Chapter Five: The Tell

The past few days had been relatively quiet. Derek hadn't come near and nothing had happened with Scott. I couldn't help but feel like that was going to change soon.

I pulled into the video rental store parking lot. I had barrowed Stiles' jeep so I could pick up movies for family night. I always had a better taste. I walked inside. It was late enough that there was no one else here. I started browsing.

A few minutes later I heard Jackson's voice.

"Can somebody help me find The Notebook?" I hid my snort and peered over the shelves.

"I think it's in the totally whipped section," I replied. Jackson glared at and I just rolled my eyes. Jackson may act tough but I had never been scared of him.

Suddenly I felt him right beside me. I glanced up at his stormy face and sighed.

"Look, don't take your anger out on me just because Lydia has you totally wrapped around her little finger," I said picking out another movie. I started to walk away but Jackson grabbed my arm.

"Let me go," I ordered. The lights above me started to flicker.

"You need to learn some respect," he snarled. I jerked my arm and one of the lightbulbs shattered above us. We jerked away from each other to avoid the falling glass.

All the lights flicked out. It was still light enough that I could see Jackson. We looked around and I felt fear coil in the pit of my stomach.

A growl filled the air. Jackson and I gave each other panicked looks. I heard the thud of paws and I ducked behind a pillar. Jackson crouched behind the shelves. The snarls grew louder. I bit my lip to stop myself from whimpering.

There was a clang and then crashes as the shelves began to fall. Jackson tried to jump away but he wasn't fast enough. The shelf he had been hiding behind crashed down on him and he was pinned. I hesitated then ran to him.

"Come on, lift up like you're doing a push up," I told him grabbing the edge of the shelf. I tried to lift it off him but it was too heavy.

"Come on Jackson," I panted. My voice was high and strained from fear. He tried to move and then I felt it.

Hot breath burst across my neck. I saw Jackson freeze and I stopped breathing. My entire body was trembling as I slowly, ever so slowly, turned my head.

It was scarier than I could ever have imagined. It was everything from my worst nightmares rolled into one huge black beast.

It reached for me as if meaning to scoop me up.

I screamed and it stumbled back. I bolted away and I heard it give chase. I ran blindly through the shelves until I reached the front window. I turned to run towards the door but it was leaping for me. I screamed against and threw myself to the ground. Glass shattered as it went through the window. Shards rained down around me and I clenched my eyes shut.

Everything was quiet. I slowly lifted my head. My entire body was shaking and I didn't know if I wanted to scream, cry or throw up.

The police and paramedics arrived soon after. I was helped out of the glass by a female paramedic. I had decided on throwing up and then crying. She helped me sit on the back of an ambulance and wrapped a blanket around me. She bandaged up a cut on my cheek that hadn't hurt until she mentioned it.

"I-I think it w-was from the glass," I choked out. She nodded and finished patching it up.

"Your dad's going to be here soon," she murmured. I nodded and burrowed myself deeper in the blanket. I couldn't stop the tears from trickling down my cheeks. Red eyes flashed across my vision every time I blinked. I wanted to wail and scream but I couldn't. The screams were stuck in my throat, a burning ball that choked me.

"Arisa," I looked up at the sound of my dad's voice.

"Daddy," I cried not caring what anyone else would think. I lunged into his arms and began to sob into his jacket. He held me tightly and I clutched at the back of his jacket.

When I had calmed down some he helped me into the police car. Stiles had gotten out and slipped into the back with me. He pulled me close and I leaned my head on his shoulder.

"What happened?" he asked in a whisper. I closed my eyes and saw the alpha looming over me. I shuddered and buried my face in Stiles' shirt.

"Not now, please Stiles. I-I can't think about it right now." I felt him nod and we both just sat quietly as I tried to cope.

I didn't go to school the next day. Dad didn't try and make me. I just stayed in my nice warm pajamas, under my nice warm blankets and took the medication that the nurses had given me. I stayed there only getting up to get something to eat.

In a moment of lucidity I went to get something to eat. When I came back up my bedroom wasn't empty. I wanted to be surprised but I wasn't when I saw Derek.

"I don't want to talk about it," I said climbing back into my bed with my bowl of soup.

"I need you to talk about it," Derek replied.

"You can't order me around," I replied dully. I slurped up my chicken noodle soup. Suddenly the bowl was being pulled from my hands and I was being lifted up by my arms. He pushed me against the wall and I stared into his green eyes.

"Tell me what you saw," he snarled. I flinched at the threat in his voice.

"I saw a nightmare," I whispered. His eyes examined my face and he slowly lowered me back to the ground.

"You aren't safe here," he told me. I blinked at him.

"The alpha is obviously interested in you. Come on," he told me, "If he comes after you again I'll be able to stop him."

"My dad will freak if I leave," I replied.

"So call him and tell him you're with a friend. Tell him that it'll help you," he ordered. I sighed but did so. This way I could ask Derek some questions about the whole werewolf thing.

We went back to his house. I had refused point blank to change out of my pajamas so I just curled up on the singed couch.

"I'm going to work out," he told me. I shrugged and pulled out the book I needed to finish for English. It was nice. Derek didn't require me to speak and I could get lost in my book.

He was doing one-armed push-ups when he paused and looked towards the door. Before I could even ask what was wrong he was pulling me down the hall. He pushed me into a small room and shut the door.

"Stay there and stay quiet," he ordered. I heard him leave and I waited in the dim light. I heard footsteps and voices. There was a woman and she yelled something but I couldn't hear it very well. I heard snarls and assumed that she had provoked Derek. I slipped out from the closet and crept towards the voices. I peeked around the wall and saw a tall woman with dirty blonde hair. I assumed that this was Kate, Allison's aunt. She pressed a rod that was crackling with electricity to Derek's stomach. Derek roared and thrashed. He tried to move while she just watched with a smile on her face. He lunged for her and the resulting hit made him roll towards me. I jerked out of sight and listened as they talked. I could hear Derek shaking. I didn't dare peek around. I heard her laugh and suddenly Derek's arms were around me. I was lifted up and we were running. He leapt off the front porch and bolted through the forest. When we had finally gotten far enough away he set me back on my feet. He glanced back towards his home then started walking away.

"Where will you go?" I asked.

"First I'm taking you home. Turns out you're safer there," he replied. The look on his face told me not to not to ask questions.

He took me home and followed me into my room.

"Where are you going to go?" I asked.

"Back home, it's the only place I have and she won't be back tonight," he told me. Before I could protest he was gone. I sighed and collapsed back into bed. I took my pill and focused on falling into a dreamless sleep.