It had been months of pure darkness. It was the feeling of clustered insecurity that binded her to the depression, never seeming to lighten in the slightest. But for the first time in that long while, Riley felt a sense of willingness to get up in the mornings. She felt pleasant about her decisions as she lived vicariously through a code that didn't belong to her. Deaton had told her that having Allison's code as her mantra would undoubtedly allow her friends legacy to carry onward. But was Riley ready for such a broad weight to burden her? Probably not. Was she going to thrive in any which way she could when it kept people safe? Definitely.
While she'd healed physically from the trauma of having lost her own life, the mentality of dealing with such a loss worried the people around her. Her sense of happiness wasn't a prominent feature any more. Riley had become hallow. A darker person than who she'd been before the storm that washed away her family and friends. Riley Haven was living proof that hardship ate away at even the bravest of people. But she'd never considered herself brave. She'd always thought of herself to be human. And the human instinct to protect those around her is what thrived in each life-threatening decision she'd ever made. Riley wasn't brave, no, she was passionate.
And the passion to help the ones she loved would always be enough to keep her going. The ability to see the moments that threatened her in each dream was beyond helpful as she prepared with defensive tactics that would benefit not only herself, but others as well. While she was still trying to let go of the past, Riley had never felt so prepared for the future like she had tonight. She lay in bed beside Derek, their fingers intertwined as she rested her head in the crook of his neck. Her free hand had ridden up the bottom of his shirt, her fingertips ghosting along his hips. Things had gotten better from them recently. They'd put forth the effort to stabalize the relationship they both seemed to want. But even Riley sometimes doubted why he repeatedly chose her each and every day. "You have it all wrong," Derek's lips pulled up slightly. His grey eyes seemed to land on hers, lovingly glancing at the girl beside him. "I'm a firm believer in the fact that you don't choose who you love," he whispered. "Love chooses you." His lips found the soft curve of her temple, nudging her closer to him. "What about you?" He asked. "Why did you choose me?"
She chuckled then, shaking her head as a smile spread across her cheeks warmly. "What can I say?" She shrugged sarcastically. "It's hard to resist a bad boy who is a good man." Her words seemed to entrap him, hiding his smile in the carmel locks of her hair. Derek had never thought himself to be a good man. He'd always seen himself as the one who came with good intentions, only to leave with blood on his hands. He was careful these days, trying harder to lend a hand than a claw. Derek didn't feel the way she did. He didn't see in himself as the man that Riley had called him out to be. In his eyes, his father had been someone who could carry that compliment well and without doubt. His father was a man of loyalty and value, and Derek strived to be like him each and every day. Riley noticed his automatic silence, snuggling closer as she pressed her lips to his throat. "What's wrong?" Her brow furrowed, looking up to him from his side.
His lips pursed, shaking his head. Thinking about his father had opened the gateway of thinking about his family. His loved ones that had all accumulated within the walls of his family home. "The county tore down the Hale house last week." He murmured softly, his forehead creased in sorrow. He tried not to remember his burnt home crumbled to pieces in the forest out past the preserve. The information took her by surprise, her eyes watering as her nails raked his skin. She didn't know what to say, and so she huddled closer to him, feeding him warmth through her soft carasses'.
"I love you, Derek." She whispered into his shoulder, dragging her lips across his collar bone.
"Say it again." He voiced, his lips curving into a sweet smile.
It was refreshing to have someone say those words after going so long without hearing them. "I love you." She repeated.
"Again." He begged, rolling over to hover above her. He placed peppered kisses across her chest, the hair on his cheeks tickling her. But even through the fits of giggles, she managed to say it out loud once more. His lips caught hers, lingering momentarily before pulling back. His eyes found hers, sincere and insistent. "I love you." He told her, "Some people search their whole lives looking for what I've found in you." It was his turn then to rest his head into the crook of her neck. "How am I so lucky?" He asked, his breath lacing within the twines of her hair.
The question itself wasn't about luck, it was the simple fact that Riley Haven had a bad habit of desiring the things that would ultimately destroy her in the end. She had high hopes that that wasn't the case, but something lingered in the way because Beacon Hills would never be a town that allowed luck and happiness to live for too long. "I could ask myself the same thing." Her hands glided up his chest, capturing his cheeks between firm hands. She leaned down to press a silent kiss to his lips, smiling against his mouth with hope that things would atleast stay normal for a while longer.
His hands became greedy, his lips hungry as he fed off the passion Riley seemed to emanate. He collected the hem of her shirt within firm fists, pulling it up slightly as he splayed his palms across her rib cage. He hovered above her, sheltering her with compassion and love as she glided her nails along the nape of his neck. And just as soon as the pleasant tingle within her abdomen seemed to bubbled with anticipation, Derek had stopped. He pulled away slightly, his brow furrowing with confusion. "What?" She panted, her fingers still twined within his hair. "Why'd you stop?"
His eyes left hers, turning his head as he glanced to the loft door suspiciously. "Someone's coming."
The words left his lips, his body heaving himself from the bed as he stood swiftly. His muscles flexed with anticipation, his eyes wary and concentrated as Riley slipped from the skewed sheets she'd rested upon. "Who is it?" She breathed, fixing the hem of her shirt as Derek's anxiety rubbed off on her.
"Trouble." He murmured, his voice low and ruff as the nails within his fingers seemed to elongate into claws. Riley shifted a little bit closer, straining her ears to end up only hearing the deeps breaths of the man beside her. The loft door shifted open silently, her eyes suspicious as nothing but darkness engulfed the hallway. Derek took a deliberate step in front of Riley, a snarl bubbling in his chest as a silver canister was tossed forward from the hall. It clanged to the cemenet floor, rolling forward as it collected at Derek's feet. A gray mist erupted from the can, ghosting across the loft swiftly as Derek stumbled back. "Wolfsbane." He coughed, pulling his t-shirt over his nose and mouth. The air became tainted with the poison, altering his eyesight as everything became foggy. His connection beside Riley was lost, stumbling as he tried to right himself again. "Ry!" He called out.
But although the Wolfsbane had no effect on her, the gray haze seemed to clog her vision as well, unable to see anything beyond the outstretched palm of her hand. She breathed deeply, the scent dry and sweet as she tried to follow the sound of Derek's voice. But his voice was lost among the harsh clatter as the sound of boots clunked nosily against the cement flooring. "Whose there?" Riley called out, the smoke finally beginning to clear. "Who are you?"
The sound of a barrel being chambered caught her attention, her eyes refocusing as several men approached her. One of them lead the others, a gun held between steady palms. His eyes were cautious, his lips pursed. "No, miha." He shook his head. "Quién es usted?" His accent was thick with Spanish descent. Riley frowned at him, her eyes wide and weary as she took a step back.
"She's with me." A voice hissed. The smoke had thinned enough for Derek to focus on the threat, his claws ready, his fangs bared as he lunged at them. He seemed to lunge for the main man, only to have the others who stood behind him come to his defense. The handle of the gun struck his jaw, stumbling back as Riley caught him from falling.
"You knew we'd come for you eventually, lobo." He taunted, splitting from his group of hunters as they encircled around Derek and Riley. "You have something we want."
"What do they want?" Riley whispered to him, realizing that these men were the ones who had taken Derek and Peter almost three months ago.
"He knows what we want." The man sneered. His name was Severo, the second in command to the family of Spanish hunters who resided in Mexico. "Give her to us, lobo." He instructed. "And no one gets hurt."
"I don't know any loba." Derek reminded, insistent yet fearful. They'd asked him repeatedly for the same information just a few months prior. They wanted the she-wolf, and all along he'd thought they wanted his baby sister. And so he lied.
"I'm tired of his games, Severo." Another man huffed. His gun was still firmly set on Riley and Derek. "I say we stick to the plan this time."
The leader, Severo, shook his head, holding a hand out to silence his friend. "You have one last chance," he warned, his eyes threatening as he glanced to Derek. "Tell us who the she-wolf is." He looked to Riley, his eyes apologetic as he shook his head. He wasn't going to tell them anything in regards to the she-wolf. "No?" Severo cocked a brow. "I guess if you wont talk, Derek," he taunted. "We will have to make you." He snapped his fingers violently, all the guns the hunters had been holding all suddenly aimed towards Riley. "We know you know." He reminded as Riley flinched, coming face to face with four pistols aimed at her. "If you wont tell us, we'll just have to go through all of your resources until we find her. Starting with this one."
"She doesn't know-" Derek murmured, his eyes fading into a cold steel blue.
"Oh, c'mon." Severo chuckled. "She must know something. Speak." He demanded, his gun raising slightly higher to position itself perfectly between her brows. "If you know something, now is the time to talk."
Riley's body trembled, unaware of what was truly going on as she tried to remain brave. The men stared her down, fingers on the trigger in warning. Riley gulped, squaring her jaw at the man. "I don't know any Loba." And her words were true, but they didn't know that.
One of the men cocked his gun, finger inching closer to the trigger as a snarl erupted from Derek's throat. He lunged for him, capturing the mans throat between his rigid claws as chaos ensued. All the men seemed to head for Derek at once, using their guns to beat him into submission. Riley watched as they ganged up on him, a heated fury risng beneath her skin as her anger bubbled. She lunged at the closest man to her, locking her hand into a firm fist before allowing it to collide with the soft pad of his cheek. He looked up in bewilderment, not expecting the fragile girl to hold so much force.
He could taste a trickle of blood seep onto his bottom lip, allowing his tongue to collect the stream as a wicked smile laced across his crimson teeth. Riley glared at him from beneath her lashes, balling and un-balling her fists in preparation. He charged at her, arms swinging as Riley narrowly missed his burly knuckles. But one of his fists caught her off guard, the prominent ridge of the ring he wore scraped across her temple. It tore at her skin, a soft sting pulsing rapidly as her adrenaline began to heat up. She stumbled back slightly, collecting herself as a pitted rage tore through her like a wildfire. Riley's lip curled, a snarl echoing off the cement floors. She lunged at him, bowing her head to evade his punches as her arms encircled his waist. The force with wich she charged at him aided her in pushing him further back, his hands gripping at her hair as her knee came up to collide witht he soft swell of his stomach.
He grunted, his knees buckling slightly as Riley released him. Her anger and survival instincts kicked in as her hands gripped his neck on either side, steadying his head as she tensed her muscles fiercely. Riley hurled her head back, and then forward as her forehead collided with the bridge of his nose. A crack sounded, steadying herself as he fell to the cement floors with a loud thump. Her eyes went back to Derek, watching as the others shoved him back towards his table, catching himself for support as he looked to her protectively. The heel of Riley's boot stood prominently on the curve of the mans throat, his face swelling with redness as he breathed haggardly. "Leave," she hinted. "And this ends."
"Wow," Severo clapped his hands together, looking from Derek to Riley with slight awe. "Such ferocity the small one holds," he complimented. "If I didn't know any better," he chuckled. "I'd think the she-wolf to be her." Severo raised his pistol at Derek, his eyes unapologetic as he chambered a new round. "Release my men," he encouraged Riley. "Or the lobo dies."
The pressure of her boot eased slightly, but the look on her face told him she wasn't going to be persuaded easily. "No one has to die." She reminded, raising a brow to him as the man beneath her foot gurgled slightly. "Let's part ways on good terms."
"No, miha." Severo chuckled. He shook his head silently. "We're not leaving until we get what we came here for."
"Then you're gonna have to kill me," Derek bargained. He stood up a bit straighter, a smile on his mouth as he wiped the blood from his lips. "Because I won't tell you where Cora is." He said defiantly, eager and happy to remain in control of his baby sisters where-about. He wasn't going to give up her location, and nothing could persuade him otherwise.
"Cora?" Severo cocked a brow curiously. "Who the hell is Cora?"
Riley's eyes turned to Derek, confusion and hesitance laced within her gaze. All along he'd thought that the hunters had been after his sister, when in fact, they had no idea who Cora even was. If they weren't after her, than who was the she-wolf they were speaking of? A white mist seemed to engulf the room once more, and Riley misstook the haze as another canister of Wolfsbane being launched. But this smelt different. It wasn't sweet like it once was. . . It was bitter and stagnant. But her vision was lost once more, releasing the pressure from the man beneath her as she stumbled back, calling out for Derek as sudden gunfire seemed to ignite.
The bullets weren't aimed at her, as her hand caught Derek's. "What's happening?" She begged, his hands pulling her face to his chest. His eyes were wild and feverish as he kept track of the gunfire, listening intently as his vision became obscured. A new scent had entered the loft, listening as the hunters were disarmed and tossed to the side by whoever had joined them. But the scent was wrong. It was dangerous and slightly memorable. It was familiar in a way as he put himself between Riley and the haze. The sound of a shot gun being cocked caught his attention. He let go of Riley, pushing her to the side as the barrel of the gun became visible through the thick haze.
It was pointed at him, preparing himself as the gun fired.
A tearing sting collected in his abdomen, clenching his gut as his knees became weak. It was then, as he shifted to the floor beneath him that he finally put a face to the scent he had caught. "Derek!" Riley cried, unable to see anything but the crimson splatter that had collected on her clothes. And she knew right away whose blood it belonged to. "This is real." He breathed, his eyes wide and fearful. He felt Riley kneel beside him, her hands clutching his to help aid in the healing. "You're real."
It was like he was reliving his worst nightmare all over again. Seeing the face that had destroyed everything good he'd ever had in his life. The one person who had been able to manipulate him so violently, disabling his trust from anyone for years. "That's right, Derek." A chilling voice cooed. Riley gulped at the sound, familiar with the tainted sound she'd last heard nearly a year ago. "And if you think seeing me is a surprise," the voice chuckled. "Watch this." A figure emerged from the thinning haze, the bodies of the hunters sprawled across the floor. Riley couldn't tell if they were dead, but she realised now that she'd much rather be up against all four of them than the one person who appeared before her. The sandy blonde hair ghosted over tan shoulders, her physical appearance as healthy as ever.
Kate Argent had a smile laced across her lips as her eyes shifted from blue to green. Her tan skin seemed to fade as a purple-ish, blue became the visible hue. Her face became distorted, the blue seeping into her pores as black freckles ran along the sides of her cheeks like a jaguar. Her smile elongated, pulling back across her fanged teeth as her transformation took it's course. The last time Riley had seen Allison's aunt had been the night that Peter had killed her. And she realised with fear and insecurity, that no one ever truly stayed dead in a town like Beacon Hills.
AN: Annnnnnnnd Season 3B is over! I left it on the same cliff hanger the show did, but I promise Season 4 will happen! I already have most of it written now, and am SO excited to share it with you! I do plan on waiting for Season 5 of Teen Wolf to return to post Season 4, so when the official date of that is released, I will let you guys know. But in the meantime, because I expect this Hiatus to be a few months, I do have some things planned for you guys! For one, I plan on rewriting Haven Bound, which is the first installment to the Haven Series. And second, I will be taking requests for AU's and for outtakes for both stories. If there was a scene you wished would have been included, or one that you'd like to see come to life, let me know and I will write it for you!
I will be taking request's on Tumblr as well as on here. You can find me on Tumblr at HavenBoundinBeaconHills
And until Season 4, I will post teasers, trailers, playlist's, and banners on Tumblr while we wait for this Hiatus to be over!
Thank you guys for sticking with me since the beginning! And stay tuned for the Haven Bound updates that will include new scenes!
XOXO,
Ashley