117:
I tried to ignore the rain pelting down on me as I helped Scott carry an unconscious regressed Derek in to the Beacon Hills Animal Clinic and I nodded towards Lydia as she held open the door for us to pass through. Wet tendrils of hair clung to my forehead as we lumbered into foyer of the clinic and Stiles rushed forward to open the door to the exam room so that we could go through. Deaton turned around to face us in confusion when heard us coming and his eyes widened when he saw the teenage version of Derek that we were lying down on the exam table.
"Wow." Deaton breathed out in awe as he stared at the werewolf on the metal table and I pushed my hair off of my forehead with an exhausted sigh.
"Wow? Wow as in, 'I've seen this before and I know exactly what to do,' kind of wow? 'Cause that's the kind of wow we were hoping for." Stiles told him hopefully as he leaned both his hands on the table and Scott nodded in agreement as he crossed his arms over his chest with a concerned expression.
"I think you might be overestimating my abilities."
I bit the corner of my lower lip as I gentle slipped my hand into Derek's and I shivered at the coolness of his clammy skin as I looked over at my mentor with a frown on my lips. "He's cold. Really cold. Do you think this is permanent?"
"I'm not sure a medical diagnosis is even adequate. This is well beyond my experience." Deaton informed us regretfully as he shook his head slightly with a frown before grabbing a stethoscope from the bench behind him.
"So what do we do with him?" Scott asked him sceptically as he shifted uneasily on his feet and I watched worriedly as Deaton listened to Derek's heartbeat but I knew that it was completely normal because I had been focused on the steady beat since he passed out.
"Until he wakes up. Probably not much. It might be best to leave him with me. He'll be safe here."
"You mean from Kate?"
"If she's alive and she is what you say she is, she won't be able to walk past that gate."
"Why would she want do this to him?" Lydia asked the veterinarian in a worried tone as she nibbled absently on her lip and shifted nervously on her feet as she instinctively leaned towards Stiles for comfort.
"Knowing Kate, it's probably for a reason that won't be any good for anyone but her." I told them spitefully as I scoffed at the thought of the Werejaguar and everyone nodded slightly in agreement as I turned my attention back to Derek's youthful face. "And bad for everyone else."
"You guys should probably go home. He doesn't look to be in any danger. So maybe the rest of you should get some sleep? It is a school night... And you all need to start taking care of your own lives again." Deaton told us firmly in the knowing tone of someone who knew more than they were saying and he glanced pointedly in my direction as he finished his sentence.
"Someone should stay with you." Scott decided anxiously as he cast a worried glance down at the reverted werewolf on the exam table and I knew that he wasn't sure how Derek would react when he woke up.
"I'll stay." I told them as though it was obvious with a frown on my lips and my brother automatically shook his head in protest as he put a comforting hand on my shoulder.
"You've already missed out on enough school. Plus, mom will want to see you."
"I'll stay. My grades are fine... Despite missing a few classes." Lydia suggested softly as she wrapped an arm around my waist and I sent her a grateful smile because it was times like this that I was glad my best friend knew me so well.
"Thanks, Lyds." I said quietly as she leaned into her touch with a small smile on my lips and she nodded silently because words weren't needed between the two of us.
"I'm so not okay with this." Stiles intervened with a shake of his head as he pressed his lips into a tight line and I couldn't help smirking slightly at the obvious concern he had for the strawberry blonde even though he was with Malia.
"Guys, go." The banshee insisted pointedly as she tried to appear annoyed but I could see the pleasure in her light green eyes and I knew she was happy that Stiles was concerned about her welfare.
"No."
"Text us if anything happens." I said to the two that were remaining at the clinic as I grabbed one of Stiles' arms and they nodded in understanding as I started dragging the flailing boy towards the door.
"Nope, still not okay with it. Not going anywhere. All right, just 'cause you're stronger..." he protested vehemently as he tried to resist my strength by digging his heels into floor and I stifled a giggle a smirking Scott held the door open for me to guide his best friend through.
"Come on, sweetie. We need you to drive us home, since you won't let anyone drive your jeep."
"I don't like leave her here with him."
"Do you really think I'd do anything to put Lydia in danger?"
"No. But I still don't like it."
"I know. I know." I cooed mockingly as I gently pushed him towards the driver's side of the jeep and he nodded sagely as though I had agreed with him genuinely instead of sarcastically. I mouthed the word 'wow' in my brothers direction as I strolled towards the passenger side and he chuckled in amusement as he held the door open for me to climb through to the backseat before jumping in after me.
The drive home was silent as I leaned my forehead against the window and I felt my eyelids droop with exhaustion as I remembered that I hadn't slept in the last two days. Coming home was a funny thing because nothing had changed, it looked the same, smelt the same, sounded the same but at the same time everything had changed.
After everything that we went through none of us were the same and it was unfair to expect us to be but sometime I missed the old me. Before the Nogitsune, before the Darach, before the Alpha Pack, before the kanima, the biggest worry I had was whether or not to sleep with the guy with questionable eyebrows. Hiraeth was a homesickness for a home that you couldn't go back to, the nostalgia, the yearning, the grief for the lost place of your past.
"Alright, guys. We're here." Stiles stated softly as he parked the jeep in our driveway with a sigh and I lifted my head with a small smile as Scott climbed out of passenger side before holding open for me to follow him out.
"See you tomorrow, Stiles." I said quietly with a wave as I closed the door as softly as possible so that I didn't wake the entire neighbourhood and he nodded back at me as he started to reverse down the driveway.
Scott wrapped his arm around my shoulders as he pulled me into his side and I put arm around his waist as I leaned my head on his shoulder with a small smile. I had never been more grateful for that one gesture, the one movement that silently reminded me that I had never and would never be truly alone. My relationship with my brother was the truest and purest form of love, family and friendship I had in my life.
I leaned against the doorframe as Scott unlocked the door to the darkened house and I figured that mom must have been working the night shift at the hospital since Scott had been 'camping' with our friends. I rubbed my eyes with the heel of my hand as exhaustion started to set in and Scott had to guide me through the house until he jerked me to a stop in the hallway between the living room and kitchen. I grumbled incoherently in protest as I opened my eyes and frowned when I saw that the furniture in the dining area had been removed. A metal bowl was set in the middle of the rom as it caught drops from a steady leak in the roof and the smell of drywall dust hung in the air from the minor construction that had taken place. Scott gently pulled me forward by the arm until I caught sight of our father asleep on the living room couch and I cringed when my brother accidently tripped over a tool box that was lying on the floor.
"Scott?" our dad asked drowsily as he started sitting up on the couch and Scott made a face like he was internally cursing himself for making such a racket as he walked further into the room.
"Hey, Dad. What's with the tools?" Scott asked curiously as he looked around at the abandoned tools with a frown and dad rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand as he sighed slightly to himself.
"Oh, I was just, uh...getting' started on a list of repairs you guys need done."
"Hi, Daddy." I greeted him softly as I stepped into the room after my brother and dad's head snapped up from the ground in surprise at the sound of my voice.
"Sophie. Oh, god, Soph!" he exclaimed in shock as he stood up from the couch and rushed over to pull me into a tight embrace. I smiled softly into his chest as I wrapped my arms around his waist in return because I couldn't remember the last time I was happy to see my father. He pulled back from the hug to rest his hands on my shoulders as he checked me over to make sure I was in one piece and I tilted my head to the side with a quirked eyebrow as I waited until he was satisfied that I was fine. "Do you know how worried we all were? You can't just off like that!"
"I left a note. And I talked to mom and Scott every day. Sometimes more than once."
"Next time tell us in person? Or I'm going to fit you with a GPS transmitter." He threatened me seriously with both his eyebrows raised as he narrowed his eyes at me and I nodded meekly in acknowledgment as I tried not to grin at the act of parental authority. "What time is it?"
I stole a discreet glance towards the clock on the wall behind him before internally cringing because it was 4.05am and I didn't necessarily want a lecture on staying out late on a school night. "It's, um... Midnight."
"Scott, we were supposed to have dinner. We had a deal. When your mom has a night shift, we have dinner." Dad scolded my brother in a soft voice as he took a step back from me and looked over at Scott with a look of disappointment on his face.
"Sorry, I totally forgot about it. When we got back from the camping trip, I had to go straight to the animal clinic to finish up work." Scott explained apologetically with a small frown on his lips and dad nodded in recognition as he clapped Scott on the shoulder in a friendly gesture.
"All right, well...Tomorrow night. Dinner. The three of us."
"Great."
"Did you get anything to eat?"
"Yeah, Mexican." I quipped with a playful smirk in my brother's direction as I stepped forward to press a kiss to my father's cheek and then strolling out of the living room as I waved at them over my shoulder.
My heels clicked loudly on the cement under my feet as I walked with Scott and Stiles through the school on my first day back. It was slightly nerve-wracking to be back in the place where I met Allison on the first on day of sophomore year and Aiden on the first day of junior year when they were no longer here. I wouldn't see Ally's smiling face standing by her locker, or be able to sneak into coach's office for a make out session with Aiden. I exhaled slowly as I shook my head to gather my scattered thoughts and I tuned back into the conversation taking place between the guys.
"So it's like 2 in the morning. I wake up and she's just lying right next to me. She just sneaks in. This was like five times a week." Stiles explained to us about Malia with a slightly annoyed expression and I couldn't help the spark of pleasure because if he broke up with her, he might get together with Lydia.
"And then what happens?" Scott asked curiously as he hiked his backpack higher on his shoulder and I quirked an eyebrow in question as I tilted my head to the side.
"This..." the human trailed off as he paused in the middle of the stairwell and pulled up the back of his shirt so that we could see the angry red claw marks on his lower back. I gasp escaped my mouth before I could cover my lips with my hand and I wasn't sure I was pissed that someone had hurt my adoptive brother or impressed that Stiles had it in him to get laid at all.
"Holy..." Scott exclaimed with wide eyes as his lips pulled together in an impressed whistle and I shook my head with a slight laugh as we all started walking up the stairs together.
"Yeah. Right on, right?"
"See? That's why I don't have sex with humans. They're breakable and they can't keep up with my stamina." I informed them nonchalantly with shrug of my shoulders as I slid my hand on the railing while I walked and they both made disgusted noises in the back of their throats as I laughed in delight at their discomfort.
"After that we spent the rest of the night spooning." Stiles continued in a distressed tone as he rolled his shoulders back and stretched his neck to the side with a slight scowl on his lips.
"That sounds okay." Scott said half-heartedly as he tried to stay optimistic for his best friend and I smirked subtly so that they wouldn't see the joy I was taking in Stiles' romantic woes.
"Yeah, but I'm always the little spoon. Always."
"This means you guys are together, right? You're dating?"
"I don't know, sometimes the way she looks at me, I think she knows I'm not telling her something."
"You mean Peter?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow as we entered the school through a set of double doors and he nodded in answer with a grimace on his lips as we headed towards our class.
"We got to tell her, guys." He insisted quietly with a shake of his head as he shifted his backpack on his shoulder and I nodded in agreement as I slid my cardigan back onto my shoulder from where it slipped down.
"Yeah, I know. I just... I don't know how." Scott told him sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck and I spun around on my heel to stop them from walking as I held my hands up to their chests.
"If you don't do it soon, Peter will. He doesn't have a lot of patience." I warned them pointedly since I was the only one who actually knew the eldest Hale and they shared a slightly horrified look but they knew that I was right.
"Enough of that. A better question is, what the hell are you wearing?" Stiles asked snappishly as he put his hands on his hips like a scolding father and I looked down at my high waisted pleated skirt, floral crop top and cream cardigan in confusion.
"What's wrong with my outfit?"
"I can see your stomach! You know guys like it when you leave something to the imagination." He pointed out in what was supposed to be a helpful tone of voice and I held back a scoff as I nodded sarcastically with my lips pursed in annoyance.
"You know coyote's mate for life, right?" I asked him mockingly in a false concerned tone as I tapped my painted lips with my finger and flashed him a smirk as his expression morphed to one of alarm.
"What? N-no, they don't. You're joking. Right? Right, Sophie? Sophie!" he called after me in irritation as I spun on my heel and proceeded to saunter away from them with a smirk. I heard their footsteps hurrying after me as I slipped into our history class where most of the students were already sitting in their seats. I smiled at Kira when she waved at me enthusiastically with a grin lighting up her features and I took a seat near the front of the classroom next to Malia as Scott sat in front of her while Stiles slumped in front of me.
"It might surprise you to know that some of history's greatest leaders have had to endure some pretty great failures. One you'll recognize from last night's reading failed in business, had a nervous breakdown, was defeated for both houses of Congress, and lost as Vice President, before he was finally elected as one of the greatest presidents that this country has ever seen. Who was he?" Mr Yukimura asked the class from where he was standing at the front of the room and my hand idly went up along with half of the class as I absently doodled in my open notebook. "Malia."
I glanced over at the werecoyote next to me with a quirked eyebrow as she drew furious red lines with a highlighter all through her textbook and she lifted her head to reveal another highlighter in her mouth like a dog bone as she looked at the teacher with wide eyes. Scott's cell phone chimed loudly throughout the classroom, drawing everyone attention and I shared a concerned look with my brother as I lowered my hand.
"Scott, phones off. Malia? One of our greatest presidents. Gettysburg Address?" Mr Yukimura hinted as Malia hurriedly flipped through her textbook for the answer and I noticed Kira waving her hand in the air anxiously as she practically stood up from her seat. My cell phone beeped three times in a row, Lydia personalised message tone and I discreetly sent my brother a nervous look because she would only be messaging if something was wrong. "Phones off. Everyone. Malia? Does anyone else know?"
Everyone expect for me and Scott immediately raised their hands in the air and Malia sunk down in her desk with an embarrassed expression as she avoided looking straight at anyone. Another cell phone beeped somewhere near the front of the room as I bent down to grab my phone out of my bag while the teacher was distracted.
"I said phones off!" Mr Yukimura shouted angrily at the front of the room and I quickly hid my phone under the desk so that he couldn't see it on my lap.
"Dad, that was yours." Kira pointed out almost sheepishly as she lowered her hand and glanced around to make sure no one was laughing at her father's outburst.
"Oh. Um..." he muttered in embarrassment as he wandered over to his desk and grabbed his phone out of his jacket before frowning in confusion as he read his text out loud. "'Scott, call Lydia.'"
"Mr Yukimura, I need to be excused." I told him pointedly with a smile as I stood up from my desk abruptly and I slid my bag onto my shoulder as I stepped forward to hit both my brother's on the back of their heads. "Scott and Stiles too."
"Yeah, yes, we have a very important, uh, family emergency. Very urgent." Stiles said in a hurried voice as he jumped up from his seat while nodding jerkily and I restrained myself from rolling my eyes at his inability to lie.
"Sorry." Scott said simply with a grimace as he stood up from his seat and I ignored Mr Yukimura's confused expression as I turned around on my heel. When I caught Kira's gaze, I silently motioned with my hands for her to call me later and she nodded in understanding as I headed towards the classroom door. The moment I was out the door I was pressing speed dial three on my phone and holding it up to my ear as I lead the boys towards the carpark.
"Sophie, thank god." Lydia greeted with a relieved sigh when she answered the phone and I couldn't help the small smile at the sound of her voice because it meant that she wasn't severely injured. "Derek woke up and freaked out on us. He's on the loose."
"Are you okay? Is Alan okay?" I asked her in a rush as I approached my car while Scott climbed onto his bike and Stiles ran to his jeep as I jumped into my Camaro.
"I'm fine. Deaton has a cut on his arm but it's okay."
"I'll heal it when I get there. We're on our way." I told her quickly before hanging up as threw my phone on the passenger seat and reversed out of my parking space. I followed Scott's motorbike down the familiar route to the Animal Clinic as I impatiently tapped my fingers on the steering wheel. Worry clouded my mind as I tried not to think about Derek running around town because I didn't know whether or not he was in full control of his shifting and I didn't want him to do something he would regret. I pulled to a stop outside the Animal Clinic next to Scott while Stiles parked next to me and I climbed out of the Camaro as we all rushed into the exam room where Lydia was holding a cloth to Alan's would.
"Hey. You okay?" I asked them both in concern as I swept my gaze over them critically to make sure that they weren't hurt and Lydia nodded in answer as she took a step back from the vet.
"We're fine. I don't think Derek's just younger in body. I think he's younger in his mind too." Deaton theorised solemnly as I walked over to his side with a small frown and I placed my hand over the cut on his forearm as I accepted the cloth from Lydia.
"He didn't recognize either of us." The banshee explained with a sigh as she looked over at the boys and I bit my lower lip as I focused on the energy inside of myself. "And he looked like he was scared out of his mind."
"So if you're a teenage werewolf and you're scared, where do you go?" Stiles asked us all with a spastic wave of his arms and I felt the familiar buzz of electricity in my hands as I watched the wound on Alan's arm stitch itself together completely. I shared a smile with my mentor and I knew that the healing had only worked with such efficiency because Alan and I both carried the Druid gene.
"A wolf goes back to its den. But Derek lives in a loft." Scott stated in a slightly confused tone as I turned around to face them and leaned back against the exam table with my head tilted to the side.
"Not when he was a teenager. He lived in The Hale House. He wouldn't remember the fire. It wouldn't have happened yet." I told them knowingly as I crossed my arms over my chest and Stiles groaned out loud in annoyance as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
"Hold on. Say you do manage to catch up to him? What are you going to say to him? That his whole family is dead?" Lydia asked my brother sceptically as she cocked an eyebrow at him doubtfully and I pursed my lips in acknowledgement as I nodded my head slightly to the side.
"I guess I'm going to have to." Scott said unsurely with a grimace as he shrugged his shoulders and I raised both my eyebrows at him in disbelief as the strawberry blonde scoffed loudly.
"Oh... Good luck with that."
"She's probably right. Maybe you shouldn't. You know, at least until we figure out how to get him back to normal." Stiles suggested as he patted his friend on the shoulder to draw his attention and Lydia sent him a small smile in gratitude as I nodded in agreement.
"I can't lie to him." My brother pointed out in exasperation as he looked between all of us and Stiles shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly with an unbothered expression.
"Okay, I'll do it."
"I don't think any of us can. Remember, he can hear a heartbeat rising. When we find him, we tell him the truth."
"If he gets to the house first, you won't have to. It's a construction site. The charred remains were reduced to a pile of rubble by the State. All that's left is a rough outline of the stone foundation." I told them absently with a shrug of my shoulders and it took me a moment to realise that they were all staring at me. Lydia had a smug smirk on her lips, Alan had a slight smile like he knew something we didn't and Scott and Stiles both looked shocked that I had even known that so I shrugged nonchalantly. "Derek actually talks to me."
"I don't like it. I don't like it at all." Stiles protested with a scowl as he waved his arms randomly in the air and I rolled my eyes at him fondly as Scott chuckled lowly.
"I kinda like it. I actually trust Derek." My brother said to his best friend as he scratched the back of his head with a smirk and I looked between them in bewilderment as Stiles grumbled incoherently.
"Um, excuse me? Who I dated is none of your business. If I want your opinion, I'll ask for it." I snapped in annoyance as I pushed myself off of the exam table with a frown and I cocked my head to the side with my eyebrows raised, daring them to make a comment.
"Soph, we're your brothers. It's our duty to vet any and all suitors."
"Oh, really? You want to play that game? You want to tell the truth? You want to know what I think about your significant others? About Malia and Kira?"
"I thought you liked Kira?" Scott said in a confused tone as his forehead furrowed with self-doubt and I shared an irritated look with Lydia before I threw my head back to look at the ceiling in exasperation.
"I do like Kira. Can we get back to the problem at hand? We two go to The Hale House and see if he's there. I'm gonna go check at the sheriff's station in case he went there to report his kidnapping. Lydia, you're going home to get some sleep." I informed them pointedly as I placed my hands on my hips and the boys nodded meekly as they rushed towards the exit, nudging each other's shoulder as they went.
"I can come with you. I'm fine." Lydia insisted firmly as she grabbed her coat from the chair near the wall and I looked at her in disbelief as she headed towards the door that lead outside. Deaton chuckled at her retreating back as I shook my head at her attitude and I offered my mentor a grateful smile as I followed in my best friends footsteps.
The strawberry blonde was already waiting in the passenger seat of my Camaro when I got outside and I rolled my eyes as I climbed into the driver's side without a word. I glanced at my friend in concern as I took notice of the dark circles under her eyes and I bit my lower lip as I pulled the car on the open road. She gazed out the window at the passing scenery with a blank look on her face, her light green eyes were dull and I decided that what she needed, what we both needed was a dose of normality.
"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked her in a teasing tone of voice as I plastered a smirk on my lips and she rested her elbow on the window frame as she turned her head to look at me in confusion.
"Talk about what?"
"Um, you know what."
"I honestly have no idea what you're blabbering about."
"Well, I was wondering what colour my bridesmaid dress is going to be." I told her in a serious voice as I kept my eyes on the road in front of me and she stammered incoherently for a moment as she gaped at me.
"What the hell are you talking about?! Who am I supposed to be marrying in your delusion?" she asked me sharply with narrowed eyes as her arm dropped from the window frame and a coy smile played on my lips as I let the silence linger until she pinched my arm hard with her claw like nails. "Speak!"
"Ah! I may heal, but it still hurts." I complained with a pout as I leaned out of her reach and she rolled her eyes at me as the small wound on my arm healed until there was nothing there. "I'm talking about you and Stiles."
"Me and Stiles!?" she screeched in disbelief as her heart rate skyrocketed in her chest and she scoffed loudly as she clamped her lips closed while shaking her head in denial. "There is no me and Stiles. Absolutely not!"
"But you want there to be." I pointed out casually with a shrug of one shoulder as I quirked an eyebrow at her and she opened her mouth to protest so I rolled my eyes at her dramatically. "There's no point in lying to me, Lyds. I know you to well. And I can hear your heartbeat. And I can smell your pheromones."
"Alright, alright. Just stop…sniffing me." She scolded me with a disgusted scowl on her lips as she shuddered theatrically and I nodded sarcastically in agreement as I held back a laugh at the light shining in her green eyes. "I may, may, have some teeny tiny feelings for Stiles."
"Lydia…"
"Fine." She gritted out through a clenched jaw as she glared out the passenger side window and I waited patiently for her to continue because Lydia had always taken a while to open up about her feelings, especially about her romantic feelings. A sigh escaped her lips as she folded her hands on her lap and she played absently with her fingers as she whispered, "I really like him."
"Since when?" I asked her curiously in a soft voice as I glanced at her from the corner of my eye and she shrugged carelessly as she nibbled on her lower lip.
"We spent a lot of time together researching the Darach. He's different from the guys I normally go for. He's…sincere. Genuine. Makes me feel like I'm the only girl on the planet. He notices the little things, because they actually matter to him. They always have. Since the third grade."
"He told you that?" I asked her in shock as I looked over at her with wide eyes because I didn't think Stiles would ever admit that to her and she nodded her head with a small smile playing on the edge of her lips.
"At the winter formal, sophomore year. He told me, and I actually listened to him. What he says matters to me." She admitted almost sheepishly as she looked up at me with a wide eyes, like she was pleading with me to believe her and I smiled at her genuinely because it was great to see Lydia so in touch with her emotions.
"If you know the feeling's mutual, you don't you tell him?"
"Because he's happy. He has Malia now, and he really likes her. I can tell." She murmured quietly as she avoided looking at me, her voice was strained as though it was hard for her to get the words out. "I realised what I wanted too late. By the time I figured that what I was feeling wasn't some passing crush, we were best friends and he was too important for me to risk losing. After losing Allison and Aiden, after nearly losing Stiles, I realised that life was too short to waste. I was going to tell him, I was going to lay it all on the line and hope for the best."
"What happened? What stopped you?" I asked her in a soft voice as I pulled into her driveway and she was lost in her own thoughts that she didn't notice where we were as I turned off the ignition.
"I saw him with Malia. He and Scott were trying to teach her the basics of how to be a werecoyote in the Stilinski's backyard. I was just watching them, they didn't notice me standing near the backdoor. And for the first time since everything happen, I saw Stiles laugh at something Malia said. Like genuinely laugh, like he used to before." She explained quietly with a fond smile on her lips as she recounted the memory and I couldn't help smiling sadly back at her as she blinked back into the present. Lydia tried to return the smile but it fell the moment it touched her lips and she exhaled slowly as she tucked a strand of strawberry blonde hair behind her ear. "And then he kissed her."
"I'm sorry, honey. But I know if you told him how you feel, he'd be by your side in an instant."
"No. No, he deserves to be happy. Stiles loved me for years before I even acknowledged his existence. This is my penance."
"Lydia! That's not the way love works." I scolded her gently with a shake of my head as I reached over to grab one of her hands and she smiled tightly as she shook her head subtly. "Take it from me, if you love someone? Tell them. Tell them every chance you get. You never know when it might be your last."
"I just want him to be happy." She countered firmly with a waning smile on her lips as she squeezed my hand and I quirked an eyebrow at her with a questioning expression.
"And what about you?"
"As long as he's in my life, I'm happy. He's my best friend, I can't make our relationship awkward just for my own benefit. That's not fair to him, and it's not fair to Malia. I can handle some unrequited love."
"'Unrequited', my ass! You two belong together. Stydia is now my OTP. I ship you more than I ship Klaroline on The Vampire Diaries." I told her honestly with a grin spreading across my lips as she laughed openly in amusement, her light green eyes lighting up and I tilted my head to the side as she quietened down with a smile still on her lips. "Listen, Lyds, relationships are always stronger when you're best friends first, and a couple second."
"I'm sorry, are we still talking about me, or are we talking about you and Derek now?" Lydia asked me teasingly with a smirk on her lips as she tilted her head to the side and I gasped at her in mock betrayal as I shook my head with a smile spreading across my lips.
"Get out of my car." I told her pointedly as I gestured with my head for her to get out and she turned around to look at her house in confusion before twisting her head around to glare at me. "Lyds, you need to sleep. Go take a nap, have a shower, something to eat and then pick up Kira and meet us back at my place. You're no use to anyone if you're burnt out."
"Fine. But if something happens…"
"I will call you. I promise."
"Okay." She relented begrudgingly with a scowl as she started opening the passenger side door but turned back around to face me and levelled me with a serious look as she pointed at me. "It goes without saying but… Anything and everything we just discussed, does not go beyond the two of us."
"I'm offended. Get out of my car." I scolded her playfully with a mock scowl on my lips as I winked at her and she grinned brightly as she slipped out of the car without another word. She waved at me over her shoulder as she sauntered towards her front floor and I chuckled lowly as I reversed out of her driveway.
The minute that the Martin's house was out of sight, all of the stressed of worrying about de-aged Derek came rushing back like a tidal wave and I tightened my hold on the steering wheel as I pressed my foot down on the accelerator. It was concerning me that it was so close to the full moon because I knew that Derek didn't have complete control over his wolf side until after the fire. The sheriff's station came into sight and I slowed down so that I didn't get a ticket in my rush to get there because we were having enough money problems without to worry about paying a speeding fine. A grimace spread across my lips when I saw Scott climbing off of his motorbike and Stiles jumping out of his jeep as I parked next to him.
"Where the hell have you been?" Stiles asked me pointedly as I climbed out of my car and I reframed from rolling my eyes as I walked quickly around to meet them at the door to the station.
"You were meant to be here already. Are you okay?" Scott asked almost immediately after his best friend as he approached me with a concerned expression and I plastered a small smile on my lips as I linked my arm through his.
"I dropped Lydia at home. She was exhausted." I explained to them with a shrug of my shoulders as we hurried into the sheriff's station and their expressions instantly morphed to ones of concern for our banshee friend.
We rushed through the station easily because we knew that layout and we came to startled halt in the doorway between rooms. A grimace spread across my lips when I saw the Sheriff crouched in front of Derek with an incredulously expression and the completely confused scowl on the werewolf's lips that reminded me of twenty four year old him. Jordan and another deputy were standing behind the closest desk and I figured that they had been the ones to arrest Derek.
"I'll handle this." Sheriff Stilinski told the deputy's with a tired sigh as he stood up from his crouch and violently jerked his head towards his office in a silent order for us to follow him. Stiles hastily followed after his father with his arm waving in spastic movements and I briskly hurried after them with my brother on my heels. I quickly shut the office door behind us as John leaned against the front of his desk and he looked at me in confusion the three of us stood obediently in front of him.
"Hi, John." I greeted him sheepishly as I waved a hand half-heartedly and he pointed at me as he opened his mouth to say something but then thought better of it as he shook his head.
"I want you to be honest with me. Absolutely and completely honest. Have you been time traveling?" he asked us all instead in a slightly terrified voice as he waved his finger sternly between us and I blinked in surprise as my lips parted to respond but nothing came out.
"Hang on, what?" Stiles asked in complete confusion as his face scrunched up in disbelief and John shook head rapidly as he waved his whole arm in a sweeping motion.
"Because if time traveling is real, you know what? I'm done. I'm out. You're going to be driving me to Eichen House."
"We found him like that." Scott informed him quickly as he threw his hands up in surrender and I smiled innocently as I folded my hands in front of me so that I didn't fidget nervously.
"Where? Swimming in the fountain of youth?" John shouted in a whisper as he frowned deeply in bewilderment and I cringed slightly in discomfort as I looked away from him.
"No. We found him buried in a tomb of wolfsbane in an Aztec temple in Mexico underneath a church in the middle of a town that was destroyed by an earthquake..." Stiles explained as he trailed off at the end in an unsure tone and I looked at him as though he was crazy while Scott mirrored my expression.
John stared at his son uncomprehendingly for a moment as his mind tried to process what he'd just heard and a dismayed expression spread across his features, "You told me you were camping!"
"Yeah, we were... In Mexico."
"Listen, Derek's been aged backwards. He can't remember anything." I informed the sheriff as I stepped forward with a placating expression and he looked over at me as his eyes softened slightly. "We just need to talk to him."
"Yeah, well, so far he's not talking to anybody." John told us with an exhausted sigh escaping him as he ran a hand through his hair and I patted his arm empathetically because I knew that all of the supernatural drama was hard on him.
"He'll talk to me." Scott stated in a confident tone as he flashed his Alpha red eyes and I hummed in an impressed manner as I nodded seriously with my lips pursed.
"Alright, I'll go get him." the sheriff said as he headed towards his office door and I jumped up to sit on the edge of his desk as Stiles leaned next to me with his arms crossed over his chest. I swung my legs restlessly as I waited impatiently for John to return with Derek and Scott pace the length of the room anxiously as he glanced at the door every two seconds.
"Scott, relax. If he sees you're nervous, he'll be nervous." I instructed him calmly as I tilted my head to the side and he immediately stopped walking to face us as he inhaled deeply before letting it out slowly. The door to the office opened as the sheriff guided Derek into the room and I immediately plastered a reassuring smile on my lips as I crossed my ankles.
"Here we go. Hurry up, alright?" John ordered us in a stern voice as he looked between us before landing his gaze on me and I saluted him in understanding as he left us alone in the office.
"You're probably wondering what's going on. Long story short, we're getting you out of here." I informed him pointedly with a pointed a finger at him as I quirked an eyebrow and he looked at me in pure confusion as he sat down on the bench by the wall.
"Why would I go anywhere with you?" Derek asked in a demand as he tried to appear nonchalant but I could see that he was wary of us.
"There was an accident. You lost some memory, but we can help you get it back." Scott told him carefully as he crouched down in front of the Beta and I knew that he was measuring his words cautiously so that Derek wouldn't hear any blips in his heartrate.
"How much memory?"
"A lot. But you can trust us." My brother assured him firmly in an honest tone before he flashed his Alpha red eyes for only Derek to see and I looked out the windows to make sure that no one could see into the room.
"You're an Alpha. Okay, who are you? And who is he? Who is she?" Derek asked roughly with a frown as he scooted back on the bench away and I jumped down from the desk with a sigh leaving my lips.
"Oh, we're the guys keeping you out of jail." Stiles said sarcastically with a scowl twisting his lips as he narrowed his eyes at the werewolf and I gently slapped his arm in reprimand as I strolled passed him.
"Let us help you." I pleaded with Derek as I met his familiar light green eyes while I crouched down next to Scott and my brother nodded in encouragement as the Beta looked between the two of us uncertainly. I bit the corner of my lower lip before letting it loose as I watched Derek's gaze follow the movement, making me smirk internally because I knew that he loved when I did that and I was hoping that it would make him agree to come with us.
"Okay, dude, you almost tore apart two cops back there. You need to listen to us. And that starts with no fangs, no claws, no wolf man. You got that?"
"I'm fine as long as it's not on a full moon." Derek snapped sharply as he looked over at Stiles with a glare and I glanced over my shoulder at the human as he rolled his eyes.
"You still have trouble with the full moon?" Scott asked him in a slightly surprised tone of voice as he stood up from his crouch and I followed his lead as I crossed my arms over my chest.
"I said I'm fine."
"Al right, you coming with us or not?" Stiles asked him in annoyance as he stepped up next to me and I looked over at Derek with my eyebrows raised as I awaited his response.
"You want me to trust you? Where's my family?" the Beta asked in a vulnerable voice I couldn't remember ever hearing from him and Scott opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out as his dark brown eyes widened.
"There was a fire. And..." I interjected quickly as I stepped passed my brother to kneel down in front of Derek and I offered him a small smile when his tear filled eyes meet mine. I took a deep breath as I carefully chose my words so that I wasn't technically lying to him and that my heartrate wouldn't spike. "They're not here anymore. They're fine. Just had to move out of Beacon Hills. And I'm friends with your Uncle Peter and I'll call him. We're going to take you to them as soon as we figure out how to get your memories back."
"Okay." He breathed as he nodded his head in acceptance and I reached out to squeeze his hand reassuringly with a grin. "You're really friends with Peter?"
"Yeah, why? Don't believe your ass of an uncle actually has any?"
A bright grin broke out across his lips as he chuckled lowly in amusement and I took that as a good sign as I stood up from my position kneeling in front of him. He looked up at me with such innocence in his eyes that I couldn't look away and he leaned forward eagerly with a small smile on his lips as I broke eye contact with him.
"Alright, let's get you exonerated." I said in a mock cheerful voice as I clapped my hands with a grin on my lips and there were murmured agreements from Scott and Stiles as I pulled Derek up from the bench. I shot a look over my shoulder at my brother's as I guided the young werewolf out of the office and they smiled back at me innocently as they trailed after us. I directed Derek towards the bullpen where the deputies' desks were set up and the sheriff looked over at us with a questioning expression.
"Derek would like to leave. With us. Please." I told him with a smile as I cocked my head to the side innocently and he raised his eyebrows in surprise but nodded in ascent before he went to get the papers we needed to sign. I released a sigh as I pushed Derek into an empty chair next to the desk I was standing by and he glared up at me for a second for manhandling him but I just flicked him on the forehead.
"Hey, Sophie." A familiar voice greeted me warmly from behind and I spun around with a smile as I saw Jordan approaching us.
"Jordan, hi. How are you?" I asked him curiously as I pulled him into a quick embrace since I hadn't seen him in a while and he blinked in surprise but hugged me back before I stepped back with a smile.
"I'm good. I heard you went on vacation."
"Yeah. Yeah, I just needed to get away after everything that happened."
"That's understandable. I hope you're doing better." He said sincerely with a concerned frown on his lips and I smiled gratefully as I tucked a strand of brunette hair behind my ear. "Anyway, I have the papers for your friend to sign."
"Oh, great! I'll leave you to it. I'm going to go make sure Stiles and Scott aren't damaging anything." I told them both as I patted Derek reassuringly on the shoulder with a small smile and sent Jordan the same smile as I walked past him.
"You shouldn't have done that. You lied your ass off." Scott scolded me in a quiet voice I approached where they were standing by the front counter and I scoffed at him in disbelief as I crossed my arms on top of the counter in front of me.
"Hey, her ass is fine. She saved him a ton of unnecessary pain. We'll figure this out in a day or two, he goes back to being old Derek, everyone's happy. Except for Derek, who's never happy." Stiles quipped drily with a dismissive wave of his hand as he leaned next to me and Scott rolled his dark brown eyes without replying as he shook his head.
"First of all, thank you saying my ass is fine. Second of all, Derek's just not happy around you." I told him pointedly with a tight smile on my lips and he pulled a sarcastic face back at me as I broke out in a grin.
"It's just another person that we're lying to. I always feel like it's always been better when we tell the truth. With Lydia, my mom, your dad." Scott explained his reasoning with a frown touching his lips and I laid a comforting hand on his arm with a sympathetic expression on my face.
"Yeah, but that is Derek Hale in there. He may be a kid right now, but he's still Derek Hale." Stiles reminded him with a raised eyebrow as he pointed haphazardly towards the bullpen and Scott exhaled slowly as his eyebrows furrowed in deep thought before his eyes lit up with an idea.
"All right. Take him to my house and don't let him out of your sight."
"And where are you going?"
"Sophie and I are going to go talk to the guy we should have gone to before."
"Uh... Yeah, I hate that guy." The human protested vehemently as I mouthed the word 'oh' in understanding and Scott wrapped an arm around my shoulders as he guided me out of the sheriff's station.
"We going where I think we're going?" I asked him in a rush as he hurried me towards his motorbike and he nodded his head in answer with a vague 'uh huh'. "You bringing me for the reason I think you're bringing me?" I asked him pointedly as he released his hold on me with another 'uh huh' and I rolled my eyes at him when he tried to hand me his spare helmet. "I'm wearing high heels and a skirt. I'm driving myself."
"Fine. Just hurry." Scott said with a frown as he dropped his arm to his side and I nodded at him as I ran over to my car without a backwards glance. I climbed into the driver's seat as my brother took off out of the parking lot and I quickly sped after him as he took the familiar route to Derek's loft where we both knew the person we were looking for would be.
I stole a glance at the moon in the sky as I anxiously tapped my fingers on the steering wheel and I worried about teenage Derek controlling himself so close to the full moon because we had left him alone with Stiles. I knew that Peter was our best bet at working out what happened to Derek and why Kate changed him back into a teenager.
When I turned into the private parking area to the side of Derek's building behind Scott, the headlights illuminated Malia's silhouette standing in front of us and I turned off the ignition as I let out an annoyed sigh. I climbed out of the car as I ran a hand through my hair and Scott glanced at her in confusion as I strolled over to stand next to him with a frown on my lips.
"What are you doing here?" I asked the werecoyote in a blunt tone as I crossed my arms over my chest and I heard Scott's heartrate pick up because he was worried about introducing Malia to her biological father.
"I heard you were coming to talk to Peter. And since Lydia tells me he's basically Satan in a V-neck, I figured you shouldn't be alone." Malia answered honestly with earnest expression on her face and I smirked in amusement as Scott looked at me with his eyebrows raised.
"We can handle Peter." Scott told her confidently as he turned his attention back to the girl with a smug smirk on his lips and she seemed unbothered by his comment as she shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.
"You can handle him better with me."
"No. I mean, I can't handle him. But that's why I brought Sophie."
"Trust me, I can handle Peter." I said with a scoff as I waved my hand dismissively in the air and started walking towards the private backdoor entrance to the building. I searched for the key that Derek had given to me on the keyring that housed my car key, my house key, the key to the Stilinski's and the key to the vet clinic.
"You have a key?" Scott asked teasingly from behind me as I unlocked the door and I could practically hear the smirk in his voice as I threw open the door. I punched him hard on the arm as he walked passed him but he just laughed at me and Malia looked between us with a confused frown on her lips. I shook my head in exasperation as I followed them up the stairs to the top floor where Derek lived and Scott slid open the door slowly as his heart started pounding in the confines of his chest.
"What's wrong with you?" Malia asked him as she gently sniffed the air with a frown and I glanced at Scott with an expectant expression as he twitched anxiously while avoiding her gaze.
"Nothing."
"Your heart's pounding like crazy. Are you nervous?"
"He's just bad at introductions." Peter murmured quietly in a distracted voice from the side of the room and I turned my head with a smile to see him lounging on the couch with a book in his hands.
"Peter!" I greeted him enthusiastically as I walked closer to him and his head shot up as he threw the book on to the coffee table next to him. A grin stretched across his lips as he stood up from the couch and I stretched out my arms as I wiggled my fingers invitingly with a grin of my own.
"Hello, sweetheart." He returned the greeting as he wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted my feet off of the ground as he spun my around in a circle while I giggled. "How was Mexico? Did you get into any trouble with the Calaveras?"
"Wait a minute." Scott interrupted us as the ex-Alpha set me down on the ground but kept an arm around my waist and we both turned to look at my brother expectantly as he frowned at us. "You knew she was in Mexico? You told him where you were?"
"Sophie didn't tell me. I hired a Private Investigator to follow her." Peter explained as though it was completely obvious and Scott blinked in surprise as I rolled my eyes in annoyance because I already knew that Peter was having me tracked.
"Right. Okay. Peter... This is Malia." I introduced the two a little hesitantly as I took a step away from the man and his eyes instantly locked onto the werecoyote standing confidently in front of him. I couldn't help the jealousy I felt when I saw the intrigue in the older werewolf's eyes because I was so used to being the only one Peter could tolerate.
"Beautiful eyes. Did you get them from your father?" he asked the caramel haired girl curiously as he tilted his head to the side and I rolled my head at the creepiness of the question as I crossed my arms over my chest.
"Mother." Malia corrected him slowly with an unsure expression as she glanced at my brother with a frown and then looked at me with a silent question in her eyes as I nodded my head slightly in reassurance.
"Interesting. Anyway, I'm sure they've told you a lot about me."
"The homicidal killing spree came up."
"Well, we're all works in progress."
"Well, when you progress to your next killing spree, why don't you try and make sure they all stay dead?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Peter asked in confusion as he folded his arms over his chest with a frown and he glanced over at me because I was the one most likely to give him a straight answer.
"What do you know about people being turned by a scratch?" Scott asked him before I could explain the reason for our visit and Peter's eyebrows shot up in amusement as he turned his attention to my brother with a smirk on his lips.
"Did you scratch someone, Scott? Don't worry about it, the claws have to go pretty deep."
"But it's possible. Like say, if you clawed out someone's throat?" I asked him pointedly as I demonstrated by miming the action while I spoke and he frowned at me for a moment as he walked over to the table by the wall of glass windows.
"Well, yeah, it's possible. It's also beyond rare. We're talking one in a... ...million." he trailed off in realisation as I pursed my lips with my eyebrows raised and he gritted his teeth angrily as he turned to face the windows with his hands resting on the table. "Kate."
"That's right. The bitch is back." I mumbled bitterly as I crossed my arms over my chest and looked off to the side of the room with a frown on my lips.
"Can't someone in this town stay dead?" Peter asked in a low growl with frustration leaking into his voice as he glared out the windows and I tilted my head in agreement as I thought about all of the people who had come back to life.
"I think they were hoping you would." Malia commented bluntly as she leaned forward to emphasise her words and I let out a soft laugh as I ducked my head to hide the grin that spread across my lips.
"Do you have any idea why Kate would turn Derek into a teenager again?" Scott asked the ex-Alpha sharply in an effort to get back to the point of the conversation and I shifted my weight impatiently as Peter turned around to face us with a curious expression.
"What colour were his eyes?" the older man asked us inquiringly as he tilted his head to the side and I quirked an eyebrow in a thoughtful manner as I took a few steps forward.
"Blue. After Paige. Which could mean around the time he first met Kate." I answered instantly with a roll of my eyes at the thought of his 'relationship' with the hunter and Peter narrowed his eyes thoughtfully as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Derek and Kate knew each other?" Scott asked in shock as his dark brown eyes widened slightly and his eyebrows shot up on his forehead as I cringed because I didn't know he didn't know about Derek and Kate.
"Biblically. That's right, Scott. You weren't the first wolf to climb into a hunter's bed." Peter told him mockingly with an amused smirk on his lips and I rolled my eyes at them as Scott turned to look at in disbelief.
"You knew about this? And you didn't kill him?"
"It's the past. Can't change the past." I said in a nonchalant tone as I shrugged my shoulders and then smirked as I flipped my hair over my shoulder. "Plus, I'm hotter than her, so who cares?"
Scott rolled his dark brown eyes at me as he turned his attention back to the rest of the group and he crossed his arms over his chest as he frowned thoughtfully. "Okay, Derek went to the site of the house thinking it was still there, right?"
"Yeah. But he doesn't remember the fire. And if he doesn't remember the fire, then he doesn't remember that it was Kate that set it."
"So what does that mean?" Malia asked in a dumbfounded voice as she looked around at all of us with a frown and I shrugged helplessly in confusion as I tried not to let my worry for Derek show on my face.
"Kate didn't just take him back to being a teenager. She took him back to the age where he still knew her. When he still trusted her." Peter theorised out loud with an anger expression on his face and I sighed in annoyance as I ran a hand through my hair.
"Call Stiles. Kate's going to go after Derek. She obviously needs him for something." I told my brother with a slight wave of my hand and he nodded quickly as he sighed his phone out of his pocket. I nibbled on my lower lip anxiously as I strolled over to the table in front of the windows and leaned my back against it as I watched Scott dial a number on his phone.
"Stiles, hey. We think that Kate's going to go after Derek. Is he okay?" Scott said into the phone as he held it up to his ear and I tuned in my advanced hearing as I crossed my arms over my chest.
"Yeah, he's in your bedroom, he'll be totally fine. To be honest, I'm starting to miss the old Derek. So, if you actually think that Kate's coming to find him..." Stiles trailed off into silence as I heard a thump on the other side of the call and I immediately tensed in apprehension as I pushed myself off of the table. "You might be right."
"Stiles?"
"Yeah, Kate got him. He's gone. Out the window. Literally."
"Damn it. Stiles, I have to go." My brother groaned out before hanging up without waiting for a reply and I shook my head in disbelief as I pressed my lips together in a tight line to stop myself from shouting profanities. I reached up to grip my hair tightly in my fist as I shook my head in frustration and turned away from the others so that they wouldn't see the distress written on my features. I heard their footsteps rushing to towards the door and I figured that they were going to go back to my house in an effort to catch a scent.
"Wait!" I called out to stop them off leaving without turning around and I closed my eyes as their retreating footsteps paused.
"For what? Kate's out there twisting her way into Derek's head yet again. We need to find her." Peter insisted sharply in a confused voice as I heard him walk closer to me and I dropped my arm to my side as I turned around to face them with my eyes open.
"All we need's a scent." Malia added in a rush with a decisive nod of her head as she shifted on her toes and I narrowed my eyes at her with a hard glint in my eyes as I took a step forward to join the loose circle.
"That could take hours." Scott argued as he positioned himself next to me in silent agreement and I nodded along with his words as I clenched my hands into fists at my side to stop myself from lashing out in frustration.
"If we want to get ahead of her, we need to figure out where she's going." I told them knowingly as I raised my eyebrows slightly and I started going over everything I knew about Kate in my mind so that I could put the pieces together to create the entire picture.
"Not to underestimate my own cognitive faculties, but other than you, Sophie, we're not exactly a brain trust of geniuses here." Peter pointed out in a hard tone as he narrowed his eyes in my direction and I snapped my head up to glare at him with my eyes blazing with fury as I felt my elemental powers swirl in my stomach, wanting to be released.
"Just give me a second! I refuse to be outsmarted by Kate Argent of all people! She's taken too much from me already! I'm not going to let her have Derek too!" I shouted angrily as I marched up to stand directly in front of the ex-Alpha with fire burning in my eyes and he glared down at me but I knew that he understood what I was thinking better than anyone else. I exhaled slowly as I glanced away from his searching teal eyes and I composed my features before turning back to face him with a blank expression. "Kate doesn't get to win this. She doesn't get have what she wants, when we don't get the chance to have what we want."
An eerie silence settled around us while Peter and I maintained eye contact with one another and I could practically hear the disapproving thoughts running through my brother's head. But he didn't understand because the only person he had lost was Allison and the creature responsible was locked beneath the nemeton. It was different for me when Talia's murder was roaming freely around Beacon Hills and trying to manipulate her way into Derek's head for her own advantage. It was something Scott couldn't fully understand, even if he tried to be empathetic.
The sound of my cell phone ringing broke the tense silence and I snapped out of my staring competition with the ex-Alpha as I recognised Lydia's personalised ringtone. I quickly searched for my cell phone as I stepped away from the group and I answered the phone as I held it up to my ear with a concerned frown on my lips. "Lyds? Is everything okay?"
"Okay, so, Kira and I were at the gas station and I got a feeling. A bad one. A banshee one. I was drawn to the restroom and I opened the door, right? And there is blood and guts and gook everywhere. And I mean, everywhere. It's on my shoes, Sophie." Lydia hissed into the phone as I bit down on my lower lip and I forced myself not to roll my eyes at her last comment but couldn't help agreeing with her distress. "We called Stilinski. They're on their way."
"It's got to be Kate. What does it look like? Can you send pictures?"
"Uh, okay. I'll send them in a second. Kira and I are going to go meet Stiles. Call us when you know where Kate took Derek." She ordered me sternly with worry drenching her voice and then I heard a clink indicating that she hung up. A second later my phone made a soft ding to notify me that I had a new text message and I opened the message to reveal a photo of a tiled room covered with blood.
"Oh, god." I muttered in horror with a disturbed scowl on my lips before I handed the phone over to Scott and the three of them gathered around to look at the photograph as I tapped my lip with my finger nervously. "To be honest, I have a 4.0 in AP Biology and there are parts of the human anatomy I have never seen before on those walls."
"Why would she want to kill a gas station attendant?" Malia asked in confusion as she looked away from the screen with a frown and I shrugged my shoulders helplessly as I continued tapping my finger on my lips.
"I don't think she could help it. This was done in a frenzy. It's not a murder. It's a symptom." Peter declared perceptively as he crossed one arm over his chest and tapped his chin with the other as he narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
"Of what?" Scott asked in a mixture of curiosity and confusion as his eyebrows drew together and I tilted my head back to stare at the ceiling as I tried to link together all of the information available.
"She can't control the shift."
"Derek said he had the same issue on the full moon. That he was still learning. So, Kate's still learning?"
"She wants to learn."
"So she wants Derek to teach her?" Malia asked with a raised eyebrow as she looked between for an answer and I shook my head with my eyebrows scrunched together as I tilted my head back down to glance down at the ground.
"No. Derek didn't learn to control the shift until after the fire. He used to use his anger over the fire as an anchor." I informed them absently as I ran my tongue over my front teeth and then realisation washed over me as a loud gasp escaped my lips. I turned around abruptly to face them, causing them all to a startled step back and I shook my head slightly as I looked towards Peter because he would be the only to understand what I had worked out. "No. She wants the Triskelion."
"Oh, god." Peter breathed out in realisation as he closed his eyes and shook his head to reprimand himself for not working it out sooner. Scott and Malia looked between us with confusion written over their faces and I sighed heavily as a small smile spread across my lips because now we knew where Kate was taking Derek.
"We gotta go."
"Where?" Scott asked in a hurry as I started walking towards the door to the loft and he immediately followed after me with the others rushing after us.
"The high school. Kate's going to use Derek to open the Hale family vault and steal a piece of useless plastic." I informed them bitterly with a scowl on my lips as we hurried down the stairs and I could practically hear Scott's confusion behind me but I ignored it as we ran outside into the night.
"I'll meet you there!" Scott shouted at me as he jumped onto his motorbike and I climbed into the driver's seat of my car as Peter hopped in the passenger side while Malia got in the backseat.
"Malia, call Stiles or Lydia or Kira and tell them where we're going." I ordered her firmly as I pulled out of the parking lot and she nodded hastily as she pulled out her cell phone while I sped towards the school. I tuned out the sound of her voice as she spoke quietly to Stiles over the phone and I tried not to think of the worst case scenario but it was there in the back of my mind.
One of the nightmares that had plagued me while I was away played on a loop in my mind and I couldn't get it to stop haunting me. In the dream, Derek and I were lying in his bed like we had so many times before, laughing or talking or kissing and then suddenly there's a knock at the door and on the other side is always something different, fire or an Oni or simply a man with a gun, but it always ends the same way. With me screaming like a banshee as I clutched Derek's dead body in my arms.
My hands tightened on the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white under the pressure and the metal under my hands creaked as my advanced strength bent the metal slightly. I immediately loosened my hold on the wheel as I blinked back the tears that filled my eyes and I released a slow breath as I attempted to compose myself enough to look into the mirror without cringing at the broke girl in the reflection.
I could feel Peter's gaze burning in to the side of my head but I couldn't make myself look at him because I knew that he'd see straight through my façade. I abruptly through on the breaks when we pulled into the high school car park and I turned off the ignition as I climbed out of the car. Scott rushed up to meet us as we headed towards the front of the school where the entrance to the vault was located. We were running up the stairs when Malia stopped abruptly on the steps below me and I turned to look at her in confusion as she gently sniffed the air with a frown.
"Did you catch a scent?" I asked her in concern as I placed a hand on her shoulder to draw her attention and I felt my brother and Peter step closer to where we were standing.
"It's the same one. The same one as Mexico." Malia told me firmly as she looked around for any sign of whatever was out there and I tensed in anticipation as I sniffed the air gently, only to hold back a gag at the stench of death.
"One of them came after us in the Church ruins." Scott supplied in a grim tone as he looked around the seemingly empty courtyard and I could sense the presence of something that I had never encountered before.
"And one on the road."
"They couldn't have followed us here. But they could've been brought, by Kate." I theorised out loud as my eyes narrowed threateningly and a loud growl emanated from somewhere in the darkness as every muscle in my body tensed.
"Oh, I've heard that sound before. Did it have an animal skull? A human wearing a skull over its face?" Peter asked with a slight hint of panic in his voice as he looked around and my head snapped up in shock as he described what he thought the creature was.
"I think so." Malia told him with a nod of her head as she continued to survey the courtyard and I cringed at the thought as heavy footsteps on concrete echoed through my ears.
"What are they?" Scott asked in horror as a large humanoid figure with an animal skull covering their face stepped in view from the concrete underpass and I immediately started shifting backwards to put distance between the creature and myself.
"Berserkers." Peter growled out as he grabbed my arm to pull me back against his side and I stumbled a little from the sudden movement but quickly caught myself as I stared with wide eyes at the creature I'd only read about. Malia let out a low growl as she positioned herself in a fighting stance and I was about to grab her arm when Peter's hand shot out to catch her shoulder. "Are you crazy?"
"There's just one of them." The werecoyote responded as she leaned forward slightly in anticipation and I swore there was a hint of enthusiasm in her voice, like she was looking forward to a fight taking place.
"And that means we have a chance."
"To beat him?"
"To survive."
"Yeah, we gotta go!" I exclaimed in horror as Peter grabbed my arm tightly in his grip and we started running up the stairs away from the Berserker while Scott and Malia stared after us. I heard them quickly catching up to us as I pulled my arm from Peter's grip and he looked at me in confusion but I just nodded my head in the direction of the vault, indicating that he should continue on. He looked conflicted for a moment as I pushed on his shoulder and he pressed a quick kiss to my forehead before rushing away to find his nephew. I spun around on my heel as I rushed back in the direction I had come from and I froze momentarily when I saw Scott and Malia fighting two Berserkers to the best of their very inadequate ability.
I kicked off my heels as I rushed forward to join the conflict and I ducked instinctively as one of the Berserkers aimed a punch at my head. My leg shot out to kick them in the shoulder, causing them to stumble backwards and Scott let out a massive roar as his eyes glowed Alpha red behind me. I held back a wince as the sound resonated in my ears but I kept dodging the Berserkers advances and countering them skilfully with my martial arts and hunters training.
A pain filled gasp left my lips as the Berserker sliced my upper thigh with its razor sharp armour and I collapsed onto the ground with a groan as I panted heavily. I glanced around quickly to see Malia sprawled on the ground nearby with a wound similar to mine and Scott's head being held against a concrete pillar by the other Berserker. The Berserker that attacked me was slowly lumbering forward as I scrambled backwards, trying not to put pressure on my leg while it healed and Malia followed my line of thinking as she copied my movements. The Berserker that held Scott captive lifted him over his head as though he weighed nothing and tossed him down beside us as we cowered in the corner.
Kira appeared suddenly with her katana in her hand, drawing the attention of the Berserkers and she immediately started slicing at their chests with the sharp edge of her sword. I watched her skilled movements with a growing appreciation but her concentration was broken as she looked over at us in concern.
"Kira!" Scott shouted in warning as he reached out aimlessly and one of the Berserkers knocked the katana straight out of her hand as she spun back around to face them. A startled cry escaped the kitsune as one of the Berserkers flung its arm carelessly in her direction, catching her in the face and she flew back to where we were sprawled on the ground.
I gritted my teeth impatiently as I waited for my leg to heal but I got annoyed and stood up to defend us I ignored my brother's feeble protests. The Berserkers faced me as I took a small step in front of the others and I tried to keep my weight on one side of my leg as I elongated my claws.
Out of nowhere another body was propelling towards the Berserkers from behind and it took me a second to recognise teenage Derek as he fought both the Berserkers at once. I made a move to go help him but as soon as I put pressure on my leg a blinding pain shot through my thigh and my knees gave out as I collapsed to the ground uselessly. I watched with wide eyes as Derek expertly engaged in battle with the Berserkers, flipping when they attempted to land a blow and clawing them when he had an opening.
A loud screeching growl emanated through the night over the grunts and scuffles of the fight, causing the Berserkers to suddenly halt in their movements before lumbering away to join whoever made the sound. Derek's back was facing towards us so that all we could see was his darkened silhouette and my breath caught in my throat as tears stung my eyes.
"Derek?" I whispered unsurely as I slowly stood up on wobbly feet with my lips parted slightly and I watched as he turned around to face us to reveal that he was back to being twenty four year old Derek Hale. I breathed out a sigh of relief as I smiled started to spread across my lips but then I frowned slightly when I noticed that his werewolf eyes were no longer an icy blue and instead were a burning amber.
I decided to ignore that mystery for the times being as I felt tears of joy silently spill down my cheeks and I overlooked the agonising pain in my leg as I hurtled myself into Derek's chest. His arms instantly caught me around the waist as I wrapped my arms around his neck and my hands curled into tight fists as I gripped the back of his shirt.
"Hey, hey, hey. I'm okay. I'm okay." Derek breathed out as he tightened his hold on my waist like I would disappear any moment and I pressed a quick kiss to the side of his neck where my head was laying on his shoulder.
"I'm buying you a GPS tracker. You go missing far too much."
"Okay." He said simply to placate me as I closed my eyes to stop the tears pooling in my eyes and I felt him bury his face in the side of my neck as I held onto him tighter. It wasn't until that moment, being held in Derek's arms, that I realised how much I truly needed him in my life.