Scott POV

I am not the best person to ask about Derek. Or about Angeline, if you ask Allison, or Lydia, or Erica.

There was nothing wrong with her, it was perfectly fine. She was calm, witty, confident, and she put Jackson in his place. She got along with the girls, and we all liked her at first. At first.

I don't know why, but it was all of the males in corresponding feeling, against her. Something protective came over us when she started talking about our Alpha. Like she was taking him away from us. Which was especially weird for me because half the time I think he's plotting against us.

I felt bad, because we all knew that she was a wolf. She could probably hear us over that loud, irritating, cackling woman on the phone. We could see the hurt on her face, the self-disappointment. She was trying to repress it as hard as she could, she knew we would smell it. Isaac was getting the worst of it, he had liked her from the start, but Jackson's negativity towards her had made us all feel it. Plus the sudden claim stake of us to Derek had thrown a virtual hateful curve ball into the positive 'first-time-ever-meeting' mix.

We were all dreading the moment Derek returned. The girls and Stiles were chilling however, knowing that they had been completely hospitable and welcoming. Erica was angry that she was feeling the negativity, but maintained her happy-go-lucky attitude associated with the older woman. We all felt guilty, except for Jackson, who was slowly realizing that Derek was going to kick his now furry little butt. At least it wasn't scaly anymore.

The roar of an engine silenced the quiet and nervous chatter that had slowly spread amongst us. Jackson's eyes went wide, his heart rate speeding to a mile a minute. A car door closed, and there was a shuffling of feet, a pause. Derek was sniffing the air because Angeline's scent was heavy in it.

I recalled the scent, cherry blossoms, like the lotion. I only know that because Allison uses it all the time. That smell had all but imbedded itself in my septum. It wasn't as strong when she was around though, it was subtle. It was only after Angeline left did the singed smell of cherry blossoms and discomfort burn worse than the ashened.

"Why isn't Angeline here? And why does it smell like she ran out of the house and through the woods?" It was obvious that the smell had faded enough to know that she had definitely left.

"Because she did", Jackson was acting like he had an attitude again, but even a blind man could see that that was a front and he was scared, like a little boy. Derek seemed like he was almost steaming in anger, "And why exactly, did she do that?"

"Because", Lydia shrewdly intervened. She and the other females stood up, Erica started talking next, "Your little beta males, emphasis on the beta, by the way. Apparently they don't like you're super awesome hot girlfriend." Allison quickly stepped forward, gripping Stiles by the bicep and pulling him harshly up with the other girls, "With the strong exception of Stiles."

Derek breathed deeply, crossing his arms tightly in front of him, frustrated and angry. "What – no, where is she?" He said through painfully clenched teeth, he was trying to catch our eyes, but I looked at the floor, guilt written all over my face. Nobody said anything, and our Alpha was getting even angrier the longer the silence was prolonged.

"She left a note, in the kitchen. Said she had to go to work." Isaac had his elbows on his knees, head in his hands.

Derek pounded into the kitchen, returning with a purple Post-It note and an infuriated face on. He turned around and grabbed his keys, grooves scraping lines in the table which they were settled. "I am going to see her. None of you, are going to leave, do you understand me?" Jackson got up to protest, but Derek pushed him back down into his seat with both hands in the center of his chest. The Loveseat legs screeched on the floor, sending 5 of 8 teens cringing, but the elder appeared completely unfazed.

"I don't care if you have a party, or a fundraiser, or freaking Lacrosse meet to get to, I don't give a crap. You are going to sit here, and hate it, because you don't get a choice." Derek was practically screaming in Jackson's face, like he already knew that he was mostly accountable for our pessimism towards a perfectly acceptable person. Then he turned his anger to the rest of us. It was freakishly daunting, startling even the four that had completely accepted his girlfriend. "Nobody offered her a ride to the café? At least?" Derek's voice held unbelievable doubt, as if he couldn't comprehend that not one of us would offer help.

"No, I offered a ride, but the look she gave me told me to leave it." Allison looked guilty, it tore my heart out that she was in discomfort.

"I'm leaving. When I come back, we are training."

"For how long?" Jackson really just didn't know when to quit, does he? Resentment was seeping from where the Alpha stood, it burned my nostrils like onion in the eyes.

"Till I say so." Derek seethed, eyes morphing and maintaining a fury red eyes color. "Can we come?" The girls and Stiles asked awkwardly from the other side of the room, the innocent side, apparently.

He glared sharply at us, but spoke calmly to them, "Did you act like rude, unwelcoming, unruly idiots?"

Stiles squinted and started to fidget in deep thought, "Well, I acted like a little bit of an idiot, but I was totally sympathetic to the fact that she was your girlfriend." Derek strongly resisted an eye roll but composed himself, "Then you can come, maybe I'll even pick you up some food when we get there." He motioned for them to come, and paused with a sickly sweet, completely fake smile. The kind that Lydia used to give Stiles when she told him that it was never gonna happen between them. "Oh, and you guys don't have to train. You can have the night off."

We erupted in a fit of complaints, only to have Derek's fear inciting stare return, "Shut up an sit down." And then they were gone. I stood up and slapped Jackson's head, glaring back at him when he turned a wide incredulous eye. "What have you done?"

"Me? What do you mean what did I do?"

"If you hadn't started acting like the defensive, angry little punk that you are, we would've been fine. We would've gotten past the pack defense no problem." I yelled back.

"You still don't get it, do you?" Isaac stood up, sudden fire in his eyes. "You are part of a pack. A pack of werewolves. We feel what each other feels, towards the same people. So when you suddenly get lousy with anger at our Alpha's girlfriend because she knows how stupid you're acting, we all feel it. And we get angry at her even when we like her."

Boyd got up next when Jackson scoffed and looked away, smiling and casually hanging his hands in his pockets. Boyd's calm composure was practically all but gone, replaced by a flair of the nuisance that is Jackson Whittemore . "She is good for the alpha, our alpha. Lydia would tell you the same, all the girls would tell you the same, even Derek would admit the exact same thing. You know we're right and you need to get over it, Jackson."

He opened his mouth to speak, but I pushed him back in his seat before he could. Jackson growled and grumbled, but didn't attempt to get up.

3rd Person POV

Angeline shuffled into the Daily DeVille with slumped shoulders. She plopped her bag down in the nearest seat, giving Karynna the weariest smile she could manage. Karynna frowned deeply at the distressed state of her mentor.

"You aren't supposed to be here." Angeline looked taken aback for a moment at Karynna's forwardness.

"Yeah, well. Things kinda got cut short." Angeline was being vague on purpose, and she knew that Karynna knew it. The youngling set down the aerosol can of cleaner and crossed to Angeline, taking her firm hands in her own dainty ones. Angeline fidgeted and took her appendages back, holding them in tight fists to her chest. "I don't need that", she said patronizingly.

Karynna decided to call her on it, "I am trying to help, because you look like he-"

"You know better than to curse around me." Angeline said blandly as she went behind the counter to finish Karynna's cleaning job. Karynna groaned quickly, "You don't have to be so condescending you know." Angeline smirked, falsely, but Karynna didn't need to know that. "I know."

"You wanna talk about it?" Karynna pressed.

Angeline sighed and hung her head, moving hands to brace herself on the bar. "About what?"

"You know what. What was supposed to happen tonight."

"What was supposed to happen tonight, did happen tonight."

"And?" Karynna held a dumbfounded expression.

"And, what happened? You were supposed to stay till, like, ten, or something. And get to know his…kids, or whatever. Bond with them, get them to accept you, especially if you are going to be in that relationship."

"It's actually closer to a Big Brother thing. With like 3 or 4 little siblings, and then all of their friends."

"Dam–, Dang it Angie, that is not the point and you know it. What the hel– heck, happened?"

"It must've been me. They didn't like me, with the strong possible exception of the 3 girls and one boy that may or may not be gay. I didn't get clear markers, but he didn't exactly seem like a ladies man and was siding 100% with the girls."

"What do you mean they didn't like you? How does someone not like you?"

Angeline picked up the broom and began sweep. "It's not the first time. And don't come over here and start trying to get me to sit down, you know that cleaning helps me think."

"Okay well if you're not, then I am. I'm pouring you a drink."

"You can pour me one but not yourself."

"But you need a drink and you need a drinking buddy."

"You are not my drinking buddy. Do what you want on your own time, and what you do when your with your grandma, that's on her."

"Then who is? You're ex?"

Angeline stopped abruptly and looked to the other female, "He is not my ex." Karynna snorted and took a sip out of the whisky glass, "Not yet."

"Okay you know what Karynna? I don't know where this will go. More than 80% of the people that have any say in his life, have a community goal of hating me. So I don't know what's going to happen next. But I hope it doesn't end, because as little logic as it makes, this makes me happy. Being with Derek, makes me happy, and content, and stress free. Oh! Have you noticed that , Karynna? Have you noticed that? I haven't snapped at any of the customers in 2 months. 2 months, Karynna! I feel freaking gleeful. I haven't felt gleeful for years. And you know what, that is what he does to me." Angeline's fingers wrapped around the wooden pole so tightly her tan fingers went pale and her knuckles began to hurt. Hastily she swept, splinters sliding in between the layers of skin.

"That's why it hurts so much that they don't like you", Karynna closed her eyes and nodded as realization overcame her like a light from behind.

"I don't care that they don't like me. I could care less. But this isn't 'they'. This is practically his family, their opinion matters most."

"You mean behind his?"

"No. When I was with my family in Boston, you didn't have a choice. Family comes first, before any love interest. No matter how in love you are."

"You really love him?"

"So much it's painful." She admitted agonizingly, Angeline's chest was beginning to hurt, and her eyes grew moist.

"Then it won't matter. If that's what's going on then –" Angeline stopped her, "Karynna, I believe that you really are trying to help, but you seriously don't get it. You do not understand, and I don't blame you for that."

She looked up at Angeline with sorrowful eyes. "Then tell me what happened."

The elder sighed, but refused to look up. "We were there, Derek had left to do something. Referring to me as his girlfriend, by the way. He left, I opened them up to a Q and A, they could ask me about whatever they wanted, except sex. I had no problem, they were sweet kids, and I told one of them to back off because he was being a condescending little pig, and his friends were on board with it, calling him out on it. But then, this tension clouded in like fog. And I felt it, they were backing up their friend, I get that. So, I went to make sure there was nothing Judy needed, to let things calm down a little bit. And, I heard bits and pieces of what they were saying. And then I hung up." Angeline paused to look up, finally. "You ever walk into a room, and simultaneously feel the hate of every single person in the room, apart from the few that feel pity?"

Karynna stood, appearing uncomfortable, "Once. When I was accused of sleeping with the head cheerleaders boyfriend. They were having a bake sale, and I showed up. All of a sudden, every head turned my way, the only pity I got was the boyfriend that knew that I hadn't slept with him."

"I care to much to see him lose the people he cares about most. I may not want to, but I will let him go if that's what needs to happen."

The squeak of a door tore my thought away, "You're an absolute loon if you think that's going to happen." Walking in the door was the girls, Stiles, and a very ticked off looking Derek. The oldest woman could smell anger and aggravation radiating from him from the epicenter of the room. His rigid expression softened exponentially when those beautiful pale green eyes laid sight on her small, but strong willed body.

"Oh, look, the proverbial 'knight in shining armor'", Karynna mumbled spitefully, "Karynna…" Angeline warned, before smiling brightly, and fake facedly at the newly entered crowd. "Hey guys, what are you guys doing here?"

"Long story. But we came to see you, just us." Allison shined a smile full of empathy as they all climbed into the booth they had before. Everyone but Derek slid into place, including Karynna, whose sour face faded when she tore her gaze from the tallest male.

Angeline POV

"Ahhhh, okay, well, let me get you guys something." I turned on my heel in the direction of the kitchen, shuddering slightly when a large warm hand smoothed out on my back with feather light touch. "I'll go with you."

Derek followed me into the kitchen. The lights flickered on with the switch, blue illuminant shining on clean stainless steel. I moved quickly for the pantry, hoping for some bagels or toast. Derek put his hands on my ribs, turning me to face him.

"Yeah, what is it?" I said, thinking more about rushing to get them food than the proximity of my face and his.

"Angeline", he breathed, the trickle down my spine gave me shivers, and goosebumps along my arms and back. I finally looked at him, finding concern very evident in those magnificent eyes. His arms moved farther back, wrapping insistently around my thin frame. "Are you okay?" He asked tentively, resting his warm forehead on mine.

I laughed tightly in relief, "Yes, yes of course, I'm fine."

"Lie", He didn't even chuckle about it, no smile, just that calculating frown, and passionate gaze. He stared at me, swaying us slightly, waiting for an answer.

"Okay well I don't know what you want me to say." I held on firmly to his biceps, the muscle underneath it pleasingly solid. "Tell me what happened." He murmured.

I laid a cheek on his shoulder to arm joint. "I know when I'm not wanted. That's it." He tensed up so that his arm was like a wooden board. His nose pressed into the hair above my ears, flaring from smelling deeply. "What happened?" His voice was strained, almost as if he were in pain. It made my heart hurt to know what was happening. But I didn't respond, I'm sure he knows already. "I put someone in their place without authority, the anger spread and I went out of the room to let the tension defuse. I came back in and knew exactly where I stood with all of them. Like I said, I know when I'm not wanted." I prevented my voice from crackling but it was in vain, because Derek knew, he always seemed to know.

We both know what this means. Whether they had meant to or not, the pack hadn't accepted me. If the pack doesn't accept someone, it doesn't happen, no matter what the alpha says. I was rejected, and in most cases, that wouldn't change.

"I don't care. I am going to keep dating you, because I don't care. They can cry and moan all they want, because it's not going to change." Derek pulled closer, hands sliding further around and he just, held me. And then with that, I lost it. Tears prickled and I found my vision becoming blurry, I buried my face in his shoulder. I choked out a bitter laugh, "A lot to admit after 2 months…"

Derek rumbled and his chest vibrated, it was comforting, almost lulling me to sleep. "3 months."

Dourly, I smiled, just because he made that comment in the midst of all this. Derek gripped the side of my face and kissing me with purpose. He wiped my under eyes with his thumbs, even if they were already dry because no tears had spilt over yet, and pressing his lips to my forehead. "I'm going to kill him." Derek murmured, face remaining emotionless.

"I didn't name names", I argued almost silently. Derek snorted a laugh, "You don't need to. Jackson is the only tool in my pack. And the only one who has a big enough mouth to act like an impervious moron to you because you called him out on his crap. It's Jackson, and it always is." I laughed and kissed him, not wanting to move, but knowing that everyone was still sitting outside. Regretfully, I reminded the irresistible male in front of me.

"Yes, and I have a half a mind that they're using Erica to listen in."

I sighed, "Mmm, more likely not. Karynna doesn't know, and I'm sure that they wouldn't have just suddenly blurted it out."

"I have a pack full of teenagers, dumb, irresponsible teenagers. I would not put it past them to let something slip and freak her out." He said, voice low as low can be, octave above a whisper and levels below a speaking tone.

"I have bread in the pantry", I suggested in an unlikely tone. "Then we'll just eat bread." Feeling one hand move from my hip and return with a closed and sealed bag of white bread.

Laughing for a happy reason this time, I placed my hands on both sides of his head and kissed him. I pulled back, holding his hand and lacing our fingers together, and looking him in the eyes, secretly judging if he's going to steal his hand away. His face was stoic again, his favorite non-facial expression, but his fingers tightened on my hand assuringly.

Walking back into the room, they were all talking. Gossiping, and laughing about whatever taboo subject they were onto. Karynna caught sight and the smile dropped from her face. I sighed stepped forwards, the girls and Stiles smiled, joyfully and with wider eyes when they witnessed the lock of our fingers.

"We brought food." I said, Derek dropped the bag of bread on the table. Erica raised her eyebrow vivaciously, "Plain bread?"

"Hey, it's what we've got. I am not a world class Hawaiian Chef like Puff. I burn even toast", I wildly gestured towards the plain bread bag as I slid into the seat next to Karynna. Derek pulled up a seat at the head of the table, sitting in it backwards. "Is that why we always order in?"

My face turned red, and I strongly resisted the sheepish smile trying to creep it's why onto my face. "No", Erica squinted and Derek boldface loudly and also in a calm manner exclaimed, "Lie."

I turned to him with a semi-embarrassed face, and an 'Oh-my-god-please-shut-up' trigger smile. He returned my look with his own incredulous one, "What? What'd I do?"

Erica arrogantly leaded her arms onto the table, "Derek, she was is not as attuned to your blatant disregard for human ethics and bedside manner."

"What are you talking about?" I turned to them with wide eyes and a piece of half eaten bread in my hand, "Derek is a complete gentleman." The half of the pack went slack, eyes too wide for their heads, shock evident on their faces. Stiles' mouth hung open, exposing the chewed food in his mouth. Lydia didn't look away from us, but used her hand to close Stiles' agape pie-hole, "How so?" She asked, like she was in a confused daze.

"He holds the door open, rubs my shoulders out when I get all tensed up, he fed me grapes once after-", Derek silenced me with a kiss, and then wrapped his fingers over my mouth, "We are not going to talk about that."

I licked his fingers in an attempt to get him off, but he growled, too low for anyone else, werewolf or not, to hear. So I bit him. He removed his hand in a flash. "And why not?"

Derek began to look uncomfortable and a little antsy, "Because look at them, all of them, it's like their high. They are getting high on the facts of our relationship. I don't need them high." Looking at the teens before us, they did indeed look high. Look of absolute stupor on their faces, glazed over eyes, a little drool from one of their mouths, even Karynna. Stiles wasn't that way though, he had more of a thinking face on, squished eyes, furrowed brown, offset jaw and confused open mouth. I sniggered, "That is…very true."

Almost instantaneously they snapped out of their daze. Derek refrained from laughing, but I allowed myself a snigger or two.

The clearing of a throat tore our attention from the laughing table. We turned our heads to find 4 boys, varying levels of guilt on their young teenage beta faces. Jackson looked sheepish, and even more shame-faced when Derek's hand slid around my waist, and held an expression that would normally be accompanied with a low protective 'Back-Off-Now' growl.

I smiled reassuringly and gripped the fingers that were prying onto my side, his claws were beginning to poke through the thin sweater I had on. The boys were shifting on their weight, Isaac had his head down, and Boyd wasn't acting submissive, but you could tell by the unhappy expression on his face that he felt bad.

"Want bread?" I held out a piece for them, kind of praying that they take it as a sign of forgiveness. Scott smiled and they all moved closer. Isaac slid in besides Karynna, exciting the most microscopic of smiles when he shyly glanced at her. I moved onto Derek's lap, feeling his glaring eyes over my shoulder when he jabbed his nose into my shoulder blade. He didn't want his pack to think he'd gone soft because he was acting affectionately to me.

He was the tough, big guy alpha, who only showed emotion to his girlfriend, who revealed motherly feeling like it was nothing. Interesting prospect, I couldn't help but think. If only they realized how little they actually knew.

…

We stayed and joked around, acted like careless teenagers. I made everyone go home around ten, knowing that they wouldn't listen and would stay up as long as they wanted. I just figured it was better for them to do it in a place where they wouldn't have to go all the way home at a late hour. Jackson had relapsed into his skepticality of the romantic side of Derek.

He was in the middle of a rant of how anti-social Derek was when I flat out said screw it. I grabbed his head and gripped his lips with my own, inhaling the scent of fresh rain. He didn't immediately pull away either, he pulled closer. I lazily draped my arms around his neck, in response he secured his own muscled limbs around my mid-section, leaning forwards so that I was bent backwards. We were full on making out and leaned back into a near 90 degree angle. My lungs were burning when I finally pulled away, laughing angelically, and smiling even harder when I heard Derek's chuckle, low and godly.

I pulled away hesitantly, turning to Jackson, "Now why don't you tell me that he doesn't feel emotion." I knew he could smell Desire, Want, among other things on us from off us. He looked absolutely stunned, and as were the rest of the males, the females stood in an sassy stance, knowing smiles on every one of their faces.

I smiled so hard my cheeks ached while I was on my way home. My nerves were at a happy ease, I felt remarkable. Physically and emotionally, I actually just felt, happy for a prolonged amount of time, and it was freaking amazing. So god bless that pack for making it happen.

There was a pep in my step when I stepped out of the car. Smiling so hard was a good sign, and even my heart knew it, because it didn't hurt a bit I could practically hear a song I used to love when I was a child, Nina Simone's Feelin' Good.

"Angeline Martello?" A steady voice called out from the shadows. I turned with a curious, blissfully expectant expression. Slowly descending back towards the voice, "Yes?"

Not a sound was made, not a peep, not even the sound of car horns could be heard from anywhere. The breeze made a whistle as it brushed past, it was chilling but comfortable. My optimism was swept away by a still calmly collected mask. "Hello?"

Then a flash of yellow orange and the musty burnt smell of gunpowder, the eruption of pain and the burst of red from my abdomen. Face soft, the tiniest of curves pulling at the one corner of my lips in an ironic smile, I looked around in the ever darkening black shadows. I looked down, arms floating at my sides. Red blossomed at the left bottom corner of my side, welling larger and larger against the white of the sweater. Centimeter wide dribble of thick, oozing, scarlet colored blood slipping down and away from the rest of the mass.

My hands trembled on their own, and I don't remember falling, maybe because I didn't. I don't remember the pain, because I knew I hadn't felt it. I don't remember the cold breeze escalating to a whipping thrash of air. I don't remember screaming, or whispering, or even breathing. But I do remember that face, the face of the man with the gun in his hand.