Heading upstairs after clearing up from dinner I drifted into my room, rubbing the back of my neck as I pulled off my clothes and started to undress, changing into one of my silk nightshirts with soft cotton shorts which were comfortable to wear when sleeping. I head into my bathroom to wash up and clean my teeth, however when I stepped out again my eyes instantly fell on Derek. Damn the window, I'd left it unlocked. "Can we talk now?"
"I was about to go to sleep actually." I said with no strength to my voice, pulling my bathroom door shut. "Hale what is there to say, really? You're leaving with Cora, what else could you possibly want to discuss?" He frowned for a minute to think before speaking to me with dark sarcasm.
"I don't know, how about the fact that you nearly died because you pushed me out of the way of Kali, or how about we talk about the fact that I almost went out of my freaking mind looking for you when the Alphas kidnapped you, or we could talk about the fact that I know you feel exactly what I feel and I always seem to know what you're feeling except now you're trying to block me out and it's really starting to piss me off." He ranted, anger lacing his tone as his muscles tensed from the frustration whilst I just stood there. "Or if you prefer, we can talk about the fact that you're trying to avoid this conversation because you know exactly what this is all about."
Standing there in silence, I couldn't even summon a single word to answer him. I felt guilty that I'd put him all through that, but I really didn't know what to do. This was far more serious than my stupid fifteen year old crush and in truth, it frightened me. I didn't trust romance, I didn't trust that the universe wouldn't try to take something seemingly so perfect away from me. "Why aren't you answering me Sophie?"
"Because I have nothing to say." I answered, keeping my voice as cold as I could. "Get out of my house, Hale." He looked at me strangely and stepped forwards so I growled, the sound resonating at the back of my throat as my eyes flashed in warning. He stepped forwards again. "Stop." I ordered, holding out my hand however after taking another step he grabbed it, pulling me towards him and I found myself crashing into the bed with Derek's powerful body trapping me beneath him, but I didn't fight back. I didn't have the willpower so I simply turned my face away.
"I can feel that you're afraid." He said to me but I didn't react. "You may think you're hiding it from me, but you're not that good." I wanted to protest out of pride but I just grit my teeth, fingers curling into fists as I pointedly refused to look at him. "I don't want to leave you but I don't have a choice. The last thing I want to do is leave you Sophie, I want to stay right here, but that's not possible right now. Just make sure you're prepared for whatever comes, Scott will need you now more than ever to help control his new strengths. Being an Alpha isn't easy at first, but of course you know that, don't you?" Slowly I nodded my head, silently reassuring him I would be careful. "And…could you keep an eye on Isaac, Boyd and Erica? I can't lead them anymore so they'll rely on either you or Scott. They need a pack, I just can't be their Alpha anymore." Closing my eyes for a moment I turned my head to face him, opening my gaze which held no accusations or blame. I really did understand that he had to leave. It didn't mean I had to like it.
"They'll all be safe with me." I promised him, uncurling a fist and brushing my fingers against his face, feeling the dark stubble around his mouth and face. "You can trust me, Derek." Leaning forwards slightly his head touched against mine as his grip on my wrists slackened, becoming gentle and a little intimate with how lightly they brushed over my skin.
"I know. I trust you more than anyone else." His words made me smile until he drew away, standing up to turn and leave through the window again however with a rush I was on my feet and gripping his arm.
"Stay." I requested in a light voice, wanting him to be close just a little while longer. "You're not leaving just yet, right? One more night, then everything will be okay. I don't…I don't want you to go just yet." Derek gradually turned back to me, reading my face before he pulled his hand away from the window and I relaxed. As I turned off the main light so that only my lamp was shining I asked if he wanted anything but he said he wasn't hungry, taking off his shoes before sliding under my covers where I then joined him. He knew exactly what I wanted so he waited until I was comfortable before he placed his arm over my waist, his other arm resting against the pillow in front of him as we looked at one another a final time before I turned out the last light, plunging the room in darkness.
Even though I tried I couldn't sleep and I knew that Derek couldn't either. His breathing remained light and occasionally I could sense him open his eyes to look at me, neither of us moving. It quickly grew very warm as the seconds ticked by until a full hour had passed without us being able to drift off into sleep. I was too aware of him being next to me, this sinfully attractive werewolf who made my body feel more than a little hot on the inside. "Sophie." He murmured to me so I shifted my head, signalling I was listening. "Turn the light back on." Not asking questions I simply turned my lamp back on, flooding the room with a warm glow.
His longish lashes brushed against his cheekbones until his eyes opened, looking at me. I felt his arms shift as the one over my flattened against my back and the other came underneath me to pull me closer until I was surrounded by his intoxicating smell and I clenched my thighs tightly, feeling more aroused and I could sense him smirking. "You're too warm." I complained at him, opening a little space between us. "I don't want you sweating all over me in the night, take your shirt off or something and cool down."
"Usually you're telling me to put clothes on." He whispered huskily at me and I hesitated at his teasing jab. Before I could answer he let go of me and slid off his shirt, revealing flawless skin and one of those supermodel perfect bodies that the ancient Greeks would train every day to achieve. God he was just too sexy, maybe this had been a bad idea because now I could feel his bare skin against me. Turning over in his arms I faced my back to him, forcing my eyes to close to try and find sleep as Derek finally drifted off behind me.
Another hour came and went with me still unsettled in Derek's grasp. He'd rolled onto his back and tucked an arm under his head, the other trapped underneath me so I slowly turned over, running my eyes over his exposed form. My fingers found themselves tracing his jaw and brushing against his lower lip briefly before I slowly placed my hand into the vacant space below his shoulder, watching to make sure I didn't wake him before I rested my ear against his chest to listen to his steady heartbeat. It became my lullaby, bringing me comfort in an ocean of anxieties, allowing me to finally relax enough to drift off to sleep.
A couple of hours later at around half one in the morning I heard my phone go, making me groan and lift my head off of Derek's chest. With a sigh I reached out to check it, seeing it was from dad. It took some time to translate but it basically said that he wouldn't be home until the morning as he was still at his buddy's house drinking beer and shooting pool. I was glad he was having a good time and I was also glad that he'd told me he was okay, so I sent a message back to say that it was fine.
Beneath me Derek groaned, pressing his eyes tighter together before exhaling deeply. He didn't even ask me why I was sprawled across him, glancing to where I sent the text to my dad then placed my phone back on the stand beside the desk, murmuring an apology as I laced my hands together and rested my chin on them, taking to just looking at his face as he rubbed away the sleep. "You're staring at me." He mumbled, opening his eyes to look back at me.
"Don't worry, it's not because you're pretty or anything." I said to him, poking him in the chest. "That'll just make you all arrogant and pretentious." Tucking my head back on his chest he shifted slightly, propping himself up a little and his hand began to stroke through my hair as he continued to watch me. "Now you're staring at me."
"You looked really nice in that skirt." He told me out of the blue, making me push myself upright to blink at him. "And that night at the club. You really know how to dress up and draw attention." I wasn't sure if he was paying me a compliment or just stating a fact. It was actually rather hard to tell with his tone so I peered at him slightly.
"If my students are looking at me usually it means they're listening." I reasoned diplomatically before smirking. "I didn't realise you actually had a type, Hale. Are school teachers your thing?" I meant it as a tease, however Derek suddenly gripped my arms and pinned my back to the bed, making me start in surprise as he leaned closer.
"Just one." The rumbling sound that purred from his chest made me shiver slightly, arousal flaring through me as Derek started to nuzzle my neck and the tender grove that was extremely sensitive to the touch. My body moved instinctively to the touch, drawing in a quick breath as my fingers trailed up his spine, rising all the way up to his shoulders before I forced him back, the both of us sitting upright as I shifted, looking at him challengingly.
His smirk deepened slightly, nose brushing against my own, lingering to ask permission and I felt all thoughts and reason fall away from consciousness, allowing my body to take control as it was led by my wants and desires, and god I wanted him. More than anything. It was like my body craved him, an addiction that I did not yet know I had, he was like water in the blistering hot dessert and fire in the endless cold.
A hand slowly traced my waist down to my thigh, pulling me a little closer and I let my hands curl around his neck, my thumbs brushing against his jaw as we leaned towards one another. Once again he asked permission silently, lingering a moment longer so I cleared the distance and my lips brushed against his, tasting the promise of fulfilment and ecstasy in a single touch. At first it felt strange to kiss Derek, having thought about it many times before but now it was actually happening, I almost couldn't believe it. He was a gentle kisser, slow and almost cautious, learning the shape of my mouth before exploring a little further. It was unexpected, I was so used to him rushing into things that I didn't think he'd be such a tentative kisser. It was good though, better than good. It was euphoric as he finally closed all space between us by pulling my waist into him, sitting up to elevate himself and better access my mouth.
My lips shaped to his, following his lead before I found my own rhythm, fingers running through his hair and over his skin as his felt the silk of my shirt. I wanted more, growing increasingly impatient as I kissed him, softly nipping at his lip before I drew back to breathe, nails digging into his back and threatening to tear the skin. I loved the rough feel of his tidy scruff against my skin, making me arch and lean as his lips teased at my flesh. All at once he pulled me into him and guided me back down, lips meeting once more as I naturally reached for my shirt and slid it free.
Before he looked at me his eyes met mine, gentle and enamoured as he kissed my cheek and I couldn't help but smile, chuckling as his attention them moved elsewhere. For someone like me who usually went for more intense sex, this was an incredibly sensual change. I never liked it slow but I could tell Derek was in no hurry to rush things, taking his time to learn my body as I learned his. I made sure to commit it to memory. All of it. He'd stopped for a while just to look at me as lay underneath him, making me frown slightly. "What?"
"You're beautiful Sophie." For once, I actually blushed and felt a little self-conscious about myself. No guy had ever actually taken the time to look at me after we'd got started, it was all passion and speed before crashing into snores and they had definitely never called me beautiful before. I glanced away, unsure of how to respond but he smiled, lowering down to kiss my face in tender touches like an artist dabbing caringly at his canvas. I groaned softly, murmuring his name and I could feel him smile into my neck as his hand rubbed my leg up and down, stopping at my shorts until I let him pull them away. I made him lose his clothes too, threatening to claw them off him in shreds as I traced my claws over his skin, trailing one up his chest all the way to his throat to tip his chin upwards and allow me to press my lips to his neck and kiss him wherever I pleased.
It wasn't how I expected my night to go as I hadn't been looking for anything like this, but it had been something I'd wanted. We both knew that, we could feel it and I couldn't help but feel a surge of bright emotions as Derek let me in as we touched and I learned that I was not alone in my desires. We were smiling at one another, our faces nuzzled close as we touched each other. Derek didn't have any protection with him, but I tended to keep myself well stocked for my adventures out into the night. Actually, I was lucky I had one in his size.
Being so close to Derek it was impossible to not feel more than I had ever done before, because this wasn't just sex. It wasn't making love either, but it was somewhere in between. I'm not sure how to explain it, except perhaps to say that I wanted it again and again and possibly nothing else for the rest of my life. We lay tangled together with most of the duvet kicked off us, fingers brushing against each other's skin before our eyes closed of their own accord. I relished in that night, keeping it close in my memory vaults where I could treasure it privately, even after he was long gone by the next morning.
