8 – I feel like helping

Nick:

Jeremy turned to me, and then looking to Elena. Switching back and forth between us, he eventually settles his gaze on me. I raise an eyebrow in confusion, awaiting whatever was about to be said.

"Nick, I need you to watch over our new allies." He asked, a stern look on his face. It seemed like he wasn't going to take no for an answer, but you can always try right.

"Wouldn't Elena be a better choice, she's actually talked to Isaac the most?"

"She may have, but I require her here. And I can't send Clay to watch over them, and me or Antonio simply wouldn't fit in."

"So I'm the one that has to get buddy-buddy with them?"

"Nick, if there was another way right now..." Jeremy sighs, almost disappointed in himself for telling me to go. "Look, we don't know whether the mutts will attack them, and I don't want them to be alone if they do. We have a greater knowledge on the situation."

"We barely know anything..."

"But we know more than those boys do. Not to mention it will maybe take you out of the targeting range." The Alpha smiled, and with a nod I got to my feet ready to leave the room. "Remember if anything go-"

"Call home, yes." I say, giving a lazy salute to him as I walk to the doorway, pausing and looking to Clay. "Oh, and when I get back, I'm going to have proper words with you...When Elena isn't around to stop me."

"Sure we will..." Clay smirks, forcing me to shake my head as I leave. I grab my keys from the coffee table and leave, heading down the driveway.

The last thing I thought I'd do today was babysit...

I tracked the boys scent to a motel in town, and with a sigh of reluctance I wander into the car park, quickly coming to a halt as I saw the all too familiar Isaac with his friend I presume.

I walk over to them, and they stop their conversation and watch me approach.

"Aren't you from Stonehaven?" Isaac asked, pointing at me as I came to stand still in front of them. Just as I'm about to answer I get interrupted by his friend.

"I didn't see you up there?"

"Yes, I was keeping Clay preoccupied for the most part...I will say I didn't do the best job." I fake an innocent smile, and Isaac snorts at me, looking to the ground.

"Well, I'm Stiles then."

"Nick, nice to meet you."

"So why are you, here?" Isaac questions, looking at me with confusion. I pout my lips for a second, thinking of how to respond, eventually settling on the truth.

"Jeremy wanted me to keep an eye on you two, and an eye for the mutts."

"Does he not trust us?"

"No, take it more as he just doesn't want to get you two killed by some serial killers werewolves that happen to be wandering the town."

"Ah, that's nice to know, but unfortunately you can't follow both of us." Stiles remarks, shuffling on he spot.

"Why not?"

"Well because he's going off to search for clues...again, and I'm meeting with some in a bar in town." He explained, and I raised my eye brows, receiving a smirk from the boy. "And no, you not coming with me, 'cause he will kill you on sight. I don't want explain that to your pack."

"What? Why would kill me?"

"I don't feel the need to explain, because you get hang out with Isaac." He smiles, heading over the car park and onto the street path. "Have fun boys!"

"Is he always like this?" I question, watching him leave before looking to Isaac who looks like he trying so hard not to smile.

"Usually a bit more sarcastic and cynical. You got lucky." Isaac replied, walking along the motel wall, I followed in close pursuit. "I guess your helping me today?"

"Yeah, I guess I am." I say, as we get onto the street. "What do you do? Like, what am I helping with."

"Looking for clues, that could help find Lydia..." He explains, looking at my confused expression, and giving a mix of a laugh and a sigh. "We're looking for a girl named Lydia Martin."

"Ah...what clues are we looking for exactly?"

"Well, sometimes it's something she owned or had on her. Other times, it can be a little note left behind."

"And you've found nothing so far."

"I wouldn't say nothing, I mean we got here..."

"But you've been here for almost three weeks, right?"

"It's a work-in-progress, yes, but it's going fine." Isaac stuttered, trying to sound confident...and it made me giggle a little.

"Okay..." I smile, as we arrived at the beginning of the forest. "You always search the forest?"

"Well, so far the clues never seem to be in urban areas, always out in the woods where they evidently can't be seen."

"You been to a lot of towns then?"

"A few. You know I used to actually like travelling before all this happened, and now it just isn't the same."

"Where did you travel?" I ask, and Isaac pauses, seeming to think of an answer. We clamber over a few roots and bushes, dodging around trees before Isaac start to reply.

"I lived in Beacon Hill for a while. Made some great friends, there was some altercations every now and again, but you know. They had my back, and I had theirs...kind of an unspoken agreement."

"I know that feeling, that brotherhood feeling."

"Yeah. Just feeling like you belong somewhere, around people like you, that understand and help you. I don't think I'd want a different pack...like ever, I couldn't imagine myself anywhere else."

"That's how you know you've found a good pack."

"Yeah. But I did travel to France after I got out of school. I went with the guy that Stiles is actually meeting up. He's a pretty cool guy, when you get past his gun threats. You know."

"Does he not like wolves?"

"Well, he's a hunter..."

"A hunter? I've never met a hunter..." I say, and Isaac looks at me shocked for a second before back at the terrain.

"Lucky...they're not fun."

"I can imagine...but how did you become friends with a hunter?"

"Um...ha, I mainly got in with him because of my pack. They'd already made a deal with the guy but, I kind of...You know maybe a story for another time."

"Fair enough."

"You know, it seems like you had an easier wolf experience than I did."

"But, my dad's a wolf, and I've always had the pack. I don't know any different...I don't know what it was like for you."

"Different...defiantly different..." He whispered, followed by a short sigh and pause of silence.

"Gift or curse?"

"What?"

"Being a wolf, for you. Is it a gift of a curse? Good, bad, regret it, wouldn't change it for anything?"

"That's a difficult one to answer...I mean I love it so much, having met my pack, having this power, changing my life for the better...but then I've met some awful people, had to deal with crazy things that I just can't forget no matter what..."

"But that's the whole point. You gain good things and bad things, right?"

"Yeah, but still, I'm allowed moan at the bad things though?"

"Oh, Hell yes. That's half the fun." I smile, getting a laugh out of Isaac before we both stop. Standing perfectly still, in total silence.

I knew he'd heard the rustling of leaves on the ground, someone else was here. I sniffed the air and it seemed like there was a familiar fragrance in the air, but it was being dulled out by Isaac's cologne, certainly a disadvantages.

"Let's leave before-" I whisper to Isaac before seeing a large dark brown wolf staring us down from in front. I dare not move a muscle, bot even to look to Isaac, holding my breath as I stared into it's eyes.

"On three..." I hear Isaac's whisper, the wolf gazing over to Isaac, staring him down, clearly intrigued by the heavy cologne. "We run the other way, okay?"

"Okay..." I whisper back, watching the wolf as it shuffles about, baring it's teeth.

"1...2..." I hear Isaac whisper harshly, sharp breaths and I take a deep breath,waiting for the three to be called. The wolf moving as though it was about to charge towards us. "3!" Isaac shouts, and before he'd even finished the word my legs were already in motion, blitzing past the trees.

And I thought babysitting would be the easy job.