Smoke and Mirrors:
"Just put it on the bench." I instructed firmly as I gestured with my elbow towards the table because my arms were full and Derek silently placed the heavy box down on the counter as I sat my own case down in front of me. We had scavenged all the weapons we could carry from the basement armoury and now we were sorting through everything we needed to bring with us to find Scott and Kira.
"Deaton's sure Kate took them to Mexico?" Derek asked me curiously as he started unpacking his crate and I opened the clasps that held close the box I had in front of me as I shrugged my shoulders.
"Well, Alan went to visit an inmate in Eichen House's supernatural ward and had a forcibly induced hallucination about La Iglesia. He's pretty certain."
"How did he even get into Eichen House?"
"I may have insinuated that if he volunteered his time in patient retrieval, then the head psychologist might owe him a favour and let him speak to Valack."
"'Patient retrieval'? What's that?" he asked in an amused tone of voice as he spread the weapons out on the counter and I smiled slightly as I laid out each gun because it was actually nice to talk to someone about my job at Eichen after having it be a secret for so long.
"One of the wendigoes we rehabilitated relapsed. He started kidnapping and killing young women so we had to send someone after him." I explained as my smile faded into a frown at the thought of confronting the serial killing wendigo on my next shift. "I sometimes go on retrieval expeditions. Some of the patients, new or the ones that need readmitting, can get a little violent so my powers come in handy. I get paid overtime."
"You're like a supernatural bounty hunter." He mused jokingly with a half-smile as he placed the crate on the ground and I laughed out loud despite the permanent ominous ambiance that had been created the moment we found out Scott and Kira were taking.
"I like that. Makes me sound badass."
Derek shot me an amused smirk before turning back to guns lying on the table and I returned the gesture as I picked up one of the pistols from the surface in front of me. I leaned my hip against the table as I started to make sure that it was clean and I heard Derek sighed heavily as he braced his hands on the end of the table.
"I still don't like relying on these things." He admitted reluctantly as he looked over the miniature arsenal set out on the table and I looked over at him with a small smile as I paused in my hand movements.
"I get it. You miss your power. I would, too." I admitted compassionately as I tilted my head to the side and he shook his head in denial as he turned his head to look at me with his lips turned down slightly at the corners.
"It's not about power, it's about being able to help. I don't like feeling helpless."
"I was human. Was I helpless?" I asked rhetorically with an eyebrow raised pointedly as I clicked the clip back into my pistol and I knew that he was remembering the fact that I had been trained by the Argent family, one of the most notorious supernatural hunting family.
"You're a much better shot than me." Derek stated with an indulging smile even though we both knew that it was true and I winked at him with a smirk as I set down the now clean pistol in my hand. "But to be honest, I don't even know if this is enough firepower to take down one Berserker."
The sound of footsteps descending the metal spiral staircase echoed throughout the loft and I lifted my head to see Peter coming down the stairs with an infuriating smirk plastered on his lips as he looked down at us. "Not even close. Killing a Berserker is next to impossible. It's not just the firepower, it's breaking the animal spirit from the human."
"Well, the one person we know with that kind of experience is Chris Argent. And he's not getting back to me." I informed them casually as I picked up another gun from the table and I turned my attention down to the pistol as I started to disassemble it.
"Well, then you're going to need help. Like Malia, maybe Liam. Definitely me."
"Why? You hate Scott and you don't know Kira. So, what's in this for you?" I asked him nonchalantly without looking up from my task and I heard him make a noise of offence as he came to a stop at the opposite end of the table.
"How little do you people think of me?" he asked with a mock gasp with a hand over his heart in faux shock and I lifted my head to look at him in slight amusement.
"What do you want, Peter?" Derek asked him sharply as he crossed his arms over his chest with a blank expression falling over his features and Peter rolled his eyes in exasperation before he tilted his head to the side to give us both an annoyed look.
"Nothing! Scott, and this Kira girl, obviously mean something to Sophie. And Sophie means something to me. Even somebody as burned and dead on the inside as me knows better than to underestimate the simple yet undeniable power of human love."
"I love you." I told the older werewolf with a small smile as I set the pistol down on the table and Peter grinned victoriously like I agreeing with what he was saying but his smile fell when he heard my next words, "I also don't believe you. But we could use as much help as we can get. So, go get ready."
"You're going to let your girlfriend speak to me like that?" Peter asked Derek tauntingly with an offended expression on his face and I rolled my eyes at him as I tilted my head to the side questioningly.
"You see me holding a gun, yes?"
"And you're delusional if you think I would ever choose you over Sophie." Derek added easily with a disbelieving look on his face, a small smile on his lips as though the entire notion amused him. I straightened up with a pleased smile before turned to give Peter a smug smirk and he scowled back at me as he exited through the sliding door of the loft without another word.
"You know, you're really sexy when you're defending me." I mused out loud teasingly as I turned my attention back to the pistol and he chuckled lowly as he moved to stand beside me so that his hip was leaning against the table. "Even though I don't need you to stand up for me since I'm more than capable of handling myself, it's very sweet that you'd want to support me like that."
"Well, you and what we have are both worth protecting." He told me simply as though it was the most obvious thing in the world and I grinned happily as I grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him close enough to give him a lingering kiss.
"Very sweet." I murmured against his lips with an appreciative smile and his grin widened as he wrapped an arm around my waist so he could pull me flush against him. Our lips met in a gentle whisper of a kiss as I laid my palm over his heart and let the faint beating reassure myself that he was still alive in front of me.
"That reminds me…" he stated in recollection as he pulled back from the embrace and intertwined our fingers as he started leading me towards the bedroom. I frowned in confusion as I allowed him to guided me down to sit on the end of the bed and he walked over to the armoire, carefully pushing it out of the way to reveal a safe embedded in the wall I never knew was there.
"You have a safe." I pointed out unnecessarily as I raised my eyebrows in surprise while slowly nodding my head and a faint smile spread across his lips as he looked over his shoulder at me briefly before turning back to the keypad.
"I do. The combination is 290311."
"That's Lydia's birthday." I said in confusion as I crossed one leg over the other with a frown and Derek glanced away as a slight blush spread across his cheeks. I narrowed my eyes at him in suspicion as I tried to think of reasons why he would be embarrassed about that date and I gasped out loud as my eyes went wide when I realised why that date would mean something to him. "That's the day we first kissed. That's when this all started. Oh, you love me. You love me so much!"
"Or maybe I'm secretly in love with Lydia. You don't know." he argued in playful seriousness as he gave his best offended frown and I scoffed out a small laugh as I nodded mockingly. "Anyway, I thought I'd show you now so that if anything happens in Mexico – "
"Nothing is going to happen in Mexico!" I interrupted sharply as I clenched my jaw tightly with my eyes narrowed at him and he rolled his light green eyes subtly as he turned back to the open safe. I watched silently as he reached into the confines of the safe and he pulled out a document with the title Last Will and Testament as I immediately started shaking my head in denial. "No. Nope. Not happening."
"Sophie, we have to talk about it."
"No. No, we don't."
"Okay, you're obviously in a state of denial, so I'm just going to talk and hope that some of it sinks in."
I gaped at him in offence but didn't argue as he raised his eyebrows at me and he opened up the document in his hand as I crossed my arms over my chest. I didn't want to do this, I didn't want to face the reality that he might die and Derek revealing where he kept his will and wanting to talk about its contents was definitely something I didn't want to do.
"Alright. I updated everything just a couple of weeks ago when I started to feel concerned about whatever Kate did to me. I went to the bank and set up five separate trust funds containing $1 million dollars each. One for Scott, one for Stiles, Cora, Lydia and Malia. Uh, uh, no interrupting. And I had all of the property titles transferred into your name in the event of my death. The money remaining in my bank accounts, and all of the stocks I own, will be bequeathed onto you."
"You can't do that, Derek! It's insane. You can't just leave everything to me." I argued heatedly as I stood up from the end of the bed with my hands on my hips and he smiled at me pacifyingly as he dropped the document on the bed before resting his hands on my shoulders. "I love you, but you can't leave me everything. Not that you're going to die. Because you're not. I won't allow it."
"Sophie, listen, you're the most important person in my life." He told me softly as he soothingly ran his hands up and down my upper arms with a small smile. "I love you and if the worst were to happen, I want you to be taken cared of when I'm gone. And really? Who else am I going to give it to? Peter?"
"Oh, I don't know. Cora? Your sister. Or Malia? Your cousin."
"Cora, the sister I haven't seen in seven years and don't really know. Or Malia, the cousin I didn't even know I had and don't really know. Or you, the gorgeous, thoughtful, sweet, fierce woman who owns my heart. Yeah, the choice is hard."
"You're making rational arguments. I don't like it."
"I know." he murmured consolingly as he pressed a chaste kiss to side of my head and I could hear the amusement in his voice as I pouted playfully. I wrapped my arms around his waist as I buried my head in his chest and his arms curled around me like a safe cacoon as he released a heavily sigh.
"Do you really think you won't be coming back?" I asked him quietly as I pulled back from the embrace so that I could look into his eyes and his face was completely neutral as his eyes searched my face for something.
"Not alive." Derek admitted in the same subdued tone of voice as he took a small step back from me and I frowned deeply as I fought back the tears that threatened to spring into my eyes.
"You know I'm not okay with that."
It might have been an understatement but anything I said in that moment would've been an understatement and nothing would even come close to how I felt about him. I knew I loved him the moment 'home' went from being a place to being a person but I never imagined I would feel this connected to one person and it scared me. But not as much as the thought of being left without him.
Derek's gaze traced over every inch of my face as I looked off to the side of the room and he gently pinched my chin in between his finger as he turned my head to look at him. His hand slid up to cup my cheek as he stepped in close so I could feel his body warmth and I angled my face upwards in anticipation as his lips collided tenderly with my own. He cradled my face lovingly like I was the most precious thing in the world and I melted into his touch willingly as my lips parted, eager to taste as much of him as I could. My hands rested on his muscular chest as our lips moved in sync and he pulled back from the embrace with his forehead pressed against mine.
"I am. If it saves Scott and Kira." Derek whispered sincerely with tears in his eyes as he held my face gently in his hands and I took a shuddering breath as I suppressed the sob that threatened to escape me.
The atmosphere was cold in the warehouse as I climbed out of the prisoner transport van Braeden had 'borrowed' and I slammed the door as I looked towards the familiar light blue jeep parked across from us. Derek's black SVU pulled to a stop behind us as he and Peter climbed out and I was surprised to see Liam standing next to Stiles and Malia as I started strolling towards them with Braeden.
"How did you get a prison transport van?" Stiles asked in a mixture of confusion and admiration as he gestured towards the black van we had arrive in.
"I'm a U.S. Marshal." Braeden replied easily with a straight expression that didn't give anything away and I nodded along with her seriously because it wasn't necessarily a lie but Stiles gaped in surprised for a moment.
"Yeah, I just thought that was just a cover."
"Are we really bringing him?" Derek asked incredulously as he sauntered up to stand beside me while he pointed towards Liam and I sent him an annoyed look in reprimand that he ignored.
"Are we really bringing him?" Stiles asked in reply instead of answering as he pointed towards Peter with an equally incredulous expression and I rolled my eyes at them both as I placed a hand on my boyfriend's arm.
"We're bringing everyone that we can." I answered them both in a placating tone as I held up my free hand and Derek glanced down at me with a raised eyebrow but didn't argue any further on the matter.
"And considering Scott and Kira were taken the night before a full moon, we should probably get going." Peter interjected in an overly polite tone of voice as he held his hands out as though presenting something and I nodded in agreement as I glanced towards the fading sun out in the distance.
"What's that mean?" Stiles asked in confusion with a frown etched on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest, an automatic response someone had when they were speaking to Peter.
"If Kate took Scott back to the same temple that she took Derek, how do we know she's not planning to do the same thing to him?"
"What, she wants to make him younger?"
"Or take him back to when he wasn't a werewolf." I offered with a shrug of my shoulders as I tilted my head to the side and I noticed the shocked looks everyone was giving me but I thought by now they'd worked out that I was a genius.
"A werewolf can't steal a true Alpha's power. But maybe a Nagual jaguar, with the power of Tezcatlipoca behind her... Maybe she can. So, if everyone is sufficiently freaked out, I say we get going." Peter said with fake cheer as he pointed his thumb over his shoulder at the cars and I clapped my hands in agreement with my eyebrows raised as I started to turn around.
"We can't. Not without Lydia." Stiles called out sternly, stopping my movement before I turned back around to look at him and I saw that his inquisitive gaze was locked onto me.
"She's at the school." I answered his silent question, knowing what he was going to ask the moment he opened his mouth and I reached for my cell phone as I tried to give me a reassuring smile. "I'll try and call her."
I turned away from the group as I pressed speed-dial one and held the phone up to my ear as it rang until it reached Lydia's voicemail, "You've reached Lydia Martin. I can't get to the phone right now, but leave a message and I'll get back to you."
"What's she doing at the school anyway?" Derek asked in confusion as I frowned down at my phone and Peter started pacing in irritation as I redialled my best friend's phone number without answering.
"We got Kira's sword, but we need something with a stronger scent. Lydia went to get a jacket out of her locker." Stiles replied warily as he rubbed the back of his neck and I listened to Lydia's voicemail message repeat in my ear as I frowned in concern.
I sighed heavily as I dropped my arm down to my side and I turned back around to face their questioning faces with a look of despair, "Nothing."
"If she has a car, she can catch up to us." Braeden said compassionately but with a professionalism in her voice and I knew that she was compartmentalising her feeling for me with the job she had to do.
"That's a good point. We'll call her from the road." Peter added helpfully in a bright tone as he gestured towards the cars and I ran a frustrated hand through my hair as I tried not to appear as nervous as I felt.
"No. What if something happened? What if she's in trouble?" Stiles argued heatedly as he glared at the older ex-Alpha and Derek placed a hand on the small of my back to comfort me when he saw the worried frown on my lips.
"Fine. You stay, you find her. We're gonna go on without you."
"I could call Mason. He has a study group at school. Maybe he could look for her." Liam suggested hesitantly as he looked between me and Stiles for consent to make the phone call because we were the closest to the strawberry blonde. Derek raised his eyebrows at me approvingly, signifying that he thought it was a reasonable idea and I looked over at Stiles with a questioning expression as he glanced over at me at the same time.
"All right. Fine." Stiles relented with a tired sigh as he flailed his arm in Liam's direction and I nodded in consent as I crossed my arms over my chest, forming a protective barrier. The young Beta cast a concerned glance in my direction as he pulled out his cell phone and I offered him a shaky smile that was meant to reassure him as he wandered away from the group to make the call.
Braeden squeezed my arm as she walked passed me to the back of Derek's SUV and she started checking the weaponry we had stored in there. Derek pressed a kiss to the side of my head as he squeezed my waist and I smiled up at him as I leaned into him slightly for comfort.
"You okay?" Derek asked in a whisper so that the others wouldn't hear him and I knew that it was for my benefit because he knew I wouldn't want anyone seeing my vulnerability.
"I'm just worried." I admitted softly as he wrapped his arms around me from behind and I leaned into his chest as I placed my hands over his arm with a sigh. "About Lydia. About Kira. About Scott. About Chris not answering his phone. About you, you loser. So you better not do anything Derek-like. Got it?"
"'Derek-like'? What does that mean?"
"You know, something brave or heroic or self-sacrificing. Anything that leads to near-death."
"I don't do that." He argued dismissively as he brushed my hair behind my ear and I turned my head to the side in order to give him an incredulous look. "What? I don't."
"How many times I thought you were dead? There was the time Peter stabbed you in the stomach and then chased us around the school. There was the time Kate kidnapped you and tortured you underneath your old house. There was the time you locked yourself in the basement with two ravage werewolves and got ripped to shreds. There was the time you fell off the ledge at the abandoned mall when we confronted the Alpha Pack. Although, that actually turned out quite good for you." I stated in amusement with a smirk as I sent him a dramatic wink and he rolled his eyes at me as I stifled a giggle. "Ooh, there was the time you were kidnapped by the Calaveras with Peter and Braeden saved you. And then there was the time Kate kidnapped you and de-aged you? Is that what it's called? Is that what we're calling it?"
"Okay! Alright, I get your point."
"Don't get me wrong, I love you. Stupid heroism and selflessness included." I told him sincerely as I turned around in his arms with a loving smile and I draped my arms around his neck as he locked his finger together on the small of my back.
"I love you too. Stupid recollection and charm included." He murmured with a grin as he lowered his head down to mine and I giggled happily in amusement against his lips as he deepened the kiss.
"Hey, um, Sophie?" Liam called out hesitantly in a sheepish voice as I pulled away from my boyfriend and turned my head to look at the young Beta with a small smile because I could sense his nervous over interrupting us.
"What's up, sweetie?" I asked him as I took a step back to put some distance between me and Derek so that we weren't making Liam uncomfortable with our public display of affection.
"I talked to Mason. He's going to check on Lydia for us. I mentioned you were looking for her and he immediately jumped to help in any way he could."
"Another guy? Should I be worried?" Derek asked teasingly as he looked at me with a mocking frown and I scoffed out an amused laugh as I pushed him slightly but he hardly moved as he chuckled at me.
"Relax. He's fifteen and gay." I informed him with a quirked eyebrow as I wrapped an arm around him and I could sense Liam watching us but at that moment I didn't care about appearing vulnerable in front of other people.
"Remember what we're dealing with. It's not just Kate, it's Berserkers. You might see human eyes behind those skulls. Do not assume that there's any humanity left." Peter announced loudly in a sober tone as he turned around to face us and I tensed nervously at the mention of the Berserkers as I stepped closer to Derek, seeking comfort in his silent presence.
The fragrance associated with fear combined with Liam's personalised scent made me look in his direction and I saw the frightened expression that he tried to hide as I instantly moved to his side. I placed a hand on his back in an effort to comfort him and he offered me a shaky smile to try to appear unbothered by the turn in conversation.
"Oh. This little one is terrified of them, aren't you?" Peter asked tauntingly as he turned his attention towards the young Beta and I took a protective stance half in front of him as I narrowed my eyes. "Don't worry, my friend. It is that fear that will keep you alive. A reminder to everyone. You do not fight Berserkers to survive, you fight to kill."
"Come on, sweetie." I murmured quietly as I guided Liam towards the open prisoner transport van and Derek followed after us at a safe distance as Braeden climbed into the driver's seat. Liam got inside the back of the van before holding out a hand to help me in and I smiled in thanks as I climbed in after him. Stiles tripped on the steps leading into the van and Derek rolled his eyes in exasperation as he pushed Stiles the rest of the way inside before climbing in himself.
I took the bench seat furthest away from the door as Liam sat down next to me and Stiles slumped on the seat opposite me with Derek next to him. Derek slid the side door closed as Braeden started the car and I felt the momentum as the van started moving forward. I tossed Derek the duffel bag I had stored there earlier and he caught it on reflex with a smirk like he thought I was testing his abilities.
"Lucky catch." I muttered sarcastically with a pointed glare in his direction and he gave me an incredulous look as he dropped the bag on the ground at his feet. I stuck my tongue out at him as Stiles grimaced at our interaction and then I turned back to look at Liam with an encouraging smile. "Okay, Liam, if things get out of control I'll use my powers to contain you. Derek and Stiles have got some experience dealing with out-of-control teen wolves."
"Stiles? Really?" Liam asked in disbelief as he looked towards me and Stiles squawked with an affronted expression on his face.
"Yeah, he helped Scott when he first changed. Derek was kind of a dick back then so he wasn't any help." I told him in a light tone with a smirk on my lips as I winked over at my boyfriend and Liam chuckled in amusement as he looked over at the older Beta werewolf.
"I helped." Derek argued weakly with a frown on his lips as Stiles and I both gave him matching disbelieving looks. "I tried to help. Scott wasn't very compliant."
"All you did was threaten him!" Stiles reminded him pointedly as he flailed his arm in my boyfriend's direction and Derek shrugged nonchalantly with a blank expression on his face like the details weren't important to him.
"It all worked out."
"Yeah, thanks to me and Sophie!"
"Who do you think trained Sophie?"
"Not you!"
"Why do you think she was hanging out with me all that time?"
"Honestly? Sex."
"Guys! This is not the time!" I snapped in annoyance as I clicked my fingers in front of their faces to draw their attention and they both turned to look at me with startled expression as I shook my head at them. "Derek, yes, you helped train me, but we all know I did majority of the work myself. Stiles, we didn't hook up until Lydia's birthday. Liam, I apologise for their juvenile behaviour. Seriously? Be more immature."
They both feel silence under my steely glare as they looked down sheepishly and I rolled my eyes at them because I felt like a den mother whenever they fought. Derek reached into the duffel bag at his feet as he pulled out the handcuffs and chains that we had brought to fasten Liam to the bench. I placed a hand on the freshman's shoulder as Derek attached the handcuffs and tightened them to their full capability. Liam strained against the metal with a disgruntled expression to make sure they were strong enough to hold him secure to the bench he was sitting on.
"All good?" Derek asked him lightly as he sat back in his seat with a raised eyebrow and Liam nodded shortly with a slightly pained expression as he strained against the handcuffs. My boyfriend reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out the triskelion disk his family used to teach Betas control on the full moon. "Okay. I brought something to help you. This has been with my family for centuries. It's a very powerful, supernatural talisman. We use it to teach Betas how to control themselves on a full moon."
Stiles shot him a doubtful look, his eyebrows furrowed in disbelief because he knew that truth behind the talisman and Liam accepted the wooden disk with a small frown on his lips as he turned it over in his hand. Derek returned the look with an admonishing one of his own, silently urging him to keep quiet and Stiles' eyes widened as he leaned back out of the werewolf's immediate reach.
"Yes, it's powerful." Stiles declared in a firm voice as he nodded along with his own words and then he cleared his throat as he looked over at Liam with a faux determined expression. "Very powerful."
Liam suddenly jerked forward with a pain filled groan as one of his hands curled around the edge of the bench and the other gripped the triskelion tightly as his claws broke free of his skin. "Whatever you're going to teach me, I think you better start."
"Liam, you with me?" I asked him in concern as I shared a knowing look with my boyfriend because we both knew what the Beta was feeling from past experience and I could sense the uncontrollable ferocity the full moon always brought clawing at the inside of my skin.
"We have a mantra that we use. You repeat it, you focus on the words. It's like meditating. You say the words until you feel control coming back to you." Derek instructed firmly in a compassionate voice as he reached out to grab Liam's wrist, tugging gently until the triskelion was entirely visible.
"Okay. Okay, okay!" Liam snapped in a growl as he screwed his eyes shut tightly and I rubbed his back soothingly as I demonstrated how to regulate his breathing. "What are the words?"
"Okay, look at the triskelion. See the symbol? I have a tattoo on my back, it's the same thing. Each spiral means something. Alpha, Beta, Omega. It represents the idea that we can always rise to one and fall back to another. Betas can become Alphas. Alphas can become Betas."
"Can Alphas become Omegas?"
"Yes. All you have to do is say the three words. And with each one, you tell yourself you're getting calmer, more in control. Go ahead."
"Alpha, Beta..."
"Slower."
"Alpha... Beta... Omega…" Liam groaned out quietly with a pained expression as he stared at the wooden disk and he took a deep breath as he tried to concentrate on what he was saying. "Alpha... Beta... Omega..."
"Good. Say it again." I ordered him gently as I discreetly placed my fingers on the pulse point on his wrist so that I could monitor his accelerating heartrate and his breaths came out irregular as he turned his head to look at me with a distressed expression.
"Remember, every time you say the words, you're getting calmer." Derek reminded him in a hard tone, his voice raised slightly so that he could be heard over Liam's animalistic growls.
"Alpha, Beta... Omega." Liam repeated roughly, choking out the words like they had been stuck in his throat and I grimaced sympathetically as I felt his heartrate increase dramatically.
"Say it again."
"Derek, I don't think the powerful talisman of self-control is working." Stiles pointed out in a frightened tone as he scuttled backwards on the bench in order to get away from the out of control werewolf.
Liam's irises burned a bright amber as his canines elongated into sharp points and he growled lowly as he suddenly lunged towards Derek with a roar but the handcuffs were pulled taut enough to stop him. The unexpected movement made the van rocked to the side wildly before it was brought back up right and Liam strained against the metal constricting him until they snapped, allowing him to spring towards Derek. A gasp left my lips as my hand dropped from his wrist when I fell backwards in surprise and Derek grabbed the raging Betas upper arms as he tried to wrestle him to a halt.
"Liam, say it again!" Derek shouted over the obnoxiously loud growls Liam was producing and I huffed indignantly as I straightened up on the bench, risking a glance at the only human in the vicinity to make sure he wasn't in the way.
"Sophie? Derek?" Braeden called back over her shoulder in concern as I pushed myself off of the bench and I stood up carefully as I placed myself in front of Stiles in case Liam decided to change victims.
"I think we're gonna need to go a little faster. Keep going!" I ordered loudly as I glanced over my shoulder in her direction and she nodded once with a determined expression as the van accelerated.
Derek grunted in pain when one of Liam's arm flung in his direction wildly, the sharp claw leaving deep scratches on his chest and I felt my blood turn to ice in my veins when I remembered the prophecy of Derek's death. My breath caught in my throat as my arm flew out of its own accord and the elemental magic inherited to me by the Druids flowed through me like electricity as I subconsciously used it to freeze Liam's movements.
Stiles scrambled to sit upright as he stared at the transformed Beta with wide eyes and I released a breath in shock as I slowly let my arm drop down to my side. Derek looked at me over Liam's shoulder, his hands still curled around the younger boy's biceps and I carefully used my powers to ease Liam back down onto his previously vacated seat.
The van swerved wildly all of a sudden, causing me to drop the grasp I had on my ability as I stumbled backwards in surprise and Liam immediately released an animalistic growl as he tried to lurch forward. Derek and I both tightly grabbed onto opposite biceps as we tried to keep him seated on the bench and I pressed down on his shoulder to contain him, not worrying about injuring him because he had the ability to heal. I tried to use my Druid powers to re-establish my hold on the air surrounding Liam, attempting to immobilise him but I was too distracted by his thrashing to grasp a thread of my elemental power.
"Derek, I don't think Alpha, Beta, Omega is resonating with him." Stiles called out sarcastically over the sound of Liam roaring to get free and I shot him an unamused look over my shoulder as I struggled to hold the Beta down.
"You know any other mantras?" Derek asked in frustration as he gritted his teeth with the effort it took to keep Liam at bay and I could smell the blood from the wound on his chest as I bit back my concern for him because I knew Liam was our highest priority.
I knew that Stiles' remark was accurate, even if he went about it the wrong way and I tried to remember some of the other techniques I had learned in an effort gain self-control. I shifted through all of the werewolves I knew in my mind and my eyes went wide when I remembered one Alpha who used another mantra in her training, "Yeah. I do."
I carefully moved around so that I was in front of Liam as I cupped his transformed face in my hands and I stared into his amber eyes without flinching as he struggled to escape my touch. "Liam, Liam. What three things cannot long be hidden?"
A loud roar from the out of control Beta made the van vibrate but I tightened my grip on him as I knelt down in front of him and I could hear Stiles protesting adamantly from behind me, coupled with Derek hissing for him to shut up because I knew what I was doing but ignored them. "Liam! Liam, look at me. What three things cannot long be hidden? What three things? You know this, Liam. Come on! What three things cannot long be hidden?"
"Sun... The moon... The truth." Liam grunted out in a mangled voice that didn't even sound like his but I smiled slightly in a reassuring manner as I nodded in encouragement.
"That's it. Say it again."
"Sun, the moon... The truth."
"Sophie? Derek?" Braeden called from the front seat with concern leaking into her voice and I rubbed my thumbs across Liam's cheeks as I nodded once to let Derek know that we were under control.
"We're okay." My boyfriend assured her as he shifted to get more comfortable on the bench behind me and I kept my gaze locked on the Beta in front of me as I demonstrated how to take deep breaths to regulate his breathing.
"Sun... Moon... And the truth." Liam continued to repeat under his breath as he kept staring into my eyes and I watched as he slowly became calmer with each repetition of the words. A small smile spread across my lips as I watched his werewolf visage fade and he closed his eyes in relief as he regained his humanity completely. "The sun, the moon, the truth."
"Heh. Congrats, sweetie. You did it." I stated in a proud tone of voice as I dropped my hands down to hold his and he opened his eyes slowly with a wide grin as he tried to stop panting breathlessly.
"I can't believe I did it." He whispered in a disbelieving tone as he stared down at his human hands and I gave them a quick squeeze as I stood up from my position in front of him. Derek looped an arm around my waist as he pulled my down onto his lap, keeping a hand resting protectively on my hip and Liam looked up with a bright smile as he glanced around the three of us. "For a minute there, I thought I was gonna tear the three of you apart."
"Yeah. That would've made for an awkward ride home. So, thanks." Stiles remarked sardonically with a hint of relief as he offered the younger boy a thumbs up and Derek nodded in agreement as he tightened his arm around my waist, reminding himself that I was safe besides him.
"Think you can bring the same level of control and strength inside La Iglesia?" Derek asked him in concern with a hint of pride in his light green eyes and I quirked an eyebrow to silently emphasise the question because I didn't want take a liability into a dangerous situation. If he did lose control in the middle of the fight, he would be vulnerable to an attack or someone would put themselves in danger trying to protect him and that's if he doesn't accidently lash out at someone on our side of the fight.
Liam lifted his head to meet our gazes with a steely determination and he flicker out his claw in demonstration of the control he had over his transformation. I couldn't help the pride swelling in my chest as I looked at my little protégé because he hadn't been practicing that long and his strength of mind was formidable for someone so inexperienced.
"All right. We might actually be able to do this." I said in a false cheery voice with a small smile on my lips and they all looked at me like I was crazy but I just kept smiling because if I acted like it didn't bother me, maybe in the end it wouldn't.
Derek press a small kiss underneath my ear as the van rolled to a stop and I looked around in confusion because I hadn't realised that the time had passed by so quickly but now we were in Mexico. I stood up from Derek's lap as I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the battle I knew was coming and I kicked the empty duffel bag into the corner of the van as Liam detangled himself from the chains draped over him.
The door slid open suddenly, causing me to spin around in surprise and I gasped out loud in horror as a Berserker pulled Derek out of the van by the shoulder. I pushed Stiles and Liam roughly back inside the van as I raced towards the door and Berserker was holding my boyfriend up against a boulder as it stabbed him repeatedly in the abdomen with the bone dagger protruding his armoured fist. I jumped out of the van as Braeden climbed out of the front seat with a rapid fire shotgun in her hand and she fired off numerous shots into the Berserkers back.
The Berserker dropped Derek carelessly onto the ground before fleeing and I immediately rushed to his side as he slumped against the hard surface of the boulder. Blood soaked his torn shirt to reveal the ragged gashes shredding his chest underneath and I slid to a stop on my knees besides time as I gasped at the damage.
"Oh, my god. Derek!" I murmured in horror as my hands hovered uselessly over his wounds and his light green eyes blinked up at me as he tried to sit up but ended up wincing in pain. "No, no, no, no. Don't move! Don't. Move."
"How bad is it?" Peter asked in a worried tone as he came to a stop behind me and I looked over my shoulder at him with tears in my eyes as I took notice of Malia, Stiles and Liam standing a little further away.
"I'm fine, I'm fine. Just get to Scott. Just find him." Derek insisted weakly as he attempted to straighten up but he grimaced in pain and I shot him a warning look as I placed a hand on his shoulder to keep him down.
"We'll be right behind you. Go." I told the others firmly without looking away from Derek's pale face and he blindly reached for one of my hands as I brushed my fingers through his hair.
"Go!" he repeated sharply in the strongest voice he could muster when they didn't move and I glanced over at them as Malia, Peter and Liam lingered for a moment before running into the opening that led to the temple. Stiles stayed planted in the same spot with a stunned expression on his face as I gave him a small nod when he looked towards me for direction and he released a shuddering breath as he started to back away. "Hey, hey, save him."
Stiles nodded once with a devastated expression because he knew what was coming and then he disappeared into the opening of the temple to find the others.
I turned my attention back my boyfriend as I placed my hands over the wound on his stomach and I focused my True Druid powers on healing the wound. The familiar buzz of electricity flooded my veins as I healed the superficial lesions but there was internal damage that couldn't be repaired by my hand.
"I can't… I can't heal all of it." I whispered in distress as I stared blankly at the slightly scabbed over wounds and I could feel the stick blood coating my fingers as I carefully raised my arms so they were hovering over his abdomen.
"Can you still pull a trigger?" Braeden asked in a business-like tone as she strolled over to us with a duffel bag full of weaponry and I lifted my gaze in a daze as she came to a stop next to us. I collected a rapid-fire shotgun and a pistol from the bag when she set it down on the ground beside us.
"Yeah." Derek breathed out weakly as he accepted the gun from the mercenary and I shared a look with Braeden as she turned around to stand guard, her protective stance blocking us from view.
"All right. Stay with me. You're gonna be okay." I murmured quietly more to myself than to him as I glowered down at the scratches and I shook my head in denial with my lips pursed as the wounds reopened in front of me. "No, no. Come on."
"Lydia was right." He said with a breathy laugh as he tilted his head back against the boulder and I raised my eyebrows questioningly as I grasped one of his hands in mine. "It's a mortal wound. And right now I'm feeling pretty mortal."
"I'm not gonna let you die."
"I don't think that's up to you, babe."
"No. It's unacceptable. Derek, I need you. Okay? I need you." I admitted to him resolutely as I clutched his hand in both of mine with tears streaming down my tears cheeks and his lips twitched into a content smile, regardless of the pain he was currently experiencing. "I can't lose you. I won't survive, and it's your fault! You made me love you. You made me let you in. You don't get to just leave me! Not after everything we've been through."
"Come on, Soph. I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone. Meeting you was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. My whole life has been filled with darkness and pain and misery. After Paige and the fire, everything felt like it was covered in fog. Then I saw you in the forest and I realised that something wasn't right in my life. And then you tracked me down and gave me the only remaining photos of my family and I could see the light shining in the distance. It gave me hope. Every time we talked, every time you forced your way passed the barrier I'd built around myself, that light got a little bit closer until I could see it clearly in front of me. And then I realised that it was you. You were the light, Sophie. And I needed you more than I ever needed anything. The first time we kissed, it was like I could breathe for the first time. I never wanted to stop."
The sound bullets being fired surrounded us, but nothing else mattered in that moment. It was like the world outside of us didn't exist and we were the only two people on the planet. Tears were streaming unapologetically down my cheeks but I couldn't bring myself to care because Derek was looking at me like I was the most precious thing in the universe.
"You're out of your mind if you think I'm freaking light incarnate. I've lied and manipulated and killed and maimed. I don't feel any guilt about it. And you, you deserve so much better than me." I told him honestly through my sniffles as I shook my head in refusal and he grinned weakly as he reached up to cup my cheek with his blood coated hand.
"If I'm out of my mind, it's because that's what love is. Our own little slice of insanity. We are perfectly imperfect. Together." He argued lightly with tears forming in his eyes as he ran his thumb over my cheek and I reached up to cover his hand with mine as I bowed my head in devastation. "Hey, where's my tattoo going?"
"What? Do you have blood loss? What are you talking about?"
"Aiden and Allison both got a tattoo when they died."
"Are you serious?" I asked him in amusement as I giggled hysterically through my tears, completely taken aback by the random direction the conversation had taken. "That's what you want to talk about?"
"I think you should get a triskelion on the nape of your neck." He told me in a serious tone with a smirk on his lips as he reached up to trace the pattern on my skin and I sighed in contentment as I revelled in the sensation of him touching me, loving the sparks that erupted in his path.
"I can do that. It's perfect." I assured him softly with a small upturn of my lips as I nodded along with my own words and he grinned slightly as he dropped his hand from my neck, causing me to yearn for its return.
"Sophie?"
"Y –yes?" I asked him shakily as I lifted my head to look into his light green eyes, the same eyes that once made me melt on the spot now sent a pang of dread down my spine and I silently begged the universe that this used the last time I would see them directed at me.
"I need you to do something for me."
"Yes! Yes, anything. Name it."
"Leave."
"What?" I whispered in confusion, my eyebrows scrunching together as my gaze searched his serious expression for some sign of a trickery but all I could see was the determination in the set of his jaw. "What are you talking about?"
"I need you to leave. I need you to go find Scott. Save him." Derek clarified seriously as he stared into my eyes and I immediately shook my head at the thought of leaving him alone but he grabbed both of my hands. "Scott's your brother. Your twin. You'd never forgive yourself if something happened to him. I could never forgive myself if I was the reason you weren't there. Please. Go."
"Der-"
"Go!"
"I don't want to leave you here alone." I told him firmly as I cupped his cheeks so that he was forced to look at me and he offered me a small smile as he reached up to grab my hands, bring them back down to his chest.
"Braeden will stay with me. Right, Brae?" he called over to the mercenary who was defending our position with the rapid fire shotgun and I glanced over at her in surprise because I had completely forgotten about the battle raging on around us. The dark skinned human looked over at us with a solemn expression as she nodded once in acceptance and I pursed my lips thoughtfully as she went back to shooting at the Berserkers on the other side of the boulder.
"Okay." I relented softly in defeat as I shook my head with a frown and he smirked at me feebly as he lifted my hands to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back of my knuckles.
"Sophie, I love you. I love you more than anything."
"I know. I love you too. I've never loved anyone the way I love you." I told him honestly as I took a shuddering breath with an earnest expression and I grabbed a fistful of his shredded shirt as I leaned forward to press my lips against his passionately.
That kiss expressed everything I needed to say, everything that couldn't be said in the short time we had left. I poured every ounce of love I had for Derek into that one tender act, the reality that this might be our last kiss at the forefront of my mind. I wanted to imprint the taste of him onto my lips so that it never left and I wanted the reminder of him to be engraved in my mind forever.
I pulled back from the kiss with tears streaming down my cheeks as I rested my forehead against his and I inhaled deeply as I tried to cement his personalised scent into my mind for future reference.
"Sophie. Sophie, you have to go." He whispered in a heartbroken voice as he gently eased me off of him and I shook my head mutely in denial as my eyes fluttered open to meet his broken gaze. "I love you. But you need to go."
"I love you. I love you. I love you." I repeated over and over in between kisses as I reluctantly pushed myself up onto my knees and he squeezed my hand gently with a smile as I stood up on shaky legs. I took a steadying deep breath as I straightened my shoulders and I told myself that I needed to focus on saving my brother because he needed me at the moment. There would be time to deal with everything later but right now Scott needed me.
I grabbed the rapid fire shotgun from the ground, positioning it at the ready as I took a deep breath and I ran out of my hiding place towards the temple as I fired off multiple bullets. I had no idea who the other people shooting were but Braeden was firing in the opposite direction, away from them so I assumed that they were allies. I slid into the crevice near the opening of the temple, panting slightly as I tried to catch my breath and I tossed the empty weapon onto the ground as I leaned my head back against the wall.
I cast one last longing look over my shoulder, trying to memorise every inch of Derek's face and locking it away in a box deep in the back of my mind so that I could access it later when all of this was over.
'You look at it logically. Without emotion. You compartmentalize.' My father's voice floated through my mind, causing me to close my eyes as I mentally separated every aspect of my life into different sections. I needed to focus on one thing at a time and my main priority had to be saving Scott and Kira.
I took a deep breath as I ducked into the opening with a steely resolve and I ran as fast as I could down the darkened corridor, pumping my legs as hard as they would go. I utilised my werewolf sense of smell to use the chemo signals of my friends as metaphorical breadcrumbs and I tracked the path they had taken until I heard the sound of fighting up ahead of me. I sense of panic filled me as I quickened my pace into a cavernous room in the middle of the temple and I could see some of the ancient architecture remaining as I did a quick sweep of the room.
Malia, Liam and Peter were in the middle of battling a Berserker in the middle of the room and I rushed into the room with the fleeting thought of 'where the hell is Stiles?' as they managed to knock the Berserker onto its back. Peter stumbled backwards as the others held it down with all of their strength and his gaze swept over the room, landing on me for a moment with a grin before he bent down to grab one of the bone daggers from the altar. I caught the antler dagger instinctively as I continued to run towards them and rage swelled through every pore of my body as everything I'd been through came tumbling out in one occurrence.
"Take him. Aim for the skull! Kill it. Kill it now!" Peter urged in a hurried voice as he helped Liam and Malia grab the Berserkers arms and hauled it up against the wall roughly. I twisted the dagger in my hand expertly so that I had a better hold on it and I raised my arm to perform the final strike but footsteps distracted me as someone came rushing into the room.
"No, wait, wait. Sophie, wait!" Stiles yelled in horror as he skidded to a stop near the doorway and Kira rushed in after him, approaching me before she slashed her katana blade down with a cry. I stumbled back in surprise as the dagger in my hand was cut in half and I gaped at her in shock as I dropped the broken bone onto the ground. "It's Scott. It's Scott."
Everything seemed to pause around me as the realisation that I almost killed my own brother hit me and I stared at Stiles in horror, begging with my eyes for him to tell me he was lying. I was distracted enough that I didn't notice the Berserker, now known as Scott, throw Malia and Liam away from him with a fierce sweep of his arm.
Pain exploded from my jaw as the bone shattered under the force of Scott's fist and I was propelled across the room, crashing into the opposite wall as I cried out in agony. The side of my face was throbbing as my vision blurred from the impact when my head connected with the hard surface.
"Scott? Scott, don't! Scott, it's me." I heard Stiles call out in panic but his voice was muffled by static as my sight slowly came back into focus and I propped myself up on my hands as I pushed myself off of the ground. The pain in my jaw slowly faded as it healed miraculously and I flexed the muscle as I forced myself up to my knees with effort.
My eyes instantly locked onto Berserker Scott holding Liam up against a cement column by the throat and I gasped in horror as I quickly climbed to my feet. I threw my arm out, focusing all of my energy on displacing the air around them and I carefully extracted Scott's hand from around the younger boy's neck before throwing him across the room.
Berserker Scott made an animalistic noise as he charged towards me and I narrowed my eyes as I readied myself for the imminent attack. I ducked down as his fist headed straight towards my head and I twisted around him as I kicked my leg out to hit his back. I kept my body moving so that it was harder for him to land a hit on me and I knew that while I had the upper hand when it came to defence training, but he was relying on pure animal instinct to overpower me.
I cried out in pain when he knocked his bone covered fist into the back of my shoulder, cracking the shoulder blade and I stumbled backwards into the cement wall behind me as I cradled my dislocated arm. Berserker Scott wrapped his hand around my throat as he pressed me back into the column and I gasped in surprise as he squeezed down while lifting me up in the air so that only my toes touched the ground.
"Sc-Scott. Please. I'm your sister. Your twin. You don't want to hurt me. I know you, Scott. You don't want to hurt anyone." I pleaded softly in a hoarse voice with tears in my eyes as I uselessly clawed at his fingers around my throat and I stared into his familiar deep brown eyes as I tried to seek out the part of him that was human. "Come on, Scott. This isn't you. You're compassionate and kind. And I need you. I need my brother. You're not a monster, Scott. You're a werewolf. Like me."
Something deep inside of Scott seemed to snap when he heard my words because he suddenly loosened his grip on my throat and I collapsed onto the ground as I coughed roughly, rubbing my throat gingerly to sooth the bruised skin. He blinked once in confusion as he stumbled backwards in surprise and he started to fumble clumsily at removing the bone armour adorning his body. A bright light peeked through the cracks of the armour as he slowly tore it away from his body and I turned my head away slightly because I couldn't stand to look directly at the light. Scott's eyes shined bright scarlet as he reached up to grip either side of skull covering his head and a thunderous roar ripped through the room as he pulled the skull apart with a flash of golden light.
I stared at him in wonder from my spot on the ground against the column as he slowly turned around and I followed his gaze as he turned his attention to where an unimpressed Peter was standing across the room.
"You. The only one who knew as much as Argent about Berserkers. About the Nagual. You taught Kate. You helped her. All for power." Scott spat angrily in disgust as he glared at the former Alpha with a hatred I had never seen come from him before and everything that had happened tumbled down on top of me like a ton of bricks as I slumped against the wall behind me.
"For my family's power. To be rightfully inherited by me. Not usurped by some idiot teenage boy, so incorruptible, he won't shed the blood of his enemies even when justified. You don't deserve your power. Not power like this." Peter insisted in a voice that held the same amount of anger and hatred, the kind of hatred that grew into something ugly and irreversible.
The former Alpha's irises burned an icy blue as his canines elongated into sharp points and his head twisted from side to side as his bones morphed along with his transformation. The cracking of bones was sickening as his forehead became more pronounced with deep ridges and his ears enlarged into something more animalistic as he let out a monstrous roar.
Every pore of my body filled with an irrefutable rage as I mercilessly clicked my dislocated shoulder back into place and I ignored the lingering ache as I used the wall to help myself stand up. Everything that everyone had ever said about Peter came flying to the forefront of my mind and now I couldn't argue with them, I couldn't defend him, because now I agreed with them.
A growl escaped Malia's lips as her eyes glowed blue and she rushed at her father but Peter swept his arm out to knock her away, causing her to slam into a large stone wall with a crack in it. "Oh, sorry, sweetheart, we'll talk about this later."
The sound of metal cutting through the air drew my attention towards Kira as she spun her katana and she started forward with a determined expression but Scott threw his arm out to block her advance.
"You were my Beta first, Scott. It was my bite that changed your life. And my bite that can end it." Peter taunted my brother with a sneer as he held his arms at the ready to defend against an attack and I held back a growl as I pushed myself off of the hard surface behind me.
"Then, end it, Peter. Because you won't get another chance." Scott told him with an earnest expression, honesty dripping from his voice and he kept his gaze locked on the older werewolf.
Their growls echoed throughout the room as they launched themselves at each other and their bodies collided upon impact as they became a tangled mess of limbs trying to get the best of the other. Stiles rushed over to my side with his eyes locked on the confrontation takin place in front of us and I instantly gripped his hand absently when he stopped next to me. Peter seemed to be getting the best of Scott as he threw him into the closest wall and I cringed in sympathy as he was tossed into the opposite wall.
"Come on, Scott. Come on! Pathetic. Fight like an Alpha, Scott." Peter ridiculed him heatedly as he stalked closer to where Scott was stumbling to his feet and Scott quickly returned to the fight, landing several blows to where he could reach. I watched in horror as Peter utilised his years of experience against my brother's innocence and used it to his advantage to gain the upper hand as Scott staggered back after a particularly brutal assault. "You want to defeat me? You're going to have to kill me!"
Liam went to step forward, determined to help his Alpha but Peter saw his attempt and threw one of the abandoned wooden pew in the young Beta's direction. An angry snarl left my lips as Liam stumbled back to the impact and I was overtaken by rage as my body transformed unintentionally, my eyes glowed bright violet and my canines elongated into sharp points. The control left my body as I involuntarily moved forward, already aiming my fist towards Peter when he turned in my direction.
My training took over as I landed several expertly aimed kicks and punches on the former Alpha and I easily deflected all of the punches he sent towards me. Part of me was aware of Scott joining in on the battle as we worked side by side to subdue the tyrannically Hale and I was grateful that I was agile as I easily danced out of the way of each attempt at hitting me.
Scott used all of his strength to land a punch to Peter's face, sending him flying onto the stone alter at the front of the room and Scott jumped up onto the bone altar to stand over the beaten werewolf with a blank expression. "You were never an Alpha, Peter. But you were always a monster."
Peter sneered angrily through the blood coating his face as he attempted to get back up but Scott grabbed the front of his shirt and used his strength to punch the ex-Alpha, knocking him unconscious with the single strike.
There was the shuffling of footsteps behind me as I transformed back into my human form and Scott turned around to face us from on top of the bone altar, silhouetted against the moonlight. My whole body was fatigued as I turned my head around to make sure that everyone else was okay and I relieved sigh escaped me as I silently took notice of all of the small abrasions marring their bodies.
None of us knew exactly what to do in the aftermath of what just occurred, the silence was almost deafening and it made the sound of footsteps heading towards the room very clear. I gritted my teeth in annoyance as I turned my attention to the doorway, intent on protecting my pack from anymore danger and maybe taking out some of my anger and frustration on a viable enemy.
Chris appeared in the doorway with a rapid fire shotgun in his hand, a mixture of emotions crossing his features as he quickly took in the scene in front of him. A heavy sigh escaped him as relief washed over his face and he let his gun fall to the side as he strode forward until he was right in front of me. His free arm pulled me into an embrace as I wrapped my arms around his waist, letting myself feel the comfort he was offering for a short moment before pulling back to offer him a small smile. Chris' lips twitched slightly in return as he stepped back and then he walked over to Scott, repeating the same course of action with him.
"I see you figured out the truth about Peter and Kate." Chris stated in a voice devoid of emotion as he looked over at the unconscious werewolf and then glanced over his shoulder in my direction, sympathy in his eyes because he knew how close we were.
"It came up." I replied easily as I wrapped an arm around my stomach, a subconscious barrier and he nodded once in understanding as he reached into his jacket pocket before pulling out a syringe full of a pale yellow liquid.
"I brought some yellow wolfsbane. It was meant to be for Kate, but she escaped."
"I got it." I whispered softly as I took a step forward with my gaze locked on the syringe and everyone looked at me in surprise as I held my hand out for the injector. I took a deep breath as I pulled my eyes away from the needle and meet Chris' gaze with a determined set of my chin. "It's my responsibility."
Comprehension shone in Chris' eyes as he inclined his head slightly and I knew he would be the one who understood my reasoning because he had the same conditioning from years of hunter training. He was the only one here who could empathise with my sense of obligation and he was the only one who had the same experience as me when it came to the love hate relationship of family.
I accepted the syringe with a nod of gratitude as he returned the nod and then he dragged Scott back a few feet to give me space as I slowly approached where Peter was lying unconscious. I leaned over the edge of the altar, my sweeping over his features with a certain amount of sadness because I knew that a large part of this wasn't his fault. He was sick, psychologically scarred from the torture he experience during and in the aftermath of the fire.
My hand holding the needle shook slightly as I rested my opposite palm on the hard surface and Peter's eyes fluttered open as his head lolled to the side, turning towards me with a drowsy comprehension. "Sophie?"
"I'm sorry, Peter. It's for the best." I told him sagely, repeating the same line he used when he turned me into a werewolf and I saw his eyes widened in understanding when I positioned the syringe on the side of his neck. He started to struggle as I held him down by the shoulder and I quickly pressed down on the plunger that released the wolfsbane directly into his carotid artery. The effect of the wolfsbane was almost instantaneous as his eyes rolled back into his head and I removed the needle from his neck with an audible exhalation as tears welled in my eyes.
"Sophie…" Chris said hesitantly as he came up behind me, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder and I turned my head around to look at him with a sad smile on my lips as he squeezed gently. "You should head outside."
The reminder of what awaited me outside made me quickly move out of his reach and I pushed past everyone as I bolted out of the room, ignoring their cries of confusion. Every part of me was vibrating with excess energy as I pushed myself faster and mentally scolded myself when I tripped over a rock, bumping my shoulder into the wall before straightening myself. My vision blurred with tears as I ran through the narrow corridors and a gush of fresh air encased me as I exited the temples main opening.
I skidded to a stop in shock when my gaze immediately landed on the person standing in the middle of the circle created by cars, surrounded by numerous members of the Calaveras hunters.
"Derek?" I whispered in shock as I stared at him with wide eyes, my heart not allowing my head to believe what it was seeing. My lips parted in astonishment as he turned slightly at the sound of his name and I gasped out loud as I covered my mouth with my hand when I saw his familiar eyes light up at the sight of me.
A sob escaped me as I sprinted towards him, catapulting myself into him as he enveloped his arms around my waist and I wrapped my arms around his neck as he lifted my feet off of the ground. I buried my head in the crook of his neck, inhaling his familiar scent as he spun my around in a circle and I clung to him tightly as though he would disappear without a moment's notice. One of his hands cradled the back of my head, entangling his fingers in my hair and I ignored the total clichéd chick flick moment as I tried my best to suppress the relieved sobs that threatened to crawl out of my throat.
"Shh, baby, I got you." Derek whispered soothingly in a rough voice as he held me tighter to his body and I scoffed angrily as I pushed my back from the embrace, causing him to reposition his hold on me.
"If you ever, and I mean ever, do that to me again, I will kill you."
"I love you too, honey." He stated mockingly with an undercurrent of sincerity as he tilted his head to the side and I chuckled breathlessly as I cupped his face in between my hands with a grin. My gaze swept over every inch of his face, memorising him for future reference and then I pressed my lips against his passionately as I revelled in the familiar warmth that flooded through me. I poured everything I had into the kiss, every emotion I had experienced in the last twenty-four hours and every ounce of frustration, pain, grief and love went into demonstrating that to Derek. I pulled back from the kiss with a smile as he set me down on the ground but kept his arms wrapped around me and he rested his forehead against mine with a small smile on his lips as I cupped his face.
"I hate to break up the reunion, but I've gotta move out." Braeden's voice cut through the haze as she sauntered over to stand next to us with a smirk and I unravelled myself from my boyfriend as I grinned at her guiltily. "I don't want to stay for a chat with the Calaveras."
"Hey, thank you for helping out. I owe you like fifty million." I told her honestly as I pulled her into a tight embrace and she chuckled in amusement as she returned the hug with the same enthusiasm. We both pulled back with small smiles as we headed towards her borrowed prisoner transport van and I opened the driver's side door for her as she nodded goodbye to everyone else in the pack. "So, you're not really a U.S. Marshal, are you?"
"I was. But I spent too long looking for one person. It's hard to keep a job when part of it becomes an obsession."
"Who were you after?"
"All I know is a code name. The Desert Wolf."
"That name sounds familiar, but I can't place where I know it from." I murmured to myself as she squeezed my shoulder briefly before climbing into the car and I stepped back so that I didn't get run over as she drove down the dirt road. I took a deep breath as I looked over my shoulder, watching as the Calaveras climbing into their SUV's along with Chris and I frowned slightly when I saw Jordan standing alongside the rest of the pack.
I shook away the confusion as I slowly made my way over to the others and I stopped next to my brother, allowing him to throw his arm over my shoulders in a half hug. I leaned into his embrace as I rested my head on his shoulder, taking solace in the fact that he was save besides me and he pressed a chaste kiss to my forehead before leaning his head against mine.
I closed my eyes as I felt the presence of Derek, Kira, Stiles, Liam, Malia and Jordan come up behind us and I allowed myself to feel a small sense of happiness as I opened my eyes with a small smile. I looked around at the friends that surrounded me and then out at the sunset illuminating the horizon.
And even though I was happy in that moment, I couldn't help but feel like we had barely scratched the surface.