Chapter 03: Freaking Me Out
Elizabeth walked out the back to Derek and mumbled that she was sorry that she had left him in so much pain, pain that she had promised to take away from him all those years before. Elizabeth picked Derek up, and helped him back out to his car with Stiles following them. Stiles was cautious around both Elizabeth and Derek, though he had known Elizabeth when he was younger – she was the fun Aunt as Scott had liked to call her as she was near Derek's age.
"Stiles, I need you to go back inside and tell Scott that I'll explain everything later," Elizabeth told him as she sat Derek in the passenger seat. "I can't do any more not until I get you back to the Loft,"
"Okay..." Stiles looked at Elizabeth with a raised eyebrow and then raced back inside to Scott. "She said..." Stile trailed off as his best friend interrupted him.
"I know," Scott answered, causing Stiles to mutter 'Of course you do,' while Elizabeth and Derek drove off. "Go, I'll come by after dinner,"
"Wait a little longer," Elizabeth laughed, she knew that Scott was still getting the hang of the supernatural hearing. "I need time to heal Derek again,"
"I am sorry I turned you, you know...we were kids, it was an accident," Derek told her, she was the only person aside from his family that he acted that way around. "My mother didn't know what would happen to you, she knew that you were special,"
"I know, your mother is the one that told me what I was...you know you're my anchor and you always will be Derek," Elizabeth said as they pulled into the alleyway beside the loft. "You said you had some teenagers living with you? Call one of them down here," she had driven above the speed limit to get there.
Elizabeth only had to the say the words, and Isaac was standing at the car. Isaac seeming to be the only one that Derek trusted. Isaac looked into the car and saw something that he hadn't seen on him before. Derek offered what he thought was a smile, but was more of a pained look as Elizabeth got out of the drivers side and then moved to open the car door.
"I need you to help me get him inside, he's going to be heavier than normal...and you need to be careful," Elizabeth explained they had to be, otherwise she might not be able to help him.
"Why should I believe you?" Isaac questioned, looking between the two of them as Elizabeth pulled him out of the car.
"She's known me a long time," were the only words that Derek muttered before passing out on Elizabeth's shoulder.
"Just help me get him inside," Elizabeth said, blinking and allowing her eyes to flash red for a brief second. "Now,"
"Fine," Isaac said as he hoisted the older man up and then headed towards the loft's elevator. "You're different," Isaac was studying her, he picked up on little things faster than the others.
"Werewolf and witch, I've been keeping him...how do I put this, I've been keeping him from being in unbearable pain for years," Elizabeth told him, shrugging as though it was no big deal. "Just put him anywhere and then you can either watch or leave,"
"What are you going to do to him?" Isaac questioned as he put the older man on his bed and Elizabeth rolled him over onto his side.
"Heal him," Elizabeth answered sitting on the bed and placing her hand on Derek's lower back again. "Derek, I need you to wake up now...remember you need to help me," Elizabeth said pushing her fingers onto his spine again.
As Elizabeth spoke Derek opened his eyes and looked at her and then at Isaac who hadn't left the room but rather was standing in the door way watching. Derek looked back Elizabeth and nodded indicating that he was ready for her to begin again. Elizabeth put more pressure on Derek's back before she allowed her fingers to spark.
"When I tell you, take a deep breath," Elizabeth said as she slowly moved her hand up his spine the magic starting to weave its way in. "Now,"
"Fuck!" Derek growled, his eyes changing and his fangs coming out as he felt his spine crack. "I don't remember it hurting this much the first time," he growled, his head flopping down into the pillow.
"The first time you were already in pain, you were fourteen years old," Elizabeth whispered the last part of her sentence unsure if Derek was prepared to tell the teenager in the doorway. "Isaac you've been told about what you can do when an animal is in pain? You can do the same for a person too,"
"Elizabeth, don't make him feel this," Derek muttered at her as Isaac took a step forward. "You don't want this," Derek directed the next sentence towards Isaac.
"Fine, but it will get worse before it gets better," Elizabeth sighed as she concentrated on letting the magic weave its way through his spine tugging it back into place along with the nerves. "Time to tell me the truth, is Peter alive or dead?" Elizabeth paused briefly as she took hold of Derek's hand with her spare hand to try and alleviate the pain at the same time.
"You know about his family?" Isaac questioned looking between the two of them and then glancing out the door.
"I've been a part of Derek's family a long time, I take it Peter didn't stay dead," Elizabeth sighed as the heard the floor creaking out in the main area.
"Isaac keep him from coming this way," Derek told the beta as he writhed in pain. "Keep going," Derek said as Isaac walked away from the door way and towards the main area.
"It's not Peter, it's Scott," Isaac said as Scott appeared in the bedroom doorway. "He said that you wanted him,"
Scott stared for a moment at what was happening before he realised that Elizabeth's eyes were flickering between their normal brown and a purple/red colour. Scott could sense that something wasn't quite going to plan so he pushed Isaac out of the way and stood beside his Aunt. Elizabeth looked at Scott and motioned for him to put his hand on Derek's shoulder.
"Do it, I need you to take some of it away and it will hurt," Elizabeth told him before proceeding to tell him to ignore Derek's protests. "Derek, don't complain please, I need his help,"
"What exactly do you want me to do?" Scott questioned, looking at his Aunt and then at Derek.
"Put your hand on his shoulder, but you need to take breaks...don't absorb everything," Elizabeth answered, pausing briefly before she continued. "Derek, I need a break only for a second,"
"Okay, and then what?" Scott questioned, before he looked down at his hand and arm and saw the veins pulsing. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"
"You'll know when to take your hand away," Derek told him, as Elizabeth removed her own hand from his back and pulled him up slightly causing him to grab her wrist. "He doesn't need to know,"
"Hey, this has always been between you and me. Your mom was the only other person who knew," Elizabeth sighed, she didn't know why he was being so grumpy – well she did but he shouldn't have been directing it at her. "And Scott needs to know why,"
"Fine, but only him," Derek grumbled, as Elizabeth recomposed herself enough to speak silently to her nephew.
'Scott, what I'm about to tell you, you have to keep to yourself. Do you understand?' Elizabeth queried, Scott looked at her and nodded as he pulled his hand away from Derek's shoulder he was beginning to understand what she meant by the pain was unbearable. 'When Derek was around fourteen years old, and I was sixteen I witnessed his Uncle run him over. I heard every bone in his back break and something that I don't know how to explain,' Elizabeth paused briefly before she continued to speak. 'Ever since then I've been holding him together literally,'
Scott looked up at Elizabeth in disbelief, wondering how she had been able to help him for so long and over such a distance. All of a sudden Derek let out a growl, someone was entering his loft without his approval. Isaac moved to see what or who it was with Scott hot on his tail. Elizabeth took a deep breath before she resumed what she was doing to him. Derek shook his head, and motioned that they should listen to see who it was.
"Let me see him," there it was, there was Peter's voice.
"He's in the middle of something at the moment, come back later," Derek and Elizabeth both heard Scott trying to be as convincing as he could to get the older man to come back later. "I said, come back later,"
'Scott, I need your help again. Isaac do your best to keep him out. I need at least twenty minutes,' Elizabeth sent the message silently to Scott as she pried Derek's hand of her arm and took his hand. 'Take a deep breath and squeeze it if you need to, I'm starting again,'
"Just go Peter," Scott growled at Peter before darting back into the bedroom to join Elizabeth. Peter eventually took the hint and walked away from the loft. "Every werewolf needs an anchor, what's yours?" Scott questioned, once he knew that Peter was out of ear shot.
"Derek was and still is," Elizabeth answered matter-o-factly as she she went back to doing the same actions as before to Derek's back.
"He's your anchor?" Scott said in disbelief as he put his hand on Derek's shoulder and she pulled hers from his grip. "Why?"
"I've known him since I was five years old, he's my best-friend though you wouldn't think it," Elizabeth told him as she worked on his spine and nerves again this time her fingers glowing. "I worked out how to do this without being near him when I first moved away when I was seventeen/eighteen,"
"So wait, you've been able to do it without being near him for that long?" Scott questioned, before gaining a glare from both of them that said shut up already. "Sorry, I'll stop,"
"I'll always pick up your pieces," Elizabeth laughed, referring to Derek's injuries and then looked at Scott. "You wanted to know how I became an Alpha without actually killing an Alpha? According to Doctor Deaton, your boss. He says they only come once every hundred years but even mythology can be broken,"
"You're a True Alpha, but a pack? Do you even have one of those?" Scott questioned, running a hand through his hair as he pulled away from Derek. "You never told my dad about what you are did you?"
"God no, the only people who know are Derek's mother and Derek," Elizabeth answered as the last of his spine moved back into place and the surrounding nerves intertwined to where they had to be. "I know you want to move, but give it an hour,"
Derek growled at her and went to move anyway his legs giving way from underneath him just like she said that they would. Elizabeth just laughed and her and Scott walked from the room and our to where Isaac was waiting for them wanting a full explanation about who Elizabeth was. Isaac stood with his arms crossed in front of him leaning against one of the supporting beams. Derek growled again before manoeuvring himself back to the bed.
"Who is she?" Isaac questioned, his arms crossed as Cora turned up and almost ran straight at the older woman.
"Elizabeth!" Cora wrapped her arms around her wondering when she had arrived back in town.
"Cora...I understand," Elizabeth said almost immediately as the young girl pulled away from her. "I'm Scott's aunt, a little bit on the magical side,"
"Magical?" Isaac raised an eyebrow at her and then looked at Scott.
"She's the reason you had to help Derek inside," Scott stated, looking directly at Isaac as he spoke and then at his aunt.
"What did you do to Derek?" Cora questioned, causing Elizabeth to send a glare straight at her nephew and then she looked at Cora again and raced back into Derek. "Elizabeth!"
Elizabeth looked at Derek, and noticed that he had given up moving causing her to sit on the bed beside him and place her hand on his shoulder. The touch of Elizabeth's hand startled him but not enough to make him move any part of his body. Elizabeth let out a sigh and grabbed his hand and pulled it slightly.
"Derek, look at me, Derek," Elizabeth repeated a couple of times before she started to slap him. "Derek, you have to move,"
"Elizabeth?" Scott and Cora both questioned having followed her to the bedroom. "What's happening?" This time it was Scott by himself.
"Long story short. Derek's body kind of semi rejects this when I go the long way," Elizabeth explained, Cora raised an eye-brow at her. "Do you remember when Derek was fourteen years old?" Cora nodded a little remembering when Elizabeth had screamed so loud that their mother had run outside. "I've been healing him repeatedly since then. Your mother, Derek and I are the only ones that know, your mother erased it from everyone's memory,"
"What do you want me to do?" Cora asked, stepping forward not used to seeing her brother the way that he was.
"Nothing, just stay there," Elizabeth said as she slapped Derek again, this time hard enough to make him move. "Derek, snap out of it, I know it hurts but remember its in your mind now...you need to use your anchor, use it!"
"Derek!" Scott growled, moving towards them Elizabeth shook her head motioning for him to stay where he was.
"Elizabeth," Derek was quiet as he looked at her. Derek being quiet wasn't something that any of them were used to.
"There you are, look at me. Remember what we did the first time we did it this way? You need to do it again," Derek nodded and took Elizabeth's hand squeezing it as tightly as he possibly could. Elizabeth's eyes went red as she fixated on the pain that he was causing her. "Not sure if this will work but Scott come here," The second Scott moved to Elizabeth she grabbed his hand.
"Woah, what are you doing?" Scott questioned, as Derek pulled Elizabeth towards him cause Scott to move as well.
Cora stood and watched, as a memory of Elizabeth and Derek sitting in the middle of the road near Hale House flooded her mind before leaving again. Cora had seen it from a distance, she'd followed her mother and hidden before Laura had taken her back inside. Cora blinked and looked between Derek and Elizabeth and then finally looking at Scott who was still confused. Scott tried pulling his hand away from her but she gripped it tighter.
"You know I said that Derek was my anchor? Sometimes it's you," Elizabeth said referring to needing to think of him when she uses her magic. "I think of the day you were born, I was eightish years old," Elizabeth told him, which made Cora realise that Elizabeth had been werewolf for almost nineteen years. "Derek, what are you feeling right now?"
"Still feels like my insides are not where they should be," Derek answered, Cora raised her eyebrow and Elizabeth laughed shaking her head. "I know they are but they don't feel like they should,"
"It's your bodies way of telling you that it wants you to fight, remember," Elizabeth told him as she finally let go of Scott's hand. "Scott go home, Cora go to bed. Oh and Scott take Isaac with you,"
"But..." Cora started to argue with both of them, Derek growled at her and Elizabeth faced her, her eyes still glowing red. "Okay," Cora backed away and Elizabeth pulled Derek towards her as she moved them back to the head of the bed.
"Derek, you need to fight it. I know it hurts I can feel it," Elizabeth said indicating that everything he felt she felt in some strange way.
"Elizabeth," Derek growled his eyes glowing red as he did, Elizabeth growled back at him pulling him closer as she did.
"Relax, you need to," Elizabeth told him before forcing him to.
Derek closed his eyes, and tried to relax before they heard the sound of breaking glass and Cora screaming. Elizabeth instinctively stood up and went wolf, her eyes going a brilliant blue/purple like Derek's had been before changing to red. Derek forced himself to stand up and be ready to fight.
"Derek!" Cora screamed, as Kali and the twins Ethan and Aiden crashed into the room.
"Kali," Elizabeth growled, walking from Derek's room with Derek close behind her. "Ethan, Aiden," the twins looked at her in pure surprise not realising that she was still alive.
"How?" Ethan questioned, Kali just growled and began to fight the three werewolves. "I'm not fighting her," instead he went for Cora while Aiden went Elizabeth. Elizabeth growled again, the younger werewolf not backing down.