Chapter 76

"ROUXE!"

Finstock, his face redder than a cherry, came bursting through the front door. Everyone froze in fear wide, stunned eyes. The angry coach—an uber force of his own—grabbed Melanie by the arm like a child and pulled her roughly toward the kitchen. Isaac took a step. A deep, threatening growl bubbled up from his chest and through his teeth. Melanie didn't speak but shook her head guiltily, telling him to back down.

"Hey!" Stiles said with protest and muddled confusion.

"Stay out of this Stilinski!" Finstock bellowed and spun on his heel and pointing at the teen. His eyes bulged out of their sockets in fury.

Stiles sunk back into his seat. Cora looped her arm with his protectively. Finstock continued into the kitchen.

"What were you thinking! Faking your own death! And, Derek had to tell me! I did not allow you to go on with your life for you to be THIS stupid. I should never have allowed you to stay with those stupid dogs! I should've just taken custody of you and kept you away from them! But I trusted you. You are a very stupid girl," Finstock's yelling continued.

In the living room, they all listened intently. Stiles cringed, feeling terrible for Melanie. Isaac watched the doorway closely through hardened eyes. It was the protective side that was peeking out. Derek was the only one keeping calm, waiting for the rant to end so that he could continue the conversation.

"Why is he going all postal on her," Lydia asked. "How does he even know about all of this?"

Derek looked up from his focused, spacey daze on coffee table. He looked to the majority of them.

"You don't know?" Derek asked.

"Know what," Stiles asked, shaking his head.

"He's her uncle," Derek said.

Scott and Stiles shared a look of shock, their mouths parting and eyes enlarged, then looked at the others. While Boyd and Jackson didn't really seem to care, Danny, Lydia and Stiles expressed various levels of surprise. Cora shrugged, like she'd discovered worse things over time.

"Is nobody else surprised?" Stiles said.

"It makes sense," Aiden said with a nonchalant shrug. "They're quite alike. They're both a little explosive."

Stiles looked at Isaac who was busy listening intently to the kitchen yelling session and then at Danny who's eyebrows were raised in surprise not out of shock that Finstock and Melanie were related but out of the lack of privacy for their squabble.

"You knew?" Stiles said incredulously.

"I'm her best friend." Danny replied.

"I'm the boyfriend."

"I'm her friend!" Stiles defended with a pouty face.

"It wasn't that important…" Danny said. Jackson smirked at the put out look on Stiles's face.

The arguing or rather, Finstock's incessant yells, died down after a few more minutes.

The shock that Melanie was even more tied to this town than realized wore off as well. She wasn't just the runaway girl who strayed into town because of Derek Hale.

Aiden was right. It did make sense. Melanie had a short fuse and was so easily annoyed. She could get loud when excited. The big difference was her defensive side, not for herself but others. When others were in danger she took the heat, even if the people she defended were complete morons.

"I did what I had to," Melanie said. "I'm sorry."

The ingrained pissed-off look didn't lessen any. She hugged her arms around her chest, holding her ribs in her hands. There was no sarcastic rebuttal. Before her faked death, she didn't reach out to him though he had in his own way. Keeping him at whatever distance she could managed felt safer. He wouldn't end up like Mom and Dad.

"You're sorry," Finstock scoffed. "Well, everything's okay now that you're sorry. Your mother, my sister, would turn in her grave if she knew about all of this."

Melanie sighed.

"I have to go. They need me. Yell at me more later." She said without divulging that she felt like she was twelve in all of this.

"Kid, I cannot help you if you keep trying to get yourself killed."

"It's okay."

There was more silence.

"I wish you hadn't been forced to grow up so fast."

"Me too."

They came out. Melanie crawled back under Isaac's arms like nothing had happened. Finstock made his way to the door and glared at Derek, Stiles and Danny. The door slammed shut behind him, rattling the house.

"Wow," Stiles said.

Sheriff Stilinski looked at the front door for one more minute then at her.

"Are we done?" he asked.

Melanie shrugged with an annoyed look. While Scott and the remaining confused ones continued to look at her like she was once again a stranger. The sheriff continued with his lecture that made everyone feel like a child, even Derek. Derek's head hung low like a scowled puppy. Scott wasn't much better.

In the end, Scott huffed and sighed unhappily like the man-child he still was, but he agreed to work with Derek. Melanie's upper lips reared up in a sneer at his disrespect toward Derek.

"Have some respect you ugly dog," she spat.

The sheriff closed his eyes in despair. His hope that she wouldn't speak was dashed. But words came out in the usual fashion-sarcastic, crude and lacking any niceness.

"Respect?" Scott scoffed. "He nearly got you killed."

"I'm a big girl. I knew what I was doing. I knew the risk. We all know the risk."

Isaac lay his chin on her shoulder as if in agreement. He knew she had her reasons. He couldn't stay angry at her for it. She was here now. Staying angry with her would take away from the time that he could be having the future he wanted so badly with her. He still thought about that crazy dream he'd had not long after 'burying' her. One didn't forget something like that. He thought about it now more than ever too.

"Risk?!" Scott scoffed. "So you're just okay about possibly dying."

She shook her head lightly. Isaac didn't move.

"You do it," she said. "You do it to protect your friends and family. So do I. So does Lydia. Allison. Stiles"

"I don't." Jackson piped up in a bored tone.

"Shut up," the room chorused.

Melanie's eyes narrowed.

"And you hate that." she said with a grin of realization. She chuckled and looked at Derek then back at Scott. "We all do our part, knowing. We don't stop one day and think 'hey, I'm going to die so I better not.". Plus, my death wasn't for you to worry about. Ever."

The last word came out hard and cold. Scott got it quickly. He bit back words and let out a long huffy breath.

"Scott," Derek said. Scott looked at him, still uncomfortable. "She's right. I take care of them. They're my family. But they have a life. I don't rule that. I don't take control like a god. She knew what she was doing just like all of them did. Was I terrified? Yes, and I still am, but I'm not afraid I'll lose them because I let them go. I believe in them and that one day they'll come back. I trust their decisions and it took me a long time filled with mistakes to do that."

"Fine. I don't trust you. You're a Hale." Scott said bluntly. "What do we do? Peter's already tried turning me against you."

He wasn't apologetic.

"We need to find out where they are. Go about things like nothing's changed." Derek said.

Derek turned to Melanie and pointed at her and the others.

"Stay hidden. There's a chance that they don't know you're all here."

Melanie's face pinched into a constipated and unhappy duck, making Danny laugh subtly. She shoved her heel against the floor stubbornly. It was like being in hiding during her fake death again.

"Okay," she replied.

Derek's eyes narrowed at how easy it was to get her to agree. She rolled her eyes.

"I'm not looking to try and get killed a second time. Plus, the whole I am forced to follow orders thing." She said quickly.

"I'm going to go talk to Peter," Scott said.

"We should probably tell Deaton," Stiles said.

"Where are you kids staying?" The sheriff asked, looking at Erica, Boyd and the twins.

"We're staying with Lydia," Aiden replied.

"We've been at the loft the last couple of days, but we were going to move to the motel on the edge of town," Erica replied next.

"No," the sheriff said to Erica. "You can stay here. It's not a big deal, but that way no one sees you sneaking around. This town is filled with things that would probably love to rat you out or kill you."

He looked at his son who seemed to be the epicenter of knowledge for creatures now. Cora was curled up in his side, having fallen asleep during the bickering at some point. Stiles was looking down at her, tucking some of her hair behind her ear.

"Everyone clear?" Derek asked.

There were a few grumbles and nods. Scott relaxed some but not enough to trust Derek on his word. Melanie, though she looked happier than any of them had ever seen, was shifty too. Her brash attitude had increased tenfold. Derek didn't even tell her to back down either.

She bit Isaac's forearm which lay over her collarbones, keeping her cocooned. He sounded a small 'ow', avoiding attention.

Scott looked back at Allison. She and Erica were conversing. They'd never done that, not in the casual sense, but there they were, looking like old friends. He could sense her nervousness, but it wasn't because she was the only hunter in the room and she was talking to someone she tried to kill at one point. It was a feeling that made her heart quiver painfully, like she was losing something dear to her or that she already had. The beat in a heart was noticeable for things like that. She played with the family crest pendant around her neck, smiling about Erica's stories. Allison told her and Boyd about the Caleveras.

The sheriff had moved into the kitchen with Derek. Scott followed and joined them for a beer.

The meeting had turned into a gathering of old friends who'd never really been friends.

This is so fucking weird, Scott thought. Deep in the back of his mind where no one could intrude, he hoped that this would be the beginning of the healing.

Allison came out of the apartment and made her way to the elevator. The double doors opened at the ding. There was only a girl inside. Her hair, messy with natural highlights, settled at her chest. She leaned against the back wall casually, wearing well-worn shorts and a medium blue shirt. Allison kept her eyes on her phone where she was texting Scott, but she could see the girl perfectly in the reflection of the phone's screen. The elevator box felt very small suddenly. The hairs on the back of her neck rose.

Everything about the girl screamed that she was of the woods. In one long, quiet breath, filling her nostrils, Allison could smell it. This girl wasn't normal. She wasn't normal, not human. Keeping calm, Allison looked up as the light above the doors moved from one floor to the next until it dinged.

Scott was standing by her car casually when she came out of the building.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

Her face brightened with a smile.

"Surprise," he said with a goofy grin.

She walked into his open arms. He was warm. She inhaled deeply, happy to be in his safe arms. He smelled like summer.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "You're shaking."

"I'm okay now. There was this girl in the elevator. It didn't feel right."

Allison could still feel her eyes creeping all over.

Scott rubbed her arms soothingly. She looked back at the building entrance. Nobody came out.

"Do you think she's with the alpha pack?" Scott asked.

"I don't know. Maybe."

Scott stared at the open doorway.

"Let's go." he said.

Allison checked her purse and relaxed at seeing that she had packed weaponry. Scott ushered her into her car and got in on the passenger side.

"What's going on?" she laughed.

"We're taking a day off," he told her.

She'd never seen him like this, not in a long while anyway. Her chest fluttered and she blushed, lighting her ivory cheeks like blossoms.

"A day off? From what?"

"Well, I'm not working today. It's summer. We're going to do summery things," he said.

He fiddled with the radio, but ended up shutting it off after ten minutes of static. That thing needed replaced.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Where all normal people go on a really hot day," he responded. "The lake."

The temperature was a high of ninety-one when they made it to the lake. Cora and Stiles were already laid out on a blanket, tossing barbs at one another. They were playful.

"Hey, you made it," Stiles said with a smile.

Cora grumbled a hello, but didn't move from her position on her stomach. Lydia and Danny met up with them a little later. Isaac remained at the Stilinski house much to Stiles's chagrin. He got an ugly feeling that he and Melanie were doing things in his room.

The feisty redhead brought an extra bikini suit for Allison. It was black with light ruffles.

"What would you do without me," she quipped.

"It's 2pm," Isaac rumbled. His voice rolled like thunder of a heat storm.

Melanie snuggled deeper into her pillow. The great thing about summer was that you got to sleep in late. Her skin thrummed in waves of cool heat and it was most pleasant. Her hair wrapped round her neck like a sweaty noose. Isaac pulled it gently and smoothed her sweaty strands along her back. The humid air felt cool for a brief moment. His nose trailed over her ticklish skin. She smiled softly.

Stiles stayed with Cora at the loft. It was a lot less crowded here since the Sheriff had Erica and Boyd come to the house. The living arrangements were very strange. Derek was still gone most of the time, having gone back to work on the Hale house. Isaac helped most days either before or after his shifts at the hospital. Melanie suspected that the two were trying mending old wounds. That only made her love Isaac more. He didn't have to try.

"We will have to get up at some point," he said.

"I don't. I'm in hiding, remember?" she grinned and turned over to face him. "Plus, you were working until 1am?"

She stroked a finger along his jawline. He turned his head and bit it gently. Melanie wrinkled her nose and pulled her hand away with a giggle.

"So you're really not mad at me anymore?" she asked timidly.

Isaac's forehead creased lightly. His eyes darted past her in deep thought.

"I was never mad. I was hurt and in quite a bit of physical pain." He chuckled right then and she saw a king of sparkle in it. She'd never seen anything like it at all. "This relationship brings a whole new meaning to love hurting so much."

He played with the ring that still hung around her neck. The silver still looked shiny and new. The moving chain tickled her neck.

"That it does," Melanie aid in agreement.

"Do you smell that?" he said, lifting his head and looking at the door.

Melanie inhaled deeply and then bore a Cheshire grin. Of course she could smell it.

"Mmmmmm bacon." Her mouth watered.

She stretched her arms above her head. Her muscles pulled deliciously from sleepy stiffness. The aroma made her stomach ache hungrily.

"I wonder who's cooking?" she said.

The oversized black shirt she wore hung haplessly on her shoulders when she sat up. Her back arched back like a black cat's at feeling Isaac's hand slowly move up along her spine underneath the cotton. His fingers ran softly over her skin. A chill rippled over her.

She stood and reached up to the ceiling, standing on her tippy toes. Over the last couple days she'd been cleaning the room. You could see the floor much better. She tousled her hair, yawning and then got dressed.

Downstairs, Boyd was at the stove. Melanie smiled at the dining room table that was scattered with plates: empty plates in front of the empty seats, except for the Sheriff who'd stopped by for the the afternoon. The rush of the shower upstairs could be heard.

"Hey, you two," the sheriff greeted.

Melanie smiled and grabbed a piece of bacon from the grease soaked plate by the stove. Isaac went straight for the coffee pot.

"How are things?"

Melanie gave him a flat look making him chuckle. She nibbled on her piece of bacon and then grabbed a plate from one of the empty spots and began to pile on breakfast: French toast, potatoes, eggs and more.

"We've been stuck in here for quite a while. I feel very stuffy," she replied grumpily.

Boyd waved his spatula in agreement.

"If Derek and Scott don't think of something soon, I'm going to go crazy."

Isaac chuckled.

"We're working on it," the Sheriff promised.

"Let us help," Melanie said almost whining. The sweet taste of the syrup drenched French toast drowned most of it out.

Isaac settled beside her and started to fill his own plate. Boyd joined them after finishing with the sausage at the stove. Melanie eagerly grabbed a few patties. Chit chat was small and then it died altogether when a visitor came by.

"Sheriff?"

The firm voice belonged to none other than Chris Argent.

Melanie nearly dropped her fork. This was the first time she'd seen him since she returned a couple weeks ago. He stood in the doorway and stared at her for a good long second. He then looked at Boyd who sat beside the Sheriff. He didn't look up from his plate as he ate eagerly, but waved with his fork.

"Hey! You better have saved me some bacon," Erica called as she came bounding down the stairs.

"Scott said, but he didn't-" Chris's brow furrowed deeply. Melanie could see a headache forming. His voice got scratchy with surprise next. "You're alive?"

"Very." Melanie replied. "My uncle's already yelled at me."

Isaac smirked. It was kind of funny when he thought about it.

"Uh, good. You put everyone through hell. So, yeah, good," Chris said, struggling on every word.

Melanie's smile brightened even more.

"It's what I'm good at." She shrugged.

Erica plopped down in the seat on Melanie's other side. Chris focused back on the reason he'd dropped by. There'd been news. A lot of people who'd been getting in accidents while driving and camping had all been giving similar descriptions of what was behind it. Some said it was a coyote. Others were saying it was a girl no older than seventeen.

Melanie's nose twitched and a look of aggravation smoldered her happy mood. Coyotes were assholes. You couldn't trust them one bit. They could help you, but they didn't do that kind of thing for free, and they only did it if there was a way they could help themselves. The price to do any sort of thing was pretty steep too. And, you had to be careful because coyotes loved tricking people.

If there was coyote out there, she had to wonder if she was with the alpha pack. More so, why the hell was she out to hurt people? Was there any reason? What would she gain?