxiety mixing in with my doubt. What exactly did I know? My heart was saying one thing, beating out unfamiliar words that I had never spoken before and my brain was struggling to see things clearly that were blurred by his presence.

Then something shuddered over his expression before it was guarded once again. "That girl…"

I closed my eyes for a moment. "Looks like your sister wasn't the only family member Deucalion had up his sleeve."

"Is she- are you…?"

"We're okay, I think," I replied, understanding him. "She's with Matt." I met his gaze again. "Do you want to meet her?"

I nodded.

Ooo0ooO

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf.

Author's Note: Surprise! Next chapter will include Abby's story… and when her and Derek meet. And where have Peter and Deucalion disappeared to? Find out soon…

Just for reference, I kind of picture Lyra's wound like the scars people get when struck by lightning. As For Matt and Abigail, when I began writing this story, I pictured Matt Bomer and Katie Cassidy as them.

Please review!