Teen Wolf not mine. Frost/Snow mine. (Here's an extra long chapter for taking a whole week to get it uploaded. Hope it doesn't disappoint.)
"And I felt like my heart had been so thoroughly and irreparably broken that there could be no real joy again, that at best there might eventually be a little contentment. Everyone wanted me to get help and rejoin life, pick up the pieces and move on, and I tried to, I wanted to, but I just had to lie in the mud with my arms wrapped around myself, eyes closed, grieving, until I didn't have to anymore." ― Anne Lamott, Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year
The wounds of love can only be healed by the one who made them.-Publilius Syrus
Trying to keep up with Snow proved difficult even for the two werewolves, she ghosted in and out between the trees. In fact, Isaac swore that a few times she disappeared completely only to reappear in front of them with a yip. He wondered what it was she was following, because despite the fact that it had smelt like rotting flesh, there had been no trace of its scent once it vanished.
In the distance behind him, he could hear Frost running along the path and Stiles trying to converse with her. Ahead of him, Scott, Allison, and Lydia's voices carried through the trees. Suddenly, Snow appeared in front of them a low growl reverberating as her hackles stood up. Derek motioned for him to slow up. Scott voice ahead of them cut off abruptly. Snow took off like shot towards them when the barghest lunged from seemingly thin air to latch onto her back leg with massive jaws. She let out a yelp of pain before snarling and twisting trying to reach it.
Derek signaled him to go left as the alpha wolf flanked it on the right. As they rounded the barghest, Isaac saw that Scott crouched protectively in front of Allison and Lydia although Allison drew her bow tracking both Snow and the barghest. The barghest began dragging Snow backwards off the path right in between him and Derek. An almost imperceptible crack preceded another howl of pain. Using the noise to cover their movements the two wolves launched at both sides of the barghest. Claws dug into the flesh of its sides unleashing another wave of rot into the air.
As their claws dug deep into its sides, it released Snow's leg and threw back its head in a soul-piercing howl. The werewolves pulled the massive beast away from the smaller Snow. It twisted itself to take a snap at Derek. Isaac struck again with his claws starting to gag a bit on the stench. Derek ripped claws through the face of the beast and yet nothing seemed to slow it down. It pulled itself away from Derek and lunged at Isaac forcing him back a step. Derek grabbed the beast and pulled it back towards himself.
"Let go of it!" Frost yelled as ice enveloped its legs. Both werewolves released the barghest as the creature fought to free itself from the encroaching ice. The ice proved itself stronger than the beast and all that was left was a black gleaming ice sculpture with glowing red eyes. Isaac turned to see Frost dark black hair dancing slightly in the air. However, the most disconcerting thing was the white glow emanating from under her skin, which dulled and faded as he watched.
Stiles stood slightly behind her mouth agape. "That was awesome!"
Derek and Isaac rolled their eyes. Of course, he thought this was awesome. A whimper from behind them snapped Isaac's head back to Snow. Blood stained her white fur down one of her back legs, which hung at a weird angle. "Shit," Isaac muttered. "Snow, are you, okay?" She whimpered mournfully trying to hobble on three legs. He moved towards her quickly.
Lydia asked, "That's Snow?"
Derek turned to Frost as Isaac moved to care for Snow. "Should I be concerned?"
Frost watched Isaac for a moment. "No, she's probably milking this for all its worth. We heal, not as fast as you, but we heal. Not that being a barghest munch is pleasant."
"So what we are going to do with this?" Stiles asked stepping closer to the frozen barghest. "Shatter it."
"No." Derek and Frost answered together.
"Then, what?"
Frost moved to his side staring at the barghest. "Because it was created by magic, it is caught between life and death. Unless we can undo the magic, it will return again and again."
Stiles looked at her eyes wide. "So what now?"
"The werewolves are going to haul it out of here to Dr. Deaton's truck. He, Derek, and I put together an iron and rowan cage to hold it behind the house. You've made a mountain ash barrier before, Stiles?"
"Uh, yeah." His eyes narrowed at the older woman.
"Then, I'll need you to make another one around the cage."
"Will it defrost?"
"Eventually." She gave him an enigmatic smile.
"I'll have Scott call Deaton."
"And I'll pry Snow off of Isaac."
"What about me?" Stiles asked.
"Keep an eye on that." Derek suggested.
Stiles turned back to the frozen barghest a chill running down his spine. He swore its red eyes followed his every move. "Nah, I think I'll pass."
Isaac ran his hands through Snow's fur which was incredibly soft. After explaining what happened to Scott, the other werewolf with his vet experience offered to look at Snow's back leg. She whimpered as she laid her head in Isaac's lap. Black crawled up his veins as he took some of her pain when Scott moved her leg.
"Definitely broken." Scott frowned. "it's not healing like us."
"She's not a werewolf," Allison said. "Lydia didn't you say that legends say that wounds from a barghest never heal."
"Yes, but that might not be true since she is both Fae and Cwn Annwn."
"That's not what they called themselves," Scott said. "Frost said, Tooth a day Dana? Too atha day dan in?"
"Tuatha Dé Dannan?" Lydia asked. "As in the Irish gods and goddesses? Part of the Proto-history of Ireland?"
Snow whimpered. "Perhaps we should figure out what to do about Snow's leg," Isaac said.
"How is she doing?" Frost said as she knelt beside Isaac. Derek and Stiles stood behind her.
"Her leg is broken," Scott said.
"Will she heal?" Isaac asked.
"Not like us, but faster than a human," Derek said.
"Really, Snow, did you have to let a barghest take a bite out of you?" Frost said. Snow snarled at Frost when she tried to pet her sister. "Yeah, yeah, I know you aren't a dog." She looked at Isaac's worried face and then at Scott, Allison, and Lydia who watched over Snow. "Thank you for looking after her." Derek sucked in a barely audible breath, which Frost ignored.
"Scott, call Deaton. I'm going to need you and Isaac to drag this thing back to the parking area." Derek said. Scott pulled out his phone and walked away. Isaac made to get up, but Snow whimpered and stared at him with big blue eyes. Isaac looked at Frost.
"Snow." Frost said with a stern look. She whimpered but took her head out of his lap. When he was gone with Derek, Frost said, "You need to change back so we can set your leg. If it heals wrong, I will re-break it." Snow whimpered softly and Frost turned to the remaining male. "Stiles, no more free peep shows, turn around. Ladies, perhaps you could help give us some privacy for a second." Lydia and Allison made a wall between Snow and the boys.
A very human scream filled the air as Snow became herself again. A few more grunts and moans of pain and Snow was semi dressed. "She's good. Do any of you know how to set bones?"
Stiles turned around and saw bone pushed through torn flesh. "Oh. My. God." And the boy dropped like a sack of potatoes.
The phone rang several times before someone answered. "La Maison d'Argent, Bonjour."
"Pourrais-je parler à Le Mère de Chasseurs."
"C'est de la part de qui?"
"C'est de la part de Christopher Argent."
"Ne quittez pas. Je vous le passé."
A few moments on hold and then he heard, "Christopher."
"Ma'am."
"What have you learned?"
"Two young women arrived several days ago to aid the local alpha, Derek Hale. The elder's name is currently unknown although she possesses the ability to manipulate temperature especially dropping things to a freezing point. The younger is named Snow Morgan and appears to be around 16 or 17 with white hair. Her abilities are unknown."
"Morgan? How very subtle of her?" Giselle said thoughtfully. "I'm impressed that you've been able to collect this information so quickly. I assume that Allison shared this information with you. She will continue to gather information for us. Her affection for the werewolf, Scott McCall, will not be a problem." Giselle made the last a statement not a question. The threat in her words chilled Christopher's blood.
"I will call when I have more information."
"I look forward to speaking to you again soon, Christopher. Tell Allison I said, hello."
Isaac held Snow as he carried her back towards the parking area as gently as he could. Her head lay in the crook of his neck, which she held onto with her arms. He felt a bit awkward considering she had no pants on, but there had been no way for her to get them back on with the splint on her leg. She whimpered as her leg jarred. "You, ok?"
"Yes, peachy. I love having my leg chewed off by barghests," the girl muttered.
"Does that happen often?"
"More than you'd think." She said blowing an angry breath of air on his neck. "But hey, on the bright side, we get more quality time together. Too bad I'm in agonizing pain."
"I prefer you not in agonizing pain," Isaac said. She lifted her head to stare at his profile.
"Careful, Isaac, I might get the wrong idea and think you like me," she said with a genuine smile.
"Let's hope not." He had a hint of a smile on his lips. "So you call Derek wanna-be wolf because you can actually become a Cwn Annwn?" Isaac asked.
"Yeah," Snow answered after a few moments. "Although, I suppose now that he's an alpha, he's closer to being a wolf than before." Snow hissed softly as she shifted in his arms. "His sister Laura could be a wolf when she was the alpha. A massive unnatural wolf, but still a wolf." He heard her grind her teeth.
"How did you meet Laura and Derek?" Isaac asked hoping to distract her from the pain.
"My mom hired Laura to help me learn to be cwn Annwn. It's not the same as being a werewolf, but I…" She trailed off and he looked down to see a blush covering her cheeks. "This is so stupid and embarrassing. I get stuck sometimes."
"Stuck?" He asked as he stepped over a log.
"Umm….yeah, as Cwn Annwn, I lose myself the way some werewolves do on the full moon and I can't seem to find my way to my two-legged self." She sighed, but refused to look up at him. "Anyway, because Laura was an alpha, she could reach me when I was like that and she helped me figure out how to keep it from happening every time."
"You found an anchor."
"Yeah. My sister. Although she's more mom than sister sometimes. What about you? Have you found yours?"
Isaac hesitated but answered, "My dad."
He could see the parking lot coming up. Strangely, he thought about dragging his feet, but the sound from behind him of Frost laughing at Scott and Derek carrying the barghest on ice forced his feet forward. Lost in his thoughts he almost missed when Snow said, "That must be nice. I don't even know who my dad is."
Several hours later…
Frost sent Lydia and Allison home after they got the frozen barghest into Deaton's truck since it was already 1:30 in the morning. Then, Stiles and Scott followed Derek's car back to the house where the Morgan sisters were staying. Deaton had Scott call his mom to meet them to set Snow's leg. After a lot of grunting and effort, the werewolves managed to get the barghest out of the truck and into the cage.
The cage consisted of rowan branches wrapped around iron bars. Stiles dropped the last bit of the mountain ash and the werewolves tested the barrier.
Frost patted Stiles on the shoulder. "Well, that was the easy part, boys."
"Easy," Stiles said. "I almost became barghest dinner. The barghest used Snow as a chew toy. And that was easy?"
Frost smiled at the younger boy. "Yep. Now, I have to figure out how to unmake the magic that holds it together."
The back door opened and Melissa McCall stepped out into the back yard.
"How's the patient?"
"I gave her some painkillers, she might be a little loopy. But as long as she doesn't jar the bone before they knit back together, she should be fine."
"Thanks, mom."
"Well, I'm glad that I have something to contribute. I'm a little new to this supernatural business. Scott, I'm heading home. Don't stay out too long. It's already two in the morning and you have school tomorrow."
Scott, Deaton, and Stiles decided to leave after her. Isaac went inside to hang out with Snow leaving Derek and Frost outside sitting on the back step. "Well, that wasn't a total clusterfuck," Frost said wearily.
Derek ran a hand through his hair. "What happened to Snow wasn't your fault."
"Huh," Frost said. "This feels a bit familiar. Like we've already had this conversation before only I was telling you that your family and Jack and everything else that you blame yourself for is not your fault."
"I'd have to disagree," a voice said from the side of the house. Derek stood and pushed Frost behind him.
"Peter," Derek growled.
"Derek, do introduce me to your friend?" Peter smiled. Frost attempted to move out from behind the alpha wolf, but he held her in place with an iron grip on her arm. "Really, no need for the aggression, nephew. I'm not here to hurt your girlfriend."
"I think you should be more concerned with his girlfriend hurting you, jackass," Frost snapped. "He told me out about Laura. And as far as I'm concerned, dead was a good place for you to be."
"Frost," Derek warned as he felt cold spread up his hand and arm. She attempted to reign in her temper. "Where have you been, Peter?"
"Looking for Boyd and Erica, of course," he said. "And I think I have a lead if you are interested, Derek."
Derek glared at his uncle, but he allowed Frost to step to his side. "Peter, Frost. Frost, Peter. Now talk."
"A true conversationalist, my nephew." Peter smirked. "I believe that our wayward teen wolves never left Beacon Hills. If I'm correct they are in the hands of the alpha pack."
"Well, shit," Frost said as she took Derek's hand and he tightened his around it. "I don't suppose, you have any idea where in Beacon Hills?"
Isaac found Snow sitting in the middle of the couch watching TV her leg in a temporary cast propped on an ottoman. "Isaaaacc," she slurred. "Come sit. TV. Watch."
The house was bare of most furniture and the couch was the only place to sit in front of the TV. How bad could it get, Snow was drugged and half asleep. He sat down beside her. She scooted over towards him and laid her head on his shoulder. "I want to…" She giggled, "to have sex with you." Her face grew sad and tears pooled in her eyes. "But you don't want me? Am I ugly? My hair makes me ugly like an old lady, doesn't it?" A tear rolled down her cheek.
Isaac looked at the obviously high Snow and figured she wouldn't remember this in the morning so he was honest. He wiped the tear away and ran his hand through her snowy white strands, which were missing her blue streaks since she turned into the Cwn Annwn. "You and your hair are beautiful, and maybe, just maybe, as the guy I want to do the chasing. Now, go to sleep, Snow." He moved his arm across her shoulders and she curled into his side as best she could.
"Tease," she muttered softly. "How am I …not fall in… with you…say stuff like that..." A snore told him she was out and he only planned to stay there for a few minutes before leaving. However, the warmth of her next to him and the steady beat of her heart lulled him to sleep as well.
Peter only knew a general area to look in, but didn't have any other information. They all agreed to look into it tomorrow. Derek sent Peter packing and they went into the house.
"Damn, he's creepy as fuck," Frost said. Derek didn't reply as they walked through the small kitchen into the living room where the TV played softly. "Shit, I knew I should have nipped this in the bud." Derek peered over her shoulder to see Snow both legs propped on an ottoman next to Isaac's though his stayed away from the one in the splint. He had an arm around the girl who'd curled herself into his side. Both had the even breathing of deep sleep. "Now, I have to have the sex talk with her."
Derek snorted out a laugh as they moved out of the living room. "I think she knows what sex is."
Frost rolled her eyes at him. "Don't be an ass. You could spend another night in the foyer." He growled at her. "I meant what sex does for us. We are our mother's daughters after all."
The alpha werewolf cocked an eyebrow. "What exactly does that mean?"
"Are we seriously having a conversation about sex?"
"Yes, now explain."
"Sex…" Frost blushed as she met green eyes before trying to turn away.
"I don't think so," Derek said pulling her back to face him. "Not after you called yourself my girlfriend to my uncle outside."
"Damn, I thought I got that one past you. Freudian slip? Slip of the tongue?"
"Nice try. Now sex with you, does what?" He asked again, her face inches from his.
"I hate you." She rasped out.
"Stop stalling."
"Can't you just leave it alone?" she asked.
"No, you brought it up."
"Fine," she snapped. Fire flashed in her blue eyes. "Like our mother, sex empowers us. Like charging a freaking battery. Our magic becomes stronger, more wild, and dangerous. Now are you happy?"
He laughed at her angry expression. "Yes, now I'm happy. And damn, I've missed you." Derek's face softened and he looked away from her. "I know you hate me for killing Jack that full moon. I know you loved him."
Frost felt the fight go out of her. "No, I hate you for leaving me when I needed you the most." She jerked out of his arms and started up the stairs. But she stopped on the steps, her spine stiff as she ground out, "No…You need to know this. We didn't find out until after you left, when the withdrawl kicked in and tried to...kill myself, but Jack had been dosing me with fairy dust for months. Every time I tried to leave him, he upped it. I was fighting it …him…because I was in love with you. You saved me from one monster, Derek, but you left me with the one I couldn't fight without you. Myself."
She couldn't move as tears dripped out of her eyes. They froze as they fell and pinged on the steps. A creak on the step and then his hands turned her around. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know. If I could bring him back from the dead and kill him over again, I would. Maybe give him to your mom." He frowned. "I knew he was the one killing all those people and your mother was preparing to wipe out the entire town to ensure no one found out about the supernaturals, but I never thought he was. Shit, you and he were having… Frost…Damn that son of a bitch to hell." He pulled her into his arms and she let out a choked sob. She clung to him as a dam burst inside of her where she put all her feelings of worthlessness, shame, and despair.
"Why didn't you fight for me? Why didn't you stay, Derek?" His shirt muffled her voice.
"Because I'm a coward." Derek said into her hair. "I thought you loved him. I couldn't face your rejection when you found out he died because of me."
He held her there on the stairs until her sobs subsided. She pulled back and looked at him "Stay. I don't," she sucked in a strangled breath. "I can't."
"Shh. I'll stay." Derek followed her up the stairs to her room. They lay down on the bed and he pulled her into his arms feeling like he was home for the first time in four years.
Special thanks for new follows/favorites from FlyingPurpleUnicorn, suttonsays, justanamelessgirl & LilMissChinie. Thanks to Shell8bee, Lycan Lover 411, and LoveSuperman for their reviews. And to all the lurkers, I love that you stop by to.
Translation of the French (please note I don't actually speak French)
"La Maison d'Argent, Bonjour."- The house of Argent, hello.
"Pourrais-je parler à La Mère de Chasseurs." Could I speak with the Mother of Hunters?
"C'est de la part de qui?" Who is calling?
"C'est de la part de Christopher Argent." Christopher Argent is calling.
"Ne quittez pas. Je vous le passé." Please hold. I'm transferring your call.
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