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Chapter 36

Melanie stepped into the house still reeling from the day's events. Sweat scaled down her back, through her hair and down her chest in droplets. Coach pressed everyone hard during practice. She couldn't wait until cross country was done. It was bullshit and she hated that he was forcing her to do this. It was him trying to better her and knowing that somehow her summer wasn't like other kids' summers where they found fun in the sun. She found sun, but the fun had been anything but fun. The escape a person makes for oneself is usually a lie built for others to see as a truth. Lucky her, nobody believed her lies. They didn't see through them but bulldozed them and Isaac walked right through them.

She took her frizzy ponytail down as she went upstairs to the bathroom then turned on the faucet of the bathtub. The warm water sent chills up her arm, making her smile. She walked to her room and grabbed her iHome. Setting it on the counter near the sink, she put her iPod in it and pressed play. Slow and tender piano playing met her ears gracefully. She closed the door, leaving it cracked and turned the volume up as the singer reached the chorus of the song.

Melanie undressed and felt a feathery touch after letting her bra slip from her shoulders. She jumped and looked at the steaming water of the tub as the light touch continued. Isaac. She didn't even hear him come into the house. His fingers followed along her pale scars there. She bit her lower lip at feeling his hand wrap around her waist and pull her back against his chest. She covered her bare front with her arms. He nuzzled his nose into her neck. The entranced feeling from earlier still dwelt in the pit of her stomach and hummed on the surface of her skin.

"Isaac, I'm gross," she mumbled, her eyes glazing over from the sensuous contact.

"Mmmm, I have no idea what you're talking about," he said, moving towards the tub.

Fully clothed, he dropped, pulling her with. The sudden jolt of hot water on her skin made her scream. The two erupted into laughter and she elbowed him. He held her around the waist, but her arms didn't budge from covering herself. Their feet hung out over the edge of the tub; Melanie's feet were between his.

"I can't believe you," she giggled, laying her head back on his shoulder.

"Do you forgive me," he asked her low.

His breath tickled her ear and sent shivers through her.

"What am I forgiving you for," she asked.

"Everything."

"No," she replied in a small whisper.

Isaac pressed his lips to the side of her head, perplexed by the refusal.

"I don't know of anything that you need forgiven for. I should be asking that question," she said after a few quiet seconds.

The water was still around them, though quite a bit had spilled onto the floor. Her jeans felt heavy from the amount of water the denim soaked up.

"You don't need forgiven. Derek told me not to say anything, to let it pass so that you could live a normal life." he said. "I tried, so hard. But when I smelled Drake on you that night…and the heat wave…I was going mad. I don't want to let go of you. I know you get to choose, but…"

He paused, leaving Melanie hanging on his words.

"Choose me," he said.

Choose him. She looked down at the water, taking in what he'd said. What made her worth it? After everything that had happened there should've been no reason that she should have friends let alone him. It was all so confusing, but these feelings, both physical and other, were all consuming and utterly surreal.

Melanie's head craned to look up at him out of the corner of her eye. There were several words that had every intention of passing her lips, but instead she said,

"Why the hell are you so tall?"

He chuckled, caressing her cheek. The rumble of his chest from it was soothing. He didn't answer the question but kissed chastely her instead.

Melanie's gaze fell over the prominent features of his face—his eyes, cheek bones, the dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep, his lips. She stayed focused there, hoping he'd kiss her again. All of the distress that had cumulated from the last four and a half months faded rapidly. Strangely, that was okay.

"You interrupted my alone time, you know," she stated, looking away.

Her iPod had changed to the next the song.

"We are alone though," he said, flashing grin and wiggling his eyebrows.

"You really think I'm going to let you trick me," she asked, raising her eyebrows at his sneakiness.

"I would never trick you, but," Isaac unbuttoned her soaked jeans. "I would be persuasive."

"You think?" she challenged. "As far as I can see, you're still dressed."

"I am huh?"

Melanie shifted from his grasp, her arms still covering her, and sat up with her back against the wall of the tub. The air made her shiver.

"So, if you don't mind, I'd like to enjoy my bath," she said, a hint of venom in her voice.

He grinned the way he did when turned on with her attempt at being testy. He grabbed her roughly by her upper arms and yanked her forward against his chest. Her palms laid flat, the muscle tensed underneath them. His heart thudded steadily.

"Enjoy it, Rouxe." He said huskily.

He pressed his lips to hers. Her lips parted and the kiss grew even more intense. His hold on her arms moved down to her wrists. Through the water and friction of their jeans, she could feel his urgency. That raw feeling that shredded her insides, nagging about how wrong this sense of devotion was sang through her fingertips. Her fingertips curled, her nails digging into his chest from the overwhelming thrum in her ears, making her toes squeeze tightly. Giving up had never felt this good.

"You're going to need another one later."

"This is getting out of hand," sheriff Stilinski said. "People keep dying. People we know!"

He, Deaton, Allison and Scott had come by Derek's loft. Derek stared at the map on the wall. This was getting out of hand and they weren't any closer, though Stiles had seen the darach. It didn't have a recognizable face. Among the darkness a smoke, the most he saw was shadow. And trying to remember anymore only led to him being wordless. All he knew was that it wasn't human. Derek let out a heavy sigh.

"Where's your dad?" he asked Allison.

"He said he was following a lead, but that was two days ago. He hasn't been answering his phone," she replied.

Scott touched her shoulder. Worry flooded her mind. She hoped that he hadn't been taken. Scott eased her mind.

"I'm sure he's fine," he said. "He's probably following a hunch and hasn't thought about calling in. He knows you're safe with us."

Allison gave him a small smile, but she was still worried. She picked at the hem of her grey, floral top.

Deaton chimed in on the conversation.

"This isn't an ordinary situation that we are dealing with," he said.

"Ordianary!?" sheriff Stilinski scoffed. "None of this is ordinary."

"The darach wasn't always like this. If that was its true form then it's putting a lot of power into its alias. There is a reason for these sacrifices—the animals and people. All of these sacrifices aren't just to hide its true face. There is something else, something that we're missing," Deaton explained. "If we don't hurry, it'll only get worse."

"Tara used to teach middle school math before she joined the force," sheriff Stilinski said.

"A philosopher." Derek said. His arms were crossed over his chest as he delved into deep thought. "There's one philosopher, a warrior and then guardians. Whatever's going to happen is going to happen soon."

"Guardian? What are we classifying as a guardian?" Scott asked.

The room was silent. It only made Scott more agitated.

From the dark corner of the loft, Peter watched them, careful not to give away his presence. A devious grin spread across his face.

"So what, protectors?" Scott asked confused.

Derek's face lit up with panic at the thought. Cora met his eyes.

"Melanie," he said. That girl went to great lengths to protect others no matter how much she thought they were idiots. She didn't care if it cost of her life.

It wasn't that life wasn't precious to her. She just felt that other lives were more important than her own. She could be a bitch, but loyalty was at the top of her list. Nobody screwed with her friends and family except her. she took her beatings if that meant protecting them. Her cliff jumping stint proved that. She didn't talk about it, but the scars were visible in her tired eyes.

Avoiding serious death situations wasn't what Melanie should've been doing. She should've been out being a normal teenager-partying, breaking curfew, getting her heart broken. All of them should be.

"I'll go," Cora said.

She was out the door before anybody could volunteer to go with her. She took Derek's SUV to Melanie's house. Calling her, there was no answer. Pulling up to the house, Cora ran in, not caring that she left the vehicle running.

Having bounded up the porch steps, she entered the house quietly. The downstairs was empty of life. Low moans penetrated her ears followed by a strangled squeal. Cora rushed up the stairs then stopped and crept down the hallway. The haunting sounds increased. Cora's claws extended like an itch, prepared to kill whoever thought it was a good idea to invade the house.

Taking a deep breath, she kicked the door open.

"Ahhh!" Melanie screamed, horrified.

Isaac who covered Melanie with his body underneath her midnight blue sheets flew sideways and fell off the edge of the bed. Melanie clutched the sheets around her small frame and stared at Cora, horrified. Her hair was disheveled from the entanglement that had been suddenly interrupted. She shrunken downward some, pursing her lips between her teeth. Cora's eyes had widened bigger than Melanie had ever seen and her cheeks reddened in embarrassment.

"What the hell!?" Melanie yelled.

"Scott wondered-Derek suggested…oh god. I can never unsee this." Cora shook her head, slapping her hand over her eyes and shut the door.

Melanie slapped her hand to her forehead. Her hair flung in her face as she did then she went downstairs.

Melanie stared at the closed door, her heart raced, trying to escape this humiliating moment. She wasn't sure who it was more embarrassing for, her or Cora. She'd never seen that look on Cora's face. Her eyes had enlarged and she was speechless.

"Uh, did she go?" Isaac asked peeking his head up over the side of the bed. His cheeks blushed up to his ears. "I was not expecting that."

Melanie laughed at him as he sat naked on the floor. He scowled, jumping back onto the bed, on top of her. She laughed louder as he tickled her. Her lungs ached for air.

"Stop!" she squealed.

He did and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

"We did not get to finish," he crooned, nuzzling into her neck.

"I get that, but Cora is downstairs. I need to find out why she busted my bedroom door open," Melanie said, fight the moan in the pit of her stomach.

"She can wait." His hands moved lower down to her hips and rubbed circles over her pelvic bones.

"Do you really want her to hear us?"

"I don't care," he replied, indifferently.

"Well, I do, so you're going to have to wait."

Isaac let out an unhappy growl. His leg muscles tensed. Melanie smirked and sat up.

"Down boy," she teased, looking down at his lap.

Then she got up, giving him a view of her backside. He focused mainly on the scars. They were small; only a foot or so long. They somehow made her more beautiful. Battle wounds.

She put on a distressed pair of jeans that laid on the mess that was her floor and a t-shirt that she wasn't sure was dirty or not. It stopped mid-thigh and held her hour glass figure.

"Damn it," Isaac sighed, lying back on her bed.

Melanie cocked an eyebrow at him and smirked, enthused by his pathetic state. This kind of torture was fun, though she was thinking the same thing. She didn't want to stop, but she also didn't want Cora coming back upstairs.

"Tame yourself. Self-control is important," she said coyly then walked out of the room.

Isaac laid there for a few more minutes. The last six hours, the moment he didn't let her get away, put a literal meaning to life altering. He smiled to himself. Memories of the last year ran over the film tape of his mind. Most importantly was the moment he saw her. She had been at her locker. He didn't actually see her because of how she hid herself away in her hoodie, but it was right then that he'd been entranced by her.

He got up and hurried to his room for dry clothes. His sopping ones laid around the room in small puddles, soaking into the carpet. He put on a pair of grey sweatpants and his lacrosse shirt, both hung loosely on his figure. He sauntered downstairs to find the girls on the couch. The energy of the room shifted. They both talked intensely and didn't notice to his presence. Playtime was over. Isaac frowned and sat on the arm of the couch beside Melanie. He rested his hands on her shoulders. She relaxed under the touch and leaned back intoit.

"Have you maybe tried talking to him?" Melanie asked her.

"No," Cora replied. "I want him to stop being stupid. He hasn't come by the loft at all when Scott and Allison stop by. He didn't even come around when Lydia and the twins came by."

"You did kind of blew him off, well, not blew him off. You dumped his butt," Melanie said.

"It was that or Derek murdering him. I chose the safer route."

"Safer maybe, but it still hurt." Melanie said. "He probably would've rather gotten his intestines ripped out and have Derek use a rib to pick his teeth than what happened."

"Nice visual," Isaac mumbled.

Melanie shrugged. Her stomach fluttered as he put his arms around her.

"You need to make the effort. You screwed up, not him." Melanie finished.

"You're a bitch," Cora said, her shoulders slumping. "You were supposed to take my side."

"I know. It's my guiltiest pleasure." Melanie replied, winking.

"So, why did you feel the need to burst in Buffy style? You looked ready to kill." Isaac said.

"We were talking about guardians. There's been no tell of guardians being killed. Then Scott brought up the idea of protectors. Derek and I thought of you," Cora explained.

"Why me?" Melanie's face twisted.

"You've nearly died protecting others."

"I don't really try to protect them. People are idiots. I try to help fix their mess and they get in the middle of it. It really has nothing to do with them," Melanie said.

"Anyway, you've protected people and we thought-"

"To interrupt us?" Isaac cut her off, his eyes turning to slits.

"I thought she was being maimed." Cora put flatly.

"That's a word for it," Melanie mumbled, then snickered.

Isaac pulled the hair covering her neck back and kissed the crook of her neck. Melanie's eyes fluttered from the sensuous caress of his lips.

"You two are disgusting," Cora sneered.

"Then go away," Isaac retorted, but his voice was soft with no hint of rudeness.

"How about you come to breakfast tomorrow?" Melanie asked her.

"Breakfast?"

"Yeah. The sheriff wants me to come over. He figures that he can keep an eye on me that way."

"Why?"

"He hates that I am emancipated. You know, because I'm always getting myself into dangerous situ-sit-situations." Melanie said. The last bit came out in a breathy sigh because of the nibble Isaac did at her neck.

It should've felt strange to move so quickly with him, but it didn't feel that way at all. This energy that surged every word, every touch and glance felt infinite. That's how she thought of it. All of the shit that continued to try and kill her didn't feel so threatening. It was only forever and she was okay with that. Short and simple, yet extremely difficult to try to comprehend so she didn't.

Cora rolled her eyes.

"So you should come," Melanie told her. "I'll say I invited you."

"You did invite me, just now," Cora said confused.

"No, I didn't. You want to see him. That's how this conversation started. You were hoping I could find a way to make it work because I was with him all summer," Melanie said. "Ow!" She jumped suddenly from a hard bite then elbowed Isaac. He smiled maliciously. "Asshole."

She knew why he did it. Jealousy filled that bite but break the skin. She bit her tongue to avoid retaliating in saying how it was really his fault and just slapped his knee. He chuckled and hugged her tightly around the waist and put his chin on her shoulder. Melanie glared at him sideways.

"I hate you," Cora grumbled.

"It's because I'm more intelligent than you isn't it?" Melanie said.

"You will never be more intelligent than me." Cora replied as she stood. "And I am never speaking of this moment with anyone."

Isaac chuckled, amused by her squeamishness.

"Tomorrow?" Melanie asked.

"Sure."

"Be here around seven."

"Okay." Cora replied then left the house.

"Now that she's gone…" Isaac trailed off. His hold on her and he slid down onto the couch beside her. His sweatpants did nothing to conceal his sudden urges. He kissed her neck again, but more tender than before, more erotic. His fingers pressed into her flesh, reawakening her craving for him.

Melanie realized how much he'd been holding back while Cora was here as he went on to tease her. It was so easy for him to evoke such desires, bringing them to the surface. Her defenses diminished unlike with the others. He was the safe haven which seemed strange with what they had both been through. For the few things that circulated and remained strong throughout her life, this was okay. This was right. He bit down on her shoulder, having kissed it first. She gasped and arched her back into him then leaning back into his warmth.

"If we don't stop, we'll never leave this house," she breathed. She was only half serious.

"Mmmm, you say that as if it's bad."

"If we don't get out, Derek could be the next one come barreling through that door."

"And I should be worried why?"

They spoke between kisses now.

"He is your alpha," she said.

"Hmmm, yeah, I guess so,"

Melanie paused. His alliance wavered. He didn't sound so sure and she wondered what she did miss She didn't realize that the pack was drifting apart.

Isaac didn't allow her to contemplate his answer for too long. He turned her in his arms, positioning her so that she straddled him like his personal doll with and full-on kissed her.

"We'll stay for today…" he mumbled after the kiss.

He held the nape of her neck while the other hand rested at her lower back. His fingers dug into the sensitive flesh. Melanie let go of his comment and clutched his shirt in both hands, pulling him back onto the couch with her.

His knee rose up and rubbed over the denim of her jeans. She moved her foot up along the side of his leg as he continued to work up her frustrations. Both of their eyes were glazed over and their skin ablaze. Melanie rubbed her thumb along his cheek at seeing his eyes change color. She'd never seen them tur this color, fuchsia. It was hypnotizing.

Isaac grabbed her thighs and pulled her aggressively then settled between her legs more comfortably. Melanie stifled the moan in the pit of her stomach as he grinded into her. She tugged his hair as he did it again, torturing her. Her lips felt raw from their kissing, but she wouldn't dare stop him. He bit her lower lip, increasing the tension within her body.

She slid her hands up his back, underneath his t-shirt. He pulled the article of clothing off quickly, allowing her to see the subtle glory that he was. His sweatpants hung loosely. Melanie's eyes moved over him. His chest, torso, his pelvic region, she couldn't stop herself. There were no more obstacles keeping him away anymore. It was okay dream about them then, but now it was okay to live those dreams.

He unbuttoned her jeans as he came back down to kiss her once more. His hand slid below the waistband of the denim. The fiery touch coerced her to move against the touch. He growled low.

"Fuck control."

His weight barreled down on her, and she rose her legs up to his ribs and she clenched her thighs to him. The couch wasn't the ideal place she wanted to do this at.

"Isaac," she breathed. He didn't stop his assault, having placed his hand underneath her shirt where she was braless. "Not on the couch."

He growled again, but halted and laid his head on her shoulder. Both of them were too worked up. But, upon her request they didn't do it on the couch. He shoved the coffee table across the room effortlessly, causing one of the legs to break. Where Melanie knew she should've been scared of his sudden strength she wasn't. No beta had that kind of strength. It only turned her on more. He sat up, pulling her with and laid her gently on the floor with impatience ringing in tensely over his muscles.