Chapter 10

Brotherly Love

Alex stayed out in the woods, allowing his wolf to run free, letting out all the rage with his paws instead of his fists. This was what made him different than the majority of the wolves within his pack. He didn't tend to let his anger resolve a lot of his issues. Derek and he were similar in that aspect. They were more prone to using their intelligence to get out of an altercation, instead of their strength.

Once he was sure he had exhausted all the anger coursing through him his shifted back and sat at the tree line within the back yard of the house. His mind was still focused on what Laura had thought and on the words that he had said. He didn't necessarily feel bad for calling his sister out on her thought process, but he did feel remorse for cursing in front of his mother like that. The disappointed look on her face still raced through his mind.

Tears gathered at the corner of his eyes and threatened to fall. He shook his head. No, he would not let this power of his get the best of him. He was stronger than that. Mrs. Claudia said that the future can change, that there are over a thousand different possibilities of one outcome. He would get stronger, train harder so that he could protect his family. He was bound and determined to make sure that the fire that was supposed to ruin his family never happened.

He growled when he noticed someone else in the backyard with him. He recognized the scent instantly and calmed his wolf when his brother came into sight. His green eyes were still sorrowful, but it was hidden by the concern that lay there. He turned up a small smile when he caught Alex's eye.

"Are you okay?" Derek asked sitting down next to him on one of the fallen logs. Alex smirked at him.

"It's nothing I'm not used to. On the other hand, Laura needs to really stop thinking about the things that she does."

"Yeah, mom got really pissed when you ran out the back. Went off. She was so mad Laura was shaking in her boots. I don't know why she's the next in line for Alpha. I mean I know that it's passed down to the oldest, but she really doesn't deserve it. Not with the way she's been acting here recently."

Derek picked at the moss covering the tree they were perched on. Alex couldn't help but be sucked into the inner monologue his brother was reciting.

"You know it's not your fault right?" Alex asked not looking at his twin. He felt the pain washing off of his brother in waves. The anguish was breaking his heart.

"I know, but it doesn't really help to know that I was the one that had to do it."

"I would have, just so you wouldn't. I knew one of us would have to. I just wish that it wasn't you. I have a request for you."

"What's that ?" Derek asked. His eyes locking with his twins'.

"You, out of all of us, have the most control of your wolf. I think that there is a way for you to put up a sort of mental shield. I'm not one hundred percent sure of how, but if either of us could figure it out it would be you. You're better at these kinds of things than I am. I tend to let my anger get the best of me, but not you. You control yourself, so I'm sure that you can do it. I don't like knowing what other people are thinking and I'm absolutely positive that this power will get me into trouble."

"You've got a point. If you don't learn to control it soon you will get into trouble. Especially with the way you lost it on Laura earlier. Though I don't think mom is going to get you into too much trouble for it. You don't tend to use that kind of language."

Alex just laughed. Out of everything that he just said of course his brother would pick up on anything that got Alex into trouble. That was always where his mind went trying to keep the both of them out of trouble since Alex himself seemed to be the hotter headed of the two. Derek always jumping to make sure the smaller of the two never got hurt.

"However, I did figure out how to raise a "mental shield" as you call it," Derek said using air quotes. "I didn't know that you hadn't figured it out yet. I only let the shields down when it's just me and you. To be honest I don't mind you reading my mind. You understand I'm not the greatest at expressing my thoughts to others. So, you being able to read me helps out a lot."

"When did you figure that out?" Alex shouted eyes wide. He knew that Derek was quick but this was something else. He thought it would at least take him a month!

"Yesterday."

"YOU FIGURED IT OUT IN A DAY!"

"As soon as you told us about it I started practicing. I even started calling you some really ugly names at one point, hoping you couldn't actually hear them."

"You wanna go for a run?"

"Why the subject change?"

"Cause I don't know how to respond to that. Running usually helps me think, and honestly, I don't think I have the mental capacity for you to try to explain to me how you did that."

Derek laughed then. An actual laugh, one he hadn't heard in a week. It felt good to hear it again and he knew that he wouldn't be hearing it as often. His brother's visage held such pure joy and only at his words that he couldn't help leaning over and tapping him on the shoulder.

"TAG!" he shouted and darted of into the woods, shifting back into his wolf form.

"DUDE!" Derek shouted before he too shifted and chased him through the trees.