OK, so that previously mentioned cocoon that was growing inside me felt like it was fully developed by now. All that was left was a little pop and the butterflies would go lose inside me. Did he really say us? But surly he meant "us" as in a parenting team – like we meet up for baseball games and school plays, nothing else of course. Right? I had trouble thinking of Charlie growing up period. I didn't need the complication of this man who I felt strangely connected to – he can compare this connection to Laura's if he wants, but I never wanted to do the things I want to do with Derek with her.
The past couple of days went to practicing keeping my feelings deep inside. I couldn't afford to have Derek know whatever it was I felt for him. It would be strange, and things would get highly awkward and Charlie deserves better than awkward.

"Why do I always find you head-first in the fridge, munchkin" I laughed at the sight of Stiles' head buried somewhere between the shelves of the refrigerator.
He laughed as he jumped back out of the fridge. "Hey, Eve? Could I ask you something" he asked. Yikes. Eve was my serious nickname. It was my adult nickname. I didn't really like it.
"What's up with Ella? I mean she's been acting really strangely lately and she's talking to all these guys all the time" he said as he twisted his Oreo.
"Well, honey, you know.. I mean, she is a girl. Girls do that. Lydia Martin does that all the time" I tried to explain without revealing anything.
"But Ella is Ella. She's not like that. And why are there so many guys around her all the time? I don't like it" he sounded like an overprotective friend - which could either be a very good thing or a very bad thing for Ella's situation.
"I think you should talk to her about this, Stiles. I have no idea, really" I lied sympathetically.
The hyperactive teen rushed out of the house mumbling something about "can't be too obvious" whilst planning his confrontation with Ella.
"Ella, remember we've got dinner plans tonight" I reminded her. This was really happening.
"Yeah, I know, but I have to leave a bit early, Stiles texted me now saying he needed to speak to me, I don't know why he left in the first place if he needed to talk" she said unaware that I might have screwed things up for them now.
"Uhm, yeah, sure, just stay for a little while" I reassured.

Shit,I thought looking at all my stockings. Not on single pair without holes in them. I snuck into Ella's room as I heard her go downstairs. Jackpot. All newly purchased nylon stockings. That's my girl! I hurried back into my room and jumped into my high-waist skirt.
"Well don't you look classy" I heard Ella compliment from behind.
"Well, yeah. I have to look responsible – 'cause you know, we're probably going to be talking about Charlie's future, and I don't want him to think we're not serious" I covered up my weird desire to dress up simply because Derek was coming to dinner.
"Mhm" Ella said as she shot me a cheeky look. "Your responsible self must have just forgotten to button up that top button then I guess" she smirked as she pointed at my cleavage.

"I guess you do know what cleavage is" she continued as I rolled my eyes. Did she know? If so, what did she know? Because I'm clueless.

I tried to calm myself down as I walked towards the door. "Hi" he greeted me in the doorway. He was wearing a black V-neck shirt and blue jeans revealing just enough to get my heart beating again. "Ella" he nodded as she walked up behind me.
"Hi Derek, nice to officially meet you" she replied slightly embarrassed by their previous "official" introduction. She seemed good now – like she was ready to let him in or like she knew he was meant to be a part of our lives.
The dinner went smoothly, Ella and Derek seemed to click perfectly and I felt safe knowing that at least they could have a non-awkward relationship. "I gotta run, this was nice, see you around, Hale" she waved as she walked out the door.

"Would you like some coffee?" I asked once again sounding a bit too superficial. "I'll just go put Charlie to bed first" I replied to his nod, realizing it was past Charlie's bedtime. I hurried to get Charlie to bed, singing the one song I knew he couldn't resist in his tired state: "Hush little baby". Like clockwork the baby fell asleep within a couple of minutes. Now, it was time to focus. Do not let Derek get to you, I kept repeating to myself.
"You have a nice voice" he smiled when I was about to take a sip of my coffee. Ouch. I hoped he hadn't noticed me nearly choking on my coffee.
I continued to tell him more about my brother, and Laura, how they met through me and how Bryan was the alpha of our little family. I told him how Laura had turned me after an accident – how Bryan pleaded that she saved me.
"What about your parents?" he asked slightly confused.
"They died. 6 years ago, here in Beacon Hills. A car accident" I explained.
"Sorry" Derek said with all the sincerity in the world. His eyes were freakin' magical. They seemed to draw me inn deeper every time I tried to look away.
"So that's the Hallock 101 for you" I shrugged finally managing to look away from his eyes.
"Evelyn" he said. "I haven't been completely honest with you about this alpha/beta position we're inn" he confessed.
"Uhm, what?" I asked confused. Where did that come from? What hasn't he told me?
Derek leaned in and lingered for a split second staring at my lips before meeting them with his own. I felt my own lips move in acknowledgement, in agreement. His tongue found its way to my own and my hands were all of a sudden tangling through his hair. This was not the responsible behavior I was talking about earlier, but all I could think of was how I wanted this to last longer. I assure you, the cocoon had popped, and the butterflies were going apeshit.
"What's.. What's happening?" I asked when we finally had to part for air. I didn't want to ask. I just wanted to ignore every question in my head. But this wasn't supposed to happen, I couldn't do this, I'd be jeopardizing our relationship to Charlie, his relationship to Charlie.
"Sorry" Derek took a step backwards assuring himself that I didn't feel assaulted. "Our relationship.." he continued. Our relationship? One kiss and there's a relationship? What the.. "You're feeling something for me that you can't explain. Something you don't necessarily want to feel, but you can't help it. It's like these feelings are controlling you" he put words to my emotions. "Where have you heard that before?" he asked assuming this wasn't news to me.
"What? I've never… Controlling?" I wanted to laugh as I recollected what Laura had told me the first time I caught her kissing Bryan. They'd known each other for a while and when I confronted her she answered, "Evy, it's not my fault. Really, it's incontrollable. A wolf thing.. You wouldn't understand". Oh god, my brain had finally caught up to what Derek was trying to ease me into. "We're m-m-ma" I tried.
"We're mates" he finished. "Or we're supposed to be mates" he said.

We stood there for several minutes before Derek dared to move towards me. I contemplated stepping back, but I'd lost all feeling in my legs. "Evelyn, don't be scared" he said looking a bit like a kicked puppy. "I'm not.. I'm not going to hurt you. I mean I don't want to of course, but I couldn't even if I wanted to" he explained. I felt tears well up in my eyes. Suddenly he was so vulnerable, as if I had all power over him, though in truth I didn't really even have any power over myself. Which I proved to myself by crashing against his lips once again. This time more violently than before. He tasted fucking sweet. Who tastes sweet? Jeez. I wrapped my legs around his hips as he lifted me from the ground and started moving towards the stairs.
"Evelyn, stop" huh? "We don't have to.. This is all new information to you.. I could still leave" he suggested.
"Are you chicken, Hale?" I asked slightly annoyed at how much he was procrastinating, if he didn't want to be with me, all he had to do was leave.
"Fuck it" I heard him say before he buried his lips in my neck.
We'd made it past the bedroom door now and I could feel a mixture of excitement and fear. He laid us down on the bed and I felt his sculpture crash against my body. His lips moved back and forth from my neck to my lips. I saw Derek's eyes turn red, but the reflection was the same shade of red. "Holy motherfff" I sat up nearly pushing Derek off the bed. I picked up the little mirror on my nightstand. "What the fuck?" I asked myself. I felt fear surging through my entire body.
"Evelyn! It's OK. Evelyn. Relax" I heard Derek say as he held my face in his hands. "It's just a sign of affection. It shows that we're bonding. That you are bonding with an Alpha – it shows that if we decide to mate, you'd be Alpha too" he comforted.
"Oh, kaay.. WHAT? I what? I'm not an alpha!" I felt my head spinning; I wasn't sure if it was because Derek continued to kiss my neck or if it was because he said I was an alpha.
"Not yet, but if we mate, then you'll be alpha too. It's the supernatural way of saying 'what's mine is yours'" he smiled. Why was he smiling so much? I didn't even know he had that many teeth before now. I wanted to continue freaking out, I wanted answers to what the fudge was going on, but not as much as I wanted him. He stopped kissing me, probably as reassurance of that I was breathing. His eyes locked with mine. And I could see that my eyes were still red. Still longing for Derek's body, for his mind, for him. I replied his growing worry with a violent kiss and I could feel his body ease up.
"So.. Many…Buttons" he breathed trying not to ruin my shirt. I ripped of the shirt in a split second feeling proud of my werewolf ability to do so with only one hand. "Thanks" I could hear him laugh as he kissed his way down my neck. He didn't move back up this time. I tried to clear my thoughts as he pulled down his boxers. Focus Evy. Focus. Oh god. He was perfect. He was fucking symmetric. I pulled his face to mine and groaned as I felt his erection. He thrust inside of me and I felt a shiver go through my entire body.

I laid there for God knows how many hours listening to his breath as he fell asleep. He had his arms wrapped around me, protecting me from anything but us. Eventually I fell asleep feeling safer than I ever had before.
"Evy?" I heard a small voice from the stairs. The footsteps were getting closer. I shot up from the bed looking at the perfect body next to me. His eyes opened as he too sat up in a hurry. "Evy, are you awake?" I heard Ella whisper from outside my door. "Oh shit!" I said as I wrapped my bathrobe around me and headed for the door. I heard the thud of Derek landing on the floor continued by the sound of him rolling under the bed.
"Ella? What's wrong?" I asked as I cracked the door open. I slid out of the room after whispering "don't go anywhere" knowing Derek would be the only one to hear me. "Did you just get in? God, do you know what the time is?" I whispered angrily attempting not to wake the baby.
"It's 3 AM. 2 hours after my weekend curfew. I sent you a text" she answered annoyed. "Nice hair " she said trying to sneak a look into my room.
"Just call next time OK" I said trying to sound like a worried parent when all I really could feel was ecstasy of Derek being in my room. The baby started to cry as I was about to sneak back into my room.
"I'll get it" Ella said. "You.. Go back to bed" she smiled her eye catching something in the room. "Nice pants, are those Ralph Lauren's, Derek?" she asked speaking louder than before.
"Ella!" I warned as I heard Derek chuckle. Ella giggled as she entered the baby's room.

"That was close" I whispered as I closed the door behind me. Derek was already back in my bed by then.
"Close, Evy? She directed a question towards me" he pointed out.
"Evy?" I asked raising an eyebrow. "That's not your usual lingo" I said changing the subject from my denial of Ella catching us.
"Well, I like Evelyn better, but everyone in your life calls you Evy" he explained in a matter-of-fact manner.
"You can call me Evelyn, it's up to you" I said trying not to smile to broadly of how he called my name.
"Come back to bed, Evy" he laughed as he lifted the duvet.